Tea Party in a Cupboard

Same parking structure, taking the long view.


After yesterday's post about a grocery store tea, I got thinking about what you could do for a tea if all you had was what was in your cupboards or fridge or freezer. I like to cook and bake, so there is always lots.

There are all sorts of baking supplies, but I am talking about an impromtu party, so let's do a tour and see what we could do.

My freezer has a pound cake, ice cream and cookie dough for desserts. There is also a box of frozen hors d'oerves, but they are for another party. There is a pizza, some soup, some pesto, and some very good egg rolls. In the fridge are two kinds of chocolate sauce and a caramel one. Hard boiled eggs, veggies, condiments are there as well as some ham and cream cheese. Some whipping cream for, well, whipped cream is always good, no? In the cupboards there are lots of different kinds of nuts, both salted and unsalted. Ditto on the dried fruits like apricots, prunes, pears, cherries and mango. and also an assortment of chocolate bars. Plenty of stuff for some desserts. There is also some fresh fruit which could easily be included.


We have plenty of crackers and cheese and a number of small sausages to make up some small bits, with some pickles, olives and pickled onions to garnish them. I have a wide array of homemade chili sauces, conserves and chutneys which can be used as well. There are lots of olives, sour cream and other things to make dips with, veggies to dip into them. I have a small herb garden and anything is perked up with fresh herbs. At this moment, we have no bread, so no sandwiches. Lots of homemade and store bought jams and jellies, though. But I could make a bunch of silver dollar pancakes and use them as bread, right?


Aha, if there was time, I even have a scone mix, not a usual inhabitant. So, it might not be traditional, but I could throw together a passble feast for tea. I didn't mention the tea, but I can assure you that I have about a gazillion kinds, even after doing some tea shelf cleaning.


Now, what is there is your cupboard you could use for an impromtu party? I would bet that if you look around, there will be an astonishing amount of things you could serve, with little or no cooking or prep time. We can get so caught up in planning way ahead or having everything according to a formula, that we forget we can throw things together out of our cupboards that will feel like a feast to our guests. Just serve it forth without disclaimers! I have to say I do like doing "a proper tea" when there is time.But,you know most people are just pleased you took the time to do anything and are happy to relax and enjoy your company. I certainly would.


We have been enthralled by the number and kinds of fledglings that are being brought to our yard for life lessons. The latest is a hairy woodpecker who is sitting with his father on the suet feeder. The father takes some suet and gives it to the baby. The baby doesn't catch on. Papa leaves. The baby doesn't catch on. They'll be back, I'm sure, until the kid wises up. Yesterday a female cardinal was just sitting on the lawn, looking tired. I think the kids must have worn her out. This morning the grackles were trying to convince their kids to lower their heads and pick up the seeds. They preferred making a big racket. Growing up is hard to do.











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Tea Party at the Grocery Store

I have discovered that some of the comments on my blog are coming from "adult" sites promoting nudity and other sexual things. Please do not click on the commenters, unless, of course, that is where you want to go. I am trying to make it more difficult for this to happen.

You would like to give a tea party. But you are one of the original members of the "I hate to cook club". What to do? First of all, if these folks you want to invite are really your friends, Oreos and a cup of tea are enough. But perhaps you wish to honor someone or just have a fling into tea partydom. Well, hie yourself off to the grocery store, Walmart or one of the big box stores like Sam's Club, BJ's or Costco and peruse the goodies.

First, however, the tea. If you don't know your guests tastes, pick a middle of the road black like a good second flush Darjeeling or a Ceylon, or the everyday tea of your choice. You could serve a second pot of Earl Grey if you want to offer a second selection, it is very popular. Half and half or whole milk, sugar and a nice sweetener, maybe some thin lemon slices or small lemon wedges, remembering to wash the lemons. If it is hot and you don't want to have hot tea, make ice tea. If you feel unsure, buy some Lipton's Cold Brew tea bags and follow the directions. It isn't the greatest tea on earth, but it isn't too bad and you could always add one of those little packets you use to make a glass of lemonade to give it a bit of a kick. Some taste like strawberries, which I can say is pretty darn good in tea.

Dessert stuff next. Any good supermarket will have cakes, or cupcakes and some have small individual desserts. The frozen aisle always has a number of things that only need reheating. The cookie aisle always has some nice small offerings and if there is an Italian section to it, many of the Stella D'Oro brand go very nicely with tea. Try to have a selection of 3-4 and not all chocolate. And try for small things, so people can eat more than one.

Savories - ie not sweets. Again, hit the frozen aisle, where there is usually an assortment of hors d'oerve type things, like crab puffs, stuff wrapped in phyllo, mini quiches, etc.. The big box stores always have them and other party things, like frozen cream puffs you can thaw. If you feel up to it you can buy those loaves of party breads which are about 2"square and make sandwiches, covering them with a damp paper towel and saran wrap, in the fridge, until serving time. Just make sure there is an assortment, like chicken salad, ham salad, egg salad, cheese and ham, tomato, whatever sounds good to you. Some stores will have fresh made scones or some sort of biscuits you can warm and serve with butter and jam. Try to decorate the serving platters with some bits of fruit or parsley or lemon leaves if you feel creative. If not, don't worry about it.

Table decor - if you're really feeling insecure, go to a party store and buy paper plates, napkins and a tablecloth that will go with your teapot or is a nice contrast to it. Some flowers or a potted plant are a nice addition, even weeds are pretty.

So, there you have it, an elaborate tea party and the most cooking you may have to do is warm things up or make a sandwich. Personally, I would go for something simpler, but I am the laziest creature! The point is to relax, have a good time and eat goodies. Oh yes, drink lots of tea.

Tea Party Goodies for Special Diets

Having recently started a low carbohydrate diet, I have started to think about what one does for us folks and diabetics at a tea party. Tea and cream are perfect and need no change. I have successfully made 2 batches of scones using low carb ingredients - special flours and sweeteners (I use a Splenda type sweetener that has fiber in it and brings the calorie and carb count for sweetening to zero) that have turned out very nicely, with very little loss of flavor, although the texture is a wee bit different. Stuffed mushrooms, pates, different kinds of deviled eggs, custards, soups without pasta all come to mind. You can make cookies and crusts from finely ground nuts. I haven't tried a cake yet, however.

There are low carb items like tortillas, pita bread and bars available in some grocery stores, certainly at Walmart. There is even halfway decent ice cream, called Carb Smart by Breyers that some grocers have. Fresh berries with whipped cream are excellent desserts. If you want to consider doing this for a friend(s) for a tea, Dana Carpender has authored an excellent cookbook, 500 Low Carb Recipes, that I know many libraries have or can order for you. There are many diabetic cookbooks that have very good recipes in them. If you want to make things requiring more specialized items, check a health food store or got to www.netrition.com online (which is where I get special flour)and click on low carb. One of the good things about them is they ship anything anywhere in the continental US for only $4.95.

There are also many people with gluten problems that would make a standard tea difficult if not impossible. Again, there is much on line and in libraries to help with this. There are also currently many, many mixes available at health food sores, Walmart and grocery stores to make really good stuff. My husband is allergic to wheat and I got a recipe for a flour mix off the internet that generally works quite well. His is not a full-blown gluten problem or celiac disease, so this is relatively easy. I don't know enough about the others to comment, so I won't.

I always ask if people really hate anything or have allergies or special needs when I invite them and then do my best to accomodate them. I suppose it is easier for me, since my kids and my husband were all allergic to different things and sometimes I felt a bit crazed trying to come up with meals everyone could eat. But we all survived, even thrived. Fortunately no one is allergic to tea, although many need to watch their caffeine intake.

Earl Grey Times Two

Keepers of the keys?

It was sooooooo beautiful this morning - sun shining on the 4 more inches of snow we got in the night. It was still stuck on each branch and the sides of the trees, so it was delightful.


I've had such a good week at our local "Sal's Boutique" aka Salvation Army aka Local Mission Store. I got a really pretty tea pot with a ring of roses around it's fat middle, a gorgeous Italian plate and a covered vegetable dish that almost matches my grand mother's rose strewn china. I always have to go for the "almost matches" as I have never seen it anywhere, but that's ok. Roses are roses.

Today I mixed two teas I like - both Upton's - Lavender Earl Grey and Earl Grey Blue Flower. Wow, I really like this combo! The bergamot seems perfectly balanced, strong, but not over-whelming, aromatic, but not perfumey. Just right. Plus, the two tea bases merged to give a deep solid cup that is very, very satisfying. I might just make up a can of this stuff, I am so happy about it.

Tea party - the real tea party - people unite. We must take back our name and stand up for civility in life. There is so much anger and hate-filled rhetoric floating through the air, it's wonder we aren't all dead. We really can't go on this way. We need to recapture politeness and ways of speaking which make a point without nastiness. It really doesn't matter where you are politically, religiously or any other way, being civil in all we do and say has to help, even if it is only a small way. There are lots of ways to express anger without going over the top. I should know, I am quck to anger and have had to learn how to say so without blasting the universe.
So, raise a cup with me!

Ginger Up

I think we are having an ice storm today, or trying to. The temperature is hovering around 30 and it snows a bit and then mists. Anyway, it is that sort of cold that burrows right through your clothes and your flesh until your bones are cold. I even decided not to go for a walk and all the cats thought that was very smart as they settled in for a "long winter's nap".

My tea friend Stephanie lives way the other side of the country in Washington state and their crocuses and daffodils are pushing out of the ground and it is 50! today. The weather people expect us to go below zero by the weekend. I comfort myself that it is even grayer there than here.

I am having a new-to-me tea from another tea friend, Elizabeth. It is Bigelow's Ginger Snappish. It smells divine, so gingery. It is really an herbal tisane, made from lemongrass, lemon peel, cinnamon, ginger, lemon verbena, rosehips and natural flavorings. Whole lotta good stuff in there. It does smell like ginger snaps and it is pretty much the color of them, too. I don't think I have seen this one on the local shelves, but now I will look for it. It seems perfect for such a raw day. Oh yumm, it is so good. A bit sweet, definitely gingery, but not overwhelming and a lot like a gingersnap. The lemon flavors really just play a supporting role here and I am hardly aware of them. I don't think it needs a bit of sweetener and I may not even put cream in it. Warm hands from the mug, warm face from the steam, warm heart from a friend, and a warm tum from the tea itself. I can't ask for more than that.

I was reading a new cookbook I got from www.alibris.com , an excellent source for cheap books, and found a recipe for Matcha flavored madeleine's. I love these wonderful little tea cakes and I think I need to buy some cooking grade Matcha so I can make some. There are at least 2 grades of Matcha - the more expensive, which can be $30 or more and ounce, is for tea ceremony use. It is lovely stuff and the ceremony is equally so.

A Turkish Party

The perfect way to explore Vienna.

What a good time we had last night at the Turkish restaurant! There 7 of us and I think we managed to sample about everything on the menu. I can't remember how to spell them all but there was eggplant pureed with garlic and herbs [baba ganoosh], the best hummus, wonderful fresh pita, spinach pie, some sort of stuffed with feta and herbs pastry, fresh and unsalty feta, olives, we split a chicken, lamb and sausage plate and there was baklava, kadiefi [glorified shredded wheat] and rice pudding for dessert.

I had Turkish tea, which the waiter says comes from the south of Turkey and is very traditional. It was served in small glasses, shaped like small hyacinth sprouting glasses, with an actual tea spoon and all sitting in a little colorful bowl. It was a pretty dark amber and was very hot - they brew it to order. The taste was on the thin side, with a fresh taste and metallic and astringent overtones. I am not sure I would get it again, but it was a very pleasant accompaniment to the hors d'oerves. To be truthful, I would've preferred the Turkish coffee - tiny cups, bitter brew with lots of sludge in the bottom, but wonderful stuff. Hey, what can I say? I like both drinks.


I couldn't help but think how many of the dishes we were served would make a wonderfully exotic tea party. All those delicious spreads for small pitas, the tiny savory pastries, white bean salad, cucumber soup, small lamb or chicken skewers, and of course, those sweeter than sweet desserts. With an exotic tablecloth and napkins, and plenty of good black tea, you'd be in business. Many Turkish dishes are very similar to other Middle Eastern ones and most are fairly easy to prepare, with recipes readily available on the internet.

Explorations on the Tea Web

In the middle of the beautiful city of Austria, right in front of the
palace, there are these big holes in the ground. They are the Roman ruins! If you look carefully in the upper middle of the picture you will see a round hole, which provided running water. Yup, the Romans had running water and bathrooms far more similar to ours than any other time up to the early days of the 20th century.


I am suffering from an extreme case of laziness today and I am not trying any teas I haven't already told you about. I am saving my palate for going to a Turkish restaurant tonight. I've never been to one, so I am really looking forward to it. Some friends found it just by chance and so a bunch of us are having a new experience.

Instead, I am going to tell you about some interesting things I found on the tea blogs I frequent.
The Odd Box that is part of the United Kingdom blog has some interesting things - go to www.tea.co.uk and check it out. They also feature many tea rooms if yyou are lucky enough to be going there any time soon.

At the Tea Gallery, there is an interesting article on aged gyokura, that very famous and expensive Japanese tea. Most people try to get the freshest, but some Japanese age it for about a year and say it is much better. Read about it here www.theteagallery.blogspot.com

Last but not least is a handy chart on tea processing, with explanations. This can be found at http://greatteas.com/about


Tomorrow I will reort on the Turkish restaurant and if they have tea or just those tiny cups of coffee. For now, I will finish the vacuuming and take a little nap.

Hot Tea in the Old Town Today

Another weeny Italian vehicle. After taking a bus on the Amalfi
drive, I really understand small cars.



It is a perfect winter day. Beautiful snow, [we got about 9 inches], beautiful sky, sun shining, a perfect day for a walk. I have to buy a ski mask, however. When I was a kid I stayed out ice-skating too long and froze parts of my face. Now, if the wind is just right and it is cold enough, my face is really painful where I froze it. Otherwise I will have to stay in or wrap up like a mummy. So today I guess I'll be a mummy and next week a bank robber. Better than inside, though.





I am so tempted to order a tea plant along with my other plants and seeds, but... not enough window space in the winter and definitely not enough humidity. In the winter, I prefer flowers to just greenery, so I guess I'll let you all do the personal tea thing.



Speaking of which, I have belatedly realized it is Hot Tea Month. We need to have a party and celebrate! I am too partied out, but I certainly intend to have lots of hot tea. Guess I will go and do that. I am having some Shui Jiu China Yunnan . Upton's number ZY65, which is organic. The leaves are medium sized, with a good bit of gold in them and they smell of old wood and spice. As it brews for 4 minutes - long for me, that aroma remains, along with a toasty/fire/grill edge - not smokey,but reminding me of those things.

It is a fairly light amber in the cup with a medium body and some maltiness. There is a bit of spice and a bit of astringency to make it piquant. It kind of grabs the back of your mouth and makes it juicy. There is a definite taste of mellow old wood as I drink it - it's better a little cooler and there is a trace of cotton candy. It's not the smoothest, most mellow Yunnan I have had, but I would consider it quite good and will get more. With some half and half, it does reach a very mellow, full state and this is probably the way I will continue to have it. At $ 7.50for 125 grams, it's a real bargain.

Mexico, Silver and Tea

It's really Wednesday January 12.

I love old stone work. I like to think about the people who shaped it and the strength of it and the age. Pretty impressive stuff.


We've been having some meals with a Mexican/Southwestern twist and I got to thinking about how you could do a Mexican themed tea party. Certainly there are enough foods that can be scaled down to do well as courses in a tea feast.


I was thinking of black bean soup, pureed, served with a small dollop of sour cream and a few of those corn chips that are long and skinny: A tropical fruit salad composed of pineapple, kiwi, mango or papaya with some raspberries or blueberries for color, drizzled with honey and lime juice: Taquitos, which are small and you can now get frozen, served with fresh homemade salsa: Homemade tortillias made from Masa Harina - small ones with Mexican style chicken and avocado slices and maybe grape tomatoes. You could also do small fried plantains or the ones made with peanuts and sour cream, or serve the tortillas with jam and butter or mock Devonshire cream. A small salad would be a pleasant addition.


For dessert there is flan or bunuelos or Tres Leches Cake, Mexican cookies or Jamaican bread pudding, made with a hefty dose of rum. For tea, I would definitely serve a good strong black. You could serve lime slices instead of lemon ones. With dessert, however, a nice chocolate tea with a dash of cinnamon would go very nicely. Mexican hot chocolate has cinnamon in it.



Okay, I have now heard enough about this and read enough that I can tell you. The best black tea is made in sterling silver teapots. Yup. Apparently this is a well-kept secret among the cognoscenti. It has something to do with chemical reactions and DOES NOT work with silverplate. Apparently black tea made in silverplate is absolutely awful. The only catch is that if you haven't inherited one or don't have beaucoup bucks you are out of luck, as sterling is astronomical in price. I have some teaspoons, but I don't think they'd do much for brewing the tea. Ah well, just one more reason to go junking. Such a sad thing to be forced to do. If you have a sterling teapot, please try it and leave me a note.


I do have some nice ceramic pots, however and I used one to brew up some of Culinary Teas Keemun Panda Grade 1 Black Tea. I used a little more than a teaspoon and did the usual 3.5 minutes with boiling water. The dry leaves had sort of an odd sharp smell I couldn't put my finger on. They were small and mostly black. As it brewed there was an aroma of old wood and a sour, but not unpleasant note, mixed with that fresh wash on the line scent. The taste was quite full and was something of a cross between hot toast and something deep and dark, but again, I can't think of the right word to describe it. Very frustrating. On the whole, it was a quite decent cup of tea.