Do not try to make an Eggnog Latte low cal, please? There are just some things  meant to be high calorie and this is one. You can use a steaming wand if you have one. I don’t so I have to improvise with a stove, a pan, and a blender. Just be extremely careful when using hot liquids in the blender. The steam builds up and the top can pop odd and spew scalding liquid all over you. Always start at the lowest speed and work your way up, keeping your hand firmly on the blender cover.

These are great to sip by the fire while you are making your online wish list on Amazon. Everyone has one, right?

Copycat Eggnog Latte Recipe

• 1/3 cup milk
• 2/3 cup homemade eggnog (or good quality commercial)
• 1 shot espresso
• Freshly grated nutmeg
• Sweetened whipped cream

Instructions

1. Pour the milk and eggnog into a pan and heat over low heat to 145F, stirring constantly.
2. Carefully pour into a blender and, holding the cover on firmly, begin blending at the slowest speed and work up to the highest. Blend for about 1 minute or until frothy. Be careful you can get burned if it flies out of the blender.
   
3. Preheat a mug in hot water.
   
4. Brew the shot of espresso, or heat up your JazzyBird and add it to the mug.
   
5. Pour the milk and eggnog mixture into the mug.
6. Top with a generous amount of whipped cream and a grating of nutmeg

Serves 1(tall)

image:sxc

Post from: Kettle and Cup

Courtney, who writes Coco Cooks, shared a link to an online magazine that looks wonderful.  In this particular issue all of the recipes centered on desserts made with….tea.  Masala Chai Creme Brulee?  Green Tea Tiramisu?  Wow!

They did look absolutely incredible and I am hoping to get a few of them done and posted.  In the mean time..check out Desserts Magazine.

image:marye audet

Post from: Kettle and Cup

                 Image:(c)Marye Audet2008

I love when the seasons change.  We don’t get much of that here until MAYBE late October..for a week or so…but I have fond and vivid memories of my childhood on the east coast.

In fact one year, Marc (who is from Mass.) and I wistfully watched a lone, dead leaf spin to the ground and Marc quipped, “Look.   Fall!”

But…Like Anne of  Green Gables we can imagine anything we like. Imagining autumn with a tea is a wonderful way to celebrate it, and get yourself in the mood, don’t you think?

A site that I love is Victorian Trading Company, and so, as long as we are imagining things I would like to imagine ME in one of the beautiful gowns they sell.  I choose this one. While we are imagining let’s imagine that I am a size six, and don’t look a day over 22.  Thanks.

The Victorians were very big on celebrations, decor and nature.  Autumn is a perfect time to have a Victorian tea because it is easy to encompass those things.  Use autumn colors in the table settings;wines, golds, greens, browns, and russet reds.  If you live somewhere where you have the blessing of colorful leaves you can collect big vibrant leaves and write your guests names on them with permanent marker for place cards. Mass a variety of leaves in the middle of the table and place a pedestal compote in the midst of them with grapes, apples, and nuts arranged in it.  Use a variety of grapes and allow them to drape gracefully over the edge of the compote.

This is one of my favorites, a flash glass scalloped teardrop compote from Indiana Glass.  99 cents at my favorite thrift shop..oh yeah!

Rather than using napkin rings, use a small grapevine wreath or tie raffia around the napkins.

Tea Choices 

To me the tea you serve should be bold enough to hold up to the rich flavors of your autumn menu.  Always serve a basic black tea, for this menu I would recommend Darjeeling 22 from Adagio.  Add Teavana’s Vermont Maple herbal tea for the adventurous among your guests.  It is delicately spicy with an apple -maple finish.

For autumn teas I like to serve a small soup course.  Following is the menu I have made in the past for a Victorian Autumn Tea:

Butternut Squash Soup with Cider Cream

Curried Chicken Sandwiches 

I made these on pecan bread when I made them, but you can use any type.

Dried Cranberry Scones with Orange Marmelade

Just use the dried cherry scone recipe, and omit the chocolate and almond. 

Personally I would then finish off the tea simply with chocolate truffles.

This seems somewhat sparse for an opulent Victorian tea party but the components are all very rich and much more is just too much.

Small, spicy scented tea lights can be wrapped in tulle and secured with a bow at the top and used to bless your guests at the end.

Most of all, just remember that it is about having a good time and sharing great food.

Images:MaryeAudet 

Post from: Kettle and Cup

Well guys, it has happened.  The Starbucks where Marc and I go is closing.  There are no other coffee places here, except another Starbucks with crappy service so I guess our coffee dates are about to take on a new look..I am not sure what thought.

So how was your week? I am hugely busy. I told Valli that I was riding a hamster wheel this summer and I am..you would think that I would be experiencing rapid weight loss rather than rapid waist loss. : /

I have some cool news to share, hopefully I can share all of it next week….so don’t miss it because it is…seriously…cool.

Can you believe this? A policeman threatened slower response time to a Starbucks if they did not give him free coffee…What does he think this is, 1920s Chicago?

So, the stupidist altercation in history occured in a DC area coffee shop.  A coffee shop refuses to sell iced espresso and some guy orders it anyway.  Then when he can’t get that he orders espresso and a cup of ice..and testosterone begins to build to nuclear proportions.  This was on the East Coast.  I knew it wasn’t in the south because it would have gone something like this:

I can’t get iced espresso?

No.  But here, how about some sweet tea and a cookie? On the house!

Oh by the way, be warned..the article has some rather vulgar  vocabulary in it..They obviously DON’T drink sweet tea.

Here is what we have always known…Researchers think that the aroma of coffee relieves stress. No? Really?

Try having your coffee in a special spot, and make your home into a restful summer retreat…Great idea but I will have to ship the kids off somewhere first.

Next time you are having a tea party try these lavender tea cookies from B More Sweet.

Hey, remember Creamsicles? Heaven of Tea has instructions on how to blend teas from Teavana into an orange creamsicle blend…

Beverly, from How Sweet the Sound, hosts a pink Saturday every week..I actually planned to do it for several weeks but then it is Saturday and I haven’t sent her a link..sigh..Still it is fun seeing all of the pink everyone is finding.

I fell in love with these Rose Jam Covers at Storybook Woods.  I miss crafting!

I posted two recipes on Baking Delights this week,, one for plum and white tea scones and one for the plum curd to go with them….it was fantastic!

The teapot is one of the things I found antiquing with Marc last week. I love it!

Have a great weekend!

Image:Marye Audet 

Post from: Kettle and Cup

It is getting hot here. Once in awhile it is nice to drink something cold and yummy…

I think this caramel frappuccino is better than the original. Let me know what you think.

The caramel is homemade.  Watch the heavy cream as I have noticed it is harder and harder to find real cream rather than cream with skim milk and lots of additives. Always read labels, even on organics!

Caramel Frappuccino Recipe
2 c. ice
1 c very strong coffee or espresso, chilled

2/3 c. organic half and half

¼ c. caramel topping (recipe below)

1-4 tbs sugar

Whipped cream

Blend all ingredients except whipped cream until smooth. Top with dollop of whipped cream and a swirl of the caramel syrup.

Caramel Syrup

8 ounces unsalted butter
8 ounces brown sugar
1 cup organic heavy cream (make sure it does not contain skim milk and additives, organic or NOT!)
1 tbs vanilla OR 1/2 c kahlua or irish cream

1. Melt butter. Do not let it brown.
2. Mix in brown sugar,and butter. Stir until smooth and sugar loses its graininess.
3. Continue to cook stirring until mixture bubbles. Cook about 30 more seconds but do not allow to scorch!
4. Remove from heat.
5. Slowly add cream and vanilla or liqueur.Stir.

Store covered in fridge. Makes an awesome gift.

Makes about a pint.

image:morguefile

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Memorial Day weekend is always a fun weekend for us. Cookouts, horseshoes, maybe some horseback riding…hawk toss…

You don’t know what hawk tossing is?

Yes, we are just that redneck around here. A hawk is a small hatchet, or tomahawk. Marc made this target for the kids to use. You take several paces back, and throw. It takes skill and practice to hit it and get the hatchet to stick in. The older boys also use it to practice throwing knives. It is one of the things that Marc can still do with the kids since he can no longer run around tossing a football. although he is pretty good when he is in his wheelchair at catching a football…

My family is very into historic re-enactment, although they haven’t done a lot yet. Marc is a commander with Royal Rangers (a bit like boy scouts) and is working to become involved with FCF, a historic re-enactment group that focuses on frontier type history;trappers, mountain men, etc. Marc is also planning on getting involved in a group that re-enacts the Republic of Texas Marine Corps.

Anyway ..so we are pretty basic people here.   Memorial Day still embodies everything it always did..I wrote my thoughts on Memorial Day in an Old House last year. I hope you will read it.

One of the big things to have here is iced tea in the summer.  My recipe for sweet tea is the best in the universe.  No, really.   You can use any type of tea you like ( Tazo passionfruit is awesome!  ) flavored or unflavored.  Please do not use bags if you can help it. Let’s face it, loose tea is just sooooooo much better!

All right…

Make Mine Pink is a great resource for tea shopping.  There are great posts on this blog about different tea resources around the internet.    There are alot of links to other tea inspired sites and blogs…I haven’t looked around too much because of time but I did notice blog and bio of Karen(Sweet Necessi-teas) …so now I know a little more about her!!!  I really like this blog, sorry I can’t tell you  more but I plan on reading through when I have some off time this afternoon..(ha ha..IF I have off time)

If you want to smile read this post about Josephine Misunas, a 96 year old woman that is still serving others in a soup kitchen in Waterville, Maine…

Domestic Goddess in Training let’s us know the truth about cream tea and then gives a wonderful recipe for mixed fruit scones…

So sad, but the Gracious Hospital-i-tea Blog-a-thon is over.  It was such a wonderful event, so much fun, and I met so many of you that I now read on a regular basis. Quick, someone come up with a new idea!

Laurie at Rose Cottage has a beautiful teacup she uses for her morning tea.  Do you have a particular cup you like to use? I have one for coffee but not tea. I may be inspired to get one now…’

Tea Party Girl has a fabulous interview with Donna Collins of Party Wishes.If you want to know how to pull of a children’s tea this is the place to go!

Soo…big surprise. McDonalds specialty coffee sales are not competing with Starbucks. Umm, did the powers that be at McDonalds fail to recognize that the customer base was VERY different… Like…guys…seriously..most 8 year olds do not order coffee and most adults that are roped into taking small people to McDonalds just want to go home.

If you want a chance at winning some organic coffee you better head over and comment on the  Fidalgo Bay blog..you have until May 29.

Heather at Chocolate Bytes has a great recipe for…uh…grilled coffee and chooclate STEAKS?? Sure, why not. Fair trade, ethically raised, organic…go for it.

Have a great weekend….

Images:Marye Audet 

Post from: Kettle and Cup

So….Bubble tea.  Let’s chat.

A few years ago, when I was doing research for the tea room bubble tea was all the rage.  I did offer it on the menu, although in our area it did not do well.  It was, at best, interesting…I did not get addicted to it.

Regardless…bubble tea developed in Taiwan.  School kids would grab a bubble tea when they were done with school..sort of like milk and cookies.  It is a sweet, often fruity drink, that is shaken until there is a thick head of bubbly foam on top.  It is often served with large balls of tapioca in the bottom.. the tapioca can be black, clear, or white and are referred to as pearls.  You use a large straw to suck them up with…and if you are easily grossed out you may not want to do this at home, kids.

I don’t know…I am sort of redneck, backwoods, and uncool..but there is something about a a slimy, chewy, marble sized ball of tapioca arriving in my mouth unexpectedly that alerts my gag reflex that something is not right.

Lots of people like it..and you can have the bubble tea without the pearls.  It is sort of like a rich fruit smoothie with  foam on the top. The flavors tend to be exotic:plum, lichee, mango.  You can also get green tea, black tea, and blends.

So, if you really want to try this and you can’t buy it locally..here is a recipe to try.

Bubble Tea

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup chilled large Chinese tapioca pearls, cooked OR 1/3 cup  pearl tapioca
• 1 cup crushed ice
• 1 cup very strong chilled tea of choice.  Try Tazo  Passionfruit.
• 1 cup half & half
• Sugar to taste

Place the pearls in a large  glass. Combine all remaining ingredients in a cocktail shaker, and shake vigorously until the mixture gets a thick foam on top. Pour into the glass, and serve with extra-thick straws. 1 16 oz bubble tea.  You can vary the tea by substituting juice for part of the tea or adding soft fruit and blending before adding to the glass.

Image: Marye Audet 

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I was reminded that it is Red Hat Day today by Sandy, at ALL Holiday Cafe. She has some great background on what it is, and the history of it.

So, as any day is a great day for an impromptu tea party, here are some ideas to get you started. Just call your friends, tell them to clear their schedules (yeah, right…) and go have a blast.

The first thing that I like about Red Hat teas is that they are so not meant to be serious. Poke fun at aging. I mean, after all, some of us will never wear a bikini again but what we may lack in stomach muscles we have gained in confidence and technique, right?

I had posted a series on hosting a Red Hat Christmas tea back in November. It was in three parts…

Part one Decorating

Part two The Menu

Part three Tea Suggestions

Now, of course that was then, and this is now. For an impromptu Red Hat Party it needs to be quick, easy, and if your budget looks like mine right now..inexpensive (cheap). If you have collections of beautiful china then go for it…but if not…try this:

Grab Purple paper plates and red napkins at the party store..if you have a little extra cash buy some play necklaces in those colors to decorate with…Feathers work well too, so if you happen to be at Hobby Lobby then pick up a bag of those to toss around the table. You can add to the sparkle with red/purple confetti.

Try some of the following foods. Keep in mind I am thinking impromptu here so there is not a lot of preparation:

Pink Hat Party Dip

1 c sour cream

8 oz cream cheese

1/2 c sugar

1/4 c raspberry jam

1/2 c raspberries

Mix everything but the raspberries in the mixer at medium speed. Chill. Garnish with fresh raspberries and chocolate curls. Use it as a dip for Lorna Doone cookies and fresh fruit.

Fruit Pizza

1 package refrigerated sugar cookie dough, or one recipe homemade

1 jar Marshmallow fluff

1 package cream cheese

assorted fruit, peeled and sliced

1/2 c pecans or walnuts chopped

1/2 c chopped chocolate

On an ungreased baking sheet, or pizza pan, smooth the cookie dough into a 1/4 inch thick layer. Bake for 10 minutes.

Mix marshmallow cream and cream cheese. Spread over the crust. Chill. Decorate pizza with slices of fruit and sprinkle nuts and chocolate over top.

Red Hat Tea Punch

• 4 cups boiling water
• 10 Celestial Seasonings Red Zinger tea bags
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 liters of gingerale or Sprite
• 12 oz apple raspberry juice

Mix all ingredients except gingerale (or Sprite). Chill. Add the soda just before serving.

Serve Rooibus, or black current tea to keep with the red/purple theme.

Most of all, celebrate being uniquely you.

Images: Morguefile

Post from: Kettle and Cup

Choose your coffee for richness.  Try an Ethiopian Yirgacheffe.  I think it is the perfect choice for an Easter brunch.    I would go with the Lipton Caramel Truffle for a flavored tea, and an English Breakfast tea for a black tea.  If you want to add something herbal, what about the blueberry tea from Celestial Seasonings?

I try to serve lots of protein for Easter brunch to offset the amount of sugar that my children take in. If you could harness the energy expended by my kids on an Easter afternoon you could light an entire area the size of Alaska for a month.  Pinkie swear.  Anyway, maybe the extra protein doesn’t help, but I don’t think it hurts.

This Breakfast Casserole is full of yumminess and protein.  You put it together the night before and then slide it into the oven while you are changing out of church clothes.  I use homemade croutons, fresh spinach, fresh button mushrooms, and  half & half (rather than milk).  Everyone loves it.

My favorite  fruit salad is a mixture of fresh fruit macerated in a little sugar, and then served with a dollop of creme fraiche.  Sometimes I use sour cream, lightly sweetened with sugar and with a tablespoon of rose water,  lavender syrup, or even violet syrup (last two by Monin) added.  Good  fruits for this are:

• Strawberries
• Clementines
• Mandarins
• Grapes
• Mango
• Kiwi
• Melon

You gotta have rolls of some sort and I like these bunnies from an old Better Homes and Garden’s cookbook.  The are cute, and delicious, and they are perfectly complimented by the yirgacheffe.

All of these things can be put together the night before and easily finished before serving.

Little Touches 

• Mix in some pink, purple, or yellow sugar crystals to the sugar in your sugar bowl
• Add a vanilla bean to the sugar you plan to serve
• Write names on hard-boiled eggs with crayon before dying.  Use the eggs as place-cards
• Make guests small Easter baskets with chocolate covered espresso beans, Jelly Belly coffee flavored jelly beans, or homemade earl grey truffles
  
• Put whipped, unsweetened cream on the table to add to coffee.
• Make small arrangements in vintage tea cups.  Just use a bit of oasis foam, soaked in water and cut to fit cup.  Push the stems of fresh flowers into the foam to create nosegays.  The flower stems should not show.  Sweetheart roses, baby’s breath, and other small flowers work well for this. Send them home with your guests as a small gift.
• If you can find them at thrift shops floral,vintage handkerchiefs make awesome napkins.
• Instead of a lemon slice next to a teacup skewer a strawberry half, a lime slice, quartered, and a mandarin orange segment.
• Use sugar cubes rather than sugar

Most of all, remember the reason for the day.  Spending time with family and friends is time well spent, creating treasured memories that nothing can erase.

Post from: Kettle and Cup

I usually post my recipes at Baking Delights or Apron Strings, saving tea and coffee stuff here. But I really wanted to share these scones here because they could be such an incredible part of your next tea party.

I love the flavor of rose. The tea that I had custom blended and flavored just for me is a rose, lemon, blackberry blend. I just finished doing a rose and almond cake on Baking Delights..I often review rose flavored teas here. There is just something about rose that is yummy, exotic, romantic…and ..well ….yummy.

These are perfect for a little girls’ fairy tea, or a big girls’ afternoon tea. We love them for breakfast. Silly though it sounds, the pink sugar gives them the whole romantic ambiance that I love about these scones.

This is also my entry for The Master Baker Challenge. The challenge ingredient was cinnamon. Rose and cinnamon are a wonderful pair!

I served these with lemon curd to which I added a few drops of the rose water.

Rose- Cinnamon Scones

3 1/2 c flour

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

2 1/2 Tbs baking powder

3/4 c unsalted butter, cold

3/4 c sugar

1 1/3 c half and half cream

1 tbs rose water

1 tsp vanilla

1 egg yolk for brushing tops

Pink sugar for tops

Preheat oven to 400F, and prepare a baking sheet with silpat or parchment.

Sift the flour, salt, cinnamon, and baking powder together. Add the butter in small pieces and begin to work into the flour mixture with your fingers. The mixture is the correct texture when it is crumbly with some larger pieces of butter here and there.

Make a well in the center and add the cream, rose water, and vanilla. Mix gently until you have a sticky ball of dough. Turn out on a floured surface and knead a few times to help it hold together. Roll out, 3/4 inch thick and cut with a large cutter.

Transfer to pan, brush with beaten egg yolks and sprinkle with sugar. Let stand for 20 minutes.

Bake for 15 -20 minutes, or until tops are golden. Allow to cool slightly.

Makes 18

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