Here is the basic recipe and then a list of suggested teas to infuse with. Have fun!

Tea Infused Truffles

• 1-1/2 cups of heavy cream
• 1/4 cup loose tea leaves,
• 10 ounces bittersweet chocolate
• 1  cocoa powder for rolling the truffles in (or use cocoa with some dried chipotle added)

1. Heat the cream until it boils.
2. Remove from heat and add the tea. Allow to steep for 3 minutes.
3. Strain out the leaves and reheat the cream to a simmer.
4. Add the chocolate. Wait 10 seconds and whisk until melted.
5. Allow to cool.
6. Scoop out balls of chocolate with a melon baller and roll in cocoa. Refrigerate until firm.

Now here are some great teas for infusing with:

• Adagio Thai Chai – coconut and lemon flavors
• Earl Grey (very predictible)
• Earl Grey Lavender (not so predictable)
• Sour Cherry Black Tea
• Lapsang Souchon (this is very smoky and unique..not for the faint of heart)
• Ginger

You can use almost anything you like. This is seriously a great gift idea or a little party favor for your tea table.

image: marye audet

Post from: Kettle and Cup

I made a huge decision that had been in the works a long time. About a month ago I got rid of the microwave. I think it wastes energy, but more than that it was making me a lazy cook…and since we are also trying to move toward an off grid lifestyle it needed to go.

I kept meaning to get a kettle but didn’t do it and then a few weeks ago Chef’s Choice International contacted me about reviewing their cordless Smart Kettle 688. I was glad to try it!

The Smart Kettle is programmable. You can warm the water to the exact brewing temperature that is right for what you are brewing. It will then keep the water at that temperature. It shuts off automatically when the desired temperature is reached and it even beeps if the water level goes too low.

Other cool features:

• Read the temperature in either Fahrenheit or Celsius
• Can set it for a rolling boil
• Stainless steel – it looks nice
• Has a water gauge on the handle area
• Detects the boiling point at all altitudes
• Saves energy

Down side? You have to use at least 16 oz of water. If you are only going to drink one cup of tea you have a lot of hot water left. It was hard for me to figure out the directions at first. My kettle was set to Celsius and  it took me a little bit to figure out how to change it to Fahrenheit.

I liked this a lot. The water was brought to my desired temperature in less than a minute, slightly faster than the microwave. Great for warming the water for tea fast and accurately brewing different tea leaves at their best temperature.( Which reminds me..I have meant to post a chart of that for the past two months and keep getting distracted….) You can also do other cool kitchen things with it like blanch vegetables and make soups.

Disclaimer -  The Chef’s Choice Smart Kettle 688 was sent to me as a review item by the manufacturer. I did not pay for it and I get to keep it.  It retails for about $100.00.  I did have to promise to name my next child Edgecraft, however. (o.k. not really, I am just saying that….).

image:marye audet

Post from: Kettle and Cup

What does this have to do with tea?

Nothing.

Coffee?

Nope.

I know alot of you who read Kettle and Cup are homeschoolers.  Fellow homeschoolers.  With the jumpers and mini vans to prove it, right? So as  long as you can give me the secret handshake I will share this cool link with you.

You don’t know the handshake?

Sigh.

I got an email this morning offering homeschoolers the download of a free e-book about world geography. It looks pretty decent. I haven’t read all the way through it yet but I think it is something we are going to be able to use.

Globalmania 

Now, the site says to right click to download but I had to left click to download. It could be me or the site could just be whack.

You know how those homeschoolers are.

And hey…Uh…go and grab yourself a cup of tea before you start downloading.

Nice tie in wasn’t it?

Oh! And if you learn World Geography you will know where the coffee in the picture comes from.

What a great save.

Post from: Kettle and Cup

O.k..we have a great sunny day and alot of window shopping to do.

One of my favorite things about the Internet is the ability to window shop with out spending a dime, any time I want night or day.  There are antique stores, auctions sites, and craft malls all available at my fingertips. YAY!  No driving, no parking, no crowds!

I was at the thrift store yesterday.  This has to be my favorite place to pick up props for my blog images. I got three vintage items for 99 cents each, plush a couple of books for school, plus a book on romantic living, which I am looking forward to reading this afternoon.

You will probably be seeing this little pitcher in my images alot!

This is a tiny teacup.  SO pretty!

And this sweet plate.

Now, let’s check out what else is available!

A Victorian Bride’s Bowl in pink and silver is amazing.  I love Ruby Lane Antique shops!

This pair of figural candy dishes would probably not fit in the decor at my home but they are just gorgeous!

Can you imagine pouring your favorite coffee in the morning from this pink and white Staffordshire coffee pot? Sigh.

I have collected Depression glass for a long time but never knew there was such a thing as a mayonnaise compote!

Think pink today, I guess.  Here is an amazing set of 8 teacups and saucers. From the 1840s.

HAve I all ready pointed out this lusterware tea cup to you? The outside is jade green and the inside is copper. I love this!

If you collect kewpies you will love this child’s tea cup!

Pink and white Limoges chocolate pot with cups. There is nothing more I can say than that!

Flow Blue is a favorite collectible and this pitcher is a great example! Here is another that I love the handle on.

So, what did you like best? I love the chocolate pot but the green and copper teacup is beautiful…I think those two are a tie for me.

Images (c)Marye Audet 

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I fell in love with this vintage black cup and saucer set…Very delicate with lots of gold trim.

I am going to guess late deco, maybe 1930s with this rose painted tea pot? What do you think?

I have the entire set of these late 1940s cannisters, including the cake plate. These are in much better shape than mine though. The seller is not very knowlegable about these because they have them dated as 1970 LOL!

Ansley cup and saucer…sigh..romantic rose motif with light blue..I could so go for this one! What do you think?

McCoy Pinecone teapot..I am not sure when this was done..but it is fantastic!

Incredible German Tea pot..so you are starting to see how my tastes tend to be, aren’t you?LOL!

I love this footed tea cup with the peaches on it.

Elephant collector? Look at this 1930s deco lusterware tea pot. It is so cute! I love the bright colors.

I love old photos. This vintage sepia of two little girls having a tea party is adorable!

I know I said I liked those other cups..but trust me..THIS one is my favorite..Lattice work saucer, amazing little cup…my favorite..until the nest one, right?

I love red and white kitchens. I think this vintage Noritake set would be so cheery for a continental breakfast with a croissant or brioche and tea…a few pieces of fruit…

Really cute Dutch boy and girl teapot. I haven’t seen one like it before. I would say mid 1950s?

O.k.. My feet hurt…see ya next week.

image: Morguefile

Post from: Kettle and Cup

Nearly everyone I talk to knows what a brown betty teapot is but not many know about the Yixing teapot, and that is sad.

The Yixing teapot is a beautiful pot, made of a special clay that comes from the area around Lake Taihu, in China. The clay, because it is made up of iron, quartz, and mica, is naturally a purple color. Zisha, the clay, retains heat very well, but also absorbs the flavors of the tea that is brewed in it. Over a period of time the pot is infused with the flavor of the tea. There is an old Chinese saying that after several years using your teapot you are able to brew a cup of good tea in a Yixing teapot by just adding boiling water! Because of this absorption you should have separate pots for different teas.

The Yixing teapots are still made the same way they were during the Sung Dynasty (960-1279), by hand and by individual artisans who have been trained by older artisans. In this way the traditions of the Yixing teapot are passed down through the generations and the artistic integrity is maintained.

If you decide to get a Yixing, the care is similar to a Brown Betty. The pot is unglazed, and fired at lower temperatures than porcelain, so it will withstand extreme temperature changes. The pots should not be washed but rinsed carefully with boiling water. Just allow to air dry and then put it away carefully. Keep the teapot away from strong odors, like onion, garlic, or cleaners, because it will absorb the the odor and then infuse the tea with the taste of them. The teapot will be ruined.

Before you use your teapot for the first time you should do the following:

• Wash the teapot in a clean pot of water.

• Heat the pot gently in the water.
• When the water just begins to boil, put a handful of tea into the water.
• Allow to boil gently for about five minutes.
• Remove the tea leaves in the Yixing teapot.
• Boil the teapot slowly for another 30 minutes. T
• Take your Yixing teapot out and dry naturally away from harsh sunlight

If you would like to read up on the Yixing, more about the history and manufacture of it, I wrote and article, The Art of the Yixing Teapot, that goes into more detail. In fact, it was writing that article that caused me to become interested in the teapots. I had no idea how unique they actually were.

Image:Morguefile.com 

Post from: Kettle and Cup

I have been using gold filters in my coffee and tea things for years. I like them alot because, well, I am cheap. They last for a really long time, and I hate paying money for coffee filters all the time. Plus, with as much coffee as we drink we probably would cause the deforestation of the entire pine forest in East Texas. In a week.

The other thing is, and I can’t prove this, the coffee tastes better. I can’t explain it but it does.
You can usually find the filters locally in several sizes, but it you can’t Amazon has a good selection.

I figured that I saved about$60.00 last year by using a gold filter.
Anyone else use these?

Post from: Kettle and Cup

Thierry Mugler, creator of the fragrance,Angel, is scheduled to release a new cologne for men in mid-April.  I think I am looking forward to this one….

AngelMEN Pure Coffee will use a new CO2 technology, what-ever the heck that is,  to extract “natural notes” directly from Columbian coffee beans. The scent includes  musk, patchouli, cedar, and vetiver. The company says that they formulated it to give a sense of “caffeinated energy”.

First of all, isn’t caffeinated energy the ONLY kind of energy? I mean, Marc and I pretty much are sloths until the second pot of coffee…

The idea intrigues me, though. I am very particular about scent. I prefer Marc to smell like Marc rather than a chemical, and fragrance often gives me a headache. I guess I am weird, but I prefer men to smell like…ummm…men.

Anyway, my scent preferences tend toward essential oils for myself. I like to mix a few drops of rose otto ,with a few drops of tangerine. I guess it is my signature scent, because not only do I use it on me, I use it in the natural household cleaners that I make.

But a cologne that smells of coffee? Hmmm…that might get me to take notice. Of course, being by Thierry Mugler I don’t know that it will be something that makes it into my house…

Thoughts? Is coffee a scent you would wear? Is it a scent that you would like to smell on someone?

And…most importantly..would you pay $65.00 for 3 ozs?

Image:Courtesy Morguefile.com

Post from: Kettle and Cup

So, here we are, what, 9 days away from the big day? If you have given absolutely no thought to what you want to get for the love of your life you could end up getting something that is unimaginative, boring, and uninspired. Do you really want to do that?

Nope, you don’t. Why? Because you want to be known as the most romantic person ever. You want your Love to write about you on the walls of every public restroom in the state…you want them to gaze at you adoringly, you want them to …

Well, you know. So…you need a great idea.

Being somewhat of a romantic myself, I have lots of great ideas. These apply to tea drinkers. And mostly this post is written for men, because women usually have great ideas. If you are a woman and you don’t know what to get for the love of YOUR life then check out nearly anything on Love Fifi ..Disclaimer: That site has lingerie, so if you are thinking of getting your guy a necktie for Valentines Day, you won’t find what you are looking for there.

First of all, guys, presentation is everything. Handing her a Walmart bag with a box of Lipton in it will not be impressive. Use a Fair Trade Native Leaf gift bag, or a gift wrap made of sustainable materials or recycled paper. A cool idea is to use a vintage tea cloth, or table cloth to wrap in, or create a basket.

• Valentine’s Tea from Adagio-Chocolate, strawberries, and black Ceylon tea. Yum.
• Tea, Chocolate, Love, and Whimsy from Serendipitea comes with three teas and a heart tea infuser. Best of all the company is socially and environmentally responsible.
• Harney & Sons Silk Purse and Valentines Tea-The tea is chocolate and rose. Enough said.
• Silver Tips Tea StValentine is described as black tea flavored with red fruits, rose and vanilla.
• Numi Flowering tea- If you haven’t seent hese they are beautiful. You put the tea bud in a glass teapot, pour in the boiling water, and as the tea steeps a flower blooms.
• Teavana Rooibus Sweet Amore- rooibus tea is red. Great color for Valentine’s Day.. This one is also flavored with vanilla, cinnamon, almonds, apples, peach, and pear.

• The Teapot Shop is absolutely fantastic. I fell in love with this Summer Rose Tea for Two Set.

• Again, from the Teapot Shop, this Tea and Toast Set. I would feel like a character from a Jane Austin novel.

Vintage tea things are always awesome, to me. I love antiques, and I think that alot of women that are into tea (although not all, obviously) do love vintage tea items. eBay is a great place to find the vintage things. Check some of these out that I found today:

• This cup is incredible! It was just listed so you could actually bid on it.

• This early 20th century cup and saucer set is beautiful as well, in a soft green and rose floral.

Are you inspired? If coffee is your thing, tomorrow is coffee gift day… Check back.

And don’t forget, please Vote for me in the Death by Chocolate contest!

top image courtesy of morguefile.com, photographer: digiology99@gmail.com

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I struggled greatly the last couple of days before Christmas with missing my parents, and my childhood…reliving too many Christmas’s past. I remembered so many things about Christmas at my childhood home with mixed fondness and regret. Always the picture of my dad sprawled out on the floor playing with my toys with me, and my mom sitting with her coffee cup…

And I realized with a laugh that coffee cups are part of so many of my own Christmas memories, and definitely part of my children’s Christmas memories. Even this Christmas the smell of coffee enticed me out of my warm bed and down the long stairs…

My granddaughter wanted to make sure that we left cookies and milk for Santa. I tried to tell her Santa preferred hot coffee but she would not be dissuaded. It must be cookies and milk. My youngest daughter, whom we fondly refer to as Chef Kyrie or Little Chef, was all for leaving some thing more substantial..she thought Santa might tire of cookies and lukewarm milk…but cookies and milk it was..and Santa did not complain, although I suspect he washed the cookies and milk down with a large mug of Bourbon Pecan Coffee.

I hope that your Christmas was full of fond memories, past and present and hope for the future. And I hope that it was infused with gallons of really good coffee.

Post from: Kettle and Cup