February 17 - I Love:: This Chai Tea Recipe

I'm a confirmed, died in the wool, roots in Scotland coffee drinker. It is one of my morning joys. But this lovely recipe is tender and yummy and not too sweet. I might have it again tomorrow.

Indian Chai Tea

Ingredients
* 3 teabags black tea
* 4 cups water
* 1 3 inch cinnamon stick
* 1 inch piece of ginger root cut into 4 slices
* 1/2 tsp (2 ml) cardamom seeds
* 1/2 tsp (2 ml) black peppercorns
* 1/2 tsp (2 ml) whole cloves
* 1 tsp (5 ml) whole coriander seeds
* 1 cup (225 ml) coconut or almond milk
* honey or stevia to taste

Directions
Bring water to boil in a saucepan. Add spices, cover, and simmer 20 minutes. Add teabags and steep 10 minutes. Add milk and heat to drinking temperature-do not boil. Strain mixture through a cheesecloth or cotton dish towel. Serve with honey or stevia to taste.

Ahh, the Bergamot

Like many, many people my only understanding of the Bergamot was some essential oil memory. An oil sold with the likes of Patchouili oil. It had something to do either with hippies or massage therapists.

Thankfully, life provides experiences (and a  foraging neighbor) so my understanding has been refined.

Stick with me here.

In the early 2000s, a lovely gardening man I worked with, used to bring small vases of Freesia into my office in winter. At first I just thought they were beautiful. Over time, I realized that they were beautiful and fragrant and drove me to want a cup of tea. And, as my unintentional explorations led, I found my desire fulfilled in Earl Grey. I've become quite an Earl Grey connoisseur, I enjoy the subtler, not to perfumey types and I like the hint of Bergamot. (See how we came full circle - wait there's more).

I was content with my tea and freesia experiences. Then this summer my friend, the foraging friend, introduced me to a beautiful line of pure and delicious olive oils. They are tres special. The way the olives are harvested and crushed makes for a very complete flavor. Garlic is crushed with the olives (for the garlic olive oil) rather than garlic oils being added to the olive oil. No infusion. Full on flavor marriage. You can learn about the oils here. I'm never going back!

In the end, the flavors hold up in cooking or preparations really well and that pleases me.

One day, I was looking at the Bergamot label and was truly surprised to learn that Bergamot isn't extracted from actual hippies, but from the Bergamot, a citrus fruit grown in Calabria, Italy or perhaps France.

Finally, yesterday, Mary handed me an actual Bergamot from one from her travels. Yes, it looks like a lemon and your knowledge of citrus has probably made your mouth water as if to smell or taste the sour. But the fragrance is intense and beautiful and clean and freesia like.

I have to cut into it and taste it. It's said to be more bitter than the grapefruit, which seems impossible with its beautiful scent. I plan, however to wait. I want to leave it on the counter in my kitchen and breath in all the aroma this beauty has to offer.

I enjoy being a girl ~ The Name is Mom

A couple of weeks ago my girlie and I had a some time to visit a wonderful craft fair.
We spent the morning looking at beautiful paper crafts, hand thrown ceramics, beautiful baby outfits, chai tea powder, hand painted jewelry, crochet baby headbands, purses, blankets and even cute, cute aprons. We bought a couple of gifts for our new baby cousin. And the two of us went "halfsies" on a beautifully painted necklace of a monkey playing a violin (something like this).  We left around lunchtime, happy with our purchases and glad to have seen some friends we enjoy in the process.

As we drove home, we passed a little storefront I'd never seen before, but my doll was aware of - Elise's Tea Room. Apparently, she almost had tea there with a former favorite babysitter. So we stopped. It is amazing what a Tea Room can do to a 'tween. In braces, jeans and a sweatshirt, my girl was transformed into a little lady. Off came the sweatshirt and she asked to wear my scarf which she threw over her shoulder. We poured from our tea pots, ate lovely sandwiches, shared a salad and talked about tea in England. We noticed just how lovely it is to be lovely. We noticed the dress of those around us, the flavor of the blueberry in her tea and the currant in mine. We watched as the shop owner stopped at every table.
We're planning to go back. Perhaps with a couple of friends. Or maybe we'll just go back and enjoy being who we are. We've decided that we should make a point of stopping at home, sometime in the afternoon to have a cup of tea.
I know what I loved the most. Being the mom of a sweet girl who leaned into the loveliness in the air of a tea room.