Two friends at the Samovar Tea Lounge

I had not seen my friend Maura in a few months. We reunited over tea at Samovar Tea Lounge in San Francisco.

Samovar offers the traditional English Tea Service as well as a Japanese Service with traditional Matcha; a Moorish Tea with dolmas, olives, and Moorish-style mint tea; and a Russian Tea with Bergamot bread pudding and Russian-blend black tea. The lounge also serves a long list of herbal, green, white, and black teas as well as a variety of savory and sweet foods.

What we ordered:
Me: Bergamot bread pudding served with walnuts and honey, a cup of Masala chai
Maura: Homemade cherry buckwheat scone with clotted cream, a pot of Moorish mint

Comments:
Me: The chai was rich and creamy. Bergamot is good in tea (earl grey) but better in a pastry.
Maura: The mint tea was served with a honeyed water that was spiced just right!


A pot of Moorish mint
(photo by author 2006) 

"Tea in the vineyard"

A divine combination: afternoon tea and California wine! Elliston Vineyards will host an afternoon tea on April 23. The lunch service includes two types of tea, scones, toasts, and tea sandwiches as well as Elliston Champagne and the vineyard's new release, 2001 Pinot Noir.

Unfortunately, I will be on John's Island, S.C. There, I hope to take a tour of the Bigelow Tea farm (I think it is officially known as a tea plantation). I am headed to the island for a wedding so other activities might beckon. Check back at the end of April in case I toured the plantation.

In the meantime, the Elliston tea information is available online: http://www.elliston.com/elevents.html.

A drink with jam and ...

On February 15 I wrote about my favorite pastries at Crixa Cakes, my neighborhood bakery. I also like to study at Crixa. Early in March I went to Crixa to read Urban Fortunes by John Logan and Harvey Molotch. The book is part of a long reading list for a paper on green-space initiatives and nature-makers.

As usual, when I arrived at Crixa, I was delighted by the fantastic choices. I ordered simply: a pot of tea (Russian Caravan described as not too smokey), an almond cake (it is a small cake, a spongy cookie really), and a plum kifli. The plum kifli was so very jammy.

I brought my camera with me that day.


Source: Author 2006.

What's in your teacup?

I make my tea from bags and occasionally loose tea. Last fall I bought a box of Zawadi African Tea - Jambo! Pure Black Tea, organic loose tea. I have not drunk much of this tea because the holes of my three tea balls are too large. But, the teastick might be the solution!

See the Treehugger entry for more information.



Source: http://www.gamilacompany.com/tea/tips.html

Teacups

I have many containers from which to drink tea. Most of them are mugs, best suited for coffee. Teacups are best for enjoying tea. My favorite teacups--all the teacups I own--include a green teapot-cup, a gift from Lin (back left); a Japanese teacup, a wedding gift from Lily (center); a Chinese steeping cup I bought at the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem after viewing the teapot exhibit; a pretty patterned cup, a gift from Lin and Shimona from an East Asian wholesaler in New Haven (front right); and a delicate china cup, from a set my mum gave to me when I moved into my first place.


Source: author 2006

English Scones (Bermuda recipe)

I discovered the recipe in Continental's in-flight magazine last spring. My good friend, Lin, a scone and tea connoisseur, baked several times over, ate, and declared: This is a good basic recipe.

Ingredients

1.5 cups all purpose flour

2 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp baking powder

1/4 cup butter

1 egg

1/4 - 1/3 cup milk

Directions

Combine flour, sugar and baking powder in mixing bowl. Chop butter into small pieces and mix lightly until mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add egg and milk to the mix until well combined--do not over mix. Roll on a lightly floured surface, to about 1/2inch think. Cut out rounds with 1 1/2 inch diameter, round cookie cutter. Place on lightly greased cookie sheet and bake at 350F for about 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with jam or fruit preserve and clotted cream or butter. Enjoy!

Notes
This is a good basic recipe--I have made several different variants by adding some flavorful ingredients right at end of the mixing.
examples: cheddar cheese and basil

dried apricots

dried cranberries (craisins) and orange zest

cornmeal (at to flour) and blueberries

chocalate chunks and walnut pieces (have not actually made this one, but seems like a good idea:))

Une petite note

French Word-A-Day mentions tea: http://french-word-a-day.typepad.com/motdujour/2006/03/ciseau.html

The tea is in the truffle

Scharffen Berger Chocolate Maker has a new treat: a Yunnan tea infused truffle. I tasted the truffle at the Berkeley factory and it was delightful. The truffle is available through the online catalogue as part of the Confection Box set.

Postscript: The delightful taste is a very creamy Earl Grey.


(Image: http://www.scharffenberger.com/)