A POEM FOR TEA
When the world is at odds
And the mind is all at sea
Then cease the useless tedium
And brew a cup of tea
There's magic in its fragrance
There's solace in its taste
And the laden moments vanish
Somehow into space
The world becomes a lovely thing
There's beauty as you see
All because you briefly stopped
To brew a cup of tea
~Unknown
(source)
There is naught for bringing comfort into one's day like sitting down quietly and having a nice hot cup of tea, be it regular tea or herbal. Princess Catherine of Braganza arrived in England in 1662 to marry King Charles ll and brought with her in her belongings a chest of tea. This was the start of a "Tea Culture" in the U.K.
Certainly tea was already available in England, but up to that point was popular mostly with persons of quality, meaning people who could afford the commodity along with the imported chinaware to go along with it! It would be a further 100 years before the first made English teapots would be produced that could stand up to the heat of the boiling water without breaking. By then tea drinking had become quite commonplace.
Its important to note however, that one doesn't really need anything fancy in order to enjoy a nice hot cuppa! You don't even need a room full of people or special company to enjoy a cup of tea.
Some of my favorite and most memorable tea drinking experiences have been quite humble and solitary. (Although admittedly it is much nicer when shared!)
Today when I got home from church I decided I wanted to enjoy nothing more than a hot drink and some kind of nibble with it. I am going to my sister's a bit later on for Sunday supper, so all I really needed was something to refresh and delight.
It was the perfect excuse to dig out my favorite tea accessories, including my beautiful tea cozy that my friend Ginny who lives in New Hampshire knit for me. Every time I see it, it makes my heart smile.
This is a small two cup tea pot that I purchased last year from a vintage china/dish shop on Etsy. I had originally had a Brown Betty Tea Pot, but when my cats knocked it off the sideboard and it shattered I decided I didn't want to risk something so expensive being broken again. I found this pot on Etsy at a very reasonable price.
There is something very special about drinking a cup of tea that has been brewed properly in a teapot. It elevates it to a real treat. There is a ceremony about it that cannot be beaten.
I used my little tea pot, and set it upon my Emma Bridgewater Black Toast Tea Stand/Trivet. Purchasing this was a pure indulgence on my part. Sometimes you just need to treat yourself.
I don't drink black or green teas, but I do have an assortment of loose herbal teas. I got them from The Tea Haus and today I decided to treat myself to a pot of Lime Fizz. Properly stored they do last a good long time.
I also decided to use my little heart shaped aluminum tea infuser that I had bought from Susan Branch's online shop just recently. I cannot resist anything heart shaped. Heart shaped objects call my name.
This is one of my favorite tea cups. If you are going to the trouble of making yourself a proper cup of tea then you should drink it in a proper cup. Again, it only adds more pleasure to the experience.
This is a cup my dear friend Elaine gave me. Whenever I use it I think of her and, again, my heart smiles. It feels like a celebration just to look at it. Red and white polka dots, strips, gilt gold trim, etc. I love all of it.
A cup of tea tastes better in a proper cup and if that cup has been a gift from a much beloved friend, so much the better.
Of course if you are going to go to all the trouble of brewing a perfect pot, then by all means add a few nibbles on the side. They don't need to be really fancy, just tasty.
I had some French Fancies leftover in the freeze from Christmas so I dug out one of those. Yesterday when my sister and I were at Winners I had picked up a box of Mrs. Walker's shortbread biscuits, so I added one of those and then I made myself a few finger sandwiches.
Yes, they are peanut butter and jam. But I used a good sourdough bread and I cut them into little hearts. Peanut Butter and Jam never tasted or looked so special.
I began by measuring my tea into the infuser. The rule of thumb is 1 tsp of tea for every cup you plan on brewing and then one for the pot.
This Lime Fizz tea is filled with lots of lovely bits and pieces. Apple Cubes, rose hips, elderberries, orange peel, ginger, lemon grass, coriander seed, lemon verbena, pink pepper, calendula petals, and a natural lime ginger flavor. Yummy!
PREPARING THE TEA
Bring a kettle filled with fresh cold water to a boil. Pour a little of the boiling water into your teapot and give it a good swirl around to warm the pot and then pour it out.
Put your kettle back onto the boil. Add to the warmed teapot 1 teaspoon of tea leaves per person plus 1 teaspoon for the pot.
You can just add it loose if you wish, using a tea strainer to strain out any bits at the end, or you can Pop it into an infuser like I did.
As soon as the water returns to the boil, pour it over the leaves in the pot and then pop on the lid to your tea pot.
Allow the tea to steep for two to five minutes, depending on the strength of tea you prefer and the type of tea you are using.
Typically black teas are steeped longer than white, green or oolong teas. For herbal blends you will need to use your own discretion. I like mine fairly strong so leave it for the full five minutes or even longer.
But then again, I always drink my tea black
If you have guests you will want to set out a pitcher filled with hot water so that guests who favor a weaker cup can dilute their serving.
SERVING THE TEA
Normally it is the hostess who both makes and plays mother/serves/pours the tea. This is a holdover back to the days when women held the key to the tea caddy and therefore the power over the tea in the household.
Each cup is poured, ideally through a tea strainer to capture any loose leaves, and then passed to a guest before the hostess pours the next cup.
The guess will then add milk or a lemon slice to the cup. Milk is typically added to black tea, while lemon is traditionally paired with Lapsong-Souchong.
In days past, the milk would typically be added to the cup first, before the hot tea, in an effort to safeguard against the breakage of china.
Sugar is always added last, and only then is the tea stirred. Once the sugar has dissolved, you can return your teaspoon to the saucer.
The saucer always remains on the table when the cup is lifted to drink. It is proper to grasp the cup with the thumb and index finger meeting in the handle, with the handle resting on the middle finger. Contrary to popular belief, the pinkie should never be held upright. This is actually considered to be quite rude!
The tea should be sipped not gulped, returning the cup to the saucer between sips.
DELICIOUS THINGS TO SERVE WITH TEA
I really do enjoy a cookie/biscuit with a hot cup of tea. But there are a great many things which you can enjoy with a hot cup of tea that will delight the senses and bring enjoyment to the palate. These are some of my favorites.
GINGER CRUNCHIES - You better get your pinny on because if you like ginger, you are going to fall in love with these crisp shortbread based ginger biscuit/cookie/squares! They are crisp and buttery, very short textured. They are also topped with a lush ginger glaze and some sweet chunks of preserved ginger. Don't worry if you haven't got any preserved ginger, you can substitute candied ginger for it, or leave it off altogether.
TRADITIONAL BATTENBURG CAKE - Also known as Church Window Cake. If you love almond, then this is the cake for you. A firm favorite on the traditional English tea table, this is a very pretty two colored sponge cake, put together like a pink and white checker board, with apricot jam holding the layers together. It is coated in more jam and then a thin layer of marzipan is rolled around the whole cake.
POLKA DOT PETTICOAT TAILS - A traditional shortbread baked in a large round, dimpled with a variety of jams (Polka Dots) and cut into wedges to serve. Delicious and quite pretty as well! You could also use lemon curd instead of the jam.
And there you have it, how to brew the perfect cup of tea and what to do with it when you're done! I hope that you have enjoyed reading this as much as I have enjoyed putting it together! Not a recipe I know, but plenty of food for thought!
This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at: mariealicejoan at aol dot com
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Sorry if you came here expecting cake this morning. You will be disappointed if you did, but maybe not because what I am sharing is just as delicious as cake, except in a different way.
My sister Cindy has a blog called Flat Belly Files (Real Food for Real People) which I really wish that she would keep up. A proponent of healthy eating, it is filled with loads of great nutritional facts, recipes and ideas. She hasn't updated it in a while unfortunately.
.JPG "Lemony Lentil Tabouleh")
This is a tasty and delicious recipe that I got from my sister. She has it on her blog. Its really tasty and whilst it might look complicated, it really isn't. I know its not really pretty, but don't let that put you off!
Its one of the tastiest salads going and it is filled with loads of fiber and protein. You can make up a batch of this and keep it in the refrigerator and you are good for lunch for a few days. The original recipe makes four to five servings. I down-sized it to make only two to three servings.
.JPG "Lemony Lentil Tabouleh")
It is filled with plenty of crisp fresh vegetables and meaty flavor-filled lentils. There is plenty of bulgur in this which is traditional to Tabouleh as well, plus lots of herbs and a fresh lemony dressing.
Everything is natural. There is nothing so far out of the ordinary as to be unobtainable, plus it is quite simply healthy, tasty good nutritious eating.
It also makes a perfectly portable delicious lunch for those of you who are on the go!
.JPG "Lemony Lentil Tabouleh")
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE LEMONY LENTIL TABOULEH
Simple fresh and store cupboard ingredients. It looks like a lot, but that is because there are three main components to the recipe as well as a dressing.
For the bulgur:
- 1/2 cup (95g) bulgur
- 1/2 cup (120ml boiling water
- 1/4 tsp salt
For the lentils:
- 1/2 cup (95g) dried green lentils
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and bruised
- 2 small bay leaves, broken
- 1 1/2 cups (360ml) water
You will also need:
- 1/2 stalk celery, trimmed and finely chopped
- 1/4 green pepper, trimmed and finely chopped
- 1/4 red pepper, trimmed and finely chopped
- 1/4 red onion, peeled and finely chopped
- 1/4 cup (small handful) finely chopped fresh parsley
- 2 TBS chopped fresh mint
- 2 TBS chopped fresh dill
- 1/4 cup (60g) crumbled feta cheese
For the dressing:
- 2 TBS extra virgin olive oil
- the juice of half a lemon
- salt and black pepper to taste
.JPG "Lemony Lentil Tabouleh")
Bulgur wheat is a low calorie whole grain that provides various nutrients and is an especially good source of manganese, magnesium, iron, protein, and fiber. For some reason it is not that easy to procure here where I live. I found mine on Amazon.
I use Bob's Red Mill Whole Grain Red Bulgur. Its non GMO. I also used President's Choice Organic Green Lentils, which I am able to purchase at our local SuperStore.
Everything else is pretty self explanatory.
.JPG "Lemony Lentil Tabouleh")
HOW TO MAKE LEMONY LENTIL TABOULEH
There are a few simple components to this dish. Cooking the lentils, cooking the bulgur, chopping the vegetables, making the dressing and tossing everything together.
You can use canned already cooked lentils if you with, but for this smaller batch I highly recommend that you cook your own. Its not hard to do. In fact I recommend you cook your own for the full batch also. There is really no comparison. Home cooked are just tastier.
.JPG "Lemony Lentil Tabouleh")
First cook the lentils. Put them into a saucepan with the water, garlic and bay leaves. Bring to the boil and then reduce to a simmer. Simmer gently for 20 to 25 minutes. They should be soft but still holding their shape. Drain, rinse with cold water and drain again. Discard the garlic and the bay leaves. Set aside.
For the bulgur measure it into a bowl. Add the salt and the boiling water. Stir, cover and then leave to sit for about 1/2 hour. At the end of that time all of the liquid should have been absorbed.
Prepare all of your vegetables and place them into a bowl. Add the drained lentils and the soaked bulgur. Toss together well to combine.
Whisk together the dressing ingredients until blended and thick. Pour over the salad in the bowl. Mix everything well together. Taste and adjust seasoning as required.
Cover tightly and chill for an hour or two prior to serving.
.JPG "Lemony Lentil Tabouleh")
This really is delicious. So easy to make as well. Once you have all of the components ready, it goes together in a flash. The hardest part is waiting the two hours for the flavors to meld together!
I served mine with some sliced tomatoes and cucumbers. You can also halve some cherry tomatoes and add them to the salad if you wish.
Low glycemic. High in nutrients. Good for your heart and your digestion, this healthy salad is destined to become a real favorite, I guarantee! Thanks sis!
.JPG "Lemony Lentil Tabouleh")
I don't always eat things which are not that healthy. I often indulge in healthy and delicious foods. Here is a small sampling of what I enjoy:
CHICKEN AND GREEN BEANS - A fabulous stir fry of cubed chicken breast meat and crispy tender green beans in a lovely slightly spicy light sauce. Quick, easy and delicious!
ALMOND CRUMBED COD - Low carb, delicious and easy to make. Tender, perfectly cooked cod loins coated lightly in a whole grain and almond crumb. This is one of my favorite ways to eat fish!
Yield: 2 - 3
Lemony Lentil Tabouleh
Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 30 MinInactive time: 2 HourTotal time: 2 H & 45 M
A fabulously tasty salad that is filled with loads of fiber and nutrition! Trust me when I say it is very easy to make. This is a downsized recipe from one which my sister uses. You can make this and keep it in the fridge for several days. It makes a great lunch!
Ingredients
For the bulgur
- 1/2 cup (95g) bulgur
- 1/2 cup (120ml boiling water
- 1/4 tsp salt
For the lentils:
- 1/2 cup (95g) dried green lentils
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and bruised
- 2 small bay leaves, broken
- 1 1/2 cups (360ml) water
You will also need:
- 1/2 stalk celery, trimmed and finely chopped
- 1/4 green pepper, trimmed and finely chopped
- 1/4 red pepper, trimmed and finely chopped
- 1/4 red onion, peeled and finely chopped
- 1/4 cup (small handful) finely chopped fresh parsley
- 2 TBS chopped fresh mint
- 2 TBS chopped fresh dill
- 1/4 cup (60g) crumbled feta cheese
For the dressing:
- 2 TBS extra virgin olive oil
- the juice of half a lemon
- salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- First cook the lentils. Put them into a saucepan with the water, garlic and bay leaves. Bring to the boil and then reduce to a simmer. Simmer gently for 20 to 25 minutes. They should be soft but still holding their shape. Drain, rinse with cold water and drain again. Discard the garlic and the bay leaves. Set aside.
- For the bulgur measure it into a bowl. Add the salt and the boiling water. Stir, cover and then leave to sit for about 1/2 hour. At the end of that time all of the liquid should have been absorbed.
- Prepare all of your vegetables and place them into a bowl. Add the drained lentils and the soaked bulgur. Toss together well to combine.
- Whisk together the dressing ingredients until blended and thick. Pour over the salad in the bowl. Mix everything well together. Taste and adjust seasoning as required.
- Cover tightly and chill for an hour or two prior to serving.
Thanks so much for visiting. Do come again!
When my children were growing up, one thing which I used to make frequently for them for breakfast on Saturday's was pancakes. They loved them.
When I was a child we only ever got pancakes once a year. On Shrove Tuesday. And always for supper, never breakfast.
We never got pancakes at any other time. I guess my children were spoiled a bit in comparison because I used to make them pancakes often, and always always when they had a guest come to stay overnight. It was a bit of a sleepover breakfast tradition.
I do confess that I also indulged in the pancake breakfasts. I love pancakes after all. I still crave them from time to time, but I don't always want to be making a full recipe of them just for me. I know I could freeze the extras, but I only have so much room in the freezer.
I discovered this recipe for Fluffy Pancakes for One over on a blog called One Dish Kitchen. I decided to give it a go and adapted it for use on this page. I added Metric measurements for the UK, and left out the vanilla.
.JPG "Easy Pancakes for One")
Call me pedantic, but I didn't think that vanilla belonged in plain pancakes. If you are going to add something to them like chocolate chips or fruit, maybe. But plain pancakes, vanilla is a no no for me.
I think vanilla is one of those flavorings that is highly overused. When you make a basic Victoria Sandwich Cake no flavoring is used at all. All you taste is butter, sugar and eggs. I can promise you it is quite delightfully delicious.
There are some variations that will add vanilla, but the basic version does not.
.JPG "Easy Pancakes for One")
I never saw myself as being a purist at heart, but I guess I can be one when it comes to certain things and one of those things just happens to be the flagrant use of vanilla!
Don't get me wrong I love vanilla. Just not in simple easy fluffy plain pancakes. They get enough flavor from the butter and then the syrup you pour over top when you go to eat them. Nothing else is needed. And as you can probably tell I love my butter and my syrup. 😋
.JPG "Easy Pancakes for One")
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE EASY PANCAKES FOR ONE (FROM SCRATCH)
What I love about this recipe is that it uses all natural, pure ingredients. Nothing artificial here and you don't have to rely on having a mix. These are pure and simple.
- 1 cup (140g) plain all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 TBS granulated sugar
- pinch salt
- 1 large free range egg
- 3/4 cup (180ml) whole milk
- 1 TBS butter, melted
- more butter to grease the skillet
- butter and maple syrup to serve
.JPG "Easy Pancakes for One")
I have started using unbleached flour in all of my cooking and baking. I don't want to be eating something that has to be bleached to whiten it. I would rather have it natural.
I also like to use free range eggs. In the summer months we buy them from a farmer who is just down the road from where I live. I do not support an inhumane industry such as the one which produces eggs from caged hens.
You have to pick your battles in life and that is one of mine. My first husband came from a farming family. They had battery hens. It is an appalling industry. I don't mind paying a bit more when it comes to eggs.
.JPG "Easy Pancakes for One")
I also use organic, unbleached sugar. I buy it in a huge bag from Costco. Again, I like to use as natural and unrefined a product as I can. In the U.K I used to buy only natural sugar and it was readily available in all the shops.
I also loved to use Muscovado sugar rather than brown sugar. Again, it was more natural, but that has nothing to do with pancakes! Just my fussiness!
I also don't bother for the most part with having two kinds of butter in my kitchen. I buy lightly salted and I use it for everything. (Boy, do I miss European butter.)
.JPG "Easy Pancakes for One")
HOW TO MAKE EASY PANCAKES FOR ONE (FROM SCRATCH)
Nothing is really simpler than making pancakes so long as you follow a few rules.
Pancake batter goes together much the same as a muffin batter does. Mix together your dry ingredients in a bowl. Mix your wet ingredients separately and then add the wet to the dry and lightly combine.
One don't overmix your batter. As with all quick breads (and pancakes are considered a quick bread), overmixing produces a rubbery finish. Use a light touch and just mix the batter until no dry streaks remain. A few lumps are a.o.k.
.JPG "Easy Pancakes for One")
Two, don't be in a rush. Heat your pan too high and your pancakes will be burnt on the outside and raw in the middle. Use a medium heat and don't flip your pancake until the surface is covered with tiny bubbles. By then it should be golden brown on the bottom side and you can flip it over.
You can keep the pancakes warm while you finish using up all the batter in a low oven.
I have heard it said that the first pancake is always hit and miss. I don't believe that. There is no reason why your first pancake and your second pancake and your third and so on can't all be perfect!
.JPG "Easy Pancakes for One")
This really is a great basic recipe and can be a jumping off point for you to use your imagination and try out different kinds.
If you want chocolate chip pancakes, by all means throw in a dash of vanilla and a small handful of chocolate chips.
If you want blueberry pancakes, try adding some finely grated lemon zest and a small handful of berries. I actually find it easier and better to add the berries while I am cooking the pancakes. Just sprinkle a few over top before the flip while the batter is still fairly wet and not many bubbles have formed.
.JPG "Easy Pancakes for One")
With Pancake day coming up (Shrove Tuesday on the 21st of February) here are some more Pancake recipes that you might also enjoy!
WORLD'S BEST SILVER DOLLAR PANCAKES - My children always loved it when I made these. The size of a silver dollar they loved being able to fit a whole one in their mouth. They are tender and fluffy and oh so tasty!
BLUEBERRY BUTTERMILK PANCAKES - These are incredibly light and fluffy and stay light and fluffy. Some pancakes fall after they sit. These don't. They are the best blueberry pancakes in my humble opinion.
Yield: 1
Easy Pancakes for One
Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 10 MinTotal time: 15 Min
Light, soft and fluffy pancakes. These delicious pancakes go together very quickly and are perfectly sized to please just one person! All natural!
Ingredients
- 1 cup (140g) plain all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 TBS granulated sugar
- pinch salt
- 1 large free range egg
- 3/4 cup (180ml) whole milk
- 1 TBS butter, melted
- more butter to grease the skillet
- butter and maple syrup to serve
Instructions
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt together in a bowl.
- Whisk the milk, egg and melted butter together in another bowl.
- Make a well in the dry ingredients and add the wet ingredients. Stir together with a fork just to combine. A few lumps are okay. If you think the batter is too thick you can add a bit more milk.
- Heat a large non-stick skillet or griddle pan over medium heat. Rub with a bit of butter.
- Ladle 1/3 of the batter into the pan and rotate the pan to make a pancake.
- Cook over medium heat until the surface of the pancake is covered with bubbles, and the pancake is golden brown on the bottom. Flip over with a spatula and brown the other side.
- Keep warm and repeat to make two more pancakes.
- Serve hot with some butter for spreading and maple syrup for pouring. You can also serve some fruit on the side if you wish. I am particularly fond of peaches.
Notes
If you like blueberry or chocolate chip pancakes, you can easily adapt this recipe to suit. For blueberry pancakes, add a small amount of grated lemon zest to the batter and then sprinkle a few blueberries on top while you are cooking them in the pan.
For chocolate chip pancakes, add 1/2 tsp of vanilla to the batter and stir in 2 TBS of chocolate chips.
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