THE VARIETY
I confess. I’m a tea drinker. I was brought up on tea with milk and sugar with my breakfasts in the wintertime. As an adult, coffee entered the picture, even espresso (Loved driving to Little Italy on Canal St., NYC in past years) until about ten years ago when I returned to my first love, tea. A small collection of quality tea pots, fine china tea cups, tea mugs with infuser, and tea cups that fit over top of one-person tea pots when not in use, sit on my cabinet shelf, in full view. I LOVE TEA.
Herb teas (tisanes) were unheard of in our household. We drank English Breakfast Tea. Period. No choices.
Steeped in Tea is where Annelies Zijderveld shares her knowledge of a variety of teas, shows us what they look like, where they grow, and informs us on how they can be used in cooking. I also love to cook, especially new, exciting ways, and she offers Mint Pea Soup for these biting-cold days, made with Moroccan mint, green tea and Lapsang Souchong Salt. Recipes for Cauliflower Steaks with Tea Umami Sauce, Chamomile Risotto with Currants, Jasmine Cacao Nib Meringues, and so much more. The color pictures are for drooling over, calling me to get into the kitchen and fire up the kettle.
This is a delightful book for anyone who enjoys tea, cooking the un-ordinary, or who would like to explore in an area they have never been before. It also makes a beautiful, everlasting gift.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the author and/or publisher through the Speakeasy blogging book review network. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR,Part 255.
It’s time for greeting cards to be sent out. It matters not which holiday you celebrate; Christmas, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, Chanukah, Happy New Year, and maybe others that I am unfamiliar. I save most of the cards I receive (all with the hand-painted envelopes) and enjoy them again later. . . maybe even years later. Here is my take on it all.
