Simple Pleasures of Tea (Simple Pleasures) - Hardcover

Seton, Susannah

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1573242179 ISBN 13: 9781573242172

Publisher: Conari Press,U.S., 2005

Synopsis

Simple Pleasures of Tea offers wonderful ways to enjoy a range of teas both herbal and black along with easy recipes for delicious baked treats such as almond cookies, pumpkin bread, scones, and red velvet cake to accompany your teatime. With stories, quotations, recipes, and suggestions, this book will help even the busiest of us find repose and relief in a steaming cup of tea.

Learn how to make tea naturally brewed by the sun, mull a cinnamon and nutmeg cider to coax yourself through the autumn months, discover herbal infusions for your health, create a morning ritual with tea to give all your days the peaceful beginnings they deserve.

Drink, eat, and pamper yourself to your heart's content. And discover other creative uses for tea giving your plants a cup of tea for nourishment, for example, or treating yourself to a steaming tea facial.

About this title

About the Author

Susannah Seton is the author of Simple Pleasures of the Home, Simple Pleasures of the Garden, Simple Pleasures for the Holidays, and coauthor of Simple Pleasures: Soothing Suggestions and Small Comforts for Living Well YearRound. She lives in Berkeley, California, with her husband and daughter.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

SIMPLE PLEASURES of Tea

By Susannah Seton

Red Wheel/Weiser, LLC

Copyright © 2004 Conari Press
All rights reserved.

ISBN: 978-1-57324-217-2

CHAPTER 1

"Tea, thou soft, thou sober, sage, and venerable drink ..."—Colley Cibber

On cold winter nights, nothing beats curling up in front ofthe fireplace with a cup of hot tea and a good book. Themug warms my hands; the delicious liquid warms my insidesgoing down. My personal favorite is Earl Gray. I love that flowery,mysterious flavor—but no milk and sugar for me. I like minestraight. Recently, though, I have been drinking herbal teas—besidethe fact that they are caffeine-free, they have all kinds ofhealth benefits. I like to make my own. It's easy—as long as youdon't combine different herbs. Just stick to one herb at a time(professionals call them simples). There's something about makingthe simple and then drinking it later that feels like a bit of a homeyritual to me.

Herbal Tea Infusions for your health can be found on pageseighteen through twenty. Simple Pleasures of Tea offers recipesfor a range of teas (herbal and black), along witheasy recipes for delicious baked treats to accompanyyour teatime, alone or with company. Thereare also ways in here you'd never imagine to usetea—giving your plants a cup of tea for nourishment,for example, and treating yourself to asteaming tea facial. Drink, eat, and pamper yourselfto your heart's content.

* * *

We lift our tea cup—of course it is of the finestold India or Chinese porcelain (egg shellpreferred)—to our lips. Rest—PeaceAmbrosia! We are at one with the gods.They of Olympus with nectar and dampclouds have nothing on us with our sparklingfire and tea inspiring and recreating us.

—Alice Foote McDougall

SUN TEA

Sun tea is great because it has a mellower flavor than brewed tea.Drop four teabags in a quart pitcher of water (the pitcher must beglass). Cover to keep out bugs and put the pitcher outside in the fullsun. After a couple of hours, when the sun is really hot and you aretoo, remove the teabags. Add ice and serve.

For a variation, use a peach fruit tea. When the tea is ready, cut upa chilled peach into bite-sized pieces and add to the tea. Serve immediatelyfor a one-of-a-kind refresher."

* * *

Is it so small a thingto have enjoy'd the sun,To have lived light in the spring,To have loved, to have thought, to have done?"

—Matthew Arnold

STUFFED BAKED PEACHES

10 fresh peaches, pitted and halved
1 egg yolk
7 tablespoons butter, softened
1 cup of crushed Amaretto di Saronno cookies

Remove one spoonful of peach flesh from each peach and puree; setaside. Cream 6 tablespoons of butter in a bowl, stirring in egg yolk,peach puree, and crushed cookies until well combined. Fill each peachhalf with a generously rounded scoop of the mixture.

Place the peach halves, open side up, in a large glass casserolewith the remaining tablespoon of butter, and bake in a preheatedoven at 375° for 5–7 minutes or until cookie mixture is lightly browned.Serve peaches at room temperature with crème fraîche or ice cream.Serves 10.

GIVE YOUR PLANTS A CUP OF TEA

Don't throw leftover herbal tea away—use it to water yourhouseplants. But be sure it is caffeine free; plants like teaas long as it is "unleaded."

* * *

Green fingers are the extensions of a verdant heart.

—Russell Page

SUREFIRE RHUBARB - STRAWBERRY CRISP

Summer is the time for this treat.

3 cups rhubarb, sliced
2 cups strawberries, whole or sliced
juice from one lemon
1 stick butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup flour

Preheat oven to 400°. Combine rhubarb, strawberries, and lemonjuice in a 9-by-13-inch baking pan. In a medium bowl, combine thebutter, sugar, and flour until crumbly and then spread over rhubarbmixture. Bake uncovered for 20 minutes or until crisp is bubbly andtop browned. Serves 6.

SIMPLE SUMMER REFRESHERS

Freeze little slices of lemon or lime into your ice cubes fora pretty and refreshing touch in iced tea or other colddrinks. You can also freeze orange or cranberry juice into icecubes to add sparkle to lemon-lime soda.

* * *

"A little of what you fancy does you good."

—Marie Lloyd

LEMON TEA BREAD

Here's a summer treat for those who grow lemon balm.

1 tablespoon finely chopped lemon balm
1 tablespoon finely chopped lemon thyme
¾ cup low fat milk
2 cups flour
¼ teaspoon salt
1½ teaspoons baking powder
6 tablespoons butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
juice of 2 lemons
confectioners' sugar, about ½¾ cup

Preheat the oven to 325°. Grease a 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pan. In asmall saucepan, gently heat the milk with the lemon balm and thymeuntil just before it boils. Remove from heat and let steep until cool.

Combine the flour, salt, and baking powder in a medium bowl.In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until fluffy. Addthe eggs one at a time and beat well. Add the lemon zest, then partof the flour mixture, then some of the milk. Beat well and continuealternating until well combined.

Pour into prepared pan and bake for about 1 hour or until a toothpickinserted into the center comes out clean. While loaf is cooking,place lemon juice in a small bowl with enough confectioners' sugarto make a thick but still pourable glaze. Stir well.

Remove bread from pan and place on a wire rack that has beenset over a piece of waxed paper. Pour glaze over top and allow tocool. Makes 1 loaf.

HERBAL TEA INFUSIONS

Start with a handful of a dried herb of your choice (see listfollowing). Place it in a glass jar and put a stainless steelknife into the jar (to keep the glass from cracking). Pour boilingwater into the jar and stir. Put a lid on (a plate will do) and let situntil completely cool. Strain and store in the refrigerator. To servehot, bring to a boil on the stove or in the microwave.

COMMON HERBS FOR TEAS

Blueberry Leaves: A very delicious tea said to be beneficial for bloodsugar problems and varicose veins.

Dandelion Root: High in iron, manganese, phosphorous, calcium,magnesium, zinc, and potassium. A diuretic, it is reportedly good forthe liver by helping the body remove toxins.

Echinacea Root: Native Americans used it to healwounds. Modern folks swear by it when a coldor flu is coming on since it is said to boostthe immune system.

Fennel Seeds and Leaves: Good for theintestinal tract. A natural breath freshener.

Gingerroot: Good for digestion, nausea, and morningsickness. Is also said to aid circulation. Tea with this herb is madedifferently—simply cut off a slice of the fresh root, pour boilingwater over it, and let steep for ten minutes. (You probably will wantto add some sweetener like sugar or honey.)

Nettle: Reputed to be good for kidneys and an immune systembooster. Is high in many minerals and vitamins including iron,thiamine, and riboflavin.

BUYING HERBAL TEA

Most health food stores carry herbal teas in bags. But ifyou want to buy herbs in bulk (store in a dry, dark, glasscontainer), you can contact Blessed Herbs (800-489-4372) orHerbs, Etc. (888-694-3727).

CRANBERRY TEA

If your tastes don't run to herbal teas, try this wonderfully spicypotion instead. This makes enough for a crowd—try it on a coldwinter's evening. I make it unsweetened and allow guests to addtheir own sugar if they want. You can make it with decaf bags ifyou want to avoid the kick.

4 cups water
4 cups cranberry juice
4 orange pekoe tea bags
¾ teaspoon cinnamon
16 cloves
1 apple, cored, seeded, and cut into 8 slices

Bring water and juice to a boil over medium heat. Place the tea bagsin the mixture, cover, and remove from heat. Let steep 10 minutes.Remove the bags. Add the cinnamon. Place 2 cloves in each appleslice and add to tea. Let steep 5 minutes. Pour into mugs, makingsure each cup gets 1 apple slice. Serves 8.

"How beautiful it is to do nothing,and then rest afterward."

—Spanish proverb

MEXICAN WEDDING COOKIES

Traditional wedding cookies are often served at other festive occasionsas well.

½ cup powdered sugar
1 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 ¼ cups flour&
#188; teaspoon salt
¾ cup chopped nuts,
optional
additional powdered sugar

Cream together the ½ cup sugar, butter, and vanilla in a large bowl.Sift in the flour and salt. Add the nuts, if using. Cover and chill thedough for 2 hours in the refrigerator or 10 minutes in the freezer.

Preheat oven to 400°. Roll the dough into 1-inch balls and place onan ungreased cookie sheet. Bake until set, about 10 minutes. Whilestill warm, roll the cookies in powdered sugar. Makes 4 dozen.

* * *

Eros, the god of love, emerged to create the earth.Before, all was silent, bare, and motionless.Now, all was life, joy, and motion.

—Early Greek myth

HONEY-SAGE TEA

This tea may not cure your cold or flu, butit sure will make you feel better.

2 tablespoons honey
juice of 1 lemon
1 ounce sage leaves, torn
boiling water

Place honey, lemon, and sage in a mug. Pourthe water over and stir to dissolve honey.Cover and let sit for at least 5 minutes.Makes 1 mug of tea.

BUTTERMILK BUSCUITS

These are sensational right out of the oven with butter, jelly,honey—or even plain!

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup vegetable shortening, butter, or margarine
¾ cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 450°. Combine the first 4 ingredients in a mediumbowl. Cut in the shortening, butter, or margarine until the mixtureresembles coarse crumbs. Stir in buttermilk. With flour-covered hands,knead gently and then roll out on floured surface to ½-inch thickness.Cut with a 2 ½-inch biscuit cutter and place on a lightly greased bakingsheet. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until golden. Makes 10.

TROPICAL BACCHUS BREW

¾ cup sugar
1 quart strong orange-spice tea
1 cup orange juice
1 can 7-Up
4 cups vodka
2 cups dark rum

Stir the sugar, tea, orange juice, and 7-Up together in a large punchbowl until the sugar dissolves. Add the vodka, rum, and bitters andstir well. Add the ice. Wedge a mint leaf into the center of each orangeslice, and garnish the brew with oranges and cherries.

Makes enough tropical brew to arouse 4 to 6 bacchants and bac-chantes to bliss.

"To affect the quality of the day;that is the art of life."

—Henry David Thoreau

REMAINS OF THE DAY

A friend once related the following story to me:My current schedule requires me to get up earlier thanmy wife and our two-year-old daughter. I may grumble when thealarm goes off, but I relish that hour of solitude. It's not just sittingat the table drinking coffee and reading the paper in silence.Nor is it the beauty of the morning. What I love is seeing theremains of yesterday's activities and dramas: the stuffed animalwrapped in a dishtowel "blanket" on the chair where we left itlast night, the last crackling cinders in the fireplace, a little socklying under the table. It's sort of an archaeology of the living. Isee the object and it brings a flood of memories.

STEAMING TEA FACIAL

1 chamomile tea bag
1 peppermint tea bag
3 cups boiling water

Place the tea bags in a large, wide-mouthedbowl or pot. Add boiling water, and allow tocool for 2 minutes. Place a clean towel overyour head and the bowl (keep your face at leasteight inches away from the surface of thewater), and steam for 10 minutes.

RAISIN SCONES

Scones are becoming increasingly popular breakfast items. They'reeasy to make, and because these are made with oats, they havethe added benefit of being good for you.

1/3 cup butter or
margarine, melted
1/3 cup milk
1 egg, beaten
1½ cups flour
¼ cup sugar
1 tablespoon
baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
1¼ cups quick oats
1/3 cup raisins

Combine butter or margarine with milk and egg in a large bowl. Setaside. Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cream oftartar. Add gradually to milk mixture, stirring well. Add oats and raisinsand mix well.

Preheat oven to 400°. With flour-coated hands, form the doughinto an 8-inch circle on a lightly floured cookie sheet. Cut into 8wedges. Separate wedges slightly and bake for 12–15 minutes oruntil lightly browned. Makes 8.

HOMEMADE HERBAL TEAS

It's easy to grow and make your own herbal teas, accordingto the folks at Yamagami's Nursery in Cupertino, California,who write that one way to start is to grow lemon verbena, lemongrass,spearmint, and peppermint. Lemon verbena is easy to growin full sun to part shade. Prune it frequently to keep it bushy.Widely used in Asian cuisine, lemongrass is a very fragrant clumpgrass that grows two to three inches tall and likes full sun. Spearmintand peppermint like moist semishady areas; prune themfrequently to keep them low, and beware—they can be invasiveso you might want to grow them in containers.

You can throw a small handful of any or all of these fresh herbsinto black tea before steeping—just be sure to wash them wellbeforehand. Or you can dry them and experiment with a varietyof combinations and additions, including carefully washed rosepetals and hips, chamomile buds or leaves, or lemon or orangeslices. A good basic caffeine-free recipe is 3 tablespoons driedlemon verbena, 4 tablespoons dried lemongrass, 1 tablespoondried spearmint, and 1 tablespoon dried peppermint. Simplycrumble dried herbs together, steep in 4 cups of boiling water for5 minutes and strain. Delicious either hot or iced.

CHINESE ALMOND COOKIES

These are simply delicious.

½ cup finely chopped roasted almonds
36 whole almonds
1 cup sifted all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup butter or margarine
1/3 cup granulated sugar
½ teaspoon almond extract
1 tablespoon gin, vodka, or water
red food coloring (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°, and grease several cookie sheets. Set the 36whole almonds to the side. Sift flour with baking powder and salt.Thoroughly cream butter and sugar in a large bowl. Stir in all remainingingredients except whole almonds. Form dough into 36 balls.Place on greased cookie sheets. Press a whole almond in the centerof each ball and dot with a bit of red food coloring. Bake for 20 minutesor until lightly browned. Makes about 3 dozen.

"Come along inside ...We'll see if tea and buns canmake the world a better place."

—The Wind in the Willows

THE PERFECT CUP OF TEA

Fill the kettle with fresh cold water. Bring to a rolling boil.Scald teapot with hot water. Place 1 rounded teaspoon ofloose tea per cup into an infuser inside the pot (or one tea bagper cup). Pour boiling water into teapot. Let steep for three minutes.Remove tea infuser and serve.

* * *

One day with life and heartIs more than time enough to find a world.

—James Russell Lowell

MORNING WONDER RITUAL

The great cellist Pablo Casals once said, "For the past eightyyears, I have started each day in the same manner. It is nota mechanical routine but something essential to my daily life. Igo to the piano and I play two preludes and fugues of Bach. Icannot think of doing otherwise. It is a sort of benediction onthe house. But that is not its only meaning for me. It is a rediscoveryof the world in which I have the joy of being a part. It fillsme with awareness of the wonder of life, with a feeling of theincredible marvel of being a human being."

What small thing can you do when you wake up in the morningto tap into that sense of marvel? Play a special piece of music?Read something inspirational? For me, it's cuddling in bed withmy daughter, looking up at the redwood tree framed in the skylight,and listening to all the birds sing. We brew two cups of EarlGray, dip our scones in them, and feel ourselves surrounded bynature.

(Continues...)

Excerpted from SIMPLE PLEASURES of Tea by Susannah Seton. Copyright © 2004 Conari Press. Excerpted by permission of Red Wheel/Weiser, LLC.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

Edition details

• Publisher: Conari Press,U.S.
• Publication date: 2005
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1573242179
• ISBN 13: 9781573242172
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 64