Tea Talk

A week from Thursday is St. Patrick’s Day. For all of you who are Irish or anyone who secretly wants to be, this is your day to celebrate. St. Patrick’s Day recognizes the heritage and culture of the Irish people in general. It commemorates Saint Patrick and the arrival of Christianity in Ireland. There is the traditional Irish-American meal of corned beef and cabbage, and of course, the beverage of choice is “green” beer. I still fondly remember my first frosted glass of the “green” beverage as a young college student. So, how do I celebrate now? By drinking lots...

Are you a fan of honey in your tea? I'm very selective about which teas I add a sweetener to. In most cases, my choice is to add raw, local honey. One of the tea families that truly benefits from honey is Chai tea. Adding honey to chai teas along with cream or milk creates a warm, comforting, delicious drink... it's so yummy. Black teas like English Breakfast, Imperial Breakfast, Irish Breakfast, and Scottish Breakfast also are good choices to add honey to. Honey can also enhance the flavor of fruit teas. Honey tastes sweeter than sugar, so a little...

So who wants to drink a great-tasting tea loaded with healthy antioxidants? Did you immediately think of green teas? Yes, green teas have lots of antioxidants. But did you also know that Rooibos tea is loaded with them too? So what is Rooibos tea? Rooibos (pronounced ROY-boss) is native to South Africa. It’s a low-growing shrub found in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. And, that’s the only place it grows! Technically, Rooibos is not a tea but an herb. It is fermented, then dried, and because of its red color, Rooibos is also called African red tea or...

I get asked every day what’s the best way to store tea. The quick answer is in non-see-through, airtight containers away from moisture, light, heat, or intense cold. The following comment is usually, "why?" So here’s why. TEA RULE #1: Everything that touches your tea needs to be clean and dry.Moisture is not your tea’s friend. Tea leaves absorb moisture from the air. So you want to keep water and moisture away from your leaves until you are ready to steep your tea. Storing teas in the refrigerator or the freezer is also a big no-no, as your tea will...

Ginger by itself has an earthy taste with a kick. But paired with other ingredients, it adds so much flavor to foods such as chicken or beef, baked goodies, and of course, teas. I enjoy cooking with ginger to add zip to my main dishes and create great desserts. I make amazing gingerbread scones with a lemon glaze, a moist delicious gingerbread cake with a lemon dip, and much-requested gingerbread cookies. I pair them with a variety of my delicious ginger teas. Ginger stems, yes pun intended, from Asia. It is loaded with antioxidants. Ginger has been used for hundreds...