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By Ashley Horne
Are you looking for a fun and affordable way to get together with your friends? Do you like to entertain, yet want to be able to relax and enjoy time with your guests? Do you have a daughter who would love to have a party for her little girlfriends? Then consider hosting your own tea party!
Typically held late in the afternoon between 3PM and 4PM, a tea party provides a light snack time between lunch and dinner. Follow these simple steps to host your own party and enjoy quality time with your friends:
- Pick a date and time. Consider what will work best for you and your guests. Do your guests work full-time? Are they all in 3rd grade and attend school during the week? Will a weekend day work best?
- Send out your invitations. Be sure to include the date, time and location of the event as well as an RSVP date. If you are hosting a tea party for your child’s friends, let your child design and/or decorate the invitations.
- Purchase your tea – determine a feasible tea selection which includes black tea, white tea, fruit flavored teas, spiced teas, etc.
- Plan your menu – be sure to include both sweet and savory items. A sample menu could include the following: Asparagus & Prosciutto Tea Sandwiches, Cucumber Mint Tea Sandwiches, Chicken Salad Sandwiches with Almonds, Raisin Scones, Clotted Cream, Madeleines and assorted chocolates. If you’re hosting a party for younger children, make food adjustments as you see fit – after all, not all kids will like asaparagus!
- Purchase your accessories – plates, cups, silverware, napkins, milk, cream, sugar and lemon wedges.
- On the day of the tea party prepare all of your items before your guests arrive. You will be able to serve the snacks buffet style or by passing around plates of goodies when all guests have arrived. Be sure to allow enough time to brew your teas. Be knowledgeable about your tea selections so that you can tell your guests a little bit about each tea and its flavor.
- Turn on some relaxing music, sit back and enjoy!
by Ashley Horne
Yesterday we learned how honey bees make honey, and we also talked about a few of its uses, but to get the most out of your honey-experience, it’s often helpful to know a little about honey processing, quality and grading.
Honey can be processed in a wide variety of ways. The following has been collected to give you a quick reference as to the types of processing honey may undergo:
Raw honey – eaten with minimal or, ideally, no processing. This is honey that has been extracted from the hive and then is allowed to settle without adding heat.
Crystallized honey – also known as “granulated honey,” this honey has undergone the spontaneous crystallization of some of the glucose.
Pasteurized honey – is honey that has been heated in a pasteurization process. This reduces the moisture level, destroys yeast cells, and liquefies crystals in the honey.
Dried honey – has the moisture extracted from liquid honey to create a completely solid, non-sticky honey.
Strained honey – honey which has been passed through a mesh material to remove particulate material without removing pollen, minerals or valuable enzymes.
Ultrasonicated honey – honey that has undergone a non-thermal processing which destroys most of the yeast cells. Remaining yeast cells can not grow which reduces the rate of honey fermentation.
Whipped honey – honey that has been processed to control crystallization. The honey contains small crystals which prevents the formation of larger crystals.
Ultrafiltered honey – honey processed by an extra fine filtration under high pressure and high heat. Due to the use of high heat the sugar seed crystals are broken down, the shelf life is extended and the honey becomes very clear.
After the honey has been processed it is graded for quality based on fragrance, taste and consistency. It is said that high-quality honey that is ripe and freshly collected should flow from a knife in a straight stream without breaking into separate drops. In jars, this honey should appear to be a consistent fluid and should not set in layers.
The quality of the honey is then voluntarily graded according to USDA standards including soluble solids, water content, flavor, aroma, clarity, absence of defects, and color. The scale used to grade the honey is as follows:
- Grade A – Good
- Grade B – Reasonably Good
- Grade C – Fairly Good
- Substandard – Poor, Failing
No matter what your favorite honey selection is, be sure to try a variety of different flavors. Keep in mind that the flavor of the honey is derived from the source of the nectar. With this knowledge you should be able to select the best product for you!
By Ashley Horne
Tea can be sweetened with a number of different substances such as sugar, sugar substitutes and, my personal favorite, honey! Though honey seems to be available in vast quantities (often packaged in cute bottles), we may not all know where honey comes from or how it is made.
The type of honey that humans consume is made by honey bees through a multi-step process. First, honey bees collect nectar from sugar-rich flower sources. Depending on the source of the nectar, the flavor of the honey may vary.
The nectar is then carried back to the hive, where it undergoes a process of regurgitation before being stored in the wax honeycombs inside the hive. This honey is left “unsealed” and requires further processing before completion. Even after the process of regurgitation the honey contains high levels of water and yeast. If the process were to cease at this point the substance would ferment.
The bees then fan their wings creating a strong draft. The draft helps to evaporate much of the excess water which causes the sugar concentration to increase. At such high levels, the sugar prevents fermentation and the honey-making process is complete!
This delicious, flavorful, versatile honey is then used as a beverage sweetener in tea. It is also used in a variety of different manners. For instance, it is the main ingredient in the alcoholic beverage mead – also known as “honey wine.” Honey is also widely used in cooking, baking and as a spread.
Various medicinal uses for honey have also been discovered. It has been used for more than 2700 years as a topical gel for wound care. More recently it has been used to kill certain strains of bacteria and prevent the growth of bacteria due to its acidity, to treat diabetic ulcers, to aide in the repair of colon damage due to colitis, to soothe sore throats and calm coughs, and potentially to eliminate wound odors, swelling and to reduce scarring.
Now that’s what I call a real “hive” of possibilities!
By Ashley Horne
Two big holidays, Thanksgiving and Christmas, are just around the corner, and as we all know, it’s typical to celebrate both with tons of delicious food! I always try to shake our holiday meals up by trying one or two new recipes each year. This year, we’re going to try a recipe for Chai stuffing! This recipe is simple and includes my family’s favorite Chai Spice tea, so there’s no way I can go wrong. If you love Chai tea, this recipe is just the thing for you!
Here’s what you’ll need:
- 7 1/2 oz unseasoned bread cubes
- 4 Chai Spice teabags
- 1 Tbs. olive oil
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup celery
- 1/2 cup green onions
- 1 green apple, diced
- 1/2 cup shallots
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. pepper
- 1/2 cup water
- Chicken stock as needed
Here’s what to do:
- Allow the Chai teabags to steep for 5 minutes in a half cup (1/2 cup) of boiling water. Remove the teabags.
- Combine the olive oil, celery, onions, apple and shallot in a medium sauce pan. Cook the mixture over medium heat until soft.
- Combine your sauteed vegetables, bread crumbs, eggs, salt, pepper, water and Chai Spice concentrate in a large bowl. Mix well. If more moisture is desired add the chicken stock as needed.
- Spread the mixture in a shallow baking dish and bake at 300 degrees for approximately 30 minutes. The stuffing should be served immediately for best flavor experience.
The stuffing can be served as a side dish or as a meat stuffing. You can also make your own additions to this recipe. Add cranberries, finely chopped walnuts or your family’s favorites to change both the texture and flavor. Enjoy!
by Ashley Horne
If you’re anything like me, you know there are tons of Christmas teas out there. If you’re even more like me, you know very little about what each tea tastes like and often struggle when picking one. So, with the holiday season right around the corner, I’ve put together a brief listing of a variety of Christmas teas and spiced teas to help cut out some of the guesswork! There’s no better time to try a new flavor than with the start of a new season! Enjoy!
Christmas Teas:
Harrisons & Crosfield Christmas Tea – This is a black tea with spicy cinnamon, clove, orange peel, almond, marzipan and rose blossoms.
Stash Christmas Morning Black Tea – This tea is a blend of fine black teas. Unlike many other Christmas teas, it is not filled with spices or minty flavors.
Stash Christmas Eve Tea – A blend of mints and sweet spices. This tea is caffeine free.
Stash White Christmas – A blend of white tea with traces of peppermint and ginger.
Taylors of Harrogate Spiced Christmas Tea – A blend of black Chinese teas with cinnamon, safflower petals, and lemon and orange peels. This tea is best served black with honey.
Spiced Loose Leaf Teas:
Apple Spice (Black Tea) – This blend combines the flavors of fresh apple with cinnamon. This tea base can be used to make mulled wine by adding cinnamon and red wine.
Orange Spice (Black Tea) – A combination of Florida oranges and fresh cinnamon.
Le Marche Spice (Black Tea) – A blend which includes fruity tones and cinnamon. This is a traditional spiced tea.
Mercedes Apple Spice (Herbal Tea) – An herbal tea blend of fruit and spices. This is a caffeine free tea and is filled with vitamins.
Cinnamon Sibu (Green Tea) – A sweet and spicy blend of cinnamon pieces, rose petals and natural flavors.
By Ashley Horne
Last year for Christmas I was thoroughly surprised by the gift I received from my eighteen year old brother, Sage. He gave to me a thoughtful gift which, to this day, I adore – a tea chest! Though I’m not sure he realized just how much I’d like the gift, it truly was the perfect Christmas present for me.
My tea chest is made out of solid cherry and is lined with red felt. It’s beautiful, classy and perfect for entertaining. It smells wonderful each time I open it and it holds eight of my favorite teas – English Breakfast, Irish Breakfast, Earl Grey, Peppermint, Chai Spice, Jasmine Blossom, Sandman PM, Stash Fusion Breakfast Green & Black.
Having the tea chest allows me to offer guests variety as well as to be prepared for any occasion. My breakfast teas are perfect to wake up to, the peppermint is great for a sore throat or stuffy nose, the jasmine is wonderful and soothing when I need to rest and relax and, of course, nothing helps me to get ready for a good night of sleep like a hot cup of Sandman PM.
When thinking about what presents I will be giving this year, I’ve thought of all the ladies (and men!) in my life that might enjoy such a chest…my children’s babysitter, school teachers, aunts, uncles, grandmothers – the list is endless. I have also thought that this gift would be perfect for a gift basket or raffle, or as a “welcome to the neighborhood” token. Tea chests are affordable, beautiful, and perfect for any occasion.
Now, the comical part of the story, as it turns out, is that my brother bought the same gift for all the women in his life (leave it to an 18 year old adolescent to do that!). But, I guess that just goes to show that a tea chest is truly a versatile gift which will be loved by many.
By Ashley Horne
For many families around the globe the most magical day of the year is Christmas Day. There is nothing quite as exciting as waking up on Christmas morning, groggily walking down the stairs and finding half-eaten cookies and presents under the tree. In Britain, the tradition of Saint Nicolas’ visit is complimented by the long standing presence of Christmas Crackers.
Invented in 1847 in London by businessman Thomas Smith, Christmas Crackers are an integral part of the holiday tradition. Usually present at holiday parties or Christmas dinner, the cracker is a large cardboard tube wrapped in colorful paper that’s twisted at both ends. Their bright colors, usually of red, green or gold, are attractive and appealing.
Though there are several ways to open a cracker, a popular method is to have two individuals grab hold of either end. As the individuals pull, the tube and the paper tear and a loud pop, much like that of a cap gun, occurs. This is the result of a friction discharge caused by a chemically charged strip placed under the paper. The person with the larger portion of the cracker gets to keep the treasures inside. These typically consist of a joke or motto (like those found in a fortune cookie), a trinket or gift (the more you pay for the cracker the better quality the gift will be) and a colored paper party hat. These creative treats are great for family members of all ages and are often able to be purchased in packages of 6 to 24, sometimes more!
Over the years families have developed their own traditions. One of my family’s favorites is the “Christmas Cracker Treasure Hunt”. My husband and I create age appropriate clues for our kids. They run around the house seeking the next clue and eventually find the “treasure chest”. Within the treasure chest is a Christmas Cracker for each member of our family.
We have also been known to give crackers to neighbors, extended family members and co-workers just to help spread some holiday cheer. If you haven’t already, try making Christmas Crackers part of your family’s holiday tradition! Opening them makes a BANG every year!
