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With summer fully settled in, most people’s thoughts are far from the schoolroom. Yet, my thoughts can never quite go completely on summer vacation, and I’m always trying to think of unique ways to make learning a bit more exciting. This summer, I have been taking a class on how to teach science. We’ve designed a CSI-themed summer camp, currently in the first week of a two week session. Although I’m looking forward to teaching a lesson on DNA evidence, my other thoughts are more about how I could use tea to teach science.
Tea has its place in American history, and every child has learned about the taxes on tea that caused the fishies to have their own taste of the drink. But can it be brought into the lab? I say absolutely. After all, we must measure the amount of the tea and the temperature of the water for ideal results. Tea lends itself well to teaching concepts such as independent variables (the variable changed by the experimenter) and dependent variables (the result of the experiment). Students can design a nearly infinite number of experiments using tea as a base. Think of testing solutions by measuring how much sugar will dissolve in iced tea versus hot tea. They can run taste tests based on different types of water, different steeping times, and so forth.
Although I’m being somewhat tongue-in-cheek, what with the limitations of standardized testing, engaging the taste buds can be a great way to engage students in the classroom. When students can consume the results of their experiments, they are a great deal more invested in the activity. Not to mention that teaching students about tea can be a great way to make them consider beverages other than sugary juices and sodas, even if it takes a touch of sugar to make the tea palatable to young tastes. Besides, it’s never too late to begin to educate the next generation about our favorite drink.
Get the scoop at Stephanie’s blog, The Tea Scoop!
I have three passions in life: food, tea, and books. When all of these can be combined, I’m in seventh heaven. They often meet in the form of cookbooks, and when I find a new cookbook, sometimes I am hard pressed to resist. The cookbook shelf in our kitchen overflows, and still, I just can’t stop myself. My most recent purchase was for the recession-friendly price of sixty-nine cents at the local thrift store, so Mr. Tea Scoop couldn’t complain too much about that one. This slim volume by Ellen Easton goes beyond a few tea party recipes.
Nearly the first forty pages have little to nothing to do with tea. Instead they provide basic cooking information and an abundance of kitchen references. Although this information is duplicated in many of my other books, it might be nice for a novice cook. It did strike me as a bit of fluff to bring the book to a publishable length. The section on tea provides the same basic information on brewing as other volumes on the subject, as well as a quick glossary of tea grades. I did find the section on pairing tea and food quite useful, as well as a tea party checklist.
A tea party hostess (or host) could find many small details in this book to make the occasion more special, such as various techniques of napkin folding and a list of complete menus. The “travel” part of the title comes in for the recipes, many of which are from famous hotels. The recipes range from simple to gourmet, and are definitely the highlight of this little book. I was intrigued by the Green Tomato Jam & Reggiano Cheese Tea Sandwiches from The Breakers in Palm Beach, Florida, which include baby rosebuds. I would also like to try my hand at whipping up a batch of Tea Jelly, made with orange juice.
I should add that this book, being from the thrift store, is a bit out of date. The book was published fifteen years ago. While there is a lot of additional information to bulk up the book, the recipes definitely look like they are worth giving a try.
Don’t forget to check out Stephanie’s blog, The Tea Scoop!
When an American hears the phrase “afternoon tea,” it conjures up images of fancy tea rooms, lace tablecloths, and silver tea services. For the English, afternoon tea is far simpler. Sometimes, having afternoon tea just means sitting down in the afternoon for a relaxing cup of tea. No fancy accessories required.
My dearest friend, Liza, lived in India in her early childhood, and her family has never left this tradition behind. As soon as I walk in the door, the kettle is set to bubbling, and we drink tea while we chat. Michele Rivers’ book, Time for Tea, describes occasions such as these, through thirteen conversations with English women about their lives and the constant presence of tea. Some are tea shop owners, some are women, and all thrive on a good strong cup of tea.
Each of the stories has its own poignancy, its own personal touch. Some are so charming that I long to hop on a plane to fly to one of the small English villages mentioned in the story, to pay a visit to the Periwinkle Tea Room. Winnie, born in 1913, has a dialect that comes through so clearly in the text, that you can almost hear her telling about her memories of the first half of the twentieth century. Hayley, age six, gives her thoughts on tea: “When I grow up I’m going to eat a lot more chocolate and have tea in bed too.”
With stories that span the generations, this is truly a charming book. It’s a bit of a cookbook too, with recipes from each woman (or girl). I haven’t had a chance to make any of them yet, but they look fabulously delicious, or as some English tea drinkers might say, a bit “moreish.”
Don’t forget to check out Stephanie’s blog, The Tea Scoop!
Stepping outside, it almost feels like you could swim through the air. That’s humidity in Northern Virginia, and with temperatures remaining in the eighties and nineties, iced tea weather is here to stay.
Luckily, I’ve got a good stash to keep me going. PG Tips is on the same wavelength, and they recently sent me some of their tea to try iced. I’m always experimenting to find the perfect plain black iced tea, so the package was quite welcome.
I’ve been a fan of PG Tips since high school, when a friend’s parents always had it on hand. It had just the right amount of maltiness to go with bacon and toast for breakfast. While not the highest quality of tea, it’s a down home comfort tea. However, until this summer, I hadn’t thought to try it on the rocks.
I should have tried it sooner. The slightest smoky flavor comes through, giving the tea some real body, even when the ice melted. I prefer unsweetened iced tea, but I feel that this would take sweetening well without being overpowered. We went through two pitchers this weekend. I definitely recommend PG Tips for iced tea.
To make your own PG Tips iced tea, use two teabags per cup, and steep for three to five minutes. If you prefer sweet tea, either add sugar while the tea is still hot so that the granules dissolve, or use a simple sugar syrup to add sweetness to individual servings. Don’t want the trouble of making a whole pitcher? Make an individual serving and use a cocktail shaker to shake it up with ice, then pour over the rocks for a quickly cooled refreshing summer drink. If you really want to shake things up, add some lemonade to that shaker for an Arnold Palmer.
Remember, stay cool, and stay hydrated!
For more great tea tips, check out Stephanie’s blog, The Tea Scoop!
The image of befeathered patriots dumping tons of tea into Boston Harbor conjures strong feelings even today. Even more so in the eighteenth century. You may have read my previous article about the feelings of those early Americans towards our favorite beverage. Today, we drink tea out of choice, among a plethora of other beverages. Yet denizens of the eighteenth century, both in the Americas and in England, had little other choice.
You had better drink tea! Or I reckon you'll wind up looking like this here drunkard!
Instead of images of genteel ladies sipping tea with delicately raised fingers, instead picture drunken magistrates, tipsy doctors, and a generally intoxicated population. For most of the eighteenth century, public drunkenness was not seen as anything out of the ordinary. In fact, men bragged about the volume of alcohol they could consume in a single sitting, much like overgrown college students. On the other hand, there were not many other safe options on the beverage menu.
Water was largely polluted, completely unsanitary to drink over ice. The idea of drinking fruit juice would have been seen as a waste for most people, as fruit was prohibitively expensive. Apples, less expensive, were pressed into cider. Yet, most often, this cider then fermented into hard cider. Coffee, likewise, was a luxury for the rich. While the poor drank a horse chestnut substitute, it seems that this concoction was only for the most desperate because of its vile flavor.
That left tea, steeped in water made more safe through boiling. It was affordable by most, especially if the lower classes bought used leaves from the backdoors of the rich. People drank black and green tea, especially gunpowder, congou, and hysson. They took their tea without milk.
As you can see, this lovely beverage provided one of the very few non-alcoholic alternatives in the eighteenth century, and ladies began to promote it as an alternative to booze after dinner, as well as a break in the late afternoon. With consumption of tea constantly on the rise, it was all the more shocking when the Sons of Liberty tossed it into the waves.
Don’t forget to check out Stephanie’s blog, The Tea Scoop!
It’s that time of year when I am in love with spring. The tree pollen hasn’t started to get to me yet, my garden is still full of promise and dreams, and neither heat nor rain has driven me mad. All in all, it’s the time of year when I can’t stand to go inside any more than I have to, and I am giving my thanks to the person who invented laptops.
As I write, I am sitting here looking at the very first bud on my German chamomile plant. I sowed the seeds back in February, safely inside and separated from blizzards by our backdoor. Being a rather invasive little plant, it will stay safely in its pot. While one bud does not a harvest make, it does feel rather gratifying that I am on my way to growing my own herbal tea garden. The chamomile is only the first, and will be joined by plugs of other herbs later on. In the next several weeks, I should be receiving a lavender plant, and as soon as the farmers’ market opens, I will bring home some peppermint. I’ve also seeded some edible flowers that may make their way into a teapot as well.
I’m eager to try out a couple of recipes, including one for lavender lemonade (pardon the foray from the world of tea). When I find some good ones, I’ll be sure to share them. But for now, I wanted to leave you with my recipe for a refreshing pitcher of iced tea.
Boil one quart of water. When it boils, pull it immediately off the heat, and add eight teaspoons of black tea. I like Irish Breakfast for iced tea, mixed with perhaps one teaspoon of Scottish Breakfast. Add eight teaspoons of dried peppermint. If you are using fresh peppermint, double this amount. Add four teaspoons agave nectar. Steep for 3-5 minutes, then strain out the leaves and pour over ice in a pitcher. This will keep well for several days, if you can keep from guzzling it before then.
Happy spring!
Check out Stephanie’s blog, The Tea Scoop, today!
A tea shop in England claims to have tea from five continents: Europe, Asia, Africa, South America, and Australia. They are lacking a variety from our own shores, largely because there is not that much in production. The United States is home to only one commercial tea plantation, in Charleston. That doesn’t keep people from trying to cultivate tea in such diverse states as Hawaii and Oregon. Recently, one entrepreneur bought land in California, hoping to begin selling tea within three years.
But have you ever heard the saying that the more things change, the more they stay the same? This entrepreneur will not be the first to attempt to cultivate camellia sinensis in California, although he is probably the first in this century.
In 1863, a Mr. Sonntag hailing from near San Francisco planted around a thousand tea plants grown from seeds imported from China. He reasoned that the climate at the foot of the Sierra Nevadas closely resembled that of the very successful tea producing region of Assam, along the foot of the Himalayas.
This information comes from an article in The Weekly Vincennes Western Sun, an Indiana newspaper, on August 8, 1863. The author cites Assam as a region producing tea far superior to the tea produced in China. Interestingly enough, most tea cultivated in China is the variety camellia sinensis sinensis, while the tea grown in Assam is the variety camellia sinensis assamica.
It seems unlikely that Mr. Sonntag would have ordered assamica seeds from China, resulting in the high quality tea hoped for in the article. Unfortunately, I have been unable to find the results of this early American tea cultivation experiment, and I would be curious as the success of it in the middle of a war.
Alas, Mr. Sonntag, no attempt has yet been successful. I do hope, you weren’t ruined by your own attempt.
Get a fresh scoop of American tea over on Stephanie’s blog, The Tea Scoop!
Georgia Peach Rooibos
The birds and the bees are singing in the trees, flowers are blooming, and allergies are attacking. We haven’t turned on our A.C. yet, but tree pollen will soon force us to close the windows for a time, at least until the shower of golden dust ceases.
In addition, I’m going to be house-sitting for my parents, who have two cats that get me sneezy and itchy. I take the generic version of Claritin, but would love to avoid pills. And so, I end up intrigued with claims of using rooibos, or red tea, to treat allergies.
In case you are unfamiliar with the herb, it comes from South Africa, and is processed in a manner similar to tea. It is naturally caffeine free and high in antioxidants. Folks in South Africa have been drinking it for centuries, but it’s only now becoming very popular here in the States. Like tea, companies make many claims about rooibos’ health benefits. Is there any truth?
Anecdotally, peoples in Africa and Asia have been using rooibos as a healing herb for ages. And it may have some healing properties, thanks to its high levels of antioxidants, which may exceed those of green tea. “Allergies: An Amazing Discovery,” written in 1970 by South African mother Annique Theron, tells of the health properties of rooibos investigated by Theron. On the other hand, Dr. Ray Sahelian, who spends his time evaluating natural supplements, has not found a great deal of research to support claims such as rooibos relieving allergies.
The jury may be out on rooibos as a miracle treatment, but you might want to try it any way. It makes a great caffeine-free substitute for tea, and it takes to blends well. We use peach rooibos for our any-time-of-the-day iced tea. Who knows if it helps our allergies, but it sure is refreshing.
Make sure to stop by Stephanie’s blog, The Tea Scoop!
The season is quickly approaching for that refreshing glass of iced tea. We made a batch last night of peach oolong….yummy! But what’s the best way to go about it? In the South, sun tea is quite popular, but the FDA condemns it. I’m no scientist, so I’m not going to take sides in that debate. I’m just going to give a neutral alternative.
When you are making iced tea, the most important step is to double the amount of tea that you use, since the tea will be diluted with ice. That means two teaspoons of tea for every eight ounces. Of course if you want stronger tea, feel free to make those heaping teaspoons.
Bring your water to a boil, and steep for the usual time. When I make herbal iced tea, however, I let it steep for a great deal longer than I do when I make hot tisanes, since there’s no risk of bitterness. I let herbals steep for at least 15 minutes. I just let the leaves free float in the hot water, to infuse as much flavor as possible. Then I fill a pitcher with ice, and strain the tea into the pitcher. Voila, easy done with no specialized equipment.
If you are going to sweeten your tea, the best time is during the steeping process. Unless you are looking for southern style sweet tea, I find that about a teaspoon of sugar or honey per eight ounces makes for a refreshingly sweet but not cloying glass of iced tea.
What teas make the best iced teas? Sikkim is refreshing, particularly with a squeeze of orange or lemon. I find in general that Indian blacks take well to being iced. Citrusy greens and berried blacks also do well. And as we found last night, peach oolong is utterly delightful iced. Of course, in the end, ice what you like!
Stephanie offers up free scoops of tea advice each and every day on her blog, The Tea Scoop!
If you found this article by Googling “tea and weight loss,” you also had nearly 21 million other hits. These days, the topic of tea and weight loss is hotter than your cuppa. But is there any truth to these claims?
Sencha
Maybe, maybe not. Green tea might ward off weight gain, according to a study on WebMD. But that’s only based on preliminary studies on mice. On the other hand, these mice were getting a heavy dose. Even assuming that green tea had the same effects on people, a tea drinker would have to consume seven cups of green tea per day for the same effect. As much as I love tea, that’s a lot of green tea. And, I’m very aware that I am not, in fact, a mouse. Many of the claims about tea and weight loss come from manufacturers.
On the other hand, if you’ve been guzzling sodas and sugary fruit drinks, switching to unsweetened tea probably will result in weight loss, simply because you are replacing beverages filled with empty calories with a zero calorie beverage. Not to mention, tea does seem to be a rather healthy beverage.
My real problem with these claims is that they turn tea into a health drink. Tea is perfectly delicious whether or not it is a miracle infusion. Drinking tea should be about pleasure and relaxation, not about losing weight. Unfortunately, our society puts a lot of pressure on what a scale says, and people become desperate to try anything to make that number go down. Don’t let that pressure take your enjoyment out of life. Being healthy is one thing, taking desperate measures to fit a standard is another.
So go ahead, eat healthy and drink healthy. Go for a walk. But above all, enjoy your cup of tea, and love yourself no matter what.
Stephanie offers up healthy scoops of tea information daily on her blog, The Tea Scoop.
