Posts Tagged ‘TeaLula’
Today’s Cuppa {Tea of the Week: Spiced Pear Bai Mudan}
I don’t start my day without a hot beverage. And, we’re an equal opportunity household – coffee and tea – with a pretty diverse selection at home. From Ethiopian Harrar (we heart Valhalla) to Starbucks Christmas Blend, from Earl Grey to Peach-Mango, Sweet Lychee to Yunnan – I brew them both.
But there’s nothing like stopping into your favorite spot for your cup o’ joe, or maybe you frequent a tea place. I’m soooo lucky that there’s a local tea shop. I’ve mentioned TeaLula before. I visit with my kids, my husband, by myself… TeaLula, how we love you so. And it’s not just a shop with all things tea, and a hundred different loose teas, it’s an oasis for me. And I feel like we’ve made some very nice friends over the last couple years…
You know when you go to a restaurant and order the same thing every single time? I thought it might be nice to start off the year with something… new (innovative, I know). Since I visit TeaLula on a fairly regular basis, I thought it might be fun to journal about the brews. Recently I tried a white tea, Spiced Pear Bai Mudan. Mmmmm. Sounds like it could be a swanky cocktail. Instead, it’s a swanky tea.
Bai Mudan is tea from the white peony. This blend has some star anise, sweet pear and see the helichrysum flowers? Adding a bit of sugar made the flavors more defined. Lovely. It’s light, unlike a black tea, and this blend has a fruity aftertaste with a surprising cooling sensation. Almost minty… it lingers on your tongue. (Made me want more, just so I could figure out what that taste was.) My daughter said only two words after sampling the Spiced Pear Bai Mudan: melted pears.
More flavors and tidbits from the tea bar next week!
If I don’t get back here before the weekend, I wish everyone a happy Chinese new year!
Tags: eating out, tea, Tea of the Week, TeaLula
Tea and Birthday – part 2
What’s a tea party without a description or pictures of food? This is what my husband orchestrated…
Thanks to All on the Road Catering…asparagus wrapped with prosciutto, empanadas with caramelized onions and goat cheese with tomatilla dipping sauce, shredded duck with cherry marmalade boats, wild mushroom strudel garnished with green onion, brie and caramelized apples crostini.
These were devoured: ham with brie and mango, turkey with guacamole, and roast beef sandwiches.
Chocolate cake goes really well with raspberry flavored tea. Trust me.
We all had plenty to drink. Iced tea on tap: South Beach Peach, Fourth of July. Tried some “Triple Flip”… really gingery, orange flavored green tea. (I think it’s green tea. Can’t remember.) Even the kids had fun.
Tags: birthday, cake, eating out, Friends and Family, holiday, tea, tea party, TeaLula
Tea and Birthday
The husband did a great job… totally surprised. Friends, family, great food, great tea. This is what happens when you have your daughter and her friend dress you up at a tea shop for your birthday. 36… it doesn’t look too bad. We’ve come a long way.
Tags: birthday, eating out, fun, living, TeaLula
A day at TeaLula
Just a regular day, sipping tea at the tasting bar.
A little too much tea for him…
Tags: eating out, kids, tea, TeaLula
Mother’s Day 2009
Breakfast in bed has become tradition in our house. No, I did not eat all that bacon. We all ate in bed, so, yes, the sheets were taken off immediately after breakfast.
Toast, bacon, an ambrosia-ish salad, raspberry jam, Kerrygold butter (so good), a blob of Delice de Bourgogne cheese (even more delicious), Burnside Estate (black tea) from TeaLula and Ollie-friendly blueberry granola. Eastman outdid himself this time.
Cajun-seasoned scrambled eggs were hiding under the plate o’ bacon.
So excited to start reading these books!! But, best of all, Abby made a most beautiful stained “glass” picture of a flower and did a survey on Mom.
Tags: cooking, family, favorite things, holiday, kids, tea, TeaLula, treasure
Growing up foodie
Looking back at some posts, I don’t know that I’ve written specifically about our penchant for cooking, entertaining, and food. Good food. Good ingredients help. We like a good restaurant, fancy or not, kid-friendly or super posh, and good deals are a favorite. Ha. It’s no secret, we enjoy it all. I wonder if part of it is from my husband’s stint at a seafood restaurant during high school. Or maybe it’s my fascination with The Food Network which I’ve watched from the beginning. I’d watch and think, “Hey, I could make that.” Much like crafting, eh? I’m thankful I’m not any heavier than I am with what I eat!
Before kids, I used to have this weird idea that our children would have mature palates and speak like Sylvester the Cat’s son… “Fah-ther, why must we eat the bird?” Remember that? But instead they would say, “Mother… I would like grilled brie on baguette for lunch.” or “Father, please pass the smoked salmon.”
Over the weekend, we shopped at our local Trader Joe’s and watching our kids in the store is probably indicative of how our foodie habits influence them. Our girl does enjoy salmon, cheddar cheese and apples, dark chocolate. Then there’s the boy. He made his way to the cheese section. I love that he went for brie first! But in the end we bought some parmesan… he likes eating that too.
The boy likes tea, too. He’s my tea buddy at TeaLula’s tea bar. His favorites are fruity flavored ones with lots of sugar cubes, but I try to keep it to one cube per cup, if that. Tea and scones. Ollie says, “Ah-yee (Ollie) cone, cone now, eat cone. Dink tea.” Pictures by Ollie. Mom, Miss Sheila and his beloved “cones”.
