Author: Unknown
•4:44 AM
By Ann Edwards


An online search is a great way to find out almost anything. When you're looking for tea recipes, this resource can open up the whole world of regional specialties. From the sweet tea that is a southern legend to frozen desserts or fish sauce, you will find both the familiar and the exotic.

Sweet tea, with no redeeming health benefits at all but with a seductive taste and smoothness, has become a staple of fast food restaurants and even more elegant restaurants. This beverage requires more than a spoonful of sugar stirred in before drinking. Some experts make a sugar syrup which is then added to tea. Other tips say to add sugar to strong, hot tea and let steep until cool. Add more cool water to dilute it to taste.

There are variations to this old-time summer drink. Some of the best ones use mint (12 sprigs to a pitcher), lemon juice or orange juice, or all of the above. Alternate orange and lemon slices for garnish to make your table look inviting. You can also change things up by serving chai cold or making a warm, tea-based smoothie.

Some recipes are centuries old, like spiced tea from India (this is what chai is, specifically Masala Chai. Chai means tea, masala means spice). Most chais have cardamon, ginger, cinnamon, and clove. After that, you can make a regional favorite, because it differs all over the sub-continent, or create your own.

Kombucha is a cultured tea, made from black or green teas and sugar, with a 'mushroom' (culture) added. You let it ferment for a week or two, remove the culture, and refrigerate the brew. If the 'mushroom' is happy in your home, you'll get a marvelous, probiotic-rich, sparkling beverage that's great alone or with food. There are many ways to flavor this 'divine' brew, if you want.

Tea, either black/green or herbal, is used to flavor muffins, doughnuts, and scones. You can poach salmon in it, or make a frozen dessert. Substitute it for water when making oatmeal; think of your favorite apple-cinnamon tea for morning enjoyment in a bowl. You can make jellies with it, and there's something called Chinese tea eggs, a traditional treat sold by street vendors. How can you resist trying that one?

Black and green tea is from the camillia plant, which originated in China. Today this plant is grown all over the world, even in England and the United States. Herbal 'teas' have been used for centuries as pleasant and healing drinks and now make up a large part of the billion dollar health food industry.

Check the blogs of hostesses who love to serve teas to their guests. The sites of tea companies are full of information on their products and how to use them in creative ways. The energy conscious should try sun tea. All you need is a large jar, four or five teabags, and a sunny day. No electricity or gas is required, just the power of the sun.




About the Author:



|
This entry was posted on 4:44 AM and is filed under . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

0 nhận xét: