tea recipe | Two Leaves Tea Company Blog - Part 2Two Leaves and a Bud Blog

(Even more) Stuff Tea People Like
By naomi / in English style tea, Green Tea, News from two leaves tea company, Products from two leaves and a bud, Recipes with Tea / June 13, 2013

You did read our first #StuffTeaPeopleLike blog, right?!

Greetings, Tea People!

We have so enjoyed our time discussing on our blog and other social media outlets (Facebook, Twitter), our initial list of Stuff Tea People Like. It's not in our interest to pigeon hole all of you, but it is very much in our interest to make you laugh at yourselves, and some perfectly cliched things relating to tea. Don't forget, of course, that we recognize that any effort to truly generalize you is wasted on your smart, attractive uniqueness. We were most fond of a respondent who said, "I feel like I don't like about half of these. I'm a special snowflake!" Well put, Lisa. On the other hand, if we've truly nailed any of you with every single item on this list, well, we're impressed with ourselves and (mostly) you for being a tea drinking cliché through and through. (And maybe we owe you free tea for that? If it's true, let us know! We might need photographic proof, though. Somehow.)

Some of you wrote incredibly detailed responses to our first list, and we're delighted to have engaged you in such fun conversation. Can we keep it up, we wondered?

And so, we now present a continuation of our list that many of you have helped us with! Reading your comments made us laugh, and so we're trying to give people credit for what they've contributed. Why would we bother to continue the list? Well just look at the first item on this continued list ...

(Even more) Stuff Tea People Like

59. Making lists

On a perfect day, our first list goes like this: 1. Get a piece of paper. 2. Start to compose a list. 3. Cross first two items off list. 4. Cross off third item. 5. Feel satisfied and brew a cup, because now that we've accomplished something, it's tea time.

60. The beach in winter

60. So peaceful. So deserted. All that's missing is a mug of tea in your mittened hands. #StuffTeaPeopleLike

Thanks to Melanie for this one. Yeah, yeah, we know the beach has serious allure in the summertime. But in the winter? Well, it's still beautiful, sometimes tempestuous, and there's nary a guy in sight who shouldn't be wearing a Speedo (but for some reason is anyway.) In fact, there are hardly any people around at all, leaving all that beauty just for you, a quiet walk and a thermos of tea. Oh man. We'll start planning our next winter vacation now.

61. Antiques Roadshow (thanks, Kathleen S.)

62. International markets (good one, Terri Cole.)

63. Serving as a docent at art galleries, heritage gardens and small palaces (Cheers to that, Catherine.)

64. Who cycles? WE-Cycle! A friend checks out the new bike sharing program in Aspen. #StuffTeaPeopleLike

64. Bike sharing programs

Two leaves tea company™ is just down the road from the glamorous mountain town of Aspen, Colo., which just last week became the 27th place in the United States to have its own bike sharing program, called WE-Cycle. In fact, we love biking so much (don't forget — that's how our CEO gets to the office every day) that we're one of many community sponsors for the program. That means now Aspen visitors can rent a bike for a short trip, like heading to a concert at the Aspen Music Festival and School, for a lecture at the Aspen Physics Institute, or just for a short across-town errand. Ditching a short trip in a car for a short, scenic and *fun* trip on a shared bike? #StuffTeaPeopleLike to a T. (Or would that be to a "tea"? See the next item on our list.)

65. Being punny, but not to an annoying extent

66. Naps (That one's for you, Darrah.)

67. Trying new types of tea that you haven't had before (Nancy Janda is so right about this.)

68. A book, some tea, and happiness implied. Obviously. #StuffTeaPeopleLike

68. Reading

We think this one is important enough that as much as our last list referred to books and reading culture, we weren't clear enough, as Katelynn Robinson pointed out. So let's be emphatic about this: Tea People love love LOVE to read. All the plush chairs (No. 39), avant garde light fixtures (No. 28), and rainy, miserable afternoons (No. 2) in the world wouldn't be quite as nice if they didn't pair as nicely with our love of reading.

69. Tea from non-mainstream brands (you're after our very hearts and souls, Diane.)

70. Lemon curd (Erin Tuzuner knows what's up with this.)

71. Aprons (Made us laugh because it's so true, Sarah K.)

72. TV show host most likely to be spotted sipping tea. Right? #StuffTeaPeopleLike

72. Christopher Kimball on America's Test Kitchen

As Laurie B. noted, he wears a bow tie. And we all know how Tea People feel about bow ties, don't we? (See #StuffTeaPeopleLike No. 14) But fashion choices aside we of course wondered if Christopher Kimball could be our bow-tie wearing, wizard-in-the-kitchen tea-drinking superhero. And then a little research (ahem, Googling), revealed that his wife drinks tea every day. We knew there was something we liked about him.

73. Tea-flavored ice cream

Ah yes, this addition to the list by Langiean reminds us of our own adventures in creating tea-flavored ice cream , which you can check out here and here. Now that was a good time, because when you're truly experimenting with tea and ice cream, you get to have a lot of both cream, sugar and tea around your house, and that makes your house kind of like heaven. (ps: If you're going to try this at your house, don't miss out on Mountain High Chai or Alpine Berry ice cream. Ohhhhh yeah.)

74. We've hit the Union Jackpot, if you will. #StuffTeaPeopleLike

74. Anything decorated with the British flag

75. Dining at a Chinese restaurant, where tea will be served

(An excellent point, Corinne T. That's how many casual tea drinkers first discovered the wonders of Jasmine tea.)

76. Shortbread

This is where we're going to do some shameless self-promotion; but for a good reason. We can't stop eating this stuff, and we want you to discover it too. Afternoon tea time will never be the same until you're dipping a piece of Biscottea into our tea.
What-a-melon Iced Green Tea
By naomi / in Green Tea, Iced Tea, Recipes with Tea / July 23, 2012
(I have to admit, I laugh inwardly every time I walk by the "What-A-Melon" brand watermelons in the supermarket lately. It's a bad pun, yet I can dig it.)

Our Organic Tamayokucha green tea gets a major overhaul with this watermelon green iced tea.

We all have watermelon memories to go with summer right? I mean, nobody is standing around in December, wishing they could get a slice of watermelon with their glass of eggnog. Your enduring memories of watermelon may involve seed spitting contests, backyard barbecues, one of those sherbet-based ice cream cakes that was shaped like a watermelon, even "Dirty Dancing" and the hunk that was Patrick Swayze in high-waisted black pants and an unbuttoned white shirt ("I carried a watermelon").

All good stuff. So with that in mind, I'm hoping you'll consider getting out the blender for this drink that has all the juicy innocence of a summer's worth of watermelon in it, plus a dose of Organic Tamayokucha green tea and lime juice to brighten things up. As I've said before, I do think it's entirely worthwhile to experiment with alcohol in this drink. That's how you get from here to watermelon margaritas. And I know some of you were thinking about watermelons soaked in vodka when I mentioned all those memories, right?

Watermelon Green Iced Tea

Ingredients:
- 4 cups seedless watermelon flesh, cubed
- 2 cups hot water
- 3 sachets of Organic Tamayokucha green tea from two leaves tea company
- Juice of 1 lime
- Sugar to taste
Directions:
1. Place the watermelon cubes in a blender or food processor, and blend until pureed. (If you would like this drink to be a little less pulpy and smoothie-like, you might consider using a strainer to completely rid the watermelon juice of any chunks.)
2. In a heat-proof pitcher, add the green tea to the hot water and allow to steep for 5 minutes then disgard the sachets. Allow the tea to cool to room temperature before adding the watermelon puree, lime juice, and sugar.
3. Serve immediately over ice.
4. Pat yourself on the back. You just created a brand new watermelon memory for summer.
Did you try our last fruity iced tea recipe: Blueberry Mint Iced Tea? Which of these two recipes did you like better?
We found our thrill in Blueberry Mint Iced Tea
By naomi / in Green Tea, Recipes with Tea, Tea Beverages / July 11, 2012
Yes, it's as refreshing as it looks.

I promise you: This recipe for a wonderfully fruity iced tea looks impressive, tastes like it took forever, and should charm a wide variety of your friends, but it's so simple and rewarding. Just look at that beautiful blue color and try to disagree with me.

And here's the kicker — you'll make this with green tea, which can be an unexpected twist in the realm of typical iced tea drinks, that may come slightly fruity, but are in general traditionally made with black tea. You've had 'em before, you know exactly what to expect. Not to mention, there's just enough mint in this class of iced tea to remind you of a great cocktail, like a mojito or a mint julep (and no, we have no problem with you adding the liquor of your choice to spice this one up.) So, get something unexpected and delightful:

Blueberry Mint Iced Tea

(makes about 10 cups)

Ingredients:
- 4 cups blueberries (about 2 dry pints)
- Juice from 1 lemon
- 1 cup roughly torn fresh mint
- 1 cup sugar, plus more to taste
- 4 sachets Organic Tamayokucha from two leaves and a bud tea company
Directions:
1. In a medium pot, combine the blueberries with 1 cup water. Bring the mixture to a boil, then lower to a simmer. Cook the blueberries for 5 minutes, using a large spoon to mash up the berries. Stir in the lemon juice, mint, and sugar. Allow the mixture to simmer for another 1 to 2 minutes so the mint flavor infuses. Remove from the heat and strain the blueberry mixture through a fine-mesh strainer, discarding the solids. Set the blueberry syrup aside.
2. In another small pot, bring 6 cups of water to a boil, then turn off the heat. Steep the green tea sachets in the water for 5 to 10 minutes, then discard the tea sachets.
3. Stir the blueberry syrup and the green tea together in a pitcher. Adjust the sweetness with more sugar if you’d like. Chill for at least 2 hours.
4. Serve in individual glasses with plenty of ice. Garnish with mint sprigs.
5. Consider pairing this drink with a splash of sparkling water, once it's really cold.
And let this next photo serve as a hint: More wonderful fruit-based iced teas coming right up!

Beautiful summer iced teas ... all made with two leaves tea, of course. Stay tuned for recipes.
Chinese Tea Eggs
By naomi / in Recipes with Tea / April 4, 2012
Chinese Tea Eggs, seen here with and without shells.

I don't know about you, but I prefer my craft projects to be easy. And if they happen to result in something edible, whether that be a gingerbread house or a candy necklace, all the better. So ... introducing Chinese Tea Eggs, a craft project that's not only easy but looks impressive, and tastes good (as long as you're already a fan of hardboiled eggs, that is). In China these savory snacks are sold by street vendors or in night markets. I've even read that they're sold along hiking trails outside of Beijing as trail snacks.

Making them involved incorporating several spices I already had at home and some black tea, and left my kitchen smelling spicy (in a good way) for several hours. The taste is simple — it's basically a hardboiled egg that comes pre-seasoned, since you don't have to add your own salt, and instead can just peel and taste the slight astringency of the tea, plus salty soy sauce and the shades of flavor added by the cinnamon sticks, cloves and anise.

Chinese Tea Eggs (which my daughter referred to as "dinosaur eggs," for their looks) have a unique marbled look achieved by first hard boiling the eggs, then tapping the shells to crack them all over, and finally boiling and soaking them in a mixture of tea and spices for that unique brown/black color. While I was particularly concerned that peeling the shells off these eggs was going to be a touchy business, it was actually quite easy after all that steeping in liquid. Some recipes suggest you let these eggs steep in the tea and spices mixture for anywhere from eight hours to two days (!), but I found that four hours was plenty, both for color and flavor.

Chinese Tea Eggs
- Six eggs
- 2 tsp black tea (or two tea sachets)
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 2 cloves
- 2 star anise
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp sugar
Directions:
1. Put eggs in a medium pot and cover with water. Bring water to a boil and then simmer the eggs in the water for 15 minutes. (I live at 8,000 feet, so our water boils faster up here. This step is just about simply hardboiling the eggs, so do it whichever way works for you.)
2. Use a spoon to remove the eggs from the hot water and stick them in a bowl of ice water to make peeling easier down the road. While they soak, add the remaining ingredients to the pot of hot water.
3. Remove the eggs from the ice water and tap them all over with the back of a spoon. The more they crack, the more of the marbling effect you'll get once you peel them. But try not to break off large pieces of the shell.
4. After cracking them, return them to the water on the stove that's full of tea, spices and soy sauce. You'll want to let them simmer for at least an hour or two. I simmered my eggs for two and a half hours and then turned the heat off, letting them soak for an extra hour and a half.
5. Remove them from the pot and gently remove the shell. You can either eat them immediately or refrigerate first, but I'd recommend leaving the shell in tact if you're going to refrigerate them for more than a few hours before eating.
6. Take some pictures to impress your friends — I promise this is a craft project that looks like a lot of work, but really isn't. (Shh.)
Do you use tea in any crafts? Visit our Facebook page by April 9 and tell us about it. If yours is one of two randomly chosen answers, you will receive $25 to spend on our website.

The finished product -- like a work of art that's also tasty. The best of both worlds.
Chai Cupcakes: sugar, spice and everything nice
By naomi / in Baking with Tea, Organic Black Tea, Recipes with Tea / February 2, 2012
Just try not to lick your computer screen.

If steeping a cup of our Mountain High Chai and then adding in a bit of warm milk and some kind of sweetener is your idea of a delightfully comforting drink, we've got the treat for you.

These Chai Latte Cupcakes are like a twist on a traditional spice cake, using spices that are decidedly Indian in flavor. And how handy that you can just steep some sachets of our Mountain High Chai to get all of those spices in one shot — cloves, cinnamon, cardamom and ginger. This recipe includes adding extra spices to make sure each cupcake is as spicy as possible. And don't forget, of course, that when you steep this sachet you're also adding the signature tannic nature of black tea, which forms the basis for the tea blend itself! (In fact, if you pair these cupcakes with any drink, it might be a glass of milk, since we don't want their delicious spiciness to overpower a great cuppa' tea.)

Chai Latte Cupcakes

Ingredients:
- 1 cup milk
- 4 sachets Organic Mountain High Chai
- 1/2 cup plain yogurt
- 3/4 cup white sugar
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 pinch ground black pepper
- Vanilla frosting of your choosing
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. (174 degrees C). Grease a 12-cup muffin pan or line with paper baking cups
2. Heat the milk in a saucepan until almost boiling. Remove from the heat and add the four tea sachets. Cover and let stand until the milk is cool. Squeeze the sachets into the milk and then discard them.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the tea-flavored milk, yogurt, sugar, oil and vanilla.
4. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, salt and pepper.
5. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry mixture and stir until blended. Spoon the batter into the prepared cups, diving evenly.
6. Bake in the preheated oven until the tops spring back when lightly pressed, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool the pan set over a wire rack. When cooled arrange the cupcakes on a serving platter and frost with desired frosting. Our pick is vanilla frosting, because it's a lot like adding a good vanilla sugar to your chai latte!
7. Enjoy! (And please tell us when you do — we wanna hear about it!)
P.S.: Makes 12 cupcakes. Enough to share!

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(Even more) Stuff Tea People Like

Chai Latte Cupcakes