I am having trouble saying this. Luckily I am a writer and not a speaker so as far as you are concerned I say it perfectly. It is pronounced
“Mara-go-hee-pey”. Yeah, we can have a lot of linguistic fun with that … but let’s not.

Nicaraguan Maragogype is a single origin Central American coffee.  (more…)

Seven Mennonite and Amish entrepreneurs are mixing and promoting a new line of tea that they have created called, Hobbit Tea. The teas are created from tea, fruit, and herbs  and so far they have three blends.

• Bilbo Baggins Breakfast Blend
• Gandalf the Gray Tea
• Hobbiton Meadow Mint

Hobbit lore is alive and well in Dalton, Ohio. Dan Tropea is a 31 year old Mennonite farmer who applied for and acquired a license from Middle Earth Enterprises, the company that holds all of the rights to Tolkien’s works. Tropean enjoyed the books and feels that his hometown is not so different from Middle Earth, what with all of the farms, rolling hills, and fences. He feels that the books have some important lessons in them.

You can find out more about Hobbit Teas at the website.

I am going to have to try these… I am a Tolkien fan from before it was cool to be a Tolkien fan!

image: Hobbit Tea

Don’t you love Hostess Cupcakes? I mean, be honest. Nearly everyone loves those things whether they will admit it or not. You peel the frosting off and lick out the filling, don’t you? I knew it. Me too.

These cupcakes are similar…but they have chai cream in the centers. You can make them ahead and freeze them just fine.

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When I was growing up we called these Brown Eyed Susans. They are basically thumbprint cookies with an Earl Grey flavored chocolate filling. These are awesome for almost anything from a formal tea to just a great after school snack.

Another great flavoring possibility would be coffee.

Don’t…Do NOT…DESIST…just don’t even think about using margarine or shortening in these. The flavor will be off. These aren’t an especially sweet cookie and they are not only pretty on a cookie plate but are perfect with a cup of tea or coffee in the afternoon (or evening, or for breakfast).

The cookies are crumbly, melt in your mouth delicate. You will love them.

Brown Eyed Susans

from Everything Cookies and Brownies, by Marye Audet

• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 cups flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• Sugar for rolling
• 1 cup confectioner’s sugar
• 2 tbs Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa
• 1 tbs strong hot Earl Grey Tea infusion
• 1/2 tsp vanilla (or orange juice)

1. Preheat the oven to 375F
2. Beat the butter, vanilla, and sugar until light and fluffy
3. Blend in the flour and salt
4. Shape teaspoons of dough into balls and roll in sugar.
5. Place on a silpat or parchment covered baking sheet
6. Press thumb down in the dough to create an indentation
7. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden
8. Remove from oven and press the center down again if it needs it
9. Cool
10. Combine confectioner’s sugar and cocoa.
11. Add the hot tea and vanilla - stir until smooth
12. Fill the depression in each cookie with the chocolate mixture
13. Add a pecan half, or apricot, or whatever you desire as garnish if you like.

Makes about 4 dozen but I think I made them bigger than teaspoon size.

images:marye audet

Did you ever wonder if a burr grinder was really worth the extra cash? I mean, your $20 blade grinder seems to be doing the job, right? Well, maybe not. Let’s take a look at both blade and burr grinders.

Blade Grinders

Krups Blade Grinder

Many people have blade grinders for one simple reason: they are both inexpensive and readily available. (more…)

So, I have been reading a lot about the health benefits of Kombucha Tea. It is intriguing and I wondered what the big deal was. Have you?

Kombucha

It is primarily a health thing, rather than a tea thing. It has been described as tasting somewhat like vinegar and is often mixed with fruit juice to mask the flavor. Some of the flavors you might see are:

• Orange
• Mango
• Apple
• Grape
• Juniper Berry

It has a huge number of health claims associated with it.  Like anything, many of them lack research. The fermentation process means that it is full of probiotics, like yogurt is.  Supposedly it is especially good for the following:

• Blood Cleanser
• Digestion
• Liver Detox
• Weight Loss

Kombucha is made from tea that is mixed with sugar and then has a bacteria added. It is a fermented drink and is thus related to yogurt, tempeh, and other fermented foods. Although Kombucha is known as mushroom tea it is more because of the colonies of bacteria which resemble a mushroom than anything. It is not made of mushrooms!

When it is fully fermented it is bubbly like soda from the gases that are released during fermentation.

So, should you drink it? Well, that is totally up to you. If you are into the whole probiotic thing and you are reasonably adventurous about your food then it is something you might be interested in. If you like black tea with sugar and milk then you might want to steer clear of this. Oh, and unless it is pasteurized it does have a slight alcohol content. Just sayin’.

image:sxc

Sure! Why not?

A French Press is simple to use. It makes great coffee, in fact I think it makes better coffee than anything else. I could not believe I hadn’t written about it yet… DUH!

You can get a French Press almost anywhere for less than $20.00. Once you get it home, wash it and rinse it well and then get ready for some awesome coffee.

1. Grind your beans on a coarse grind. If you grind them too finely the grounds will filter through the screen as you press. Gritty coffee is just not very good.
2. Pull out the plunger. Yep, all the way.
3. How much coffee you add will depend on how much you are making and how big your French Press is.  I use 2 tablespoons per 6 ozs of water.
4. Add the ground coffee to the carafe and then the boiling water.
5. Put the plunger and filter back on. Don’t push the plunger down yet.
6. Allow the coffee to steep for five minutes.
7. Slowly press the plunger down until it rests on the grounds on the bottom.
8. Pour the coffee into a heated cup.

How easy is that? Yep… Pretty easy!

The thing is that this coffee is smooth and wonderful. It is full bodied because more of the oils are retained. If you haven’t tried coffee this way - try it!

image: istock permission: licensed- marye audet

So, a large portion of the country seems to be in the midst of the snowpocalypse. It is cold here and there was even ice on the roads this morning where puddles remained from the rain but the sun is shining and it is a bright, 37 degrees. I should start a fire in the fireplace but that will mean going downstairs and actually doing it. Potentially risking none of the kids being willing to go outside and get wood. Being cold.  Nuh-Uh.

My bedroom, where I am working right now, has a southwestern exposure with windows on the south and west walls that stream in light about this time of day. Light and … heat. This is about the time when the dog and both cats find their way to my room and find a sunbeam to sleep in. Leave that for the warmth of a real crackling fire? Umm… no. Not right now. I just switched on my hologram fireplace and am watching the dancing, albeit fake, flames.

However, whether you are sitting by a fire or not Zhena Tea Fireside Chai is a cozy way to spend the afternoon. It conjures up visions of overstuffed chintz, warm wool afghans, and leather chairs. I am quite sure that Badger from Wind in the Willows would no doubt sip Fireside Chai on any afternoon.

The tea is red. Have I mentioned how much I love the color red? I do. Love it. Adore it, even. The scent is delicate. In fact, although I loved the tea I had to use two tea bags and steep an unreasonably long time to get the intensity of flavor that I was looking for. Be warned, you may want to steep it, or double tea bags or both if you like a strong tea. (more…)