Make Your Own Tea Bags!

Make Your Own Tea Bags

The French call them Sachets or Filtres.

Brits and Americans call them Bags.

Call them what you will...

Tea filters make it so easy to enjoy your favorite loose teas!

The' Filtres

Make Your Own Tea Bags

1) Place 1 teaspoon of tea per cup in the filter

2) Place the filter in your cup and fill with freshly boiled water

3)  Infuse your tea for it's proper infusion time

4)  Remove the filter and throw it away

Voila'..a perfect cup of tea!

I first purchased filtres a' the' (tea filters) years ago in Paris.  I love enclosing tea filters with luxury loose tea gifts to friends. They are such a convenient way to enjoy loose tea when you don't want to brew an entire pot of tea!

(In the photos:  Wedgwood vintage Edme tea cup & saucer, Whittard Tea Measure Spoon, Kusmi Tea.)

Birthday Cake!

 German Chocolate Cake

Forget the fancy bakery...

there's nothing like an "old fashioned",

good 'ole home-made birthday cake! 

My husband requested a German Chocolate Cake for his birthday and my sweet Mother whipped one up for him since I've been sick with a lingering cold and not in a baking mood. 

 All gone!

Some recipes can pass the test of time.  This is one!  My Mom sticks with the original German Sweet Chocolate Cake recipe printed on the Baker's German's Sweet Chocolate box.

Traditionally, this cake is baked in three round layer pans.  You can modify it and make it a two layer cake or, for ease, a sheet cake, too.  If you're like me and think the coconut-pecan frosting is the best part, the more layers the better... for more frosting. 

I'm anxious to experiment with the recipe and see how it works for cupcakes. 

The Original Recipe

Based on it's name, many people think this cake originated from Germany.  That's not the case.  The cake is named after Sam German, who in 1852 invented a dark baking chocolate for the American baking company Baker's Chocolate Company.  This cake, Baker's German's Sweet Chocolate Cake was named after him.  In 1957 the recipe was published in a Texas newspaper and it's been a family favorite since then.  It certainly is one of our family favorites! 

Special note:   this cake tastes even better the day after baking because the chocolate cake becomes more dense. 

(In the photos:  Spode Baking Days White Salad Plate.)

The Tuck Box

 The Tuck Box

The Tuck Box is tucked away on one of my favorite streets in Carmel-by-the-Sea.  When you first set eyes on the storybook-style Tuck Box you'll think you have stumbled down a Cotswolds lane. 

The Tuck Box originally opened as a tea room by two British ladies in the early 1940's.  Sadly, today it's not at all like an old fashioned British tea room that you might expect from it's adorable Fairy tale-like setting.  I knew this though since I had lunched here before.  It's not really a tea room but more of a breakfast and lunch spot that serves tea and scones, too.

Last weekend while doing a bit of window shopping on Dolores Street, I decided to "pop" in The Tuck Box for tea and scones.

 Come in for Tea!

The inside of The Tuck Box is tiny and cozy and feels just like a charming little tea room should.  Its decor is rather simplistic but feels authentic with its chintz curtains and tea pot lined shelves.  While its interior is charming, The Tuck Box is really best known for its Fairy tale cottage architecture.

The Tuck Box is one of Carmel's most well-known Fairy tale cottages. 

The Tuck Box was built in 1926 by Hugh Comstock.  Comstock was neither an architect nor carpenter but in 1924 he built his wife a 300 sq ft doll house (cottage showroom)  to sell her hand-made Otsy-Totsys rag dolls that were overflowing from their home.

 From that little doll house, Comstock went on to build dozens of Fairy tale cottages in Carmel during the 1920's. The Tuck Box is perhaps his best known and most loved Carmel landmark. And, the best part is, you can have tea and scones there!

Time for Tea!

 Afternoon Tea & Scones

The Tuck Box Afternoon Tea consists of :

Scottish style scones,

A pot of Ceylon Black loose tea

Oallieberry, Orange Marmalade &

Whipped Creme 

Price $7.75

 Scones & Jam

Nothing beats a warm scone slathered with
home-made Oalliberry jam and whipped creme!

Tuck Box Scones

 Tuck Box scones are different than any type of scone I have ever had in England or America.  My server told me they are from the original Tuck Box recipe and are Northern Scottish style scones.  They are made in an 8" cast iron pan and then broiled off before serving.  I must say, they reminded me a bit more like my Mom's old-fashioned corn bread.  While I enjoyed them, I much prefer traditional English scones. 

I do recommend The Tuck Box as long as you are not expecting afternoon tea with cute little sandwiches and English style scones.  My advice is to take The Tuck Box for what it is:  an adorable historic cottage, serving good home-made food, Scottish style scones... in one of the most beautiful places in the world...Carmel-by-the-Sea!

The Tuck Box

Dolores (between Ocean & 7th Avenue)

Carmel-by-the-Sea

(831) 624-6365

Hours 7:30 AM to 2:30 PM

Be sure to visit my favorite places on Dolores Street:

Soiled Doves Bath House

Piccolo

Jan de luz

La Bicyclette

Sweet Hearts

 Valentine's Day Sugars

Valentine's Day is just around the corner. 

Will you be having a Saint Valentine's Day tea party?   If so, you definitely need these sweet little heart shaped sugars for your tea party!

 Have a Sweet Heart

I love little surprises.  I always love finding pretty little handcrafted sugars in the sugar bowl at Afternoon Tea!  Your guests will love finding these sweet little hearts, too!

Special sugars add such a delightful touch to a tea party setting.  When serving decorative sugars, I always like to use a pretty sugar spoon and vintage sugar tongs.  Little dainty details like these really make your tea party special.

Sugars by Sharon

I'm smitten with the handcrafted sugars by a northern California company Sugars by Sharon.  Sugars by Sharon are hand-molded, colored sugars in all sorts of decorative shapes.  Best part of all, they are real sugar and dissolve beautifully in your tea cup!

I've spotted Sugars by Sharon at Crown & Crumpet in San Francisco and Amy of An Afternoon to Remember carries them, too.  Just click here to find them where you live. 


(In the photos:  Royal Winton "Old Cottage" tea cup & saucer and sugar bowl, vintage silver tongs and vintage Valentine's Day cards.)

Laduree's Sucre

Laduree's Sucre

Sucre is a sweet "little gem" of a book. 

It's from my favorite Parisian Patisseire Laduree. 

I have a sweet spot for anything Laduree.  Laduree is always one of my first stops whenever I visit Paris. 

Sucre is a book to treasure.  It comes presented in a Laduree trademark pastel green box wrapped inside lavender tissue paper. The book's covering is a soft pastel green velvet with gilded pages. Oui, it's quite regal! 

Sucre is like a present when you open it for the first time.

My book was a present to myself for my birthday last month.  I found my copy at the charming San Francisco boutique, Nest.  You may be able to find it online or you may just have to hop a flight to Paris and pick one up!

Sucre

Sucre in French translates to sugar in English. 

Sucre features 100 sweet recipes from Laduree Pastry Chef, Phillipe Andrieu.  The book was originally only available in French.  Merci Laduree for making it available in English!

Bilingual food and travel writer, Kerrin Rousset translated the book to English.  I wonder how long that actually took her?  You can read more about it on her blog. 

Sucre is filled with perfect photographs so sweetly styled.  They will certainly make you crave Laduree's  sweet pastries.  I'm not sure if I will actually ever try to "whip" up any of it's recipes.  In my opinion...the book is perfect "eye candy" just sitting on my cocktail table!

So here's a petite peak inside Sucre for you:

Pyramid of Macaroons

The book begins with the story of Laduree. 

In 1862 Louis Ernest Laduree opened his bakery in the heart of Paris at 16 rue Royal. 

You can still visit this original location today as well as other locations in Paris.  The first French macaron I ever had was at the Laduree salon on the Champs Elysees.  It was love at first bite!

Macaron Amande

(Almond Macaron)

What would a Laduree book be without their world famous macarons? 

 Luckily for us, the first section in the book is Les Macarons.   There are recipes for:  Macarons Amande, Chocolat, Citron and Framboise.  The latter three just so happen to be a few of my husband and my favorite flavors!

Cake au Citon

(Lemon Cake)

Laduree's Cake au Citron looks like a perfect tea cake to me! 

It features a lemon cake batter with a lemon syrup and lemon glaze over it.  I think this would be lovely to pair at tea time with Laduree's Earl Grey tea. 

Financiers

I think Financiers are perfectly suited for a cup of tea!

I've made Financiers before.  They are similar to Madeleines.

These little tea cakes are called financiers because their traditional rectangular bar shape resemble little bars of gold!  Sur La Table now carries (online only) a mini financier mold made in France. 

So Treat Yourself!

This book makes a lovely present to yourself and anyone who loves:

 Laduree, Tea Time, Baking and French Sweet Treats. 

 I hope you treat yourself to Sucre!

An Afternoon to Remember

 Tea Time with Amy

I spent an Afternoon to Remember last week with Amy Lawrence. 

Amy Lawrence is the owner of An Afternoon to Remember.  She formerly operated that popular tea room in Newcastle, CA and now specializes in selling her fine loose teas from her new home in Seattle.   Amy was back in Northern California for several special events...all tea related, of course.

I attended Amy's talk on the Health Benefits of Tea held at my favorite local antique store, The Antique Trove in Roseville, CA. 

 Amy Lawrence

Amy's talk on the Health Benefits of Tea was very informative.  She began by saying

"all tea is good for you!"

Amy's talk included not only the health benefits of tea but also a lesson on all the different types of teas.  All true tea must come from the Camellia Sinensis plant.  I was amazed to learn that there are over 3,000 teas in the world.  Looks like I have a lot more teas to try!

Amy was wonderful in giving valuable information on how to properly brew and steep the different types of teas.  I've been trying to drink more green tea these days and have found that sometimes my Sencha tea is a bit bitter.  Now I know why.  I was using boiling water and steeping it for 4 minutes.  Amy says green tea should be made with 180 degree water (not quite boiling) and only steep for 3 minutes.  I've been following Amy's advice now and my Sencha tea is no longer bitter.  Thank you, Amy!

Afternoon to Remember Teas

Amy loved having her tea room but she says now "she is really just into tea"! 

She is an avid tea drinker and personally enjoys exotic teas from around the world.  One of her favorite places to visit is Red Blossom in San Francisco where you can find a tea for $400.00 a pound!  While I have never had tea that expensive, I certainly agree that once you have enjoyed the finer teas in the world...there's no going back to tea bags!

When you have a chance, check out Amy's online store.  It's filled with over 120 fine loose teas.  I'm currently enjoying her Duchess Anna blend.  It smells divine and  this black tea is flavored with coconut creme, strawberry, kiwi and blue flowers. 

Amy says Creme Brule is her number one best seller.  Amy graciously gave me a 1 oz. bag of Creme Brule for one of my lucky readers to win.  To enter my little Afternoon to Remember contest, all you have to do is visit Amy's online store and make a comment on this blog post which two teas of Amy's you would love to try and why.  I'll put all the entrees in a teapot and select a winner on next Tuesday, January 25th. 

Only one entree please. The deadline for comments is Monday, January 24th and be sure that I can contact you via your comment or leave an email address in your comment. 

Tuesday 1/25/2011:  I have a winner....Congratulations to Annemieke for her lovely comment on Afternoon to Remember teas.  Your Creme Brule tea is on it's way to you!

Teapot Trivets

 Royal Winton Teapot & Trivet

I think every tea table should have a teapot trivet.  This is not just the tea lover in me speaking but the interior designer in me.  Did you know that heat and moisture can be most damaging to your beautiful wood dining table?  If you set a hot pot of tea directly on your wood table you could end up with white cloudy stains in your wood's finish.

So do yourself a favor and use a teapot trivet when serving a hot pot of tea!

I have a fondness for vintage china for my tea parties so I love sleuthing around antique shops for vintage teapot trivets.  Here are a few from my personal collection:

 Antique German Trivet

This pretty trivet is perfect for mixing & matching with all my floral patterns.

 Antique Spode Camilla-Blue Trivet

I'm a huge collector of Blue & White Spode.  This rare trivet is perfectly suited for any blue & white Spode teapot with a round base.

 Antique German Trivet

I love roses so this trivet is lovely with all my pretty rose teapots.

Do you use a teapot trivet? 

I would love to hear about your favorite ones!

(In the photos:  Royal Winton (new 1995) Old Cottage Teapot & Trivet, vintage German trivet, vintage Spode (older blue mark) Camilla Blue trivet, and vintage German trivet, unmarked.)