Recipes
Mango Rooibos Iced Tea
Rooibos is an herbal tea from South Africa. It has delicate hints of caramel and woody flavors. Once steeped, it turns a gorgeous rusty-red color. We added aromatic Jamaican Allspice as the secret ingredient in this brew, having notes of nutmeg, cloves and black pepper. For a touch of warmth we added Cassia Chip Cinnamon and sweet mango puree to brighten your glass. Delicious, thirst quenching, and good for you; sipping this tea is a great way to keep cool on a hot summer day!
Learn more
Tea Picnic
This post is for those of us who like the crusts cut off. The extra effort and attention that goes into making these beautiful tea sandwiches shows in every detail — the sweet shapes, the colorful combinations and, as always, the thoughtful flavor pairings. Make a platter for friends or a plate for yourself and enjoy a lazy summer picnic while the weather is fine. Since we're taking this picnic over the top, we've suggested some tea pairings as well. You can check out easy methods for cold brewing here!A bold curried egg salad is seasoned with our French inspired Vadouvan Curry, served on whole wheat bread and a cherry tomato topper. The flavor is deep and rich in this toasted blend with cumin, cardamom, mustard seeds, black pepper and fenugreek seeds. With a squeeze of lemon juice and watercress, these sandwiches go great with a malty Indian black tea like our Keemun black tea. For a cooling crunch with spectacular flavor, we seasoned the cucumber sandwich with our Orange Tarragon. This blend has chives, shallots, garlic and black pepper, adding many layers of flavor to the cream cheese spread complimenting the cucumbers. These cucumber sandwiches are anything but boring! Pair them with a cup of Rwandan Green Tea which is a vegetal green tea that will cut through the rich cream cheese and compliment the cooling cucumber. Because no picnic is complete without dessert, we made a sweet finish, open-faced mascarpone sandwiches. The creamy mascarpone gets its speckles from Madagascar vanilla beans that not only smell amazing, but go great with berries and a sprinkle of lemon zest. To finish off our tea picnic we paired a bold cup of Earl Grey with this sandwich. This classic tea is scented with bergamot, a perfect combo with the vanilla bean and sweet blackberries.
Learn more
Cold Brewed Iced Tea
With the heat of summer well on its way, we look to our favorite things to keep us cool. One of the best ways to beat the heat is by sipping on cold brew tea. Cold brewing has several advantages over the traditional hot water steeping. For one, it's incredibly easy to do. The low temperature also prevents tannins from developing and giving unwanted bitterness in the tea. Another benefit is that cold brewing preserves a higher amount of vitamin C while extracting less caffeine — making for a refreshing beverage to give a steady boost of energy without a caffeine crash. We advise steeping black tea leaves overnight or for 4 hours if using a green tea. Here we used Keemun black tea, commonly used to make other favorites like English and Irish Breakfast Teas. This tea is malty and rich, tasty on its own, and strong enough to stand up to additions like lemonade or fruit.
Learn more
Raspberry Pearl Sherbet and Cava Float
Jasmine Pearl tea is hand-picked and rolled green tea leaves. After harvest, the tea is laid out and covered with jasmine blossoms before being rolled. The resulting brew releases the light, heady scent of jasmine into your cup. Here we have combined the tea with tart raspberries and honey to compliment the floral aspects in Jasmine Pearl and created an elegant sherbet. With just a splash of vodka to preserve the flavor and consistency and after a quick spin in the ice-cream machine, voila! The flavors are sensational. While incredible on its own, this sherbet shines when added to a flute of brut cava or champagne. Garnish with a few fresh raspberries and you have the perfect drink to kick off patio season.
Learn more
Clarified Milk Punch
Mixolology is much more than a hobby to me, and the chef in me loves this drink because of all the science involved. The key to the punch's clarity is the milk proteins, which cling to all of the impurities in the mixture. Once strained, the result is a flavorful elixir that will impress any foodie or bartender. Although it's plenty boozy, it's smooth and evolves with every sip. If you love cocktails, this is a must try!The base of the punch is rum, apple brandy, and whiskey. We spiced the base with Keemun black tea, allspice, star anise, cinnamon, and cardamom, then we juiced a couple lemons and combined. With the alcohol and acid, the milk will start to curdle. Let the mixture set over night, then strain and run through a coffee filter. This drink packs a lot of hidden flavor, so we find it's best served simply on ice with a lemon peel.
Learn more
Rooibos Banana Bread
Pairing the right drink with your food can make all the difference in the world. Have you ever had a meal where the wine shined and the food tasted better with every sip? That's what will happen when you pair warm banana bread with a cup of Rooibos tea.These two are such a good combination, we decided to put some rooibos in the banana bread, too! The tea gives the bread a warm, nutty flavor and an aftertaste of honeysuckle. The hot cup of rooibos will taste even more Rooibos-y next to this delicious treat. It's a perfect snack that won't get you wired on caffeine. Now, you get to drink your Rooibos and eat it too!
Learn more
Sumac Strawberries with Jasmine Pearl Pound Cake
In college, a friend from Azerbaijan first introduced me to Sumac. The deep reddish-purple spice is sour and bright, and makes for a beautiful garnish. Ever since then, I've always thought of it as a curious and versatile alternative to lemon.That substitution takes center stage in this luscious summer desert. Sumac and strawberries make an excellent flavor pairing, with the tartness of the spice balancing the berries. As a subtle twist, we added the delicate floral taste of Jasmine Pearl green tea to the syrup and cake batter. The tea adds some complexity to the dish, and scents your whole house with a flowery aroma as a bonus. For no mess plating we dished these up like a trifle, to display the beautiful layers.
Learn more
Cooling Green Tea Punch
Get ready for warm weather with this Cooling Green Tea Punch! We like to keep iced tea on hand all summer long, and this combination of green and herbal makes a wonderful cocktail base. The Rwandan Green is mild, while the peppermint is mellow and cooling. White rum, nutmeg and lime lend Caribbean flourish to make your cocktail hour feel as good as a beach vacation.
Learn more
Lavender Dulce De Leche
If you've never had dulce de leche you're in for a treat. Making this is as easy as boiling water, but it does require patience. The process takes three hours of monitored boiling followed by an overnight wait but the results are worth it. The texture of dulce de leche is velvety smooth and not as tacky as caramel, but with and equally rich flavor. The French Lavender shines and is brightened with the salty crunch from the Fleur de Sel. Swirl some into your lattes, dollop on desserts or ice cream, and even go savory on glazed ham. Or just eat it on bread as shown here. It's all good.
Learn more
