Appetizers/ Bakery/ Restaurant Reviews

The Perfect Cup of Tea

GD Star Rating
loading...
Over the past few weeks, my life has been speeding through your local town at 20 miles over any legal speed limit you could possibly imagine.  I wake up, I write papers, I photograph food, I (attempt) to get a normal running routine in, I teach classes, I grade papers, and I revise, revise, revise my own writing until I can’t think straight anymore.I’ve always been a stickler for style, the sound of a sentence, the meaning of a thought.  I don’t believe writing should be some simple word + meets + page equation, but a larger process of interaction that both communicates meaning and sounds pretty good.Writing has meant I haven’t had much time for a social life, so when the opportunity to get away this past Saturday to the Jane Austen Festival in Mandeville, LA (although in part for work, I was participating in a talk on “Dirty Dickens” and food), I jumped at the opportunity to get away into Jane’s perfect world of romance and manners.Kind of like this girl.

We started our afternoon at a traditional Victorian tea at Vianne’s Teahouse.

 Cranberry Orange Scones started the afternoon with an authentic (and delicious) feel

Beautiful fresh-baked Cranberry Orange Scones were the epitome of *perfect* tea snacks.

My first sip of tea was all I needed to forget my paper deadlines instantly.  It was warm, freshly brewed and had these top notes of cocoa and sugar that my table-mates and I were just crazy about.  The tea house had even made its very own Mr. Darcy’s Tea” for the occasion and, it did not disappoint…it even tasted a little romantic.

Mr. Darcy’s tea with hints of cocoa, strawberries, rose petals, and sugar made for a romantic afternoon tea. 

And I couldn’t have had better company–with two of my favorite PhDs from our English Department in tow (Doris, Monica), the event felt more like a girl’s weekend than an actual outing for work.  We gushed over tiny cakes, drank lots of tea, attempted to look lady-like while devouring scones, and just had a great time.  Monica even gave a lovely reading from Jane Austen’s letters to her sister Cassandra.

Fellow PhD and Anglophile Doris Raab (right) and me gushing over a few moments in Jane’s perfect world

Before rushing off to a talk on Mr. Darcy and his WWSS (“Wet White Shirt Scene“–you know the one), we were treated to decadent tea cakes, chocolate covered strawberries, baklava, and sugar cookies.

Chocolate-Covered Strawberries and Rich Vanilla Petit Fours

What follows is a little something on how to make Mr. Darcy’s Tea (or any tea) that is loose, rich, and flavorful.  I drink tea daily as I work through my papers, and I’m addicted to the instant calming power a good cup has on my nerves.  The right tea can taste expensive and chic, or make for a perfect cup while watching Pride and Prejudice

.The Perfect Cup of Tea

This recipe recounts my tried and true take on good quality loose tea.  Great for a pot, cup, or herbal hot water infusion, home-brewed teas are a simple luxury that are relatively inexpensive.  Perfect for a rainy day, a mid-afternoon boost, or getting in the mood for Jane Austen, try this perfect cup of Tea with Vianne’s Mr. Darcy’s Tea, a black tea, or any of your favorite herbal blends.

Ingredients:

*Water, for filling pot

*1-2 tablespoons good quality loose leaf tea

Special Equipment Needed

*teapot

*teacup

*stainless steel tea strainer (like mine, here)

*serve with sugar cubes and/or cream

1.) Pack a stainless steel tea strainer with loose leaf tea, close, clasp, and set aside for infusing your water.

2.) Bring water to a boil until teapot whistles.

3.) Pour hot water into serving teapot while holding your tea strainer underneath the water (I do this so I can instantly activate the tea and watch the water change color).

4.) Place lid on pot and allow to steep for 5 minutes (as with Mr. Darcy’s tea).

5.) Remove strainer from pot and serve tea hot with sugar cubes, cream, and any appropriate tea-time snack.  Enjoy! Makes 6 cups of tea.

 

Tea (茶)

Follow me on Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/helana/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DancesWLobsters

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Clearly-Delicious/103136413059101

Tumblr: http://clearlydelicious.tumblr.com/

Instagram: http://instagram.com/helanabrigman 

The Perfect Cup of Tea, 5.0 out of 5 based on 1 rating
Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...

You Might Also Like

2 Comments

  • Reply
    James
    March 12, 2012 at 12:31 pm

    no, no, no! you must “scald” the pot first. pour little hot water into the pot, put lid on, swirl about until pot is warm to touch. also, use not-quite-boiling water so as not to burn the leaves. 🙂

  • Reply
    Helana
    March 12, 2012 at 12:55 pm

    Oh James, why do you only ever comment when you disagree with my instructions? (See Guacamole post 2008 and 2010). I appreciate the feedback though as I read *many* posts instructions on how to warm the pot before adding tea. Orson Wells’s article on a cup of tea says to scald the pot, so yes, let’s add to scald the pot too! 🙂

  • Leave a Reply