These scones are a nice addition to Souvia’s OP Rose tea  and make a great Mother’s Day breakfast!

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups unbleached flour

2 tsp sugar, 1/4tsp salt

2tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda

2-3 pinches cinnamon

4 tbsp. unsalted butter

1 cup cream

1 tsp. rose water and a good handful of rose petals (dried or fresh)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl and blend thoroughly. Cut in butter until mixture resembles a coarse meal. Stir cream with rose water. Rinse rose petals and pat dry. Cut into a chiffonade of about 2 tbsp. Stir into cream and add liquid to dry ingredients and stir to form a soft dough.

Drop dough by the heaping tablespoonful onto ungreased baking sheet. Bake scones for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.

Let scones cool slightly and dust with confectioners sugar before serving!

Bon appetit!

Remove

Since Rose is the herb of the year 2012, I want to use my blogs to feature the many ways roses are used in the kitchen, in cosmetics and of  course for health. Follow me this month, when I will share some herbal secrets and great recipes that you  can easily make yourself at home.

The rose has been cultivated for centuries for a myriad of uses. Wild varieties have been enjoyed before man domesticated roses in gardens. Since the beginning, roses have been used in the kitchen, for example in vinegars. Flower vinegars add variety to salads, sauces, mayonnaise, vegetables, even fruit salads. The milder, less harsh vinegars are typically best for this purpose.

Fresh or dried rose petals and vinegar is really all you need to get started. Use clean, canning jars, pint or quart.

Fill the jars about halfway with the roses.

Pour the vinegar into the jar, leaving 1/2 inch headspace, and seal. You may want to use plastic instead of metal lids since a metal lid will corode from the acid. (Cling Wrap will work just fine)

Place the jar out of sunlight for two to four weeks. The vinegar will change color depending on what color roses you use.

After 2-4 weeks, strain the vinegar through a cheesecloth, and pour into clean bottles.

Label them and store away from light.

You can pour the vinegar in decorative bottles, adorn them with handmade label -and voila, you have very special and personal gift!

Have fun!

One way to

Herb Day is a coordinated series of independently produced, public, educational events that celebrate the importance of herbs and herbalism. Herb day was conceived of by the Herb Day Coalition – a group of five nonprofit organizations that have interest in these areas – to raise awareness of the significance of herbs and the many ways they can be used safely and creatively for health, beauty and culinary enjoyment.

The HerbDay coalition is comprised of the American Botanical Council, United Plant Savers, the American Herbal Products Association, the American Herbal Pharmacopoeia and the American Herbalist Guild.

The first HerbDay was held in 2006 and since then the first Saturday in May is designated as HerbDay.

Each year one particular herb gets to be in the spotlight and this year it is the “rose”. Not only a beautiful flower that is revered for its beauty, the rose has been an ingredient in beauty and health products for centuries.  Follow my blog this month, and learn how to use rose in a culinary, cosmetic and medicinal way!

And don’t forget to stop by at Souvia on Saturday, where we celebrate HerbDay with 20% off on all herbals and herbal blends, tea samples and a chance to win a special gift basket!

My last blog was about jasmine teas and as I was sitting there sipping a cup of  jasmine downey perls, I wondered, how else I could make use of this wonderfully fragrant tea.

I found a recipe for breakfast scones that turned out to be easy enough and  incredibly delicious. You will wow your  family and friends with these delicious scones:

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups buttermilk, 1tsp vanilla

1tbsp loose-leaf jasmine tea leaves

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup white  whole wheat flour

3 tbsp packed light brown sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp fine sea salt

5tsp chilled unsalted butter

1 tbsp granulated sugar

Put the tea leaves, vanilla and buttermilk in a small saucepan. Heat over medium-high heat until just beginning to boil. Remove from heat and let steep about 5-10 minutes. (do not strain)

Preheat oven to 400F; line a baking sheet with parchment paper or spray with vegetable cooking oil.

In a large mixing bowl, combine both flours, the brown sugar, baking powder and salt – mix well. Add the butter and mix with an electric mixer on medium-high speed.

Pour the buttermilk-tea mixture into a blender and blend into a uniform texture. Strain the buttermilk into a glass measuring cup and add the tea leaves to the butter-flour mix. Measure out 2/3 cup of the remaining buttermilk and add it to the bowl. Mix on low speed.

Divide the dough into 2 disks and place ona lightly floured  surface. Pat each disk into a circle about 6 inches. Cut each  circle into 6 wedges and transfer to the prepared baking sheet, placing them about 1-2 inches apart.

Lightly brush the surface of each scone  with the left over buttermilk and sprinkle with sugar.

Bake for 14-16 minutes at 400F.

I love these straight out of the oven, when they are still warm and of course enjoy them with a lovely cup of Jasmine Perls!

The Chinese were the first to add a little more flavor to their teas by scenting them with flowers. Scented teas differ from flavored teas in that nothing other then the scenting agent (flowers, spices) is added and the process is much more cumbersome.

One of the most popular scented teas is Jasmine, a delicate flower that is predominantly combined with green or white teas. Most jasmine-scented teas come from several provinces in southeastern China, although Taiwan also makes excellent jasmine teas.

How does the Scent get into the Tea?

Jasmine teas take a long time to produce since the tea is picked and manufactured in the spring. They are then carefully stored until the jasmine flowers bloom in late summer. For premium jasmine teas the tea and flowers are layered and left overnight so that the tea leaves can absorb the essential oils of the jasmine flower. The next morning the jasmine flowers are removed and the process is repeated as many times as it takes to create a superb quality tea.

The overall quality of the finished tea is determined by the quality of the green tea, the amount of jasmine flowers left in the final blend (the fewer flowers, the more premium the tea) and the scent transfer of the flower s to the tea.

The result of this careful processing is a light, aromatic and sweetly soothing tea with a golden green liquor. It is important to note that aromatic does not mean “perfumy”. (which is often a sign of lower-quality jasmine tea).

Jasmine teas are best taken without milk and are an excellent choice after meals, with desserts or on its own!

Many of our customers have come to appreciate the wonderful fragrance and full flavor of  the “Super Yin Hao Jasmine” and have been patiently waiting for a new batch to come in.  Since the new 2012 tea is just being harvested and the Jasmine flowers won’t be ready for picking until summer, we don’t expect the next shipment of this premium tea to come in until fall of this year.

As they say: “good things take time” – I promise, though,  that it will be worth the wait!

This is prime season for citrus fruit here in Ariona. My grapefruit tea is hanging full of big yellow fruit and aside from simply eating them, I have been thinking about other ways I can use them. As a lover of tea, I was excited when I came accross a recipe that combined one of my favorite teas (Matcha) with Grapefruit……and a little alcohol to kick it up a notch!

This Salty Dog with matcha combines great flavor, presentation and a bit of health-boosting antioxidants and is the perfect drink to ring in the weekend.

Ingredients:

• juice of half a grapefruit
• 2 tbsp vodka (or to taste)
• 1/3 tsp salt
• 3-4 ice cubes
• 1/2 tsp matcha

1. Squeeze the grapefruit to extract the juice. Moisten the rim of a glass with the rind and dip rim in salt. Fill the glass with ice cubes.

2. Place the grapefruit juice, vodka, and matcha in a cocktail shaker and shake until well mixed

3. Pour over the ice cubes and garnish with 1/4 slice of grapefruit – serve immediately!

Cheers to your health!

Latin Name:   Melissa officinalis

Parts used:  fresh or dried leaves

Action: Nervine, Sedative, Mild Antispasmodic, Carmenative, Antiviral, Diaphoretic

“Lemon Balm: To cause the mind & heart to become merry,

to strengthen the weakness of the spirit and heart, and to comfort them”  (Serapion the Younger)

This quote by Serapion perfectly summarizes the qualities of this wonderful and tasty herb. Lemon Balm is a member of the mint family and its Latin name Melissa comes from the Greek word for honeybee,  since bees tend to favor this plant. It is also thought of as  the “elixir of life” ensuring long life and extended youth.

April is “National Stress Awareness Month” – so what better opportunity to feature an herb that will soothe your frayed nerves.

While I am not sure about the life and youth extending qualities, I do know and value Lemon Balm’s calming and soothing qualities. Herbalist Rosemary Gladstar considers this herb one of nature’s best nervines. Lemon Balm’s leaves and flowers contain volatile oils and tannins that have a relaxing, antispasmodic effect on the stomach and nervous system. This makes it an excellent remedy for a nervous stomach and general exhaustion.  Since lemon balm is also a mild sedative, which means it directly relaxes the nervous system and eases tension, a cup before bedtime can help you fall and stay asleep. Lemon Balm has a high safety rating and is recommended for adults and children alike. While an infusion of this herb can have immediate effects, it is also recommended for long term use to nourish an overtaxed nervous system.

For a delicious nervine tonic, Gladstar recommends blending equal amounts of lemon balm, oats and chamomile. Mix the herbs and infuse with boiling water. Steep for 10 -15 minutes and enjoy!

The temperatures here in Phoenix are still pleasant, but the inevitable summer heat is just right around the corner. Many of my tea-loving customers have already  switched to the cooler version of tea and drink it iced!

The creation of  iced tea had its beginning at the World Fair in St. Louis, MO  in 1904 where trade exhibitors from around the world clebrated the 101st  anniversary of the Louisiana Purchase. Richard Blechynden, one of those exhibitors  was an Englishman who owned a tea plantation in Sri Lanka.  He wanted to give away free hot tea samples to promote his product. Unfortunate for him, a heat wave rolled in and nobody wanted his hot tea, but was looking for something more refreshing.  Since ice was another featured item at the fair, Blechyndon took the opportunity and poured his tea over bits of ice and served the “new” drink to the thirsty visitors. Iced tea gained in popularity and today about 80% of the tea consumed in the U.S. is iced tea.

Making iced tea from loose tea leaves is simpler than ever and may even have higher levels of antioxidants than bottled teas (a recent UCLA study found “no measurable catechins (an antioxidant) content at all” in two popular mass market bottled iced teas).   In addition, when you make the tea you control the sweetness and the freshness.

To make ice tea from loose tea, all you need is a pitcher, tea filters (“t-sac”),  and of course a good tea.   There are two methods to make iced tea: the hot method and the cold method.  In both recipes you’ll need 1 teaspoon (about 2 grams) of loose tea for every 6 ounces of water.  To make 2 quarts you will need just over 10 teaspoons of tea.

Cold brewing method– using room temperature water in a pitcher or similar container, add the right amount of your selected tea.  Fill the container with water and allow to steep 2-8 hours (overnight works fine).  Cold brewing is easy and makes for a very nice smooth taste

Hot Brewing method – bring water to the temperature appropriate for the tea you have selected (boiling is fine for black and Rooibos but allow the water to cool 1 minute for green tea brews).  Steep as appropriate for the respective tea varietal.  Remove the leaves promptly and allow to cool and serve over ice.

Many teas and herbals are great iced. Nilgiri from India is one of the best iced black teas if you are a purist and Rooibos (caffeine free) is rich in minerals and therefore a great way to replenish electrolytes. Rooibos is also very low in tannin which gives it a smooth flavor that especially children like. To add a little variety, try some of our special summer flavors like “Lemon Soufflé, Banana Split, or Razzleberry!

Regardless which tea, tools and technique you choose, preparing your own iced tea has never been easier.  More and more studies indicate that tea is a healthy drink and iced tea is a great way to enjoy tea.