Vegan Afternoon Tea September 15 2015

Some ideas for dainty sandwiches:

Cucumber sandwiches:

Slice cucumber as thinly as possible, leave to sit in a strainer with a pinch of salt for about 15 mins. and then arrange on kitchen paper to remove any excess water. Then spread some dairy-free butter on to two slices of thin white bread and arrange cucumber slices on one side. Grind a little white pepper on top, then sandwich the two slices together. Remove crusts and cut into finger size sandwiches.

Next,  Sweet onions & hummus:

Fry a thinly sliced red onion with a little olive oil and 1 tbsp coconut or brown sugar until caramelised. Spread dairy-free butter onto one slice and a little hummus on to the other, and fill with caramelised onions.  Use a butter knife to press the onions gently on to the hummus and arrange in a thin layer. Then sandwich the two slices together, remove the crusts, and cut into finger size sandwiches

 Or, if you prefer, Roasted Pepper & Pesto:

Slice a red pepper into large chunks & roast with olive oil until soft. Let them cool. Spread dairy-free butter onto one slice of bread, and vegan pesto on to the other, sandwich together, as above, remove crusts, slice into 3, and voila! You have a nice selection of dainty finger sandwiches to grace your table.

The Russian Tea Rooms, New York September 14 2015

Vegetarians ahoy! Did you know that for a mere $50 to $75 you can now have a Vegetarian Afternoon Tea at The Russian Tea Rooms in New York?

Agreeable Tea September 13 2015

There are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea.

Henry James

Victorian afternoon tea soirees September 11 2015

For the Victorians, the afternoon tea party was an absolutely crucial part of social life. Ladies called on their friends to attend small intimate gatherings in their drawing rooms, with four or five guests for intimate teas. They would catch up on the latest gossip, sip tea, maybe even be daring enough to take a nip of sherry, and nibble on dainty sandwiches of egg and cress, cucumber,  with the crusts removed of course.

Or there were the grander versions held in the vast homes of the idle rich, with large groups of people, waited on by the servants with entertainment, sometimes a piano or violin recital, a poetry reading, a performance by an opera singer, or even card playing.  (Think Downton Abbey).

Then it might develop into "dancing on the carpet" as it was deemed then, with the phonograph providing scratchy music for the folks to let off steam (and excess sherry).

British Tea Tradition September 11 2015

To this day, Tea is seen as a symbol of "Britishness" and to some, as a symbol of old British Colonialism.

The London 2012 section of the paralympic handover in Beijing included tea as part of the ceremony. A cup or mug of tea in Britain is usually made  in a different way than is common on China or other Eastern countries. Over 90% of tea consumed is black tea, often, but not always, with a small amount of cold milk and/or sugar added, or in some cases, honey is preferred. The most popular form is in teabags. I hear that my fellow countrymen have become a little more adventurous since I left and are now more into flavoured and fruity teas.

Tea and sympathy in Scottsdale September 10 2015

We were delighted to read the coverage in yesterday's AZ Republic about our two day appearances at the Food & Wine event at The Fashion Show Mall on November 6th and 7th. We have lots of good friends in Arizona, and are looking forward to seeing them all again.

arizonarepublic.az.newsmemory.com/publink.php?shareid=17fa62289

Her Majesty enjoys a cup of tea September 09 2015

Our gracious Queen Elizabeth II enjoys a morning cup of darjeeling tea, brought to her room at 7:30 a.m. on a silver tray, laden with a silver teapot, a water jug, and cold milk, plus a plate of biscuits for her dogs. She has been known to store her oatmeal in Tupperware containers,  and her favourite foods are said to include jam sandwiches, chocolate cake, a grilled fish, served plain without sauce. Her favourite tipple is a glass of gin and Dubonnet. On 9th September, 2015, she will become the longest reigning Monarch of all time, having surpassed Queen Victoria. God Save The Queen.

 

China Tea September 08 2015

I was interested  to learn that Tea originated in China as a medicinal drink. It was first introduced to Portuguese priests and merchants in China during the 16th century. Drinking tea became popular in Britain during the 17th century. The British introduced it to India, in order to compete with the Chinese monopoly on the product.

A Qatar Cuppa September 08 2015

In Qatar, they like to brew their tea with regular black tea leaves, infused in boiling water, of course, then add evaporated milk and sugar, and bring to the boil for a second time before drinking it scalding hot.   It sounds a little too rich for my tastes, but it is hugely popular with the natives.

Mauritanians' favourite tea September 08 2015

Mauritanians, I'm told, like to drink their popular North African Mint green tea in sets of three cups at a time. With each cup, they increase the sweetness, from just a little in the first one, then a wee bit more in the next, and a plentiful helping in the third. I must try this to see what effect it has, as I  usually have about 3 cups to get my engine started in the mornings. I hope it doesn't rev me up too much. I suppose that you start out bitter and end up sweet. Not a bad idea.

 

Yerba mate September 07 2015

Yerba mate is a vitamin-packed green tea which is very popular throughout South America, as well as countries such as Portugal, Lebanon and Syria. It has a smoky taste to it, and can be served either hot or cold.

How Egyptians like their tea September 06 2015

Egypt is a very big importer of tea, and one of their favourites is unsweetened black tea, which they drink all day long, and Hibiscus tea is often featured as a specialty at Egyptian weddings.

Teas in foreign lands September 05 2015

I have come across several interesting little snippets about tea in various other parts of the world, and it's certainly a fascinating subject.

In Hong Kong, a famous iced tea is known as panty hose or silk stocking tea, because it's colour is similar to nude stockings. No kidding!

It is made by pouring condensed milk over chilled black tea, then add a dash of condensed milk on top.

Rooibos September 04 2015

I love the red colour of  rooibos in a nice white china cup. It looks so inviting, and is a lovely calming drink for your ready-for-bed cuppa. This South African brew is just right for your last drink of the day.

Teas around the World September 03 2015

In my learning curve about teas of many lands, I am finding it really interesting to get to know more about the rituals and tastes of different nations. For instance, I read that in Kuwait, their idea of a spicy afternoon pick-me-up is an infusion of black tea with cardamom and saffron. I must rummage through my spices and see if have those two items and experiment on myself. I'll let you know.

 

See my new videos September 02 2015

If you go to www.mrsmccartneysteas.com and click on tea stories, you can open up the store and click on any flavour of your choice, which will lead you to my new video clips, produced by Martin Nethercutt, my Producer, colleague, room mate, son-in-law, and organizer of my life.

New video clips September 02 2015

I am delighted that "mein Producer" Martin Nethercutt has just uploaded a slew of new video clips which he and Ruth shot of me a few days ago, promoting my current tea brands. If you want to see them, go to: www.mrsmccartneysteas.com, click on store, then click on the brand you are interested in. And if you don't know what might tickle your taste buds, why not think about a Variety Pack, containing 2 teabags of each of 9 brands. And you can have the knowledge that you will be helping support the Linda McCartney Breast Cancer Research Centre in Liverpool too.

Have you ever heard of bubble tea? September 01 2015

In Thailand, they drink a brew they call pearl milk tea or bubble tea, made from black tea poured over tapioca pearls. They say that once you have tasted this, you'll never ask for a Frappacino again.

 

Conny Onny Tea August 31 2015

In Thailand, a much loved drink is Chen Yen, iced milk tea, which includes condensed milk. Growing up in Liverpool, we used to call this "conny onny" and would buy it in small tins, made by Nestle. It was thick, gooey, and a real artery clogger. In Thailand, I hear Chen Yen is still popular today, and the natives often brew it from a Thai tea mix, and serve it in a stemmed glass with a generous helping of the milk on top.

Tea in Turkey August 30 2015

When we were in Istanbul recently, when I asked for a cup of tea, I was interested to see that they served me a tall glass of black tea, with a side of Turkish delight, and I didn't know whether to eat it first, last, or dunk it in. My host kindly said I should eat the delicacy first, then sip the hot tea afterwards. It was really delicious. The Turkish delight prepared the taste buds for the liquid to follow. It's always fascinating to learn the ways of teas in different countries.

 

A Russian cuppa August 29 2015

I remember that, when I was touring Russia & Siberia in my capacity as "Momager" to daughter Ruth during her performing days,  whenever our hosts knew we were English, they would always insist on making us tea (if not vodka), and as milk was an unavailable commodity, we were always treated to a heaped spoonful of red jam, to sweeten the brew. It tasted weird to me at first, but I gradually became used to it. The only people who were permitted to have milk were babies and old folks. I never saw a cow anywhere during our travels. Evidently, they are kept behind closed doors, for their protection, from the milk hustlers!

Tea Boot Camps August 28 2015

I hear that tea is now becoming even more popular in the United States, to the extent that some groups are planning to run Tea Boot Camps around the country.  This should be interesting. Whereas, being English born, tea comes as naturally as breathing, yet to people in many other parts of the world, it is still something to be discovered and learned about. I am optimistic that these events will lead to an even greater amount of folks who appreciate tea in all its forms. We're never too old to learn.

 

Tea has its way of soothing, calming, and relaxing August 25 2015

I find that my first cup of tea, early morning, gives me that "get up and go" feeling, and is usually followed pretty smartly by a second cup. My personal favourite is English Breakfast - the habit of a lifetime, I guess. As the day wears on, I usually quaff a couple of cups of other flavours, such as Penny Lane Peppermint, and my new afternoon favourite, Maharishi Peach, usually accompanied by a couple of "suggestive" biscuits! There's no doubt that, for me, the four o'clock hour really is the magic time for a pick-me-up, encouraging me to stagger through another couple of hours of online adventures. I so enjoy hearing from many of my 5,000 Facebook friends about their preferences, and we are working with our supplier on adding some new blends in the very near future.

 

Water for Tea August 22 2015

Many Tea Masters will say: 

'Your tea will only be as good as your water.' So begin by bringing filtered or spring water to a boil, (or for most of us, just good old plain tap water),  and then allow it to cool for a moment to different temperatures depending on the type of tea, such as Black Tea, Green Tea, Oolong and so on. Place  tea or teabag into the cup or pot and pour hot water onto it. Let it stand for 3 to 6 minutes, or until you find the right taste for your palate, depending on the strength you like. Add whatever you prefer, milk, sugar, honey, lemon etc. Now sit back, and enjoy!