Peach Green Iced Tea

The thermometer has been over 100 degrees for the past week. Although relief is on the horizon, it still seems miles away. Even then, we will merely move into the high 90s. 

Fortunately, the season of peaches is upon us. And just mentioning those sweet orbs of juiciness, makes me feel a bit cooler. If that doesn't do it for you, this drink certainly will.

This iced tea is a perfect thirst quencher with a tad pick me up (slightly caffeinated). You may want to fill one of those 5-gallon jugs with this to keep on hand in the heat.

Peach Green Iced Tea

2 tablespoons of green tea (or two bags)

1 quart of boiling water

1 lemon, sliced

3-4 white peaches, sliced

1/3 c. sugar

1/2 c. ginger beer or ale (depending on how strong you like the ginger flavor -- beer is stronger)

a handful of fresh mint leaves

8 c. of ice

Pour boiling water over tea leaves in a heat-resistant container. Let steep 2-3 minutes. (Green tea should be steeped a shorter time than black tea, otherwise the taste becomes bitter.) 

Place peaches and sugar in a blender or food processor. Blend until liquified and mixed. 

Place lemons with half the ice in a pitcher. Pour tea over lemons and ice. Mix in peaches and sugar. Add ginger beer. Pour in the remainder of ice. Sprinkle mint leaves on top. Stir with a spoon. 

Serve with slices of peach, if desired.

Dancing Queen

Dance as if no one's watching, sing as if no one's listening, and live everyday as if it were your last.

~ Irish Saying

Life is like a cup of tea, it's all in how you make it!

~ Irish Saying

I have two great weaknesses in life: tea and dancing. 

Or should I say strengths.

A day without both of these is a day wasted.

There are fewer things more comforting and relaxing than sipping a warm cup of afternoon tea while curled up with a captivating novel or catching up on the latest gossip with your girlfriends. 

And there are fewer things more exhilirating than spinning, twisting and twirling around the floor, be it in a ballroom or right in the middle of your living room with the windows open, letting in the breezy, night air to cool your overheated body.

These two things I never went without in my college days.

Time was set aside religiously every weekday afternoon for tea (and other times in between). Jasmine would accompany our musings on Aristotelian ethics, while chamomile would be our tisane of choice during our discussion of outfits and bangles to wear to the weekend party. 

Saturday nights I would mix the music for our well-attended dances, running up and down the stairs of the loft between songs as I couldn't stand to miss a beat!

I would flip and fly practicing aerials with my favorite dance partner, even busting my nose open on the hardwood floor once with a misstep. But even that wouldn't keep me down...I was back out there the next weekend.

My time for both has lessened these days. I don't take enought time to slow down for tea or get my heart racing swinging the night away.

 A college friend of mine recently gave me this cup, reminding me of my college nickname -- 'Dancing Queen.' It is a constant reminder to practice and hold fast to the things I love...and live up to my name!

(Recently stumbled across information about a tea dance...next on the list when it's time to plan a party!)

Duchess Grey Tea

The latest acquisiton for my tea cabinet is a delightfully citrusy black tea. In need of a refill on my breakfast tea to get my mind and body movin' in the mornin', I happily stumbled across the Duchess Grey Tea on my weekly shopping trip to Trader Joe's. They are notorious for their fresh, new items - I always find something deliciously novel to try when I stop in.

A big fan of Earl Grey -- especially that bergamot flavor -- the "Grey" label hollered to me from the shelf. I threw it into my basket without a second thought. When I first pulled the box out of the cupboard in the morning, the scent that hit me was the citrus notes of lemon and orange. Not normally a huge fan of strongly citrusy teas, I was nearly hesitant to taste a cup. But with my regular added splash of milk, the harmony of bergamot, lemon, and orange sang a beautiful chorus on my breakfast table. Definitely a keeper.

Tea and Scones

There is nothing more soothing in the middle of a hectic day than a pot of tea and a warm scone to clear the head and bring you back to level ground. I miss my carefree college days when my friends and I used to take our afternoon tea around 3pm every week day. We took it as a time to reconnect and prepare ourselves for the long expedition through countless pages of Herodotus, memorization of Greek conjugations, and the declaration of our thoughts on Kant's categorical imperative. We would sip our tea and munch on the delicious homemade treats. (Several of us found baking cathartic, necessary for sanity, so there was nearly always a tasty bite to eat.)

I try to renew this intermission every once and while. Calling friends over to relax and reminisce, we leisurely sip our tea and watch as the sun dips ever closer to the horizon.


These scones are a frequent addition to my afternoon tea spreads. I found them over at The Skinny Gourmet. I've tried out a few of her scone recipes and always found them absolutely fantastic. Another great website for scone recipes is the Joy of Baking. For something simple, the Coffeehouse Scone is a great choice. It is perfect vehicle for sweet jams and curds. These pumpkin scones have been a frequent fall/winter addition to my tea table. Several people have commented on their superiority to the Starbucks version.

Enjoy a brief tea and scone respite this afternoon. You deserve it.

What are some of your favorite scone recipes?

A Cup of Tea

The other day, a package arrived for me in the mail....


There are fewer things in life that delight me more than receiving mail...and I got a package, to boot! :-)
My dear friends from college, Emma and Lizzie, had been visiting together over the week and had thoughtfully sent off a little gift to me they had found while perusing an antique dish shop.

The shop is nearby Emma's house. She took me to visit it when I was there over Christmas break a few years ago. I remember picking out a tea cup for Lizzie at the time. It seems this is the beginning of a new tradition....


I love this cup! It is covered in little blue 'ermine,' the French Breton symbol; although, I believe, the tea cup is British Spode's. I can't wait to sip a warm cup from this delightful dish!

Back in college, Emma, Lizzie and I would frequently have afternoon tea together in attempt to break away from the bustle of the day for a few moments to enjoy each others' company, catch up on life and sip a refreshing brew. Usually, we would also pass around some sort of teatime treat we had whipped up in the kitchen or discovered on one of our excursions. We would normally convene in their room, wonderfully situated on the west side of the building with large windows that let in the waning daylight. It is a custom I sorely miss from our 'carefree' days....



Speaking of teas, I must put in a plug for Tazo's newest holiday tea: JOY. It is a combination of black, green, and oolong teas, described on the box as "Rare Darjeelings and Formosa Oolongs are paired with light-bodied, fragrant Nuwara Eliya teas from Ceylon. Yunnan teas from the high plateaus of Southern China and Southern India Nilgiris add texture and complexity." As Ryan put it, 'It is like party in your mouth!'...although, I would argue a rather mellow one. ;-) The flavors of the different varieties come together in perfect harmony and leave you feeling warm and satisfied. Although I do love my cinnamon, it is nice to have a holiday tea that is not focused entirely on spices.

Raspberry Shortbread Tarts

I made these for the first time last year for our annual Holiday Tea. They didn't remain on the platter more than 10 minutes. Again, for a Christmas party I attended, and they were met with the same response. I'm whipping up a batch tonight for a housewarming get-together I am attending tomorrow. Only time will determine their fate....

Will they ever even make it out of the house?? ;-)

I'm going to take you on a step-by-step journey through the process of making these delectable morsels....

Raspberry Shortbread Tarts

Ingredients ~
For tarts:
1 c. unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 c. powdered sugar
1 t. vanilla extract
1 1/2 c. flour
2 T. cornstarch
1/8 t. salt

For lemon cream filling:
one 8 oz. package of cream cheese, softened
one 14 oz. can of sweetened condensed milk
1/3 c. lemon juice
zest of one lemon
1 t. vanilla extract

First, preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

In a large mixing bowl, with your dough attachment, cream the butter and sugar together.

Next, add the dry ingredients and mix on slow until just incorporated.

Bring the dough completely together with your hands and then divide into 36 small, round pieces. Place them into the compartments of a mini-cupcake pan.

Press your thumb into the center of each morsel and form it around the sides of the cup. I find it easiest if your hands are a little moist. This helps keep the dough from sticking to your fingers and making a mess inside the cups.


After molding the dough to the cups, place the tray into the freezer for about 10 minutes. This helps the shortbread set so that it does not melt into a blob at the bottom of the cup when you place it in the oven to bake.

Place in the oven and bake for 15-18 minutes. Halfway through cooking time, poke a fork into each shortbread in order to decrease puffiness in the center.

They are slightly brown around the edges when done. After removing them from the oven, let them sit at least 10 minutes to cool in the pan. They should slide easily out of the holes. I usually attempt to turn them with my finger and if anything is stuck, it effortlessly loosens without causing crumbs. Cool the shortbread tarts on a wire rack.


While the shortbread is cooking, mix together the cream filling after washing out your bowl. After softening the cream cheese with the mixer, add the remaining ingredients and mix until smooth.


Place the cream filling into an airtight container and place in the fridge. It is best to make the cream at least the day before in order to let the lemon mingle with the cheese and milk. Trust me; it is always better the second day. :-)


To assemble the tarts, take one of the shortbread shells and fill it with about a teaspoon of the lemon cream. Don't assemble your tarts until the day of; otherwise, the cream tends to make the shortbread a bit soggy. Place a piece of your favorite fruit on top. I'm using raspberries and blueberries this time, but I have also used strawberries and kiwis in the past.


Use your culinary imagination to create wonderful flavors!


The only criteria is that it has to be tiny enough to fit on the mini tart....

Someone is in for a special treat tonight. :-)