CMN - RP171: African Spices & Tea and My Indonesia Trip

ReMARKable Palate #171: African Spices & Tea and My Indonesia Trip

This week, it's a show about Africa. We speak with 2 producers of African products: Remi Aderogba from Winfoods & Spices of Nigeria, and Alexander Kay from Satemwa Tea in Malawi. We learn about some of the special spices from Africa, and about how tea is processed. Then I come back and tell you all about my recent trip to Indonesia.

www.winfoodslimited.com
www.satemwa.com

Theme Song: "Go Fish", by Big Money Grip, from the Podsafe Music Network.


ReMARKable Palate is a production of The Culinary Media Network. www.culinarymedianetwork.com

CMN Video: Cocktail Hour - Orange Marga"Tea"ta

CMN Video: Cocktail Hour - Orange Marga"Tea"ta

Lilia Temple returns to show us how to make a variation on the classic Margarita using orange juice and tea, and she calls it the Orange Marga"Tea"ta.



A production of The Culinary Media Network. www.culinarymedianetwork.com

CMN Video: Cocktail Hour - Basil Mo"Tea"to

CMN Video: Cocktail Hour - Basil Mo"Tea"to

Lilia Temple from Liption PureLeaf teas joins us to show how to make an interesting twist on the classic Mojito using basil and brewed, lightly sweetened tea.



A production of The Culinary Media Network. www.culinarymedianetwork.com

CMN Video: Cocktail Hour - Basil Mo"Tea"to

CMN Video: Cocktail Hour - Basil Mo"Tea"to

Lilia Temple from Liption PureLeaf teas joins us to show how to make an interesting twist on the classic Mojito using basil and brewed, lightly sweetened tea.



A production of The Culinary Media Network. www.culinarymedianetwork.com

Summer Cocktail Bash in NYC, TONIGHT July 25

Are you ready for summer cocktails? We certainly are!

If you are in or around NYC, please join us at Union Bar on Friday July 25th from 5-7 PM as we co-host a summer cocktail bash at "Cafe PureLeaf". This special cafe within Union Bar will be celebrating a new line of bottled PureLeaf brewed teas by Lipton.

We're going to give tea time a whole new definition, so put on your party shoes and come on over!



We'll be doing some live taping for our Culinary Media Network shows, especially the bartenders mixing PureLeaf teas into some tasty libations.

Union Bar
200 Park Avenue South
(betw 17th & 18th)
5:00 PM to 7:00 PM

The happy hour with drink specials will take place from 5-7, but we'll hang around for a bit afterwards.

So come on out and have a drink with us -- we can't wait to meet you there! Be sure to let us know if you're coming so that we can say hello, and thank you for being a Culinary Media Network fan!

CMN - RP140: Talking Tea

ReMARKable Palate #140: Talking Tea

Today I speak with Karl Kessab, tea sommelier of London's posh Lanesborough Hotel, which has just won the Tea Guild's award for best Afternoon Tea in London for the 2nd time. Karl teaches us about how to best prepare various teas, and we talk about the tradition of High Tea.

www.lanesborough.com


ReMARKable Palate is a production of The Culinary Media Network. www.culinarymedianetwork.com

Recipe: Ming Tsai's Citrus Tea Rubbed Halibut

This recipe comes to us courtesy of our friend Chef Ming Tsai. Delicate Citrus Herbal Tea Rub and mild sautéed halibut were made for each other. Here, the fish is served with a refreshing salad of raw fennel, orzo, and orange segments. Of his tea rub, Ming writes: “I can never get enough of tea rubs, so I keep inventing new ones. This green tea and citrus example is particularly fresh and appealing: The tea is beautifully complemented by lemon, lime, and orange zest while mint and ginger add more invigorating flavor. This tea rub does wonders for lighter protein, like chicken and fish.”

gilded fork, recipe, Ming Tsai, tea rub, citrus, halibut

Food Safety Corner: Iced Tea

We love our tea, whether it's freshly brewed hot tea, or a cool refreshing iced tea on a hot summer day. But it turns out that storing brewed teas at room temperature can actually be a problem for food safety.

Like most plant derived foods, dry tea leaves can contain low levels of bacteria, yeast and mold. If you brew it at an improper temperature, or store it at room temperature for long periods of time, these low levels can grow to dangerous levels (Remember that bacteria double every 20 minutes in the Temperature Danger Zone). Also, pitchers and kettles that have not been properly cleaned and sanitized can help promote the growth of these microorganisms. Like many people, if you leave the kettle on the stove and just fill it up when you want a fresh cup of tea, you could be putting yourself at risk. (read more)


gilded fork, food, safety, iced tea

Recipe: Chai Pots de Crème

This rich little bite of creaminess is an indulgent conclusion to an elegant meal. The pots can be prepared ahead of time, and the effort required delivers amazing results.

gilded fork, recipes, chai, pots de crème

Recipe: Garden Temptations Cocktail

This cocktail is an epicurean experience designed with figs in mind, inspired by their mention in the Garden of Eden. This gentle libation comprises notes of elderberry that seduce the palate while the other flavors blend deceptively behind into a delicious orange hue; the Earl Grey tea and carrot complete the “garden flavor.” (See the inspiration for Garden Temptations here.)

gilded fork, recipe, cocktail, tea, Garden of Eden

The Indulgence: Team Time

Tea is one of our favorite beverages given its versatility and soothing comfort (well, that and the fact that Jennifer’s mother is British). There is a permanent burner for the kettle in our Gilded Fork test kitchen, but we are not alone in our fandom. Tea is relished around the world as a steeped beverage made from the leaves and buds of the tea bush (Camilla sinensis), and is served at various times of the day from breakfast to tea time (supper time in the U.S.). Tea leaves are typically dried and can be mixed with flowers, herbs, fruit or spices; they can also be used in cooking as a brining liquid, or dried as a rub for poultry and fish.

True tea (types listed below) is not to be confused with herbal tea, which is typically made from herbs (i.e. chamomile) and/or fruits (i.e. lemons, oranges).

And of course, aside from the pleasure we get from its flavor, the added benefit of this tasty beverage is its healthful profile as an antioxidant. Not that we need an excuse. (read more)


gilded fork, food, food writing, tea

Recipe: Honeyed Chai Tea

After you taste the ethereal spiciness of homemade chai tea, you will be hard-pressed to purchase it in a store ever again. It only takes a few more minutes to make than “regular” tea, and it is worth every extra second. The wonderful thing about chai is that it is a mixture of spices you can custom tailor to your own tastes; use the quantities specified below as a guideline, and adjust them to suit your palate.

gilded fork, recipe, chai tea, honey

Gastronomic Meditations: The Agony and Ecstasy of Tea

People who tend to wax a bit on the overly lyrical side about the pleasures of drinking tea sometimes talk about “the agony of the leaves.” This refers to those moments just after you've poured boiling water on your tea leaves (can't do this one with tea bags, friends) and they've begun to unfurl and contort in what some have supposed to be like the contortions of one in great pain. Well, maybe so and maybe not.

For me there's a different sort of agony that comes with tea – fortunately there's some ecstasy that goes with it. Let's take the ecstasy first, for once you've discovered the pleasures of drinking really good tea, and once you've trained your clunky palate to respond to some of the less subtle nuances of a fine tea, then it truly can be an ecstasy – of sorts. (read more)


gilded fork, food, food writing, tea

Recipe: Honey Soufflé with Earl Gray Anglaise

Ethereally delicate, soufflés carry a dramatic mystique that marvels and captivates just about any diner. As temperamental as they seem, soufflés are actually quite a simple, forgiving and playful pursuit. Consisting of only two components – a base (most often a pastry cream, purée or béchamel) suspended in a stiff meringue – a soufflé rises into an impossibly light, fluffy custard with a melting texture as it bakes. Warm and uniquely comforting, this honey soufflé alone is breathtaking, but the Earl Gray anglaise is a charming match for it. Contrary to the popular assumption that soufflés are an à la minute affair, the mystifying dessert can actually be prepared fully in advance, refrigerated and just baked to order.

gilded fork, recipe, dessert, honey, soufflé, creme anglaise, Earl Gray tea