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Steeped Tea is giving away a great package containing 2 of our brand new savory products: our Caramelized Onion Chutney & Red Pepper Jelly.
If you live in Canada and you haven't entered yet, what are you waiting for? Simply click here and leave us a comment about your experience of combining tea with chocolate. The contest ends today, so click now. We'll announce the winner this week here at the blog and by email.
It's blustery this weekend around these parts, so a hot cup of hot chocolate chai tea might just be the thing to warm up! Remember you still have time to enter our contest to win some of our great new savory products, just by leaving us a comment on your favourite chocolate and tea combination on this post.
This recipe is by Janeen A Sarlin with Noelle Shipley and the photo is by Sheri Giblin. These women are responsible for a book entitled Princess Tea. They write: Chocolate chai tea is cloudy, but the aroma and taste are clearly delightful. Adding a hint of cocoa to loose tea leaves in the pot is the magic formula that will have princesses asking for more. Have a small pitcher of warm milk and a bowl of sugar for each princess to add as much as she likes. I add a little sugar to my cup, no milk, and stir it with chocolate sticks found in sweet shops or candy stores.
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons chai tea leaves
1 teaspoon unsweetend cocoa
1 quart boiling water
Sugar and warm milk as desired
Chocolate stirrers
Directions:
1. Place the tea leaves and cocoa in the teapot and pour the boiling water over. Let steep for 5 minutes.
2. To serve, add 1 teaspoon of sugar to each teacup and fill two-thirds full with tea. Add warm milk to taste and stir with the chocolate stirrers. Makes 1 quart.
Our contest is still open until this weekend. If you are Canadian, you could win some of Steeped's wonderfully delish new savory products. All you have to do is leave us a comment about your favourite tea and chocolate combination.
Meantime, here's a recipe for combining tea and chocolate in a cake that you can then enjoy with a cup of tea. The author of the recipe writes:
"This is an Austrian recipe that was passed on from one generation to the next in my family. The secret of this cake's full flavour and softness: Prepare it one day in advance before eating it!"
Hatem and Tonia, Steeped Tea founders, had a baby girl on Friday, February 5th at 11:27 am. Jenna weighed in at 7pds 1oz and is in great health.
Mommy, daddy, Layla and baby Jenna are all doing well!
Welcome baby Jenna to the Steeped Tea family!
Despite the recent weather here in Ontario, we know spring must be on its way soon, because there are LOTS of events starting up and Steeped Tea consultants are making plans to be there. Check out this list and plan to attend a local show - you'll be supporting your local community and meeting or reacquainting yourself with a local Steeped Tea consultant:
London, ON - Saturday March 6th, 9 - 5, Sunday March 7th, 10 -4 - London Convention Centre - The Women's Lifestyle Show is two glorious days in March, full of fun, fashion, shopping, sipping, tasting!
Puslinch, ON- Wednesday March 10th, 5 - 9 pm - Puslinch Community Centre - The Mom's @ Work Show - Showcase and sale.
Belleville, ON - Saturday March 6th, 10 - 6 - Ramada Inn, Hotel, Resort & Conference Centre, 11 Bay Bridge Road, Belleville - Celebrate International Women's Day
Leamington, ON - Friday March 5th, 6 - 9, Saturday March 6th, 10 - 5, Sunday March 7th, noon - 5 - Leamington Kinsmen Recreation Complex - 10th Annual Home & Garden Showcase
Elmira, ON - Sunday April 25th, 11 - 4 - Lions Hall, 40 South Street - The Market Place, proceeds go to Community Betterment
Linwood, ON - Saturday April 17th, 8 - noon - Linwood Lutheran Church
Kitchener, ON - Wednesday April 14th - doors open 6:30pm - Bingeman's Marshall Hall - Spring Promenade Fashion Show and Raffle -supporting Hospice of Waterloo Region
There will be more events, so stay tuned. We hope to meet you in your neighbourhood soon!
No, we don't mean basketball...
Mad, as in the Madhatter!
Disney & Tim Burton have teamed up for another version of Alice in Wonderland, which opens March 5th, and of course, tea parties play a theme, inspiring Steeped Tea to suggest that March should be the month of tea parties to celebrate.
Celebrate what? Your unbirthday, of course... Or maybe one of your friends actually has a March birthday... Or spring... Or, the joy of tea is fine thing to celebrate! So why not gather some friends to celebrate whatever you feel like celebrating and have a tea party.
Photo from a Madhatter Tea Party held last spring
Contest:
Host a Madhatter Tea Party during the month of March and submit a photo or video by leaving a link in the comments*. All submissions will be entered into a draw to win our 5 top selling teas!
Prize includes:
One of our consultants shares this article and recipe for cleansing grains - thanks Amy!
Amy’s Easy Green Tea Cleansing Grains
Did you know our beautiful skin plays an active role in our health and is just as busy as its fellow organs - the heart and liver?
Our amazing skin is the largest organ we have and consists of over three million cells responsible for regulating temperature, manufacturing vitamin D, protecting our body from external invasion and eliminating metabolic waste. The skin is responsible for excreting approximately one quarter of the body’s waste products and any skin dysfunction will put the toxic burden onto the kidneys, lungs and bowels.
Because the natural process of skin renewal slows down as we age, we need help to remove the top layer of our skin that consists mainly of flat dead dry cells. Gently using cleansing grains daily will stimulate rapid cell regeneration in the dermal area, increasing circulation to the facial surface and providing nourishment for your face. The more rapidly the dead surface cells are replaced by the newer ones beneath, the softer and smoother the skin looks, and the more efficiently it can perform its important detoxifying duties. If you use cleansing grains you do not need to use soap, which can clog the skin's deep pores.
There are many simple recipes for cleansing grains in circulation. My Green Tea Cleansing Grains recipe has been inspired by Rosemary Gladstar's "Miracle Grains". The recipe is very basic, is gentle enough for daily use, and can be used for all skin types. The Matcha that is used in the Steeped Tea Green Tea and French Clay Facial Mask is an excellent way to help your skin fight the constant battle it fights against the pollution and free radicals it deals with on a daily basis. Matcha is loaded with antioxidants, vitamins and Chlorophyll, an important detoxifying agent and will help your skin and body immensely! To really boost the antioxidant qualities, add a drop of tea tree oil once a week to wet grains for a facial mask.
When making this recipe try to purchase organic products where possible - only the finest ingredients should be used on your face. These cleansing grains, a perfect soap replacement, are mild, nourishing, suitable for all skin types, and can be used daily.
Recipe
· ½ Cup finely ground Oats
· 1 Container Steeped Tea Green Tea and French Clay Facial Mask
· 1/8 Cup finely ground Almonds
· 2 tbs finely ground Lavender
· 2 tbs finely ground Roses
· 1 tbs Black Poppy Seed
To make:
· (1) Grind all ingredients to the desired consistency. You may wish to grind the oats very fine. The almonds are nice with just a touch of "grit" left in them. Generally try to powder the roses and lavender as much as possible; they will always have a bit of coarseness or graininess left. This coarseness is desirable as it serves as the cleansing "grains". The clay and tea is already finely powdered. I have found that electric coffee grinders work best for grinding small amounts of herbs, flowers, and spices. However, a word of wisdom, do not use the grinder you use for coffee. Your herbs will all smell like coffee, and your coffee will forever smell and taste like roses and lavender. Blenders work well, also.
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(2) Mix all ingredients together. You may wish to add a few drops of essential oil(s) to enhance the scent and the effect of the grains. The oils must be PURE essential oils such as lavender, peppermint or orange. Do not use synthetic oils; they could possibly burn or irritate the skin. I usually add essential oil at the time of my using them, tea tree oil is great as an antibacterial agent.
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(3) Your cleansing grains are now ready to use. Store in a pretty glass container. A shell makes a nice scoop and mixing receptacle as well. You can also store in spice jars with shaker tops. To use, mix about one to two teaspoons of the cleansing grains with water. Stir into a paste and gently massage face. Rinse off with warm water.
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· USES: Mix a tablespoon of grains with enough warm water to make a slurry, apply to face in small circular motion, rinse face with warm water. Pat dry and use a nice toner like a combination of rosewater, glycerine and witchhazel to tone skin.
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· To make moist miracle grains for a facial mask: add enough honey and a small amount of pure distilled rose water (or plain distilled water) to the dried powdered mixture to make a nice paste. The honey serves as a natural preservative for the grains as well as adding its wonderful moisturizing quality. I usually mix only enough moist grains for a week or two to prevent spoilage from occurring. I store the remainder of the grains in dry powder form and mix as needed.
Print out this coupon and head on over to the Total Women's Show at Bingeman's Conference Centre, Kitchener. There's LOTS to see and do, and be sure to drop by the Steeped Tea booth and say hi while you're there!
