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Meat Up With Tea

Do you drink coffee or tea? I've been drinking my morning coffee since I was 17, but after learning of all the uses there are for tea in addition to drinking it, I may change my routine.

Tea plants originated in Asia, probably where China, India and Burma meet. It's known that tea was used as a beverage in China as far back as the 10th century B.C. and the commodity made its way to Europe via Portuguese importers in the 16th century. Thank goodness for the Western Hemisphere! Tea is credited with numerous health benefits. It is available in many forms including herbal, caffeinated, and decaf. A variety of types can be found on most grocery store shelves.

One of my favorite ways to use tea is in a marinade for inexpensive, and therefore tougher, cuts of meat. It helps improve my meal's flavor while keeping my food costs down. People often think of MSG (monosodium glutamate) when they hear the term "meat tenderizer" as it's been widely used to reduce costs in restaurants and even in our home kitchens. But MSG has been tied to adverse side effects in recent years so many restaurants now advertise "No MSG" on their menus.

I recommend natural techniques to make cheap or low-fat cuts of meat easier to chew. My food mallet has helped me to improve many a piece of meat. It's especially effective with veal cutlets. But I prefer to use marinades for thicker cuts because they can enhance the meat's flavor, too. Here's one of my favorites for tenderizing a 2-lb flank steak before grilling it.

Mix together and place the following into a Ziploc bag or covered casserole dish with your meat:

· 2 cups of cooled Black Tea

· 1/4 cup of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

· 4 cloves of Garlic, minced

· 2 teaspoons peeled Ginger Root, minced

It's best to marinate the meat for several hours or overnight if possible. The longer it soaks the tastier it will become, and the easier it will be to chew.

If my creation doesn't sound like your "cup of tea" scores of recipes for tea-based marinades will arrive at your fingertips by conducting an internet search. I encourage you to find one that sounds good to you.

Other uses for tea include:

· Removing odors from smelly shoes
· Easing tired eyes
· Treating and coloring hair
· Nourishing plants
· Treating skin irritations
· Cleaning wood floors, furniture, and mirrors
· Soothing toothaches and swelling
· Dying cloth

Expand your tea repertoire and tea-up your year for easier living. Check out other great cooking and food tips at easyweeklymeals.com/products.html.

Easy Cookbook Recipes are available to help busy people eat healthy, budget-friendly meals. Cook right from your touchscreen device! Download yours today at http://www.easyweeklymeals.com/products.html

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Colleen_Walsh_Fong

Tea in England

The English primarily drank coffee and wine as their staple drink, and tea was unknown in England till as late as 1662. In 1662 Charles II married Catherine of Braganza of Portugal, and it was his new bride who brought with her a preference of tea. She served tea instead of wine, ale and spirit. Tea soon acquired the status of royal drink and a social nicety for the rich.

Soon, tea began to be sold in London coffee houses. Tea was heavily advertised as a medicinal drink which helped maintain health and beauty. The coffee house owners charged heavily for a cup of tea, as much as 6-10 pounds per cup. The government soon imposed various taxes, regulations and restrictions on sale of tea, with a view to cash in on the growing tea trend. This even led to tea being smuggled into England. Finally the taxes were waived off to stop this illegal smuggling.However, tea's acceptance by British masses was quite slow. It was in late 1700 that tea's popularity picked up. As tea came from British colonies, it came to be viewed as a national drink, with patriotic sentiments attached to it. Another reason which contributed to its popularity was the ease of its preparation technique. While coffee grounds could be brewed only once, and reusing the same ground yielded a much inferior flavour, tea leaves could be brewed several times without any significant drop in the quality of liquor. As tea was a high class drink and hence expensive, the British masses bought second hand, brewed leaves and brewed them longer to compensate. Tea was thus gradually finding place in British everyday life.

The most well liked and sought after teas were English breakfast tea and Earl Grey. English breakfast tea, as its name, was consumed mostly in the morning as its strong caffeine helped shake off sleepiness and start the morning energetically. It blended sumptuously with milk and sugar, and could be enjoyed anytime of the day. The Earl Grey provided a classic blend of fine black tea with bergamot essence. It was considered more sophisticated a tea.Tea, meanwhile, continued to grow in popularity. Around 1800, there developed an "Afternoon tea" culture, wherein rich ladies invited their friends for a cup of tea in the afternoon. They also served pastries, sandwiches or some snack along with it. It was accompanied by social graces, refined conversation, sweet gossip and polished etiquette. Yet another popular tea trend was serving tea in tea gardens. Pleasure gardens like Vauxhall or Ranelagh Gardens provided lush lawns for public to stroll and enjoy a hot cup of tea. The workingclass, however, took a break from work in the evening, and relaxed with tea.

In 1875, Thomas Lipton aggressively advertised tea. He replaced the coffee gardens in Ceylon with tea plantations, and opened his first tea shop. By the end of 19th century, he had almost set up his Tea Empire and laid the foundations of modern tea trade. The Indian and Ceylon blends, Brooke Bond and Lipton found a firm place in British everyday life. Tea had finally "arrived" in England.

by Manish

All tea is produced from a plant called Camellia sinensis. The thousands of different varieties of teas available in the world only vary by the region it was grown, the time of year picked, and the processing method.
Each type has its own characteristics including a different taste, differing health benefits, and even different levels of caffeine.

White Teas
White is the purest and least processed of all teas. This loose leaf tea has very little caffeine and brews a light color and flavor. White teas also contain healthy antioxidants and are the best for skin and complexion.

Green Teas
Green is the most popular type of tea, mainly because it is the beverage of choice in Asia. Some loose green ones are scented with flowers or mixed with fruits to create scented or flavored. This has only 5-10% the caffeine in coffee per cup. Green teas contain healthy antioxidants. They help maintain cholesterol levels that are already within the normal range, are good for skin and teeth, and can be used as part of your diet to maintain a healthy blood sugar level.

Oolong Teas
Oolong, also known as wu long, is full-bodied with a flavorful fragrance and sweet aroma. It is semi-fermented, which gives it approximately 15% of the caffeine in one cup of coffee. Most people commonly recognize oolong as the Chinese tea served in Chinese restaurants. Oolong can be a healthy part of your weight loss plan.

Black Teas
Black is the tea most people know since you likely grew up dipping tea bags of black tea in your cup (or enjoyed this tea from an iced tea pitcher in the South). It is fully fermented, so it has approximately 20% of the caffeine in a cup of coffee. Black help maintain cholesterol levels that are already within the normal range, as well as helping to maintain cardiovascular function and a healthy circulatory system.

Herbal Teas
Herbal does not contain any leaves from the Camellia plant family, so it is sometimes referred to as a tisane. Herbal can be broken into three categories: rooibos, mate, and herbal infusions. Herbal infusions consist of pure herbs, flowers, and fruits. Herbal are typically caffeine-free (except Mate teas) and most are rich in vitamin C. They can be delicious hot or iced.

Rooibos Teas
Rooibos, or red, is made from a South African red bush. This premium tea is a healthy source of vitamins and minerals; it also contains antioxidants. Naturally caffeine free, Rooibos help promote digestion, support your immune system, and promote healthy skin, teeth and bones. Rooibos can be delicious hot or iced.

Mate Teas
Mate is considered the coffee lover's favorite one. Made from the leaves and twigs of the yerba mate plant, mate give the same energy as coffee without the jitters. They also may curb your appetite and contain 21 vitamins and minerals.

Blooming Teas
Also called artisan or flowering teas, these actually 'bloom' as they steep. They are hand tied by artists and often include some type of flavor or scent along with the beautiful design. These romantic ones make a great gift for your significant other!

Blends
Blends often have the best of both worlds since they combine more than one type of premium tea. Mixing in a blend is one of the best ways to get great flavor along with great health benefits.
(taken from Teavana Site)

About the Author

www.beveragewala.com, as the name suggests, is your online provider of premium teas and coffees right at your doorstep.

The Well Equipped Tea Party

Tea time is a time to encourage and practise pleasant and dignified habits of hospitality, and the comfort of guests is always at the forefront of a good hostess' mind. She wants everyone to relax and enjoy themselves with whatever company they will encounter. Tea and relaxation always go together. There are a few things you can do in order for your tea party to be as successful and enjoyable as possible, one of which is to have all the right equipment on hand. We often think that having a beautiful tea service set is all we need, but there is more! There are reasons for tea things being what they are and definite advantages in having just those right things. Everything goes a whole lot smoother when we do not have to worry about improvising and can make tea time as enjoyable as we can for our guests.

Tea cups that are plain white on the inside are best for showing the beautiful colors that distinguish different teas. So if you are drinking Japanese green tea or wish to show off the clarity of Darjeeling tea, think of using cups with pale colored interiors. Make sure you have enough room to lay out the tea cupswithout having to stack them and thereby risking chips and cracks.The first thing that springs to mind when we think of a tea party is the teapot. Coming in all shapes and sizes, you might choose one that is fun and whimsical, or one that completes a tea service set. Then again, you might like to use your only surviving piece of an heirloom tea set that belonged to your grandmother. In any case, your teapot is highly likely to made of china, and if fine bone English china, all the better. China is a perfect material for teapots because of its heat retaining quality and the fact that it does not alter the flavor of the tea. Glass teapots are becoming more widely used and are a lovely modern alternative. The glass allows you to see the tea unfurl and watch the color develop to just how you like it. Plain glass gives you the advantage of being able to vary the look of your other teaware accessories you will use with it.When looking for a teapot, consider one with a handle that you can hold easily without burning your fingers. A well balanced teapot will have a lid that stays on while you pour the tea and allow you to pour with one hand.

If it's just you and yourself for tea you can use a tea infuser instead of making up a whole pot. And you can console yourself with the fact that this is the way tea was originally served – tea in the cup and boiling water poured directly into it. Tea infusers with handles, shaped like a spoon, are the ideal thing to use in this instance. If you prefer, you can always use a tea infuser mug complete with an infuser basket which sits inside the mug and strains the tea as you remove it. Most come with a lid to aid the brewing process. I love using an infuser mug for fresh mint tea. Infuser teapots are also excellent as the basket can be removed to prevent the tea from going from the perfect ‘brew' to the perfect ‘stew'

So we have the tea all sorted out, now what about the food? Have you ever tried to serve up cake only to get cream on your fingers? We've all done it, but how can we prevent this most tempting moment to lick our fingers, and after each slice your serve? Not to be done! Firstly, a good wide cake server that will balance the cake well is one way of preventing it tipping and you having to guide it with your fingers (I know, party pooper!). Having the guest's plate close at hand, and not carrying the cake across the table to her plate, is a sure way to prevent disaster. However, the best invention for dealing with potentially wobbly pieces of cake is miniature tongs, flat ones preferably, or cake tongs. Tongs and cake servers can often be purchased in a matching set and add a lovely distinguished look to your table. Make sure you have napkins handy, too. Putting some thought into well placed dishes on the table will also help make serving easier.

At least one napkin holder is a good idea, and two (one for each end of the table) for large table settings. Holders which have the napkins with the edges standing upright make for easier handling of the napkins. It's a good idea to hand your guests a napkin with their cup of tea or cake at the outset, so they don't have to go looking for one if the need arises, because, as we all well know, napkins are often the lost and forgotten item on a table with a bad habit of coming to remembrance with the occurrence of mishaps with food or drink. Have them at the top of your list! This little attention to detail goes a long way in ensuring the comfort of your guests. Dessert plates, being slightly bigger than a tea cup saucer, will enable good management of napkin and tidbits.

The final touch to a well laid out tea party table is the cake stand. When it comes to the art of serving up food, height is everything! Placing tiered cake stands and cupcake stands to the back or middle of the table and lower dishes near the edge creating a gradual effect is also much more pleasing to the eye. This is a logical pattern which allows easy access to food without knocking anything over, or dragging sleeves in cream and butter icing. Have mini tongs available on your tiered cake stands and cake servers near the pedestal cake stands.

Other silverware you will need is teaspoons and dessert spoons and forks. You may also need small knives depending on what food you are serving. Jam is served with either a spoon or knife, but cream is always served with a spoon. Cake forks are often very welcome. Although eating with fingers is usually acceptable, under no circumstances should you expect, or put your guests in the position of, having to eat that way. Always provide eating implements.

When purchasing tea service sets and teaware accessories consider the comfort of your guests first. Companies that produce good quality tea service sets have already put a great deal of thought into this aspect and have successfully combined functionality and beauty. Fine bone English china tea sets are a good example of this. Having a well thought out tea party with all the equipment you will need to make tea time as enjoyable as possible is worth the effort. Making a list of what you want adds even more fun to the prospect.

The Electric Cordless Kettle May Help Make Sensible tea

One of the even more latest utensils produced for kitchen area utilize is the electrical kettle with no cord. In fact it has just been around because around the 1980s. It is rare for one innovation as basic as this to catch upon and also become so popular in this sort of brief time. The counteracts the simple fact that some sort of kettle is one of the earliest points to feel produced by our businesses way back ancestors.
A 100 years right before that time wrought iron was the essential popular of materials to make kettles from. Refreshments these as leaf tea and coffee always be created with the boiling liquid they developed in addition to for lots of various other uses this kind of as flowing a bathtub. Wrought iron had been a brilliant steel since, the water was actually extremely slow to heat up, after touching boiling point, it did maintain it hot very well.

The kitchen stove in the household was actually the typical put to cook a kettle and some people known as them stove top kettles or even a kitchen stove kettle then. They happen to be even called a tea kettle since which was the quintessential popular drink which was produced by them.

With the innovation of electricity the electric kettle might for absolute sure should be structured. Though the 1st one had been tested during the course of the early many years of the 20th century, the couple did not become utilized by many people up until the 1930s onwards. Among the causes that it took a a long time is, for certain, that initially just the towns and additionally piled up areas had electrical available to them.

The kettles along with the cords joining all of them with the electricity supply were developed from various materials. The length of the cord was actually another limiting aspect because it limited how far away from all the source which you could use it.

This excellent was the primary reason for the design of the electric kettle without having a cord. It is noticeable today which the cord must be associated with a base while the kettle itself simply rests on top of the base by way of a contact aim which will make it work. It could maybe now feel carried any distance to be used and also electrocution being a result of the danger of electricity and also drinking water happens to be pretty much avoided.

Stainless metal that even holds the warmth well happens to be the most popular information for the cordless kettle to be produced of since the initiating of the 21st century. Other stuff to improve have been to fit a polymer handle to them which does not retain the warmth barely at just every one of the that makes it much safer to carry. Most are increasingly being equipped with a cut off of switch that stops it from ongoing to boil after the needed temperature is reached.

Good luck in your look for the electrical kettle without any cord that you would like to purchase.