Tea and Treats

Tea with a small sized sweet or savoury is a common marriage when drinking tea. It is a traditional combination that should not be broken.  Most cultures have their own version of bite size delights to go with their favourite tea.  A biscuit or a slice of cake with a cup of tea is commonly found in most European tea drinking settings. However the opportunity to try foods from other cultures to accompany different types of tea can be difficult outside of our own cultural setting.

An Amazing Array of Indian Sweets

The Northland region of New Zealand has been slow to be influenced by the tea cultures of other nations. However there is hope on the horizon. About two years ago when visiting Whangarei I was able to quench my thirst to try different aspects of Indian food. Like many people I enjoy a good curry. And despite my own good cooking skills I can never seem to make Indian food taste or present as well as the dishes I am presented with when I go to an Indian restaurant or takeaway. My experiences of Indian food have been limited to mainly the rice and curry dishes, Indian breads, side sauces and chutneys. For a long time I desired to try real  Indian Chai, a brew of black tea blended with spices and hot milk. It seems logical that the perfect accompanying food would be an Indian sweet or savoury.  

I had seen pictures of Indian sweets on T.V. travel programmes and in cooking books, but I have never seen the cooking programme that demonstrates how Indian sweets are made. Nor had I seen such sweets readily available in restaurants or the like.  

Around five years ago I begun to spot a couple of shops in Auckland displaying Indian sweets and desserts. Often short on time, in a city I am not overly familiar with, I would feel too reserved and shy to go into any of the stores and strike up a conversation with the shopkeeper to quiz them about these aesthetically pleasing treats. In turn if I did so I would have also revealed my ignorance about such foods. These wonderfully crafted oval and square shaped sweets always looked so exceedingly appetizing but the names were in their native language of which I had no comprehension,  hence giving no hint as to the ingredients from which they were made, further adding to the mystery. 

Then one day while in Whangarei, a town I am well familiar with, I happened to be wandering along Walton Street and passed by the Indian restaurant Shiraz. Next door, and divided off from the existing restaurant and yet still part of Shiraz, was a new store .  This small shop had several cabinets of brightly coloured Indian sweets and savouries I was keen to try.  This store was of a cosy inviting size, with colours and decor that was clean and modern.  The woman behind the counter was of a similar age as myself. The whole environment gave me the assurance and confidence to go and explore these Indian sweets that were so attractively displayed. 

With an inviting smile the woman who served me graciously explained the various items that took my fancy. She adequately translated from her own language into English what the different sweets were, how they were cooked and with what ingredients.  

Her patient explanations dispersed my ignorance about such foods and won me over.  I walked away with a colourful treasured box of tasty delights with the great anticipation that I was about to experience some new exotic food.  

Once home I savoured the visual delights of the sweets. The brilliant orange colours of one type, yellows, pistachio greens and chocolate browns of others, with some decorated with edible silver leaf, others with nuts and seeds. 

Eventually I allowing myself to taste my treats. Visually they looked like fudges, but I was surprised to find they were not sweet nor did they have the intense sugary sweetness I had anticipated. They were more like milky flavoured cakes than confectionery. My favourite was the round dimpled orange sweet made with chickpea flour that had a soaking of sugar syrup. Each sweet unique in flavours and textures, wet my appetite to revisit the store again another day. 

Haveli Chai with Indian Sweets

Two weeks ago I found myself back in Whangarei on a Saturday morning. 

I had completed my browsing of the Himalayan and Indonesian clothing and furniture stores on the same street. It was now time for some morning tea. I desired to add to my morning's shopping with a different cultural experience. The idea of trying some different flavoured Indian sweets appealed, but this time I was also keen to try an authentic Indian tea, with the traditional blend of spices to accompany my food. 

So I headed back towards where I knew the Indian sweet shop had been.  To my delight the shop  still existed in the same location, but it had changed its name since my last visit.  The shop is now called  HAVELI  - South Indian Cuisine, Delicacies and Desserts. 

The food cabinets are filled with a multitude of Indian sweets and savouries that are a feast for the eye. The items can be purchased either by the kilogram or individually. Most are priced at around $1.50 to $2.00 per item. Again the shop owner was only too pleased to take the time to describe the different items, how they are made, and what ingredients are used. Many of the dessert type sweets are made with flours such as chickpea flour, nuts, dried fruits, milk and some are flavoured sugar syrups, or traditionally decorated with silver leaf or nuts such as almond or pistachio. Many of the produces are suitable for vegetarians. 

This time I  purchased a selection of sweets along with a pastry-type savoury that had a lentil filling blended with spices such as clove and cinnamon. This combination gave me a great variety to sample with my tea. 

On a cold winters day relaxing with a warming spiced Indian tea with several savoury or sweet treats has got to be one of the  most pleasurable ways to enjoy one's day.  If you are in Whangarei go and spoil yourself at Haveli's  on Walton Street. For an added experience try their Indian chai. 

One lesson I have learnt:  Don't pass shops that you may be culturally unfamiliar with.   When you slow down and take the time to experiment with new foods and flavours, your life is enhanced. 
Invite a friend to join you and then you gain the double pleasure of enhancing their life with new experiences also.

Whenever you get an opportunity, choose to try something new. 

Have a great week.  

Tea Essence

If we take a moment to pause and consider the moment, you will quickly learn that the art of "Taking tea" can be more than just having a drink.  New Zealand tea, in the past has been highly influenced by the tea culture that originated in India and migrated into British culture. The only tea that could be purchased in New Zealand was black tea. It was stewed in boiling water until nearly tar black, then poured into a cup with a portion of milk and sugar added to dilute the strength of the astringent tasting brew.   This type of tea was enough to make this Kiwi girl not drink tea.

Brands such as Bell Tea, Choysa, PG Tips were the most common in our market. Then in more recent years companies such as Dilmah, Twinnings and blends like Earl Grey hit our shores.

In New Zealand today the array of tea blends is diverse which in itself can become very confusing if you know very little about tea. And yet in reality, even a large portion of the tea drinking population do not have much understanding of the types of teas, how best to make them, and even more importantly how NOT to make them.  Contrary to the fact that New Zealand was once considered a tea drinking country; since the 1980's the explosion of the coffee culture has seen us become a nation of coffee drinkers.

New Zealand has spent a lot of time and money developing an outstanding coffee culture. When in an unfamiliar town we have no hesitation in asking the locals "Where do you get a GOOD coffee around here?". Our population is increasingly educated about what is a good cup of coffee and we can certainly quickly identify what is a bad coffee. Cafes live and die on their ability to produce good coffee. But this can not be said for tea. I can't say I have been asked "Where do I get a good cup of tea around here?"

I believe the hospitality industries have yet to realize the golden opportunity for marketing good tea in cafes, and often our very talented barista's sadly don't know how to make good tea. Too often I have been served a hot pot of water with a tea bag dropped in it from overly heated steaming hot water from the coffee machine that is totally inappropriate for making tea.

My parents generation are easily able to tell you what is a good 'black' tea, My generation was brought up on greeting people into our homes by offering them a cup of tea. However step away from black tea, and the same generation of tea drinkers know very little about other types of tea.

I often have heard people say "I don't like green tea, it is too bitter". I would have said the same some months back. But I have since learnt that if my green tea is bitter it has not been brewed properly. For not all teas are equal and neither are they brewed the same.

Once you start to learn a little about teas you suddenly realize what an amazing art tea making is. You begin to recognize how rich tea making cultures are and that tea is not just about a drink but it is about taking time to stop, consider the finer elements of life, savoir the sharing of precious moments with friends as you sip and envelop the flavours of a beverage that can be liquid gold. GOOD tea has a "spiritual essence" to its being. Taking time to learn to enjoy the art of tea enables you to tap into one of the ancient, fine culinary arts that has been refined over the centuries. So in grasping a little pleasure in life, take some time out and take tea at least once today.

Tea and Belgium Biscuits

Black tea was never a favourite of mine, as alluded to in previous posts. However I am happily being converted. I got up yesterday morning with an urge to bake some biscuits. I thought breaking out the old New Zealand classic such as  Anzac biscuits would be a treat for our "work-away" guests. 

We had plenty of rolled oats to make these nutty, chewy delights, apart from the fact that mysteriously the golden syrup had disappeared. I think the in-house 'Golden Syrup on White Bread sandwich monster' may have consumed the last measure from the can.  So I had to resort to my Plan B, breaking out my old faithful; The Edmonds Cookery Book ©. This book is a "must have" in every New Zealand household. Although I didn't have all the ingredients I had enough to make a half decent Belgium biscuit. Hallelujah!

Belgium biscuits are known for their mix of spices; ginger, cinnamon and mixed spice which when had with Kapiteas' Mystique Forest Black Fruit Tea is a great warming winter's morning tea. This tea has berry overtones which compliments this spice and fruit jam filled biscuit. With this tea I have become a black tea convert!!

The following recipe makes 18 larger sized biscuits when using a 6.5 cm biscuit cutter. To make a more dainty biscuit that is a great size for a high tea plate use the smaller 5 cm biscuit cutter which will make this mixture spread to make approximately 30 biscuits. 

Belgium Cookies - Jackie style:

125 grams butter                                                                         1 egg 
1/4 cup brown sugar                                                                   1 teaspoon Baking Powder
2 cups plain flour                                                                       1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger                                                          1 teaspoon mixed spice

Pre-heat oven to 180 C. 

Cream together the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add the egg and beat in well. Add the sifted flour, baking powder and spices and fold through well until it binds together to make a firm dough.

Place a dusting of flour on a board or bench and roll out the dough with a rolling pin until the dough is about 3-5 mm thick. Using a small biscuit cutter, cut out the biscuits and then place on a greased tray.

Bake for approximately 10-12 minutes until golden and firm, not hard to touch. Remove from oven and place on cooling rack to cool.

Icing :

2 Tablespoons butter                                                                 1 cup icing sugar
Water
A squeeze of lime or lemon juice  or a few drops of red food colouring
3 tablespoons of lemon or raspberry jelly crystals

Biscuit filling: 

Approximately 1/2 cup of raspberry jam

Melt butter in a bowl and add sifted icing sugar and juice to make the icing. Add a little hot water to thin the icing if it is too thick.

Ice the top of half of the biscuits. Sprinkle a large pinch of jelly crystals on the top of the icing.

On remaining biscuits spread a thin layer of raspberry jam on the base of the biscuit and place an iced cookie on top.

I enjoyed several of these biscuits with a hot cup of Kapiteas' Mystique Forest Black Fruit Tea.
This is a blend of premium full leaf black tea, raspberry pieces, cranberry pieces, pomegranate seeds, peony and natural flavours.

Brewing Instructions are:
Infuse one teaspoon of tea leaves to one cup of boiling water for 4 -5 minutes. Strain and enjoy.

Kapiteas: Is a tea and tea accessories retail shop, located on the outskirts of Paraparumu near Wellington. This is a delightful store with a large range of teas. It is well worth a visit with a very informative tea merchant/owner who originates from Singapore. Her enthusiasm about her product is not only about the taste of the teas she stocks but also about the healing and medicinal products these teas may have.

Our experience of tea tastings at this store was a delightful experience that certainly brought a smile to my day along, leaving for a few treats that I ended up purchasing. This experience encouraged me in my journey to try different teas and consequently soon lead to me begin this blog.  So go visit Kapiteas if you can and if you are unable to visit you can still check out Kapiteas full range on their website: www.kapiteas.co.nz

The Mystique Forest Black Fruit Tea product can be ordered online at: http://www.kapiteas.co.nz/#!product/prd1/3842432851/mystique-forest-black-fruit-tea 

Edmonds Cookery Book© : This cookbook can be found in New Zealand supermarkets and most book stores or can be ordered online from Amazon . Older versions can be purchased on www.trademe.co.nz.

Please Note: I have no vested interested in promoting any product mentioned in this blog. 

Tongan Pumpkin Cake

"The Friendly Islands "is the name Captain Cook gave to the island nation Tonga nearly 250 years ago, a title that still holds true. When visiting Tonga  I got to experience the 'Friendly People' first hand, their hospitality and generosity surpasses none.

Today I share the Tonga Pumpkin Cake recipe I got on my trip to Tonga in 1983. I still have it "hand-written" in my first ever personal recipe book.

In summer with a nice light cup of tea, add a dash of whipped cream with a slice of this cake for a sweet treat for morning or afternoon tea. In the winter this cake makes a warming dessert that you can have with custard.

To make it an even richer cake that is often  favoured in the cafe culture of New Zealand, I have added a maple and cinnamon icing decorated with dried tropical fruits, walnuts and pumpkin seeds.

TONGAN PUMPKIN CAKE

Ingredients:

3 eggs                                                                           1½ teaspoon nutmeg

¾ cup vegetable oil                                                         1½ teaspoon cinnamon

2 cups sugar                                                                   ½ teaspoon allspice

2 cups pumpkin pulp                                                        ½ teaspoon ground cloves

2 cups standard flour                                                       Optional: 1 cup raisins and/or ½ cup walnuts

1 ½ teaspoon baking powder                                            icing sugar to sprinkle

1 teaspoon salt                                                                   

Beat sugar, oil and eggs together until the mix goes pale yellow colour.  Mix in pumpkin pulp.

Sift together remaining dry ingredients and mix into the pumpkin mixture.

Finally add the raisins and walnuts.

Place into a high wall 20 cm round baking tray.  

Bake at 180 C for 1- 1 ½ hours until the skewer draws clean when checked. Let rest 10 minutes. 

Then remove from baking tray to cool. When cooled, sprinkle with icing sugar.

Alternatively, ice with a maple and cinnamon icing and decorated with walnuts and/or dried tropical fruit mix that includes pumpkin seeds.  YUM!!

Tongan Pumpkin Cake with Maple and Cinnamon Icing

The cake mixture can be cooked as muffins or cupcakes as shown below. This recipe makes approximately one dozen medium sized muffins. 

Tongan Pumpkin Cake Muffins

Maple and cinnamon icing

150 grams butter

2 cups icing sugar

½ cup brown sugar

4 tablespoons maple syrup

1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon

(add more or less maple syrup and cinnamon according to your taste).

Soften butter and mix in brown sugar, maple syrup and icing sugar and beat until the icing goes a pale brown colour.  Mix in the cinnamon. 

My Tips: 

Pumpkin pulp: I used butternut pumpkin, peeled and steamed, then mashed it. Crown pumpkin can also be used. Which ever pumpkin you use, go for something that is sweet and has a dense flesh. You don't want something that when cooked goes really mushy and watery. 

Vegetable oil: I use grape-seed oil as it is a light oil that takes on the flavours of the other ingredients of the recipe. Other light flavoured vegetable oils may be used. 

Tea in Tonga

I was never much of a tea drinker. My parents always drank tea but it was not a drink I naturally took up as I entered adulthood unlike many of my peers. I would mainly drink water, and on rare occasions Mum would splash out and buy some cordial like 'Thrifty®' or the overly sweet 'Raro®'. How I cringe at the thought of those overly sweetened and artificially coloured sachet drinks.

When I had tried tasting tea, I had found it extremely strong and unpleasant, and never liked the traditional milky brew of my British ancestors.

At the end of my secondary schooling I joined a summer work-camp of New Zealand students to the southern Tongan island of 'Eua. We painted the classrooms of the Horticultural College over a period of three weeks. In between we got to discover the  delights of 'Eua and Tongan lifestyle. The beaches, swimming around coral reef areas, climbing coconut trees, and the 'friendly people'.

Our meals were cooked by our Tongan hosts. Lots of taro, fish, green bananas in coconut milk and crusty  'homemade' bread shipped in from Nuku'alofa and the loveliest Tongan pumpkin cake for dessert.

Then there were the amazing Tongan feasts held for us after Sunday church where we were treated like Kings and Queens. The feasts were village affairs prepared by the community which in themselves were a testimony celebrating the approach of collective food contributions and collaborative village work that is needed to provide such a feast. Suckling pigs, fish and Tongan chop suey, the most tasty caramel coconut dumpling pudding called faikakai and watermelon based fruit salad were just a few of the feast delights. We quickly learnt not to leave our plate bare at the end of a meal.   Unlike 'palangi' (white) culture where you showed you enjoyed your meal by eating all that was served to you, leaving the plate bare, in Tonga meant you were still hungry. Consequently your hosts would try and put more food on your plate to ensure you got enough that fulfilled your appetite. Only by leaving food on your plate did it indicate you had eaten enough that you were full and could eat no more thus indicating to your hosts that they had done a great job satisfying your needs. 

Tongan Pumpkin Cake

During our time in Tonga for one weekend all the students were billeted out to stay with families in one of 'Eua's villages. We got to experience living with a Tongan family. 

As per tradition our meals were made by the family. My offers to help with any food preparation over the weekend, with a desire to learn the secrets of Tongan cooking, were kindly declined.  As a guest my meal was served separate to the family and away from where they would later eat. With each meal, Tongan tea was served. As a non-tea drinker, I suddenly had to learn to drink tea.  It would have been highly disrespectful to decline.  

Milk was not an ingredient that was readily available and most homes had no refrigeration. The best alternative was imported sweetened condensed milk and that was not cheap commodity. The tea was reminiscent of my prior tea tastings experiences. It was a dark brew of black tea similar to the tea brands that dominated the New Zealand supermarkets in the 80's. However this brew was far more palatable by the additive of condensed milk making it an intensely sweet and creamy hot drink.

On Sunday we all attended church dressed in traditional attire. Again after church there was a feast in our honour and then we went home and slept. As it was Sunday, there was no partying or kava drinking on the 'Sabbath day' so the village waited until after midnight and we all gathered at the local hall and Tongan danced into the wee hours while the men drank kava to one side. The experience was mind blowing for this teenager and the hospitality overwhelming. I loved it and I wanted to be Tongan! Returning to New Zealand was a bit of a cultural shock as I stepped off the plane in my Tongan clothing back into New Zealand westernized culture. 

Even though on my return to New Zealand I didn't take up drinking tea for many many years, the enduring hospitality of my Tongan hosts and the sweetness of that tea was reminiscent of my whole visit to Tonga. Tea in Tonga left an enduring essence of gratitude. Those who had very little gave up much to host this white teenager providing every comfort that I might need.  The strength, richness, sweetness and warmth of that tea could only symbolize the cultural richness and hospitality of the 'Friendly People' of Tonga and in particular the people of 'Eua. 

Tea and Toast

As a child Saturday and Sunday mornings were the days when Mum and Dad would sometimes have a bit of a lie in. I recall my father would get up to make a cup of tea for him and Mum. He would wonder back to the bedroom with two cups of tea sat on sauces with either a couple of pieces of buttered toast or a slice of fresh white buttered bread folded in half balancing on the side of the saucer.

This post is a homage to my father Alan Poole who has since passed away but imparted such a loving and enduring memory of his caring for my mother with 'tea and toast' on those weekends mornings. 

This memory laid the platform for my own journey in discovering tea and the foods that accompany tea.  I intend to explore an eclectic array of teas, different blends from around the world as well as within New Zealand. This will include fruit and herbal blends along with those teas made with our New Zealand native plants. 

So go make a cup of tea, sit back and relax. Sip and enjoy your delicious brew of tea wherever you are in the world.