jsmeeker

Is there a reason you use specific pots for specific teas? (i.e. using red clay pots for oolongs) My one and only pot I have right now is stainless steel. I bought it cause it looked cool. Not sure if it's the best material for a tea pot. It's much larger in capacity than it looked sitting on the shelf at World Market. It holds a bit more than 3 1/2 cups (8 ounce cups). There is a fine mesh strainer/infuser basket. But it doesn't go very far down into the basket, making the pot not too practical for brewing a small amount of tea using the basket. I think I need some really small pots (maybe just one) to make a cup at a time when sampling new teas. Brewing it loose in one mug, then pouring into another with the pot's strainer basket in the cup is a bit cumbersome and also a little messy. I'm a big fan of the look of the BeeHouse pots. I'm really thinking of getting one now. A 2 cup size might be just the trick. Or maybe, something a bit more simple and less expensive just for making a simple cup? I dunno.

I am starting the crescent rolls tonight. The recipe suggests that they can be made up to four days in advance prior to baking. They even say they get better the longer in advance you make them. So, tonight, I basically mix up the dough. Let it rise at room temp for a few hours, punch it down, form it into a rough rectange, put it on a sheet pan, cover it, and place it in the fridge. Tomorrow, I roll it out, cut the triangle pieces, roll and shape the rolls, place on a sheet pan, and back in the fridge. They stay there till Thursday morning. Pull out the pan. Let them proof at room temp, then bake. This is going to work out great. I have time to mix up dough tonight. I may need to stay up kinda late until it finishes it's initial proof, but that's OK. It doesn't involve much active work. Shaping tuesday works too because I am going out to dinner Wednesday night and I won't have time to do a lot of work in the kitchen Wednesday night. I'll try to remember to take pictures.

What kinds of tea pots or other brewing devices are people using to brew their tea? I see all sorts of pots out there. They are made of ceramic, china, glass, cast iron, stainless steel, and other materials. Some are big, some are tiny. There pots that look like they would be used in a proper high tea by a Brit and pots that are straight out of Japan and China. Are some materials better than others? If you use two pots for tea (one to steep/brew, one to serve), do you a certain type for each task? What about alternative devices? I've seen the type with a filter at a bottom that has a valve that opens up when you put it on top of a cup. I know some people here use those. What do you when you want just a single cup? Brew in the cup, or use a really tiny teapot that holds just enough for one? Tell us what you use. Tell us what you used to use and moved away from. Was there a reason bhind the swtich?

What struck me most about the teas at Teavana was the large number of flavored teas. I didn't count up the number of teas available at Teavana (there were a lot more than a dozen) and TCC, but if I had to guess, Teavana's percentage of various flavored teas is much higher than TCC. Not that those are bad, per se, but I guess that is what they want to emphasise. Still, I suppose it's nice to see a dedicated tea place. Better than drinking a Liption tea bag, right? . Interesting comments about the cast iron pots, Richard. I really don't like 'em cause they are just too darned heavy! But I have seen them recommended by others. But that's a discussion for another topic.

Richard, I went to the Galleria location of Teavana this afternoon. I asked about teas for iced tea and the clerk brought down all manner of teas. They happily sold me two ounces of a peach apricot ginger flavored black tea. I paid $4.50 and was on my way. They also have an impressive (to me, at least) selection of tea pots, especially if you like the cast iron ones. Teavana IS convenient to me even if it's inside a mall and a "hike" from the car since the mall itself is very close to home. Once I settle on a type or two I want to drink regularly, I could see my self buying it from there 4 -6 ounces at a time. (especially if I am buying tea to make iced tea, since I brew it double strength and pour on ice and drink a lot of it at a time) I'm a *bit* surprised that there isn't at least one or two more specialty shops similar to CC where they sell tea in addition to coffee. I would think that a quality tea service in a casual "hip" urban setting might work someplace in Big D.

Light blockage is important to, isn't it? I think if I didn't need to worry about that, I would be all set. And yes, I'll probably be drinking mostly the durable black teas. At least, that's what I'll drink regularly and buy more of at a time. When I want something different, I can get it in the small opaque zip top bags, then store them "as is" or in a more simple container just to keep them together. Doesn't look like this needs to be too complicated. Thanks for the link to the small tins, though. From your pics above, it was hard for me to judge the scale/size of the tins.

Explosion of food on television. It started with PBS long ago. Then, they made a whole cable network that got more and more popular. Now you see it bleed over into reality shows on other networks (Top Chef, for example)

Thanks. I read through the above topic some and it seems that you keep some of your teas in the bags and just store the bags in containers. That can certainly work, though it's a little cumbersome to dig tea out the bag. I was thinking some short tin would be a lot easier. That's what led to my quest for a "proper" container. Is it best NOT to store the tea just loose in some sort of tin or other container? I know there are variations based on tea types. I can't tell if the reason the tins are only OK because they let in too much air or not enough.

drinking iced tea right now. Made it with a ginger peach apricot flavored black tea from Teavana. Makes for a nice iced tea, I think.

the label on the bag says 2nd flush. and I'm sure you are right about needing to experiment. That's why I bought several types and am trying to brew just a cup of each at a time to see how I like it (though with an ounce of each, I'll get many cups out of my purchase)

I plan on making the some crescent rolls from Cook's Illustrated "Baking Illustrated" book.

Jeff, this may be a dumb question, but I'll ask it anyway... You live in Dallas, you've got local Mexican markets at which you can shop and source Mexican products. Don't any of those markets have a tortillaria inside or in some way affiliated with the market? Many tortilliarias will produce both masa preparada (for tortillias and other general use) and masa para tamales. If your markets does have a tortilliaria wouldn't it be easier just to purchase the masa para tamales when needed rather than having multiple bags of Maseca for multiple uses sitting on a shelf? With purchased masa para tamales you would still need to beat in the lard/fat and process it to the correct degree of pliability for tamales before proceeding. As I understand it, for masa para tamales the grind on the corn is not as fine as it would be for masa preparada, giving it a different finished texture and somewhat different flavor profile than regular masa preparada. ← Yes, some of the local stores make corn tortillas. I've even gone to a local tortilla factory to buy tortillas (thought I think it was really an outpost, and they weren't made their). I figure if they are just using Maseca, there isn't much advantage to driving over and getting it, then driving home and using it. If they did use true fresh ground masa, I would be more inclined to go out of my way a bit to get it. and try to figure out what to ask for (my Spanish is virtually non existent save a few words related to food) Still, though, having Maseca on hand is convenient. I haven't done it just yet, but I need to get a tortilla press so I can crank out a few tortillas instead of buying them off the shelf in a local grocery store, only to use half the bag (or less). But from other posts, it sounds like there may not be much of a need for both types if there really isn't much a difference.

Where are DFW area members going to buy their tea? I'm looking for actual "brick and mortar" stores/shops. There is the well known and regarded The Cultured Cup in Preston Center. There are also the Teavana locations in the Galleria and Northpark malls. Are there any other dedicated tea stores or small shops that specialize in tea? For larger stores, the Central Market stores have a better selection that a typical store. More pre-packaged loose teas, bulk loose teas, and of course lots and lots of stuff in tea bags. I haven't checked out the selection at Whole Foods locations just yet. What are they like? If you like the Asian teas, which asian markets do you go to? Are there specialty asian tea shops out there? Where are you buying your tea locally when you aren't ordering it via mail?

I have a tea storage dilemma. Not too long ago, the only tea I had in the pantry was a box of Luzianne tea bags I use to make iced tea. Then, last weekend, I bought a little tin of loose tea at the grocery store. This morning, I awoke to a pantry with 4 more teas in it. Now, there is yet another in there. I have small amounts of 5 loose teas now. The four that I picked up yesterday are in opaque zip top bags. The one I picked up not long ago (Peach Apricot Ginger black tea) to make iced tea was sold to me in a simple paper back with a fold over top (like you get coffee beans in). When I was at the tea store (Teavana), I wanted some small tins. I had seen some at their website. They DID have small tin, but they had nice fancy designs and were $13 a piece. Sine I had four different teas to already at home, I didn't want to spend that much. They had larger tins for much less. But they were much to large (tall) to hold the one ounce samples I have. So, I am not sure what to do. How long can I store my teas in the opaque zip top bags? What about the stuff in the paper bag? I understand that light tight is important no matter what. Air tight seems to be good too for most teas as well. I need something. Small containers. Cheap, too. This is important if I am going to go through a phase where I have very small amounts of several teas.. Also, what can I do in the interim?

thanks. I did use a timer. After the measuring spoon, the only precise measuring I did. I see that I forgot to put in my steeping times in my previous post. For both teas, I steeped for 4 minutes. The nice thing about the teas from CC is they print out a little sticker that suggests tea to water ratio, water temp, and steeping time. I'll add that these leaves sure do open up a lot when they steep. The leaves for the French Breakfast were larger than the Ceylon Sultane when dry. But even the Ceylon opened up dramatically. More than I expected with my experience with the Twinnings. I need to compare a few more "grocery store" brands. But in this case, what I can pick up from Central Market as opposed to Tom Thumb. I was in the Dallas store again yesterday, and they seem to have a better selection than Plano. Or maybe it's just organized better in Dallas? What other local tea shops are there? I know of the Teavana stores in the Galleria and Northpark. Actually thinking of heading to Galleria in a bit. Are there any other shops that are dedicated to tea or have a lot of tea, like CC?

Thanks for letting me know two hours is a good rule of thumb. In the class, I think they mentioned a time to shoot for, but I can't recall what it was and it doesn't seem to be written in our information/recipe packets. I did a quick search on-line for a time, and that's where I got the 60 to 90 minutes figure. So, when it got to 90 minutes and the masa still wasn't setup, I was getting worried. But at least they did show us how to check for doneness.

Jeff, we may be able to help with this if you can tell us exactly how many ou/ml of water you are using at what temp for how many minutes. All those factors make a significant difference. Also are you using a regular teaspoon or a measuring teaspoon? If you have a scale that will measure to a tenth of a gram that would help, but is not necessary. ← I am using a measuring spoon. I just dip into the bag (I need some small tins or something to transfer the tea to) and measure out like I would any dried herb or spice. I used one measured out teaspoon each time. I didn't measure the water when I made it. I simply filled the mug, thinking it was pretty much 1 cup ( 8 ounces) But just now, I went and measured what the mug held. About 9 ounces. So, I guess I did 1 teaspoon to 9 ounces. Probably not exactly an optimum ratio. I do have a scale, but it won't weigh in down to the gram, let alone a tenth. I didn't temp the water (though I do have quick read thermometers). It was at a good rolling boil. The kettle was really whistling away when I took it off heat. I DID brew directly in a mug. So, there was no lid. I did pre-heat the mug. I do have something to add about the Ceylon Sultane. I enjoyed it more as it cooled slightly. I think when it was really really hot, I could only take tiny sips. But when I could drink larger amounts, I was able to get more of it onto my tongue. I know cold kills taste buds, but it seems really really hot does as well.

OK.. It's a new day and it's the morning, so it's my chance to try some of the teas I bought yesterday. First up is the French Breakfast tea. 1 tsp. into a mug. Boiling water. Steep for 4 minutes. pour into another mug with my little infuser basket from my pot to strain. Nothing added. This was pretty good. But not as bold as the supermarket English Breakfast tea I have. I think the most notable thing about this French Breakfast is that I picked up a sweet chocolate scent in it. That was nice. Overall, it seemed very "smooth" Second up is a Ceylon Sultane. 1 tsp. into a mug. Boiling water. Steep for 4 minutes. pour into another mug with my little infuser basket from my pot to strain. Nothing added. Tastes like tea. I dunno how else to describe it. Nothing really remarkable about this, I don't think. I don't mean that in a bad way, rather it just tastes like the way I expect a tea to taste. But I can't really pick out anything that says "this is so much better than what I have had before" But it's still early in the game. I suppose it could take some time and a lot of tastings to appreciate a real quality tea. Brewing one cup at a time using two cups is a bit cumbersome. I may need a better method, but I am not sure how often I'll really be drinking like this long term.

That's pretty much the price I have always been paying for it at Goody Goody in Addison. Picked up a bottle of it for about that price (maybe $1 more??) a few weekends ago. I don't think I've ever paid more than $20 for it.

Hmm.. Interesting. When I saw the Rick Bayless show on tamales, he said to be sure to use the "para tamales" version. But if there is no real difference, it sure would be easier to stock just one type at home.

This morning, I took a tamale class at the cooking school in a local grocery store here in Dall Much has been said about the effort involved in making tamales. Now that I have direct, hands on experience, I know what is involved. As far as the masa dough goes, I think using Maseca masa harina is OK. Not having a side by side comparison between ones made with those and ones made with real fresh ground masa, I can't know the exact difference, but I can say that the Maseca masa harina versions can still be very tasty. And a tasty tamale is better than no tamale that isn't made because you can't get your hands on the fresh ground stuff. So, with that out of the way.. Here us my take on what I think are the four main steps in making tamales. Making masa dough. Making the filling. Assembling the tamales. Steaming the tamales. Masa dough. This isn't so tough. A good stand mixer helps. But the process is simple for anyone who bakes regularly and works with doughs and batters and what not. Masa harinia. some sort of liquid (stock, broth, etc). fat. In our case, the instructor basically had a batch going as I guess it takes some time to beat it all together. The process was to rehydrate the Mesaca with hot chicken stock. That was set aside. Then, she put the lard in another work bowl and started to beat it. The lard used was the standard stuff you can find on the shelf of a grocery store. Not fresh rendered lard. Anyway, that was beaten for some time to get air into it. Then the reserved rehydrated masa was added in. Done. So, there may be varying techniques (I saw Rick Bayless add lard to dough), but it's really not very difficult. Filling. This can be easy, too. And can be done in advance. We didn't see it, but the pork filling was made by simmer pork shoulder in water with seasoning. Cook it. shred it. set aside. We then made sauce with dried ancho peppers. That's easy. Combine sauce with meat. Set aside. Done. Again, can be done in advance. The chicken filling was already cooked chicken (use leftovers or buy a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store) and combine with a simply made green sauce. Even easier. So, the two components IN the tamales are done. And they aren't hard to do. But now comes the fun part. Assembly: This is where the bulk of the real work is. Rough side vs. smooth side of corn husk? They usually seem the same to me. some are thin. Some are thick. The right size husk is important too. Now, here is the tricky part. Getting the masa on there. Not too much. But it's a pain to spread just right. how close to the side? All the way or leave a border? How much of a border on the top (pointy end) and bottom (wide end). I'd love to hear a detailed discussion about this. Once the masa dough is on, the filling goes in. this is not too hard. But don't but too much. Might be hard to fold. or roll? Which way? Steaming: After slaving away assembling, it's time to steam. Do us a "special" pot or do you jurry rig something? In the class, they used a special pot. It was tall, and had a little indentation towards the bottom. This accepted a flat plate with holes in it. This suspended it a few inches above the bottom of the pot, allowing for a lot of water to be placed in the pot. loading in the tamales seemed tricky just to keep them upright. At home, I had to steam some of the ones made in class. I tried to rig up something with a disposable pie plate and my "large" stainless dutch oven. But with the inverted pie pan in there, the tamales wouldn't stand up with a lid on. Plus, I only had four.. So, really, there was no way to prop them up. The class actually steamed a bunch in advance, but did them flat in steamer pans for their commercial steamers. What I rigged up at home worked. Sorta. I am not sure exactly why, but they took almost two hours to steam. and even them, some didn't seem "done". Maybe they "stewed" in their own juice cause they didn't drain away? I dunno. If I make these at home, I suppose I could use my large 20 quart stockpot and rig up a steamer for that.. really, it seems you want a flat platform that is the diamer of the pot. and the pot should be tall enough so the tamales can stand on end. This was an interesting class. I'm glad I got some hands on experience with this.Now, I have to decide if I want to attempt this at home. I can tackle the masa dough and fillings without issue. Nothing about that is really unusual or difficult for me. But the rest? I can certainly see how you need helpers. And of course, by kitchen is small. Not much space for helpers. I would have to drag the components to some other place. Which is doable. If I can convince someone to host it. So, tell me more about your techniques for assembling and steaming the tamales. What does everyone do?

Not in the mood to drink any of my new teas right now. I think the only thing to ease the pain is a cocktail. Tomorrow morning, I think I will try my French breakfast tea.

I find that so disheartening... I had intended to seek out real fresh masa here in Oklahoma, but from what I hear there is basically no such thing anymore. Tortillas made from masa harina are better than nothing, but I hear that tamales are much better made with fresh masa. ← I agree with you, it is disheartening. Here in Morelia, Michoacán, there are two or three tortillerías where actual nixtamal-ized corn is still used and masa is still ground (albeit by machine, not on a metate), but most everybody uses Maseca. You're so right about masa para tamales. The Maseca dried stuff makes a poor substitute for real masa. Time marches on, though. As I often say, not all change is progress. ← Do you mean the maseca masa harina "para tamales" isn't any better then standard maseca masa harina? Or you simply saying that even the "para tamales" version still falls far short of real fresh masa? (which I have no doubt) I just got back from a cooking class for making tamales. we used normal maseca. I asked about the "para tamales" type. Instructor said there was just the one kind of maseca (which I know isn't true). we did use lard, but it wasn't fresh rendered lard. It was the kind they sell in the box that sits on the shelf with Crisco. All that said, they were still pretty good. When I make my own, I'll try the maseca "para tamales", plus I'll get fresh lard from the local Fiesta Mart.

How about a peach flavored tea? I always like drinking peach flavored iced tea in bottles, even if it's Snapple. I've been drinking the Tazo bottled stuff at work since it's sold in the cafeteria. Anything decent I can buy and brew at home (I guess for iced tea).

Since I am not drinking any right now, I'll post here about what I bought today at The Cultured Cup Ceylon Sultane French Breakfast Darjeeling Castleton Oolong, Blue Spring I bought an ounce of each. I was assisted by a young employee. High school aged. He was helpful and enthusiastic. I pretty much asked for a recommendation of a few black teas, plus an Oolong. This is what he came up. I bought an ounce of each. I haven't really inspected these teas closely yet, but just from what I saw when I was looking at it in the large tins/jars at the store, I could clearly see that the the leaves for the black teas were much larger than what is in in the tin of Twinnings tea I bought. And the Oolong? Well, that didn't look like any tea I have ever seen before. It's like little pebbles. Really looking forward to trying it. Once I start drinking these, I'll report back in the "what are you drinking" thread.