October 22, 2015
By Connor Lofink In October, the leaves have turned from their summer green to the bright reds, oranges, and yellows of autumn. The air is crisp and it’s finally apple season. Every morning seems to start with a rake’s rhythmic scraping or the deafening whir of a leaf blower. Warm summer mornings are still fresh in your memory as you bundle up to brave the suddenly brisk dawns of Fall. By Halloween night, many trees have dropped their leaves and their gnarled limbs reach into the sky like boney fingers, ready to pluck a flying witch from her broomstick. The wind howls through the branches, twisting the trunks until they creak and groan like a ghoul. The spooky signs of the season are everywhere as people decorate their […]
October 19, 2015
Simpson & Vail is unveiling a new line of tea tins that we’ve been working on for months. The Literary Tea Line is a collection of blends that were created with a specific author in mind. The teas vary from a black tea blend to a flavored herbal blend and each is inspired by the authors’ works and lives. The Literary Tea Line is inspired by William Shakespeare, Walt Whitman, Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Jane Austen, the Bronte sisters, Emily Dickinson, James Joyce, Beatrix Potter, Lewis Carroll, and Charles Dickens. A warm mug of tea and a good book go together like, well, a warm cup of tea and a good book. Keep warm in any armchair with occasional sips of tea while letting the words of brilliant writers wash over […]
October 13, 2015
Now that the heat of Summer has fled turn up your oven and enjoy these recipes using “Fall” teas. There’s nothing like a hot cup of tea and a tasty treat to keep you cozy inside when it’s chilly outside! Chai Pumpkin Bread Enjoy teatime with the Fall tastes of pumpkin and spices. Delicious! 1 cup canola oil 2 2/3 cup white sugar 4 eggs 15oz can pumpkin puree 2/3 cup water 2 tsp Chai Black Tea (You can also use Herbal Chai Masala blend or any of our spiced teas) 3 1/3 cup all-purpose flour ½ tsp baking powder 2 tsp. baking soda 1 ½ tsp salt 1 tsp nutmeg 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 cup chopped walnuts 1 ½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips Preheat oven to […]
October 12, 2015
Great tastes of Fall – These Apple Pie Chai Tea Scones will surely please your guests! Ingredients: 10 Tbsp butter 2 Tbsp Apple Pie Chai Herbal Tisane 2 cups all purpose flour 1 cup White Whole Wheat Flour 1 Tbsp baking powder 1/2 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp salt 1 cup chopped apples 4 Tbsp sugar ½ cup vanilla yogurt ½ cup milk Drizzle: ½ cup confectioner’s sugar 1 Tbsp cream (or half and half) ½ tsp cinnamon Directions: In a small saucepan melt the butter. When melted add the tea, cover, and steep 10 minutes. Strain out the tea into a measuring glass to equal ½ cup of tea infused butter. Freeze. Preheat the oven to 500°F and lightly grease a baking sheet. Blend the flours, soda, […]
September 28, 2015
Summer’s not over yet! Here are a couple of summer cocktails recipes to help you enjoy the last days of summer! Don’t let the name fool you, this tea/ summer cocktails can be enjoyed anytime of the year! The tea brews to a dark amber cup with a smooth, refreshing, light peach taste and subtle Earl Grey undertones. Infused Vodka: Put 1 Tbsp of Summertime Earl Grey Tea in an 8oz jar and cover with vodka. Set aside for 5 days to infuse then strain out the tea. Cocktail: 1oz Summertime Earl Grey Vodka 5oz Tonic Orange twist or wedge Fill a glass with ice then add the vodka and tonic. Garnish with an orange twist or wedge. The orange flavor really complements the bergamot! There’s not a […]
September 21, 2015
by Connor Lofink Simpson & Vail offers over 350 varieties of teas and tisanes and many of those are blends. Each tea blend had to be invented by someone and most of our flavored ones come from the wonderfully creative mind of Cyndi Harron. Ideas for new blends can come from anywhere. She might be struck with sudden inspiration or she might have to build an idea from scratch. The latter was the case with our new Valentine’s Day blend. This holiday is usually associated with creamy, decadent chocolate and rich, red fruits so when a customer emailed looking for a fruity chocolate tea, Cyndi went to work creating one. “When I first made the Valentine’s Day blend I was torn between rose and fruit,” Cyndi told me. […]
July 16, 2015
by Connor Lofink When Benjamin Ginsberg traveled from Moscow to the Cape of South Africa in 1903 with plans to make his fortune in the tea trade with his father, he was quickly introduced to what the Dutch settlers called “bush tea.” It was a brew made from the leaves of the Rooibos plant that grew in the nearby scrublands. The Dutch settlers had enjoyed this not-quite-tea for over a hundred years before Ginsberg’s arrival, but its popularity outside of the South African settlements was limited. Ginsberg recognized that an herbal beverage like Rooibos, which the locals assured him had medicinal properties as well, offered an appealing alternative to the Chinese and Indian black teas that people were used to. Those black teas were a rare treat down […]
July 2, 2015
The chocolate, cinnamon and hazelnut tastes in this herbal tisane make it the perfect ingredient to use in baking and especially in this coffeecake recipe. Delicious!
June 18, 2015
by Connor Lofink A heat wave burned across the midwest on the morning when the India Tea Commissioner Richard Blechynden and his staffers set up the East Indian Pavilion for the 1904 Louisiana Purchase Exposition. Blechynden hoped that free cups of tea would convince people more familiar with the Chinese variety that his Indian tea had potential. But when the fair got underway, the temperatures did not subside. Instead, they rose and rose as more and more people gathered to see exhibits from 62 different countries. Women wandered the fair in full-length dresses and wore wide-brimmed hats to protect them from the sun while the men wore three-piece suits. The fashion of the day meant that everyone was suffering from the high temperatures. 20 million people visited the […]
June 2, 2015
Moringa (moringa oleifera) is a highly nutritious plant where all parts have beneficial properties (the leaves, the seeds, flowers, young tender pods, immature seeds and the roots). This plant is rapidly becoming a staple in countries that have poor soil and growing climates. It is rich in vitamins and minerals and high in protein. Moringa brews to an amber cup with dark green leaves and an interesting steamed spinach-like taste. Moringa is also delicious and nutritious when ground and added to different recipes. Here are 2 below. Moringa Dill Hummus 2 ½ cups chickpeas, rinsed and drained ¼ cup tahini 2 Tbsp olive oil 1/3 cup lemon juice 2 cloves garlic ½ tsp salt 2 tsp Moringa leaves, ground 1 tsp dry dill leaf Place all ingredients except […]