Tuesday Tea— London Fog

Hello Lovelies,
I hope you all are well! I thought that I would share with you some London Fog.

No, not Fog in London, although the pictures I found whilst Googling the subject are rather pretty.
I’m talking about London Fog Tea (or an Earl Grey Tea Latte). The drink originated in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada although the creator of the drink remains a mystery. Fun Fact: The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's afternoon show Freestyle recently investigated the drink.
While the drink has been happily served in corner teashops—and Starbucks— since 2004, I just recently discovered the drink whilst flipping through an issue of Town & Country. As I am always up for trying something new—and being a tea addict—I decided to search up the recipe and give it a go.
First, let me give you the recipe. In the black font is the recipe I found via WikiBooks Cookbook. The red font is what I actually did.
Ingredients
16 oz of milk. (2% or whole) ½ Cup of 2% milk
1 shot of vanilla syrup per 16 oz of milk As I don’t keep this on hand, I made my own simple syrup by heating ¼ cup water, 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract, and 1 teaspoon of sugar on medium heat until the sugar dissolved
1 bag of Earl Grey tea Twinings Earl Grey is my preference
1/2 cup boiling water or as I call it: Put the kettle on
Instructions:
1. Brew a small amount of Earl Grey tea. Add about ½ cup of boiling water to a mug along with a bag of Earl Grey. The result is an Earl Grey tea concentrate. Let steep for 2-4 minutes to achieve optimum flavor. I like my tea strong, so I fixed the tea first and allowed it to steep whilst completing the entire recipe
2. Heat up milk. Access to a steamer is preferred. Another thing I don’t keep on hand—or have any desire to buy—so I heated my milk in the microwave for 15 seconds using a microwave safe container that had a tightly sealing lid—DO NOT PUT THE LID ON WHILST MICROWAVING—then I removed the container, put the lid on and shook it until foam appeared. I removed the lid, heated the milk for another 15 seconds, then shook it again until the foam doubled. Also, make sure the lid is tightly in place when you shake it or else you will be cleaning up milk from some really odd spots in the kitchen for a weeks
3. Add the vanilla syrup. (adjust according to taste) I added a teaspoon of vanilla syrup while the tea bag was steeping then added the milk and foam

After a week—or two, but really, who’s counting—of failed attempts, I finally succeeded. What did I learn about making this drink?
1. You really don’t need a milk steamer
2. You have to shake, shake, shake, shake your milk container…then shake some more.
3. If you like a strong cup of Earl Grey, add two teabags or use loose tea as the milk cuts down the strength of the tea.
4. I have never been overly fond of using sugar in my tea, so the sugar in the simple syrup was a bit much for me, even with the strength of the tea and the milk so I ended up cutting the amount f sugar way down.
5. Basically, when all is steeped and steamed, London Fog is just Creamy Earl Grey Tea, which you can find at a variety of shops that sell loose teas, with frothy milk.
Apparently, this trend has caught on as there are several other variations of this drink. Here is a list of a few other versions:
Winter Fog - A London Fog in which the amount of vanilla is reduced and clover honey is added to taste
Maui Fog - The same as London Fog, only substituting coconut for vanilla syrup
Cape Town Fog - The same as London Fog, only substituting Earl Gray with Rooibos Tea
Sweet Treat London Fog - a sweet, simple, tea-less version of a cold London Fog, which is best served in a punch bowl, consists of chilled ginger ale and copious amounts of either lime sherbet or orange sherbet. As the sherbet melts, it gives the drink a foggy appearance (In my family, this was just called punch)
Dublin Fog- The same as London Fog, only substituting Earl Grey with Irish Breakfast Tea
Fog on the Tyne - Variation on the London Fog. (Started in a Newcastle office when the Breakfast tea had ran out) a cup of hot milk, heaped spoonful of sugar, drop in an early grey tea bag and let it diffuse directly into the milk for 30-60 seconds.
Oxford Haze - substitute English Breakfast and Hazelnut syrup - first served at Shatterbox Coffee Bar in Victoria, BC in January 2013
Have you tried London Fog?
Best Wishes & Happy Sipping,

Dreaming of Darcy Post and Giveaway

It seems that Mr. Darcy is the perfect embodiment of the Romantic Hero.
What is it that makes Mr. Darcy a lasting literary icon? Could it be his transformation from snob to suitor? His dashing good looks? The fact that he owns a sizable estate in Derbyshire? His large fortune, (£10, 000 a year), that certainly turned Mrs. Bennet’s head.

While one cannot pinpoint the exact cause of his legendary status we do know that Fitzwilliam Darcy is the most recognized hero that Jane Austen created; he also happens to be the character most authors choose to write about, whether it is historical, contemporary, or something in-between. Many of us find ourselves fascinated by this figment of Miss Austen’s imagination and I will admit I am just as fascinated as the rest of you.

I have read so many spin-offs, add-on, and rewrites where Mr. Darcy is front and center. With books ranging from the paranormal, Mr. Darcy’s Bite by Mary Lydon Simonsen (Sourcebooks Landmark, October 2011), and Vampire Darcy’s Desire by Regina Jeffers (Ulysses Press, out now) to contemporary. Want to read about Darcy channeling his inner guitar god complete with skin-tight black leather pants? (Yes, Please!!!!) Then I know the perfect book for you, Fitzwilliam Darcy, Rock Star by Heather Lynn Rigaud (Sourcebooks Landmark, September 2011). It’s guaranteed to rock your world!

We have read about the “Trouble With Mr. Darcy” in Sharon Lathan’s fifth novel in her Darcy Saga. We have seen him take a wife (Mr. Darcy Takes a Wife by Mary Berdoll, A Wife for Mr. Darcy by Mary Simonsen). Kara Louise told us “Only Mr. Darcy Will Do”. Abigail Reynolds posed the question, “What Would Mr. Darcy Do?’ and PO Dixon tells us “What He Would Not Do”.

We have read about his passionate side (In the Arms of Mr. Darcy by Sharon Lathan) as well as his dark side (Mr. Darcy, Vampyre by Amanda Grange). We have learned his secrets of becoming a gentleman thanks to Maria Hamilton (Mr. Darcy and the Secrets of Becoming a Gentleman) while Susan Adriani brings “The Truth About Mr. Darcy” to light. We have shamelessly thumbed through his private diaries; admit it you know you have. Yet, we still yearn for more.

No matter how he is portrayed: paranormal, historic, or contemporary at his core he is still the same iconic literary figure that was created nearly two hundred years ago. Talk about staying power.

I find myself constantly asking people “Who is your Mr. Darcy?”. Some may say Colin Firth’s portrayal stole their breath away. While others, myself included, absolutely adored Matthew Macfadyen’s poignant portrayal. On a few occasions, to my surprise, people have told me that it was Elliot Cowan’s performance as Mr. Darcy in Lost In Austen that captured their Darcy.

No matter the outcome of the “Firth-Macfadyen’ debate, I believe that everyone, once they have read Pride & Prejudice, creates their own Mr. Darcy.

That leaves me one question: Who is your Mr. Darcy?

I would be remiss to go on blathering about these wonderful titles without offering you the chance to claim some of them as your own.

Dreaming of Darcy Giveaway Includes:



Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen (to see how it all began)
Mr. Darcy and the Secrets of Becoming a Gentleman by Maria Hamilton
Only Mr. Darcy Will Do by Kara Louise
A Wife for Mr. Darcy by Mary Simonsen
What Would Mr. Darcy Do? By Abigail Reynolds


1 Tin of Twinings of London Loose English Breakfast tea
1 Box of Twinings of London English Breakfast tea

1 Mrs. Darcy Mug

To enter please answer the question: Who is your Mr. Darcy?
Please leave your name & a valid email address.
Giveaway is open Internationally
Ends September 16th, 2011

Until We Meet Again,

Mr. Darcy’s Pemberley Pomegranate Scones

Over the weekend, I was planning to host a tea for a few close friends who also happen to be fellow Jane Austen Addicts. I wanted to come up a new scone recipe as I had grown tired of the normal ones and wanted something a bit different.

Unfortunately, I was stumped and seeing that the tea was only a few days away, I resigned myself to making my old tried-and-true Scottish Gingerbread Scones. So, with my scone dilemma remedied, I fixed me a cuppa tea in my Mrs. Darcy mug and set to rereading, “Two Become One”, the first book in Sharon Lathan’s Darcy Saga.

After reading the first few chapters, I started wondering what kind of scones Mr. Darcy would have ordered to be made. (I say ordered to be made because I just do not see Fitzwilliam Darcy rummaging around in the kitchens whisk in hand wearing a Regency-style “Kiss the Cook” apron.) Thus, Mr. Darcy’s Pemberley Pomegranate Scones were born! I am fairly sure that Lady Catherine would be highly envious of the delicious delights!

Of course, if you are having Darcy-inspired scones, you will have to have a tea worthy of the owner of Pemberley thus I recommend Twinings of London’s Darjeeling Tea. Known as the “Champagne of Teas”, it is described as a ‘delicate Indian tea with a unique character that is liked to the Muscatel grape’. I believe that Mr. Darcy would approve.

I hope you enjoy the scones & tea!

Mr. Darcy’s Pemberley Pomegranate Scones

Preheat oven to 425 F.
Ingredients:

2 Cups of Self-Rising Flour*
1 ¼ teaspoons of Baking Powder
1 ½ Sticks of Butter, cold cut into chunks
⅓ Cup of Sugar
2 Large Eggs
½ Cup Milk
½ Cup of Dried Pomegranates
½ Teaspoon of Nutmeg
¼ Teaspoon of Cloves
1 Teaspoon of Cinnamon


*If you do not have self-rising flour you can make your own.
-For every 1 cup of Flour add 1 ½ teaspoons of Baking Powder and a pinch of salt.

Sift together Flour and Baking Powder in a large mixing bowl.
Add in Sugar and chunks of Butter. (Cold butter will mix better).

Cut in butter with a pastry blender until mixture resembles bread crumbs.




In a separate bowl, add two large eggs and milk.


Whisk together until frothy.






Pour Egg-Milk mixture into the Flour mixture.
Stir together with a wooden spoon until the mixture is slightly blended.






Place mixture upon a floured surface and kneed, about 1-2 minutes, until it resembles dough. DO NOT OVER KNEED, this will make the dough tough.





Place your dough into a clean mixing bowl.
Add in dried Pomegranates, nutmeg, cloves, and cinnamon.





Mix together with hands.
Place on floured surface, kneed 2-3 times to ensure Pomegranates are evenly blended.



Roll dough out to ½ an inch in thickness and cut with a medium sized biscuit cutter.






(If you prefer wedges, roll dough into an 9 inch circle (½ an inch in thickness), and cut into 6-8 wedges.)
Place on ungreased baking sheet for 15 minutes at 425 degrees.
Remove and place on a wire cooling rack then either serve or store.*



*If you are planning on serving these fresh from the oven brush tops with milk and sprinkle with sugar before placing them into the oven.

*If you are planning to store, make sure that they are cooled completely before placing in an airtight container.

Until We Meet Again,