Planning the Perfect Mother’s Day Tea
With Mother’s Day coming up on Sunday, May 12, 2013, many of us are scrambling with last-minute celebrations. If a Mother’s Day tea is in your future, you’ll be glad to hear that we’ve got you covered. We recently connected with Julie Veres, Vancouver mom and co-owner of Soko Tea House in Port Moody’s Newport Village. Julie is a tea sommelier, so when it comes to tea, she really knows her stuff.
Brewing the Perfect Cuppa
We asked Julie how important it is to brew tea correctly. She said, “It is important, but that being said, tea is a very, very simple beverage. I find a lot of people are intimidated, they’re not sure how to make it. But all there is to it is a leaf, and hot water, and then a brewing vessel.” So when you’re preparing your tea this Mother’s Day, jump in!
As for which tea to serve, Julie had some thoughts to share on that subject, too. “I think the traditional Mother’s Day meal, with the sandwiches and scones is really, really good. And I think that the classic tea that goes well with that is definitely a darjeeling black tea. Darjeeling is called the champagne of black teas. It’s a really high-quality tea. It’s pretty versatile. It will go with sweet and savoury foods, so that’s a good tea to serve with a Mother’s Day brunch.”
Kick Things Up a Notch
If you want to kick things up a notch, Julie had another suggestion. “Do a cold brew of a white tea such as silver needle or white peony. Put the regular amount of tea per cup as you would for hot tea, and just add cold water on top of the leaves. Put that in the fridge overnight. In the morning serve it in champagne glasses with your Mother’s Day brunch. The cold brew really releases all the subtle and delicate flavours of the white tea. It looks really, really fancy, but it’s so simple to achieve.”
If you want more great suggestions for pairing tea and food, check out Soko Tea House online or on Facebook. Julie also offers workshops most Sunday mornings to help you learn all about preparing and drinking tea, and pairing it with food.
What’s Mother’s Day Tea Without Scones?
And of course, what would tea be without scones? Our friends at Loblaw Companies passed along this winner from Tom Filippou, Executive Chef at President’s Choice Cooking School:
[box style=”rounded”]Cheddar Scones with Cherry Shiraz Jelly
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
6 tbsp cold unsalted butter
2 eggs
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1-2/3 cups shredded old white Cheddar
1/3 cup PC Black Label Cherry Shiraz Wine Jelly
Preheat oven to 400°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
In stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat flour, baking powder, salt and butter on medium speed until coarse crumb consistency. In small bowl, whisk together eggs and cream. Add to flour mixture; beat just until incorporated. Add Cheddar; beat until almost combined. Scrape mixture onto floured work surface. Knead once or twice. Pat dough to 1-3/4 inch thick square. Using sharp knife, cut into 16 squares, cutting dough 4 x 4. Place on prepared baking sheet about 1 inch apart.
Bake in centre of oven for 14 to 18 minutes or until puffed and golden. Serve warm with Cherry Shiraz Wine Jelly.
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Happy Mother’s Day!
