Tea Bar

Need new idea for your next afternoon get together? Create a tea bar.

Offer a variety of teas. I like to offer 6. I start with a simple black tea, green tea, and 4 wonderful herbal teas such as jasmine, spearmint, peach paradise, and very berry. Find a variety you are comfortable with or even create a theme. This allows guests to mix and match teas if they choose. Place each tea in an individual small bowl with a teaspoon. Keep a teapot with hot water available. I like to use the I-pots from Teaporia. These can be placed in the microwave allowing me to reheat the water if needed.I also have ice ready to go for any guest wishing to have iced tea instead hot tea. Offer a variety of condiments for tea such as simple syrup, candied lemon or orange peel, mint leaves, and cream.

Candied Lemon and Orange Peel:

2 lemons

1 large orange or 2 small oranges

2 cup simple syrup (recipe below)

Using a vegetable peeler cut the colored flesh part of the lemons and oranges from the stem end down to the navel end, forming long 3/4 to 1-inch strips. Bring a heavy small saucepan of water to a boil. Add the peels and cook for 1 minute. Drain and then rinse the peels under cold water. Repeat cooking the peels, 2 more times, in the saucepan with fresh boiling water and rinsing under cold water.

In the same pan combine the peels with 1 cup of simple syrup. Simmer over medium-low heat until the peels are soft, about 15 minutes. Using tongs, transfer the peels to parchment paper to dry slightly, about 1 hour. 

You can prepare the peels separately.

Simple Syrup:

1/2 cup water

1 cup sugar

In a saucepan combine water and sugar over medium heat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes, until the sugar has dissolved. Take pan off heat and cool the syrup. Any extra cooled syrup can be saved in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

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Olivia Vidal
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Teaporia by Tea Time with Liv