Bill's Back from Sri Lanka!

Little did he know he was spending two weeks in the #1 travel destination according to this New York Times list. Read about his trip and view some photos in our on line newsletter.

Former NYTimes Critic, William Grimes: Tea Drinker!

Last month, Grub Street asked former New York Times food critic, William Grimes, to describe his eating habits for a week. In his food diary, he explains that he prefers tea over coffee, (fantastic!) but that he makes his own English Breakfast blend out of someone else's black teas (ouch!) Surely, our English Breakfast blend would change his mind...

You can read his entire "New York Diet" diary here.

It's Not Just for Drinking...

This recipe (courtesy of Gourmet) produces delicious Parisian macarons lightly flavored with Earl Grey tea. For a stronger flavor, try using our Earl Grey Double Bergamot and brew yourself a cup to dip your macarons in.

CHOCOLATE EARL GREY MACARONS

MAKES 2 1/2 DOZEN SANDWICH COOKIES

ACTIVE TIME:1 HR

START TO FINISH:4 1/2 HR

Ingredients:

• 3 oz almond flour (2/3 cup) or blanched sliced almonds (3/4 cup) or slivered almonds (2/3 cup)
• 1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
• 3 tablespoons Dutch-process cocoa (preferably Valrhona)
• 3 large egg whites, at room temperature 30 minutes
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon Earl Grey tea (from 1 tea bag)
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 3 oz fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (60 to 64% cacao if marked), finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 
  

MAKE MACARON BATTER:

• Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Grind almond flour or almonds with confectioners sugar and cocoa powder in food processor until powdery, 30 seconds for almond flour, about 2 minutes for almonds. (If using grinder, grind in small batches.) Sift through a medium-mesh sieve into a bowl (if not fine enough for almost all of nuts to go through sieve, regrind). Sift again into a large bowl.
• Beat egg whites with salt in a bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until they just hold soft peaks. Beat in granulated sugar, a little at a time. Increase speed to high and beat until meringue holds stiff, glossy peaks, about 1 minute. Fold meringue into almond mixture with a rubber spatula until completely incorporated. (Meringue will deflate and batter will be loose.)
• Grind tea to a fine powder in grinder.

PIPE AND BAKE MACARONS:

• Put small dabs of batter under corners of parchment to secure to baking sheets.
• Spoon half of batter into pastry bag. Holding bag vertically just above baking sheet, pipe 1 1/2-inch-wide mounds of batter about 1 inch apart, stopping pressure and flicking tip sideways to avoid peaks (tamp down any peaks with a wet finger). Refill pastry bag and repeat. Sprinkle tops with about 1/4 tsp tea powder (reserve remainder). Let macarons stand, uncovered, at room temperature until a light crust forms, 20 to 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, preheat oven to 300°F with racks in upper and lower thirds.
• Bake macarons, switching position of sheets halfway through, until crisp and interior does not give easily when a macaron is gently pressed, 22 to 28 minutes total. Cool completely on baking sheets (for residual heat to harden bottoms) on racks, about 30 minutes. Loosen macarons from parchment with offset spatula (they will be fragile).
• Meanwhile, bring cream and remaining 3/4 tsp tea powder to a simmer in a small heavy saucepan. Remove from heat and stir in chocolate and butter until smooth. Chill, whisking occasionally, until thickened, 20 to 30 minutes. Transfer to sealable bag and snip off corner.

ASSEMBLE COOKIES:

• Pipe about 1/2 tsp ganache onto flat side of half of macarons, then sandwich with remaining macarons. (There will be ganache left over.)
• Layer macarons between sheets of parchment in an airtight container and let stand at room temperature at least 2 hours to soften before eating.

Filled macarons can be kept in an airtight container wrapped in plastic wrap, chilled 2 days or frozen 1 month. Bring to room temperature in wrapped container (to avoid condensation), about 1 hour if chilled or 2 hours if frozen.

An Expensive Cup of Tea

We don’t sell anything quite this expensive…

Diner's Journal is reporting that the Pink Tea Cup, an iconic New York City eatery that closed earlier this month, was recently purchased for $400,000. It will re-open next month around the corner from its original location on Grove Street. Lawrence Page, who bought the restaurant’s name, says he will employ the staff from the original Pink Tea Cup.

“I thought it was a good business to save,” said Page. “I just wrote the check. The name is worth that — 50 years of legacy.”

If you’re in NYC, be sure to stop by the Pink Tea Cup for some Southern comfort food and, of course, a cup of tea.

Helen Dardik's Tea Art

We love funky prints and artwork (check out some of our stationery here) and Helen Dardik is one of our favorite new artists. Her work features colorful, retro designs and quirky characters, but we’re especially obsessed with her prints that involve tea.

Everyone knows that tea is the only thing that can make dogs and cats get along.

Why don't you relax with a romantic cup of tea?

You can see more of Helen's work on her blog, Orange You Lucky, and purchase her work on Etsy.

It's the Perfect Day for a Tea Party

It's a bleak, chilly day in Forest Park, Illinois. The 6 inches of snow covering the ground has lost its freshness and the sledding hills are showing patches of bare ground. So what do we do with the kids on days like this? How about a tea party? We have lots of adorable children's tea sets, from classic porcelain to retro tin. How about having a cup with Curious George? We've got him here, ready to go home with you. Just watch out he doesn't get into mischief!

Would you like a little comfort food to serve at your tea party? Our Iveta Gourmet Scone Mix is simple to make and oh so good. They come in all kinds of flavors, from creamy Vanilla to spicy Ginger. We just sold Lemon to a customer who is adding fresh blueberries. What could be better? Of course you'll want to serve only Todd & Holland tea, but we already know that!

Hello!

Welcome to the new Todd & Holland Tea Merchants Blog! Here, you'll be able to find new information about the shop and our products, as well as get updates on upcoming special events. Be sure to stop by the store, located at 7311 Madison Street in Forest Park, IL.

Check out our website: http://www.todd-holland.com/ , follow us on Twitter, and become a fan on Facebook!