Christmas gifts to buy for a tea-drinker.

Candy Cane Lane tea gift set. Photo: Elizabeth Urbach

While many San Jose residents are eager to save money this Christmas season by making some of their gifts, there are still quite a few for whom the convenience of purchasing gifts is worth more than the money spent to buy them. Many holiday sales are still in effect, and some internet vendors are offering free shipping and other discounts, so if you are buying gifts and you have a tea-lover on your list, here are some suggestions that you might want to look for:

1. A decanter or pitcher specifically for making iced and hot tea in. Teavana sells one, but there are several brands on the market.
2. A commuter mug with a built-in tea strainer. Satori Tea Bar sells one model that is very convenient, but you can also get them at Peet’s Coffee & Tea and on the internet.
3. High-quality loose-leaf tea. The most expensive teas are surprisingly affordable if you purchase sample sizes of them. Many tea vendors sell samples for less than $5 each.  You can buy them at Satori Tea Bar, Lisa’s Tea Treasures, other local tea shops, or on the internet.
4. Tea or chai ice cream. Haagen-Dazs has a green tea and a chai flavor that are available at local Safeway and Nob Hill stores. Local Asian markets also carry green tea ice cream mochi treats in the freezer section.
5. Powdered instant chai and liquid chai concentrate. Both are shelf-stable items (the liquid must be stored in the fridge once opened), that require only the addition of milk or a dairy substitute to make a nice glass of hot or cold chai. Tazo makes a tasty liquid chai concentrate, and Oregon Chai makes both a liquid concentrate and a powdered instant chai; Tazo and Oregon Chai liquid concentrates are available in most local supermarkets, and Target grocery departments, and Oregon Chai powdered instant chai is available at Nob Hill stores.
6. Books about tea. Lisa’s Tea Treasures and Satori Tea Bar sell a few titles, as do Barnes & Noble bookstores, but there are many more titles available on the internet. Check Amazon or other mail-order sites.
7. Tea-flavored candies. San Jose’s Asian markets carry a surprising collection of these goodies. You can get Oreo Matcha candy bars at the Japanese groceries in Japantown, and Bali’s Best Tea Candy hard candies in many Chinese groceries and even in some American supermarkets in the Asian food aisle.
8. Tea-themed calendar.  There is a Collectible Teapot Calendar put out every year, that is available at the calendar store and kiosks at local shopping malls like the Great Mall of Milpitas.  Also available on the internet.
9. Tea-of-the-Month Club membership.  Some vendors, like Mighty Leaf Tea, offer 3-month, 6-month, and 12-month memberships in Tea-of-the-Month Clubs.  Members get one or more new teas sent to them every month.
10. Tea Shirts.  Not just a T-shirt, but one with a clever tea-related slogan on the front, like “Instant Human, Just Add Tea.” Available on the internet from places like CafePress and Etsy.
11. Tea lotions or other cosmetics.  Celestial Seasonings has a few holiday teas that they’ve added to body lotion for a holiday gift set.  Look in Safeway supermarket specialty holiday product displays for this sort of thing.

Of course, teapots, cups and saucers, tea strainers, tea towels, or anything else that can be used for making or enjoying tea, will make great Christmas gifts for yourself or your favorite tea-lover!  Places like Target, Ross, Marshall’s and Cost Plus World Market have lots of fun things.

Copyright 2011, Elizabeth Urbach

Like what you read? Leave a comment below, click on “Subscribe” above, visit the San Jose Tea Examiner page on Facebook, read my blog, or follow me on Twitter @SanJoseTea! 

For more information:
“Review: Amandine Decanter by Teavana”
“Review: Mobile Teapot from Village Tea Company”
“Review: the Royal Wedding tea from Lisa’s Tea Treasures”
“Review: Buccaneer blend from SerendipiTea”
“Review: Passion blend from SerendipiTea”
“Review of Haagen Dazs Sweet Chai Latte ice cream”
“Review of Haagen-Dazs Green Tea ice cream” 
“Review of Tazo Organic Spiced Black Tea Latte concentrate”
“Review of Oregon Chai Original Chai Tea Latte concentrate” 
“Where to buy books about tea in San Jose”
“5 books that should be on the tea-lover’s bookshelf”
“Review: Japanese Oreo matcha candy bar by Nabisco” 
Collectible Teapot Calendar Amazon link

10 ideas for homemade Christmas gifts using tea.

Cooking with tea makes a great gift. Photo: Michele Meiklejohn, FreeDigitalPhotos.net

San Jose’s residents enthusiastically celebrate Christmas and other winter holidays, and everyone is thinking about affordable, thoughtful gift ideas. Of course, tea makes a wonderful gift in and of itself, but did you know that tea can be used to make many things that can be given as gifts? Here are 10 inexpensive, fairly easy ideas for tea gifts that your friends and family would love to receive:

1. A tea sampler: small sample packages of black, green, oolong, pu-erh or white tea. Kombucha, yerba mate and bubble tea — while they don’t contain actual tea — are also available in packaged form, and can be included in the sampler if desired.
2. Tea-flavored salt: grind green or black tea with sea salt (and/or herbs) and package in a small decorative jar. Perfect for adding to meat rubs and savory seasoning blends.
3. Tea-flavored sugar: grind green or black tea with white or raw sugar, food-safe dried flowers, spices or citrus zest, and package in a decorative jar for adding to a cup of tea or sprinkling on top of fruit or oatmeal.
4. Tea potpourri: blend loose-leaf tea with dried orange peel, dried rosebuds, lavendar and spices. Add a scented oil of your choice and package in a decorative basket or bag. You can even use old tea leaves that you don’t want to drink, since they will absorb the scent of the other ingredients and bulk up the potpourri!  Bulk herbs and spices can be found in many Asian (especially East Indian) grocery stores or at various shops in the Bay Area.
5. Tea-flavored shortbread: use a few tablespoons of ground tea leaves in place of a few tablespoons of flour in your favorite recipe. Japanese matcha is already powdered, so it is easy to use in baked goods.
6. Tea jellies: infuse tea and/or herbs in water, add sugar to make a syrup, and add pectin to make a jelly following your favorite recipe. You can add fruit juice as well, and make a delicious spread for toast, or ingredient for a glaze for a holiday meat dish.
7. Tea and fruit compotes: infuse tea in water, strain out the tea leaves, and use the brewed tea to cook dried or fresh fruits until soft. Add sugar to thicken, and seal the syrupy, soft compote in jars. Compotes can be poured over pancakes or waffles, eaten with whipped cream, or drizzled on top of oatmeal or cake.
8. A “tea party in a basket”: get a decorative gift basket from Michael’s or other craft store, line it with tissue paper and fill it with a teacup or mug, a small teapot, some tea, and a jar of lemon curd or other small tea party pantry items.
9. Some “tub tea” bags: fill a few coffee filters or tea filter bags with tea leaves, herbs and Epsom salts, and tie the bag closed with a ribbon. Package in a basket with a scented candle, some nice lotion, a CD of music, and other things for a luxurious hot bath.
10. Tea and chocolates: pair some loose-leaf tea with high-end chocolates (and maybe a small bottle of champagne) for a decadent gift.

Of course, you can also give your loved ones the gift of your time by taking them to tea. Local tea shops like Satori Tea Bar and Lisa’s Tea Treasures, as well as Thyme for Tea in Niles, and the Lobby Lounge at the Fairmont, feature holiday-themed afternoon tea menus. Satori Tea Bar and Lisa’s Tea Treasures also offer gift certificates! If you’re the crafty type, you can use tea to dye fabric or paper, to use in a scrap-booking, quilting, or other fiber art gift.  You still have time to make some small gifts because there are three days left before Christmas!

Copyright 2011, Elizabeth Urbach

Like what you read? Leave a comment below, click on “Subscribe” above, visit the San Jose Tea Examiner page on Facebook, read my blog, or follow me on Twitter @SanJoseTea!

For more information:
“Tea tasting 101: characteristics of a good-quality black tea”
“Chinese oolong tea in San Jose”
“What are the different kinds of green tea available in San Jose?”
“Tea 101: what is pu-erh tea?”
“Bubble tea: one of San Jose’s most popular drinks”
“Kombucha: what is it, and should you drink it?”
“What is yerba mate and where can I get it in San Jose?”
“Good salt – beyond the round blue canister”
“BBQ Tea Spice Rub”
“Homemade scented and flavored sugars can enhance the taste of gourmet tea”
“Potpourri recipes from SF Herb Co.”
“Earl Grey Tea Shortbread”
“Jen’s Matcha Shortbread”
“Japanese tea from San Jose’s Japantown” 
“What should I keep in the pantry for tea parties?”
“Apricot Oolong Compote: an easy tea recipe”
“Favorite tea-time recipe from Gourmet magazine: Meyer lemon curd”
“Making Bath Salts”
“Chocolate and tea: the perfect match?”
“Are tea-drinkers automatically ‘teatotallers’?”
“New fall 2011 tea flavors at San Jose’s Satori Tea Bar”
“Review: Lisa’s Tea Treasures – Campbell location”
“Tea and San Jose’s Christmas in the Park”
“Gift ideas for the San Jose tea-lover”
“Birthday gift ideas for the San Jose tea lover”
“5 gifts you can make with tea” 

How to have a Victorian Afternoon Tea at The Dickens Fair

Victorian ladies at Cuthbert's Tea Shoppe, 2009. Photo: Valarie LaBore.

The Christmas countdown in the Bay Area has officially begun, not because of Black Friday, but because of the opening of The Great Dickens Christmas Fair! And of course, given the fact that tea became England’s national drink near the beginning of Charles Dickens’ lifetime, there are several places where you can get a nice cup of tea and a treat at the Dickens Fair. Cuthbert’s Tea Shoppe, the only sit-down tea room at Dickens, is the most popular place.

Tea at Cuthbert’s Tea Shoppe is so popular that it is almost impossible to walk in and find an empty table. Advance reservations are highly recommended, and the traditional plan is to arrive at the Cow Palace at least an hour before opening time so that you can get in line near the front. That will enable you to walk through the Fair to the Tea Shoppe without having to waste too much time stuck in the crowd at the entrance. This year, opening time is 11 a.m. Once you’ve entered, immediately head for Cuthbert’s and get in line to make a reservation for later!

This year, Cuthbert’s Tea Shoppe is also offering an online reservation service for customers, and they have expanded the Shoppe to include a Solarium dining area! Reserved seatings for afternoon tea in the Solarium are 11:45 a.m., 1 p.m., 2:15 p.m. and 4 p.m., and online reservations must be made at least 24 hours in advance. There is a $5 per person deposit required for online reservations, or you can pay for your afternoon tea in full, through PayPal. Once Cuthbert’s is booked, they don’t open the shop for walk-ins! Once you have your reservation, you are free to walk around and see the Fair, and come back when it’s your time for tea.

You’ll need to check in and confirm your reservation around 15 minutes before your reserved tea time; if you’re running late, they’ll only hold your table for 10 minutes! Once you are seated at your table inside the shop, you can choose from a menu of a la carte items, or order the full afternoon tea, which costs $21 without tax; this is a prix fixe menu that includes one pot of tea, two scones or crumpets with butter, honey, whipped cream, lemon curd or jam (you can ask for more than one topping), one kind of tea sandwich (you get two sandwiches, both the same flavor) and one dessert item, plus a small commemorative teapot to take home. The a la carte menu enables you to order each item separately. The High Tea is served at 4 p.m. and also includes a fixed menu and a teapot to take home.

If you can’t get a reservation, you can buy all the a la carte menu items from the take-out window at the back of the tea shop, and there are a few small tables and chairs outside the shop windows where you can sit to eat your treats. There is also a tea booth – Mr. Brown’s Fine Coffee and Tea — elsewhere in the Fair, but seating nearby is on the regular picnic tables scattered throughout the venue.

To get to the Dickens Fair from San Jose, take 101N, towards San Francisco, and take Exit 426 A/Brisbane. Merge on to Bayshore Highway, and take Bayshore to Daly City. Make a left off of Bayshore and onto Geneva Ave. once you get to Daly City, and follow the signs to 2600 Geneva Ave.  You can also get to the Cow Palace on BART, and take the free shuttle from the Glen Park station.  Admission is $25 per person – although there is a $3 discount if you purchase your tickets in advance online – and parking is $10 per car. The Dickens Fair runs on weekends from the Friday after Thanksgiving, to the Sunday before Christmas.  Having tea at Cuthbert’s – especially if you are dressed in Victorian costume – is an experience not to be missed!

Copyright 2011, Elizabeth Urbach

Like what you read? Leave a comment below, click on “Subscribe” above, visit the San Jose Tea Examiner page on Facebook, read my blog, or follow me on Twitter @SanJoseTea! 

For more information:
The 33rd Annual Great Dickens Christmas Fair & Victorian Holiday Party website
Cuthbert’s Tea Shoppe
“When the exhibits are people: first-person cultural interpreters at Dickens Christmas Fair.”
“Where can I have an English or European-style afternoon tea in the San Jose area?”
“Tea history: what type of tea did American founders drink?”
“Tea 101: what do we mean when we talk about tea?”
“What you need to make a good pot of hot tea”
The official Dickens Fair costume guide
“By Dickens, a Victorian Pacifican serves up delectables at Cuthbert’s Tea Shoppe”
Food booths at the Dickens Fair
“Take BART to the Great Dickens Christmas Fair”
“The Great Dickens Christmas Fair in San Francisco (photos)”
“Victorian costumes at the Dickens Christmas Fair in San Francisco”
“The Great Dickens Christmas Fair launches SF’s holiday season”

Black Friday shopping stress? Not when you relax with a tea party!

Autumn teapot and cup. Photo: MorgueFile.com

Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, is the traditional start of the Christmas shopping season, but do you really want to fight with all the crowds on the freeway, in the parking lot, and at the stores? Life in the Silicon Valley is stressful enough. Instead of going out on Friday, stay in with a relaxing pot of tea and keep your sanity (which is more valuable than any sale), and wait a while to take advantage of the sales. They’ll still be around in a few days.  Use some leftovers from Thanksgiving dinner (you know you have them!) to make up your Black Friday morning or afternoon tea menu.  The flavors went well together on the Thanksgiving dinner table, so they’ll do just as well at tea time:

Orange Spice tea
Pumpkin Spice tea
Homemade chai

Cinnamon scones
Cranberry-orange scones
Cinnamon butter
Honey

Savory black olive scones with butter
Turkey salad sandwiches or Turkey and cranberry tea sandwiches
Warm sweet onion spread on crackers

Leftover pumpkin and apple pie
Cinnamon-raisin bread pudding
Aztec chocolate bread pudding
Maple shortbread

You could even use the time to use tea to make some gifts.  Or, you could go into the Santa Cruz Mountains and cut your own Christmas tree. Bring it home, set it in a bucket of water in the back or front yard, or in the garage, and warm up with a tea party! Use up some leftovers, anything else you need can be pulled from your tea party pantry, and you’re set for a relaxing, easy, festive Black Friday. Put on some holiday music, recover from Thanksgiving, and actually enjoy the season instead of losing yourself in the shopping frenzy. It’s just not worth the stress and frustration!

Copyright 2011, Elizabeth Urbach.

Like what you read? Leave a comment below, click on “Subscribe” above, visit the San Jose Tea Examiner page on Facebook, read my blog, or follow me on Twitter @SanJoseTea! 

For more information:
“What should I keep in the pantry for tea parties?”
“What you need to make a good pot of hot tea” 
“Tea 101: How to brew a pot of hot tea using loose tea” 
“What is chai and where can I get it in San Jose?”
“Thanksgiving in San Jose: count your blessings with a cup of tea” 
“Tea and food pairings for black teas”
“Gift ideas for the San Jose tea-lover”
“5 gifts you can make with tea”
“Where to buy books about tea in San Jose”
“5 books that should be on the tea-lover’s bookshelf”
“New fall 2011 tea flavors at San Jose’s Satori Tea Bar”
“5 Reasons to Skip Black Friday Sales”