"Rarely do great beauty and virtue dwell together as they do in you." The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane by Lisa See 4 stars Pros: Immersive historical details Exploration of Akha and adoptee culture Complex and rich mother-daughter relationships Cons: Authorial voice present Switching of perspectives The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane is another great historical fiction book done by Lisa See. She is a master at capturing times past with vivid details. Her new novel is a … [Read more...]
Foodie Friday First: Crumpet
October 10, 2014 4 Comments
Crumpet: an English griddle cake, often served for breakfast "How would you like a nice spot of tea?" One of my favorite lines from Disney's Beauty and the Beast. It's so very English. I actually had a college friend who adored tea parties. Every social gathering we had would turn into tea time. In fact, I ate my very first scone because of her influence. Sadly, I've been late to the dining game with another traditional English treat: crumpets. When I visited Seattle over the summer, … [Read more...]
Foodie Friday: Sea Salt Drinks
December 6, 2013 4 Comments
Sea salt drinks: beverages topped with sea salt, typically using tea or coffee That's right. Salty coffee and tea is all the rage in Taiwan. Introduced by the chefs at 85C Bakery Cafe (85°C is supposed to be the ideal temperature at which to brew coffee), the salty foam on top of the beverage encourages sequential tasting. In fact, it's supposed to appeal to multiple taste buds, providing a fuller drinking experience. The flavors your tongue longs for are: sweet, sour, bitter, salt, … [Read more...]
Foodie Friday: Tea
November 8, 2013 9 Comments
Tea: a beverage made from pouring hot water over cured leaves of the tea plant My thoughts have turned to tea this Friday, thanks to a recent online chat with +Amy Pabalan. Now that Daylight Savings has made the evenings darker, I'm looking forward to a cup of the steaming beverage. Tea comes from an evergreen plant, camellia sinensis. The top 1-2 inches of the plant are picked and used to brew tea. Tea can range in color from white to black, depending on how long the leaves are left to … [Read more...]
