I have had a very productive day, and I think I may just take a little nappy soon. I had some delicious Elderwood and Autumn Song for breakfast, then the mail came and brought my Verdant order! So I packed up all the samples I owe to Cameron B and started on my first seasoning!!! Because THIS arrived today, and it will be my straight black tea teapot.
http://www.shizentea.com/collections/japanese-tea-pot-kyusu/products/banko-yaki-tea-pot-takumi
Obviously you can’t season a teapot without something to drink, so I brewed this yummy offering from Verdant, the LBCG. After I boiled the new houhin, I used the Verdant Zhu Rong to season it. It’s still in there, just soaking up all the goodness!
https://www.flickr.com/photos/124304184@N02/14689863484/
So for the LBCG-
Method: 1 tbsp, 8 oz, 205 degrees, 30 sec, strainer & mug
Aroma: Dark chocolate, rice, toasted things
Flavor: Wow, this is stronger than I expected! It’s really good, but it’s not meek at all! This has a strong black tea flavor along with the roasty goodness you’d expect from a genmaicha. The chocolate is the only quiet thing about this. It’s there, but its more like a hint that you get once in awhile. I seem to be feeling very Terri-style today, so I added a little maple. Om nom nom. :)
Preparation
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Oh, and I’ve read that some people season banko clay and some don’t, and maybe it’s not really necessary, but I don’t care and I did it anyway. :)
Looking good Sars!!! And hell ya, you season if you want girl!
And this tea is full if yums…
That pot is gorgeous! I love the texturing. And hooray, I’m excited for Lady Gaga! :P You’ll have to try it today and tell me how it is.
I was surprised when I saw that you only did 30 seconds. I wonder if I should try it that way and see how it is! I think I did 2 or 3 minutes last time…
Foxy: I figured it couldn’t hurt, ya know? Plus now I have pot seasoning training for when my yixings arrive. :p
Cam: thanks!!!! I will try Lady Gaga next! I did a 30 second, a 45 second, and a 1.25 minute with this one. All were good!
I think it’s good that you seasoned and with Zhu Rong – one of my favorites! And yeah the LBCG sigh – so so good
I find if you steep this western style lower water temp, longer steep – the chocolate really comes forward. Something like 3tsp/16oz 90C for 5 minutes…. tastes like chocolate puffed wheat cake (at least the version I had did – I haven’t gotten my new supply yet – Canada Post has decided that I don’t need it)
I always do this western
I figured that MzHoneyBelle would approve of seasoning a pot with ZR. So there ya go. :)
Dex: chocolate puffed wheat cake?!?!?! What is THAT?
I’ll try this one low and slow next time. 190 for 5 min sounds good!!!!
I also would like to hear about this chocolate puffed wheat cake! :o
I’m making some lemon elderflower thingie in preparation to have before I try my GO in my newly GO-seasoned pot
Lemon elderflower!!!!???!!! Do tell!!!!
You guy don’t know about puffed wheat cake…. !!??!!!
http://www.mennonitegirlscancook.ca/2009/10/ooey-gooey-choclatey-puff-wheat-squares.html
I thought it was one of those childhood things that everyone does.
Never heard of it. Looks wonderful though!!!!! I’m saving the recipe :)
Looks sort of like a crispy rice marshmallow treat, but chocolatey! :D
Yes Cameron, it’s sort of like that – you use puffed wheat rather than rice crisy – and corn syrup rather than marshmallows, but it’s the same idea (you can add cocoa powder to crispy rice marshmallow treats – it’s really good..)
Dexter, I like them with peanut butter. My grandma calls them “hooker pookers”, lol!
Whoa!!!! LOL
LOL See I like peanut butter with cornflakes in a similar application. Oooy gooy crunchy cornflakes with peanut butter…mmmmmmm
Sars – my local grocery has a really decent tea section (including Harney) and I saw this brightly colored box by someone named Dr Stuart. It is teabags and I chose the Elderflower and Lemon and it is surprisingly good. Especially for nighttime. Not lifechanging, but I liked it fine. I REALLY like Tea Embassy’s Lemon Lavendar tisane a lot, though I know there are those who do not love the lavendar – I do in that tea. I can send you a couple bags of the Elder-Lemon if you want to try it.
Sure, thanks MzP! I love elderberries/elderflower!
I am totally making those puffed wheat thingies Dex!
I think I will try barley malt syrup in them.
Boiling the corn syrup with the sugar etc makes like a “candy” it’s the glue that gives it the sticky and hold it together. As long as you syrup as the same properties, I think it will be awesome. I still a little in shock that you guys haven’t had this.
Where did it originate, Dex?
Shrug – Mom made it for us as kids, and so did all the other Mom’s in the area – all the kids had it in their lunches at school. I think it’s one of those things that because you grew up with it you assume everyone is doing it.
It’s like honey dill sauce – in my world if you order chicken fingers in a restaurant they will ask – do you want plum or honey dill sauce? Apparently honey dill is a Manitoba thing, one of our little secrets that the rest of the world is missing out on. Is puffed wheat the same thing? Am I the only one who grew up with it?
Plum sauce? Honey dill sauce?
I should have been Canadian.
Plum sauce is the stuff you get with egg rolls and dive Chinese restaurants (in my world we use it on chicken fingers/nuggets too).
http://www.vhsauces.ca/product-detail/Plum-Dipping-Sauce-18.aspx?lang=en
Honey Dill is more of a home made thing – I can only think of one brand of it that you can buy, but most people don’t. It’s quick and easy to make and most people/restaurants just make their own.
http://www.celebrationgeneration.com/blog/2011/11/14/honey-dill-dipping-sauce-recipe/comment-page-1/
That sounds awesome! And I do like plum sauce too. I’m suddenly sad that the only options we get here are barbecue, honey mustard, and sweet & sour. I want plum sauce and honey dill! No fair! :P
I think you guys should start a revolution – honey dill for all!!!
(I can’t even imagine putting barbecue or sweet & sour on chicken fingers – it just seems wrong to me…)
Thanks for the great ideas, Dex! I gotta try that sauce!
Nah, I’ll just go live in Montreal. It’s not a very long drive. :P
LOL there’s no honey dill in Montreal….Poutine you will get in Montreal, but no honey dill…
Ooh that’s the fries with cheese and gravy and stuff all over it, right?
That would be correct – med thick cut fries, fresh cheese curd, light brown gravy = traditional poutine.
That sounds fantastic… I’ll come over to Manitoba once I’m done stuffing my face. ;)
LOL if you came Golobki, Pierogi, and Kielbasa would also be high on the list of must haves…
Mmmmmm food….
(I really want to go to NYC to do the real Jewish deli experience. We just don’t have that here – sure you can get a corned beef sandwich but I don’t think it’s the same…)
italian delis are where it’s at though
apt, my boyfriend is Italian and there’s an import store near us that has a deli. So good! And they have desserts too. Really good cannoli. :D
I miss my Nana and her amazing pierogis. So. Good!!!!
Oh, and I’ve read that some people season banko clay and some don’t, and maybe it’s not really necessary, but I don’t care and I did it anyway. :)
Looking good Sars!!! And hell ya, you season if you want girl!
And this tea is full if yums…
That pot is gorgeous! I love the texturing. And hooray, I’m excited for Lady Gaga! :P You’ll have to try it today and tell me how it is.
I was surprised when I saw that you only did 30 seconds. I wonder if I should try it that way and see how it is! I think I did 2 or 3 minutes last time…
Foxy: I figured it couldn’t hurt, ya know? Plus now I have pot seasoning training for when my yixings arrive. :p
Cam: thanks!!!! I will try Lady Gaga next! I did a 30 second, a 45 second, and a 1.25 minute with this one. All were good!
I think it’s good that you seasoned and with Zhu Rong – one of my favorites! And yeah the LBCG sigh – so so good
I find if you steep this western style lower water temp, longer steep – the chocolate really comes forward. Something like 3tsp/16oz 90C for 5 minutes…. tastes like chocolate puffed wheat cake (at least the version I had did – I haven’t gotten my new supply yet – Canada Post has decided that I don’t need it)
I always do this western
I figured that MzHoneyBelle would approve of seasoning a pot with ZR. So there ya go. :)
Dex: chocolate puffed wheat cake?!?!?! What is THAT?
I’ll try this one low and slow next time. 190 for 5 min sounds good!!!!
I also would like to hear about this chocolate puffed wheat cake! :o
I’m making some lemon elderflower thingie in preparation to have before I try my GO in my newly GO-seasoned pot
Lemon elderflower!!!!???!!! Do tell!!!!
You guy don’t know about puffed wheat cake…. !!??!!!
http://www.mennonitegirlscancook.ca/2009/10/ooey-gooey-choclatey-puff-wheat-squares.html
I thought it was one of those childhood things that everyone does.
Never heard of it. Looks wonderful though!!!!! I’m saving the recipe :)
Looks sort of like a crispy rice marshmallow treat, but chocolatey! :D
Yes Cameron, it’s sort of like that – you use puffed wheat rather than rice crisy – and corn syrup rather than marshmallows, but it’s the same idea (you can add cocoa powder to crispy rice marshmallow treats – it’s really good..)
Dexter, I like them with peanut butter. My grandma calls them “hooker pookers”, lol!
Whoa!!!! LOL
LOL See I like peanut butter with cornflakes in a similar application. Oooy gooy crunchy cornflakes with peanut butter…mmmmmmm
Sars – my local grocery has a really decent tea section (including Harney) and I saw this brightly colored box by someone named Dr Stuart. It is teabags and I chose the Elderflower and Lemon and it is surprisingly good. Especially for nighttime. Not lifechanging, but I liked it fine. I REALLY like Tea Embassy’s Lemon Lavendar tisane a lot, though I know there are those who do not love the lavendar – I do in that tea. I can send you a couple bags of the Elder-Lemon if you want to try it.
Sure, thanks MzP! I love elderberries/elderflower!
I am totally making those puffed wheat thingies Dex!
I think I will try barley malt syrup in them.
Boiling the corn syrup with the sugar etc makes like a “candy” it’s the glue that gives it the sticky and hold it together. As long as you syrup as the same properties, I think it will be awesome. I still a little in shock that you guys haven’t had this.
Where did it originate, Dex?
Shrug – Mom made it for us as kids, and so did all the other Mom’s in the area – all the kids had it in their lunches at school. I think it’s one of those things that because you grew up with it you assume everyone is doing it.
It’s like honey dill sauce – in my world if you order chicken fingers in a restaurant they will ask – do you want plum or honey dill sauce? Apparently honey dill is a Manitoba thing, one of our little secrets that the rest of the world is missing out on. Is puffed wheat the same thing? Am I the only one who grew up with it?
Plum sauce? Honey dill sauce?
I should have been Canadian.
Plum sauce is the stuff you get with egg rolls and dive Chinese restaurants (in my world we use it on chicken fingers/nuggets too).
http://www.vhsauces.ca/product-detail/Plum-Dipping-Sauce-18.aspx?lang=en
Honey Dill is more of a home made thing – I can only think of one brand of it that you can buy, but most people don’t. It’s quick and easy to make and most people/restaurants just make their own.
http://www.celebrationgeneration.com/blog/2011/11/14/honey-dill-dipping-sauce-recipe/comment-page-1/
That sounds awesome! And I do like plum sauce too. I’m suddenly sad that the only options we get here are barbecue, honey mustard, and sweet & sour. I want plum sauce and honey dill! No fair! :P
I think you guys should start a revolution – honey dill for all!!!
(I can’t even imagine putting barbecue or sweet & sour on chicken fingers – it just seems wrong to me…)
Thanks for the great ideas, Dex! I gotta try that sauce!
Nah, I’ll just go live in Montreal. It’s not a very long drive. :P
LOL there’s no honey dill in Montreal….Poutine you will get in Montreal, but no honey dill…
Ooh that’s the fries with cheese and gravy and stuff all over it, right?
That would be correct – med thick cut fries, fresh cheese curd, light brown gravy = traditional poutine.
That sounds fantastic… I’ll come over to Manitoba once I’m done stuffing my face. ;)
LOL if you came Golobki, Pierogi, and Kielbasa would also be high on the list of must haves…
Mmmmmm food….
(I really want to go to NYC to do the real Jewish deli experience. We just don’t have that here – sure you can get a corned beef sandwich but I don’t think it’s the same…)
italian delis are where it’s at though
apt, my boyfriend is Italian and there’s an import store near us that has a deli. So good! And they have desserts too. Really good cannoli. :D
I miss my Nana and her amazing pierogis. So. Good!!!!