ENTERTAINING: Tea & A Christmas Tree
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A cup of spiced Constant Comment tea with |
‘Tis the season to enjoy cinnamon spice tea with your favorite holiday goodies, suggest our friends at the Fitzpatrick Hotel in New York City. Their “Fitz to a Tea” program has a different tea theme each month of the year. You can add a cinnamon stick and your favorite spices to an unflavored black tea—toss a cinnamon stick, cloves and allspice into the teapot and infuse with the tea—or purchase spiced tea. One of the most popular branded spiced teas is Constant Comment, developed by Ruth Bigelow of New York City in 1946 (read the story). Today, it’s available as loose black tea, in tea bags, in decaffeinated bags, and in a green tea version. You can find them all at Bigelowtea.com. Along with your own favorite recipies—try the Constant Comment spice cake recipe below. |
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Invite friends over to enjoy your tree, or decorate with a couple of non-denominational poinsettia plants. ‘Tis also the season to call people you haven’t been in touch with in a while, and mix new friends with old. CONSTANT CONMMENT SPICE CAKE RECIPE Yields one 9″ round cake. Ingredients 1. PREHEAT oven to 350° F. Grease and flour a 9″ round cake pan. 2. Combine milk and tea bags in a small saucepan. Heat over medium/low heat until bubbles form around the edge, stirring occasionally. DO NOT BOIL. 3. Remove from heat and let cool, 15-20 minutes). Remove tea bags, squeezing out liquid. Set aside. 4. In large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar until smooth. 5. Add the eggs and whisk to blend. Add the cooled milk; continue to whisk until thoroughly combined. 6. Add flour and baking powder; mix until a smooth batter forms. 7. Pour batter into pan. Bake approximately 35 minutes, or until center of cake springs back when touched. Cool completely on wire rack before removing from pan. Dust top with confectioners’ sugar prior to cutting and serving. (A stencil was used to create the pattern on the cake in the photo.) Serve with whipped cream if desired.
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