WoW!

OK... I'm not one who enjoys bringing politics into my tea journal, but I did want to save this photo, courtesy of Yahoo! News and Reuters...

And I wanted to say this: My reason for calling my business "LiberTEAS" is not a patriotic one. The full name on my business license is "Life, LiberTEAS and the Pursuit of Happiness" and I chose this name because for me, Tea is Happiness. To be able to express myself artistically with my tea is truly a freedom... it is truly my idea of LiberTEA! Hense, the name. It was more an expression of my artistic nature than it was a patriotic declaration... not that I'm not patriotic, I just prefer that my art and tea remain separate from my politics and patriotism!

~Anne

April is National Food Month!

As a member of Etsy's Edible Arts Team (EEAT), I thought I'd give a quick mention of the sale that is currently going on amongst most of the Edible Arts Team members... 20% off the entire purchase (excluding shipping charges)!

Check out Double Dipped Sweet's blog for more details of this special sale!

Be sure to check with the store owner before you order, to make sure they are participating in this sale!

It's a great time to get good eats (not to mention TEA) at a sweet price!

~Anne

Meadow Nocturne!

Hurray! My relaxation herbal tea (tisane!) is finally ready!

This tisane is actually many months in the making ... I spent a good amount of time trying different recipes... until I finally found one that tastes great, smells amazing, and looks as beautiful as it tastes. The result of the many many months of work and waiting is

MEADOW NOCTURNE

Available at all three of my online shops: Etsy, Artfire and Made it Myself!

This tea is delicious, with a hint of sweetness, and the perfect choice at the end of a long, hard day. It's a great way to encourage a sense of relaxation so that you can get a good night's sleep.

Try some today!

To Brew my Meadow Nocturne:

Water Temperature should be just under boiling (195 degrees F). Use 1 1/2 teaspoons of tisane for each cup (6 - 8 ounces) you plan on brewing and place directly into your teapot, or use an infuser or T-Sac. Carefully pour the hot water into your teapot and allow the tisane to steep for 5 minutes.

Strain the tea, and add a little sweetener if desired. Enjoy hot. Take a moment to enjoy the aroma as the tea has aromatic herbs that will also help relax you.

Delicious!

~Anne

Entrecard...

Greetings!

First off, my apologies to anyone who visits both of my blogs... as this post is going to be similar to my previous post on my art journal.

Now, I'd like to take a moment to apologize to any entrecard user who signed up for ad space on my blog and did not receive it. I had to remove the widget. Unfortunately, I visited my blog this evening and was horrified to see that an ad that I did not approve (Nor would have approved of) was on my blog. Entrecard had assured us that this would not happen, and that we would have the power to determine what ads would appear on our blogs. Unfortunately, my experience this evening shows me that entrecard did not hold to this pledge, so I was left with no choice but to remove the widget from my blog.

I really appreciated the additional exposure entrecard offered, however, I'm not willing to sacrifice the integrity of my blog for that exposure. It's just not worth it to me.

So, if you are one of the people who was left short because of this impromptu removal of the widget, my sincerest of apologies. I hope that you can understand my motivation for removing the widget.

Thank you.
~Anne

Garlic Soup... it's good for what ails you!

Greetings!

Over the past few days, I've been stricken by a cold/virus of some sort. At first, I thought that it was just my allergies in overdrive, but, when my Allergi-TEA wasn't working it's normal magic, I realized that it must be something a bit more than just allergies. Now, Allergi-TEA will help alleviate some of the symptoms associated with a cold/virus, it's not going to knock it out because of the viral nature of the cold. Or something like that. It certainly is still quite nice when I have a cold, keeping my throat from getting too irritated.

But, when I do have a cold, it's time to bring out the heavy artillary. I always reach for pineapple juice when I have a cold or flu, because there is an enzyme in pineapple that helps break up proteins (another reason why pineapple is THE BEST topping for a pizza) and... well, not trying to be gross or anything, but proteins = mucus when you have a cold/virus/flu. Pineapple is extremely effective in breaking up the mucus... plus it's cheaper and tastier (and better for you!) than OTC mucus medications.

Anyways... On to my secret weapon when I have a cold! It's actually a new recipe I stumbled upon... well, I didn't actually stumble upon it aka http://www.stumbleupon.com (and hey, if you're a member of stumbleupon.com... please feel free to stumble my blog, and, if you'd like, you can add me as a friend: Liberteas on Stumble Upon) but... more accurately, it's a recipe that I went in search of, after recalling an article I had read many years ago about a restaurant in New York City that sold only soup, and one of their best selling days was the day that they featured a cream of garlic soup. Thinking that I must try that some day, I deposited that thought somewhere in the back of my brain... until one day this past week I thought I'd look it up, and I found a recipe that I thought sounded delicious... so I tried it.

I found this recipe on allrecipes.com however, after reading many of the comments about how thin the soup ended up, I decided to alter it a bit... so this is the recipe as I made it:

Garlic Soup

2 heads of Garlic (full bulbs)
3 tsp olive oil
1 carton College Inn Culinary Broth - White Wine and Herb
(Note: It's not often when I suggest one particular brand of an ingredient, however, I found this broth recently at my local grocery store, and since it contains not only chicken broth, but also white wine... not to mention the herbs, I chose this to make my garlic soup, rather than buying chicken broth and white wine. If you choose to go with another broth, you should adjust the amount and add a little white wine to the mix)
1 cup of heavy cream
1 cup of half & half
1 large russet potato, cut into small cubes (I washed the potato and left the peel on, but you could peel it if you want)
salt & pepper to taste

In the bowl of your food processor, process the garlic until it forms a thick paste, be sure to stop while processing once or twice to scrape the sides of the processor bowl to ensure even processing. In a large saucepan over low heat, heat the olive oil and then cook the garlic paste until it some of it begins to turn brown. You must stir the garlic constantly, or it will stick, and do not turn the heat up too high as garlic goes from delicious to burned (yuck) very quickly. This is the most tedious part of the recipe, it takes some time and some diligence, but, you will be rewarded.

Once the garlic begins to turn golden brown, add the carton of broth, and stir, stir, stir. Bring to a boil, and then drop the heat down to a simmer and allow to simmer for 30 minutes, stirring frequently.

Combine the milk and cream together in a bowl, and temper the mixture with a couple of ladles of soup. Then, stir in the potatoes and the milk mixture to the soup. Bring the heat back up to a simmer, and simmer for another 30 minutes.

Using an immersion blender, puree the potato chunks. Serve.

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This creates a very thin soup, even with the adjustments I made to the liquids. But... it's gonna knock your cold/virus out. Serve it with some good, crusty bread, and it's a very good meal for someone who's sick.

The next day (today), I decided to heat the leftovers back up. The soup was a little thicker after a night chilling and then reheating... however, I decided that since I was feeling a bit better, I wanted something a little heartier... so I decided to heat it up and add a couple more potatoes (2 medium size russets) to the soup. I brought the soup to a simmer, added the potatoes (cut to a small dice) and simmered it for another 30 minutes... The result was a very thick soup, or... the makings of a very thin, garlic-y mashed potato, heavy on the garlic! I also added a little more half and half, about a cup more. When I reheat again, I will probably add a little more half and half just to make it more bisque-like, and less mashed potato like... LOL!

Anyways... the soup is very delicious... and like the title says, it's good for what ails you! Knocked that cold right out of my head and while I do have just a little bit of chest congestion left, that will be gone (thanks to the pineapple juice) in a day or two.

~Anne

Momoko Melon Oolong!

It's back ... but only for a LIMITED TIME! That's right... unfortunately, I've made my last batch (at least for a while) of Momoko Melon Tea! So it's only available while it's in stock... and when it's gone, it's gone for good!

This one is a summer-time FAVE... because it is just amazing served as an iced beverage! So refreshing -- thirst-quenching -- GOOD!

How to brew Oolong Tea:

Here's the way I brew Oolong tea...

Measure 1 teaspoon of loose leaf Momoko Melon Oolong tea for each cup (6 - 8 ounces) of tea desired. Place loose tea directly into warmed teapot. Oolong teas expand a LOT when they brew, so really, the best way to brew the tea is loose, directly in the teapot. Using an infuser or a T-Sac would really be an injustice to an Oolong!

Bring cool, freshly drawn & filtered water to about 165 degrees F and pour gently over tea leaves. Allow the tea to steep for 3 - 6 minutes, depending upon your personal preference. I usually let Oolong steep for about 3 1/2 minutes for the first infusion, and add 1 minute for each subsequent infusion.

Strain your tea, and enjoy. Momoko Melon Oolong is delicious without the addition of sweeteners, however, a drizzle of Agave Nectar will bring out some of the more subtle melon flavors, as well as the natural peach-like flavors of the tea.

This is one of my TOP 3 iced tea choices in the summer.

Here's how I make my Momoko Melon Iced Tea:

I have a 1 gallon iced tea pitcher, and I use a 4 cup teapot to brew my tea, using 6 teaspoons of tea in my teapot, and filling it full with 165 degree F water for each infusion.

Brew the first infusion at 3 1/2 minutes. Strain this tea into your iced tea pitcher, and if you like your tea sweetened, go ahead and add the sweetener now, and stir, this will ensure that your sweetener will dissolve completely in the hot tea. (note: each subsequent infusion uses the same tea leaves!)

Brew the second infusion at 4 1/2 minutes, and strain into the iced tea pitcher.

Brew the third infusion at 5 1/2 minutes, and strain into the iced tea pitcher.

Then I fill the iced tea pitcher the rest of the way full with room temperature, freshly drawn, filtered water, and stir. Perfect iced tea!

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My Momoko Melon tea is available only at my Artfire Tea Shop... and only available while supplies last!!! Get some today!

~Anne

Earl Grey Creme!

Yay! It's finally back in my tea cupboard!

I've really missed my Earl Grey Creme. Such a lovely flavor. I have always really liked the flavor of most Earl Grey teas that are available out there, however, sometimes the bergamot is just a bit too edgy... sort of like sipping a man's cologne! The vanilla and creme flavor of my blend softens that edge just enough without sacrificing that classic bergamot flavor that I love! It's perfect!


I have listed it in all of my shops: My Etsy Store, My Artfire Tea Shop, and my Made It Myself Store, and have included refill options in the etsy and artfire stores.

How to Brew Earl Grey Creme tea:

Filter freshly drawn, cool water, and bring to a gentle boil (212 degrees F). Place 1 teaspoon of loose leaf tea for each cup you would like to brew directly into your teapot (or you can use a T-Sac or an infuser if you wish, just make sure there is enough room in either one for proper expansion of your tea leaves), and gently pour 6 - 8 ounces (for each up you wish to brew) of boiling water over the tea leaves. Allow to steep for 2 - 4 minutes. I allow it to steep for 2 1/2 minutes for this particular blend.

Remove the tea leaves by filtering through a strainer, or removing the T-Sac or Infuser.

Enjoy! As with all flavored teas, a little sweetener will bring out the more subtle flavors of this tea.

Note: as with all of my brewing tips, please keep in mind that these are suggestions only, based upon my extensive sampling and testing of each blend, but also limited to my own palate and preferences. You might prefer a stronger tea (in which case, you should add a little more tea, but don't brew longer, as this will result in a more bitter tasting tea, but not necessarily a stronger tea), or you might prefer a weaker tea (use less tea), or you might want your tea to have just a little more edge (in which case, you might want to extend the brewing time just a little, but be careful).

~Anne

Meyer Lemon Bars

Greetings!

I've become quite enchanted by Meyer Lemons lately, they're less sour than a regular lemon, and have a unique flavor that I have fallen in love with! They are wonderful when sliced thin and added to tea, and even more delightful when used in recipes such as this one... and then served with tea!

This recipe is a recipe that came from joyofbaking.com originally, and was posted to my tea group as a recipe to try... and am I glad I did. Of course, I substituted Meyer Lemons in the recipe so I altered the recipe slightly for the change up in lemons, as well as some improvements that I felt the recipe needed. Before trying this recipe, the only lemon bars I had made were from a mix, and let me tell you, if you liked the bars from the mix, you're going to LOVE making them from scratch! So much better! No contest! Even if you don't like the bars from the mix... try them from scratch, you won't be disappointed! Yummy!!!

Meyer Lemon Bars

Crust:
1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 cup unbleached, all purpose flour
1/8 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray an 8x8 square (or similar) pan with non-stick spray. In the bowl of your mixer, cream butter until fluffy, and then add the sugar, creaming the two together until very light and fluffy. Add flour and salt, and mix until the dough comes together.

Press dough into square pan, working up the edges a little.

Bake about 20 minutes, until edges start to become golden brown. Remove crust from oven, and allow to cool slightly while you work on the filling.

Filling: (note: wash lemons, and remove zest before juicing the lemons. Only remove the zest, not the white pith)
1 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1/8 tsp salt
Zest & Juice from 4 Meyer Lemons
2 tbsp unbleached, all purpose flour

In a clean bowl of your mixer, beat together the sugar and the eggs until light and the sugar has dissolved. Add the salt and the zest and juice from the lemons, and mix until blended. (Note: the zest from the lemons tends to cling to the beaters, so, be sure to clean them off well with a rubber spatula). Fold in the flour.

Pour filling over the slightly cooled crust, and put into the oven for 20 minutes, or until the center is set. I usually turn the oven off after the 20 minutes, and allow the pan to sit in the oven for another 5 minutes to ensure a set custard.

Remove the bars from the oven, and allow to cool.

Sprinkle cooled bars with a little confectioners sugar or with a little extra lemon zest, if desired.

Cut into bars, and serve. The crust is a bit crumbly, so be careful getting that first bar out!

Hope you'll try this recipe... let me know how yours turn out! I've made this recipe twice now, and my family devours them! Make them an extra special treat by serving them with some of your favorite tea!

~Anne

Coming soon!

Hello Everyone!

Next week, one of my best sellers will be back... Earl Grey Creme! This is probably one of my most requested flavors -- and I've missed it too! So watch for the announcement. If you've not yet signed up for my newsletter... please do so, as I will announce there FIRST when the tea is available for sale.

This tea DOES move pretty quickly when I have it in stock, so get yours while the getting is good!

And speaking of my newsletter... there are other benefits to being a subscriber to my newsletter, not only are you kept up to date on my tea blends and when they're available, but I also offer specials not available anywhere else... And, in just a few days, I'll be announcing a special contest -- and to enter, you need only be a subscriber to my newsletter!

You can sign up over here >>>>> on the side of my blog! Just enter your email address and your name, and you're all set!

~Anne

Agave Nectar

When it comes to sweetening your tea, there are many options available today, from sugar cubes to honey, brown sugar to maple syrup, artificial sweeteners to stevia. One sweetener that has only recently come into my personal radar is Agave Nectar, a sweetener that is derived from the Agave plants.

Photo from Wild Organics Website

This has become my favorite sweetener for my tea. It is a little sweeter than honey, so I don't need quite as much, and not quite as sticky (or slow to drizzle!) so I can use it quickly, and without all the mess that often accompanies honey. There are several different varieties of Agave Nectar available: light, amber, dark, and raw. I prefer the raw when I can find it, and when I can't I prefer the amber. The darker amber nectar has a very subtle caramel flavor to it, which I find quite a delightful addition to my tea. I have also used the light nectar, and the flavor is more neutral.

Also new to the market are flavored Agave Nectars, including Amaretto (yum!), vanilla, cappuccino, Irish cream and hazelnut flavors. I haven't yet tried these flavored Agave Nectars but, I may just have to check my local Whole Foods market the next time I stop in for my weekly supply of carrots...

Until recently, I could only find Agave Nectar at my specialty markets (such as Whole Foods and Trader Joes) but during last week's grocery excursion, I was happy to find Agave Nectar available at my local you-bag-it-yourself-and-save grocery store -- in both light and amber varieties! Now I won't have to make a special trip to the specialty markets just for Agave Nectar (and the aforementioned carrots). Of course, I'll still have to make a trip for the carrots, since the discount grocery store doesn't carry my favorite organic, with the greens still attached carrots.

You'll find the Agave Nectar in the same aisle you'd find honey... so check out your local market for Agave Nectar the next time you're shopping and try a drizzle of it in your tea! It's the perfect vegan alternative to honey, and has a lower glycemic index than white sugar, is allergen free, and it doesn't crystalize quickly the way honey does! It's the perfect alternative sweetener!

~Anne

Amy's Soup

Hello Everyone!

I love soup. There are few things that are more comforting than a nice, piping hot bowl of soup on a chilly day... with the exception of a cup of tea, of course! As a fan of soup, however, I must admit that most of the canned soups available in the grocery store are sadly lacking in flavor. Limp, colorless vegetables swimming in a sea of bland broth.

So, to get my soup fix, I am either waiting in line at my local Sweet Tomatoes (a favorite restaurant) or I'm getting out my crock pot and making my own. However, there are a few ready-made soup exceptions that have a permanent placement in either my freezer (more on those at a later time) or my pantry shelf. One such exception comes from Amy's Kitchen.

Photo from Amy's Kitchen Website

Amy's Organic Chunky Tomato Bisque! Wow! What a refreshing change from the ordinary canned tomato soup! The flavor is fresh and alive! It tastes like I went out to my garden and picked the tomatoes myself, and made the soup immediately thereafter! Tomatoes are quite possibly my favorite fruit (yeah, I'm one of those people who consider tomatoes a fruit), and there's nothing quite like a homegrown tomato, picked at the peak of ripeness. And this soup captures the joy of a homegrown tomato! As Carla from this past season's Top Chef would say: "You can really taste the love" in this soup. It's so good.

The price is a bit more than what you'd pay for the standard tomato soup issue from your canned soup aisle, but, trust me, if you love tomatoes, it's well worth the cost.

For the best selection of Amy's foods, you are probably going to need to visit your local Whole Foods or similar market. However, I did notice a small selection of Amy's soups in my local bag-it-yourself-and-save grocery store, and that selection did include this variety. Surprisingly, though, the price at Whole Foods was better than my usually-lower-prices-on-everything grocery store!

I'd love to hear your own comments about this soup...

Thanks for reading along!
~Anne

Last Day for my "Month End" Sale!

Maybe I should have called it the Month End Plus 1 Sale?

Please Check here for details!

This great sale ends today! Check it out!

Spotlighting...

Hello Everyone!

I'm hooked on Spotlighting! And just what is spotlighting? Spotlighting is a super-cool feature at the artisan website byhand.me that is similar to the Etsy Treasury feature, with a couple of significant exceptions: 1) You don't have to wait until the spotlights drops to 333 before you can score a spotlight -- how many times have you waited until 1 am in the morning to get in on the treasuries, only to miss it by like 4 seconds? and 2) You can use listings from sites other than Etsy, such as Artfire, 1000Markets, Made it Myself, and others!

Here's an example of a spotlight I recently created... featuring just some of the things I have on sale right now!

So as you can see, spotlighting can be an effective marketing tool! They're very addictive (and you don't have to create one just to promote yourself... you can create one based on a favorite color scheme, or a favorite theme... you are only limited by your imagination!)

Stop by byhand.me today, and join (registration is free!) in the fun!

~Anne

PS: don't forget my sale: 15% off all orders; 20% off all orders $20 or more; 30% off all orders $30 or more! Valid at all my stores, through March 1 at midnight!

A New Blend, A New "Job" & A New Sale!

Hello Everyone!

Well, let me start out with the most exciting news of all, my herbal blend designed to enhance calm and relaxation is ready! I sampled it last night, and I really like it! I have tried other "night time" herbal teas, and I must say (not biased at all, mind you!) that I really think that this tea is better!

Some of the subscribers to my newsletter (if you're interested in subscribing, please enter your information into the subscription form in the left column of this blog) have volunteered to be my taste testers, their job will be to not only taste a sample of this new tea, but also to offer some ideas for a name for the blend! The subscriber who submits the winning name will receive a tin of the tea when it's ready (it won't be ready for release until late March).

Next on my list of exciting news ... I have been "moonlighting" as a tea reviewer on The Tea Review Blog! Now, I do not review my own teas here (as it might be considered biased), but I do enjoy other teas as well as my own... this past weekend, I managed to get three reviews submitted.


I'm enjoying this new position, hey, it gives me another excuse to drink tea (not that I need another excuse! LOL) and it also opens the door of opportunity for me to try something different, which expands my palate and my own ideas for what tea blend I might create next.

Finally, I want to announce my end of the month sale:

15% off all orders
Buy $20 or more, the discount is increased 5% (20% off the entire order)
Buy $30 or more, the discount is increased 10% (30% off the entire order)

This sale is valid at all of my stores: My Etsy Store, My Artfire Tea Shop, My Artfire Art Studio, and my Made it Myself Store.

OH... and I almost forgot... on ARTFIRE... no account necessary to purchase!

Paypal customers: Please process your order and process your payment. Upon receiving payment notification from Paypal, I will issue you a refund for your discount.

Prefer to mail a check or money order? No problem! Process your order, and then please wait for my confirmation email, I will calculate your discount, and email you with an adjusted total to reflect the discount.

Fine Print: Offer expires on March 1, 2009 at midnight (Pacific Time) and is limited to stock on hand. Discount applies to entire order before shipping charges are added, and is valid only on product, not on shipping charges.

Thanks for reading along, have a great week!
~Anne

Wow, it's Saturday already!

My how time passes when you're having fun!

I have been busily listing items in my newest venue:

Made it Myself!

Yes, yet another store! I currently have 3 other shops: My Etsy Store, My Artfire Tea Shop, and my Artfire Art Studio. And I am considering adding at least one more shop to this list, besides the new one at Made it Myself.

You might ask why? why make all these stores, why not instead concentrate my efforts into just one venue?

Basically, I'm doing it for added exposure. Since I am a one-person operation, essentially breaking even with this venture for the time being, I can't really afford the investment for a decent advertisement package. So, while I do what I can, blog constantly, join forums and hype my products, the fact is that I don't have the money that a lot of the bigger guys out there have to bring attention to my product. It's a great product, and once you try it, I feel like the quality of the product speaks for itself, but, it's about getting the exposure, getting my name out there to get the attention first... so I open these other venues with the hope that someone might see me at one of the venues where they might not have seen me at another...

So... this weekend, I'd like to celebrate my new venue with a special offer!

Buy any 2 tins of tea from my Made it Myself Store, get a box of T-Sacs (size 2, 100 count) absolutely free! Hey, I won't even charge you additional shipping! ABSOLUTELY FREE! This is a $6.00 value (that's what I normally sell these boxes for) free of charge!


Now, if you, for some reason, can't find your favorite LiberTEAS flavor at my Made It Myself store, simply email me, and I'll get it listed for you. Or, you can shop at one of my other two tea sites - My Etsy Store ~or~ My Artfire Tea Shop and get the same deal. I won't hold it against you! But please, do take a moment to visit my Made it Myself Shop first!

To take advantage of this offer: simply place your order for the 2 tins (or more!) of tea, and process through paypal (or if you prefer, you can pay via check or money order). I will automatically include the T-Sacs with your order, so long as you've ordered 2 tins of tea!

Now, if you're a tea purist, you probably don't like T-Sacs and want nothing to do with them! Alright, I can appreciate that. I'm somewhat of a tea purist myself, although I have been known to use T-Sacs on occasion (especially when I'm brewing a Rooibos blend, as the needle-like leaves of Rooibos are very thin and often sift right through my tea strainer!)... so here's a special offer just for you!

Buy any 2 tins (or more) of tea, and get a $5.00 rebate on your total purchase.

To take advantage of this offer, you need to let me know that you'd prefer the rebate over the T-Sacs. So, please email me after you've placed your order and processed your payment (or if you're mailing your check or money order payment, please email me before doing so, so that I can give you an ammended total). I will refund $5.00 from your paypal payment as soon as I receive notification of the payment.

So, what are you waiting for? This offer is not going to last forever... in fact, it is only going to last through Monday, February 23rd, at midnight (Pacific Time). Visit my Tea Shop at Made It Myself right away and take advantage of this amazing offer!!!

~Anne

Lemon Cupcake Recipe (Contest Winner!)

Hello Everyone:

Well, I've heard back from the contest winners (there were two!) and so I think it's safe to publish one of the two recipes -- I'll post the other one in a week or two.

Here is the recipe for Lemon Cupcakes, submitted by Christine from Ohio! I used Meyer Lemons for this recipe, mostly because they were available at Whole Foods when I shopped there, and they looked irresistibly beautiful!

Lemon Cupcakes

Ingredients

1 cup of butter (room temperature)
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
zest from 4 lemons
2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup cake flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
Juice from 2 lemons
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla extract

Lemon Drizzle:
Juice from remaining 2 lemons
1/2 cup sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly spray muffin tins and dust with flour. Alternatively, you can line the tins with cupcake liners, however, there is a step that follows baking that can leave your cupcake liners somewhat sticky. If you don't mind sticky cupcake liners, then use the liners instead of spraying and flour dusting.

Cream butter and sugar together at medium speed for about 5 minutes. Do not skimp on this step, it greatly affects the texture of the cupcakes.

Add eggs, one at a time, to creamed mixture, blending well before adding another egg. Add lemon zest, and blend well, taking time to scrape down the sides of the bowl of your mixer and the mixer blade. The zest accumulated on the blade for me when I made these, so do make sure that you scrape the blade to make sure that the zest gets well incorporated.

Sift together flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder. In a different bowl, mix together the lemon juice, buttermilk and vanilla. Gradually add 1/3 of the flour mixture, blend, and then half of the lemon juice mixture, blend. Add another 1/3 of the flour mixture, blend, the last of the lemon juice mixture, blend, and finish up with the last of the flour mixture. Mix for about 20 seconds on medium speed, making sure that batter is well blended but do not over mix.

Scoop batter evenly into muffin tins, filling each cup about 2/3 full. This makes about 24 cupcakes.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes. Cupcakes are done when a wooden skewer inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.

Now for the sticky part!

Juice the remaining 2 lemons (remember, you zested 4 lemons, but only juiced 2 of them), and pour into a small saucepan with 1/2 cup of sugar. Heat over medium heat until sugar is completely dissolved.

Using a wooden skewer, poke several holes into the crown of the cupcake. You should drive the skewer through to almost the bottom of the cupcake, as you want the syrup to be absorbed throughout the cake.

Now, spoon the lemon juice syrup over the cupcake. I used a soup spoon for this, and used about a spoonful and a half for each cupcake. Allow the syrup to absorb into the cupcake.

Allow the cupcakes to cool completely, and then frost them.

Thank you Christine for your winning recipe! I love these cupcakes! So yummy!

A note about the syrup ... do not make the same mistake I made and drizzle the syrup over the paper lined cupcakes while they were still in the muffin tin. Instead, move them to a cooling rack and drizzle them there... use yesterday's newspaper underneath the cooling rack to catch the drippings to avoid a sticky mess!

Christine won a Chatsford teapot, along with a tin of her favorite tea! (and I might add, these cupcakes are the perfect accompaniment to tea!!!)

Thanks for reading along, I hope you too will enjoy this recipe!

~Anne

My Valentine's Weekend Special!

Hello Everyone!

Well, here it is, Valentine's Day is here already! To celebrate, I'm having a special sale all weekend, through Sunday, February 15, at midnight (Pacific Time).

Receive 25% discount on all tea purchases that include either Chocolate Rose Romance tea ~or~ Breakfast in Bed tea!

This means you can purchase a tin of my Sweet Caramel o'Mine tea, and a tin of my Chocolate Rose Romance tea, and you qualify for the 25% discount on your entire order!

Or you can purchase any other combination of tea, and as long as you've included the Chocolate Rose Romance Tea, *OR* the Breakfast in Bed tea (or you can, of course, purchase both of them!) -- you'll receive the 25% discount!


Just visit my Artfire tea shop or my Etsy store, and place your order this weekend... and be sure to include either the Chocolate Rose Romance tea, or the Breakfast in Bed tea to receive a 25% discount off your entire order!

Discount offer is limited to stock on hand, and is good through Sunday, February 15, 2009, at midnight. Discount on product only, does not apply to shipping charges.

TO RECEIVE YOUR DISCOUNT:

Paypal customers: Just place your order, and process your payment as you normally would. When I've received notification of payment, I will process a 25% refund.

Check/Money Order customers: If you prefer to mail your payment, please wait for me to send you an invoice with your adjusted total, then mail your payment within 5 days.

Thank you, everyone, for helping to make my Artfire tea shop a success!

~Anne

A Tea Story...

Hello Everyone:

Over the past 7 years as I've been blending and flavoring teas, I've created tea flavors that I have wanted. It all started with my Chocolate tea, now called Chocolate Rose Romance. I wanted a chocolate tea that was similar to the chocolate tea I used to purchase from my favorite little antique store in old town Orange, California, an antique store that went out of business, and they took their delightfully flavored chocolate tea with them.

So, I visited all the tea shops I could find in the area, and some of them had chocolate teas, but, none of these chocolate flavors were quite as decadent as my fond memories of the Chocolate tea from that little antique store.

This is how I became inspired to try my hand at flavoring and blending my own teas. My first attempts were very hit and miss... mostly... miss! I did some research, and I did a lot of experimentation. And there was even a time that I gave up and threw in the towel on the whole endeavor, certain I wasn't going to ever achieve that flavor for which I longed.

Then, about 7 years ago, I decided to try again, and I came up with a blend that may not be exactly what I used to obtain from my favorite antique dealer, but, it was certainly close, and quite possibly, better! Since that time, I've made various improvements on my original recipe, and I must say that now, it indeed IS better.

None of my other flavors have undergone as many attempts and transformations as my Chocolate tea.

I am often asked which tea is my favorite, and I usually list my newest tea, or the most recently blended tea... but in truth, my all time favorite is indeed my Chocolate Rose Romance. The flavor is rich, sumptuous... it is everything I want it to be and more. It's a nice chocolate indulgence with little fat (I say "little" because I do add a splash of half & half to this tea, so there is a small amount of fat), and little calories (sometimes I add Agave Nectar, sometimes, I add honey, and sometimes I add Stevia to this tea, depending on what I have handy!)

My Chocolate Rose Romance is a blend of black teas, Chocolate bits, Cacao Nibs, Vanilla, Apple, Rooibos, Almonds, and just a sprinkling of Rose Petals. The rose petals are not added as much for flavor as they are for visual appeal. (Note, if you like rose flavored tea, try my Breakfast in Bed tea!!!)

Is there a tea flavor you'd like to try? Is there a combination that you think would make a winning tea flavor? Please, feel free to drop a comment on this blog, and let me know what flavor you'd like. I'll try creating a flavor to your specifications, and if the flavor is a hit, and I decide to begin offering it in my shop, I'll send you the first tin of it... FREE!

~Anne

Weekend Special! $5.00 Instant* Rebate!

Hello Everyone!

Well, the weekend is here already! And it's tax season, so I thought I'd offer a REBATE!

This weekend, beginning Friday, February 6, and ending Sunday, February 8 at midnight, you can receive a $5.00 INSTANT* REBATE on your purchase of 2 or more tins of tea!

This offer is good at either my Artfire Tea Shop or my Etsy store.


Offer is limited to stock on hand, no rainchecks, and is valid on all orders placed before midnight on Sunday, February 8. To receive your rebate via paypal, simply place your order, and process your payment. Once I have received payment, I will refund $5.00 via paypal. If you prefer to mail your payment, simply email me after you've finished processing your order, and I will email you with a corrected total, less the $5.00 rebate.

*You will receive your rebate as soon as I have received notification of your payment via email, so it may not be "instantaneous", but, it will be prompt.

Also, I do not have all of my teas posted to my shops yet, so, if there is something that you want, but don't see in either shop, please email me and I'll let you know if it's available.

It's Tea Time!!!

A New Online Playground for Artists!

Hello Everyone!

This is a reposting (or a cut/paste) from my art blog. Just in case there are those of you who read this blog, but not my art blog... or the other way around... for those of you who read both blogs... well, read it twice?

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I am writing today to share with you some information about a whole new website that has been created for artists.

It's called ByHand.Me and you can access it with this url: http://www.byhand.me

It has been designed to be a social community to help promote handmade wares. It's a place for the artists who sell their wares on places like Etsy or Artfire. It's also a place where artists can find support, and learn more about how to better promote yourself as an artist. At ByHand.Me, you'll find:

• An Artisan Directory - for artists with a business. You can add your business, along with where you sell online, and how you can be contacted. A great way to help build your business online!
  
• Forums - a message board where members can post about handmade wares, ask for advice, promote your business, or just socialize!
  
• Member Blogs - Each member gets their own blog. Also, and this is really cool... your blog entry can be on the front page of the site! Kind of like flashing, only you probably won't get arrested for it. woo hoo!
  
• Social Networking - the social networking feature allows you to connect with other artisans.
  
• Chat - A place to communicate in real time with other members. It's also a great place to facilitate your own procratination issues. If you're an artist, you probably know what I'm talking about.
  
• Private Messaging - A safe way to talk in private. Maybe play a game of telephone with other members. Remember that game?
  
• RSS Feeds - OK... so I don't know what RSS feeds are. But maybe you do... If you do, well, you can do that here. If you don't, well, then, you can continue in your blissful ignorance of them here. Or maybe, you can get into a private message or chat with Adam (the creator) and he can tell you what it's all about. Because artists support each other like that.
  
• More! - just the way it sounds... more... not less. And more is more.
  

And it's all free! That's the best price. Unless you could find someone to pay you to join a site, and that, honestly, might feel a bit weird... sort of like paying someone to be your friend, or giving the bully on the playground your lunch money so they don't beat you up after school.

You can learn more by visiting Rebecca's Soap Deli News Blog.

Join today, and then find me on there and add me to your connections ... my user name is Liberteas... you know... like my tea shop? Speaking of which, it's really nice to brew a cup of tea before you sit back and socialize at ByHand.Me. It's sort of like having tea with friends... only you don't have to get dressed up and wear a hat. Unless you want to.

So, that's all for now. Hope to see you at ByHand.Me soon!