Yum!

It is more fun to talk with someone

who doesn't use long, difficult words

but rather short, easy words like

"What about lunch?"

- Winnie the Pooh

We've been working hard on what to do When Life Doesn't Work for over a week. It's time for a break! Here's a dessert I created the other night. The blueberries mix well with the nuttiness of the oat bran and the tang of citrus-flavored icing. But you don't have to use blueberries. You can use any fruit you have, even raisins. This recipe is not too high in sugar, yet sweet enough to serve as dessert. It's fat-free, and elevated in fiber. I haven't been eating any sugar lately, but I had a second piece of this because.

Yes, just because.

I said aloud to myself, "Okay, that's it. This one is going in the blog!"

So here it is, dear bloggy friends. Pull up a chair by the fire and relax. I'll bring the tea and coffee to you. But you'll have to eat the cake yourself.

Blueberry Breakfast Bread

Bread Ingredients :

2 and 1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup oat bran or minute oats

3 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup sugar or other sweetener

1 cup apple sauce

1 cup milk or juice of your choice*

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 and 1/2 cups of blueberries or other fruit of your choice

*reduce milk or juice to 3/4 cup if you are using a liquid sweetener

Glaze Ingredients :

1/4 cup orange juice, lemon juice, or water

2 cups of powdered sugar to create your preferred consistency

pinch of salt

Directions :

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Put flour, oat bran, baking powder, and salt into a bowl and blend.

Stir together sweetener, apple sauce, milk, and vanilla in another bowl or container.

Add the wet ingredients and the blueberries to the dry mix. Blend until just moistened.

Put batter into a greased rectangular baking pan.

Bake at 350 for 40 minutes until lightly browned.

Cool for 10 minutes.

Mix juice, powdered sugar, and salt with a whisk.

Spoon this glaze over the warm bread.

Make coffee or tea. This gives the bread a few more minutes to "set."

Enjoy!

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What's your favorite winter treat? Do you enjoy it with coffee or tea?

My Favorite Tea Now

At 40, I had to stop drinking tea.

My body changed, and I suddenly found myself in the midst of chronic migraine. The chemicals in black tea -- tannins and caffeine -- were on the list of things to avoid. A little testing confirmed it: yes, these were a problem. I could safely drink a few herbal teas, but only blends without citrus or dried apple.

Since that time, my migraine problems have ebbed, and I've enjoyed more freedom in my diet. I can occasionally drink one cup of black tea or herbal tea blend with citrus. Last night, I treated myself to a cup of Constant Comment. But it had been a month. I still can't drink these teas often.

About five years ago, I stumbled across rooibos tea in a restaurant. As the waiter explained what it was, and as I was feeling brave, I ordered it. The first sip made my mouth sing. Caramel, baked apples, honey, malt, roasted pecans, carob, vanilla -- flavors like these were blended into one sweet sensation. I was hooked.

A little research led me to the Atlantic Spice Company, where I can order teas in bulk at reasonable prices. They sell loose rooibos tea, which looks like tiny, hollow, small sticks. The picture above shows a cup of red tea resting on a bed of the leaves. When I want a cup of tea, I put a teaspoon of red leaves into an infuser from Teeli, pour boiling water over it, steep for three minutes, and add unrefined sugar or honey.

Rooibos tea is actually an herbal tea with no caffeine. Its leaves are harvested from the African red bush, leading many people to simply call it "red tea." It's packed with antioxidants, nutrients, and anti-inflammatory chemicals. Since it's also low in tannins, it won't make migraine worse. In fact, this tea can only make you feel better. It tastes like black tea, only a bit milder and sweeter, with slightly nutty overtones . It's the perfect choice for those who want the experience of tea without the risk of headaches. Delicious with milk and sugar, it's also a great choice for children.

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If you've never tried it, and you're curious, you can pick up a box of Celestial Seasonings' Madagascar Vanilla Red Tea at your grocery store.

To learn more about rooibos, read this brief history from TeaMuse.

This article from Savannah Imports explains some of the health benefits of red tea.

A Tea Movie

Love and scandal

are the best sweeteners of tea.

- Henry Fielding, "Love in Several Masques"

Polish your best teapot. Break out the cucumber sandwiches. Arrange some pastries on a dainty plate. Prepare yourself for the best movie with tea that I have ever seen.

Most of you have not heard of it. It was never a major motion picture hit. But it has won our a special place in our lives. Every winter my husband and I watch it together. It's our movie.

Persuasion (1995), starring Amanda Root as Anne and Ciaran Hinds as Captain Wentworth, was produced for British television with a stellar cast, many of them from the Royal Shakespeare Company. Amanda Hinds brilliantly portrays the quiet, understated heroine of Jane Austen's last and tender novel about waiting after all hope is gone. Her fresh-scrubbed countenance reveals the character's deep emotions and thoughts under the surface of her strong sense of propriety. Ciaran Hinds plays a stunning counterpoint to her reserve as the wandering, charismatic naval captain who does not know his own heart and whose wounded pride almost causes him to lose the one he loves.

If you have read today's post on The Moon Boat Cafe, you know why I do not generally like movies based on books. This is one of the exceptions. It's faithful to Jane Austen's original vision. The characters are everything I could have asked for. The entire film is as delicate and as lovely as a china teacup -- because it's Anne's story, and that's just the way it should be.

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Can you think of a good movie (which you like) with tea in it?

Children's Tea

My dear, if you could give me

a cup of tea to clear

my muddle of a head

I should better

understand your affairs.

- Charles Dickens

I know what comes next. After seeing your tray of delights, your children will want their own tea. Well, why not?

Through the years, I catered to my kids' requests for tea. Shamelessly. Whenever we were taking on a challenge, when they were feeling unwell, when everyone was down in the dumps, or when I just wanted to jazz up the day, we made a tea tray for school and enjoyed it while we studied a special book or worked on a project.

Tea wasn't a cure-all, but it never hurt us. Life and school were better for it. Not only this, but I found that our tradition of tea really did help them concentrate better. The shared joy of putting together a "a party plate" reminded us of the good things and set us laughing and enjoying one another again. When we returned to our work, we were able to approach challenges with a clear head and renewed energy.

Here's how we did it. First, I put on some classical or jazz music to set the mood. Then I put the water on to boil. I kept leftover party napkins from previous events. One child could select a napkin for each of us and find the cups and silverware. The other could search the kitchen with me for treats. These had to be things we could put together easily.

Usually, we made a little sandwich and cut it into quarters. Or we had cheese and crackers. We added some fresh fruit or veggies. The finishing touch was something sweet -- cookies, marshmallows, raisins, etc. I routinely picked up iced animal cookies and pop tarts to have on hand for this.

We brewed the tea, put everything on a large plastic tray, and carried it to the room where we would be working. Usually the tea was decaffeinated and served with plenty of milk and sugar. One of the keys for younger children is to use non-breakable dishes and easy finger foods. Keeping things simple and worry-free means everyone will relax, even Mom.

They loved this tradition of ours, and we continued it all the way through high school. They especially loved the flavored teas. In the fall, we liked cinnamon and nutmeg- flavored teas. For Christmas, we chose Constant Comment or Earl Grey. Raspberry tea was our Valentine special. Lemon flavors were our choice for spring.

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Would your kids like their own tea tray? What would you put on it?

The Great Afternoon Tea

Christopher Robin was home by this time, because it was the afternoon, and he was so glad to see them that they stayed there until very nearly tea-time, and then they had a Very Nearly tea, which is one you forget about afterwards, and hurried on to Pooh Corner, so as to see Eeyore before it was too late to have a Proper Tea with Owl.

- A.A. Milne, The House at Pooh Corner

In nothing more is the English genius for domesticity more notably declared than in the institution of this festival - almost one may call it - of afternoon tea...The mere chink of cups and saucers tunes the mind to happy repose.

- George Gissing

The British have developed a rich tradition around the custom of afternoon tea. They know how to do it. They serve their black tea with milk and sugar, and a variety of special tea treats. Traditional fare includes little sandwiches, scones with clotted cream and jam, pastries, and cakes. This is often served on a tiered stand. An Elegant China teapot and cups finish setting the table. Although this custom has become less common in recent years, there was a day not too long ago when everything stopped for tea between 3:00 and 5:00 in the afternoon.

We can take a page from British history and follow their example by stopping to have a tea party every afternoon. After all, a society that produced Geoffrey Chaucer, William Shakespeare, John Milton, Thomas More, Jane Austen, John Webster, Robert Browning, Charles Dickens, Lewis Carroll, T.S Eliot, Winston Churchill, G.K.Chesterton, and C.S. Lewis -- just to name a few -- must know something about nourishing the mind and imagination.

Have you tried it?

Am I serious? You bet. If trying to start your school year is wearing you out, stop everything. Just for 30-60 minutes. Put on some nice music, light a candle, or put some flowers in a vase. Put a lovely cup and a treat on a tray. Boil the water, brew the tea. Sit in a part of the house that is pretty. Or linger on the porch and savor the still warm afternoon. Watch the leaves turn. Laugh at the antics of the squirrels who are storing their winter stash. Notice the migrating birds over your head. Let the children play. Isn't the light golden? Let time stand still.

I recommend it, like a daily vitamin for the soul.

To that end, I offer you one of my favorite easy recipes for a tea treat that takes almost no effort and is low in calories. The point is for you to recharge, not work in the kitchen, and to have fun, without the guilt.

Afternoon Tea Angel Treat

Ingredients:

Angel Food Cake

Fat-Free Tapioca, vanilla, or chocolate pudding

Fresh berries or Cherry Pie Filling

Fat-Free Cool Whip

Directions:

Put the water on to boil.

Cut a piece of Angel Food Cake. Slice the piece in half horizontally to make a traditional two-layer piece of cake. Spread the pudding on one half of your piece and place the second half on top of the first. Spread pudding on top of the second piece. Add fruit, according to your taste. Finish with a dollop of whipped topping.

Steep your tea. Put everything on the tray and carry to a place where you can relax.

You have just done something completely frivolous.

Enjoy.

(Note: your children may want some dessert, too. Think about this ahead of time. I suggest that you offer them a piece of cake for dessert after supper . . . Right now, it's "Mom's moment" for "play and rest." If you seriously doubt they will let you take time out in peace, consider asking your husband to watch the children for you when he is home, just long enough for you to relax.)

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What's your favorite dessert?

Tea

A scene from A Bridge Too Far (1977):

Corporal Hancock: Sir. (He offers Urquhart a mug of tea.)

Major General Urquhart: Hancock. I've got lunatics laughing at me from the woods. My original plan has been scuppered now that the jeeps haven't arrived. My communications are completely broken down. Do you really believe any of that can be helped by a cup of tea?

Corporal Hancock: Couldn't hurt, sir. (Urquhart accepts his mug of tea.)

Other than water, tea is the most widely consumed drink on the planet. Most cultures have traditions of the steeped beverage. No matter where you are, no matter your lifestyle, there is a custom of tea in your little corner of the world. Why is this?

There is something magical about waiting for the water to boil, pouring it slowly over the leaves, pausing long enough for the tea to brew, and sitting down to sip its fragrant offering. We've enjoyed tea over the years. We've woven it through our days, turned to it for comfort and atmosphere, and hugged it close when we were sick. The plain truth is, there are days when tea makes life good again.

This week we'll be talking about tea -- but more than that, I'll be reminding you to pause, to savor, to take care of your soul, even in the midst of busy schedules and pressing demands.

If you are muttering under your breath because you've got lunatics laughing at you, your original plans have been scuppered, and all communications have completely broken down, it may be that tea has nothing to offer you. But I say to you: it couldn't hurt. Just take a break. Have tea. It won't change the world. But it may change you. And that can make all the difference.

Tea has been a soother of nerves, a lifter of spirits, and a diluter of stress for centuries. If you have never tried it, then you are in for a surprise. The first thing to do is to find a tea that you like. The options are numerous -- light or dark, fruity or nutty, astringent or sweet. Serving choices are almost as varied: milk and sugar like a latte; sweetened with honey; plain with lemon; iced or hot.

Here's a run-down of the types of tea that are widely available:

• Black Tea: called "black" because it's made from leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant which have been dried and oxidized until they are black. This is the tea most people know, the tea that is used as an iced beverage. In Britain and Canada, black tea is traditionally served with milk and sugar. Popular varieties include: Constant Comment, Earl Gray, English Breakfast, Darjeeling, and Irish Breakfast.

• Green Tea: known for it's healthy antioxidants, this tea is made from Camellia sinensis leaves that have been dried and gently oxidized, but are still green in appearance. Its golden liquor is usually served plain or lightly sweetened. It's low in caffeine.

• Oolong Tea: this is the tea usually served in Chinese restaurants. It's actually made from a blend of black and green teas. It has half the caffeine of black teas and the brew is reddish brown. It's excellent with a teaspoon of sugar, or simply plain and piping hot, as a companion to rice and vegetable dishes.

• White Tea: its silvery leaves have not been cured or oxidized. This Camellia sinensis tea is made from young leaves and buds. It's rarer and more expensive. It has more caffeine than green tea, and a very unique flavor.

• Herbal Tea: this is a broad category. Any teas not made from the leaves of Camellia sinensis plant fall into this group. Popular ingredients are: peppermint, camomile, lemongrass, dried fruits and fruit peels, rose hips, chicory, spices, and carob.

• Red Tea: this special kind of tea looks and tastes like a mild black tea when brewed, but it's actually an herbal tea made from the African "red bush". Also called "rooibos tea", red tea is packed with nutrients and antioxidants and has it has no caffeine. Many people enjoy it with milk and sugar, or sweetened with honey.

Experiment. Try something new this week. If the first tea you select doesn't delight you, don't be discouraged. There are teas to please every palate.

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What types of tea do you enjoy? Any favorites?