Looking for a recipe to impress your guests at the Thanksgiving dinner you are hosting this year? Consider this meltingly tender beef stew recipe with a refreshing touch – spearmint tea! It will either leave them satiated or craving for another bowl. Ingredients 750 ml dry red wine 2½-lb. boneless beef chuck roast 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper 1 tbsp. kosher salt, plus more 3 tbsp. loose mint tea leaves. We recommend Brew Me’s Minty Breeze (Click to shop) 3 medium yellow onions 3 medium carrots 8 garlic cloves 2 star anise 1 cinnamon stick 4 large sprigs thyme 2 Tbsp. red miso paste 1 28-oz. can crushed tomatoes 1 cup parsley leaves and tender stems Crusty bread (for serving) Instructions Preheat oven to 300°. Place 2½ lb. beef on a cutting board and cut into 2″ cubes – just try to cut them in relatively evenly-sized pieces so they will cook at the same
TEA IS FOR TRAVEL: Kou-An Glass Teahouse
WHERE: Kou-An Glass Teahouse, Tokyo Tea, since time immemorial, has been the totem of Japanese culture and philosophy. Artist Tokujin Yoshioka crystallized his reverence for his native tradition in a new form that gives the meaning of the art of tea clarity in today’s milieu. Images: Tokujin Yoshioka The minimal glass architecture forgoes the typical physical elements one would find in a teahouse, such as a tatami, Ikebana and calligraphy scroll. And it is reduced to the base of how tea ceremony is appreciated, in a way that transcends time and spatial perception – these two subjects are the quintessential preoccupation of Japanese deep-thinkers. In the open-air, observers will see the transparent installation’s poetic expression in constant flux under the moving natural light at different times of the day. Spatial cognition is thrown in sharp relief when one moves into it, as the line between nature and architecture is in absence. The traveling exhibition, which made its debut at the
Bon Appétea: Matcha Mille Crepe Cake
When Japanese meets French – you get a decadent Matcha Mille crepe cake. Its green tea layers are subtly bittersweet, with decadent fresh whipped cream in between. The icing on the cake? You don’t need an oven to make this! Ingredients Crepe batter: 1 3/4 cup whole milk 3 tbsp sugar 3 large eggs1 1/2 tbsp melted unsalted butter 1 cup cake flour 2 tbsp matcha powder. We recommend My Tea Inc’s premium matcha (click on the link) imported from Kyoto(click to shop) 1/2 tsp baking powder neutral flavor oil Fresh whipped cream: 1 cup heavy (whipping) cream 3 tbsp sugar Instructions Crepe batter: Add the milk and sugar in a small saucepan and combine well. Heat on medium heat until the milk is warm to touch. Beat the eggs in a large bowl. Then slowly add a small amount (½ cup at a time) of warm milk while whisking. While whisking, slowly add the melted butter to the mixture. Set up
TEA IS FOR TRAVEL: Hua Shan Teahouse
WHERE: Hua Shan Teahouse, Shaan’Xi Province, China There is nothing more ceremonial than a pilgrimage to the summit of Hua Shan, China, for a fine cup of tea. If your grit is higher than the scale of the mountain – standing at 2,160 meters tall – we challenge you to hike it. The road to heaven is a surreal and vertigo-inducing experience a thrill-seeker would not want to miss. Aptly named Plank Walk in the Sky, it is paved with narrow pathways precariously bending around the edge of the mighty cliff. For those who are deterred, you can choose to take the cable car ride from the East Gate to the North Peak to catch a glimpse of the beautiful vista over the mountain valleys. At the end of the journey sits an ancient Taoist temple, a sacred sanctuary that has been converted into a tea house. Travelers will be rewarded with a warm cup of hard-earned tea and a
Bon Appétea: Ochazuke (Japanese Steeped Rice)
A tea-infused meal you can make at home with leftover ingredients? You got that right. Ochazuke will make for a light and well-balanced comfort food during inclement weather. Just choose your green tea of choice – genmaicha, unro, or hojicha – to pour over your steamy sushi rice and layer whatever proteins and greens you can find in your kitchen. Ingredients 2 cups warm sushi rice, divided Kosher salt 3 tablespoons neutral oil 1/4 cup white soy sauce or 3 tablespoons regular soy sauce 4 large eggs 10 ounces mature spinach, trimmed 1/2 cup green tea, such as hojicha, genmaicha, or unro. We recommend Hachimanjyu’s first flush organic green tea (click to shop) 6 scallions, dark-green parts only, very thinly sliced crosswise Pickled ginger, furikake seasoning or toasted sesame seeds, and shredded toasted nori (for serving) Instructions Scoop 1/2 cup rice onto a clean surface. Dampen your hands in a small bowl of salted water (this will prevent the rice
