Re: TOTD: 8/14/08 Do you flavor your food with aromatics?

[Guest guest]

>

> Speaking of Osmanthus I just got an amazing oolong tea with Osmantus

> flowers, brilliant!

When I was growing up (my maiden name is Szeto, a Cantonese surname)

we had osmanthus oolong all the time. Even now when I smell osmanthus,

I smell the distinctive smell of Chinese tea. (Just like when I smell

sandalwood, it takes me back instantly to when I was 6 and smelling

the fans carved out of sandalwood in my parents' wardrobe.)

You can get osmanthus oolong tea at most Chinese supermarkets. I've

also got a big batch of dried organic osmanthus flowers from one of

the Chinese tea sellers on eBay, and I've been tincturing this with a

fair amount of success. It's more leathery than the absolute, quite

smokey - might work in a man's blend. Also - Adam - cheaper!

Another fun thing - have any of you ever drank those little " balls " of

rolled up tea and flowers, that when you pour boiling water onto them

they open up the dried flower inside? They do various versions:

jasmine, chrysanthemum, osmanthus...

Abbie

[Guest guest]

HI folk,

well i might as well tell you, they are aromatic after all,

i use these a lot in my cooking (every day almost, if I have rice

which is often):

black cardomon

cinnamon bark

cloves

in a savoury dish rice or stews, root dishes, salads, soups..

mint

black cumin

fennel

asfoetida

lemon/lime juice.

in sweets:

green cardomon

saffron

rose water

cinnamon

vanilla

Other than rose water, i only use seeds, leaves and bark whole, but

warm them in oil for a good while, before adding them to the stew pot

as i let it stand off the heat, or add them dry to the steaming rice,

and let that stand a few minutes.

The fragrant spices with background of rice is marvellous, and i

marvelled today.

Add the taste - it's not worth eating in a hurry. My god, and

followed by fresh fruit dessert perfume bursting when i slit the skin.

Plum.

[Guest guest]

HI folk,

well i might as well tell you, they are aromatic after all,

i use these a lot in my cooking (every day almost, if I have rice

which is often):

black cardomon

cinnamon bark

cloves

in a savoury dish rice or stews, root dishes, salads, soups..

mint

black cumin

fennel

asfoetida

lemon/lime juice.

in sweets:

green cardomon

saffron

rose water

cinnamon

vanilla

Other than rose water, i only use seeds, leaves and bark whole, but

warm them in oil for a good while, before adding them to the stew pot

as i let it stand off the heat, or add them dry to the steaming rice,

and let that stand a few minutes.

The fragrant spices with background of rice is marvellous, and i

marvelled today.

Add the taste - it's not worth eating in a hurry. My god, and

followed by fresh fruit dessert perfume bursting when i slit the skin.

Plum.

[Guest guest]

> ...Even now when I smell osmanthus, I smell the distinctive smell of

> Chinese tea. (Just like when I smell sandalwood, it takes me back

> instantly to when I was 6 and smelling the fans carved out of

> sandalwood in my parents' wardrobe.)

> Another fun thing - have any of you ever drank those little " balls " of

> rolled up tea and flowers, that when you pour boiling water onto them

> they open up the dried flower inside? They do various versions:

> jasmine, chrysanthemum, osmanthus...

>

> Abbie

>

Wow Abbie -- yes... I get osmanthus tea at a local Chinese shop, and

it's heavenly. (Now that you mention it, I think I'll have some!)

And I have a lovely carved sandalwood fan that my cousins brought me

years ago from China where they live. So wonderful of you to share

these memories with us. And a local herb and tea shop also carries

those flower teas. They're so beautiful when they're opening up. And

the teas are exquisite.

Cheers!

Andrine (who loves flower tea)

[Guest guest]

> ...Even now when I smell osmanthus, I smell the distinctive smell of

> Chinese tea. (Just like when I smell sandalwood, it takes me back

> instantly to when I was 6 and smelling the fans carved out of

> sandalwood in my parents' wardrobe.)

> Another fun thing - have any of you ever drank those little " balls " of

> rolled up tea and flowers, that when you pour boiling water onto them

> they open up the dried flower inside? They do various versions:

> jasmine, chrysanthemum, osmanthus...

>

> Abbie

>

Wow Abbie -- yes... I get osmanthus tea at a local Chinese shop, and

it's heavenly. (Now that you mention it, I think I'll have some!)

And I have a lovely carved sandalwood fan that my cousins brought me

years ago from China where they live. So wonderful of you to share

these memories with us. And a local herb and tea shop also carries

those flower teas. They're so beautiful when they're opening up. And

the teas are exquisite.

Cheers!

Andrine (who loves flower tea)

[Guest guest]

i use these a lot in my cooking (every day almost, if I have rice

which is often):

black cardomon

cinnamon bark

-----

I thought cinnamon bark shouldn't be ingested?

-

[Guest guest]

i use these a lot in my cooking (every day almost, if I have rice

which is often):

black cardomon

cinnamon bark

-----

I thought cinnamon bark shouldn't be ingested?

-

[Guest guest]

Another fun thing - have any of you ever drank those little " balls " of

rolled up tea and flowers, that when you pour boiling water onto them

they open up the dried flower inside? They do various versions:

jasmine, chrysanthemum, osmanthus...>

Yes they are beautiful....I have silver coin , jasmine flower, and

" sea anemone " display teas. Very nice for company and even " wish

spells " .

Katlyn

Katlyn Breene

Mermade Magickal Arts (since 1984)

katmermade@...

http://www.mermadearts.com/

[Guest guest]

Another fun thing - have any of you ever drank those little " balls " of

rolled up tea and flowers, that when you pour boiling water onto them

they open up the dried flower inside? They do various versions:

jasmine, chrysanthemum, osmanthus...>

Yes they are beautiful....I have silver coin , jasmine flower, and

" sea anemone " display teas. Very nice for company and even " wish

spells " .

Katlyn

Katlyn Breene

Mermade Magickal Arts (since 1984)

katmermade@...

http://www.mermadearts.com/

[Guest guest]

Lavender chocolate chip cookies.

A few drops of lavender eo and a sprinkling of buds in the batter.

Maggie

[Guest guest]

When I was growing up (my maiden name is Szeto, a Cantonese surname)

we had osmanthus oolong all the time. Even now when I smell osmanthus,

I smell the distinctive smell of Chinese tea. (Just like when I smell

sandalwood, it takes me back instantly to when I was 6 and smelling

the fans carved out of sandalwood in my parents' wardrobe.)

You can get osmanthus oolong tea at most Chinese supermarkets. I've

also got a big batch of dried organic osmanthus flowers from one of

the Chinese tea sellers on eBay, and I've been tincturing this with a

fair amount of success. It's more leathery than the absolute, quite

smokey - might work in a man's blend. Also - Adam - cheaper!

Another fun thing - have any of you ever drank those little " balls " of

rolled up tea and flowers, that when you pour boiling water onto them

they open up the dried flower inside? They do various versions:

jasmine, chrysanthemum, osmanthus...

Abbie

Is the tea called Osmanthus tea?  A coworker of mine lives in Chinatown and it

crossed my mind that I could ask her to pick me up some.

[Guest guest]

Food-now we're talkin'......

I mostly just use the spices, herbs, aromatic vegetables, etc.

themselves, or commercial extracts, in my cooking and baking. I tend

to keep my precious essences for perfume or cosmetics. I have herbs

and spices up the wazoo. My ex-wife and I used to go to Indian

stores for spices and got huge bags worth for cheap, and I got a

bunch of bulk spices from work when we got rid of bulk herbs and

spices. Anyone interested in garam masala, cardamom, whole nutmegs,

culinary lavender, chiles? That being said I have used:

Ylang ylang in frosting, for Valentines day. Brought it to work(used

to make large batches of homemade cupcakes for all the holidays and

brought them to work. My co-workers loved me),people were none the

wiser. I've also used ylang ylang in a ganache, as truffles, rolled

in finely shredded coconut, also for Valentines day.

I've used rose, also in frosting, also for Valentines day, and also

in pink rabbit-shaped sugar cookies for Easter.

Once I didn't have lemongrass when I was making a Thai curry-used

lemongrass oil instead. Anya, I too used the toothpick method.

I've used vanilla absolute when I ran out of vanilla extract, also

for cakes and frosting.

I threw in a drop of coffee CO2 in a serving of chocolate pudding.

One was more than enough.

Peppermint and spearmint have also gone into my baking. For Saint

Patty's day, I used some peppermint oil in my dark chocolate cake

batter.

I'm sure I've thrown lime, lemon, or orange oils into something or

other.

I remember a post a while back where I mentioned I wanted to use rose

water and orange flower water in cocktails, martinis to be excact. I

haven't tried them yet.

I have Mandy Aftel's Aroma. I havent' made anything in it yet.

[Guest guest]

On Aug 17, 2008, at 1:08 AM, Shea wrote:

> chrysanthemum

I've done it with chrysanthemum flowers.

[Guest guest]

>

> I've done it with chrysanthemum flowers.

>

Me to, but with Calendula flowers, wonderful in basmati rice

Janita

JHNP

Send instant messages to your online friends http://uk.messenger.

[Guest guest]

>

> Is the tea called Osmanthus tea?  A coworker of mine lives in

Chinatown and it crossed my mind that I could ask her to pick me up

some.

Osmanthus oolong tea is also called Gui Hua Oolong (or Wu-long).

I'm not sure what the little balls of tea are called - other

than " blooming tea " or " flowering tea " . You can find them in the gift

section, usually. Great fun.

Abbie

[Guest guest]

>

> Is the tea called Osmanthus tea?  A coworker of mine lives in

Chinatown and it crossed my mind that I could ask her to pick me up

some.

Osmanthus oolong tea is also called Gui Hua Oolong (or Wu-long).

I'm not sure what the little balls of tea are called - other

than " blooming tea " or " flowering tea " . You can find them in the gift

section, usually. Great fun.

Abbie

[Guest guest]

>

> Is the tea called Osmanthus tea?  A coworker of mine lives in

Chinatown and it crossed my mind that I could ask her to pick me up

some.

Osmanthus oolong tea is also called Gui Hua Oolong (or Wu-long).

I'm not sure what the little balls of tea are called - other

than " blooming tea " or " flowering tea " . You can find them in the gift

section, usually. Great fun.

Abbie

[Guest guest]

>>>>>>'m not sure what the little balls of tea are called - other

than " blooming tea " or " flowering tea " . You can find them in the gift

section, usually. Great fun.>>>>>>

They call them " display teas " , i believe.

[Guest guest]

>

> Lavender chocolate chip cookies.

> A few drops of lavender eo and a sprinkling of buds in the batter.

> Maggie

>

Lavender shortbread. Or any of several others--- clove, cinnamon,

ginger, etc.