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Do you love cake? I know I do. So does Jill O’Connor, who has declared her love in a delightful cookbook called Cake, I Love You: Decadent, Delectable, and Do-able Recipes (Chronicle Books, May 2017). We previously reviewed the book here on the blog, you can …
When I was a kid, it seemed that there was only one kind of salt, regular iodized table salt. Today I use many types of salt to add a variety of flavors and even textures to our food. I recently received a selection of premium …
I know many readers of The Classy Chics are tea drinkers, and I’m here to tell you about a new blend from The Good Earth Tea Co., Turmeric Chai Tea. This luxury loose tea blend is a black tea flavored with rich, warm spices, and it’s delicious.
* Complimentary Product Received for Review.
When I first opened the pretty can, I was surprised at the tea’s golden glow, until I remembered that turmeric is known for its intense orange color. I was also struck by the whole tea leaves and spices—no dust here! The label has a very helpful picture of the tea, pointing out each ingredient so you know exactly what everything is. My Turmeric Chai contains black tea leaves, whole cardamom pods, whole white and black peppercorns, pieces of ginger and cinnamon, and turmeric. The tea itself is beautiful, and it smells heavenly.
Following the brewing instructions on the package, I put a half-teaspoon of tea in an infuser and added 8 ounces of just-under-boiling water, then let it steep for four minutes. The brewed tea was golden, fragrant, and spicy. I stirred in a bit of honey and sat back to relax and enjoy my tea. Mmmmm. I will say, though, that I generally prefer strong tea, so for subsequent cups, I used a higher tea-to-water ratio.
Good Earth Tea makes a wide variety of tea blends, from black and green teas to herbal, oolong, and white teas. All of their teas are Kosher certified by the Orthodox Union, many are USDA Organic, and none contain any artificial colors or flavors. Some are available in pyramid teabags rather than as loose tea.
The tin my Turmeric Chai tea came in is beautiful, and I’m sure I’ll find a way to use and display it when the tea is gone. The label is removable, so the empty tin may be used for anything without advertising its origin. The lid seals nicely but is still easy to remove; I love that it’s embossed with an image of tea leaves, a subtle reminder of what the tin once contained.
Although there’s not a store locator on the Good Earth Tea website yet, you can purchase teas directly from them at their online store. The Turmeric Chai tea I received to review comes in a 4 ounce can and sells for $12.99. If you love their tea, you can arrange a subscription so you never run out of your favorite blend.
To keep up to date with the latest news and promotions from Good Earth Tea, visit them on Facebook.
Disclaimer: A. Bailey received complimentary products for review purposes & feature on The Classy Chics blog. No monetary compensation was received. A. Bailey’s thoughts, opinions and words are 100% her own. Your thoughts may differ.
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I love cake! Jill O’Connor loves cake, too, so much that she’s written a cookbook called Cake, I Love You: Decadent, Delectable, and Do-Able Recipes (Chronicle Books, May 2017). We’ll be sharing the recipe for Luscious Lemon Loaf from the book soon, but for now, let me tell you about this cookbook ode to cake, just in time for holiday gatherings where a beautiful cake can be the ultimate centerpiece.
* Complimentary Book Received for Review.
My favorite thing about this cookbook is that it’s organized by flavor or ingredient, with one per chapter. The chapters are Banana, Coconut, Chocolate, Caramel & Butterscotch, Citrus, Spirits & Spices, and Garden & Orchard. So as an example, if you’ve got a surplus of ripe bananas, you can just turn to the first chapter to choose from its eight banana-based cakes. Even better, the recipes within each chapter range from simple to more involved to show stopping. And if you’re having trouble choosing which cake to bake for an event, just look for the recipes marked “Crowd-Pleaser.” Each chapter has one recipe with the “Crowd-Pleaser” designation, which the author describes as “a classic, iconic favorite you can turn to again and again with confidence.”
In addition to its tempting recipes, Cake, I Love You has extensive introductory sections that provide information and techniques that will benefit bakers at every level. The Baker’s Gear and Baker’s Pantry sections provide a glossary and suggestions for equipment, tools, and ingredients. The information is delivered in a friendly and helpful way, as though Jill O’Connor is sitting at your kitchen table describing what she prefers to use, and why. She also includes helpful instructions for things such as making meringue or nut flour. I was particularly interested to read the section on Building a Better Cake, and although I’m a fairly experienced home baker, I picked up several tips I know I’ll be employing whenever I’m baking cakes (now I know how to make my cake layers level and even).
Each chapter begins with a charmingly illustrated introduction page in which the author explains why she loves that particular chapter’s main flavor/ingredient. Then, before the recipes, there’s a page or two with valuable “basics” to help you get the most from that chapter’s flavor/ingredient. For example, the Caramel & Butterscotch chapter’s “Caramel Basics” explains the differences between caramel, butterscotch, and dulce de leche, as well as different methods for making them. This sort of information makes Cake, I Love You a reference for much more than just the cakes between its beautiful covers.
Although not every recipe has an accompanying picture, flipping through the book and looking at the many photos of gorgeous cakes is inspiring. Detailed instructions make even the most challenging cakes accessible for the home baker, and there are recipes for every season and occasion, ranging from simple breakfast cakes to multi-layered party cakes.
Here’s a sampling of what you’ll find in Cake, I Love You:
• Banana-Butterscotch Loaf
• Triple-Coconut Poke Cake
• Heartless Bastard Break-Up Cake (I want to make this cake just because I love the name!)
• Chocolate-Peanut Butter Blackout Cake
• Classic Southern Caramel Cake
• Ruby Red Grapefruit Cake
• Classic Diner Crumb Cake
• Summer Nectarine Buckle
If you’re a baker, you’ll enjoy adding Cake, I Love You to your cookbook collection. If you’re not a baker, this cookbook would be a nice gift for your favorite baker, and if you’re lucky, they’ll be so grateful they’ll bake you a cake. You can connect with Chronicle Books over on Facebook.
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Disclaimer: A. Bailey received complimentary products for review purposes & feature on The Classy Chics blog. No monetary compensation was received. A. Bailey’s thoughts, opinions and words are 100% her own. Your thoughts may differ.
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