Monday, February 25, 2013

Yemeni Shai Tea


Tea is an important part of social gatherings all throughout the Middle East. Each region has slightly different rituals around tea and how it is prepared. Recently Yosh O. organized an outing to Bab Al Yemen, a Yemeni restaurant in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. These outings are always fun and educational, so my family and I jumped at the chance to go. I've never had food from Yemen before, I  knew there would be a new tea ritual to experience.

A google search on Yemeni tea shows that it is usually served sweet. Ingredients usually include sugar, cardamon, clove, and occasionally mint. Bab Al Yemen offers "Shai Tea", and "Shai Tea with Milk" on the menu. I ordered the milk tea, and within minutes the server poured us each steaming glasses of black tea that smelled of mint and spice. She put a little creamer with unsweetened evaporated milk on the table for us to use.  The restaurant definitely uses mint in their version of Shai tea, since it was the predominant aroma and flavor. Sweet, minty, with a gentle taste of tea and spice (most likely cardamon and clove). For some reason my palate is sensitive to mint (and also cilantro), so it is mostly what I tasted.

The tea is extremely sweet, definitely sweeter than I'd prefer. I added some evaporated milk to see how it altered the flavor. If you prefer a gently sweet tea, definitely add it. It lessened the sweetness, giving a taste and texture similar to bubble tea. My daughter loved this sweet tea drink, and it was fun to share the experience with her. We were a large party dining at this restaurant, and it was fun to chat, eat, and sip sweet  flavorful tea.


Within this restaurant there is a tea-lover's surprise waiting in the bathroom! A unique sink designed with a tea kettle as the faucet cheerfully greeted us as we entered. We had fun washing our hands in the sink. My daughter didn't want to leave!


From my quick research it appears that even throughout Yemen the style of preparing tea can vary by area. Brooklyn has many different Arabic restaurants, and I hope to visit more of them to see how the preparation differs. I found this blog which lists other styles of tea found throughout the Arabian peninsula, and even lists a recipe.

As I mentioned I am not very familiar with Arabic culture and tea preparation, and this was a perfect initial experience .The food at Bab Al Yemen is excellent, it is some of the best Middle Eastern food I've ever had. This  unassuming restaurant is definitely a destination. Don't forget to try the Shai Tea while you're there.

Friday, February 15, 2013

Review: Bungalow by Steven Smith Teamaker


On my last visit to the local health food store, I noticed all of the Steven Smith teas were on sale. These are usually expensive teas, so I decided to spring for one. I took home Bungalow, which is a Darjeeling blend. I chose this tea because it is a mix of first and second flush Darjeeling and I can't remember trying such a blend before. If you've been following this blog, you'll know that I love a good cup of Darjeeling.

First flush Darjeeling teas are picked in early spring, and have a subtle, fresh flavor. The second flush leaves are harvested in June and are full bodied with strong muscatel notes that I usually associate with Darjeeling. I was interested to see how this blend would allow for the different flavors of both the first and second flush teas to come through.
As soon as I opened the package, I was hit with a strong floral scent mixed with a lingering sweetness. As it steeps there is a mellow, toasted hay-like aroma that transforms into a strong muscatel scent.

From the first sip, it takes like a second flush Darjeeling. That strong muscatel with lightly sweet notes and a slight bitterness. There is a subtle hint of hazelnut and butter. The bitterness lingers slightly. I'm not sure that I'd recognize the first flush flavors in this cup, but it is still a rather satisfying Darjeeling. When steeping this tea, pay close attention to the time. Another extra few seconds will make this tea quite bitter, as I experienced with one my cups.

This tea has a strong caffeine punch. I had two (very large) mugs of it this morning, and I'm happily buzzing through my day. This makes a great early morning cup, but select something else in the afternoon if you are sensitive to caffeine. It is a full bodied tea which is perfect for this chilly, dreary NYC winter. I'm happy that I picked up this box of tea


Thursday, February 14, 2013

Do you Oolong to hold your Darjeeling?


Happy Valentine's Day! 

I've noticed that valentines from the 40s and 50s are very focused on tea. Just a quick search on ebay turns up dozens of tea-themed vintage valentines. I couldn't resist the one in the picture above. How cute is that? It was the perfect addition to a homemade valentine for my husband.

So do you Oolong to hold your Darjeeling on Valentine's Day? Sorry, couldn't help myself :)