A good cup of tea can be hard to find

I am a tea drinker and I always have been. Like all tea-drinkers, I get disgruntled and cranky whenever I try to get a cup of tea almost anywhere but in my home. While I am very happy for all of you javaheads out there who now have convenient access to great coffee, I will admit to quite a bit of jealousy, too. Other than one memorable and very expensive lunch five years ago at Jean-Georges in Manhattan, I have never had a great cup of tea in a restaurant. Tea, it seems, is the red-headed stepchild of the hot caffeinated beverage family.

A good pot of tea is a precise thing. This gets at the core of why I don’t believe it will ever be as popular in this country as it is in others. Tea is simple, but trust me, in a restaurant setting it’s the simple things that can trip you up, normally because you are trying to do 14 “simple” things at the same time.

I must make an exception here for tea rooms. We are fortunate in our area to have the very well-regarded Wilmington Tea Room on the Cape Fear River in downtown Wilmington, open from 11 a.m.-3-p.m. Tuesday-Sunday, with the last seating at 2 p.m. I’ve heard great things about this tea room.

One of the more intimidating catering jobs I have done was a breakfast for 16 people, most of whom were British and all of whom were tea-drinkers. While juggling eggs and sausage and trying to decipher a number of accents, I also had to keep up with the demand for tea. Even with two pots going, at one point I ran out and had to ask one of the guests to wait a few minutes while the tea steeped.

The guest called this to the attention of the host. Pre-caffeine crankiness is, apparently, a worldwide problem. The host directed me to go ahead and pour the man a cup of tea. He then turned to me and smiled as he said, “Well, he makes a fuss, he gets weak tea,” thereby earning my enduring affection and respect.

The water for black teas should be added at the boiling point (212 <0×00B0>F), except for more delicate teas, where lower temperatures are recommended. This will have as large an effect on the final flavor as the type of tea used. The most common fault when making black tea is to use water at too low a temperature. To make a proper pot of tea, bring water to a rolling boil in a kettle on the stove.

While the water is boiling, heat the teapot by filling it with very hot tap water and letting it sit for a minute or two. This is called “hotting the pot.” Pour the tap water out of the teapot just before adding the tea leaves and boiling water. Black tea should not be allowed to steep for less than 30 seconds or more than about five minutes. Time is a key ingredient for good tea. Too much time in the pot and tannins are released, which makes the tea bitter. These tannins are the same ones released when you squeeze a teabag - something you should never do.

I find that a heaping tablespoon of tea leaves per 8-ounce serving is sufficient. Make tea stronger by adding more tea leaves, not by steeping it longer. Tea from a pot should always be poured through a strainer. A great trick that I’ve learned from my British clients is to put some milk in the cup before adding the tea. That way if some of the little leaf-bits do manage to get through the strainer, they will fall directly to the bottom of the cup instead of floating on top.

As a substitute for real loose-leaf tea, I’ve become very fond of Twinning’s Ceylon tea bags. Taso’s Awake tea is also good, although it’s a bit smokier than the Ceylon.

A couple of words about this week’s recipe: While I don’t normally advise clients to invest in too many kitchen contraptions, I’ve been recommending the Cameron Stovetop Smoker for years. It’s an indispensable part of my kitchen. It is a great tool for adding flavor and depth to foods without adding calories.

It is relatively inexpensive, it’s fun to use, and it comes with recipes. If you prefer not to purchase a special piece of equipment, I have included instructions to MacGyver a smoker with stuff you probably already have.

I was introduced to the Cameron Smoker by Patrick Shields of the Everyday Gourmet more than a decade ago, and I think of him every time I use it. Pat passed away after a tragic accident almost exactly a year ago, and I know I speak for many when I say he is sorely missed.

Wilmington lost a great chef and a terrific human being when we lost Pat. My heart goes out to his wife, Elsie, and his sons, Patrick and Aidan, on this difficult anniversary. I will celebrate his life with a good bottle of wine and a great meal. I know he’d appreciate that.

Beth Flaherty is the chef/owner of Coriander’s Fine Foods & Catering at 17011 U.S. 17 North in Hampstead. Phone: (910) 270-3413. E-mail: corianco@aol.com. Web site: www.corianderscatering.com

Tea-Smoked Duck Breast with Blackberry Demi

Boneless, skin-on duck breast is often, but not always, available at the Fresh Market on Military Cutoff in Wilmington. I recommend that you call the store before traveling to Mayfaire. The store also carries a concentrated demi glace. Read the package directions to see if you should reconstitute the demi before using it. You will need real loose-leaf tea for them to smoke properly. Please don’t just cut open a Lipton’s tea bag!

Serves 2

1 pound boneless skin-on duck breast, about 8 ounces each

2 tablespoons loose tea leaves

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1/2 cup veal demi glace

1 tablespoon seedless blackberry jam

In a small bowl, combine tea leaves, flour and brown sugar. Set aside.

Line the bottom of the smoker or a heavy-bottomed pot with aluminum foil Spread the tea mixture on top of the foil and top with the drip pan or more foil and then with the rack. (The rack should allow the smoke to circulate freely around the duck.)

Score the skin on the duck in a large X, but don’t cut into the meat. Place on the rack skin-side down and cover tightly with the smoker lid or a layer of foil and a tightly fitting pot lid.

Put smoker over high heat for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, turn off the heat but leave the lid on for another 10 minutes. Remove the duck from the smoker and refrigerate until just before you are ready to serve. You can do this up to three days before serving.

Heat demi glace over low heat until hot. Whisk in the blackberry jam and keep hot.

Put the duck breast skin side down in a cold saute pan and put over medium heat for about 10 or 15 minutes or until the duck is heated through and the remaining fat in the skin has been rendered (melted out). Serve with blackberry demi. I usually serve this with mixed roasted vegetables and red potatoes or stone-ground grits.

This article was taken from: StarNewsOnline.com