Garibaldi v. Fruit Shortcake aka What Diet?

In which I pretend to be getting my recommended fruit servings for the day...

and continue to review British/Irish products...

I found Garibaldi biscuits in Myers of Keswick, but the Fruit Shortcake was in a nearby Astoria Key Food.  Score one point for Fruit Shortcake!

Still, Garibaldi is less crumby.  One for Garibaldi!

Hold up.  I hate competitions.  It's bad enough I've been choosing favorite books of the month; why should I subject my biscuits to such scrutiny?

Anyway, it's not really a matter of comparison.  Some items are better on a given day, depending on mood or craving.  These two types of biscuits are similar enough: they've both both curranty middles that are slightly sticky but not really messy.  The main difference is the Fruit Shortcake seems little more buttery in taste and Garibaldi is more oatey and crispy.  The Garibaldi gets nicknames like 'squashed fly biscuits', obviously because of its look, so if you're squeamish about that sort of thing, I'd go for the Fruit Shortcake instead.  But Garibaldi has an excellent dunkability, particularly in tea.  Not everyone goes in for dunking, I know.  I get grossed out when bits of biscuit break off and make a soggy mess at the bottom of a mug - blorging just thinking about it - but I love the dunked taste once in a while.  So, architecturally I know which to choose when I'm hankerin' for a dunkin'.

Either one will only be good if you like raisins.  If you don't I'd go with Jammie Dodgers.

An Update is in Order...

So it's been a month since my last post, and in the past year or so my posts have been erratic. I thought I'd explain why, and maybe do a brief rundown of what I've been up to.

Don't worry, it won't get too personal!!!

In fact, the biggest problem has been technical.  I had a poor excuse for a laptop - actually it was a netbook - which became a test of patience to work with.  It was so slow!  At first I thought I just had a bad Internet connection at home, then I thought I needed to clean up my computer, but any steps I took in these directions did little or nothing to improve the speed.  It was just a bad computer to work with, plain and simple.  There were few alternatives, though.  My tablet, and my phone, are not ideal for writing more than a paragraph.  So I kept the posting to a minimum, or when I knew I could do little things around the house while pictures were loading.  Finally, the netbook got to a point where it took twenty minutes simply to open a document, and I knew it was beyond time for a replacement.  Having taken care of that, I hope to make a better showing from now on.

Then there's the organizational bit.  When I first started this blog - waaaaay back in 2005 - it was more of a mixed bag.  Then a few years ago I thought I'd narrow it down, mainly to a tea blog.  I started to compartmentalize, started other blogs, relegated certain things to other social media, and so on.  This was, and is, fine up to a point.  But then I started to over-think, I think.  When I wanted to write about something, I'd stress over whether it was appropriate to put it here, especially if it had nothing to do with tea.  Then I thought, well, when I have tea with friends do I spend the entire hour or so talking about tea?  Of course not!  So why can't Taking Tea With Catherine be about other things, once in a while?  After all, there's nobody paying me to write Only About Tea.  So maybe I'll lighten up a little.

Speaking of money - ugh - when you're paid to write, you tend to have deadlines.  Well, I don't have that problem, do I?  Consequently, sometimes I need to push myself.  I write for pleasure, and even if I did get paid, I hope I'd enjoy doing so, but as I'm my own boss on this site it's easy to procrastinate.  I have drafts that go back months, and someday I'll get to all of them.  (hopefully before they're completely out of date!)

So there's my reasons and excuses.  Now, the brief update.

There's not much happening worth remarking on.  I've been on Staycation this week, and had a scare when an upstairs apartment had a fire.  Thankfully my place wasn't damaged, but I feel for the neighbors, and it made the threat of fire real to me.  I still have the two cats, though Moofer is sick with kidney disease and I have to give him subcutaneous fluids on a daily basis.  That's a needle in his skin, by the way.  At first, he didn't seem to notice the needle, only the inconvenience of me holding him down for a few minutes.  Now he seems to feel it, so it's more of a struggle, but it's worth it if it keeps him alive and relatively healthy.  I don't have any travel plans, as I'm broke between a root canal, Moofer bills and the laptop.  Though I get the travel bug from time to time, I remind myself that some people never get to go away, and this is only a temporary setback.  Plus, and for me this is a big plus, I always have my books to take me away!

Now I'll leave you with some shots of the adventures of Moofer, Zenobia and the Bookshelves:

/Can I join you?

No. Go Away.

Who asked you?

Teatime Treats (aka What Diet?) Part One: Mr. Kipling

Like most people who go in for the whole tea experience, particularly the British kind, I have an incurable sweet tooth.  When I am drinking tea with an especially sugary accompaniment, I try, for the sake of my teeth, to keep my tea unsweetened.  Seriously, two root canals in the space of one decade!  Even with dental insurance the costs of both could have gone to the next visit across the pond.  Don't feel sorry for me - it's been less than a year since I was in London. And here's one of the sweetest memories of that week.

I'm a huge fan of grocery stores in other countries.  It's the closest you can get to actually going into people's homes - unless you're actually staying with them, and this time I was at a hotel.  Even though I live in Queens, New York, where you can find groceries of nearly every ethnicity, there's always going to be something you don't remember seeing in Key Food.  This time around, I saw these boxes of Mr Kipling in Sainsbury's and thought, well that's new. New to me, anyway.  The stomach being as it was, I opted for only one box of little treats: the Apple and Blackcurrant pies.  It sounded different enough, but not bizarre or too sugary.  There is a limit.  These little pies ended up being my sort-of breakfast in my hotel room, my telly-watching day-planning morning tea ritual.  Some days it was the only thing I'd have for hours.  And they were good.  Not a-MAZ-ing, but what I needed to start the day.  Plus, you don't see much blackcurrant in American treats, so it's a novelty.  

I was aware of the variety of Mr. Kipling at Sainsbury's and Tesco - there was a huge Tesco in Earl's Court, which was great for the locals but not at all charming to me - but I didn't want to overdo it.  I know I'm going in for the 'charming' London rather than its Shard-new reality, but I like little shops better than super-suburbian-market.  I had had plenty of sweet things after two afternoon teas, and miscellaneous cakes things I'd rather not admit to.  But once I was home for a number of months, the thought of all the possibilities kept occurring to me.  Fortunately, though you can't find Mr. Kipling just anywhere, Carry On Tea and Sympathy did not disappoint.  I bought the three boxes shown above, among other things.  This has inspired me to get moving on this new feature.  Now I can have an excuse/mission to try all the lovely cakes, cookies, whatever and treat it (pun) like a science.  Sort of.  Here's my thoughts on these items:

The jam tarts were my favorite.  Like Jammie Dodgers (which I will discuss in the near future), the jam portion is just sweet enough, and so English you can't help but sit down for a brief tea break.  I think for this reason the jam-filled items will be my preference.  The crust was just right too.

I'd heard of Battenberg cakes before, and can't say I've tried the genuine article so I won't compare these minis to them.  Honestly, the first one I tried was not entirely pleasant.  It was cloyingly sweet.  The icing has an almondy flavor, which actually improved after it was refrigerated.  I can't see buying this one again anytime soon.

Good dipped in tea, though - hi Freddie!

I can say the same for the French Fancies.  They just hurt my teeth.  The icing was not just sweet, it was too hard.  The little bit of cake inside was not worth it, and neither was the poor excuse for cream filling. 

Now, this brand tends to not be as processed as some I've come across in the U.S., but there's no reason to go into denial.  These are all better as small treats, almost candy.  I've decided to enjoy these in moderation, but it helps to be able to narrow them down to the ones I know I'll like.  And I can't do that unless I try them! 

Favorite Book + Pairing: June 2013

It seems I've skipped a few months.  I thought about backtracking, but no, let's just start up here.

This was a difficult pick. I've only completed three books this month, and I loved all of them. So I'm going to do an honorable mention to the runners-up:



Shakespeare's Pub: A Barstool History of London As Seen Through the Windows of Its Oldest Pub - The George Inn by Pete Brown
Its title is a grab, even though it's a trick: nobody knows for sure if Shakespeare visited The George.  He could have, and so could Dickens.  Most of the pubs, or coaching inns as they were in Southwark have closed down, but even though it's been burned down and faced troubles, The George still stands.  Brown traces its origins, and how it has managed to survive, while including a history of inns and Southwark that I appreciate even more after wandering around the area in December.  You can't really pair tea with this book, so if you like ale, I guess I'd recommend that.  I don't like beer, period, but I have grown fond of pubs (and pub food.)





The Daughter of Time, by Josephine Tey
How have I never heard of this writer?  Then again, as the protagonist notes early in the story, there's tons of books being published every day.  You can't know all of them.

It's a detective story, with most of the work done from a hospital bed.  Alan Grant, an Inspector from Scotland Yard is laid up and extremely bored following some injuries on the job.  When an actress friend brings him pictures of faces from history (he's good at reading faces), he focuses on one that's supposed to be of Richard III.  The picture just doesn't seem to reflect one of a murderer of nephews.  So, with the help of a young American researcher, he tries to get to the bottom of the mystery of the Princes of the Tower.  Loved it!  I'd pair either with a milky black tea (perhaps with some Lapsang Souchong, which seems to fit with any male detective-centered story for me,) or Harney & Sons' lovely Tower of London tea.  The author's last name is a pairing in itself....

and the winner is....










 
The Wheel of Ice by Stephen Baxter 
I've entered the realm of Whovians who read Doctor Who novels.  It was inevitable, I guess.  This is especially true now that I'm all caught up with the newest episodes (what's up with John Hurt?), and have to wait till November for the next chapter.  I'm sure it's worth the wait; still, I was surprisingly pleased with The Wheel of Ice.  You see, I'm not entirely familiar with the Second Doctor.  A good deal of his television episodes are lost, and frankly I don't like Doctor Who as much in black and white.  I've seen a few of his stories, but only one from the 60s - the rest were multiple Doctor stories.  Patrick Troughton was good, but not in my top five, but I did like Jamie, his companion, because, well, he runs around in a kilt and that's enough for me.  In the Wheel of Ice they spell out his Scottish accent, which can get annoying, but I went with it.  The other companion, Zoe, I knew nothing about before, and though I won't go to great efforts, I'm curious to see her as she was originally portrayed.  As it is, The Wheel of Ice was written recently, so the reader can see the characters portrayed in a better light technologically speaking.  Using the imagination to visualize a futuristic human colony on Saturn is a lot less shaky than what the BBC was working with nearly half a century ago. 

I'm not sure if I could recommend this book to non-Whovians, but it's my favorite of the month.  As for tea pairings, well, there's 'Blue People', so how about an iced blueberry green tea? 

Happy reading everyone! 

Tea Gallery: Madame Ranson au Chat, Maurice Denis

This has all the makings of a Tea Gallery favorite: its very coloring is tea-like (black tea, no milk), and there's an affectionate kitty cat that bears a slight resemblance to Moofer giving his or her human a little nudge.  Madame's hair borders on O'Brien from Downton Abbey, though the sleeves of her dress make her seem like she might enjoy appearing on posters for Henri Toulouse-Lautrec.  I'm sure I'm stepping on all kinds of toes on that, but the styles do blend somewhat to the only slightly trained eye.

I am trying to increase my knowledge of Art History, beyond the Pre-Raphaelites, Impressionists and Dutch Masters.  I wouldn't put myself in the category of Expert for these either.  Anyway, I read up on these things and visit museums for my own pleasure, so I can move at my own pace.  It's the most serene type of learning.

Why yes, Madame, I will have another.

Tea-rrific!

Here is another discovery found at a routine visit to a nearby grocery store.  I guess the makers of this brand needed us to know it's a tea product.  Well, they saw me coming.  There were 4 or 5 different flavors available, but I stayed true to form and picked the one that had 'London' in it.  

Now it's not like I've never had tea-flavored ice cream before.  Green tea ice cream, something that in the past I could only find in Asian shops (and Thai Pavilion), is now part of the Haagen
Dazs line, as well as the Chai varieties that are popping up everywhere.  But who can resist the adorable teabag logo - certainly not this failed dieter!  Yeah, I promised myself I'd lay off ice cream for a while.  The problem is, though, there's just so many things I can avoid.  At this point I have to stay off coffee, as its effects are truly unhealthy to my nerves (I'm not being a melodramatic Mrs. Bennett, I promise you.)  So asking me to lay off ice cream as well is just unfair. 

It might have been kinder to my wallet: this pint came in at a whopping $5.99.  That's madness.  Talenti Gelato, which is unbelievable and my go-to for what to bring to gatherings, is at least a dollar less in the same store.  Tea-rrific(!) had better live up to its name!

So, it did but it didn't.  It was good, of course it was.  Still, it wasn't as Earl Grey-ish as it could have been.  I've had Earl Grey ice cream before, so I do have something to measure it up to.  Also, for all its calories, it wasn't nearly as creamy as it should have been.  Again, it wasn't horrible, but I'd lop off at least 2 bucks before making the promise of its name.  I managed to polish off half a pint before I came to this conclusion.  What bathing suit weather? 

It is my duty as Tea Queen of Astoria to try each flavor, but I'll take my time.  Six dollars doesn't grow on trees, and it's summer movie season.  Also, I should not try this tea in the evening.  My stomach was okay but the caffeine kept me up.  Oh the perils of living the Tea Life!

Newish Places all Around

at Tapioca Story

 I'm starting to see more tea-worthy places in my neighborhoods (home and work), and that should be a happy thing. Yes, it is - my 'Wish You Were Here' posts testify to that.  In Astoria, it's a double-edged sword, though, because usually when I start to like a place, it gets trendy...which brings on the hipster types.  Yes, business is good, but now it's crowded and pretentious.  I'm fine with that when it comes to places that focus on coffee.  I am not the hugest coffee drinker - certainly not an aficionado, and it seems, sometimes, that the hipster element enhances that particular beverage.   Gregory's Coffee (46th between 5th and Madison) is an example of this.  The bespectacled logo was enough to keep me away for a while, but when I finally caved one day with Bonnie, her enthusiasm gave it merits, and I've been back a number of times since with her (it doesn't hurt that their donuts are worth walking off.) 

When it comes to tea, I'm a little reluctant to share my thoughts on recent additions.  Leli's Bakery opened in the winter on 30th Avenue in Astoria, and though their tea is served in bags, they're the better bags - and you can have it in a teapot.  Their baked items, both sweet and savory, are wonderful accompaniments, and in my opinion superior to Martha's Bakery.  I mean, come on Martha - first you have to be seated by a host, and next you must pay gobs of cash for a mediocre cookie and drink?  That's the thing, though.  When a place is popular, I'm glad to see it's gonna stick around, but then what? 

Next, there's Tapioca Story.  A bona fide bubble tea shop is not common in my part of Queens, so I'm enthusiastic, even if it's not as close to home as Leli's.  The tea I tried - a rose black with the tapioca pearls, was just what it should be, though hopefully they'll get a/c during the summer months.  There's not a lot of seating, but what can you do with a small space?

The other recent opening surprised me - how did I never hear there would be a second Radiance?  I know I was less than happy with my last visit, but I was still pleased to see the location by 50th and 3rd.  After all, I may not have the constant funds to lunch here (never say never), but a cup to go in the middle of the day is not out of the question. 

Eight years!

I used to have a remarkable date memory, but it seems to have dwindled a bit.  I'm hoping it just means I have things of significance filling my head, but maybe that's not worth exploring.  Anyway, last week this blog hit its eight year anniversary, and though it's gone through many changes, it is still essentially the same.  I can't really narrow it down to a Tea Blog or a Book Blog, a Cat Person blog, and certainly not a Fashion Blog, but that's fine with me.  As I've said many times before, it's closest to a Tea Blog in that it's what I talk about most here, but it's more of a Tea Time Blog.  If it were a physical entity, it would be my living room, where I invite people in, offer them tea and cakes, and talk about books, news, pens, music, whatever.  My cats come wandering in, sniffing around or jumping onto an available lap.  Sometimes I gripe about whatever's been annoying me lately, and my guests might respond in kind.  Then I'll whip out my albums, and everyone will be subjected to my latest snaps from London or wherever I've been wandering.  Eventually our time together ends, and it's 'til next time! 

I hope you've all enjoyed yourselves.  Come back soon!

Tea Gallery: Tea House, Hu Yongkai

Through the magic of Pinterest, I am discovering new artists almost daily.  And I keep finding 'tea artists' like Hu Yongkai.  This particular work, 'Tea House', is one I can truly identify with.  Do I even need to say why? 

Tea Gallery: Fred Calleri

What's got her riveted?  Or is she pouring tea for an imaginary friend?  Maybe her cold meds are throwing off her aim (reddish nose.) I'm not sure, but from the little I've seen, I'd like to get to know more of Fred Calleri's work.

Favorite Book + Pairing: February 2013

A week at home with the throat had only one silver lining for me:  I was able to finish four books, making my total books read in 2013: 13!  Usually it's hard for me to concentrate on reading when I'm sick, but, though there was the painful swallowing, and lack of sleep, I didn't feel exhausted.  I didn't even lose my appetite, which is both a shame and a good thing.  So I snacked, drank loads of tea and gulped down book after book.

It was, as usual, difficult to pick a favorite.  I'm going to go with the one that fed into an early-year obsession for me: Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey: The Lost Legacy of Highclere Castle by the Countess of Carnarvon.  Characters come and go on Downton Abbey, but the backdrop, that big museum of a home, keeps standing.  Of course, it's not just the setting of the wildly popular drama, but the inspiration for some of the storylines.  There's big differences as well, though only those who have seen the second season of Downton might know what I'm talking about.  Lady Almina, wife of the 5th Earl of Carnarvon (the one behind the discovery of King Tutankhamun's tomb), was the driving force behind the conversion of Highclere into a hospital for WWI soldiers.  That, to me, was her selling point.  Otherwise, the money she brought into the family certainly helped, but that's just par for the course in that time period. 

This was a quick read for me, mostly because I was already familiar with the time period.  Still, it helped to pull the fiction and the reality together for me.  Descriptions of the lifestyle and work of the staff was probably my favorite section of the book. The only thing I would have added was more of what happened to Lady Almina after the Earl died, as well as how the rest of the family fared afterwards.  But I'd say if you like the show and you also like to read, then read this one.

Now for tea pairings:  I'm going to draw completely from Season 3 of Downton Abbey with two picks:
First, an herbal: Raspberry Leaf Infusion: Why?  It supposedly aids in pregnancy, though I doubt it'd have helped Lady Sybil.
Next, Irish Breakfast Tea: The Branson storyline (we can call him Branson again, thanks Dowager) was an important one for the past two seasons, and now even more so since he's a widower with new responsibilities.  In line with this, the tea must be sipped in good china, reflecting the juxtaposition of his life as former staff turned Family.

Have a nice weekend!

Crazy Long Walk: All Over London!

I've made all kinds of references to that day I really really walked in London, aka The Day I Kept Falling Down.  This was on the Thursday, though technically I did the most walking on Saturday.  How do I know this?  I've been wearing a tracker on my shoes since November (it's work-related), and it reported 24,027 steps for Saturday and only (!) 20,996 for Thursday.  It felt like more on Thursday, I think, since I covered a lot of territory, and got a little lost more times that I can count.  In the early part of the day, though, I knew exactly where I was going. 

In the morning, I got off at the Embankment tube station, which is one of my favorites, as it's got all kinds of views to welcome you.  I covered the Strand, another beloved street of mine, and then I found myself on Fleet Street.  It was only a matter of time before I was standing in front of St. Paul's Cathedral.  From there I crossed the Millennium Bridge.  This might be the first time I'd done that, though my memory is not perfect with respect to bridges. 

The bridge itself isn't gorgeous, but it has enough postcard-worthy views to make this London fanatic swoon!

The Cannon Street Railway Bridge. 

The new Globe Theatre.  Someday I'd like to see a play here.  I think it would also be fun to walk on that little 'beach', but it was too cold in December.

Looking back at St Paul's.

 

This big mirror is outside the Tate Modern.  I did go into the museum, but what I saw there didn't float my boat.  

When I stayed near Woolwich in 1998, we'd take the train in to Charing Cross Station and we'd always see this building with its 'Take Courage' sign.  This is the first time I actually stood right near it.

It was a treat to wander around Borough Market - I don't know why I'd never come here before.  What a foodie paradise!  And there's 'The Shard' asserting itself already.

Southwark Cathedral.  I only took this picture because it was on an episode of Doctor Who.

Taxidermied birds watch over the bustling street.

 

Later, as I got lost trying to find the British Museum, I found this lovely bookshop, with a most bookish name.

What I took from this day:  Just caffeinate, wear comfortable shoes and keep walking.  You're bound to see plenty of excellent old and new London.  It never really gets old to me!

I Haven't Left London Yet!

It's been two months since I was actually in London - it really does go fast!  I think I have a few posts left in me, though.

There was an exhibit at the British Museum about, well, what the above sign says.  I made it to the museum on my Really Crazy Long Walk day, and I have to admit I didn't really take it in the way I'd have liked to.  There's just so much one can pack in, so this was more of a token visit than anything.  It's kind of a shame, too, since it was not crowded at all when I was there.  It was worth it, anyway, to see all the lovely teapots and corresponding pieces.  Of course, the exhibit also had vessels for sake drinking, and water receptacles, but it will come as no surprise that here I will share the tea things.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Favorite Book + Pairing: January 2013

I've been shamefully indolent with my book-related posts.  I used to at least cover my Year of Reading, but even that fell by the wayside in 2012.  Well, let's rectify this in 2013 by picking a favorite of the month!

I completed 6 books this month, which is pretty good for January.  Multiplied by 12, I could possibly read 72 books this year.  Also, most Januaries have not turned out well for my reading record.  It's surprising; you'd think it being an indoor month I'd go nuts. 

Turns out I'm already breaking the rules, because my 'book' this month is not one, but a trilogy, the Leviathan novels by Scott Westerfeld.  It was a rare foray into the world of Steampunk, even though these were not set in Victorian London; instead it was an alternative look at World War I.  Archduke Ferdinand and his wife do get assassinated, but in this story they are survived by one son, Alek, who, with a small party of loyal men, flee Austria and eventually find themselves on a British airship, the Leviathan.  This airship is actually alive, as the British empire are 'Darwinists', who make technology and weaponry out of genetically modified animals.  This makes them the natural enemy of Alek's 'Clanker' nation, who are joined also by the Germans.  He befriends a midshipman, 'Dylan' Sharp, who is actually Deryn Sharp, a girl who really likes to fly.  Adventure ensues.

This isn't necessarily my kind of reading, since there was enough technical detail to bring me close to boredom, but the premise and the imagination of the story kept me reading.  Well, obviously, since after Leviathan I wolfed down Behemoth and Goliath in quick succession.  Also, the cross dressing element reminded me a bit of a Shakespeare comedy, which I have no problem with at all.  And my compliments to Keith Thompson, whose drawings really helped bring the action to life, as well as all the crazy 'beasties'!

It's hard to pin down one kind of tea that would pair with these books, but you could do something like a British blend in a metallic teapot.  That should bring out some of the proper flavor.  Or just choose by whatever region the scene is set in at the moment.  Between the Ottoman Empire, Japan, Russia, and New York you have plenty of options!

Books and Cake! In London!

 

 

It's been some time since I did a Tea + Book pairing.  While this isn't specifically a pairing post, it does sound down the truth of the matter: Teatime and Booktime are usually one and the same for me.  That's why, many years ago now, I got excited when bookstores began to boast a cafe in house more frequently. Of course, in recent years we've seen a demise in the Borders/Barnes and Noble model, so it's more of a challenge to find this pairing.  That's why I made a point of coming to the London Review Book Shop as soon as I was aware of it.

It wasn't as easy as it should have been, because it's near the British Museum, a place I had the hardest time  finding for some reason.  And by the time I did, I was reeling with hunger and cold, so my first stop was Wagamama.  I still had a sweet tooth, and a sense of entitlement after walking one of my craziest long walks ever, at least in London.

As you can see from where I was sitting, it's by no means a frilly, girly place, though the cakes had Alice in Wonderland-themed tags.  Their selection was a real treat, though.  I ended up having a Gluten Free Pistachio Rose cake, with a Blackcurrant infusion.  I'm not always a fan of GF cake - it can be dry and crumbly, but when it's done right, it's done right!  And this cake was just right.

It wasn't crowded, but the staff was busy enough.  There was a healthy mix of people, and no obnoxious conversation to sully my chill out time.  I caught up on my travel journalling, which wasn't always as easy as I thought it'd be on my own.

The bookshop itself was brilliant.  That's not hard to be in London - even their chain bookstores are thrilling for me.  There's just enough difference in titles than New York to make me wish I could spend an extra week just among the stacks.  Still, I wouldn't want to spoil myself.  Then it was onward to another crazy long walk, but not before I took a header outside the neighboring rubber stamp shop.

I really fall for those kind of places...