Celebration Medley
Description: Apple-orange spiced tisane
Type: Rooibos
On the label: South-African red rooibos sings with the natural sweetness of apple, orange and rose, creating the perfect concert of flavours with spice notes.
Am I the only one who smells each tomato before I add them to my shopping cart? There’s absolutely something about that Ontario tomato smell that reminds me of picking tomatoes in my backyard garden each summer. One of my favourite ways to enjoy the AMAZING selection of tomatoes we are lucky to have in the summer months is by making gazpacho! I also love a good caprese salad, and a caesar or two on a patio…although I don’t think caesars really count as a summer tomato recipe, but who cares! If you’re anything like me, you’ll take any excuse to caesar-it-up.
Back to the gazpacho…
Gazpacho is not a dish to be feared, it can honestly take most of what you throw at it (my gazpacho recipes have taken quite a beating over the years and each one turned out amazing). You can experiment and do an all-green gazpacho with tomatillos, add some fruit like watermelon or strawberries, or in this case, add some heat with red Thai birds eye chilies. You could even make this more Thai-inspired with lemongrass, mint, coconut milk and even grilled shrimp as a garnish! Now we’re talking.
In the meantime, this spicy gazpacho is an excellent jumping off point for you to customize any which way you like. You could even ramp up the heat, tone it down a bit, or remove it completely. Depending on the mood I’m in, I either add half or a whole red chili. Don’t call me a wimp just yet, one birds eye chili has enough power to give this some serious kick.
This is a full, unsponsored review of the Sloane Fine Tea Merchants product line.
Sloane Fine Tea Merchants founder Hoda Paripoush has developed an amazing tea product and brand. Over the past 5 years, one of my favourite (and more expensive) habits has been drinking Sloane tea twice or three times daily — usually a black tea in the morning and an herbal before bed. My husband drinks tea with me and doesn’t even argue when I add some scones and finger sandwiches. The tea is so good that everyone will join in on the party.
The tea containers are so pretty that I never throw them away and they double as pretty catch-alls on my vanity. I always see retailers and restaurants showing off their massive Sloane containers at the bar. What makes it even better is that the tea inside does not disappoint! It is all sourced and blended by certified tea sommeliers and bonus — it is Canadian!
No wonder Sloane tea is so delicious — Hoda has consulted with the Maître Nez (Head Nose) of one of the finest perfumeries in France to develop her products. This explains why I could sniff the containers for hours.
The teas include a range of oolong, black, red rooibos, green, white, herbal, chai and more (Gen Mai Cha is a green tea and brown rice blend). I have reviewed each tea offered by Sloane and noted the good, the bad, and my absolute favourites including the best peach iced tea ever (recipe coming soon!).