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Archive for September, 2011

Winter is just around the corner and with that comes cold & flu season. For some of us, it’s already begun. If you get tired of the stuffy nose and the sore throat, consider sipping on some cayenne pepper tea for a bit of relief.

This may sound like an odd idea. Wouldn’t it be way too hot? Well, it certainly can be, especially if you are not used to eating spicy foods. But by using just a little bit of cayenne, you can build up a tolerance to the heat and then get all the advantages this pepper has to offer at this time of year. Heck, you might even start to enjoy the taste of a little hot tea.

Most recipes I’ve seen for cayenne pepper tea recommend using a teaspoon of cayenne powder in an eight ounce glass. This is going to be way too hot for you if you aren’t a regular consumer of peppers and other foods with heat though, so I think you should start with a much smaller amount. For the Master Cleanse recipe, it is recommended to use about an 1/8th teaspoon of cayenne, so I think that amount is a good place to start with. Really, just a pinch will do the trick.

Put on the kettle like you usually do for making tea, and then add your pinch of cayenne to your tea cup. Once the water has boiled, pour it on and stir. If you want to add some additional flavor, some lemon zest or even a slice of lemon would be just great.

Lemon also has some helpful properties. Vitamin C is great for boosting your immunity. Some tea lovers also like to add a bit of honey to sweeten the tea, sooth the throat and the sugar in the honey will also help mitigate some of that heat. Just be sure not to add milk as dairy usually makes your mucus situation worse.

Let your tea cool for a bit so you don’t scald your throat and then sip it at your leisure. You can try drinking the tea for one or two cups per day for the next few days and it should help you loosen up some of that mucus and get you back onto the road to feeling great again.

I find that the cayenne pepper tea really helps to clear that stuffed up feeling in my head and in my chest. After a few good honks into a tissue, I can usually rest a bit easier without feeling like I’m breathing through a wad of cotton.

You’d be surprised what’s in your kitchen cupboards that can increase the growth rate of your hair. In particular, tea (with caffeine) is not only great for drinking, but it’s also been linked in research to contribute to hair growth. How is this possible? Well, the caffeine stimulates the hair follicles as well as block DHT (hormone responsible for hair loss and male pattern baldness). It also slows down the rate of hair fall as well as reduces shedding.

Other benefits include increase thickness, produces hair that is so lush and cotton soft.

Tea Rinse Recipes

Recipe to use after taking out a sew-in weave or braids:

4 cups of hot water, swish the tea bag around until the water turns color, let it sit and cool. Put on hair and let it sit for a few minutes and comb through hair. Results – easy detangling, less breakage, and less shedding.

Recipe for hair loss – mix black tea with a bit of lemon juice, apply to hair, massage into scalp, and follow up by shampooing.

Use tea as a final rinse after your weekly shampoo and conditioning regimen

Holistic recipe books recommend nettle tea as a rinse for your strands. Nettle tea although it doesn’t have caffeine it is said to promote hair growth and strengthens your tresses. This is due to it’s stimulating properties. Steep tea bags or put loose herbs in a pot of hot water, let it sit for more than two minutes, then infuse with essential oils such as peppermint and rosemary. Nettle can also be mixed with aloe vera and horsetail to create a homemade hair strengthener.

Nettle tea tonic for soft and glossy hair – nettles, quart of water, allow water to begin to simmer, add one handful of nettles, allow to the nettles to simmer in the water for at least 2 hours. Once mixture has cooled, strain, and put in a bottle. Use a scalp treatment and apply every other night. Be sure to make a fresh batch every three days or so as this does not have a long shelf life.

Recipe for Fine Hair – shampoo hair (make sure the hair and scalp are clean), apply a protein treatment, rinse with something that is moisturizing, gently squeeze excess water from hair, pour tea rinse on hair making sure to get your scalp, apply moisturizing conditioner, deep condition for 25-30 minutes, rinse the tea/conditioner combo out of hair, apply your leave-in and style as normal (roller set or another protective style)

Tips

If used more than once per week, you may experience dryness, be sure to rinse out the tea and always incorporate moisture into your regimen.

May experience better results using black or nettle tea

Green tea may be one of the most consumed beverages in the world, but there are other ways to enjoy it other than by the mug. It is hardly surprising that green tea is so widely enjoyed though; it is believed to have a range of health benefits for the drinker. The antioxidants found in green tea have been linked with fighting against -free radicals’- particles which are damaging to cells, causing premature aging and even cancer [1].

Aside from the cell protecting properties of green tea, research by Japanese scientists has shown that the antioxidants in green tea could also help cognitive function. They believe that consuming green tea can help to improve memory and learning ability, due to antioxidants being able to penetrate the brain’s blood barrier to positively affect free radicals in the brain [2]. Green tea ice cream

However it isn’t just the health benefits of green tea that are attractive, the taste is appealing to many drinkers too. In fact, in Asia there are many makes of green tea ice cream available to purchase. You could make your own green tea ice cream with green tea powder and a suitable recipe[3]. Green tea snacks

Green tea doughnuts like the ones above are available in some parts of the world, and green tea is also sometimes combined with macaroons for snacks. One brand of ginger ale has even made a green tea flavoured version.

For those who enjoy traditional products, including green tea capsules and bags, these are widely available at most good health food shops throughout the UK.

[1] Hawkins, E et al (2007) Green tea

http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/green-tea-000255.htm

[2] Lee, H. Et al (2004).Protective effect of green tea polyphenol EGCG against neuronal damage and brain edema after unilateral cerebral ischemia in gerbils. http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/109581093/abstract?CRETRY=1&SRETRY=0

[3] Channel 4. (2010). Green tea ice cream recipe. http://www.channel4.com/food/recipes/green-tea-ice-cream-recipe_p_1.html

While it is one of the most commonly requested drink recipes, the ingredients of the Long Island Iced Tea cause it to remain one of the more difficult beverages to accurately prepare. The high liquor-to-mixer ratio of this drink along with its dense sugar concentration makes its required balance quite delicate. If the mixologist uses too heavy of a hand when it comes to the liquor pouring, the drink can hold an extraordinary level of intoxication potential which still manages to be masked by all of the sugar in the non-alcoholic ingredients. Contrarily, not enough liquor can leave the consumer with an overly sweet drink that tastes nothing like the Iced Tea it is meant (yes, this drink made in the proper proportions actually does appear as well as taste similar to a regular non-alcoholic Iced Tea!)

Prior to preparing this drink recipe, the following barware should be on hand:

Either a glass/steel Boston style cocktail shaker with strainer (recommended) or a 3-piece stainless steel cocktail shaker set
A measuring Jigger, shot glass with measuring lines, or auto-measuring bottle pourer spout
A highball glass for each guest (approximately 12 ounce capacity)

Begin by throwing a few ice cubes into each highball glass. Next, measure the following ingredients (quantity for each guest) into the cocktail shaker:

1/2 oz of Vodka
1/2 oz of Rum
1/2 oz of Tequila
1/2 oz of Gin
1/2 oz of Triple Sec
2 oz of Sweet and Sour Mix

Give the ingredients a good 3-5 second shake to create a uniform mix of the flavors, and then pour over the ice in the highball glass. Each glass should then receive a quick splash of Cola (no more than an ounce), and finally a cherry garnish.

Popular modifications of the Long Island Iced Tea and their substitutions:

The Adios – substitute Blue Curacao for the Triple Sec, and Sprite for the Coke

Tokyo Iced Tea – substitute Midori Melon Liqeur for the Triple Sec, and Sprite for the Coke

Bubble or Boba Tea, is the crazy Asian drink that is becoming so popular. What started as an after school treat for kids, is quickly replacing our beloved coffee drinks. No one seems sure whether Bubble tea is a drink you can eat, or a dessert you can drink. You can find Boba tea in many different flavors and new Bubble Tea shops open every other day. Whether you want to learn to make your own, or maybe start a profitable business, here are some tips to find a good bubble tea supply.

The simplest way to find a good bubble supply is to do an internet search. Just type in the keywords and hit enter. You will be pleasantly amazed at what you will find. There are websites that offer recipes and tips on making Boba at home. After reading through a few of these, it looks a little complicated. The hard part is not making the sweetened tea, but cooking the Boba just right.

Boba are black “pearls” made from tapioca. They are in the bottom of every cup of Bubble Tea and the reason for its uniqueness. The cooked Boba have a soft, chewy texture to them. There are Boba now that are more similar to fish eggs in texture, but have a fruit flavor in the center. They”pop” in your mouth for a new kind of Bubble Tea sensation.

People who want to get in on a trendy new business will need a good bubble tea supply. Check the websites and Asian markets. Many sites offer all the flavors, tea, Boba and supplies needed to make it. There are numerous business options to choose from as well. If you have the finances, the most profitable would be to open your own Tea Shop. For people who want to start on a smaller scale consider a street cart or a home party plan.

Many people do not want to hassle with making their own Bubble Tea. They just want to know where to go to enjoy their favorite beverage. In the larger cites, like Seattle, San Francisco and New York, you can find Boba Tea shops and carts all over. In smaller areas, you may need to try some of the more upscale Asian restaurants, or check the yellow pages to see what is in your area. If you do not see a listing for Boba tea, try calling some of the coffee and tea shops listed and ask if they carry it. Checking out your area will help you to find a good tea supply.