on green tea

i am a green tea addict. i love its bitter and grassy, yet fresh flavor. there are many green tea´s and green tea blends out there, but here are the most common types:

1. sencha (made from tea leaves exposed to sunlight)
2. genmaicha (a mixture of green tea and roasted brown rice)
3. matcha (a green tea powder)
4. gunpowder (green tea rolled into small pellets)
5. jasmine (green tea mixed with jasmine flower)
6. oloong tea (a roasted tea, could be considered a hybrid between green and black tea due to its high percentage of fermentation)








green tea has been consumed and used as medicine for over 4000 years. just like black tea, it comes from the camellia sinensis plant. however, green tea is dried, not fermented. the shorter processing gives green tea a lighter flavor than black tea. it also helps keep all the beneficial chemicals intact, which is why green tea is so good for you. there are many mytical stories on green tea. it is said that green tea was discovered by a buddhist monk who was boiling drinking water under a tree. he fell asleep. while he was asleep, the tree´s fine leaves fell into the boiling water. when he woke up, he drank the hot water and was surprised by its delicious flavor. another story, quite unbelievable: one of the most expensive green tea´s available is called monkey tea, because it comes from a remote chinese village where trained monkies harvest this rare tea by hand.

a cup of green tea contains about half or one third of caffeine as a cup of coffee provides. green tea has more antioxidants (which combat the body´s aging process) than blueberries and broccoli, and more beta carotene than spinach. one of the most potent cancer fighting antioxidant, catechins, are only found in green tea.

matcha is a fine powder made of green tea, used for cooking and baking. only shade grown green tea leaves are used, laid out flat to dry, not rolled out as usual with normal tea. When dry, the leaves are de-veined and de-stemmed and ground to a fine green powder called matcha.
matcha is highly concentrated green tea, therefore all the health benefits of green tea are way stronger. Moreover, as matcha is fully ingested when consumed (unlike green tea where the tea leaves are discarded), all of its chlorophyll content goes straight to our bodies. chlorophyll helps remove toxins from our bodies.


moroccan mint tea

green tea, preferably gunpowder
1 large handful fresh spearmint leaves
1 liter water
1/4 cup sugar

how to make it:

boil the water. rinse a small tea pot with about 1/4 cup of the water. add the tea leaves and another 1/4 cup boiling water. swirl the pot to wash and rinse the leaves, and pour out the water. add the spearmint leaves and the sugar, and fill the pot with 1/2 liter boiling water. leave the tea to steep at least five minutes and serve.

matcha latte

ingredients:

regular milk or soy milk
matcha powder

utensils:
a small sieve
bamboo or metall whisk

how to make it:

in a pot, bring the milk to boil. sieve in the matcha powder, and whisk continuously to create a foamy liquid. serve immediately.

matcha lassie

ingredients:

milk
natural yoghurt
honey or sugar
matcha

mix all ingredients in a food processor.

green tea ice cream (quick version)









ingredients:

1 pack of vanilla ice cream
1 dl of water
2 teaspoons sugar
3 g matcha

how to make it:

add the water and sugar to a medium sized pot. heat slowly. add the matcha, sieving carefully so no lumps appear. add the ice cream and mix well. pour into a plastic container and put into the freezer. be careful to stir every hour or so to prevent ice crystals from.

green tea cheesecake

ingredients:

100g graham crackers
50g butter (melted)

250g cream cheese
200g sour cream
100g sugar
2 eggs
2 tablespoons of lour
2 dl cream
4 tablespoons of matcha
4 tablespoons of hot water

20 cm pie mold

how to make it:

preheat oven. put the graham crackers into a food processor and mix until they break into crumbs. add melted butter, then mix well. press into the bottom of a cake mold using the back of a spoon. wash the food processor. put cream cheese and sugar into the food processor and mix. add sour cream until smooth, then add eggs, flour, cream and matcha. mix well. pour the filling into the pie crust. bake for 30-45 minutes.

scandinavian summer buffet

every august in sweden, friends and family gather celebrate the last days of summer. luckily here in spain the summer lasts a lot longer... here are some great recipes for making a swedish crayfish buffet. serve the following recipes with a plate of smoked salmon, boiled shrimps, fresh bread, butter, aioli, and a simple green salad. when going shopping for the ingredients look for high quality crayfish, crunchy bread, good cheese. to drink? cold beer, lemon ice water, and vodka...

swedish dill crayfish (traditional version)









ingredients:

20 fresh living crayfish (calculate at least 4-5 per person)
2,5 l per 20 crayfish, add 1 l per every additional 20 crayfish
30 g of coarse sea salt
1 piece of sugar
lots of fresh dill

how to make it:

wash the crayfish, then put in salty water for a few minutes. in a large pot, add water, salt, and sugar. bring to boil. add the crayfish, one at a time, add half of the dill. boil without lid for 12 minutes (from the time the water starts boiling again). let cool for at least a night in the fridge, to allow the flavors to develop. before serving in a large bowl, discard the dill and replace with lots of fresh one.

swedish dill crayfish (quick version)

ingredients:

20 frozen crayfish (calculate at least 4-5 per person)
2,5 l per 20 crayfish, add 1 l per every additional 20 crayfish
30 g of coarse sea salt
1 piece of sugar
lots of fresh dill

how to make it:
remove the frozen crayfish from the packaging and let thaw. in a large pot, add water, salt, and sugar. bring to boil. add the crayfish, one at a time, add half of the dill. boil without lid for 12 minutes (from the time the water starts boiling again). let cool. before serving in a large bowl, discard the dill and replace with lots of fresh one.

västerbottenost cheese quiche












ingredients:

ready to bake quiche dough
225 g västerbottenost cheese (or any semi-hard strong tasting cheese)
3 eggs
1 dl cream
salt & pepper
handful of chopped dill, and vendace roe (orange-pink caviar)

how to make it:

preheat oven 175 degrees. place the dough into a large greased pie dish and bake until light brown (7-10 minutes). remove from oven. add one third of the cheese onto the pie. In a bowl, mix the rest of the cheese, the eggs, the cream. season with salt and pepper and add to the quiche shell. bake for 15-20 minutes (depending on your oven). the quiche should have a light brown surface when done. let cool and garnish with chopped dill and roe.

freshest summer potato salad







small potatoes
arrugula, chopped
parmesan, shavings
olive oil
dash of lemon juice
salt & pepper

boil the potatoes. remove peel. add to a salad bowl. mix in the arrugula, add the parmesan shavings, olive oil, lemon juice. season with salt and pepper. serve at room temperature.

marängsuisse with saffron

this is a modern version of one of the most beloved swedish deserts.

ingredients:

2 dl cream, whipped
1 g saffron
12 merengues
1 package of chocolate ice cream (häagen dasz or mövenpick will do fine)
2 oranges, sliced
1 dl chocolate sauce
1/2 teaspoon of sugar
1/2 teaspoon of icing sugar

how to make it:

crush the saffron with the sugar in a mortar. mix with the cream and the icing sugar. in each serving plate, add a spoon of icecream, orange slices, saffron whipped cream, 3 merengues, and top with chocolate sauce.

great summer reads & delicious cold soups

1. the secret life of lobsters by trevor corson



yes, this is a book about lobsters. and its one of the best books i have ever read. in an intriguing yet scientific manner, corson invites us into the magical and hidden away world of crustaceans. he tells about their flirting, love making, and everyday life. next time you are enjoying a freshly grilled lobster, you will definetely see it with a different set of eyes.

1. the story of sushi by trevor corson



i haven´t actually read this book, but its written by the same author as "the secret life of lobsters", so it surely is a highly entertaining and quality read.

3. salt, a world history by mark kurlansky



this books tells us about the culture, economy, and history of something as basic as salt. not exactly a quick or easy read, but for someone who loves history and books like "collapse" packed with interesting facts, this will make a great book.

4. kitchen confidential by anthony bourdain



if you ever wanted to know what happens behind the closed doors of new york gourmet restaurants, this is your book. bourdains´s vivid and rough account of drug use, glamour, strange kitchen characters is a real page turner.

5. the omnivore´s dilemma by michael pollan



6. fast food nation by eric schlossberger



if you want to stop yourself from ever entering a burger kind or mcdonalds again, read this book. schlossberger takes us from meat factories where immigrants struggle to make a daily living and avoid getting their hands chopped off to the hamburger grills at fast food restaurants. although you end up with disgust, this is a really entertaining book, and makes you think twice before touching fast food again.

7. eat, pray, love by elizabeth gilbert




cold avocado cilantro soup



ingredients:

4 ripe avocados
1 l cold vegetable or chicken stock
juice of half a lime
dash of olive oil
dash of tabasco
1 dl sour cream
salt & pepper
handful of cilantro
50 g smoked salmon, finely cut (optional)

how to make it:

using a mixer or food processor, add the lime juice, the olive oil, the tabasco, and the 3 avocados to the stock, dice the fourth avocado and set aside. blend well. add the sour cream, and season with salt & pepper. chill at least 1 h in fridge. just before serving, divide into transparent glasses or bowls, add a handful of diced avocado and a little smoked salmon to each glass and sprinkle with cilantro.

chilled watermelon tomato soup with feta cheese



ingredients:

3-4 cups of watermelon, cubed
2 tomatoes
juice of half a lime
dash of olive oil

1 tablespoon vinegar
2 tablespoons crumbled feta
handful of mint leaves

walnuts, chopped

how to make it:

using a mixer or food processor, blend the watermelon, tomatoes, lemon juice, vinegar and oil until smooth. Chill for a couple of hours in the fridge. Before serving, divide the soup among bowls and top with feta, mint, and walnuts.

for another great summer soup check out the cold ginger carrot soup at bigoven!

link to the recipe

on chocolate

amazing chocolate bars

recently, i had to do a marketing assignment on chocolate... how lucky can you be? during hours of tasting and researching i came across a few amazing and affordable chocolate bars, some of them organic, some fair trade, and some with really nice packaging.

by the way, did you know that a normal serving of dark high quality chocolate has the same amount of anti-oxidants as a large bite of broccoli...? so, put that on top of some happy making endorphins which chocolate eating releases, and you have more than enough reasons to be munching on a bar of chocolate... guilt free!

some brands might still be hard to come across in Europe, but almost all are available through online gourmet stores.

here is my top 5:

1. newtree
newtree is a relatively new belgian chocolate producer that combines the rich chocolatier tradition with the know how of modern nutritionists. the result is a match made in heaven: small chocolate bars with names like sexy, refresh, tranquility, and forgiveness. one bar of sexy provides the same energizing effects as three cups of coffee! and it works ; )



2. green & blacks
the world´s first ethically sourced, organic chocolate, bought by chocolate giant cadbury in 2005. there are more than 15 different flavors to choose from, and the company has even started making chocolate ice-cream (mmm...)

3. divine
fair trade chocolate at its best: 100% ghanan chocolate wrapped in modern delightful packaging. from the visionary idea of a cocoa farmer from ghana, initiatives from ngos, and the body shop, divine has become an award winning chocolate brand. even after gaining wordwide recognition, the kuapa kokoo farmers cooperative remain divine´s largest shareholder.



4. chocolove
this American chocolate producer has really found its niche: gorgeous packaging, innovative flavors, single origin, and vintage reserve limited edition chocolate bars. the taspberry chocolate and chillies & cherries chocolate bars will make your mouth water!







5. dagoba
launched in 2001 by a 30-year-old chef passionate about chocolate, dagoba uses only organic ingredients directly sourced directly from cocoa farmer´s plantations. its packaging is original and earthy, reminiscent of nature´s ocher tones. flavors include chai tea and hemp, pumpkin & sunflower seeds.

orange bittersweet chocolate mousse



ingredients:

140 g of high quality dark chocolate
4 egg yolks
4 tablespoons of cocoa powder
2 teaspoons of orange peel
200 ml whipped cream
4 oranges, peeled and cut in thin slices (optional)

how to make it:

melt the chocolate, add the egg yolks, one by one, mixing thoroughly. add the cocoa powder, the orange peel, and the whipped cream. mix well and let cool in the fridge. just before serving, arrange a bed of orange slices on a small plate, and add a large spoonful of chocolate mousse.