A Cup Of Versatili-tea
I confess, I am a tea-lover. There’s something about it that always proves so comforting and gives you the break you need to think straight again. It also proves very healthy, containing anti-oxidants and nutrients. It’s not just for drinking though! Did you know there are plenty of other uses for it? Have a look; it really is an essential item to keep in your kitchen!
Cooking
- Baking teacakes or scones? Infuse the raisins in a cup of Earl Grey first to give them extra flavour. Orange Pekoe also adds a lovely fruity touch.
- Sprinkle a fillet of white fish with jasmine tea and cook in baking paper to bring out a gorgeous floral note.
- If the white meat you bought doesn’t prove as tender as you expected, make a teapot of black tea and discard the leaves. Pour the liquid into a dish, add a little sugar and leave the meat to marinate for five minutes before cooking it. You will be amazed by the results.
- If you have infused good quality tea leaves, don’t throw them away. Pickle them with just a little soy sauce and use them on top of a bowl of rice. Gorgeous.
Beauty
- Did you know tea has soothing qualities? If you’ve run out of aftershave and shaved a little too closely, infused tea bags will cool the burning feeling.
- Use infused teabags as eye masks. I find that floral black tea works best as the fragrance is relaxing. These work as tea contains a little caffeine and has a tonic effect on the skin.
- Jasmine tea in a bath is extraordinarily relaxing. Light some candles and dream away.
- Rooibos, also called red tea, does not come from the same tree as normal tea, but it is excellent on eczema. Add some to a bath to calm a rash. There is no tannin in rooibos so it will not stain. Think of this with children when they get chickenpox!
- Green tea is an excellent mouthwash. Gargling with it fights bad breath. Its fluorine also makes teeth stronger.
House
- Green tea is fabulous at absorbing bad odours. Make yourself a brew, then use the discarded leaves to wash your hands after cutting fish, put them in a bowl in the fridge, or even tie them in a handkerchief and put them inside trainers. Magic.
- If you have kids, you are bound to see fingermarks on your windows. Try removing them with an infused teabag – green tea is a slightly more acidic brew, making it more effective.
- Teabags, if made of paper, can go straight into your compost bin. The tea leaves are full of nutrients your plants will love.
- The tannin contained in tea fixes iron and protects very effectively against rust. To make metallic items more resistant, just wipe them with a towel soaked in black tea on a regular basis.
Have you ever tried any of these tips? I’d love to hear about your experiences!
Photography by A Girl With Tea and indi.ca
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