Celebrating Community Spirit

By Diane Forrest

If there was any doubt that our county has lost its community spirit, you have only to look at the events that have taken place in the last couple of weeks.   Not only was the whole world rocked by the senseless bombing at the Boston Marathon that killed three and wounded another 160, but a few days later, a plant explosion in Waco Texas leveled almost the whole town killing 15 and wounding another260 to 280 people.

Many horrific stories have come out of these events, that have cause the towns and communities to pull together to help those in need.  I have been reading some of the stories, and it warms my heart to see the actions our fellow citizens have taken.  In one story, newlyweds were nearing the finish line when the bombs went off causing each to lose a leg.  Donations from all over the country began pouring in to help with their medical expenses.  In fact a fund was set up to help all of these victims.

I read about the man whose boat was used as a hiding place for one of the suspects.  During the course of his capture, the boat, the man’s pride and joy, was riddled with bullets as the police fired upon the suspect.  As the community found out about his loss, they began to collect money for this man to replace his boat, however, he would have none of that.  He stated that I just lost a boat, many lost so much more, and he wanted to funnel the contributions to the fund to help those in need.  I just read an article where the emergency room doctors and staff sent pizzas to the ER staff at the hospitals in Waco thanking them for their hard work during their crisis.  The Waco staff responded in kind to the Boston folks by sending them some authentic Texas BBQ.

Stories like this abound during times of crisis, but also during ordinary times as well.  Anytime there is a need in my community, announcements are made in the newspaper, local radio stations, churches and schools and continued until the need is filled.

This is Community Spirit Month.  If you know of some need in your community, no matter how big or small, do what you can to help fill this need, or check needs in nearby communities.  You never know when you may be in need of some community help.

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And they are arguing about giving the killer his miranda rights?

From Facebook Post

The man in the cowboy hat in this photo's name is Carlos Arredondo. Carlos was at the Boston Marathon with his wife handing out American flags to runners. He lost a son to a sniper bullet in Iraq in 2004 and a second son to suicide a few years later - a depression triggered by the death of his brother. Carlos now spends a significant amount of his time on peace activism and working with vets coming home from war and was at the Marathon to hand out flags and inspire people.

Carlos does not having any medical training but when the blast went off, he ran towards the danger, jumped two fences and found the now-famous man in the wheelchair on the ground, both his legs blown off, and suffering from severe shock and critical wounds. He got him into a wheelchair and pinched the man's artery closed with two of his fingers (you can see him doing so in the photo). Because of Carlos, this man is alive today, having had surgery earlier today to remove both of his legs.

This man is a hero and deserves recognition. This man who lost so much still threw himself into the frenzy of panic and saved another guy's life.

Hot Tea Month 2013

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Chef Diane

This country gained its independence in 1773 over tea.  The revolutionary war began with the Boston Tea Party, where the colonists refused to pay tax demanded by England on 3 ships loaded with tea.  According to the Tea Association of the U.S.A., Inc., drinking hot tea has many health benefits with antioxidants for cancer risk reduction, increased blood flow for cardiovascular health and increased energy expenditure that may help combat obesity.

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Here in the south, we are well known for our sweet iced tea, but during the winter months hot tea with a little lemon and honey not only warms the insides, but also soothes the throat.  I have often heard that the English do not understand the way Americans drink tea.  First they brew it to make it hot, then pour it over ice to make it cold.  Add sugar to make it sweet, then lemon to make it sour.  I'm sure it is very confusing.  In England, drinking tea is more of an event, than a thirst quencher.  My cousin's job transferred her to England several years ago, and my aunt recently went to visit her.  During her visit they went out for tea.  It was served in fine china along with finger sandwiches and pastries. She felt like Alice in Wonderland having a tea party in the afternoon.

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January is a time for new beginnings, health and the home. Not coincidentally, it's also National Hot Tea Month. Whether you're drinking to new beginnings, your health or the domestic realm, these are 31 ways you can celebrate Hot Tea Month. www.coffeetea.about.com listed the following suggestions on ways to celebrate Hot Tea Month.  They include:

Detox

1.         Check out the best detox teas and try a few to see what works for you.

2.         Revisit old favorites (such as "herbal teas" / tisanes like chamomile and peppermint). If it has been in the back of your cupboard for a while, invest in a fresh batch. Your taste buds will thank you!

3.         Try some healthy teas that are new to you, like kombucha, pu-erh and white tea.

Try Wintry Flavors

4.         Brew a ginger black tea, ginger green tea or ginger "tea" using fresh ginger root or a ginger tea blend. Both are delicious and warming.

5.         Try a cardamom black tea or make your own Spicy Cardamom Tisane.

6.         Buy citrusy tea blends, or add a little orange or lemon zest to your brews.

Nurture Yourself

7.         Savor Japanese green teas like Sencha, Matcha and Gyokuro, which are all high in vitamin C and antioxidants.

8.         Rooibos is rich in minerals and antioxidants. Brew regular, green or flavored rooibos straight or as a tea latte.

9.         Remember that the healthiest teas are the teas you'll stick with. As long as it's pure (no milk or sweeteners), if you want to drink it every day, it's good for you!

Hibernate with Classic Tisanes

10.       Rejuvenate with mint. Peppermint is the most popular mint tisane, but spearmint is a tasty twist.

11.       Calming chamomile is the antithesis of coffee. Sip it by a fire or over a good book.

12.       Ginger "tea" is warming, soothing and enlivening. Try it before venturing out into a cold winter's day.

Brew Better Tea

13.       Find out why leaf teas usually trump teabags.

14.       Explore five easy ways to brew whole-leaf teas.

15.       Use quality water to brew your tea.

16.       Leave bitter tea behind! Teas taste far better when made with the right brewing time and brewing temperature.

17.       Get the right water temperature, store your tea for freshness and more with this easy tea equipment.

Expand Your Tea Horizons

18.       Try new white teas, such as Silver Needles, White Peony or White Darjeeling.

19.       Try a new green tea, like one of my Best Green Teas for Newbies, or use green tea as a base for my Top 10 Green Tea Recipes.

20.       Try a new oolong tea, such as fruity Bai Hao Oolong or mineraly Wuyi Oolong.

21.       Try a new black tea. If you usually drink flavored black teas, try an unflavored black tea. If you usually drink breakfast blends and the like, try an Assam, Keemun or Yunnan.

22.       Check out this list of common tea drinks for inspiration on more elaborate tea drinks you can make at home.

Store Your Tea Properly

23.       Learn to store your tea properly for maximum flavor and minimal spoilage. (This is such an important point; it gets its own heading!)

Try Some Tea Variations

24.       Make alcoholic tea drinks at home with tea-infused spirits. Blending them with hot tea for hot cocktails is optional.

25.       Meet your coffee cravings halfway with tea lattes and other milky tea drinks.

Cook with Tea

26.       Use green tea, veggies, fish/tofu and leftover rice to make ochazuke ("tea soup").

27.       Bake spiced, wintry barm brack (an Irish favorite). In many baking recipes, you can also use brewed tea as a substitute for water or substitute a small amount of Matcha powder for flour.

28.       Read this list of ways to cook with tea for ideas on how to cook with tea every day.

Find Teas You'll Love

29.       There's a growing list of loose-leaf tea reviews, teabag reviews and other coffee / tea reviews on About. Check it out now, and check back again later for more!

30.       Explore different tea flavor profiles with tea samplers and tea of the month clubs.

www.coffeetea.about.com listed the following suggestions on ways to celebrate Hot Tea Month.  They include:31.    It's said that you cannot learn all there is to know about tea in an entire lifetime. However, you can get the basics down with an easy, free Tea 101 e-course. Sign up today!

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January is Hot Tea Month, so take some time and relax with a nice hot cup of tea, or host a tea party of your own.

Boston Tea Party Day

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By Diane Forrest

In the 1700's the Europeans discovered a fondness for tea, however, it was not grown in Europe, and had to be imported from India.  England began to run low of their supply of tea because of the 7 years’ war, so King George decided that in order to replenish the supply, and to cover additional costs, he would place a tax on the American Colonies.  Well, Parliament didn't appreciate the tax on their tea, which was being obtained through England, then sold to the colonies.  So they decided to find their tea elsewhere, which was illegal at the time.

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The Whigs, the political party at the time...decided to hold a strike, and stop drinking tea all together.  Then the King passed the Tea Act.  This made the patriots furious, because it was done in secret, so they took a stand.  On December 16, three ships entered the Boston Harbor and the Boston officials refused to return it.  That night, colonists boarded the ships, and began to throw the tea in the harbor.  Some of them even dressed as Indians to prevent being recognized.   This angered Parliament, and they issued more acts against the colonies.

The colonies rebelled, and in 1775 the Revolutionary War began near Boston.  Historians suggest that had it not been for the event of the Boston Tea Party, the America's would have remained under British rule for quite some time. The uprising was caused by a series of unfortunate events on the side of Bostonian s caused by British oppressors. It all started from the love of tea.

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Today, we recognize the men who took part in this historic event that changed the course of history and our country as we know it.  I think it is amazing that a cup of tea would start a war and free us from British rule, so today, have a nice cup of tea, or some iced tea, and remember those Patriots to fought for our freedom,

National Boston Cream Pie Day

By Diane Forrest,

About 5 years ago my son had the opportunity to go to Boston to hear the band Boston.  He was so excited that he got his first speeding ticket on the way to the airport.  Beside the music group, Boston is famous for many things, such as Boston Baked beans, the bar Cheers, The Tea Party and Paul Revere's Ride, the Red Sox and Boston Cream Pie.

In fact, Boston Cream Pie is the official dessert of Massachusetts.  It was created at the Parker House Hotel in the early 40's.  In fact, it is not really a pie at all.  It is two halves of a sponge cake and a creamy center of vanilla custard.   It is topped with a chocolate glaze and maybe even some powedered sugar and strawberry.

Im telling you all this because today is National Boston Cream Pie Day.  This is a great dessert because it combines cake, custard and chocolate!  What could be better?  While I have never seen it on the menus of restaurants I have visited, I can always find it at cafeterias such as the one in the hospitals where I have worked.  I have tried never to pass up an opportunity to indulge in this delicious treat.

Today, as we celebrate National Boston Cream Pie Day, it is a great opportunity for you to sample some for yourself.  Below is an easy recipe to try if you want to make your own, so enjoy, and Cheers!

Boston Cream Pie

Ingredients:

• 6 tablespoons butter, softened
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups cake flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup light cream
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1 pinch salt
• 4 teaspoons cornstarch
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 (1 ounce) squares semisweet chocolate
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup light cream
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease and flour two 9 inch round cake pans. Sift the all-purpose flour, cake flour, baking powder and salt together and set aside.
2. In a deep bowl cream 6 tablespoons of the butter with 3/4 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the 2 eggs, one at a time, then beat in the 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Add the flour mixture alternately with the 1/2 cup of the milk in 3 additions, Beating the batter smooth after each addition. Divide the batter between the 2 prepared pans.
3. Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 15 minutes or until cakes begin to shrink away from the sides of the pans and centers spring back when lightly touched. Turn the cakes onto wire racks to cool.
4. To Make The Filling: Combine the 1/2 cup light cream with 1/4 cup of the milk and cook over medium heat until bubbles begin to form around the edge of the pan. Immediately add 1/4 cup of the sugar and the salt, stirring until dissolved. Remove the pan from the heat.
5. In a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup of the milk with the cornstarch and whisk to remove lumps. Whisk in the 2 eggs. Add the hot cream mixture in a thin stream, whisking constantly. Return to the mixture to the saucepan, bring to a boil, and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the custard thickens and is smooth (about 5 minutes). Remove from heat and stir in the 1/2 teaspoon vanilla and allow to cool to room temperature.
6. To Make The Chocolate Frosting: In a heavy saucepan over low heat, stir the chocolate pieces and 2 tablespoons butter until they are completely melted. Remove from the heat and, stirring constantly, add the 1/4 cup light cream in a thin steady stream. When mixture is smooth, stir in the confectioners' sugar and beat vigorously. Stir in the 1/2 teaspoon vanilla.
7. To Assemble Cake: Spread the cooled filling over one the cooled cakes and place the second cake on top. Pour the chocolate frosting evenly over the top allowing it to spill down the sides.