tea talk: ashley english of small measure

 

Last week, I mentioned that the lovely Ashley English had featured teaspoons & petals in her weekly column on design sponge, Small Measures. (I'm still excited about this shout out! hooray!)

As an avid reader of her personal blog, Small Measure, I was familiar with her culinary abilities to craft delectable jams and jellies (not to mention the fact that she wrote a book Homemade Living: Canning & Preserving with Ashley English: All You Need to Know to Make Jams, Jellies, Pickles, Chutneys & more.)

Considering that she devoted an entire column to her love of tea and is a master when it comes to jams & jellies, I was curious to learn just a bit more. 

Without further ado, here is an interesting and delicious Q&A with Ashley English:

If you were hosting a tea party, what jams, jellies or fruit butters would you serve?

Oh, I love tea parties! The ritual of it, the slowness, the savoring...I'm ready for one right now! I would probably serve a palate-wide array of options. Alongside buttery scones and berry-riddled muffins, I'd serve something spicy, like a clove/cinnamon/nutmeg-laced apple butter, something floral, like a peach and lavender jam, something herbal, like my Meyer lemon & lemon verbena curd, and something unexpected, like a lemon/orange/grapefruit & star anise marmalade.

beyond sweet tea, Lapsang souchong & homemade chai, what other teas do you enjoy sipping?

Well, I'm sipping on my old standby, Earl Grey, right now! Otherwise, I hold a very special place in my teapot for jasmine tea. It's my go-to green tea of choice. I also enjoy Gunpowder and Sencha green teas for their grassy, yet mildly metallic flavors. Herbal tisanes and infusions are pretty big in my pantry, too. I usually brew up a large mug of nettle & red raspberry tea for sipping on throughout the day. My winter herbal tea of choice lately has been wildcrafted Douglas Fir tips-lemony and piney, at the same time.  I once found a black tea infused with rose petals that was absolutely transcendent. As you can see, I'm pretty open to almost all varieties of tea. I'm an equal-opportunity tea imbiber!

have you ever considered incorporating tea when making your jams?

I've considered it, but I've yet to do it. I've worked Earl Grey into ice cream and crème brûlée, but never into a preserve. I could see that happening in the future, though. Lapsang Souchang would also definitely take a jam to a whole different realm, too. 

do you have a favorite cup, mug or jar that you like to drink your tea from?

Yes I do! Several years ago, my husband and I attended the summer showing of the Southern Highland Craft Guild, an Asheville-based crafters organization. We found beautiful pottery from a local ceramicist, John Ransmeier, and purchased two of his mugs. They're stunning, sort of a mustard and coffee gradient blend. I do worry about breaking them, though. Fortunately, John lives nearby and sells more of his mugs at the neighboring Folk Arts Center.

Comments

[paige anderson appel]

YUMMM. Ashley, come on girl. Come to LA and we can co-host a tea party. xo