Pouring this winter? Here’s the perfect treat.

A Pinch of Salt

by Donna Marie Riani

There is something so civilized and comforting about a cup of tea. I am a long-time tea drinker and couldn’t possibly start my day without a steaming mug of it. It has just enough caffeine to help me start my day, but not so much that I’m bouncing off the walls. It is the only drink that can pick you up and chill you out all at the same time.

For some cultures, it is ceremonial — just as much about the preparation as the drinking. It’s about hospitality, taking a breath, being present and shutting out the outside world for a little while. We have the British to thank for afternoon tea, that lovely late afternoon custom of tiny sandwiches, pastries, scones and homemade jams served with cups of hot tea. One Mother’s Day, my sister and I took our mom to the Ritz Carlton in downtown Chicago for afternoon tea. This was my first time experiencing a real tea service and let me tell you it did not disappoint! I still think about it all these years later. Not surprisingly, behind water, tea is the most widely consumed beverage in the world.

Green, white and black tea all start life as the same plant, the Camellia Sinensis, which is an evergreen shrub native to East Asia. It’s the oxidation process that determines the color, aroma, flavor and strength. For those who prefer non-caffeinated, you can always opt for an herbal alternative, which is instead made from flowers, fruits and herbs.

Tea has a long history of being used for things other than drinking. It can be used to relieve the pain of an insect bite, is a great stain for dying fabrics and furniture and a wet tea bag is very soothing on sunburned skin. After having my wisdom teeth removed, I was told by the surgeon to place a freshly steeped tea bag on the area to stop the bleeding (it’s the tannins in black tea that help to coagulate blood) and it really did work. Tea is pretty miraculous.

Oregon is making quite a name for itself in the tea world. Stash and Steven Smith are two Oregon companies most people are familiar with. There are also Oregon Tea Traders, Plum Deluxe, The Tao of Tea and Metolius. A few that actually grow their own tea in

Oregon are Minto Island Tea Company and North Fork 53. There are far too many Oregon tea businesses to name them all. Many of these companies have an eye toward sustainability and making sure ingredients are ethically sourced and organic when possible. All of these companies also make their own unique custom blends.

I call this recipe the Rainy Day Teacake. It features Earl Grey tea and fresh lemon juice and zest. It’s light and rich with slight floral notes. A slice of this goes perfectly with a steaming mug of tea and some good conversation.

Donna Marie Riani is a culinary enthusiast based in Lincoln City offering personal chef services, hands-on classes and demo classes. Contact her at donnariani@hotmail.com

Rainy Day Teacake

1 cup whole milk

1 tbsp loose leaf Earl Grey tea

1/4 cup sour cream

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

3/4 cup sugar

1 tbsp lemon zest, from one large or two smaller lemons

6 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature

1 large egg, room temperature

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Glaze

1-2 tbsp fresh lemon juice, glaze should be thin enough to be drizzled

3/4 cup powdered sugar, sifted

Preheat the oven to 350°F and spray a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with nonstick spray. Combine milk and tea in a small saucepan and heat over medium heat, just until warm. Remove from heat and let stand for 15 minutes; strain to remove the tea leaves. Stir in the sour cream. Set aside.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.

Place the sugar, lemon zest and butter in a large bowl. Beat at medium speed until light and fluffy; beat in egg and vanilla. Reduce speed to low and add half of the flour mixture, beating just to combine. Add the tea milk mixture, then finish with remaining flour mixture.

Pour batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top. Bake for about 50 minutes or until edges are golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few crumbs attached. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes; carefully remove cake from pan and cool completely on wire rack.

For the glaze, whisk together the lemon juice and powdered sugar in a small bowl. Drizzle the glaze over the cooled cake.