Enchanted TeaTime: Connect to Spirit through Spells, rituals & Celebrations by Gail Bussi
Llewellyn Publications 2023
Through history, tea time has been a cosy ritual of comfort. Growing up, my favorite thing was when my mother would serve various herbal teas to taste their flavor, how they affected us, and find ones we loved. My two favorites were raspberry leaf which helped me with my menstrual cramps and lavender which was so relaxing.
Here we have a book on just that sort of exploration. I love it! It takes us through the history of tea traditions, the herbal aspect, the spiritual and magical aspects and recipes; tea blends as well as sweets that go well with tea.
The author states, "Perhaps most of all, this book is created with a view to give us all a little sacred space in our lives...time to reflect, to dream,to be. It is in these moments, simple and unremarkable though they might seem, that we can access our true selves and find the magic within."
There was one recipe that I'm itching to try. Dorset Apple Cake. It has been popular in England for many years.
Dorset Apple Cake
350 degrees
Grease a deep 8 inch cake pan very well and line the base with baking paper.
2 cups cake flour, sifted
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon each ground nutmeg, cinnamon and ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup raisins (optional)
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 eggs
2 large apples, peeled, cored, and chopped in small pieces
Sift the flour, baking powder, spices, salt, and optional raisins together in a small bowl and set aside. In a large bowl, cream the butter, sugar, and vanilla together until the mixture is light and creamy; beat in the eggs, one at a time. Then, add the flour mixture alternately with the chopped apples and mix well until the batter is well blended, with no streaks of flour. Use a spatula to spread the batter in the cake pan and bake for 40-50 minutes or until the cake is risen, golden brown, and a tester comes out clean. Cool in the pan 15 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack. This cake keeps well for a few days, stored in an airtight container. It's even nicer when served with a little heavy cream!
Now to pick a nice tea to go with it!
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