Memorial Day holds quite a bit of important history, and serves as a significant national symbol of gratitude to all those who have fought and died as members of the armed services. At Bigelow Tea, there has been a long-standing history of supporting the troops, and each year, this day is one to remember and appreciate the soldiers who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our great country.
While Memorial Day may conjure images of picnics and long weekends, how much do you know about this patriotic holiday? In 1868, May 30 was initially declared Decoration Day, “which was designated for the purpose of strewing with flowers and otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country during the late rebellion.” In 1971, Congress moved Memorial Day from May 30 to the last Monday in May.
On Memorial Day, Bigelow Tea feels extra proud to pay tribute to U.S. servicemen and women, including an official sponsorship of the USO. This is a continuation of the Tea for the Troops program, which third generation president and CEO Cindi Bigelow says is “our way of saying thank you to the men and women fighting for our country.” Since the program started in 2009, almost 4 million bags of Bigelow tea have been sent to bases in Korea, Iraq, Germany and Afghanistan.
Whether you’re hosting a Memorial Day bash or spending the weekend with loved ones, Bigelow Tea has the refreshments covered. With one of these six tea-inspired recipes, you’ll surely wow everyone at the table. Tag #TeaProudly to share how you’re spending the day!
Earl Grey Braised Beef Brisket with Earl Grey Barbecue Sauce
Ingredients
Beef brisket:
- 4 pounds beef brisket, whole, not trimmed
- 1 pound sweet onion, julienned
- 1 pound carrot, julienned
- 1/2 pound celery, chopped
- 8 Bigelow Earl Grey Tea bags
- 4 cups water, or enough to cover brisket
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
Barbecue sauce:
- 4 ounces vegetable oil
- 1 pound sweet onion, chopped
- 1 ounce peeled garlic, chopped
- 1/2 pound celery, chopped
- 16 ounces tomatoes, canned
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup white vinegar, or cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 8 Bigelow Earl Grey Tea bags
Instructions
Combine onion, celery, carrot tea bags with water and bring to a simmer. Add brisket and let cook till fork tender, may be up to 8 hours. While brisket is cooking make barbecue sauce. In medium sauce pan heat oil and add onion and garlic and sweat. Add celery and sweat and then add tomatoes, sugar vinegar, salt and tea bags. Let simmer till all vegetables are very soft and remove tea bags. Puree till smooth and chill till ready to use. When brisket is tender remove from heat and allow to cool in braising liquid. When cool remove from liquid and heat on grill. When hot add barbecue sauce and finish heating in oven to prevent burning sauce. Slice about 1/4 inch and serve.
Green Tea Baby Back Ribs and Jicama Green Apple Salad
Ingredients
- 26 pork backribs, 2 racks, 13 bones
- 1 sweet onion, julienned
- 4 celery ribs, julienned
- 2 carrot, julienned
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 1/2 tablespoon black pepper
- 12 Bigelow Green Tea, remove string
- 1 jicama, julienned
- 2 green apple, julienned
- 2 celery, julienned
- 1 carrot, julienned
- 4 scallion, sliced
- 1/2 cup rice wine vinegar, steeped with 1 bag Green Tea with Lemon
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
Combine ribs with onion, celery, carrot, salt, pepper and eight tea bags. Bring to a simmer and cook till fork tender. While ribs are simmering, steep Bigelow Green tea with lemon with cold vinegar, about 1 hour. Cut all jicama, apple, celery and carrot into julienne. Slice scallion on a long bias. Toss all together. Combine vinegar and oil together. Toss vegetables and fruit with salt and vinaigrette mixture and chill. When ribs are ready let cool in poaching liquid. Remove ribs from poaching liquid and return liquid to heat and bring to a boil and reduce to two cups volume. Add two cups sugar and four tea bags and let steep five minutes and squeeze out tea bags. Dip ribs into glaze and heat in oven. Brush with additional glaze until ribs are hot and sugar has caramelized. Finish under broiler and drizzle glaze over ribs when on plate. Serve glazed ribs over jicama salad.
Orange & Spice Barbecue Sauce
Ingredients
- ½ cup (125mL) hot water
- 10 Bigelow® Orange & Spice Herbal Tea Bags
- ¼ cup (60mL) brown sugar
- 1 small onion, diced
- ¼ cup (60mL) ketchup
- 2 tablespoons (30mL) mustard
Instructions
Pour boiling water over tea bags. Let steep for 5 minutes. Remove bags, squeezing them for excess tea. Add brown sugar until dissolved. Set aside. In a skillet, add tea, ketchup, mustard and onions. Mix well and simmer until onions are soft, about 10 minutes. This sauce can be used with steak, chicken and pork. It also can be used for baking beans.
Tea Marinated Grilled Tofu
Ingredients
- 8 – 6 inch wooden skewers
- 1 – 14 oz. package extra firm tofu
- 3 Bigelow® Green Tea with Pomegranate Tea Bags
- 3 Bigelow® Earl Grey Tea Bags
- 2 cups hot water
- ½ teaspoon salt, plus additional for sprinkling
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 medium zucchini, cut into 1 inch rounds
- 8 Baby Bella mushrooms, cleaned (about 8 oz.)
- 2 tablespoons canola oil (for brushing)
- Non-stick grill spray
Instructions
Tofu is a great vegetarian, low-calorie alternative for your grill, and marinating it in tea gives it great flavor and color. A touch of honey adds sweetness and helps to create a beautiful grill marks as it caramelizes. First, set wooden skewers in water and allow to soak for approximately 30 minutes. Next, sandwich the block of tofu between two plates lined with a few layers of paper towels. Place something heavy on top plate (like a can) so tofu can drain for 10-15 minutes. In large bowl, combine hot water and tea bags and steep for 5-7 minutes. Squeeze out tea bags into bowl, remove, and add salt and honey to tea. Stir until honey is dissolved. Cut tofu into 1 inch cubes, and add to bowl. Set aside to marinate for 15 minutes. Thread 2-3 cubes of tofu and 2-3 pieces of vegetables onto each soaked skewer, being careful not to pack the skewers too tightly. Brush each skewer with canola oil and season with a pinch of salt. Spray a gas grill with non-stick grill spray and preheat to medium-high. Place skewers on grill, and cook for approximately 2-3 minutes per side, until grill marks appear and tofu begins to form a nicely colored crust. Note: be very gentle when turning skewers (use a grill spatula), as the tofu is delicate. Remove from grill and serve hot.
Red, White and Blueberry Grilled Chicken Salad with Black Tea Raspberry Dressing
(Pictured at top)
Ingredients
Dressing Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup brewed Bigelow English Teatime Black Tea {I brew more and then use some for the dressing and some for the marinade}
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 1/2 cups raspberries
- 2 tablespoons blueberries
Marinade Ingredients:
- 1 cup brewed Bigelow English Teatime Tea
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Salad Ingredients:
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 4 cups spinach and Arugula lettuce leaves {these are easy to find already mixed together in the pre-made salad containers}
- 1 cup raspberries
- 1 cup blueberries
- 1 cup chopped walnuts, toasted in 1 teaspoon of butter
- 1/2 cup blue cheese crumbles
Instructions
For the dressing:
Add tea, olive oil, red wine vinegar, honey, lemon juice, and kosher salt to a food processor or blender. Give it one spin to start mixing ingredients. Add raspberries and blueberries and process on high until it’s completely mixed and the fruit is pureed all the way. Refrigerate overnight.
For the marinade and chicken:
Combine remainder of brewed tea {about a cup}, olive oil, and honey in a large dish with a secure lid. Shake and mix well. Uncover and add chicken. Cover and flip container to ensure that chicken is coated in marinade. Refrigerate overnight.
To assemble salad:
Toast walnuts in butter and allow to cool. Remove chicken from marinade and discard marinade. Grill chicken until done. Allow to cool for ten minutes before thinly slicing into strips.
Lay out your salad and top with raspberries, blueberries, walnuts, blue cheese and chicken strips. Drizzle with salad dressing.
Grilled Vegetarian Mushroom Quesadillas
Ingredients
- ¼ cup (60mL) butter
- 6 Bigelow I Love Lemon Herbal Tea Bags
- ¾ cup (180mL) boiling water
- 3 teaspoons (10mL) chili powder
- 2 gloves garlic, minced
- 1 pound (500g) fresh mushrooms, sliced
- 1 small onion, minced
- 1 teaspoon (5mL) salt
- 1 – 8 ounce (250g) pkg. Tempeh, crumbled
- 2 cups (500mL) light Monterey Jack Cheese, grated
- Canola oil
- 12 – 6 inch (15cm) flour tortillas
- Lemon wedges as a garnish
Instructions
To prepare filling: Place tea bags into measuring cup and pour boiling water over bags. Let stand for 5 minutes. Remove bags and reserve tea. Melt butter in large skillet over medium high heat. Add tea, chili powder and garlic. Saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add mushrooms, onion and salt. Saute until mushrooms are brown and tender. Add the crumbled tempeh and saute 2 minutes more or until heated through. Remove from heat, cool for 10minutes. To assemble quesadillas. Preheat grill to 350 F (180 C). Lightly brush 6 tortillas on one side with oil. Place the tortillas oil-side down on large non-stick rimless baking sheet (Use a cookie sheet with sides by turning it upside down). Divide the filling mixture equally among the 6 tortillas. Top each filled tortilla with cheese. Brush tops with oil. Gently slide the quesadillas onto the grill. Grill for about 3minutes on each side, until heated through and golden brown. Remove from grill and let stand for 2 minutes before cutting into wedges. Serve with salsa, sour cream or guacamole and lemon wedges if desired.