Refreshing. Sweet. Succulent. These are the words that describe two of Bigelow Tea‘s favorite veggies and fruits: the pear and the cucumber. Paired (no pun intended!) with tea, they are delightful to savor during the last of summer and the beginning of fall. Here are two Bigelow Tea recipes featuring cucumber and pear. Kick back, relax and enjoy! Maybe try some iced tea, like Bigelow Tea Facebook friend, Stephen Lightkep. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
- 2 medium cucumbers or 1 long English-style cucumber
- Softened cream cheese
- 12 slices of white bread
- Salt and white pepper to taste
- Softened butter
Instructions:
Peel cucumber and slice thinly as possible. Spread cream cheese on one side of bread; place one layer of cucumbers on top, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Spread butter on second slice, place on top of cucumbers, buttered side down. Trim crusts and cut into quarters.
Yield:
Makes 24 sandwich quarters.
Suggestions:
Great for Afternoon Tea, pairs beautifully with your favorite cup of Bigelow Tea. Why not try some Cranberry Hibiscus Herbal Tea?
Earl Grey Poached Pears With Earl Grey Custard
(Pictured, at top)
Ingredients:
- 1 Bigelow Earl Grey Tea Bag
- 4 cups boiling water
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 4 Bosc pears, peeled, stem on
Ingredients for Bigelow Earl Grey Sabayon:
- 5 Bigelow Earl Grey Tea Bags
- ¼ cup boiling water
- 3 egg yolks
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar (depending on desired sweetness)
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch, sifted
- Mint leaves for garnish
Instructions:
Poaching Liquid: In medium saucepan, infuse the Bigelow Earl Grey tea by steeping the tea bag in 4 cups of boiling water for 1 minute. Add sugar, lemon zest and lemon juice, stir until the sugar has dissolved. Place pears in saucepan and simmer, covered for 20-30 minutes or until tender, stirring gently once or twice. When ready, remove and place on a plate.
Bigelow Earl Grey Sabayon: In a measuring cup, make the Bigelow Earl Grey tea by steeping 5 Earl Grey tea bags in ¼ cup boiling water for 5 minutes. Strain, set aside. In a large heatproof bowl, combine egg yolks and sugar. With an electric hand mixer, beat on high speed until pale in color, about 3 minutes. Whisk in the Earl Grey tea. Set the bowl over simmering water, beat until the mixture thickens, about 3 minutes. Remove the bowl from the heat, add sifted cornstarch and continue beating until incorporated. To serve, place a pear standing up on attractive plate. Drizzle sabayon down the sides and garnish with mint leaves. If serving cold, keep sabayon refrigerated and beat on high with an electric mixer 1 or 2 minutes to fluff up mixture. Serve as above.
Yield:
Serves 4 of poached pears; 1 cup of sabayon sauce.
Photos (at top) via Pixabay and by Emilian Robert Vicol via flickr