Now that tomatoes are so plentiful, here's a great way to make your own tomato juice.
Makes 4-5 1-cup servings.
Ingredients:
10-12 large tomatoes
1 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. seasoned salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 Tbsp. sugar
Directions:
1) Wash and drain tomatoes. Remove cores and blossom ends. Place in slow cooker.
2) Cover and cook on low 4-6 hours,or until tomatoes are soft.
3) Press through sieve or food mill.
4) Stir in seasonings. Chill.
This recipe is from Jean Butzer in Fix-It and Forget-It Cookbook.
A Turkish kitchen full of wonderful traditional foods with delightful nougats of Turkish culture.
Showing posts with label Beverages. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Beverages. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 05, 2008
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Turkish Tea -- Cay
It seems incredible to me that I've posted here for a year and a half, almost 70 entries, without once posting Turkish tea! Maybe because it's so common place to me now, we drink it every single morning, that I've started to take Turkish tea for granted.
Growing up in the South, as a child I never imagined that anyone would drink tea other than the way I always had, ice-cold and heavily sweetened. Then my family took a trip to Canada and at a restaurant ordered our normal tea. We all looked at each other surprised when we were served hot tea. The beginning of cultural awareness for me. :-)
In Turkey, tea is the life-blood of the nation, and most certainly of the economy. People outside of Turkey hear a lot about Turkish coffee, but that is usually drunk mostly in the evenings, after dinner, as a dessert drink, and usually on special occasions, not an every-day beverage. Tea, however, is consumed all day long, continuously, several glasses per person.
When visiting Turkey, you'll be invited to drink tea in every home you visit and every shop or place of business you enter if you're spending much time there (especially if you're buying a carpet). You'll see tea sellers (caydanliks) carrying their swinging tea trays going from shop to shop, business to business, selling their freshly prepared tea. The economy would come to a halt if the tea supply was wiped out.
I heard a funny joke once about a lion who escaped from the Ankara zoo and hid in the bottom floor of the parliament building in downtown Ankara. He caught and ate the Turkish Prime Minister first, and no one noticed. Then he gobbled down a couple of other party leaders and important bureaucrats. Still, no one was interested. He munched on some newspaper editors and business CEO's. No one cared. But when he made a snack out of the cayci (the tea seller) the city got up in arms, searching and scouring each building until they found and captured the missing lion.
No one messes with a Turk's tea and lives to tell the tale. :-)
Turkish tea is always served freshly made, very hot, in small tulip-shaped glasses, which permit the drinker to absorb the warmth of the tea into their palm while admiring the amber-colored liquid. It is also prepared in a Turkish teapot (caydanlik), which is a double-boiler teapot with a smaller kettle which sits on top of a larger one. I've often seen both Turkish teapots and tea glasses in Middle Eastern groceries and markets here in the US. Or simply use your double boiler.
Ingredients:
water
tea (in Turkey, everyone uses loose-leaf black tea, but bagged tea will work)
Directions:
Fill the bottom kettle with cold water. To the top kettle, add one well-rounded teaspoon of tea (or one teabag) per serving desired. Place top kettle on top and heat on stove until the water boils in the bottom. Lower the heat in the bottom kettle and continue boiling for about 5 minutes. This heats the tealeaves in the upper kettle before adding water.
Then add water from the bottom kettle to the top, about 3-5 ounces per serving, leaving at least half the water in the bottom kettle. Return both pots to position and continue brewing on low heat for at least another 10 minutes.
When you serve, pour the tea from the top pot into each tea glass until about half full, then top it off with the hot water from the bottom tea pot. In this manner, individual preferences as to how strong or light someone wishes their tea can be fulfilled. For those who prefer a lighter tea, simply pour more water and less tea.
Sweeten with stevia, if desired, and enjoy while hot!
Notes:
If using loose-leaf tea, you can use a strainer to ensure that no leaves get into your tea glass. However, once a pot of tea has been properly prepared, most of the leaves will have settled to the bottom and not much will enter the glass. If you still have leaves floating on the top of your brewing tea, then it probably hasn't brewed enough.
Preparing tea in this manner gently heats the tea, releasing its full flavor, without harshly boiling or scalding the tea leaves.
Other Options:
Recently we've been adding a few cloves and about an inch of cinnamon bark to our tea as it steeps. I really love the tea like this, and one of my daughter's friends guzzles it by the gallon when she visits she likes it so much. Others like to add lemon to their tea.
Experiment with different spices and enjoy!
Growing up in the South, as a child I never imagined that anyone would drink tea other than the way I always had, ice-cold and heavily sweetened. Then my family took a trip to Canada and at a restaurant ordered our normal tea. We all looked at each other surprised when we were served hot tea. The beginning of cultural awareness for me. :-)
In Turkey, tea is the life-blood of the nation, and most certainly of the economy. People outside of Turkey hear a lot about Turkish coffee, but that is usually drunk mostly in the evenings, after dinner, as a dessert drink, and usually on special occasions, not an every-day beverage. Tea, however, is consumed all day long, continuously, several glasses per person.
When visiting Turkey, you'll be invited to drink tea in every home you visit and every shop or place of business you enter if you're spending much time there (especially if you're buying a carpet). You'll see tea sellers (caydanliks) carrying their swinging tea trays going from shop to shop, business to business, selling their freshly prepared tea. The economy would come to a halt if the tea supply was wiped out.
I heard a funny joke once about a lion who escaped from the Ankara zoo and hid in the bottom floor of the parliament building in downtown Ankara. He caught and ate the Turkish Prime Minister first, and no one noticed. Then he gobbled down a couple of other party leaders and important bureaucrats. Still, no one was interested. He munched on some newspaper editors and business CEO's. No one cared. But when he made a snack out of the cayci (the tea seller) the city got up in arms, searching and scouring each building until they found and captured the missing lion.
No one messes with a Turk's tea and lives to tell the tale. :-)
Turkish tea is always served freshly made, very hot, in small tulip-shaped glasses, which permit the drinker to absorb the warmth of the tea into their palm while admiring the amber-colored liquid. It is also prepared in a Turkish teapot (caydanlik), which is a double-boiler teapot with a smaller kettle which sits on top of a larger one. I've often seen both Turkish teapots and tea glasses in Middle Eastern groceries and markets here in the US. Or simply use your double boiler.
Ingredients:
water
tea (in Turkey, everyone uses loose-leaf black tea, but bagged tea will work)
Directions:
Fill the bottom kettle with cold water. To the top kettle, add one well-rounded teaspoon of tea (or one teabag) per serving desired. Place top kettle on top and heat on stove until the water boils in the bottom. Lower the heat in the bottom kettle and continue boiling for about 5 minutes. This heats the tealeaves in the upper kettle before adding water.
Then add water from the bottom kettle to the top, about 3-5 ounces per serving, leaving at least half the water in the bottom kettle. Return both pots to position and continue brewing on low heat for at least another 10 minutes.
When you serve, pour the tea from the top pot into each tea glass until about half full, then top it off with the hot water from the bottom tea pot. In this manner, individual preferences as to how strong or light someone wishes their tea can be fulfilled. For those who prefer a lighter tea, simply pour more water and less tea.
Sweeten with stevia, if desired, and enjoy while hot!
Notes:
If using loose-leaf tea, you can use a strainer to ensure that no leaves get into your tea glass. However, once a pot of tea has been properly prepared, most of the leaves will have settled to the bottom and not much will enter the glass. If you still have leaves floating on the top of your brewing tea, then it probably hasn't brewed enough.
Preparing tea in this manner gently heats the tea, releasing its full flavor, without harshly boiling or scalding the tea leaves.
Other Options:
Recently we've been adding a few cloves and about an inch of cinnamon bark to our tea as it steeps. I really love the tea like this, and one of my daughter's friends guzzles it by the gallon when she visits she likes it so much. Others like to add lemon to their tea.
Experiment with different spices and enjoy!
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Jillian Michael's Diet Drink
I discovered this drink on AOL from Jillian Michael's as a diet drink to loose excess bloat as it's a natural diuretic. I've been drinking this for a few weeks now, and have discovered another awesome effect of this all-natural tea -- it lowers my blood pressure! In fact, I've been able to significantly decrease my medicine dosage.
60 ounces distilled water (I just use water from my well...love those natural minerals)
1 tbsp cranberry juice (100% juice, sugar-free)
1 dandelion root tea bag
2 tbsp lemon juice (I use fresh lemons)
Note: I sweeten mine with stevia to taste.
Brew dandelion root tea. Mix all ingredients. Serve warm or cold.
Jillian Michael's video on AOL.
Of course, please know I'm not a doctor and not giving advice. I'm simply relating something that has helped me, alone.
60 ounces distilled water (I just use water from my well...love those natural minerals)
1 tbsp cranberry juice (100% juice, sugar-free)
1 dandelion root tea bag
2 tbsp lemon juice (I use fresh lemons)
Note: I sweeten mine with stevia to taste.
Brew dandelion root tea. Mix all ingredients. Serve warm or cold.
Jillian Michael's video on AOL.
Of course, please know I'm not a doctor and not giving advice. I'm simply relating something that has helped me, alone.
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Beet Kvass
This recipe is from Sally Fallon's Nourishing Traditions, my most reliable source for healthy, traditional recipes and information. Even though beet kvass is considered a Russian or Ukrainian beverage, my husband recognizes it as very similar to a traditional fermented Turkish beverage called salgam. He loves this stuff.
Ingredients:
- 3 medium or 2 large organic beets, peeled and chopped up coarsely
- 1/4 cup whey
- 1 tbsp sea salt
- filtered water
Directions:
This drink is valuable for its medicinal qualities and as a digestive aid. Beets are just loaded with nutrients. One 4-ounce glass, morning and night, is an excellent blood tonic, promotes regularity, aids digestion, alkalizes the blood, cleanses the liver and is a good treatment for kidney stones and other ailments. Beet kvass may also be used in place of vinegar in salad dressings and as an addition to soups.
Place beets, whey and salt in a 2-quart glass container. Add filtered water to fill the container. Stir well and cover securely. Keep at room temperature for 2 days before transferring to refrigerator.
When most of the liquid has been drunk, you may fill up the container with water and keep at room temperature another 2 days. The resulting brew will be slightly less strong than the first. After the second brew, discard the beets and start again. You may, however, reserve some of the liquid and use this as your inoculant instead of the whey.
Note: Do not use grated beets in the preparation of beet tonic. When grated, beets exude too much juice resulting in a too rapid fermentation that favors the production of alcohol rather than lactic acid.
Thursday, November 30, 2006
Other Turkish Herbal Teas
Some other wonderful herbal teas that I became familiar with in Turkey and would like to recommend:
Ada Çayı (sage tea) -- very good for stomach upsets and colds
Kuşburnu Çayı (rose hips tea) -- high in vitamin C
Lemon/Mint Tea -- also good for stomach upsets
When I first moved to Turkey, whenever I had a sore throat or upset stomach, my Turkish mother-in-law would make me fresh lemon/mint tea. Just steep fresh mint in hot water, then add lemon juice and sweeten. She sweetened with sugar, but now I prefer to use stevia
.
Lemon/mint tea is really wonderful whether you're sick or not. Fresh mint is preferable to dried.
Ada Çayı (sage tea) -- very good for stomach upsets and colds
Kuşburnu Çayı (rose hips tea) -- high in vitamin C
Lemon/Mint Tea -- also good for stomach upsets
When I first moved to Turkey, whenever I had a sore throat or upset stomach, my Turkish mother-in-law would make me fresh lemon/mint tea. Just steep fresh mint in hot water, then add lemon juice and sweeten. She sweetened with sugar, but now I prefer to use stevia
.Lemon/mint tea is really wonderful whether you're sick or not. Fresh mint is preferable to dried.
Linden Flower Tea -- Ihlamur Çayı
One of my absolute favorite herbal teas from Turkey is linden flower tea. It's wonderful and warming on a winter day, or really any time of the year.
If you can find some good dried linden flowers, simply brew it up in a tea pot by adding to boiled water and steeping for 10-15 minutes. Linden Flower tea is so good that many people don't need to sweeten it, but if you do, just sweeten to taste with stevia.
One place you can find ihlamur tea / linden tea is at Tulumba.com an online Turkish grocery and market, but many herb stores or natural food stores will carry it as well.
Linden flower is reportedly good for calming nerves, soothing upset stomachs, and relieving cold-related coughs. To read more, check out this site or here (scroll down).
If you can find some good dried linden flowers, simply brew it up in a tea pot by adding to boiled water and steeping for 10-15 minutes. Linden Flower tea is so good that many people don't need to sweeten it, but if you do, just sweeten to taste with stevia.
One place you can find ihlamur tea / linden tea is at Tulumba.com an online Turkish grocery and market, but many herb stores or natural food stores will carry it as well.
Linden flower is reportedly good for calming nerves, soothing upset stomachs, and relieving cold-related coughs. To read more, check out this site or here (scroll down).
Friday, September 15, 2006
Ayran -- Turkish Buttermilk
While I'm on a yogurt craze, here's a recipe for a very popular drink in Turkey that is easy to make out of yogurt. It took me a while to get used to it, but I love it now. It's nutritious and delicious.
When we make Ayran at home, we keep it very simple. Mix plain, whole yogurt with a bit of water and salt to taste. You want the consitency to be like buttermilk. Chill, or serve with ice. I usually prefer mine chilled without ice.
Here's a recipe from Samples from Turkish Cuisine
that's a different version:
Ingredients:
3 cups yogurt (750 g)
2 cups milk (500 g)
2 ½ cups water ( 600 g)
1 ½ teaspoons salt (9g) (I use sea salt)
Directions:
Place yogurt in a bowl. Beat with a fork or a hand mixer untill well blended. Add milk gradually, mixing well. Stir in iced cold water. Add salt; mix well. Serve cold.
Cultural Note:
[Ayran] is a very popular drink all over the country. It is served with kebabs, kőftes, meat dishes and pilafs as a beverage or it is just served as a refreshment during summer months. Amount of yogurt can be reduced to 1/3 cup per person for a thinner consistency. Only milk, or only water, can be used a liquid. It should always be served cold.
When we make Ayran at home, we keep it very simple. Mix plain, whole yogurt with a bit of water and salt to taste. You want the consitency to be like buttermilk. Chill, or serve with ice. I usually prefer mine chilled without ice.
Here's a recipe from Samples from Turkish Cuisine
that's a different version:Ingredients:
3 cups yogurt (750 g)
2 cups milk (500 g)
2 ½ cups water ( 600 g)
1 ½ teaspoons salt (9g) (I use sea salt)
Directions:
Place yogurt in a bowl. Beat with a fork or a hand mixer untill well blended. Add milk gradually, mixing well. Stir in iced cold water. Add salt; mix well. Serve cold.
Cultural Note:
[Ayran] is a very popular drink all over the country. It is served with kebabs, kőftes, meat dishes and pilafs as a beverage or it is just served as a refreshment during summer months. Amount of yogurt can be reduced to 1/3 cup per person for a thinner consistency. Only milk, or only water, can be used a liquid. It should always be served cold.
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