Tearoom Gaffe to Feng Shui Spring Cleaning

By Cal Orey

(Excerpts from the new The Healing
Powers of Tea)

TEA LEAF READING, ANYONE?

During one of my trips to British Columbia, I visited Shangri-La Hotel Vancouver for a traditional afternoon tea. I ordered a pot of chamomile tea and the house apricot and current scones. When the tea server clad in a chenogsam arrived to my table, I was intimidated. In hindsight, perhaps a high pour of the  teapot (like “A Lot Like Love” film Oliver does for show in the restaurant scene with Chinese flue music playing in the background) would have impressed her. She left the Blue Willow China tea pot at my table. I didn’t know I was supposed to strain the tea.  

Oops. Looking down at the wilted leaves in my cup of I sulked: I thought: “How can I drink this? The leaves will get stuck in my teeth.” And, the leaves steeped too long so it was a dark yellow tea. When the server walked past my table, like a child I pointed to the flawed brew. (But at least I didn’t pick up my saucer with the cup.)  She replaced the full tea cup with wilted tea leaves floating like dead goldfish. I felt my face warm up and turn red from embarrassment because I failed tea etiquette. I asked for a doggy bag for the pricey scones, and walked out like a pup with its tail between its legs. I should have laughed at my gaffe, and offered a tea leaf reading. But remember, I am a just a health author, not a tea master.  What did I know? 

* * *

Springtime is the season to welcome your home to the art of Tea Feng Shui—the ancient Chinese art of placement—with a twist of tea and teaware... By putting stuff in the right spots in your kitchen, dining room, and outdoor deck or patio you can enhance the flow of positive “chi” or energy and avoid negative vibes, which may bring you good health and well-being. The ambiance of tearooms is light, airy, and a place to relax and rejuvenate you and yours. Read on—you, too, can learn the art of Tea Feng Shui for newbies, from room to room. 

Flaunt Tea Tins.  Some of the tin cans (such as ones from Harney and Sons) are so attractive and hold good memories when I savored each and every tea, I couldn’t toss. Instead, once empty I put them in an assorted arrangement on a large wooden shelf. The collection is pretty and gives the kitchen a homey, rustic feel—chic and shabby. 

Scent It Up. Naturally, the aroma of tea, especially herbal teas, can give you scent-sational aromas for each season. Use a coffee pot and place one teaspoon of tea leaves in the coffee filter and brew a few cups of tea. (Go ahead—use your creativity and choose your fragrance. I recommend spice teas for autumn, Chocolate-y teas for winter, fruit teas for spring, and citrus teas for summer.)

Bring out the Tea Fruit, Herbs, and Spices. Tea—hot or iced--teamed with fresh slices of lemon, orange, lime are inviting and healing. Also, whole sticks of cinnamon to springs of fresh mint are extra touches that can be added to many types of teas.

Place Tea Books in Piles. Books including the topic of tea such as baking, cooking, culture, and health can all be attractive and interesting for you and your guests. Arranging fascinating tea books in different rooms where tea is served can be attractive and timeless. Putting the cultural-type books in the living room, cookbooks in the kitchen, and health-related books in the dining room can all work well, especially when savoring a cup of tea.
 (More must have tea-infused household tips, home cures, and tearoom recipes in the new tea book!)

Excerpt from The Healing Powers of Tea 2018. All right reserved. Reprinted with permission from Kensingtonwww.kensingtonbooks.com 

Got a question about tea or honey? Ask the Healing Powers series author!  

--Cal Orey, M.A., is an author and journalist. Her books include the Healing Powers Series (Vinegar, Olive Oil, Chocolate, Honey, Coffee, Tea, and Superfoods) published by Kensington. (The collection has been featured by the Good Cook Book Club.)  Her website is www.calorey.com .

Tea & Honey Book Author Goes Home--California Coast

By Cal Orey

Today is Easter Sunday. It's a new month--a time for renewal. It's quiet at Lake Tahoe. Yes, it's still off season and bliss. Snow covered ground is showing dirt and cloud cover promises spring rain and trees will soon blossom. So why in the world would I take a business-vacay to Monterey?  

Because I love Big Little Lies and second season won't air until 2019.  Because I'm booked at Gilroy's Barnes and Noble for a book discussion/signing. And most of all because I have a history with the California Coast.

After all, it's a breathtaking place chock-full of Mother Nature at her finest that I've gone with the favorite men in my life. Yep, romantic images come to mind. Eating dinner at an ex's home with a living room view of the Pacific Ocean. Another love and I drove to Monterey and enjoyed that 17 mile drive and sunning on the beaches. And the last one, the love of my life and the one who got away, well...Cannery Row strolls, munching on fish and chips and smelling the ocean air reminds me of  West Coast heaven. 

This time around the trip is for me. It will be a time to revisit the past. Living in Santa Cruz Mountains and visiting the coast was a frequent past-time. Going to the Garlic Festival, viewing fields of lettuce and artichokes, and enjoying coffeehouses (especially for the tea and honey with bagels) up and down California coastline brings back fond days and nights. Not to forget when I was a kid I swam and surfed in sea that I'm going to revisit.

Flashback to my freewheeling days living in San Jose, 30 miles from the coast.  One Easter break, I hitchhiked south to Big Sur, a place to go and fall in love with the great outdoors. Without a penny in my pocket and no hotel for me, I slept on the beach in a sleeping bag with my dog surrounded by no name strangers from places around the country. Under the stars and circled around the bonfire we'd share road tales trying to one up each other. Adventures like me being stranded in Colorado and told by a highway patrolman to walk out of the state because hitchhiking was prohibited  to the night I slept with one eye open, arms wrapped around my black Lab on a private property in the Mojave Desert (fearing snakes) got interest. I didn't drink alcohol that night on the beach, but I did savor tea--and was bullied for my clean lifestyle.  In the morning without a hangover and feeling rejuvenated, I left paradise and traveled north to return to real life--college with the goal of becoming an author...


Coming Home
Decades later, this time around, I'll be at the Barnes and Noble bookstore in Gilroy and dishing on my two latest books--The Healing Powers of Tea and The Healing Powers of Honey.  After it will be time to reconnect with Monterey and Pacific Grove (places John Steinbeck lived life and shared with his readers), bond with an otter, experience the sound of waves instead of looking at the Lake--and I'll watch the sun set over the sea and rise--instead of the majestic Sierra. So, who says you can't go back home? This Healing Powers series author is doing just that. 

Author Event, Author Signing, Author Discussion (Health & Fitness) 
Saturday April 21, 2018 2:00 PM 

      

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The Healing Powers of Honey

By Cal Orey
Publish Date: 02/27/2018
See All Formats & Editions

The Healing Powers of Tea

By Cal Orey
Publish Date: 12/26/2017
See All Formats & Editions

Gilroy 

Gilroy Crossing
6825 Camino Arroyo
Gilroy, CA 95020
408-846-5777

Store Hours:

Sun-Thu 9-9

Fri&Sat 9-10

Tea Time for the Tea Book Author

By Cal Orey

Over the decades I've been an author at dozens and dozens of book signings. 

Some book events I've teamed with well-known people featured in my books.  We were greeted by TV cameras, radio station hosts, a microphone and rows of people in the audience. Others, guide dogs to adoption cats upstaged me, the author, and nobody wanted me to speak out or sign a book. You just never know what's going to happen at a book signing--and the thing is, I continue to get booked and go on the road for the thrill of the unknown...

Last weekend on Saint Patrick’s Day, for instance, I took a leap of faith and drove over the snow shrouded mountain (with my Australian shepherd in tow and survival food) to attend a book discussion/signing for number six, the Healing Powers series tea tome.  So much for lucky holidays and numbers, I thought. The roads were icy, cars were moving at a snail’s pace, and a couple of times I mumbled, “I’m turning back.”

Knowing I was stocked up on granola bars, salt and vinegar potato chips, bottled water, and canine chow seemed a bit calming for a snow day raining on my parade. While there were a few close skidding out of control moments, no “Misery” car crash for this food book series author. 
On the way home, I wondered, “Why didn’t I bake chewy cookies and bring tea?”  A sobering flashback of hitchhiking in my twenties through
a blizzard in Wyoming with my black Lab (not a snow-loving dog) paid me a visit and reminded me, "This too shall pass." We survived--and this time around, too.

Back in the cozy cabin I made a fire, brewed a fresh cup of hot chamomile (two cups, actually), and cuddled with my action-oriented Aussie and zen-like Siamese. After a day of adventure, cravings for fresh coconut macaroons were on my mind. 
After all, it’s still winter-like weather in the Sierra and a home-baked cookie (filling the house with a sweet aroma) paired with an over-sized cup of my favorite beverage is super comforting and takes me to a place I love. This recipe is inspired by my new tea book The Healing Powers of Tea (infused with soul, thanks to pro chef recipes and gritty, heartwarming stories, and tearooms I visited both in and out of the country during research in Tealand).

Snowflake Cookies

5 tablespoons whole wheat flour (good for high altitude so cookies don’t spread in the oven)

¼ cup granulated white sugar

6 ounces sweetened condensed milk

1 capful each almond extract and pure vanilla extract

7-8 ounces (approximately 2 ½ cups) sweetened coconut, premium

2 egg whites

1 teaspoon lemon or orange rind (optional)

Confectioners’ sugar (for dusting) (optional)

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt, milk, extracts and coconut. Set aside. In a mixing bowl beat egg whites until stiff. Fold in coconut mixture. Add orange rind. Use 1/3 cup ice cream scoop or 1 teaspoon (shaped like a Hershey’s chocolate drop), and place cookie dough on a cookie sheet (parchment paper is nice to use to avoid sticking). Bake at 325 degrees for approximately 15-20 minutes or till bottoms are golden and cookies are firm. Remove immediately. Dust cookies with confectioners’ sugar. Makes about 10-12 cookies; depending on size.  Store in airtight container and put in fridge or freezer.

(Tip: I cut the recipe in half because these cookies do contain sugar and fat. If you love chocolate, melt white or dark chocolate chips in the microwave for about 30 seconds, stir, 30 more seconds till melted. Dip on one side of the cookie or on the bottom.)

While the drive in a post-snowstorm wasn’t as horrific as I had thought it could be, the chips were super stress reducers, but herbal tea and warm homemade cookies would have been more soothing. Next time around during a drive in the snow or rain, I’ll pack a thermos of tea and snowflake cookies.

--Cal Orey, M.A., is an author and journalist. Her books include the Healing Powers Series (Vinegar, Olive Oil, Chocolate, Honey, Coffee, Tea, and Superfoods) published by Kensington and available at fine bookstores everywhere. (The collection has been featured by One Spirit, Literary Guild, and the Good Cook Book Club.)  Her website is www.calorey.com

Healing Powers Series Author--Who is She, Anyhow?

By Cal Orey

Today we're talking to Cal Orey, the author of the Healing Powers series, including The Healing Powers of Tea and The Healing Powers of Honey (now available in mass market gift size format).

Please tell us a little about yourself.

I was born and raised in San Jose, California. It's changed due to gentrification aka (King Kong stomped on Mother Nature and now it's a metropolis). I moved to Lake Tahoe to get back to nature. Ironically, history repeats itself. More changes, including killing healthy trees (I'm a granola girl/tree hugger) and vacation homeowner invasion like Stephen King's Langoliers, especially in the summertime. I am a journalist-author. That's what they (my editors) call me. 

How and when did you become a writer?

I got my first poem "School Days" published when I was in third grade. My teachers told me I had a "gift" when I wrote papers. So, I ended up majoring in English (Creative Writing) in college. I hold a bachelor's and masters in these topics. But I flunked math. 

What genre do you write?

I'm known as a health author. I have had thousands of articles published on different subjects, including relationships (I flunked this topic, too, in real life), pets, Earth changes, and just about anything (even sex).

How would you describe your writing style?

Lately, I like to write in the morning (thanks to my cup of Joe), research after swimming in the afternoon. Late at night I brainstorm and write notes. When working on a book like now it's similar to having renters in your brain. I'm trying to go with them, this time. Overall, it's cool. Think visitors that can be amusing, thought-provoking, and inspiring but pesky at times. They don't sleep!

What makes you different from other writers?

I like to put my personal paw print on each piece of work. In other words, I prefer to write in a chatty, down-to-earth first person narrative. Love to say things people are afraid to say, kind of like baring your soul or disrobing in front of the world. I lose the inhibitions for my best stuff. 

Who inspires you?

My dog is my mentor. Nah. I adore Stephen King. In grad school for my oral exams I chose my three authors: George Eliot, John Steinbeck, and Edward Albee. And people in real life also make my works come alive.

How did you come up with the title of (your book you want to talk about)?

I fell into the Healing Powers series. It was the title of the first book back in 1999. The Healing Powers of Vinegar paved the way for books that followed into a sequel, then a trilogy but my editor corrected me and called it a "series."

Who is your favorite character in (your book you want to talk about) and why?

A returning character is an elderly woman who is someone who helped me a lot when I was a struggling magazine journalist. Read: I scrubbed toilets for the well-to-do to make ends meet. She traveled abroad many times. Now I travel to Canada. A lot. It gives me my fix of culture, diversity, England and France. I have a sense of belonging in Quebec to British Columbia. Psst! I am wearing a maple leaf necklace I got back in July when I paid a visit to Victoria. So calming that trip was for me. 

We live in divisive times. Should your religion/politics influence your writing?

As a Catholic I admit in my books this fact does come out a bit...but I shy away from politics. Too heated these days. But between you and me? I am an Independent, former Democrat, and closet Republican. This is probably because I'm a middle child; dad a Republican, mom a Democrat. And I was the rebellious hippie chick growing up in the seventies.

What are you working on now? 

Ah. Number seven of the Healing Powers series--SUPERFOODS (January 2019). It's awesome. I'm time traveling back in time and share my stories on the road. Not to forget it is a health-cookbook, of sorts. Surprise topic. I will share a bit later. 

Anything else you'd like to share with our readers?

Good news! My number eight Healing Powers book, ESSENTIAL OILS is in progress. I feel like the Misery author, sort of. But I vow not to kill the characters or series. It is home.

Advice for young writers? 

Live life! Your experiences will take you where you are supposed to be in the writing world.

For more information about this author check out the following links: www.calorey.com, ;https://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-8065-3826-6

Lemon Tea Cupcakes for Spring & Easter

By Cal Orey

Spring is in the air... It is a time to eat lighter, clean house, lose winter weight, gain energy with longer days, and enjoy tea and treats with a light touch! Enter a delicious recipe to get you started!

Honey and Lemon 
Green Tea Cupcakes

1/2 cup boiling water
1 green tea bag
2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
Zest and juice (1/4 cup) of one lemon
1/4 cup buttermilk 
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup orange blossom honey
2 large eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pour boiling water over tea bag and steep 3 minutes. Remove tea bag and allow tea to cool. Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt; set aside. Combine green tea, lemon zezt and juice, and buttermilk; set aside. In a mixing bowl, cream butter, until fluffy. Add honey; mix well. Add eggs, one at a time. Add half of the reserved dry ingredients to the butter mixture; mix on low until just combined. With mixer running on low, slowly add the lemon tea mixture. Add remaining dry ingredients until just combined. Fill paper-lined muffin tins 2/3 full. Bake 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center of a muffin comes out clean. Remove to wire rack; cool.  Makes 12-14 cupcakes. 



Dust with confectioners' sugar or frost and decorate with Honey Lemon Frosting. A mild flavored honey such as clover may be used. Recipe available on page 119 of the new gift size book The Healing Powers of Honey. (Recipe Courtesy: National Honey Board)

Spring into a Slimmer You with Detoxifying Lemon Tea

By Cal Orey

Tomorrow is the first day of spring. It's time to start eating clean and fresh foods. What better way to jump-start your regime by sipping tea! Try a herbal tea and lemon potion.  It can help you to dump that unwanted winter weight, energize, and give you a rejuvenating boost!

Ginger Lemon Honey Tea

Ginger and lemon go together like salt and pepper—two of nature’s finest superfoods with an immunity boosting and detoxifying effect that can keep you healthy this spring and all year-long. Plus, drinking this potion can help fill you up not out to help curb your appetite and eat lighter for the new season.

2 cups water

10 thin slices ginger root, fresh

1 lemon sliced

3 tablespoons honey

1/3 cup lemon juice

Bring water, ginger root, and lemon slices to a boil for 1 or 2 minutes. Remove from heat, steep 10 minutes, strain. Stir in honey and lemon juice. You can also add apple peel, a piece of onion, and one or two tablespoons of chamomile.

(Courtesy: Gemma Sanita Sciabica)   

Excerpt from The Healing Powers of Tea 2018. All rights reserved. Reprinted with 

permission from Kensington www.kensingtonbooks.com .




More recipes and mini-fasts in the new books: The Healing Powers of Tea and The Healing Powers of Honey.

Barnes and Noble Signing--Author's Trek in Snowstorm (March 17, Saint Patrick's Day)

By Cal Orey

Today, on March 17, Saint Patrick's Day I took a leap of faith and drove over the mountain in the sierras to attend a Barnes and Noble book signing in Reno --after shoveling snow in the morning.

Yes, the roads were icy, roads not groomed, a bit crowded on the way out of Lake Tahoe (drivers coming into town despite reports advising to no drive) and sci-fi spooky. 

Regrets of not doing a will for the Siamese kitty in my life hit while driving on the winding road--both ways. An adventure without The Rock to rescue us. Images of the author in the film "Misery" came to mind. But no, I did not crash and slide off a ravine. (I even packed blankets, survival food, and water just in case!)

Due to the highly contagious canine flu, my Aussie couldn't be kenneled and got his first shot. As we wait for the booster shot the dog was in tow to Reno. A bit of another challenge once it began to snow. Feeling like characters in the "Contagion" movie the trek was made... had to keep my canine in a bubble, sort of. This made me nervous. I didn't want to leave the dog in the car. (It was cold, canine flu is an issue, it didn't seem humane, me selling books and dog left to suffer.)

On the upside, the TEA books sold out--a few days ahead without me--the author. So I was on a mission to replenish with more books since the weekend was nearing.  But the dog outside in the snow flurry bothered me. Pet sitters weren't an option; kennel was not opening doors until shot takes effect. Stuck. What's a dog-loving, hardworking author to do? I stayed for an hour...but if the books sold on their own I sensed more would sell. The challenging elements--snow and dog won. 

Another storm is on its way, more rain than white powder, before Spring arrives next week.  Once back home, I made a fire, brewed a fresh cup of tea, cuddled on the sofa with puppy awaiting one more flu shot booster. Another day in the life of the Healing Powers Series author.