Currant Conversation Oolong Tea by Karen Rose Smith

 

Drinking tea was a past time long before I began writing cozy mysteries that take place at my sleuth’s business establishment, Daisy’s Tea Garden. When I was a child we lived with my grandfather and aunt. I remember nights in front of a black and white tv/radio/phonograph combination. My mom would brew tea.

                  Burton Teapot for One 

This week I tried Plum Deluxe’s Currant Conversation Oolong Tea. 

                                                     Currant Conversation Oolong Tea

Since my next Daisy’s Tea Garden mystery release is Murder With Oolong Tea, I’m especially interested in oolong flavors. Oolong is neither a Green tea or a black tea. It has characteristics of its own depending how it’s oxidized. The taste can also depend on where it’s grown. Its origins are in China and Taiwan.  This Currant Conversation Oolong Tea has more of a woodsy taste than fruit taste.  The smoothness comes from vanilla. It is organic. I used 1 teaspoon for each cup with boiling water, steeping it for about 4 minutes.

I hope you can relax and enjoy a time-out for a cuppa tea!

 

Tidbit about MURDER WITH OOLONG TEA

A spring house on a farm is almost a thing of the past. But not for Daisy Swanson. A spring house could save her life!

 NOW AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER 

MURDER WITH OOLONG TEA

Release Date: DECEMBER 29, 2020

PRE-ORDER ON AMAZON

PRE-ORDER ON BARNES AND NOBLE

Hot #Cinnamon Tea for #Fall by Karen Rose Smith

 

Are you looking for a fall tea? Or just one that’s a little different in taste?

At Daisy's Tea Garden that my sleuth Daisy Swanson and her aunt Iris run in an old Victorian house, they are constantly mixing and discovering new flavors.  So am I.

This week I’m drinking Harney and Sons Hot Cinnamon Tea. Last winter when my throat was scratchy, I looked for a different type of tea to soothe it. At first I found the caffeinated tea. I like the sachets that look like delicate silky bags. Since I prefer this tea lightly brewed, I use them twice. 

 

Both caffeinated and decaf are sweetly spicy. They remind me of the taste of “red hot” candies that I sometimes use in baked apples. The tea sachets hold a combination of black tea, 3 types of cinnamon and sweet cloves. Each sachet can brew a 12 oz. cup. I prefer this tea hot. Harney and Sons Cinnamon Tea

 

If you like cinnamon, I believe you’ll like this tea. 

 

Murder With Oolong Tea tidbit this week!

Will Shakespeare’s wife’s name was Anne Hathaway. This is a clue leading to why a 60 year old English teacher used a fake ID! 

 

Until next time...

NOW AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER 

MURDER WITH OOLONG TEA

Release Date: DECEMBER 29, 2020

PRE-ORDER ON AMAZON

PRE-ORDER ON BARNES AND NOBLE

I Found A Gem of a Tea Room in Manchester, Maryland by Karen Rose Smith

After all these years, it is difficult for my husband to find different venues to celebrate my birthday.  This year he happened across a newly opened tea room only about twenty minutes from our home.  Considering that my Daisy's Tea Garden cozy mysteries are set in a tea room in nearby Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, this new establishment seemed the perfect place to celebrate.  They were featuring a "Starry Night Tea" on the weekend of my birthday...so he made reservations and we headed for the Steeped Tea Cafe in Manchester, Maryland on a sunny December Sunday afternoon.

The tea room was festively decorated with Christmas merriment and the tea rooms were also adorned with traditional "tea" items.  We were seated in the spillover room which gave us the entire three-table room to ourselves.  It was enjoyable to have some quiet time away from the phone and computer to chat and enjoy the Christmas music that surrounded us.

The menu was displayed on each table and we knew we were in for a real treat. 

After our choice of tea was served, our first course was a delicate cranberry chocolate chip scone which blended really well with the Starry Night tea, a custom blend made at the Steeped Tea cafe.

That was followed by a delicious potato leek soup that was complemented by an arugula and pomegranate salad with a champagne vinaigrette dressing.

While we were waiting for the main course and dessert tower, we had a chance to chat with our waiter who was a family member of the owner.  We discussed how the business came to fruition as a family endeavor and how the cafe differed from other tea rooms in the vicinity.  It's always good to have research resources for future cozy mysteries right at my doorstep.

We certainly were not disappointed when the layered tea tower was presented.  The lower level featured grilled shrimp bruschetta, beef and blue cheese crostini and butternut squash puffs all of which were  accompanied by the dessert offerings -- toasted hazelnut glazed pumpkin cake, a red velvet trifle and dipped Madeleines.  Needless to say, by the end of the dessert course I was stuffing my cake and Madeleine in my purse to enjoy later.

After we finished our meal, we were greeted by Brandon Reiter, the chef and owner of the cafe.  It was enjoyable discussing the business and getting a peek into the intricacies of creating a menu and preparing enough food to serve all the guests on a given day.  Chef Reiter never believed he would end up owning and operating a tea room when he graduated from the Culinary Institute of America.  But he has enjoyed the last 18 months of ownership and hopes to expand the business even more.

Quiet time with my husband, a unique tea cafe and delicious food...what better way to spend my birthday?  Please feel free to share your unique dining experiences as you celebrate special events in your year.

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NOW AVAILABLE

Keith Rebert is homeless with a sad story that includes the death of his wife and medical bills that decimated his finances. Daisy and her friend Jonas Groft meet him through one of Daisy’s employees and offer help. But soon Keith is caught up in a murder investigation. He was supplying the shop Pirated Treasures with antiques, including Gettysburg Battlefield memorabilia. The nephew of the shop’s owner, Barry Storm, was lowballing merchandise that Keith brought in. One day Keith and Barry vehemently argued. Soon after, Barry was found dead, killed with a marble rolling pin that held Keith’s fingerprints. Daisy’s special for the month, cherry tarts, was found spilled on the floor next to him. Keith is the number one suspect.

Keith finds a job on a farm where he can live in a cabin with his daughter Mandy. A friend of Barry’s lived and worked there before the murder, then suddenly moved out. As Daisy finds clues that give insight into Barry’s life and prepares for her daughter’s wedding, she faces danger, verbally battles with the detective on the case, and tries to figure out what part Jonas Groft plays in her life. When she finds the ultimate clue that tells her exactly what Barry Storm was involved in, she almost loses her life. 

MURDER WITH CHERRY TARTS on Amazon

MURDER WITH CHERRY TARTS on Barnes and Noble

A Perfect Cup of Tea by Karen Rose Smith

by Karen Rose Smith

With the release of MURDER WITH CHERRY TARTS, the fourth book in my Daisy's Tea Garden cozy mystery series, my mind has been on all things tea-related.  I can remember as a child having a cup of tea meant boiling some water in a pan on the stove, pouring it into a mug and adding a tea bag.  Tea was often the choice warm beverage on days when I was home from school with a nasty head cold.

But when I embarked on the task of creating a tea-themed focus for a new cozy mystery series and began researching tea and tea rooms, I developed a new-found appreciation for tea.  I was amazed at all the varieties and blends available and the art involved in creating a perfect cup of tea.  There definitely is a tea to satisfy everybody's palette.  

As I began visiting area tea rooms, I was fascinated and curious how each owner was able to supply every guest at a table a different cup of perfectly brewed tea of their choice from an extensive menu.  I was delighted to find on the back of a business card from TranquilaTea Tea Room in Waynesboro, Pennsylvania tips for brewing a perfect cup of tea.  I would like to share those tips with my readers.

Brewing A Perfect Cup Of Tea

• Bring cold water to a boil
• Measure 1 tsp loose leaf tea per 6 oz of water
• Place tea in an infuser or tea filter bag
• Immerse infuser or tea bag filter into cup or pot filled with boiled water that has cooled slightly  

Water Temperature

205 degrees (F) for black, herbal and rooibos teas
180 degrees (F) for green and white teas

Steeping Times

Green and white teas -- 2 minutes

Black teas -- 3 minutes

Herbal and rooibos teas -- 3 to 5 minutes

For a stronger cup, add more tea leaves.  Do not steep for a longer period of time, as this can lead to a bitter cup!

Now available:

Keith Rebert is homeless with a sad story that includes the death of his wife and medical bills that decimated his finances. Daisy and her friend Jonas Groft meet him through one of Daisy’s employees and offer help. But soon Keith is caught up in a murder investigation. He was supplying the shop Pirated Treasures with antiques, including Gettysburg Battlefield memorabilia. The nephew of the shop’s owner, Barry Storm, was lowballing merchandise that Keith brought in. One day Keith and Barry vehemently argued. Soon after, Barry was found dead, killed with a marble rolling pin that held Keith’s fingerprints. Daisy’s special for the month, cherry tarts, was found spilled on the floor next to him. Keith is the number one suspect.

Keith finds a job on a farm where he can live in a cabin with his daughter Mandy. A friend of Barry’s lived and worked there before the murder, then suddenly moved out. As Daisy finds clues that give insight into Barry’s life and prepares for her daughter’s wedding, she faces danger, verbally battles with the detective on the case, and tries to figure out what part Jonas Groft plays in her life. When she finds the ultimate clue that tells her exactly what Barry Storm was involved in, she almost loses her life. 

MURDER WITH CHERRY TARTS on Amazon

MURDER WITH CHERRY TARTS on Barnes and Noble

Thankful For A New Release--MURDER WITH CHERRY TARTS

I have so many things to be thankful for and I could write about the traditional thanksgiving list of family, friends, health and on and on--all the things that surround me on a daily basis.  Truthfully as I grow older, I reflect on these things every day.  The one thing, as I get wrapped up in my day to day writing chores, that I sometimes forget to appreciate is the fact that I was gifted with the talent of telling stories in the written word and that I was fortunate enough to be able to share my stories with my readers.  So it seems significant that I celebrate my 103rd release this week with the publication of MURDER WITH CHERRY TARTS, the fourth in my Daisy's Tea Garden cozy mystery series for Kensington Books.  And today I want to thank my faithful readers through the past twenty-seven years for believing in me and trusting me to produce a story that will warm your hearts and touch your spirit.  I have appreciated all of your kind words and supportive notes through the years.

MURDER WITH CHERRY TARTS is a cozy mystery which revolves around Daisy's outreach to a homeless single father and his darling daughter.  I created a yummy cherry tart recipe for this book that is included in the back of the book. 

Pirated Treasures is an antiques shop that also plays a significant
role in the mystery.  Daisy purchases a Burton and Burton Victorian design teapot atop a teacup from the owner of the shop on one of her many visits to the shop while she is gathering clues to solve the murder of the store owner's nephew.  Notice its uniquely-shaped infinity handle.

What could better than a steaming cup of tea, delicious food and delicate china to soften the sometimes terrifying search for a murderer in the community of Willow Creek, Pennsylvania, deep in Amish country!

Here is a little summary of the book which is now available:

Keith Rebert is homeless with a sad story that includes the death of his wife and medical bills that decimated his finances. Daisy and her friend Jonas Groft meet him through one of Daisy’s employees and offer help. But soon Keith is caught up in a murder investigation. He was supplying the shop Pirated Treasures with antiques, including Gettysburg Battlefield memorabilia. The nephew of the shop’s owner, Barry Storm, was lowballing merchandise that Keith brought in. One day Keith and Barry vehemently argued. Soon after, Barry was found dead, killed with a marble rolling pin that held Keith’s fingerprints. Daisy’s special for the month, cherry tarts, was found spilled on the floor next to him. Keith is the number one suspect.

Keith finds a job on a farm where he can live in a cabin with his daughter Mandy. A friend of Barry’s lived and worked there before the murder, then suddenly moved out. As Daisy finds clues that give insight into Barry’s life and prepares for her daughter’s wedding, she faces danger, verbally battles with the detective on the case, and tries to figure out what part Jonas Groft plays in her life. When she finds the ultimate clue that tells her exactly what Barry Storm was involved in, she almost loses her life. 

MURDER WITH CHERRY TARTS on Amazon

MURDER WITH CHERRY TARTS on Barnes and Noble

Are You A Tea Drinker? by Karen Rose Smith

Are you a tea drinker?

What kind of tea do you like to drink?

Hot tea

Iced tea

Do you use...?

Tea bags

Loose tea

Do you prefer...?

Herbal

Decaffeinated

Green

Black

White

Rooibus

Tisane or infused 

When I decided to write my Daisy Swanson Tea Garden mystery series (due for release in Spring 2017), I began exploring teas. In the past I'd mostly used Celestial Seasonings teabags in their many flavors or Luzianne, especially for making iced tea. However, exploring the loose teas opens up another whole world of tea drinking.

I found my tea kettle to heat the filtered water, bought a tea ball (for brewing a cup), a pot filter (for steeping up to 6 cups) and pulled my mother's china teapots from my hutch. From my research, the first nuance about tea that I learned was that a tea drinker should heat the water and then pour it over the loose tea into the china tea pot. How long I steep the tea depends on the type I'm using. Tea cozies come in handy to insure the tea in your teapot stays hot.

I explored Silver Needle White Tea first because I like mild tea. Next I explored Green Tea and then Black. But I realized early on that I enjoyed fruit flavored teas the most and, for health reasons, decaffeinated served me best...though I do indulge in caffeinated now and then. I found Teavana teas and they are by far my favorite--from Wild Orange Blossom to Raspberry Pineapple to Limeade Twist. I also discovered a local herb farm where I found Cinnamon Rooibus, Lemon Souffle and Green Honeybush Nut Crunch.


For me tea is no longer about dipping a teabag into water heated in a microwave. It's a calming process that involves aroma as well as taste, sharing and experimentation with mixing and combining to develop my own favorite taste sets.

So come join me in a cup of tea on this Midsummer Night's Eve, breathe in an aroma and enjoy flavors you like the best!

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FOR FATHER'S DAY

Karen's Search For Love series website

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USA TODAY Bestselling Author Karen Rose Smith is an only child who delved into books at an early age. She learned about kindred spirits from Anne of Green Gables, solved mysteries with Nancy Drew and wished she could have been the rider on The Black Stallion. Yet even though she escaped often into story worlds, she had many aunts, uncles and cousins around her on weekends. Her sense of family and relationships began there. Maybe that's why families are a strong theme in her novels, whether mysteries or romances. Her 87th novel will be released in 2015.

Readers often ask her about her pastimes. She has herb, flowers and vegetable gardens that help her relax. In the winter, she cooks rather than gardens. And year round she spends most of her time with her husband, as well as her four rescued cats who are her constant companions. They chase rainbows from sun catchers, reminding her life isn't all about work, awards and bestseller lists. Everyone needs that rainbow to chase.

Karen looks forward to interacting with readers. They can find her at the links below. 

Karen's Newsletter IN TOUCH

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Karen Rose Smith's romance website 

Karen Rose Smith's mystery website 



Karen's Cat-Themed Zazzle Store

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©2015 Karen Rose Smith