Cha Cha Tea Blog

We think it is pretty neat that this year Valentine's Day and Chinese New Year are on the same day. The year of the tiger began on 2-14-10. We collaborated with Madison's favorite Chinese restaurant, Imperial Garden, to offer a unique tea tasting.

The internet is an amazing tool. I sound like my dad when I say that, but the power of social networking cannot be denied.

Last St.Patrick's Day I called into a radio show and spoke with Martha Stewart. I found out that she likes matcha tea!

Yesterday, I was checking my tweets and saw that Martha Stewart Radio was taking calls for Emeril Lagasse's Sirius XM show called "Cooking with Emeril". The post was only 5 minutes old, so I thought, "Why not? I was on the air once, maybe I'll get through again." A producer answered, and I had to come up with a question on the spot. Emeril was talking with Joseph Bastianich, a New York restauranteur and vineyard owner. I had 2 seconds prior to going on air to come up with a question, so this was it.

"Have you seen the newest Disney movie set in New Orleans?" His answer, "Yes, I play one of the crocodiles, and making it was fun!" Phew. It wasn't a totally off base question after all.

Cha Cha Tea is a proud member of Dane Buy Local, and we attended our first Dane Buy Local Holiday Fair.
The place was packed with holiday shoppers and one elf getting a free massage. Don't ask, just watch the video.

We love cooking with tea. Every year we make a simple shortbread with tea added. This year we made: matcha green tea, organic peppermint rooibos and organic Cha Cha Chai. Oh so good by themselves or with a cup of tea of course! Here's our recipe: Icebox Shortbread with Cha Cha Tea
Prep: 25 minutes Total: 1 hour 45 minutes

This recipe makes two logs of dough. The logs can be refrigerated for up to four days or frozen for up to three months (thaw before slicing and baking). To make two flavors with one recipe, divide the dough in half in step 1 before adding mix-ins (and use half the amounts given).
Ingredients
Makes 36.
• FOR THE SHORTBREAD
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for rolling
• 1 tablespoon *loose leaf tea ground finely (Peppermint Rooibos, Cha Cha Chai or Matcha)