Start a Tea Travellers chapter of your own -- It's easy!

Did you know we have an entire website dedicated to helping you find or initiate a Tea Travellers Societea salon in your own local area?

May there be flowers

It's May ... and that means flowers! 
Looking for some inspiration on how to whimsify your tea sandwiches for your next garden party? Below are some visual aids from around the web to spark your creativity

Spice up your pumpkin soup

For pumpkin purists, this recipe is as simple as you can get for a DIY undertaking.  Pair it with spiced pumpkin seeds and you've got a true pumpkin smash on your hands.

Soup recipe from Food52.com

• 1 small Sugar Pie pumpkin, about 3 - 3 1/2 lb 
• 1 medium yellow onion, coarsely chopped
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• 6-7 cups chicken broth (plus an extra cup or so if needed for thinning)
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• A pinch of ground cloves
• A pinch of ground cardamom
• 2 tablespoons sunflower oil
• Salt and freshly ground pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Halve the pumpkin, remove the seeds and cut it into about 8-10 slices. Reserve the seeds for later use (such as roasting in the oven). 
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange the pumpkin slices on the baking sheet and bake in the oven until soft and gently caramelized. Let the pumpkin cool slightly, and then remove the skin and cut the flesh into inch-size pieces. 
3. In a large pot heat the vegetable oil. Add the onion and sauté until soft, for about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and the spices, and cook for another minute or two, until fragrant. Add the broth and pumpkin cubes and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for about 20 minutes. 
4. Remove the pot from the heat. Let the soup cool slightly and then puree it in a food processor. Return the soup to the pot, bring it to a gentle simmer, and add the heavy cream. (If the soup is too thick, you can add an extra coup of broth to thin it down.) 
5. Mix well, let the soup simmer for another minute or two, season with salt and pepper, and serve. Serves 6

Spiced Pumpkin Seeds recipe from Williams Sonoma

• 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds, cleaned 
  
• 1 tsp. canola oil
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1/4 tsp. ground cumin
• Pinch of ground cinnamon

1. Preheat an oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a bowl, stir together the pumpkin and olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Spread the pumpkin on the prepared baking sheet and roast until soft and caramelized, 30 to 35 minutes.
3. In a large, heavy pot over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the cumin and coriander and cook for 1 minute. Add the broth and pumpkin and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 25 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.

4. Working in batches, puree the soup in a blender or food processor. Return the soup to the pot and season with salt and pepper.
5. Meanwhile, make the spicy pumpkin seeds: Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
6. In a bowl, stir together the pumpkin seeds and canola oil. In another bowl, stir together the salt, cayenne, cumin and cinnamon. Add the pumpkin seeds to the spice mixture and stir to coat. Spread the seeds in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet and bake, stirring once, until golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes.
7. Ladle the soup into warmed bowls, garnish with the pumpkin seeds and serve immediately. Serves 6.

2 for 1 Cheddar Apple Dumplings

This photo originally appeared in FamilyFun Magazine

I was craving apples and cheddar.  But I was also in the mood for apple dumplings, given that today is celebrated as official Apple Dumpling Day.  What to do?  Why, combine the two, of course. And so, I went in search of a Cheddar Apple Dumpling recipe.  The following was too simple not to share, and it uses puff pastry, which means I loved it on principle.

by Marcelle Richards on Isthmus.com

INGREDIENTS

• 4 small baking apples (about 1 pound), peeled and cored
• 1/2 cup smoked cheddar (I used Carr Valley Apple Smoked Cheddar), finely grated
• 1/4 cup mascarpone
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• pinch of salt
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 pound puff pastry sheets
• 1 egg

INSTRUCTIONS

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream together mascarpone, maple syrup and pinch of salt, to taste. Combine with 1/4 cup cheddar. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• In separate bowl, combine sugar, cinnamon and cayenne. Roll surface of apples in mixture.
• Cut pastry dough into four pieces large enough to wrap around apples. Place an apple on each piece.
• For easy filling, create a makeshift piping bag with three layers of plastic wrap; place cheese mixture on plastic wrap sheets and twist shut to encase. On the opposite end of the twisted end, pierce a hole large enough for cheese to pass through.
• Squeeze cheese mixture into cores and top with remaining grated cheese. Fold dough over apples, keeping as much air out as possible. Cut away excess dough and seal seams with water. (Extra pieces can be used to create decorative leaves and stems.)
• In a small bowl, whisk egg with a splash of water to make egg wash, and brush on surface of dumplings.
• Bake for about 35 minutes until golden brown and cheese is melted on inside. Serve warm.
• Yields 4 dumplings

Our first salonniere training!

Our first training is nigh, and our would-be salonnieres are all a-twitter with excitement. Join us if you're ready to join our equipe and bring Siren School to your own hometown.

Sunday, September 7, 2014
12-3pm PDT / 3-6pm EDT

Open to all enrolled Siren School students.
Not yet registered?
Click here for $25 annual enrollment