Tea, Turkey plus Cranberry Chai Sauce

Thursday, as you put the bird in the oven, why not consider using tea:

1. Put sliced onions on bottom of roasting pan, sprinkle with tea leaves and rosemary sprigs and lemon grass, if available. Add bird, pour cup of your morning tea on bottom of pan to keep moist. If you don’t have a morning cup of tea, now is the time to start!

2.  Use tea leaves as a turkey rub with turmeric, curry powder  and good olive oil.

3.  Baste turkey with tea: oolong, good jasmine or pu-erh. Or baste with tea leaves mixture.(see #1).

Cranberry sauce: Canned? Forget it: Make  your own. It’s  easy and delicious. Try LTR’s:

Cranberry Chai Sauce

1.Buy a bag of fresh cranberries. Wash.

2. On top of the stove, in a good heavy, small saucepan, pour brewed tea (no need to brew  afresh – just infuse again from teapot). Add tablespoon sugar, cinnamon stick, thumb sized slice of ginger, diced, cardamon pods (remove from shell) or powdered (½ tsp), ½ cup golden raisins, small amount nutmeg (¼ tsp) and  and bring all to a boil.

3.  Add cranberries, bring to boil again.  Reduce heat when you hear cranberries pop. Simmer for 20-30  minutes.

4. Let stand. When cooled and more gelled, pour into fancy dish. Voila!

Note: be creative with your chai ingredients. . If you don’t like ginger, don’t use. If you can’t find cardamon, use a few cloves. For an added kick, add a jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced. Or if you have a good dried pepper, add, but DON”T FORGET to take out before serving.