"tea cakes" news and stories

The subject is madeleines, so let's get the inevitable Marcel Proust mention out of the way. While it's fascinating that the taste of these delicate little cakes jogged the memories of the melancholy Frenchman in Remembrance of Things Past, what's more intriguing to me about Proust is that he wrote in bed to shut out the world. I love fat, light and spongy madeleines, but this was a more useful writer's lesson. There's even a reconstruction of Proust's cork-lined bedroom at Paris's Musée Carnavalet.

But back to tea cakes. Blogger Tracey's Culinary Adventures turned to chef Marcus Samuelsson and his latest cookbook, New American Food, for this recipe for the buttery shell-shaped French cakes, made lively with lemon juice and zest. They're perfect to include on a tray when you're lying in bed in the afternoon with a pot of tea and a notebook that you may or may not write in.

For more recipes from Marcus Samuelsson, visit Kitchen Daily.

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One thing that struck me when I was at the Fancy Food Show was that there were a number of products that were marketed at women. Some of them, like chocolates, seemed just to feature girly packaging and slogans, but others touted potential health benefits. In this latter category were two new products that were the result of a collaboration between The Republic of Tea and LUNA: Nutritional Iced Tea for Women and LUNA Tea Cakes. The collaboration was a natural one considering that the companies - both of which endorse healthy lifestyles - have similar values and goals.

Nutritional Iced Tea for Women is the first iced tea designed with women in mind. Brewed, lightly sweetened and packed in resealable plastic water bottles, the all-natural teas have just 50 calories per 12-ounce serving, are made with 70% organic ingredients. On top of that, the teas are fortified with folate, calcium and vitamins B and D. They come in five flavors: Ginger Currant Black Tea, Lemon Blueberry Decaf Black Tea, Kiwi Strawberry Green Tea, Mandarin Orange White Tea and (caffeine-free) Cherry Vanilla Red Tea. They are truly delicious and very refreshing. The fruity flavors really come through (my favorite was the Ginger Currant), with no sugary sweetness to dull them.