Random Acts of Tea Kindness

Do you have a really cool 'office mom' that's like the cool 'class mother' you had when you were a kid? (I like to think that my mom was the cool class mother!)

Our unofficial office mom, Kathy, organizes so many things to cheer up cubicle life. She runs a knitting group (I'm sadly a community school knitting drop out, it's just not my thing); sends out daily crosswords if you're so inclined; has a book club; and started a book swap. She even does a food drive for a nearby church. On top of it all, she always looks ultra-fabulous in her thrift shop, freecylce and clothing swap finds.

So I wasn't surprised when she sent out an e-mail inviting us all for a tea break in the kitchen. You had a pick of tea, non-vegan chocolate chip cookies, and vegan lemon blueberry cake!

I don't know about you, but I'm like a kid in a candy store when I see all these wonderful teas. I tried a white tea with tangerine.



Here's the recipe for this lovely tea time treat from her.

Vegan Blueberry Lemon Loaf
1 1/2 cups flour, sifted (white or whole wheat)
1 cup sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp white vinegar
6 tbsp vegetable oil (canola works well)
juice and rind of 2 lemons with water added to equal ½ cup
1 cup frozen blueberries

Mix dry ingredients in a bowl, making sure it is light and well sifted.
Add oil, water, juice, and rind, and mix well with a wooden spoon.
Add vinegar and mix well (batter will foam).
Add blueberries and incorporate well.
Pour batter into ungreased 8" springform cake pan.

Bake at 350 degrees F for about 50 minutes to an hour. Check this cake around 40 minutes regardless, and insert a skewer to be sure it's done.

Allow to cool on a rack, and then glaze with 1 cup confectioner's sugar mixed with the juice of the other half of the lemon.

Who doesn't love home baked goods, especially in the snowy weather?

The charming cat above is pictured in front of the Buckmaster Inn in Shrewsbury, Vermont, a perfectly lovely B&B I stayed at once.