Recipe of the week: Green Tea Poached Pear

I wanted to test this green tea poached pear recipe for a long time, but in a way I was not sure that I am ready to be disappointed in case the recipe is failing. But I gathered all my positive energies and focused on the correct preparation of the ingredients and in less than one hour I was ready. I started by boiling in the 200 ml. of water two bags of Punjana tea, my favourite green tea choice for a year, that I received as the prize for a Twitter competition. (The full review of this beautiful tea coming up later). 

When the water was boiling, I added around 12 leaves of fresh mint and 3 slices of ginger, 200 gr. butter and 1 1/1 tablespoon of white sugar. Maybe adding a bit more sugar would have been fine too, but tried to rely on the pear's natural sweetness. I boiled all together for around 5 minutes. It would have been fine to add some cinnamon  or more ginger too.

After intensively simmering I added the pear. I did not want to peel it as I usually like the peel, only cleaned up properly. Boiled everything together for around 10 minutes. After that, I took the pan out of fire and let to rest for another 5 minutes. There was a pleasant soft smell in the air, the combination between the butter and the green tea. 

Wrapped by those beautiful smells, I cut the pear in two, poured a glass of white wine and started the tasting. It was an easy dessert for the evening, not so sweet, going well as a reward of just another mommy day. 

The costs of all the ingredients are less than 10 EUR. It can be prepared within one hour, without too much effort. 

Perfume review: Green tea, by Elizabeth Arden

Source: www.parfum-zentrum.de

Usually, when I am out of perfume inspiration, in 90% of cases, chosing a fragrance by Elizabeth Arden helps. For a long time I used by default 5th Avenue and did not wish anything else. It was a perfume good for any occassion and made me feel unique, special and very elegant.

The last year, I found myself in a difficult styling self definition and besides many small details, finding a new perfume to define me, how I am today, come into question. At the airport shop, I started to smell differentl fragrances, but none made me happy. Then, out of nowhere, Green tea by Elizabeth Arden crossed my path. Love at first sight, also because the main ingredient is supposed to be the one and only green tea. 

Review

I am regularly using right now the eau de toilette and the body lotion. The bottle is simple with an elegant green leaf on one side. The body lotion is a very simple white plastic recipient. Overall nothing particular about the design. However, both have the right side for sliding them anywhere making them a convenient item for the travel time.

After a couple of days of using, I was a bit disappointed that the smell was not exactly the strong green tea smell I was expecting. It is a bit too sparkling and with a citrus fragrance. But it smells very fresh on skin and makes you feel free and green. The body lotion I prefer during the summer wrapping the body in a fresh layer regardless how many degrees are outside.

I prefer to use it especially for the daily/morning outings, and it suits both a sport and regular working outfit. 

I am not sure if after the bottle will finish will buy a new one, but I can try my hand with a new product by Elizabeth Arden. 

Green tea noodles! Green tea noodles!!!

I am a huge fan of green tea and of noodles. While living in Asia, I tasted a lot of green tea-based products, most of them completely unusual for the educated tastes of the Europeans. Especially the sweets are very special, without too much sugar, but bringing a certain balance to the taste that you can hardly find at any other products. As for the noodles, maybe I love them because they can be prepared so fast: you boil the water and pour in and that's it! 

But, when I found out one of those days green tea noodles, I could not believe it is for real! How can it be possible to find two of my favourite products in one! I bought them without thinking too much, because, dear readers, we are talking about big love here!

I kept them for a couple of days, before feeling hungry for something special. The preparation is ridiculously easy: boil the water and pour them on the bunch. My big mistake first time was not too calculate correctly how much water I need and not covering the noodles properly by the water.  

Because the preparation is very easy, I had some time to add some fried veggies - mushrooms and small tomatoes, with a delicate touch of olive oil. A smooth combination, that makes you feel full without any guilt feelings. 

The green tea taste is not that predominant as in the case of the cookies or the tea, but enough to give the noodles a special unique taste that I never had before. I avoided to add cheese or sour cream, as I felt that it can match better any other veggie combination. 

Green tea cookies

I am one of the biggest fan of green tea-based products. Maybe the tea is on the second place, but the cookies are a temptation I won't resist.

In Asia, I tried various combinations and I was rarely unhappy with the choices. But, apparently, the products delivered for the European market are not of the highest quality. I had a bad experience a couple of months ago with some moichi and it was repeated with the colourful cookie, made in Taiwan, I found in my "Asia shop" - a generic name for mosty Chinese, Thai and sometimes Japanese and Taiwanese products. The taste was like an unsuccessful combination of too much wheat and too much raw green tea. I gave a chance trying to consume with some tea or some coffee but the artificial and bad taste remained, as my deep regrets of not having a wonderful green tea dessert.