I threw a Sobrie-Tea Party..
& I wish I had done it sooner because it was awesome!
Last night was the first ever Sobrie-Tea Party (as far as I know) & before we spill the tea of it all I just want to say that I was blown away by the incredible turnout. I got to meet a lot of new people on this path & I am so grateful to know them!
I had hoped to host this tea party for Dry January but after the holidays, my social battery was low. I had to honor that by quietly doing puzzles, taking lots of long baths, putting my nose in a book & my phone on airplane mode. The perfectionist in me was super displeased about the delay but I am breaking cycles & honestly if someone had told me I could do that by taking more baths & giving myself less of a hard time, I may have started this journey sooner.
Anyhow, this event was for people who want to meet other sober folks, maybe have a safe space to try socializing without alcohol & we definitely accomplished that. The party was hosted at The Herb Bar, this is the Land of Tea & my lovely day job. Over my years at this job, tea has become an important part of my life, my rituals & my care. I picked three of my favorite relaxing house blends to serve at the party. It was fun to share & enjoy them with so many other people. We drank New Moon, Golden Hour & Calm & Grounded.
Each one helps you to relax & find presence in their own way. Some bring you back down to earth, while another may soften your heart & open you up to connect a little better. Writing all of this now I can’t help but think that if only I had known more about tea in my early sobriety I could have saved myself from some anxiety… I didn’t intend for that to rhyme. Yeesh.
By the end of the night each kettle was totally tapped & while there was not a consensus on a favorite blend, I did hear a lot of lovely reviews about Calm & Grounded & honestly, that was the vibe in the room. It was a huge win. Did I say I met a bunch of really amazing people? Because I did AND some old friends come out to support me including a bunch of gals from the yoga teacher training I took last year. It was magic and I practically floated home when it was all said & done! The night got bonus point because I got to make High Tea style treats. So yes, back to talking about perfection.. I had to share the recipe for these shortbread cookies with you! Both are Vegan, GF & fairly low sugar. As someone who often finds gluten free treats to be disappointing, I was really please with how these turned out. Without further ado..
- Ginger & Chamomile Shortbread -
1 ½ cups All Purpose GF Flour (I used Bob’s Gluten Free 1 to 1 Flour)
¾ teaspoon xanthan gum
¼ cup cornstarch
½ cup granulated sugar
⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
2 Tbl chamomile buds
2 Tbl crystallized ginger - chopped
8 tablespoons unsalted butter (or vegan butter) super soft*
Lukewarm water by the teaspoon as needed
*This dough will be dry, I found that the softer my butter was the better the dough came together.
- Chocolate, Cherry & Saffron Shortbread -
1 ½ cups All Purpose GF Flour (I used Bob’s Gluten Free 1 to 1 Flour)
¾ teaspoon xanthan gum
¼ cup cornstarch
½ cup granulated sugar
⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
3 Tbl cocoa powder
2 Tbl dried bing or tart cherries - chopped
8 tablespoons unsalted butter (or vegan butter) super soft
Instead of water in this recipe, I steeped some saffron flowers & used the tea
for their lovely relaxing qualities & mild floral flavor. You could use any tea you like.
*This dough will be dry, I found that the softer my butter was the quicker the dough came together.
How to…
Whisk together your flour, xanthum gum, cornstarch, sugar & salt in a bowl. Separately, toss your chopped ginger (or cherries depending on the flavor) in a spoonful of your dry mixture - this will keep the pieces from sticking together in your dough, so you have chewy delightful bits throughout. Add the ginger & chammomile (or cherries) to the bowl & mix them in.
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with unbleached parchment paper & set it aside.
Create a well in the center & add your super soft - nearly melted - butter.
Mix until all the dry ingredients are moistened with the butter, and then knead the dough with clean hands until it comes together. The dough should be thick & smooth. Each time I have made this recipe I have had to add a considerable amount of warm water to get a soft & supple dough. I added it a teaspoon at a time until it formed a smooth ball. You will need to play with it & wait for it to come together. I found it as a nice opportunity to “be here now.”
Grab some parchment paper, drop your dough on it & roll in into a log, just like the cookie dough logs you would get in the refrigerator section of the grocery store. Now pop it in the fridge for 15-30 min. I left one batch in the fridge over night & I feel like that one was the easiest to cut. That Said 15-30 min is enough time for them to cook well.
Once your dough has chilled, slice it into rings ¼ inch thick and place them on your baking sheet an inch apart. Your shortbread shouldn’t spread much if it has been properly chilled. I feel like there is a metaphor for life in there somewhere but.. I digress.
You’re going to cook these for 8-10 minutes. No more than 10 though - they will get hard and dry and no one will find joy in them. Once they are out of the oven let them cool. They will firm up nicely.
They are done, Huzzah! Dip them in tea, smear on some jam, or put your pinkies out & cheers with them.
It’s my intention to make this a monthly event. Beyond gathering & getting to connect with new people I am excited for an opportunity to cook for more than just lil ole me.. I will definitely post new recipes from any future events.. If you try either of these recipes out please let me know in the comments!