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"Culinary concoctions for
the senses" |
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 "Monastery"
refers to a natural,
healthy place to escape and rejuvenate; while
enjoying life’s simple pleasures. Monasteries
are important contributors to the surrounding
community. They offer respite and care for
their weary and stressed guests. People
started to make pilgrimages to
monasteries instead of just using them as a stop
over.
Tea
encourages meditation, giving the heart
nourishment for profound tranquility. Tea
is the wings of imagination, it raises people
above the mundane world while maintaining a
clear mind, getting people closer to wisdom
rather then loosing sanity.
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  Escape
and enjoy...
You
may choose to be surrounded with
period English antiques in
historic Ohio City.
We offer custom
arrangements for intimate
special occasions for 2, to
buffets and special occasion
dinners and events for groups of
25.
Let us help you to escape and
take the stress out of
entertaining for an afternoon or
evening of relaxation and
creative dining to remember.
With our knowledge, accessories
and decorating talent, we can
create an atmosphere that caters
to all your senses.
  Your
special guest of honor may be
seated in our 17th century Welsh
bishops chair, or have a place
of honor seated in their own
19th century throne chair.
From a intimate
party for 2, a special breakfast
meeting, an afternoon tea, or a
memorable formal dinner from 4
to 14, we can assist you in
impressing and satisfying your
guests with a unique experience.
We
offer a variety of unique
serving pieces for an escape and
special memory for any
theme that you would like us to
assist you with.
  From
silver tea serving pieces and
accessories, to an English
Edwardian commode to serve wine
and other beverages from.
  For
special occasions we offer
accessories including antique
linens, sterling silver, crystal
and other antique pieces.
With our personal collection
and creativity, allow us to
assist you in making a
simple wine or tea tasting,
breakfast or luncheon, to a
special shower, anniversary,
birthday, proposal or other
celebration; an experience to
remember.
 For
your next special
occasion, event,
celebration or important
meeting. Let us
assist you with ideas,
menus and additional
attention to details
and to simplify your
concerns and labor in
creating a memory for
every guest. Allow
us to make a simple
breakfast, luncheon,
tasting or meeting
something special.
We can assist in working
within a budget.
For reservations,
bookings, further
information and
assistance, contact us
for your next special
occasion and party.
We offer a variety of
culinary services to
meet your
discriminating, personal
and educational needs.
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Menu Suggestions
Scones
Toppings:
Cream Cheese, Green Tea
Boursin, Sun-dried
Tomato Spread, Lemon
Curd, Strawberry Cream,
and Honey Lavender
Cream.
Crab
Tapestry-
A decedent blend of crab
and mixed mushrooms.
Friar
Mushroom Salad
with our mixed tea cured
mushrooms, assorted
cheeses, mixed greens,
topped with caramelized
wasabi coated walnuts.
Breaded Mixed Cheese
Salad-
mixed greens tossed with
toasted Japanese bread
crumbs, topped with
green tea and lemon
marinated olives, NY
Cheddar, Gruyere, and
Asiago cheese.
Crab
and Mushroom Salad
with our homemade house
crab salad and marinated
mushrooms, with
chamomile and mint,
topped with caramelized
wasabi coated walnuts.
Crab
Cake Imperial-
Served open-face on a
toasted scone with mixed
greens, sun-dried tomato
mayonnaise.
Four
Mushroom Casserole
with portobello, straw,
shiitake and button
mushrooms, in a Pumpkin
Passion black tea based
sauce and Panko bread
crumbs.
Royal
Welsh Rarebit
rich with Cheddar,
Havarti and Boursin
Cheese, anointed with
Grand Keeman tea; on
toast points.
Monastery Chicken /
Bacon / Mushroom
Casserole-
A delectable blend of
marinated chicken,
homemade Monastery-cured
bacon and mixed
mushrooms.
Crab
Mushroom Casserole Au
Gratin-
Fresh
crab with assorted
mushrooms in a rich herb
butter sauce. Topped
with cheesed Panko bread
crumbs.
Grilled Pork Loin
Platter
our tea cured pork loin
laced with a mustard
cream sauce.
White
Tea Marinated Grilled
Shrimp
with onion, garlic, and
French brandy, served
over our tea infused,
mixed dried fruit
multi-grain pilaf.
Homemade Chocolate
Truffles-
Dark Chocolate & Rum,
Peanut Butter/Chocolate,
Strawberry/Chocolate,
Apricot/Chocolate
Allow us to customize a
menu for you according
to your needs. We
offer a selection of
contemporary,
international,
vegetarian and specific
dietary need dishes.
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Recipe of the Week
11/04/09
HERBED PUMPKIN & WILD
RICE STUFFING
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1
cup |
Pumpkin Puree |
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1cup |
Cooked Wild Rice |
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1/2 cup |
Pecans, chopped |
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1/4 cup |
Butter, melted |
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1/2 tsp. |
Salt |
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1/2tsp. |
Coarse Black
Pepper, or
moreto taste |
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1/2 tsp. |
Sage |
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2
Tbl. |
Southern Comfort |
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2
large |
Eggs, lightly
beaten |
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1/4 cup |
Scallion, diced |
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2
cups |
Bread Cubes or
Crumbs |
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1/2 cup |
Cooked Sausage
or Ham
(optional) |
Preheat the oven to
375 F.
Melt the butter on
low heat in a large
frypan and add the
pecans. Saute for 4 - 5
minutes to toast and
bring out the flavor.
Turn the heat to medium
and add the wild rice.
Saute for 2 minutes. Add
the salt, black pepper
and sage. Cook for an
additional minute.
Remove from the heat.
Mix in the pumpkin
puree. Stir in the eggs
and Southern Comfort.
Mix until well blended.
Stir in the scallion,
bread crumbs and cooked
sausage. Spread into a
buttered bread pan and
bake for 35 minutes or
until set.
*****This recipe may
be multiplied and used
to stuff a turkey. As an
alternative, refrigerate
the stuffing mixture
until firm and roll into
balls the size of small
meatballs. Place on a
baking pan and bake in a
preheated 375" F. oven
for 16 - 20 minutes, or
until set and lightly
browned. Serve as an
appetizer with tomato
flavored mayonnaise as a
dipping sauce.
Serves
4
For past recipes,
click
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COOKING WITH TEA
 Cooking with tea is as
old as the history of
tea itself. The ancient
Chinese used dried
pungent oolong leaves to
stuff fish before
steaming it; they added
tea leaves to the fire
source for smoking duck;
infused boiling water
with tea leaves to give
eggs a distinctly
marbled appearance on
the whites when hard
boiled.
Modern day applications
are easy and delicious.
Travelers to China these
days report that a pouch
of fragrant leaves is
often added to give
oomph to kidney beans
with shrimp and that
Dragonwell is commonly
stir fried with shredded
chicken breast and bean
spouts for a fresh
grassy punch.
Dried leaves can add
crunch and flavor for
rubs to coat fish, meat
or poultry or to be used
as a garnish,
particularly when young
and green. Smoked teas
lend a deep, dark
smokiness to poultry and
seafood. Seek out a fine
Russian Caravan or
Lapsang Souchong for an
extra special taste
treat or use either to
infuse foods with a
smoky quality.
Brewed tea can be used
as a braising liquid, or
as a seasoning for
marinades. As the base
for a sauce, fruit
juices gain depth of
flavor with a tea
addition. A small
handful of tea leaves
adds an herbaceous
flavor and a golden glow
to cream sauces. The
sweets table becomes
infinitely more
interesting with a cake
or shortbread made with
tea.
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A little about The
Monastery
 Hello,
I am John. Welcome to my
escape where I enjoy
some of life’s simple
pleasures through
creativity, health and an
appreciation of things
we take for granted.
Among the pleasures I
enjoy is cultural
traditions from different
cultures which gives us an
understanding and appreciation
of others and the relaxing
ritual of having tea.
 There
is also that of
appreciating both the
simple and finer things
in life with a new
perspective. Through my
services and website, I
hope to offer and assist
in the enjoyment of
these pleasures by
offering you information
and a chance to
experience some things
that you hopefully
haven’t before.
 Let
me assist you in
enjoying these pleasures
as an escape that lifts
the spirit from the
mundane hectic world
and relax, contemplate
and enjoy some of life's
little pleasures.
For now, let me offer
you a weekly recipe from
my personal collection.
Check below for the
recipe posting. If you
have any suggestions of
what you would like this
site to offer, along
with my services, please
contact me.
John@Themonastery.us
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Services Offered
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Catering
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 We
offer catering and a variety of
services to meet your needs in
your home or ours.
For your dining pleasure, you
may dine on an original 17th
century hand carved oak table.
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Private Parties
& Special
Occasions |
 For
a memorable
experience treat
your guests to a
custom private
breakfast, lunch
or dinner in our
special setting
with period
antiques and
silver
accessories.
We can customize
the menu and
accessories to
fit the occasion
and your
personal needs. |
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Tea Parties |
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For a unique and casual
experience, try tea and
appetizers in our home
or yours.
Relax in
a Victorian recalmier,
or service on 19th
century sofa, being
served with silver
accessories upon a 16th
century table.
Click
for more information.
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Tea Tastings & Hostess
Parties |
 With our
knowledge and selection of teas
from around the world, we offer
the opportunity to enjoy and
experience tea and to increase
your tea expertise. Learn
proper tea brewing, history, and
types of tea.
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Cooking Classes |
We offer both private and group
cooking classes.
 Try
a cooking class for yourself to
make cooking easier and to
increase your repertoire.
We offer a large selection
of topics to choose from.
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Nutritional Assistance |
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 Is
temptation too strong or dieting
has gotten boring and need
assistance with your healthy
eating and due to a busy life?
Culinary experiences can be
tasty and nutritious. Learn to
cut calories by substituting
ingredients in any recipe and to
meet any dietary need.
Diabetes, low fat, high protein,
complex carbohydrates are among
our specialties.
Click here
for more
information.
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Sign up for
our
newsletter... |
 Sign
up for our
newsletter to be
notified of special
tea tastings, tea
parties, tea
classes, health fact
updates and special
events.
To receice our
newsletter write us
at:
John@Themonastery.us
We plan to have a
tea tasting with
teas for sale this
fall. Contact
us for date and
information.
Thank you |
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Traveling as an
influence
Traveling is a great
stimulation for both
pleasure and learning.
It is also a great way
to obtain recipes and to
be influenced in your
cooking.
 Hear
is a traditional recipe for Red
Bean Gumbo Soup,
which I obtained in New
Orleans one Christmas
Eve while attending
their annual Festival Of
The Bonfires in the
suburb of Lutcher.
On the way to the
lighting of the bonfires
and the display of
fireworks for the
evening, I stopped in at
a local gas station.
The colorful decor of
a Christmas tree and
alligator skins with an
attendant dressed in
camouflage outfit told
me I was definitely not
in Kansas. The local smell of true
Cajun was in the air
with the complex earthy
aroma of ingredients
cooked with holiday
love. I knew I was
definitely not home in
my "traditional"
surroundings, but I was
on to something
memorable.
Starting a conversation
with the attendant who
was the owner, we
started talking about
food and recipes.
He said that he was also
a cook, and he took a
plaque off the wall he
had won for Alligator
Creole in which in won
first place for in a
local competition. I
knew from this, this was
going to be another
great experience for my
memory which gives life
its excitement and daily
enjoyment.
From that evening
adventure, I obtained
this recipe, and
whenever I make it I
remember the charm and
unique hospitality of
Louisiana.
For the recipe, click
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 Thank
you for your patronage in the
past to have been one of the top
100 tea houses in America.
After a year of reorganization
and having missed our customers
and many friends that we have
decided to return and cater to
your tea and entertaining needs
so that we may once again gain
the spot that we have had before
in the community.
Allow us to help you enjoy life,
escape and serve you.
Please return back to our site
often for updates and news of
our various services that we are
offering.
In
memory Kikles, one of our family
members who have past, we take
this time to remember and bring
back to life the energy, and
quality time that we have had
serving our valuable customers
and friends. Please contact us
if we may be of any assistance
to you.
08/11/09
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