Teatime

There are a few things about which I am a little obsessive. (Can one be a little obsessive? Is it like being a little bit pregnant?)
One of these things is cotton. Specifically, cotton sweaters. I’m allergic to wool, which, for some reason I’ve never been able to figure out, nobody quite believes. I think perhaps the reason is that our definition of “allergy” has changed over the years. And it’s true that wearing wool will not send me into anaphylactic shock, but it’s also true that what happens when I put wool (and this is any kind of wool; sheep, cashmere, angora, mohair, etc.) qualifies as more than just itchiness—it’s misery. I can feel whether or not a garment contains wool just by holding it in the palm of my hand. It’s  a princess-and-the-pea kind of thing. And if I dare to wear the garment anyway (“Oh look, it’s only got 3% wool”), I will suffer as soon as I put it on. At first it will feel mildly disturbing as if my skin is telling me, seriously, you’re at this again—giving you ten minutes to take it off. And then it begins to feel itchy. Then as if a million tiny pins are pricking my skin. By then, too, my skin will be red, hot, and bumpy where the wool is touching it. So. No wool. Every winter I begin the quest for cotton sweaters anew. It’s usually a futile quest. Therefore, the obsession. When I was a baby, the story goes, my mother used to wonder why I always had a rash around my neck and chin. Alas, it was quite a while before she figured out that it might have had something to do with the woolen hats she put me in to guard against the English chill.
English chill brings me to my next obsession; tea. Specifically, black tea with a spot of milk (or, these days, coconut creamer). My mother will admit to the woolen hats, but she denies putting tea with milk into my and my sister’s bottles when we were little. Well, she can deny all she wants—I know she did it. As a result, I think that some small percentage of my blood may actually be made of tea. Tea is good for all things; headaches, stomachaches, exhaustion, insomnia, happiness, sadness, contemplation, conversation… I could go on. I love the smell, taste, and the very idea of tea. For years, I’ve been searching in vain for a black tea perfume oil, which would be the ultimate in aromatherapy.
We drink PG Tips, imported from England, which we buy (at about 10 cents a teabag) from our local mom-and-pop liquor store (why the local mom-and-pop liquor store carries tea and English chocolates is a whole other story). When we start to run low, everyone in the house gets panicky. On the box, PG Tips extols the health benefits of tea, which contains antioxidants. A “moderate” amount of tea per day, they say, is very good for you. What do they consider “moderate”? 5 to 6 cups. A day.
My obsession with tea has led me, naturally, to experiment with it in baking. Discovering culinary green tea matcha (which is finely milled, powdered green tea) was a revelation. The color is a beautiful deep green and the flavor is subtle and delicate. Green tea cakes are among my son’s favorites, especially when paired with raspberry and/or almond. Though I love baking with green tea, it’s the taste of black tea I love the most. I’d experimented with Earl Grey cupcakes and using tea in cake batter, but it wasn’t quite as strong as I would have liked. Then, some time ago, I discovered black tea matcha, which I ordered from a specialty store. Another revelation. There wasn’t much experimenting with this one. There was, however, a great deal of eating. Most popular? These black tea chai cupcakes with cardamom frosting.
Mmm.

Chai Cupcakes with Cardamom Cream Cheese Frosting
These are very easy and can also be made vegan by substituting non-dairy versions of the milk, butter, sour cream, etc. I've done this and they come out just fine.

Ingredients:
1 cup milk (any kind)
2 tsp. black matcha. If you don't have the matcha, you can use 4 teabags of the best quality black tea you have or 2 tablespoons loose black tea.
1/4 cup canola oil
1/2 cup sour cream
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/3 cups flour
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground cardamom
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp. fresh ground black pepper

For the frosting:
1/4 cup butter (softened)
1/4 cup cream cheese (softened)
2 cups confectioner's sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground cardamom
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 and line a muffin pan with cupcake liners.
Heat the milk until just scalded and then remove. If using the matcha, add and whisk until dissolved. If using teabags/loose tea, steep in the milk for ten minutes then remove the teabags (squeezing out excess liquid) or strain the milk to remove the leaves.
This is a one-bowl effort, so use a large one. Whisk together the oil, sour cream, sugar, vanilla, and tea/milk mixture until smooth. Sift in remaining dry ingredients and whisk until smooth. The batter will be fairly wet. Fill liners almost full (these don't rise very much) and bake 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
While the cupcakes are cooling, make the frosting:
Beat butter and cream cheese until combined. Use a hand mixer to add the confectioner's sugar in 1/2 cup increments until smooth and creamy. With the last 1/2 cup of sugar, add the spices. Add the vanilla and beat a bit more. Refrigerate until ready to spread.