To celebrate the changing season, Pure Leaf has teamed up with celebrity Chef Gail Simmons and entertaining expert Camille Styles, author of new book “Camille Styles Entertaining: Inspired Gatherings and Effortless Style” to share simple, seasonal entertaining and cooking ideas.
I was lucky enough to attend this beautiful #LoveofLeaves event at the New York Botanical Garden’s Stone Mill farmhouse to learn all about pairing Pure Leaf Iced Tea drinks with your seasonal meals . With so many tasty varieties, there is a flavor for everyone.
Fresh brewed, Pure Leaf™ Iced Tea is made from the finest ingredients available. This all natural iced tea begins with the freshest tea leaves picked at their peak. The leaves are then hand-selected by our Master Tea Blenders for their distinctive and smooth flavor.
With the holidays in full swing it is time to start thinking of what meals and holiday decor you will be showcasing. I have a few easy recipes and table setting ideas to share with you for the holiday season. If you are like me and never know what to bring to someone’s home for these special occasions and are tired of the same old floral arrangement then feast your eyes on something that is so easy to do. When it comes to seasonal entertaining you can start by using real fruits and vegetables and bring them into your home you will find the beauty and simplicity in them.
Camille Styles was able to show us how to make a wonderful center piece and garland for your dining room table or even to decorate around the home with. The dried orange garland is so easy to make.
Camille Styles Tips for Creating an Orange Garland
- Cut two large oranges into 1/2” thick slices
- Lay each slice flat on a baking rack that’s nested in a sheet pan, and bake in a 200 degree oven for 6-12 hours, or until oranges are fully dry
- To allow air to circulate completely, leave oven propped open a few inches throughout the drying process
- Once orange slices are dried, easily string each slice onto a long piece of thick jute twine
- It is best to do this overnight so you aren’t leaving home with the oven on.
Oranges have natural holes so it will be easy to string along the twine that you are using. You can also add leaves or other season items to your garland.
We all know when having a large group eating together it is better to have name cards for seating assignments and what better way than to make your own is to use green leaves that you can find in your own back yard or on your nature walk. You may use any kind depending on your table top look. While searching for leaves use those with a non waxy surface. Now grab your gel roller pens and lightly write everyone’s names. Mix it up by using contrasting colors.
Next up we learned how to make our own centerpieces by using seasonal fruits and vegetables. to maximize your look use different shapes, textures and of course colors.
Camille Styles, author of new book “Camille Styles Entertaining: Inspired Gatherings and Effortless Style” shows attendees how to create a simple and beautiful centerpiece from fresh produce at Pure Leaf Iced Tea’s Fall Luncheon at the New York Botanical Garden.
Choose either a vase or vessel, this can be your modern take of a cornucopia farm to table look. Pace selected veggies in vase and decorate how you wish there is no wrong way to do this. Group your leftover items around it on the table creating a natural and organic centerpiece. Visit your local farmers market to pick up these seasonal items.
Top Chef’s Gail Simmons shows attendees how to pickle radishes with tea at Pure Leaf Iced Tea’s Fall Luncheon at the New York Botanical Garden
Gail gave us some great tips on how to cut up a pomegranate, it can usually be a messy job but not anymore. Cut the pomegranate in 4 and submerge in a bowl cold water, the seeds with come out easily and fall to the bottom of the bowl. Now you can easily strain them and enjoy, Keep some in your fridge to add to club soda or sparkling water.
Lemon-Ginger Tea Pomegranate Sparkler
By Gail Simmons
Serves 2
2 tablespoons fresh ginger, thinly sliced
1 cup Pure Leaf Iced Tea with Lemon
1/2 cup pomegranate juice
Cold club soda
2 tablespoons pomegranate seeds, for garnish
2 cinnamon sticks, for garnish
Instructions: In a saucepan, combine the ginger and Pure Leaf Iced Tea with Lemon and bring to a simmer. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside to steep, about 10 minutes. Allow to cool in an airtight container in the fridge.
Fill two highball glasses with ice. Pour 1/2 cup ginger-infused tea, then 1/4 cup pomegranate juice into each glass. Top each with club soda, garnish with a tablespoon of pomegranate seeds and a cinnamon stick to stir.
For alcoholic version, add 2 ounces gin or bourbon before adding tea.
Shaved Fall Vegetable Salad with Tea-Pickled Radishes
By Gail Simmons
Serves 4
FOR THE TEA-PICKLED RADISHES:
1 cup Pure Leaf Sweet Tea, warmed but not boiling
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 cup apple cider vinegar
8 small radishes, thinly sliced or 4 large watermelon radishes
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
½ teaspoon whole black peppercorns
Instructions: In a medium bowl, combine the tea with the salt; stir to dissolve. Add the vinegar along with the radishes, garlic and peppercorns. Cover and refrigerate at least an hour or overnight. Drain the pickled radishes, reserving ¼ cup of pickling liquid for use in vinaigrette. Set aside.
Note: The drained radishes can be refrigerated for up to 1 week.
FOR THE SHAVED VEGETABLE SALAD:
¼ cup reserved picking liquid
1 tablespoon honey
Kosher Salt
Freshly Ground Pepper
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large fennel bulb, thinly sliced
2 sweet, crisp apples, such as Gala or Fuji, cored and thinly sliced into half moons
2 small heads radicchio, thinly sliced
4 celery stalks, thinly sliced on a bias, leaves reserved for garnish
2 tablespoons roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley
Tea-Pickled Radishes, see recipe above
Instructions: Pour the reserved pickling liquid into a large bowl. Add the honey and whisk to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Slowly add olive oil in a steady stream, whisking constantly to emulsify. Add the fennel, apple, radicchio, celery, parsley and pickled radishes to the bowl and toss all ingredients together to coat. Season with more salt and pepper if desired and garnish with celery leaves before serving.
Once we had finished our decor and cooking segment we were treated to lunch at newly decorated tables that we had all helped with.
For starters, we had the Shaved Fall vegetable Salad with tea pickled radishes that Gail had just made.
Our entrée was grilled chicken breast with buttermilk mashed potatoes, sweet and sour cipollini onions and butternut squash.
We finished off with an apple tart tatin that was out of this world.
Here is a giveaway so that you can try out some of these recipes too.
One lucky reader will win a basket filled with Pure Leaf product, Pure Leaf product vouchers and a few of Gail and Camille’s cooking and entertaining essentials!. This package retails for around $50.
Thanks for offering this awesome giveaway. I’d love to try these Pure Leaf products.
I entered the SOL REPUBLIC for the Holidays Giveaway
This looks such a great event and I love the dried orange garland idea.
Pure Leaf Tea is pretty good..drink it sometimes. Great basket!
Barbie Mega Blocks
I haven’t tried this brand of tea, but it looks good!
I love the table settings,great for Thanksgiving.
THe orange garland looks wonderful. I bet this smells as good as it looks.
Would like to try this product.
love to win this for my niece she would put this to good use. thankyou, ken
I would love to try these recipes!
I entered the crest-oral b toothbrush contest.
Pure Leaf iced tea is delicious!!
I love pure leaf unsweetened tea. It is so nice when I can find it at my convenience store.
I love pure leaf tea, it is the only one I drink.
I entered the Cover Girl Giveaway.
I’ve never tried Pure Leaf, but it looks good.
Pure Leaf Tea is so delicious and a healthy tea to drink. I like the recipes and the one that looks so delicious is the Lemon-Ginger Tea Pomegranate Sparkler. I like pomegranates because they taste so delicious and this drink looks refreshing. I will have to make it.
I entered the COVERGIRL #GirlsCan Campaign & $25 Walmart GC #Giveaway.
Everyone in the family loves Pure Leaf tea.
I commented on this blog post
Holiday Recipes & Cooking Tips from Marcus Samuelsson
I have tried their sweet tea and it’s one of the best teas I have ever tasted. I would love to try the Lemon Ginger Tea Pomegranate Sparkler recipe. It sounds really good.
I commented here: https://www.raisingthreesavvyladies.com/2014/11/holiday-recipes-cooking-tips-from-marcus-samuelsson/ Debbie Welchert
I entered the Crest Oral B Pro Health Stages Toothbrushes Giveaway
The Lemon-Ginger Tea Pomegranate Sparkler sounds so good. Would love to try making it.
We absolutely love Pure Leaf tea. In fact, my husband drinks it everyday!
The cafe in m offic building has lots of tea choices and i always seem o go back to pure leaf. It’s just good.
I have heard about pure leaf, and would love to try it!
i love this brand! i love sweet tea the best.
I love Pure Leaf tea
Great recipes, can’t wait to try some out, especially the sparkler!!
Great Entertaining Ideas, The Recipes And Décor Is Perfect For The Holidays!
I fell in love with Pure Leaf a while back! Taste so good! The shaved salad looks great!
I entered to win the Crest® + Oral-B® Pro-Health Stages™4 Toothbrushes !
I have seen these drinks in store and wondered about them, the honey variety sounds delicious.
I grew up on ice tea.
I love the flavors the tea comes in.
commented on https://raisingthreesavvyladies.com/2014/11/elizabeth-arden-holiday-gifts-sets-debut-on-hsn-1120/
This would be a great house warming gift for my niece.
I entered the Crest OralB toothbrush giveaway .
I would love to win a gift like this from Pure Leaf Tea. It would be fun to try the different varieties of the tea as well as use some of the extra products they are providing. The Green Tea I think would be my favorite.
I love tea and this looks like such a fun prize pack. The orange garland is very festive.
i am a huge fan and have seen this product in stores but have never tried it. i would love to give it a shot!
The recipe for the shaved fall vegetable salad looks amazing!
Awesome, thanks for the chance.
Great decorating ideas and simple recipes. I love the leaf idea too, nice personal touch. Please post that Apple tarting recipe too!
My family and I absolutely love Pure Leaf. I want to also try these amazing drink recipes.
My family and I absolutely love Pure Leaf. I can’t wait to try these drink recipes.
Thank you for all of these great ideas and recipes. I think my husband might really enjoy the pickled radishes. The dried oranges are really great looking and seem so easy to do. I will have to try these out.
This event looked amazing. And Pure Leaf is so good. I love drinking it.
i love pure leaf products! they are delicious and taste so fresh!
penguins event
I never thought of cooking with tea I especially love the FOR THE TEA-PICKLED RADISHES recipe
That apple tart tatin looks incredible, and I’ve never even heard of a tatin before!
I love this tea, I drink this tea over any other brand
I entered the penguin giveaway
I commented on the “redecorating the bathroom post”. https://raisingthreesavvyladies.com/2014/11/redecorating-the-bathroom-for-the-holidays/#comment-124801
The Lemon-Ginger Tea Pomegranate Sparkler sounds wonderful, thanks for sharing.
I love the orange garnish on the table that they made
entered free birds
This is great.
Everything looks so delicious and festive.
My family loves tea and we are always trying new ones, but we are yet to try this brand.
I would love to try the Pure Leaf Raspberry Iced Tea.
Tea is a delicious beverage to serve for the holidays
I love their products!
i love the orange slice idea!! very clever 🙂 i would love to win this basket!!
Love Pure Leaf tea!!
The dried orange garland is really gorgeous, I’ll have to try making one of those this year. And the trick with the leaves was just genius!
I love Pure Leaf. Especially the Sweet Tea.
My hubby loves this tea! He always chooses it when we’re going out for a family day out.
Pure Leaf makes my favorite iced tea. It’s not at all heavy which is perfect for me.
Thankyou for the chance . it looks like a great gift basket.
I love the idea of upping my dinner game !! This looks amazing 🙂
ths is a great contest and gave us lots of great ideas
The Tea Pickled Radishes look so good. I am going to try and make them!
I love Pure Leaf as a brand! They are delicious! That zester looks awesome too! I’ve never had one.
I would love to try new recipes using teas!
It’s interesting that pickling w/ tea is sort of trending. I can remember my great aunt doing that years ago.
Thank you for all these great entertaining ideas.
I think this would be really nice both for quiet evenings at home with the family or when you had a bunch of people over!
I’d love to try some of these recipes.
Thanks for the giveaway…we never considered using tea in cooking / preparing food, but since reading this blog, will have to investigate.
I love Pure Leaf tea, it is really refreshing!
I have not yet tried Pure Leaf products but would love to! And really want to try the recipe.