-
Snuggit Dog Carrier | Unboxing, First Impressions & Review | Cruelty Free Pet Carrier | Small Business
Alice Haenim and I are loving our new Snuggit Sac we ordered from their Black Friday promotion! We got the Fabulously Flawed Clairence and Bianca styles, as well as the Lily style (it was on sale and we got custom embroidery on it too). To complete the look, we also ordered the lilac Snuggle Sac. It is so soft and cozy!
Alice and I filmed an unboxing, first impressions and a mini review of the Snuggit Sac. You can find the video HERE:
Alice feels so cozy and safe in her Snuggit Dog Carriers! She also loves taking naps inside them too! So great for hiking, shopping, on-the-go excursions, etc. Alice often gets tired or cold on walks and she loves being able to stay warm (and take a break) inside it!
- Afternoon Tea, Coffee Shop, Lifestyle, Making Tea at Home, Pawfectella Everything!, Tea, Tea Reviews, Uncategorized
The Mochi Kit | Paragon Tea Room | Tea-Infused Mochi
Hello everyone! I hope this blog post finds you and your loved ones safe, healthy and well, during this time. <3
#BlackLivesMatter | To learn more, click HERE.In today’s blog post, I am sharing my experience of making tea-infused mochi! Mochi is a delicious treat that pairs well with a cup of tea. When I saw that Paragon Tea Room came out with The Mochi Set, I couldn’t resist purchasing one and testing it out. I am not a big baker though, so I was a bit nervous. Michelle, the owner of Paragon Tea Room assured me that the recipe (included in the set) was “dummy proof” and making mochi is surprisingly easy!
Last Saturday, I decided to to put my baking skills to the test and use The Mochi Set (you might have seen my Instagram stories of the experience)! If you would like to see a closer look at how my experience went, make sure to grab a cup of tea and let’s get started!
What is Mochi?
Mochi is a Japanese rice cake made of glutinous rice, water, sugar and cornstarch. Mochi is typically flavoured with green tea and/or filled with a sweetened bean paste. This makes it a delicious vegan and gluten free treat.
What does Mochi taste like?
Mochi has a dough-like texture and makes me think of a gummy candy/marshmallow type dessert. It has a starch after-taste.
If you have had mochi before, how would you describe the taste?The Mochi Set | Paragon Tea
Your mochi dream comes true! This set is inspired by all of your creativity! In this set, you will be introduced to making your own TEA-INFUSED mochi with a side of tea dip at home.
– Paragon Tea RoomThe Mochi Set from Paragon Tea Room comes with nearly all the ingredients you need to make 6 servings of mochi. The set includes:
Three Types of Tea Powders:
- Paragon Tea Room‘s Baking Matcha
- Paragon Tea Room‘s Hojicha Powder
- Paragon Tea Room‘s Genmaicha Powder
It also includes:
- Paragon Tea Room‘s Glutinous Rice Flour mix
- Kingsford’s Corn Starch
- Earth’s Own Oat “Mylk”
- Paragon Tea Room‘s mochi and mochi dip recipes
The set comes inside a rectangular box and is well packaged. Even Ella was curious about what was inside!
Following the Recipe |
Matcha-Infused MochiAfter reading over the recipe, I decided to make a matcha-infused mochi and a matcha-infused dip.
I found both recipes straight forward and easy to follow.
After adding and mixing in all the ingredients together, it was time to microwave the dough! This part I found a bit challenging, as I don’t own a microwave. Steaming was the next option, but I wasn’t sure the best way to go about it! I asked my dear friend Angie (from Over-the-Kitchen-Counter) to help me out! Even though she had not heard of mochi before, she gave me the best advice and tips! I used two pots and my stove to steam the mochi dough. It steamed perfectly! A special thank you to Angie! <3
Making the Matcha Mochi Dip
While I waited for my mochi dough to cool, it was time to make the accompanying matcha-infused mochi dip:
This was very fast and easy to make and I loved that I got to use Oat Mylk! I prepared the dip on my stove top.
The dip turned out fantastic! And I loved the cheerful green colour from the Paragon Tea Baking Matcha.
Roll it Out!
After my matcha-infused mochi dough had cooled off, it was time to roll it out and create individual pieces. I made my mochi into balls, but you can make them into squares too!
After the mochi balls were prepared, I decided to semi-stuff them with the dip. I also frosted the tops of them! I was so surprised at how well they turned out and how easy they were to make!
I would like to do a better job on how they look visually, but I think that will come with practice and time.
After I was done making the tea-infused mochi, I made two cups of Paragon Tea Ceremonial Matcha Lattes with Oat Mylk, for my husband and I. I thought they would pair nicely with the mochi. All the matcha flavours were happening that day! 😉
It was time to taste test these tea-infused mochi balls and see how well I did:
According to my husband, the matcha-infused mochi tasted amazing. He actually ate more than half of them, so I must have done something right!
I also loved my mochi too! They tasted so fresh and delicious. I also love that I now have the opportunity to make mochi 5 more times, from this wonderful set.
Have you ever made mochi at home before? If so, how did you find the experience? I am still surprised at how easy they were to make! I really found The Mochi set to be extremely helpful for a beginner.
The Mochi Set retails for $53.35 CAD, but is currently available for a launch price of $48.00 CAD. You can order it online (they ship to Canada and the USA) or pickup in-store, if you are local! You can find it HERE.
And that is it for today’s blog post! I hope you have a wonderful rest of your weekend and talk to you all soon! <3
- Afternoon Tea, Lifestyle, Making Tea at Home, Pawfectella, Pawfectella Everything!, Tea, Tea Reviews, Uncategorized
High Tea Takeout | Neverland Tea Salon
Hello everyone! I hope this blog post finds you and your loved ones safe, healthy and doing well, during this time. <3
In today’s blog post, I’ll be sharing one of my favourite “stay at home” treats: High Tea Takeout! During COVID-19, I have been trying especially hard to support small businesses, both near and far. One of my favourite high tea salons is Neverland Tea Salon. My husband and I have been going there for years, and it’s our “go-to” place to celebrate Birthdays, Valentines and Anniversaries. You might remember one of my blog posts about a Valentines Day High Tea. Or may have seen the inside of Neverland Tea Salon in some of my older YouTube videos!
Neverland Tea Salon is such a magical place, not to mention the food and teas are amazing. I cannot have dairy or gluten and Neverland Tea Salon is known for providing the best vegan, vegetarian, gluten and dairy free menu options!
With many businesses and restaurants temporarily closing due to COVID-19, Neverland Tea Salon began to offer High Tea Takeout back in mid-March! And it was the best timing for me…I had just had my laparoscopic surgery and couldn’t go out. My husband picked some up for me and it was such a treat! The high tea was also Alice in Wonderland themed!
Pictures from that first takeout order:
Alice in Wonderland Treats:
Neverland Tea Salon offers pickup (in the picture below you can spot my husband getting our wedding anniversary takeout), or delivery on Uber Eats!
Over the last few months, I have continued ordering High Tea Takeout with Neverland and it has become something I’ve looked forward to. I love bringing out a pretty tea pot, my favourite tea cups and plates…and arranging all the delicious treats and sandwiches out.
Sometimes, I will enjoy high tea with just myself and Ella, my mini poodle or virtually with my friends on FaceTime or Zoom. Other times, I will order high tea for two and enjoy afternoon tea with my husband.
If you follow me on Instagram, you might remember a recent #StyleSunday IGTV video where I take you along to Neverland to pickup some high tea! If you’d like to watch that video, you can find it HERE.
I tend to always order A Grand Adventure Vegan/Gluten High Tea, but if I am feeling celebratory, I love ordering their Take Me To Neverland Bubbly High Tea.
Currently on the
vegan takeout menu:Vegan and Gluten Free Sandwiches:
- Vegan Lemon herb cream cheese and cucumber arugula
- Red Thai Curry chickpea salad, red onions, red bell peppers, cucumber and mango chutney
- Port Fig compote with pear, nut based “brie cheese”, and vegan mustard mayo
- Avocado with cashew butter, pickled red onions, and cucumbers
- Mumbai chai tea apple butter with freshly sliced Granny Smith apples and vegan “provolone cheese”
Vegan and Gluten Free Sweets:
- Vegan Cashew Mango Cheesecake
- Pineapple Coconut teacake (my favourite)
- Hazelnut praline chocolate mousse cup
- Vegan orange chocolate opera cake
Vegan and Gluten Free Scone:
- Citrus gluten free scone with dairy-free cream and house-made strawberry jam
The Teas:
Neverland Tea Salon has so many amazing teas to choose from! AND…if you are not local, but would love to try their teas, they ship across Canada and the USA. You can shop their a small selection of their teas HERE. They have even more tea, in-store though!
My Top 6 Teas (in no particular order):
- Take Me To Neverland
- Berry Me in Champagne
- Russian Rose
- Heavenly Cream
- Peter’s Promise
- Pixie Dust
- Tinkerbell’s Kiss
Which tea would you want to try first? Please let me know, down below!
As much as I have been enjoying Neverland’s takeout options, I cannot wait to dine at Neverland again. Rumour has it they will be re-opening on June 10th, 2020. They will be adhering to all safety measures and following strict rules to keep their staff and their customers safe.
And that is it for today’s blog post! I would love to know if you have a high tea takeout option in your local area. Have a safe and wonderful rest of your day <3
