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031924 lVS :)

Gnusletter - October 2021

Excursions
Events

Courses
Books
Entertainment

Merchandise
Perqs
Recipe

If you've been frustrated by events selling out before they go public, there's a simple remedy: join our Omni Patron community to receive early access to reservations. Pledge levels start at $1/month ($10+/year)

When I got the idea for our new series of Metrolink Mystery Tour Surprise Excursions whereby folks show up then get whisked away to destinations undisclosed, I figured the only people foolhardy enough to take part would be my tea partner in crime, Cheryl Turner (of Paris In A Cup fame) and me. So when I posted in September our first excursion slated for January, I was shocked that it sold out nearly immediately (... to our patron community).

We plan to host an excursion more or less every season, so if you missed the first one, there will be plenty of others.   

Of the 9 remaining public events we have scheduled in 2021, only a total of 20 available spots remain. Choose from:
Mrs Cratchit's Camden Town Christmas tea with Carolers on December 19

If you haven't checked out our 2022 FestiviTeas schedule in the last day or two, give it a looksie. It's nearly full with tweaks being made here and there as protocols are adjusted and new opportunities arise.

'Tis the season to dive into historyteller Charle's Spratley's Paranormal Pursuits 6-part video course custom created for the Ocademy  

Facades of Bliss - #13 in Peyton Drake's Omni Tale series is available for Kindle pre-order now. It will go out to applicable patrons next week in PDF, ePub, Mobi, and Audio formats

Dim Q Plenipotentiary Joy's Snoring Bulldog podcast will resume in 2022 with guests from our communitea to be interviewed. (The show is currently in dormancy while the bulldog in questions wrestles with twilight years health issues that prevent the podcaster from sleeping)

A fresh batch of Tea Travellers Passports are ripe for the picking

Our first-ever Omni Patron Appreciation Partea will be held Saturday 08 January 2022 in Irvine. There is no charge, and it is open to all patrons. That said, you'll have to go on a bit of a digital scavenger hunt to lock in your RSVP

Fall Pistachio Pumpkin Soup
Vegetarian friendly pistachio pumpkin soup has notes of nutmeg and all things Fall! This soup is great for a cozy Fall night in or as an appetizer to dinner!

Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Servings8 people
Calories199kcal

Equipment

  • Blender

Ingredients

  • 2 Russet potatoes, washed and peeled
  • 1 small yellow onion, diced
  • 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter
  • 1/3 cup unsalted shelled pistachios
  • 6 cups chicken broth (or vegetable broth), divided
  • 1, 15 oz. can 100% pumpkin puree
  • 1 tsp. nutmeg
  • 1/2 tsp. cardamom
  • 1/2 tsp. turmeric
  • pinch of paprika
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1/4 cup sour cream (optional)
  • parsley for garnish or green onions
  • additional pistachios for garnish

Instructions

Directions

  • Wash and peel the potatoes and cut into about 2-inch cubes. In a large stockpot, place the potatoes and 4 cups broth in and bring it to a boil. Boil potato until you can stick a fork thru them. This takes about 10-15 minutes. Be sure to reserve broth to add it back into the soup later on - it will reduce down to about 1-2 cups!
  • While potatoes cook, sauté butter, onions, and garlic in a medium sized frying pan on medium heat, until onions become translucent; about 5-8 minutes.
  • Blend the pistachios first using a powerful blender. Then, using a slotted spoon, place cooked potatoes in the blender, then pour in the onion mixture and reserved broth. Add in all additional ingredients (except the sour cream) and blend until smooth. Soup will be thick. Caution: when mixing, your blender will get hot, since the contents are hot!
  • Transfer this back into the pot you boiled off the potatoes in on the stove and let it come to a simmer. Stir in the additional broth 1/2 cup at a time until the soup reaches a desired consistency. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed. Lastly, add in the sour cream and stir.
  • Enjoy warm and top with parsley and crushed pistachios!

Notes

Boil off your potatoes in advance to make this process seamless when you're ready to blend up your soup!
Can sub sour cream for Greek yogurt or omit completely. 
If you don't have a blender, you can pulse pistachios in a food processor and then use an immersion blender to smooth out the soup. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1bowl | Calories: 199kcal | Carbohydrates: 26.2g | Protein: 6.8g