Friday, June 19, 2009

All Modern Giveaway!!

It's your lucky (rainy) day! So, it's mid-June and it's been nothing but rainy and cold for the past week in NYC. And, sadly, I've been told this is not just an NYC epidemic. The cold rains have hit the Eastern US - and no one is happy about it. Well, I've got something that will both turn that frown around and warm you right up. I'm really excited about the Hungry Roach's first Giveaway with AllModern.com and the chance to offer you a FREE Blomus Asia Teapot. I only wish that I could join in on the fun!

All Modern offers an excellent selection of modern furniture, home accessories,
and lighting brands ranging from Knoll, Heller, Blomus, Alessi, and more. Their very cool, modern kitchen and bar accessories, in particular, are extremely appealing to me. While today's giveaway is for this unique teapot, I encourage you to check out the many other products that they offer from their extensive website. I already can't wait for when I can decorate my very own apartment. Baby steps. In the meantime, I'll stick to the kitchen and live vicariously through the winner of the Blomus teapot.


This contemporary stainless steel teapot comes with a detachable filter - guaranteeing an easy clean-up for the true tea drinkers (aka, big fans of loose tea). For more details on the teapot, go here. Inspired by European designers and engineered by German craftsman, Blomus offers the highest quality of stainless steel kitchen items that certainly win the Hungry Roach stamp of approval.

OK, onto the fun part - How To Win:
  • Submit a brief comment below on my blog telling me EITHER your favorite travel experience in Asia (involving food, of course) OR your favorite kind of tea, where you get it, and what's so great about it
  • Want to increase your chances of winning? Include in your comments a link to a post of an announcement on your blog OR a link to a tweet about this contest.
The Giveaway will be open until Monday, June 22nd at Midnight. I will announce the winner on Wednesday, June 24th! Make sure that your email address is accessible in your blogspot profile or leave it at the bottom of your comment so that I can contact you if you are the LUCKY one! The one catch - this is only open to residents of the US and Canada.

I never thought I would say this in June. But, stay dry and warm - think Tea!

34 comments:

LaurenLivingLocally said...

Say the words "Asia and food" and I am instantly taken back to a wonderful boat trip down to the floating market Damnoen Saduak outside of Bangkok, Thailand... we were on the hunt to try the famed soup Anthony Bourdain raved about, and we were NOT disappointed!!

Unknown said...

Roach - my favorite tea is Tzao passion tea, i like it all year round, hot or cold - it is amazingly refreshing and according to my sister is supposed to help with fertility ( dont ask me WHY she knows this???)
yummy...might need to go get some right now! But it is blazing hot in the Bama at about 105 degrees right now, so i think ill have mine iced:)
oh - and i dont know how to Tweet, and all that other jazz to win the contest, but drink tea!!

Alison H. said...

I love how the concept of "vegetarian" doesn't exist in China- any vegetable we ordered came with a sprinkling of pork on top. So eggplant [and pork] became one of my favorite dishes, which I now order in the US at authentic Chinese restaurants. The eggplant is drenched in oil and garlic sauce and full of flavor.

Also, once in Beijing I saw snake on the photo menu, with a snake's head in the middle of the plate for garnish. Yikes!

Dana B said...

My Masala Chai

Who knew that India could bring out every trigger of stress in a human being? As I traveled around India from the crowded streets of Delhi to the dusty roads of Jaipur, with all the noise, the poverty, and the feeling of vulnerability, we found our haven in a small cup of tea brewed tea: Masala. It was our constant source of happiness and a consistent flavor throughout the country. We found it in top-notch restaurants and stands along the street. It didn't matter how hot it was, or how tired we were, the tea was a sense of stability within a country of chaos. I brought some home with me and even now I use it find my center.

Anonymous said...

my favorite asia travel memory - wandering around asakusa in tokyo, browing the tiny stores and stopping for legit japanese ramen for lunch. it was like nothing else i've ever had (and came from a tiny, non-descript place). then afterwards, we stopped by the sembei stand and crunched on salty and delicious sembei (rice crackers). i can't wait to go back.

gemma said...

my favourite asian memory is celebrating new year 1996 in the philippines. On the hour (every hour) we celebrated the new year for a different country with a drink. By the next morning I sure wish I had been celebrating with tea every hour rather than that filipino beer....
p.s I want to win. Just got home from england with my favourite tea bags... but no teapot ;)

Kathryn Williams said...

My Asia travel experiences are limited, but I'd say my favorite food-related memory is eating crisp utappa at a roadside "restaurant" (I use the term loosely) in Tiruvannamali, South India. Take that Bourdain! Booya!

I heart Meg. Where's my tea pot?

Unknown said...

I love Tea - my favorite is Mighty Leaf Tea - their Green Tropical Flavor is delicious and the loose tea would be perfect for this tea pot! http://www.mightyleaf.com/

Whenever I drink it, it takes me back to the time when I drove down the coast of CA with my college friends. I tried Mighty Leaf for the first time during that trip. Good memories, good friends, yummy tea...

Unknown said...

One of my favorite Asia food memories involves ordering fish in Beijing and the waiter bringing us a whole live fish swimming around in the water. When he asked us if we wanted it, we immediately said "yes," already imagining how delicious and fresh it would taste. He then told us under his breath that it would cost $200 for the one fish, and we quickly changed our mind, settling on dumplings or something slightly more affordable...

P.S. I love tea, and don't have a teapot, and every time I boil water in my saucepan I burn myself trying to pour it into the mug... :(

jen said...

chai here.. http://www.victorysbanner.com/breakfast.php

I order the bottomless cup because I can drink their chai endlessly.

Truly amazing chai and should say its made entirely from scratch. Its just heaven in a cup.

adairily said...

My favorite kind of tea is Moroccan mint tea. My dad and I went to Morocco last year and basically it was our honeymoon. The last hotel actually messed up our reservation and put us in the honeymoon suite, complete with rose petals EVERYWHERE and matching slippers/robes, yikes! Anyway, we loved the mint tea there. They pour it with the spout of the teapot really high above the teacup so the tall stream of tea looks totally impressive although I tried it when we got back and it's not as hard as it looks. My dad's done a pretty good job replicating the mint tea at home and even though I think he gets it from the fine selection at Stop & Shop, when I go back to CT and visit him, it takes us back to our wonderful father/daughter trip!

Gilly 2 said...

Since I have never been to Chine...only Japan where I sadly did not drink tea...I will write about my tea knowledge. I am always looking for the magic elixir to cure my many ailments, and the many types and brands of tea seem to have different healing powers. My favorite tea is green tea by Mighty Leaf (same as Jessica) and green tea is touted as being good for your heart and immune system. Once I used a tea called "Smooth Move" and need I say more! Ofcourse Liptons Tea is the best to make "Sweet Tea" that us Southerners love. To end, I want to win this teapot, not for me, but for my fabulous daughter who did not get her much needed teapot as a wedding gift.

liz said...

hi toots..."i'm a little teapot short and stout..here is my handle ....here is my spout...unfortunately..no trip to asia for a tea experience..but my son in law is a handsome irishman who turned me on to barry's irish tea...hot and delicious with cream and sugar!!!....the tea is too!!!!!

owt2k said...

My favorite tea... green because it's got caffeine and hopefully speeds up my slow metabolism :) -Liv Thompson

Unknown said...

Having now lived part-time in Asia for the past two years, I have refined my eastern tastebuds. Raw is out -- hot is in. I love all non-Japanese Asian food. Peking duck in Beijing has improved tremendously in the past few year. But China needs a Hungry Roach!

Emilia said...

I went to Asia and ate at McDonald's:
one Big Mac, a small fries, and a Coke... it was delicious.

GAR said...

Alas no past Asia experience for me. Although it is something I hope to remedy in the future. As far as my tea tastes, I haven't been that adventurous. My consumption has made me pretty much a "lipton regular and assorted green tea" guy. Since we are on the topic of tea I have to bring it back to the States...and to hopefully the better weather that awaits us. There is nothing better then sticking a few tea bags in a glass jar and putting it in the sun to brew. Low effort and High reward. Ah, summer days as a kid.

Unknown said...

margs, if charlie mom doesn't count as my trip to asia, then i'm going to have to comment on tea. i agree with adair about moroccan mint tea being an absolute favorite. but it's only good in morocco. my favorite store-purchasable tea is pomegranate green tea. hands down the best!

Susan C. said...

Throughout my life tea has been a rescue. I grew up in Georgia, where the summers are sweltering and the humidity is unbearable. No fan or air conditioning vent could ever come close to the cooling powers of Sweet Tea. Chilled with a slice of lemon, this staple of the South can be a life saver.

In college, tea became more of a comfort for when I was feeling under the weather. A mug of Peppermint Tea not only warmed my insides, but it also helped to clear my nose.

Now that I am in San Francisco, tea has continued to act as a rescue, but in a different sort of way. My love of coffee has sadly begun to backfire on me, in a way that isn't pretty. Apparently the high acidity in the deep roasts that I so love, is taking a tole on my insides. Thus, I have switched to tea as my caffeine fix. With a drop of milk, Tazo "Awake" tea gives me the upper I need to get through my work day.

I suppose I will have to start hitting up the SF Chinatown tea bars to learn more about the very thing that has rescued me throughout my life!

"T"

Tea4Life said...

In Beijing I participated in a traditional Tea ceremony - I remember getting very warm, drinking hot tea in the middle of the summer. Tea seems to be very important in Asian culture - I really should have paid more attention.

ceilithe said...

Roach - I love jasmine tea, the kind that comes in the little yellow tin. It conjures 1969, when my mom, sister and I were living wtih my grandmother in Southern Germany. My dad was stationed in Viet Nam. For R&R, my mom met him for a glorious week in Singapore. She brought home for us each a beautiful apple green jade ring, heavy silk cheongsams, and a tin of jasmine tea -- the most exotic scent I could imagine while living in the land of pretzels and sausage. I drank that jasmine tea and dreamed my daddy would soon be home.
To this day, when I'm particularly melancholy, I brew jasmine tea.
Win or not, thanks for transporting me, especially on this Father's Day, back to such a lovely memory.

eliza said...

We had no idea what to expect when our tuk-tuk dropped us off for dinner in downtown Siem Reap, Cambodia. With the exception of foul smelling and tasting paste that we were later told was "fish cheese," we were pleasently surprised. One dish in particular stood out as a clear favorite. Amok is an amzing combination of pumpkin and chicken (traditionally fish) in a savory coconut curry.
As a side note, the best pad thai I've ever had was, believe it or not, on Thai Air!

MaggieG said...

I have yet to visit Asia (sigh) so my comment will have to be about tea... However, tea is one of my most favorite things so I don't feel too badly. My all-time favorite has to be Earl Grey, but I have recently gotten into buying tea loose and mixing a little peppermint in with my black tea or a peppermint/chamomile concoction when I don't want caffeine. The recent DISASTROUS weather has had me drinking tea around the clock, actually...

Unknown said...

In Shanghai - Yangs Fry dumpling - and yes that is how they spell it - no apostrophe. The best dumpling you'll every have, perfect for breakfast, lunch or, dinner!

Carla said...

My favorite tea is Jasmine tea. I love it and will never pass up the opportunity to have a cup. I was first introduced to Jasmine tea when living in Washington DC. Every Sunday, I would walk to this great place called Teaism (www.teaism.com) and spend the morning reading the Sunday NY Times over a pot of Jasmine tea and their apricot scones. Amazing!!!

Unknown said...

My favorite tea is neither exotic nor exciting, but instead it's the tea of nostalgia. As the youngest of three, alone time was very rare with my mother growing up. Every time I drink English Breakfast tea, it reminds me of the thirty minutes of alone time I had with my mom after elementary school. We would each drink a cup of tea and split a granny smith apple. It was bliss!!

KAH1621 said...

I have yet to have the luck to travel to Asia, so I can only comment on tea....

My favorite tea is green tea. Favorite type of green tea is Starbuck Green Tea Misto. Everyone should try it, delicious!!

Carolena Deutsch said...

The Tea Bazaar; Mumbai, India

Flashback to the Tea Bazaar right off Marine Drive in Mumbai and only steps away from our hotel Chateau Windsor. This hidden gem dedicated to the proper serving of tea, my personal favorite being Masala Chai, was adorned with posters featuring droplets of tea-related wisdom - "Strange how a teapot can represent at the same time the comforts of solitude and the pleasures of company." - Zen Haiku

Ginger Ann & Robert said...

When I hear the word tea, I actually think of the letter T. Mr. T, and the Tall-Tooth Texan from the Letter People. I have a teapot, but this one is pretty cool. Just wanted to post for the Modern Giveaway's sake.

Bee said...

Having spent the past 6 summers working in China and several months travel in S.E. Asia, I have a thousand food stories. One, however, stands out, as much as a metaphor for feeling at home in a foreign land as it does for the excellent food and people of China.

The small city of Ma'anshan, Anhui Province is where I've taught English to university students since summer 2004. I tend to stay put in my little neighborhood there, going to the same lady for foot massages, finding meals at the same food stalls along the streets, you get the picture. I do not speak Mandarin, though I do learn try to learn a bit prior to departure for China to be polite. In Ma'anshan (and other Asian cities) there is a chain of dumpling houses called Wu Da Niang where one can find, among other things, the most delicious dumplings on the planet. Part of the allure of these dumplings are the condiments: the mouth-searing spicy oil and the freshly chopped garlic, both of which are placed in small dishes on tables for sprinkling. The first thing I do upon arrival in Ma'anshan, every time, is head straight to Wu Da Niang where I order dumplings to-go. Once my order is filled, I open the to-go box and pour loads of mouth-searing spicy oil and heap oodles of fresh garlic on my dumplings. I've never seen anyone else do this at Wu Da Niang and I'm always stared at, but never mind - the oil and fresh garlic are crucial to my dumpling experience. I then take my dumplings back to my hotel room and sit down to heaven. Last summer, my 6th in Ma'anshan, I walked to Wu Da Niang first thing upon my arrival in Ma'anshan. As I opened my to-go box of dumplings, I saw that someone had placed a rather huge baggie of spicy oil and another of garlic next to my dumplings! This, after 11 months away from China, after no communication as such with the staff, other than smiles and thank you's! Since then, I've gotten the same spicy oil/garlic treat hidden in my dumpling to-go box every single time without fail...

...If I win, Carrie gets the teapot. Also, I tweeted this :)

anne curran said...

My favorite tea is 'Montana Gold' from Butterfly Herbs in Missoula, MT- http://www.butterflyherbs.com/. This tea reminds me of summertime in Montana (rodeos, river rapids, fly fishing, hiking, hippies, photography). Butterfly Herbs also has refreshing coffee and rootbeer floats! yummo.

This teapot would look lovely in my new apt. Not to mention, I'm still not quite over the fact that the hungry roach refuses to blog about any of the SF fine dining establishments that I share with her. If I win this teapot then I will have no more grudges against any hungry roach. oh! i also made my first tweet about this contest (something that i am still not very comfortable with so i now feel vulnerable and need a pot of tea). xoxo
acc

tweet: ac_conrad: check out The Hungry Roach food blog and win a teapot from All Modern: http://thehungryroach.blogs...

Freedy said...

Three cheers for ginger garlic tea!
A winning combination of grated African ginger root
and minced garlic steeped in hot water.
Brew for 20 minutes, strain and pour into a mug
adding honey and lemon to your liking.
Drink your way to heaven !
It is recommended for sore throats , coughs, stomach aches , the common cold and flu and is
effective against cholesterol .
Angelina Jolie has said to have drunk it regularly to lose weight after giving birth to daughter Shiloh.
My husband likes to lace his ginger garlic tea with rum or whiskey for a nightcap .......delicious!
I take mine in the morning ,and it gives me the stamina of a mule !

Bradshaw said...

Well your mother and I were at a cocktail luncheon in London and I had a couple of glasses of wine....and your mother said if I dont stop drinking, we wont enjoy our tea at one of London's premier hotels that we had read about and made reservations for the 4 pm tea. Fortunately a new found friend offered to drive us into London and we extended an invitation to him to join us for tea. Unfortunately he had made other plans so he let us off at the Browns. We walked in and told the maitre'd that we had reservations. He looked down his nose, checked his list and said "I'm sorry we don't have you listed". We said we knew we had reservations and he said "If you come back in 5 minutes, perhaps we can work you in". Your mother and I walked through the lobby of the hotel through the revolving doors and came back to the tea room and were seated. We walked in to a half empty but delightful tea room with sofas covered in chintz just like you would expect. We ordered the full tea and the young lady brought back stacked plates of assorted pastries, clotted cream and strawgerry jam. she then brought tea cups and a tea pot and placed them on the table. I said "Which of us will be mother?" and your mother said "Be my guest". As I pored the tea, it leaked all over the cup and the saucer and I motioned for the young woman to come back. And i said "the spout of the teapot leaks" and the young woman said "Oh I'm so very sorry, but we are not allowed to buy new tea pots". So we enjoyed the tea immensely despite the fact that the tea pot leaked all over everything. We needed to wash up so we went to the respective restrooms. The mens room was empty and so incredibly beautiful with bevelled glass doors everywhere that I insisted that your mother come in and look. After washing our hands, we were so enamored with the soap dispensor that we tried to rip it off the wall....repeatedly. Unfortunately we failed and had to just walk out with clean smelling hands...but we learned about Moulton Brown liquid soap and we had a memorable
English tea.

Anonymous said...

Immer wieder informativ!