Other recipes from OPERA LOVER'S COOKBOOK Madama Butterfly Sake Martini & Puccini Turandot Tea Eggs from Opera Lover's Cookbook Serves 2 MARTINI The Metropolitan Opera presented the American debut of Madama Butterfly on February 11, 1907 starring Enrico Caruso. Puccini, present for the event, received a standing ovation. Sake, less forceful than vermouth, makes a marvelous martini. A hint of ginger adds just the right touch. 18 whole dried figs 4 ounces vodka 2 tablespoons candied ginger, minced, plus more for garnish 1 ounce sake Crushed ice Cucumber slices Gently shake the vodka, ginger, sake and ice together in a cocktail shaker. Pour into two chilled martini glasses and serve garnished with cucumber and candied ginger slices. TEA EGGS The centuries old Chinese technique of marinating eggs in tea and spices makes them look like beautiful marble. Different types of tea yields different colors. Green tea makes lovely yellow shades, Red Zinger purple hues, Lemon Zinger green striations, and black tea an assortment of golden brown tones. You can try this technique with any sort of egg-- chicken, duck or even with delicate and delicious quail eggs. Accompany the tea eggs with tiny bowls of salt, like orange tinged Hawaiian salt or flavorful gray salt. Serve the eggs with flaked dulse, dried red seaweed that has a lovely purple cast and a delicate briny taste. 5 bags or 5 heaping teaspoonfuls tea 3 tablespoons soy sauce 2 tablespoons sugar 3 whole star anise or 1 teaspoon anise seed 1 teaspoon black peppercorns 1 teaspoon whole cloves 1 teaspoon fennel seeds 1 2-inch cinnamon stick 6 eggs, hard-boiled Salt Steep the tea in 2 cups of boiling hot water in a bowl large enough to hold all the eggs. Remove the tea bags or strain, if using loose tea. Stir in the soy sauce, sugar, star anise, peppercorns, cloves, fennel, and cinnamon. Reserve. Gently tap the hard-boiled eggs on a hard surface until they are completely covered with fine crack lines. Place the eggs still in their shells in the tea mixture and marinate overnight. To serve, carefully peel the shell, leaving the inner membrane intact. Serve accompanied by salt. ©2009 Francine Segan. All rights reserved.