The World Tea Expo is just around the corner and we couldn’t be more excited. It’s a great time to meet with other friends in the industry, get inspired, share knowledge and enjoy some delicious tea. This year, we’ll be exhibiting with 200 other companies and businesses from around the world.
Did you know the conference is in it’s eleventh year and bigger than ever? Here are four more things about the World Tea Expo that might surprise you!
It’s a Bootcamp
There are plenty of seasoned veterans on the floor of the World Tea Expo, but doors are also wide open for neophytes looking to stake their own claim in the expanding tea market. The New Business Bootcamp helps budding entrepreneurs gain essential skills and knowledge about tea and business so that they can kick off their new ventures feeling capable and confident.
There are No Repeats
As a means to avoid stagnating and recycling old ideas, the World Tea Expo has developed one simple rule for it’s seminars. Topics are not allowed to repeated. It’s a testament to the incredible versatility of tea that year after year exhibitors and speakers are able to share new information about the trade. It also demonstrates a commitment to innovation that rekindles an already fervent passion for tea.
It’s a Competition
You didn’t think it was all fun and games, did you? In the spirit of sharing best practices, a little friendly competition amongst colleagues helps to promote excellence in the field. Tea tastings feature pre-selected winning teas from around the world. The expo also names a few different winning products to be exhibited. Additionally, there’s a Tea Infusion Challenge to find the Top Tea Infusionist, who, according to the organizers, is “a tea professional (non-manufacturer) that has comprehensive product knowledge, experienced brewing skills and innate talent to best express teas’ characteristics and intended cups.” Last year’s winner was our own Chief Leaf, Tim Smith, so you know it’s serious business!
Future Trends are in the Tea Leaves
There’s no better place to get a pulse for what’s next that at the World Tea Expo. With so many movers and shakers under one roof, attendees get to see what’s brewing several months before new products, ideas and approaches start shaping the industry. Last year’s trends included a growing interest in specialty teas, as well as a boost in tea retail overall. Expect to see both those trends continue This year. One more prediction: cooking and baking with tea will be a big trend to follow.
The conference will take place June 7-9 in Las Vegas. Looking to learn more? Visit the official website here.
May 16th, 2013
Author (and mother) Tenneva Jordan once said, “A mother is a person who, seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people, promptly announces she never really did care for pie.” While mom may always puts others first, we think most of the moms we know would feel differently if it was the last cup of tea in the teapot! That’s why we’re offering a special deal this Sunday in honor of Mother’s Day.
This Sunday, treat all the special moms in your life to something extra nice– their favorite brew. Stroll down to the Old Market and a make a whole day out of spoiling mom. Then, make sure to stop by the Tea Smith. We’ll be celebrating all day by offering a free cuppa for any mom who comes in with members of her adoring family.
Looking for something extra special to make mom’s day really memorable? We have some great gifts for mom that make for a really unique and thoughtful (or even last minute!) gift. We’ve got a great selection to choose from, with enough variety to make moms from every walk of life happy and healthy with great loose leaf tea and accessories.
A Flowering Teas Gift Basket is a great present for a mom who appreciates a tea that’s not just delicious but also beautiful. You’ll have just as much fun watching these Thousand Days Red Jasmine and Golden Magic in the Water teas bloom as you will sipping them. For a great show, use our petite glass teapot that comes included. It’s a great conversation piece for a small get together and an unforgettable gift. This gift box also comes with some sweet extras– chocolates for mom!
Whether you’re in a bind, out of time or just not sure what to get mom this year, a Tea Smith gift card is a customizable answer for your Mother’s Day needs. The card can be redeemed online or at either one of our locations. Not a bad idea for an extra picky mom in your life. She’ll be able to select anything she wants on her own time, and that’s a great thing. After all, mother knows best!
May 9th, 2013
It may have taken a little longer than we’d hoped, but it seems like spring is finally here. It’s the perfect time to start having your favorite brews over ice. Here are some tips to make sure you do iced tea the right way.
- The Impatient Method. Can’t wait? Infuse two teaspoons of tea per 8 oz. water. After infusing, pour over a glass full of ice and enjoy! Serves one.
- The Patient Method. Infuse one teaspoon per 8 oz water. After infusing, chill and serve. Serves one.
- Cold Infusion. Grab size four T-sacs and add approximately one oz. of tea leaves inside T-sac. Fill a one gallon pitcher with cold water. Place T-sac in pitcher and let set in refrigerator for 6-8 hours.
- The Party Method. Having company? Grab a size four T-sac and use the Impatient Method on a larger scale. Fill up a size four T-sac with one ounce of tea leaves and place in a one-gallon pitcher. Infuse tea using only 1/2 gallon of hot water. After tea is done infusing, pour over a one-gallon pitcher of ice.
As far as equipment goes, the right accessories go a long way when it comes to getting flavor and temperature just right. We love this Beehouse Iced Tea Pitcher and we know you will, too! Making your favorite brew over ice doesn’t have to mean foregoing the great quality of loose-leaf tea. While many pitchers don’t come equipped to make great iced, loose-leaf tea, this one is readymade with Beehouse’s trademark tea infuser.
It’s the perfect way to usher in the warmer weather, with a a sleek, clean design that features soft, swooping lines. It also comes in five fantastic colors: Banana, Blueberry, Artichoke, Avocado and Carrot.
Here’s what Beverly from Nebraska had to say: “I got this iced tea pitcher (in blue) last summer, and use it for both ice & hot teas. It brews beautifully, plus has beautiful graceful lines.”
Looking for another terrific option? The Takeya Iced Pitcher lets you easily brew leaf tea, bags, or flowering teas. With BPA free glass, this pitcher features a fine mesh infuser, airtight lid and is dishwasher safe for easy clean up.
Looking for delicious iced options? Stock up on spring blends!
May 2nd, 2013
When it comes to tea bags (silky or not), it’s pretty clear where your friends at the Tea Smith stand on the issue. Loose leaf is absolutely the way to go!
The quality of whole leaf tea is better, giving you the best experience possible and allowing you to enjoy the flavors of your favorite brew the way they’re meant to be enjoyed. It’s also an eco-friendly option, because it doesn’t contribute to landfills.
Now, a new article from The Atlantic brings up some interesting questions about the makeup of tea bags and how it could be affecting your health, making an ever better case for ditching bags and opting for loose leaf.
Traditionally, tea bags have been made out of paper, which is a material that’s innocuous enough. However, these little bags usually contain the lowest grade of tea possible amounting to leftover “dust.”
In an effort to present a more premium product, some companies have developed so-called “silky” tea bags. As the article points out, these mesh bags are usually a way to present tea that creates a feeling of luxury. They come in interesting folding shapes and are usually see-through enough to appreciate the tea leaves inside.
But what exactly are these bags made of? And more importantly, when exposed to the heat required to brew tea, how could it affect what you’re ingesting? While the bags aren’t going to disintegrate or melt at the temperature required to brew tea, the heat may be enough to trigger a breakdown in the polymers that make up the plastic. The potential result is chemicals leaching into your brew.
Health risks could come down to the types of plastics used and how easily it is for them to degrade. There are already standards in place for using PET plastics by many tea companies, but as the article points out, there are studies showing that even these presumably safe alternatives could still harbor the possibility of negative health effects.
Curious to read more? Check out the full article here.
April 25th, 2013
If you’re already hearing a chorus of sniffles every time you leave the house, it can only mean one thing: allergy season is upon is. The stubborn snow is finally starting to thaw away and as plants emerge from their slumber, they’re bringing pollen and other allergens with them.
The transition from flu season to allergy season can be particularly brutal if you’re the kind of person that generally suffers from both every year, so we thought we’d share a great spring accessory that’ll help you get through the next few weeks.
Our Beehouse Honey Dispenser is a great addition to your teaware collection, especially if you’re looking for an all natural alternative to sweetening your drinks. It’s convenient, looks great and is simple enough that it can fit in with a variety of approaches to kitchen decor.
Keeping a good stash of honey around is a great idea for avid tea drinkers. Honey can add a touch of sweetness to your favorite brew, without the grainy texture that sugar and some other kinds of sweeteners can leave at the bottom of your cup. It’s also a fantastic way to soothe your throat when it’s feeling raw from excessive sneezing and coughing. Mix it with a dash of lemon and you’ve got a refreshing, replenishing brew.
Did you know honey is also a probiotic? It helps increase naturally occurring good bacteria in your body that aids with things like proper digestion. Overall, it’s a great healthy alternative to refined sugars or artificial sweeteners.
If you’re worried about making a mess, our dispenser is specially designed to keep you out of sticky situations! The secure lid minimizes drips to make sure your honey ends up in your cup and not all over the counter. We like the artichoke color, but it also comes in carrot and blueberry. Pick one up for a friend. It makes for a gift that’s extra sweet!
April 18th, 2013
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