Maturing from camper age to counselor over the years has led to more responsibilities, later nights to make sure the campers are all safe and sleeping soundly and earlier mornings to lead stretching routines. I love it, don’t get me wrong, but running on so little sleep and high energy (besides a lot of sugar-packed marshmallows burnt over camp fire logs every night) wears on a gal like me. It takes a week at least to recover and I usually get sick from not taking care of myself.

This year I’m taking a small package of Jade Oolong with me. This is a lighter tasting oolong, and though oolong teas are in a category of their own, this one is most similar to a green tea. While the other camp leaders sit around with their cups of coffee to recover from the previous late night and gaining strength to face the new day, I won’t miss a beat from my tea-drinking routine.

My plan is to throw a few leaves of Jade Oolong into my water bottle every night (about 2 teaspoons), stow it in the fridge and sip on it throughout the day, adding more cold water as I go because this tea re-infuses so well. Of course, I’ll have the leaves floating around in my water bottle, but the whole-leaf characteristic of oolongs makes them easy to strain out from every sip.

Certainly there will be jeers and strange looks from campers and other counselors. I’m sure I’ll hear a few, “Ewwww! Gross!” comments, but I’ll take the persecution with a smile in exchange for the healthy dose of caffeine, the antioxidants to keep my immune system kicking, and the cool, refreshing taste of my Jade Oolong tea.

Don’t let me have all the fun though. Do some experimenting yourself. It’s the lowest maintenance way to make a cool summer tea for hot days in the sun.

I’ll be back in a week with a much better tan.

Your Barista,

Katie ]]> http://blog.theteasmith.com/tea/cold-infusions/feed/ http://blog.theteasmith.com/tea/rooibos-red-tea-and-sports-drinks/ http://blog.theteasmith.com/tea/rooibos-red-tea-and-sports-drinks/#comments Fri, 22 May 2009 18:47:44 +0000 Katie Tea http://blog.theteasmith.com/tea/rooibos-red-tea-and-sports-drinks/ One of our store fronts is situated near a running/biking trail so I see a lot of athletic people on a day-to-day basis. These customers come in a little sweaty and a lot thirsty.  This is a crowd that I circle in and out of in my attempts to get and stay in shape.

Last year about this time, I started training for a marathon. With little knowledge about how to go about this and a flippant attitude about the importance of stretching before and after a workout, I jumped into training.

I completed the half-marathon, but not without a lot of pain.

Humbled by the 13 or so miles, and better informed, this year I’m giving it another try.

Rooibos or what some call “Red Tea” is my reccomendation and drink of choice. It is so much more than a thirst-quencher. 

The health claims of this red bush grown in South Africa are pretty incredible - polyphenols and antioxidants to slow down the aging process; calcium, manganese and flouride to strengthen bones and teeth; alpha hydroxy acid and zinc for healthy skin; again, more manganese for a healthy nervous system; and a component that helps the body absorb iron; finally, it contains supple amounts of potassium and copper minerals that aid metabolism.  Among all of these claims, the minerals found in rooibos contribute to the restoration of the body after strenuous excercise. Sounds like a great post-workout brew. I’m willing to give it a try.

Race day doesn’t fall until the end of September, so I’ve got plenty of time to get back in shape and start my experiment proving the incredible benefits of this herbal brew.  But we haven’t even started talking about flavor!  Chocolate Mint, Tropical Paradise, Green Flower, Orange Blossom, and Lemon Chiffon are just a few names to tempt your palette.

So far, I’m up to five miles a few times a week, drinking a lot of rooibos and feeling pretty good.  I can fit right in with that athletic crowd again.

I will keep you posted

Katie

Hot or iced, this is a rare jewel among other treasures, but especially on a warm day. My first whiff of this black tea from Sri Lanka brought to mind memories of a basic iced tea that had spent several days basking in the sun. As a child, I was never a huge fan of the bitter taste that always accompanied my mom’s own brew (probably of much lesser quality).

But leaving all bitter memories aside, there is nothing bitter or astringent about this tea. The aroma is bright and clear. The taste is crisp and refreshing. A perfect companion on a hot, humid day, I can already see the cool beads of condensation slipping down the side of my glass.

It’s simple. It’s straightforward.

It’s called Ceylon Sun, and it’s my favorite.

If you forget the name though, just look for the tag that says “Katie’s Favorite.”

Your Barista

Katie

It’s also the time of year when the first flush Darjeeling teas arrive.

We’ve waited all winter for this.

They are finally here.

Proposing a colorful palette of a different kind.

With what is believed to be the perfect growing conditions for tea, Darjeeling produces the Champagne of Teas. Floral, nutty, complex, playful, and light are ways we have described these teas.

But I don’t want to taint your palette with my own colorful descriptions. You will have to try them for yourself.

I can only testify that as I sit and sip at the first infusion of this Darjeeling from the Margaret’s Hope Estate, I’m experiencing something like a fresh breath of mountain air and the playful aroma of Spring as it unfurls.

Our first pair of satisfied connoisseurs has just walked out with a little more lively and satisfied smiles. I’m not the only one who feels refreshed J

Your Barista,

Katie

It’s also time to start thinking about getting my hands in the soil to plant my own garden - lettuce, peas, onions, then tomatoes, peppers, carrots and corn. It occurred to me while perusing the aisles of the grocery store, that those days of plucking a ripe, red tomato off of its bitter-smelling vine are not far off.

While the shelves inside the store are lined with cartons and packages properly labeled with nutrition information and a list of ingredients, it’s refreshing to look forward to warm days to come and the fruit that will follow - one ingredient. No label necessary. I can rely on my own senses, sight, smell, taste, and touch to know exactly what I am putting into my body without stumbling through ingredient lists filled with more words that I can’t pronounce. It’s not that I’m totally a purist when it comes to food. There have just been so many studies done and foods forbidden or others that carry caution labels or else advertise what bad chemicals and foods are omitted - high fructose corn syrup, GMO’s, trans-fat, etc. It leaves me cautious and defensive as I fill my grocery cart.

Opening a canister of tea is a bit like a stroll through my garden in late summer in the way that my own senses can tell me what is in it. Very often there is only one ingredient - tea leaves. No nutrition information label necessary. Unless of course, you feel like something a little more fruity, but then too, you can rely on your senses to see, smell, and after infused, taste what goes into these teas. A few examples are the whole blackberries in Boldly Blackberry, and strawberries in Subtle Strawberry, and the variety of peppercorns, nutmeg pods, or cinnamon pieces in the Masala Chai teas.

How refreshing. Over ice, even better!

Your Barista,

Katie ]]> http://blog.theteasmith.com/tea/one-ingredient/feed/ http://blog.theteasmith.com/tea/pu-erh-working-backwards/ http://blog.theteasmith.com/tea/pu-erh-working-backwards/#comments Fri, 20 Mar 2009 18:23:55 +0000 Katie Tea http://blog.theteasmith.com/tea/pu-erh-working-backwards/ Pronounced “poo-air,” this category of teas has a few preconceived notions to overcome for those who are new to the world of tea. I don’t want to taint your opinion, but when I introduce this tea to a customer, I like to give it a little bit of an introduction.

When described as the aged, compacted and fermented tea that it is, the effect produced is a raised eyebrow or two. Honestly, I can relate. It was an acquired taste for me too, and having grown up on a farm in the Midwest, I am all too familiar with the term “barnyard aroma.”

Please keep reading. Redemptive qualities are still to come with health benefits in tow…

As an aged and fermented tea, pu-erh can take on an earthy, rich flavor. If the aesthetics of pouring that first cup of tea appeal to you (as they do to me), the dark pu-erhs have a beautiful burnt sienna color. Coffee drinkers and coffee converts appreciate them for their bold character and taste.

Traditionally, pu-erhs were compressed into shapes of cakes, bowls, or bird’s nests to simplify shipping and storing purposes as traders traveled over routes from the Yunnan region of China. This method of preparation and storage continues today as the compressed tea improves with age.

Pu-erhs can be categorized even further by breaking them down into two groups - raw or cooked. Something akin to the classification of green or black tea, each variety of pu-erh falls somewhere on a scale of eleven different grades that are sometimes aged for decades. As moisture is introduced to the tea leaves, bacteria begins to grow and fermentation takes place. All of this enriches and changes the flavor of the steaming brewed beverage finally poured into your cup.

While many connoisseurs of pu-erh appreciate it for its age and varied notes of flavor that emerge at different times of the process, others consume and enjoy it for the health benefits. The bacteria in this tea is similar to that of yogurt cultures and it is believed that pu-erhs aid in lowering cholesterol and in preventing cholesterol from forming in the arteries. Still others consume the beverage testifying to the fact that it aids in digestion and in metabolism. All great claims, but as always, we encourage you to experience new tastes, but drink what you like.

Pu-erhs are definitely an experience not to be missed.

Your Barista,

Katie

A couple of friends will say their marriage vows tomorrow, and (I hope they won’t mind my reference to them), but tea shops are a great place to meet someone.

Both avid coffee drinkers, tea was in the margins of their lives. In fact, their first date was over a cup of coffee. She came in for tea the day after their date and told me about him. Surprised that I knew him as a friend, I told her what I knew of his character. Their first line of communication was over the Internet (Wi-Fi is also available here and at most cafes if this is your preference), but had they spent more drinking tea here at our shop, I would have gladly introduced them and watched their relationship unfurl like the leaves in their teapot.

Well, fate and faith had its way and the two are tying the knot tomorrow. Coffee still vies for first place when it comes to caffeine, but for the record, I am giving them tea for their wedding gift. A gift given with the hope that their relationship will grow and flourish as they take time not only for espresso shots to be packed and poured for their morning dose, but for the afternoon and into evening hours when they can talk while their tea steeps.

Congratulations you two! Keep up the good conversation J

Your Barista,

Katie

Needing the good conversation and company that coffee and tea shops so often cultivate, and not wanting to sip from a water bottle, I ventured out to order a chai tea latte. I was nervous about consuming something I wasn’t even sure how to pronounce - something that my mom would later refer to as “tai chee or chai tea or whatever you call it” upon her introduction.

I’ve learned so much.

The chai was not the topic of conversation for me then, but only the vehicle to carry me to greater adventures and a broader knowledge of tea.

Travels to Russia shortly after my palette learned to love and crave chai as we know it in the United States, I quickly learned that chai was simply the word for tea in many other countries. New to the language and the culture, I asked the waitress if they served chai. She responded with a flat, dry “yes,” but was not amused at my excitement. I received a teacup and saucer with black tea and two cubes of sugar. Good, but not what I thought I had ordered.

My expectations dashed, my world widened, and a piece of the language falling into place, I would later converse on topics with Russian friends over politics, movies, art, authors, religion, and family. The chai was always integral, but always peripheral, that is until our teacups were empty and our conversation at a lull. Then we turned to tea.

Black currant tea, or raspberry, even oolong teas or green tea (“good for the health” I heard very often). It was usually loose leaf and brewed to perfection accompanied with bread, cookies, honey and fruit preserves.

I never knew that chai could be so much more.

My friend and fellow barista from India tells me that to order “chai” in India is to receive a cup of black tea steeped with spices: cardemom pods, rich milk, and various other spices depending on the area or home you visit.  This is chai as we know it in the U.S.

I can tell when a customer comes in and asks if we have chai. I can see the expression change and eyes light up when I say yes, but their journey, like mine so many years ago has just begun. We certainly have “chai” and oh so much more…

It’s a big world, you know. Drink it up!

Your Barista,

Katie

Oolongs get the most varied reactions. First of all, what are all of those “o’s” doing in a single word? This is the first obstacle - sounding the word out, “Oooolong. What is that?” I hear this a lot.  As tea is becoming more trendy, many people have at least heard the word even if they know nothing about them. So where do they fit among the green/black tea balance of health and wellness and more importantly, taste?

Chocolate, hazelnut, peaches, apricots, lilacs, honey, and cinnamon are among the more pleasant words people liken to their favorites. Those reactions and descriptions that make me chuckle range from smelling like a flannel shirt, reminding one individual of her grandfather in India, a walk through fresh-cut alfalfa, ripe apple orchards, smoke, fresh baked bread, or one of my favorites, glazed donuts (without any of the calories, of course).

Apart from our ginseng oolong, none of our oolongs are actually blended or flavored, so what gives them such a defining aroma? It’s all in the processing.

The basics: Traditionally produced in Taiwan and China, oolongs fall somewhere between greens and black teas when it comes to processing. The whole leaf is picked and partially oxidized. The leaves are usually shaken and edges bruised to break the cells inside and on the surface of the leaf so that oxidization can occur. There are two basic categories that fall under the oolong umbrella. Some open-leaf oolongs that take on a darker character are allowed to oxidize 70%, while the greener colored or balled oolongs are allowed to oxidize up to 30%.  Throw in various growing conditions and heights and you have a wide range of taste experiences all through one type of tea - oolong. 

It is also interesting to note that oolongs withstand multiple infusions.  You can use the leaves several times before the whole leaf is even unfurled.  I’m on my third pot with this Rou Gui Rock Tea and it keeps getting better…reminds me of my mom’s fresh Honey Bulgar Bread.  That’s just my opinion.

Go ahead.  Sniff some tea leaves.  Tell me what you think.  Make me smile

Your Barista,

Katie

They are in search of something familiar to hang on their taste buds. Honestly, I would do the same when confronted with so many names I don’t know how to pronounce. So much flavor is concealed behind names we don’t understand.

Japan and China have been growing and producing good green tea for a very long time. They’ve got the corner on the market, but their nomenclature can be scary to those of us who have never studied Japanese or Chinese.

Just to give you an idea of a few of our Japanese Greens: Genmaicha, Kukicha, Sencha, Sencha Shin-ryoku, Hojicha, Gyokuro and Fukamushi. Chinese Greens on the other hand, give us names we can pronounce but no idea of how they might taste: Dragon Well, Ancient Jade Lily, Gunpowder and Green Monkey King.

While the more familiar words are tucked safely behind these pronunciation speed bumps: Sweet Pomegranate, Moroccan Mint, Strawberry Smile, Minty Green Chai, Cherry Blossom, Jasmine Pearls, and China Jasmine.

There is nothing wrong, of course with staying with what you know you like, but, as your barista, let me remind you that I am here to help. The basics of what you need to know about green tea:

Japanese Greens are steamed. They retain a slightly sharp, grassy flavor.

Chinese Greens are fired and tend to taste more toasty and sweet.

Of course there is more complexity to every cup, but this is a place to start.

It’s late so I’m enjoying the rounded, rich taste of our Decaf Sencha of Japanese origin. Though I normally tend to shy away from decaf teas, this one caught my attention tonight. Be bold in your exploration of teas to tempt your palate.

I promise I won’t make fun of your pronunciation attempts.

Your Barista,

Katie