I make it a point in the morning to relax and enjoy my first pot of tea before I look at what is going on in the ‘real’ world. As a retailer, I am naturally concerned about how this rocky economic landscape will affect the sales of tea and tea related accessories. Retail sales in general are weak, so what about tea?
So far tea has been holding its’ own and then some. Sales for the first two months of the year have been brisk. Not that I have any real explanaiton for this, or know if it will continue.
I wonder if people realize that tea is one of those affordable ‘luxuries?’ For one thing, tea is inexpensive. I enjoy wine, but cannot afford to drink the top wines in the market. The price of tea however makes even those top offerings within the reach of most everyone. Also, you can open up a pouch or tin of tea, and drink it over several months. Wine does not do well 3 months after the bottle has been opened.
Tea is also is an inexpensive way to improve your health. A few cups of green tea a day has been shown to have multiple benefits. Tea is also a good alternative to many of the other beverages we consume daily.
So hopefully tea will be recognized as an enjoyable way to improve your health, and treat yourself well.
It’s a Big World…Drink it up!
March 6th, 2008
First time visitors to a ‘real’ tea store are often surprised to find that Chai is not traditionally poured prepared from a concentrate which is highly sweetened. So we always give a little background about Chai, as a spiced black tea enjoyed in India and surrounding areas with steamed milk. Many that try authentic chai add little, if any sweetener, so I figure we are doing a good job educating their palette.
So when I was discovered Coconut chai, I must admit I was a little heisitant. Would I be messing with a traditional beverage and adding to the confusion? I learned two things from this venture. First, there are almost as many recipes for chai, as there are Indian households. Spices are chosen to taste, and often ground fresh. Second, a little experimentation can add a new dimension to an old favorite.
The addition of a little coconut seems to give the chai a smoother character, and add a slight natural sweetness. One other thing I noticed in this tea is that even people that do not normally like coconut do enjoy it when added to the other spices in the tea.
As for me, I have another beverage to enjoy in the morning!
February 25th, 2008
Oolong teas are among my favorites, so when we sold out of our Rou Gui a month or so ago, I was resigned to the fact that I may need to wait until next spring to enjoy this again.
Fate smiled on me though, as we received a sample from another of our friends a couple of weeks ago. I wasted no time in cupping this oolong tea and was immediately struck by the aroma of cinnamon for which this tea is noted. The aroma translates nicely in the taste of the tea as well. It is smooth, slightly floral, with a cinnamon flavor that makes this a complex and exciting tea.
I only hope that we have enough to hold us until the spring crop!
Enjoy!
January 25th, 2008
I notice that just like many of my patrons, I tend to drink many of the same teas on a regular basis. Though we have about 100 varieties on the shelf, I gravitate towards some comfortable favorites. Every once in a while after I make a tea for a customer that I have not tasted for a while, I sip some of the same. A little light goes off in my head, and I remember why we have this in our selection!.
It was that way this morning. I looked at our tea wall for something bold, and ‘rediscovered’ our Khongea Golden Bud Assam. As soon as I opened the tin, the full smooth aroma told me that I selected the perfect tea with which to start my day. It has the strength and bold taste I need to get going, but is full of golden tips which makes it very smooth.
New Year’s resolution: Add variety to the day; Drink a different tea every day!
Enjoy!
January 11th, 2008
Just to add to the general awareness of tea, and not to be outdone, USA Today had an article; Tea is Steeped in Health Beneifts. This was published October 7th, so I am not sure how long the link will stay active.
Hope you get a chance to look at it before they remove it.
October 11th, 2007
It seems that more and more writers and publications have discovered tea! There were two interesting articles in national publications during the last week or so.
The Wall Street Journal on October 2nd featured and article about the Hot trend in Tea in China; Puerh. They covered the rising popularity among collectors who collect this tea as one would a fine wine.
US and World News cited recent studies showing that tea may help us focus our minds. Research is being done on how tea may affect brain disorders and diseases
October 8th, 2007
Dear T Bloggers,
Thought I would tell you what I have discovered about drinking tea for my health! Since becoming a serious tea drinker in 2004, I tried to find the tea with the most health for my buck. That made me take a look at Pu-erh teas, the Chinese health tea. I found out that it did a great job lowering my blood sugars every AM! But I also found out that I couldn’t drink a lot of it without eating something before noon or I would have too much of a drop in my blood sugar. Have you had a similar experience? LL
June 2nd, 2007
In the news of late, there have been several stories about the safety of food being imported into the US, especially from China. Pet food ingredients and toothpaste have been two notable examples. National Public Radio last week had a story on this subject as well. One would be foolish not to be concerned about the safety of their food, whether it be from China, Mexico, or the local farmer’s market.
As I read these, my mind naturally wonders about the tea we import. As a tea drinker, you know that teas come primarily from the agrucultural areas of developing nations. As the pressure to deliver products that must compete on the world market increases, so do the opportunities for shortcuts, shoddy practices and mislabeling. Some of this is unintenional, and some may be done for short term gains without regards for the consequences. However, I was pleased to note in the information provided by the FDA, there have been very few instances of tea products being rejected for importation into the U.S. market. With but a couple of exceptions, the producers were not Chinese, and for the most part, not the areas most associated with loose leaf ortodox tea.
There is no easy answer to assure the safety and quality of the tea you receive. There are thousands of producers providing millions of pounds of tea into the market. There are too many growing areas, producers, varietals, and seasonal crops for any individual to track or completely understand. My suggested approach is to buy from suppliers that are reputable and take the time to understand what they have, and to explain it to you. It takes constant work, study, research, dialogue, industry involvement, and of course tasting to keep up with this dynamic industry.
For my part, I will continue to drink tea for its’ taste and its’ health benefits. At the same time I will ask more questions so I know what I am buying. I have to beleive that this product wil continue to improve, and is much better than the artificial ingredients in most of the overly processed foods found on store shelves today.
May 29th, 2007
With little effort you can find recipes using tea. This seems to be a popular trend these days. It is certainly fun, as it allows one to explore their creative side. The attached link will take you to aroundmaine.com which features an article on cooking with tea. I have not tried the recipes (yet), though the Tea-Smoked Scallops will be first on my list.
If you have a favorite recipe using tea, please feel free to share it with others here.
Enjoy,
Chief Leaf
April 3rd, 2007
Last month the History Channel aired a segment on their Modern Marvels program on tea. They did a nice job of covering history, and brought out some aspects that are not always covred in many of the books that have been written. In addition, they interviewed a number of people in the industry all the way from a plant manager for Lipton to James Norwood Pratt.
If you are interested in increasing your knowledge about tea history, how it is processed (especially in a tea bag factory), and current trends, I would reccommend finding this video. It can be ordered from The History Channel for $24.95, or found at local libraries, and I am told, Netflix.
Enjoy,
Chief Leaf
March 21st, 2007
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