Thursday, September 11, 2008

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Tea Brewing

Don’t let the fancy teapots fool you! Brewing the perfect cup of tea is easy. We’ve outlined simple instructions as well as some tips below.

DIRECTIONS:

1. Bring fresh, cold water to a rolling boil.

2. LOOSE TEA: Add tealeaves to a teapot, fill-your-own teabag or infuser basket. Use 1 to 2 teaspoons (adjust to taste) per cup (8 oz) of water. TEA SACHET: Place tea sachet(s) in teapot or cup. Each sachet brews 1 to 2 cups (8-16 oz) of tea.

3. Pour boiling water over black & herbal tea. Allow water to cool slightly before brewing Green Tea, White Tea and Mat’. Cover.

4. Infuse (steep) leaves for suggested time (see chart). Do not oversteep or tea may become bitter.

5. Remove tea sachet, bag or infuser from water or strain leaves. ENJOY!

ICED TEA
To make fresh iced tea, follow the directions above but use twice as much tea to account for dilution by ice. Once cool, pour over an ice-filled cup and garnish with lemon, fruit or mint.

Brewing loose-leaf tea is as simple as brewing a teabag’only instead of a teabag, use an infuser or Fill-Your-Own teabag to keep the leaves out of your cup. By replacing your old teabag with an alternate method, you will be rewarded with a much higher quality, better tasting, and healthier brew.

ADDITIONAL TIPS:

START WITH GOOD WATER
Even the best tea will taste only as good as the water used to prepare it. Avoid distilled, mineral and soft tap water which will weaken tea's flavor. Bottled, spring or filtered water is best and will provide a much livelier and more aromatic infusion.

NEVER OVER STEEP
Over steeping can make tea taste bitter. If you prefer strong tea, do not over steep; simply use more leaves.
DON’T JUDGE BY COLOR
Different types of tea will yield their own unique hue. For example, White Tea naturally brews a pale, golden color while Black Tea will yield an intense, deep ruby-red or chocolate brown. Instead of using color to tell you when a tea’s done steeping, simply use a timer.



The chart below can help you get started:
VARIETAL AMOUNT/8oz STEEP TIME

WHITE 2-3 Teaspoons 4-5 minutes

GREEN 1-2 Tsp 1-3 minutes

PEARL 1 tsp 4-5 min

OOLONG 1-2 Tsp 4-5 min

BLACK 1-2 tsp 4-5 min

RED 2-3 tsp 3-5 min

YERBA MATE 2-3 tsp 3-5 min

CHAMOMILE 2-3 tsp 4-7 min

Focus: Green Tea


GREEN TEA
Rich in powerful antioxidants & health benefits, Green Tea has a fresh, sweet flavor and fragrant aroma.
~~~~~~~~~~
Due to minimal processing, Green Tea retains its natural appearance and vibrant color as well as high levels of the plant’s healthy properties. Green Tea varies dramatically in flavor from grassy and sweet to floral and fresh to nutty and roasted. Like fine wine, Green Tea’s flavor depends on the plant varietal, season of harvest, soil, elevation, weather, cultivation and origin. Each region has its own distinct flavor and aroma.
~~~~~~~~

Green Tea is one of the fastest-growing segments of the US specialty tea market due to continued media coverage highlighting its powerful health benefits. According to scientific research, Green Tea is rich in EGCG (one of nature’s most potent antioxidants) which may help protect the body against disease and aging. Green Tea is also noted for its ability to aid weight-loss, improve immune system functioning and simultaneously relax and rejuvenate the body.

Our Provider of choice chooses only the best selection from the world’s top artisan tea gardens. Our Green Tea Blends are hand crafted in small batches and infused with only pure essential oils, natural essences and fresh botanicals.

Green Tea tends to be the most difficult category to brew correctly. The brewing instructions and helpful tips posting will help you achieve the best flavor.

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

Focus: Red Teas

RED TEA

Known for its ability to promote rest and relaxation, Red Tea contains many of the same health-promoting properties as Green Tea and is 100% caffeine-free.

Also called Red Tea because of its vibrant, ruby color, Rooibos (pronounced Roy-boss) has a sweet, full-bodied flavor without a trace of bitterness. As a source of powerful antioxidants, Rooibos strengthens the body’s immune system and contains some of the highest known levels of anti-aging properties of any plant on earth. Rooibos is also known for its ability to replenish the skin from the inside out and is recommended for mild depression, allergies, headaches, anxiety or insomnia.

This therapeutic Herbal Tea offers many of the same health-promoting properties as Green Tea but is 100% caffeine-free, making it an ideal choice for evening or for people sensitive to caffeine.


One of Our best sellers : Winter Mint