Tea

Samovar Tea Lounge is proud to partner with The Long Now Foundation to source a rare pu-erh tea for the foundation’s future Salon, for which they are raising support. The Long Now Foundation was established in 01996 to to creatively foster … Continue reading →

Jesse Jacobs, founder of Samovar Tea Lounge, was interviewed by The American City Business Journals for the feature From Beginners to Bigshots: Click here to view the article on the ACBJ website. By Nathalie Pierpont Beginners to Bigshots featured Jesse … Continue reading →

Tisane Information: Leaf Type:  Functional Tea/Herbal Tisane Where to Buy:  Teas and Botanicals Tisane Description: A great herbal tea blend boosting the body’s immune system. Its natural antibiotic and virucidal properties eases symptoms and discomforts associated with colds and mild fever. A good detox for the entire body, a great herbal drink for people with diabetes, ulcers, bronchitis, and various sickness and disease. Rich in vitamin C and has the ability to reduce high blood pressure and lower cholesterol levels. Learn more about this functional tisane here. Taster’s Review: OK, I’m not a huge fan of functional teas … I mean, flavor wise, they leave a little to be desired, you know what I’m saying?  But as far as the function they serve, I’m all for turning to herbal remedies in the form of tea if it helps promote health.  So it is with this Herbal Immune Booster from Teas & Botanicals – it isn’t the tastiest thing I’ve had recently, but, it isn’t horrible either.  And if it boosts the immune system, well, I’m all for that. The ingredient list is short:  just three ingredients: Ingredients: Pau D’Arco, Astralagus, Hibiscus. Pau D’Arco is a bark, and it looks like bark.  It actually looks a bit like lapacho and so I did a quick check and found out that Pau D’Arco actually IS lapacho.  You learn something new everyday.  Although I doubt that my intake of lapacho will ever be such that I would ever need to know this again, but, hey … who am I to knock knowledge?  Lapacho is supposed to help infections, fever, and stomach issues.  Astragalus is supposed to help the immune system, and hibiscus is a diuretic and is rich in vitamin C as well and some minerals. As far as taste … what I taste primarily is the hibiscus.  I’m glad that the hibiscus does not have a syrupy or thick consistency, and it doesn’t taste too tart here.  Perhaps the other ingredients thin the hibiscus enough to allow it to just give off an agreeable berry-tarty kind of taste without coming off as TOO hibiscus-y. This tastes medicinal … as many functional teas do.  I’m not about to sit here and try to convince you that this is the best tasting herbal tea I’ve ever tried because it isn’t.  However, as far as functional teas that help promote health and boost the immune system … this ain’t bad.  I think this does taste better as it cools, so if you’re going to drink it … I’d recommend trying it iced. The post Herbal Immune Booster from Teas & Botanicals appeared first on SororiTea Sisters.

The 2013 First Flush teas have already mostly come into certain retailers, and I have already bought an obscene amount of Darjeeling. So I guess it’s time to start clearing out all my 2012 Indian brews. This is a classic tea from a garden I’m always happy with, so I’m excited to try it. I steep one heaping teaspoon in one cup 195° water for three minutes. The cup is remarkably simple, but brilliant. The classic Margaret’s Hope flavours of muscatel and herbs are the main notes, though the herbal flavour is more prominent than the fruit, an aspect that doesn’t bother me but may dissuade some people. There’s a winey acidity that balances the pleasant bitterness. At least, I would call the bitterness pleasant, but it is somewhat heavy-handed, even for a Darjeeling. Again, it’s a note that some may be off-putting but it pairs nicely with the higher notes of fruit and wine, bringing the cup down to earth a bit. I get a second steep, similar to the first, though somewhat simpler. Overall, this tea satisfies. It’s not the greatest Margaret’s Hope leaf I’ve ever had, but it’s good, and it’s very affordable. A definite would-buy.

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You know your inner “tea princess” is in full swing when you’re starving and parched so you stop in a place called “tea room,” are shown the tea selection (consisting of bagged teas from a couple of fairly well-known but not necessarily high-grade tea companies) and leave, still starving and parched. And disgusted. Since when did “tea room” apply to such a place? Seems to me like the name is getting totally overused.Is it or isn’t it? Sometimes you never know until you step inside. (Yahoo! Images)Read the rest of the article on The English Tea Store Blog.© 2013 A.C. Cargill photos and text

You know your inner “tea princess” is in full swing when you’re starving and parched so you stop in a place called “tea room,” are shown the tea selection (consisting of bagged teas from a couple of fairly well-known but not necessarily high-grade tea companies) and leave, still starving and parched. And disgusted. Since when […]

Please pardon me for restating the obvious, but when people share common interests they have a tendency to gather together into groups to explore those interests. Tea people are no exception, mind you, and the same for those tea people that are in the business of producing and/or selling tea. Rather than being a comprehensive […]

Bigelow Tea is proud to be a family-owned business that treats everyone like family.  Our “family circle” includes many suppliers, employees, retailers, and of course, passionate tea consumers! More recently, we have connected with a vibrant community of bloggers, and many of them have shared personal stories about their affection for Bigelow Tea. We take a moment to thank these wonderful writers and highlight a few of our favorite tea musings from the blogs—all of which revolve around … family, of course! Great Contradictions – a blog dedicated to helping “others to live happy, healthy lives no matter what their circumstances are,” posted a lovely tribute to tea and tradition. “Girl Talk with my mom drinking a cup of Bigelow Tea is definitely a cherished moment.” Cre8tive Compass – At first glance, Rebecca Parsons’ photos (like the one above) featuring Bigelow Tea and her grandmother’s china look like still-life paintings. Simply stunning. We also appreciate Rebecca’s take on our teas: “I call it ‘MY’ Bigelow Tea because I think of it as a member of my family. I drink it every day … My favorite is Plantation Mint.” The Mommy-Files – Shannon Gosney’s morning tea ritual was inspired by her mom. She prepares a cup of her favorite flavor, Earl Grey, and moves the tea bag to a small bowl after steeping. “I pick up my mug and as the steam lifts from the mug, I can smell the delicious aroma of the tea. It’s heavenly!” We want to thank every blogger who has taken the time to celebrate Bigelow Tea and tea drinking in general and we invite all of you to visit the above bloggers as well as those listed below for more tea inspiration! Rambles of a SAHM Still Blonde After All These Years Mom with a dot com Mommy Hates Cooking Mudpies and Tiaras Bubbly Nature Creations And, as always, we invite you to share your own tea stories with us on Facebook or Twitter! Image by Rebecca Parsons via Cre8tive Compass

Recently, I had the pleasure of conducting a short interview with Master Herbalist and Nutritional Consultant Adela Hasas, who has an inspiring and insightful way of describing the benefits of drinking tea. I am also a fan of her blog and appreciate her candid writing style. While Adela values a holistic approach to wellness and appreciates tea’s role as a healing agent, she is very level-headed and sensible about the advantages of herbal medicine. It may not be a cure-all, but there’s just something to say for a hot cuppa of verdant leaves. As Adela so aptly explained, it’s a lot better than a “‘one pill for one ill’ mentality … [it's] fast and easy medicine right from your pantry!” You know, you’ve tried it?  Right? Alexandra: When did you become interested in tea and how does it work into your overall concerns with holistic health? Adela: I grew up with herbal tea being ubiquitous, but green tea specifically didn’t figure much into my life until a few years ago. Holistic health is all about the mind-body-spirit connection, about how everything affects everything else. It’s the opposite of the “one pill for one ill” mentality. What I love about green tea is that it brings balance to so many of the body’s systems, including emotions, and it’s not so much a functional thirst-quencher as it is a multifaceted healing modality. It’s this all-in-one power drink from such a delicate little leaf. I have such respect for it. Alexandra: When you lived in Romania, did you drink tea there? Adela: Romanians love their herbal teas (my mom has an overflowing cupboard of boxes and boxes of bagged and loose-leaf teas), but I didn’t really drink green or black tea until I came to the States. I don’t even know if we had it in Romania! As a kid, I don’t remember having iced tea, ever. I grew up during the Communist regime, so our imports were pretty limited. Alexandra: What inspired you to attend a natural medicine school?  What have you learned from the experience? Adela: For years I’d studied nutrition and natural health on my own, so I figured it might be a good idea to have some credentials to back up my knowledge. Honestly, I don’t even remember exactly how I found the school! I’d been researching natural medicine colleges for a couple years, but in general they were too pricey or unaccredited. Somehow I eventually stumbled upon the Global College of Natural Medicine (GCNM), and the curriculum (and price!) were right up my alley, so I enrolled that very same day. As far as what I learned—that’s probably the most interesting part. I went in believing just about everything, but I came out a skeptic. I definitely still believe in herbs and nutrition and a holistic approach to healing, but I am against anything that’s been proven time and again to be nothing beyond a placebo effect. Let’s call it what it is, shall we? Alexandra: Why should a non-tea drinker consider drinking tea? Adela: It’s interesting; I think from the outside, non-tea drinkers may view green tea as a hippie drink, as something too “soft” and bland. But there’s just something about it that completely changes the pace of your day. If you start your day with green tea rather than coffee, you’re off to a mellow, slow, indulgent start. Or if you’re having a hectic day at work, instead of reaching for a cuppa Joe at 3:00 PM to continue the mad rush and sustain your hectic heartbeat, why not slow down for a bit? Your body wants something comforting, and a nice mug of hot tea is just the thing. Alexandra: What are the most important concepts, ideas, or skills you have learned as a master herbalist? Adela: Resourcefulness! I am so in awe of the wide range of healing properties of the most basic little plants found all around us. If I have a stomach ache, I don’t need to rush to the store for some Tums; I can just pour some hot water over mint leaves from my mom’s backyard. If I’m anxious and can’t fall asleep, I steep some chamomile flowers that my good frien