Experience a holiday in the tea gardens and hotels near Darjeeling where lodging is an indulgence, with old-world charm and gorgeous vistas.
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Blog
Tea for Dummies
When I do a tea tasting with customers or friends, I often give them our tasting wheel to help them figure out words to best describe their experiences. It is a bit more fun than using a rating scale. If you have ever been to a tasting, you’ve probably seen something like this before. The same words can describe flavour for almost anything you are tasting.
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Drinking Tea History in Nara, Japan
The Butsuryu-ji Temple grounds are a treasure trove of historic tea memorabilia that includes statues of the famous Japanese Buddhist monk Kukai and his disciple Kenne and artifacts so significant to Japanese heritage that the national and local governments registered them as cultural properties.
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Easy Leaf Tea, by Timothy d’Offay
Easy Leaf Tea is a tea recipe book with a difference. This sumptuously illustrated book focuses on recipes for brewing tea and tea-centric kitchen creations. This isn’t a book about cakes with a dash of tea thrown in; this is tea, tea, and more tea, but with a twist. Tea is, as it rightly should be, the star of the show.
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Take Your Tea on a Picnic
Enjoying tea and food outside allows you to soak up nature’s vibrant energy. Tea-party picnics act as a soothing tonic for our overstimulated bodies and remind us that the simplest things in life often come with the greatest rewards.
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Artisanal Tea Maker Utilizes Rare Roseate Cultivar
Rose reserve tea is not just a mark of the enchanting flavors fostered by Nepal’s unique high-altitude micro-climates and terroir but also an embodiment of the keen talent of a new generation of tea-makers.
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How to Host the Ultimate Tea-Themed BBQ
Whether grilling outdoors with friends or enjoying a picnic on the beach, the Summer Fun issue is packed with suggestions for entertaining outdoors with tea-themed recipes and iced and cold-brew teas, pitchers, brewers, utensils, and gifts.
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Taking Tea in the Wild
Camping season is in full swing. Whether you’re into car camping, hiking, backcountry camping, or canoe camping, one thing you will not want to leave behind is your favorite tea. In this article, Tea Journey explores five teas that are perfect for camping, considering their portability, ruggedness, flavor, and functionality.
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How Much is Too Much?
“We all know that green tea is healthy,” read the 2018 article “Tea Nuances: Exploring the World of Green Tea Blends.” Research published after that was written tells us it’s not that simple. The first of the two main complications is how much we take in over a period. As […]
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Mai Tea Estate Breathes Life Into Nepal Community
Mai Tea Estate Breathes Life Into Nepal Community | Ritu Rajbanshi | The Mai Tea factory, located in Mai Pokhari wetlands near Ilam, Nepal, has been a boon to the 180 local farmers who earn a stable income from producing high-quality teas. Tea maker Thribikram Subba honed his tea-making skills for nearly two decades, slowly gaining opportunities to work with experts from India who came to the factory as consultants. Over the last two years, he has started making his own tea without supervision. “I feel like I have finally mastered the language of tea,” he says.
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Important Notes about Teabag Teas
Teabags are easy to deal with; sachets are also easy but somehow fancier and certainly more expensive; and loose leaf is even more expensive and is often much more complicated to brew. As a nerd, I decided to look into the issue by buying the same tea packaged as a teabag, sachet, and loose leaf, to see the differences. Presumably, then, they will all taste the same when brewed. (Spoiler alert: they don’t!)
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Reinventing Darjeeling Tea
Planter Rishi Saria is reinventing tea production in the fabled Darjeeling hills. “It has been over a hundred fifty years since the British brought Chinese tea to Darjeeling and over three-quarters of a century since they left,” he says, “yet we Indians continue to process tea the same way the British did rather than learning from our fellow Asians.”
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“Hello Love” the Teas of El Salvador
Marcela Figueroa held a vision and a mission to convince the people of El Salvador to become tea drinkers. Twelve years ago, she began experimenting with local herbs and flowers in blends to meet the demands of consumers seeking health benefits. Four years later she started LAFIROA tea to realize her vision. Marcela spoke with South American correspondent Horacio Bustos about her award-winning teas.
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Hand Processing Tea in Yamazoe, Japan
Farmers and other locals run the five-hour tea-making workshop near Japan’s Yamazoe Village. Tea Journey contributor Greg Goodmacher attended to learn from teacher Kenichi Ikawa Sensei how to select, pan-fire, and hand roll freshly picked raw leaves transforming them into sencha tea using centuries-old techniques.
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Pairing Tea With Alcohol: Dad’s New Favorite Hobby
This Father’s Day give dad the gift of a new favorite hobby, pairing tea with alcohol.
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Misako Lelong-Nohsoh, a Tea Ambassador’s Journey
Misako Lelong-Nohsoh shows us that Japanese green tea is nothing to fear. She takes away the formality of the Japanese tea ceremony and introduces us to Japanese green tea as she wants us to experience it: as a beverage like wine, coffee, or black tea that is woven into the everyday fabric of our lives. This is the delightful story of her journey from Japan to France and from violist to Japanese Green Tea Ambassador.
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Tea Under the Palms
This book is for every person who has ever dreamed of having formal tea with the upper classes, perhaps at Downton Abbey. The photographs of bone China cups and saucers, three-tiered plates of scones, savories, and sweets, and settings for enjoying afternoon tea’s decadence will make you swoon — a true hedonist’s delight.
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Celebrate Mother’s Day with Tea-Infused Recipes
Use the magic of tea to delight and honor your mom this Mother’s Day. These tea-infused recipes are the perfect way to celebrate!
Read More Earl Grey Scones with Fresh Blueberries
The perfect afternoon tea scone! Aromatic, flakey, and pillowy soft, Chef Shania Thomas-Floyd has created the ultimate scone. Bursting with fresh blueberries, these delicious scones perfectly balance the floral flavor of Earl Gery tea with bright citrus notes from lemon zest. Make your next afternoon tea party unforgettable with Chef […]
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Lord Bergamot Jam and Meadow Butter
Karl Holl, the Culinary Director of Smith Teamaker, has created a match made in heaven. The simple yet exquisite combination of whipped Meadow butter and Lord Bergamot tea-infused marionberry jam pairs well with pastries, freshly baked bread, scones, and just about anything else you can think to spread it […]
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Arise and Chai Shortbread Cookies
Loaded with the enticing flavors of cinnamon, cardamom, and pink peppercorns, chef Shania Thomas-Floyd has created the perfect tea cookie. These buttery shortbread cookies use the unique blend of Rise and Chai tea from Conjure Tea to take ordinary butter cookies to the next level. You might want to […]
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The Teahouse Experience
“Stepping into the teahouse should feel like stepping out of the daily world into a place of beauty – of carved wood, paintings, sculpture, calligraphy, and delicate porcelain. It would be lit with silk and stone lamps. Music would be playing at just the right volume, and the tea served must exceed the drinker’s expectations even more than the environment where it is done.” – Austin Hodge
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A Nerd’s Tea Lab
This book is a sensual delight: in it, you learn to explore tea using your senses, including sight, smell, taste, and even sound. Dr. Lovelace describes experiments you can try at home with tea using budget-friendly materials. This is a fascinating journey into the science of tea you can take without leaving home.
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The True History of Tea
The True History of Tea, a meticulously researched yet readable 280 pages of travel back in time. Reviewer Kyle Whittington, the founder of the TeaBookClub in London, describes the work of sinologist Victor H. Mair and journalist Erling Hoh as QUOTE “one of those rare instances where, rather than the dry read that the title suggests, the reader is instead treated to an engaging and captivating page-turner.”
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Authentic and Sustainable Tea Tourism
Consumers who experience the origin, terroir, and processing of the leaves in the cup can engage more deeply by visiting tea-growing regions to learn about tea. Visiting origin forever alters one’s relationship to tea. But before delving into the myriad tour options it is important to reflect on how our actions may impact others. Namely, while simultaneously seeking an authentic, hands-on tea tour, one must also consider which programs are sustainable and respectfully engage the host culture(s).
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A Bowl of Matcha at Hosen-in, Kyoto
Hosen-in is not just a gorgeous place to enjoy tea. The gardens are a marvel of meticulous care and attention to detail. The Buddhist temple, part of a group of temples on a hillside overlooking the village of Ohara, was founded 800 years ago. Hosen-in has stood the test of time.
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Tea: Wine’s Sober Sibling
Pairing tea with food is a less well-known art than wine pairings, but every bit as rewarding for cooks and connoisseurs. TeaBookClub founder Kyle Whittington reviews author Mariella Erkens’s comprehensive cookbook, Tea: Wine’s Sober Sibling.
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Black Tea Marinated Pork Loin
Tender and juicy, this flavorful recipe uses the tannins in Assam black tea to draw out the pork loin’s moisture. Creating a succulent and satisfying dish that’s easy to prepare and delicious to enjoy. The leftover marinade is used to make a rich sauce at the end.
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Cooking A Romantic Valentine’s Day Dinner With Tea
Make this Valentine’s day unforgettable by cooking a romantic dinner with tea as your captivating and alluring secret ingredient.
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Katrin Rougeventre: Immersed in Asia
Katrin Rougeventre’s journey is a singular one. She is France’s leading expert on Chinese tea and Chinese culture and has contributed to its diffusion in Europe. Among all the great French tea experts, what distinguishes Katrin is undoubtedly her roots in Asia, where her entire gustatory and sensory training took place.
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Taster Stefan Gieschke On Doing Justice to Good Teas
It is demanding to do justice to the “good teas” in their characterization and description, to capture and describe the nuances accurately and all the work that goes into these teas. It is also crucial to find a price that does justice to the work that the tea pickers, the tea makers, and the garden management put in. – Stefan Gieschke
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Honing Oolong Cha Qi Through Fire
Before the advent of electricity, all oolong tea was charcoal roasted to reduce moisture in the leaf. It’s only natural that many producers choose the gentle, stable heat of electric burners and ovens. It makes tea roasting easier and more consistent. The tea makers who remain loyal to the charcoal fire often learned by tending the coals at a young age as part of a long-standing family tradition. Others find that they simply cannot resist its captivating call.
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A Tale of Two Kathmandu Tea Shops
Bhairab Risal, a veteran journalist with a sharp memory at 94, speaks with ease and zeal of his memories of the early days of Kathmandu’s tea culture. In 1948, at the age of 20, he recalled his first cup of tea at Tilauri Mailako Pasal, one of Kathmandu’s earliest and best-known tea shops. In this article, Kathmandu journalist Prawash Gautam shares tales of two storied tea houses.
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Wild Forest Grown Ceylon Tea
Community Driven Tea Nestled in the Adam’s Peak mountain range of Sabaragamuwa Province, in the tiny village of Erathna, Kuruwita, tea producer Buddika Dissanyaka has launched a new venture, Forest Hill Tea. His wild grown teas are produced from an abandoned tea plantation that spans 100 acres, part of a […]
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Kazakh Culture is Centered on Tea
Tea plays an essential role in Kazakh culture, as no celebration or family feast is held without drinking tea. Sharing tea is a ritual of unity. When someone visits a Kazakh family, tea is served first. The custom, called syi-ayak, begins with the washing of hands. The tea is ladled into a ceramic drinking bowl called a Piyala (Piala).
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Camellia Sinensis: The Evolution of Experiential Retail
“Our stores have always offered the option to smell the tea, and clients really appreciate the opportunity to select their tea sensorially. We are done with the impracticalities of the sit-down visit, but we wanted to capture that special tasting moment and offer the possibility to take it further.” – Kevin Gascoyne, partner Camellia Sinensis, Montreal.
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Taster Profile: Carine Baudry
The world of smells is closely linked to our experience. We work on memory, and so everyone describes tea with different terms. My role as a tea taster is to understand each one and say, “you are actually talking about the same compound.”
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Hengzhou is Jasmine’s Promised Land
Spring begins a romance as jasmine flowers meet the newly plucked tea. Spring green tea and summer jasmine flowers are mixed at a strictly-calculated ratio. Hundreds of processes exist to make the miracle tea. The bitterness of tea and the sweetness of flowers are a perfect compliment. Jasmine grown in Hengzhou meets the high expectations of famous brands at home and abroad.
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Taster and Pioneer Tea Sommelier Lydia Gautier
A pioneer tea sommelier in France and the author of several reference books on tea, Lydia Gautier has been a consultant for many international brands. Her 25 years of experience and proximity to producers have led her to become one of the major figures in tea expertise in the world, and in 2107 to create her own brand, Lydia Gautier Thés et Tisanes.
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China’s Gou Gu Nao “Dog’s Head” Mountain Tea
Mountainous Suichuan county in Jiangxi Province offers an incomparable microclimate for local cultivars, producing an exceptionally tender leaf. Gou Gu Nao Green Tea is highly prized. The processing method is quite complicated. It is refined through eight processes. The shape of Gou Gu Nao Tea is tight and rolled to a slight curl. The color is bright green, the aroma is fresh and elegant, and the taste is fresh and thick with a sweet and long aftertaste.
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Azerbaijan Growers are Restoring its Tea Legacy
Depending on the variety and quality, the price of local tea in the domestic market ranges from $4.70 to $29 (8-50 manats) per kilogram. Recently, farmers say, the demand for higher quality has increased markedly. People have discovered that local products are of better quality, and therefore they are willing to buy Azerbaijan tea, despite the apparent high cost.
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Beyond Tea Cuisine
What’s changed is what I hoped would change. There is no such thing as ‘Tea Cuisine;’ it is no longer an oddity or a fad. It’s just another palate of ingredients and techniques that can and do inspire many chefs and mixologists. – Cynthia Gold
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Argentina’s Catalyst for Tea Innovation
Argentina’s National Institute of Agricultural Technology (INTA) is a cutting-edge organization in the Agro-technological sector in agricultural research, extension, and innovation. The institute is a decentralized state organization with operational and financial autarchy, associated with the Ministry of Agroindustry. INTA operates in the five ecoregions of Argentina (Northwest, Northeast, Cuyo, Pampeana, and Patagonia) through a structure that includes: a central headquarters, 15 regional centers, 52 experimental stations, six research centers, 22 research institutes, and more than 350 Extension Units.
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Meitan County’s Tribute to Tea
Meitan Cuiya is an early spring green tea oxidized for a few hours in the shade before processing. It is made from high-quality fresh and tender tea leaves and undergoes 20 complex processes, including spreading, fixing, shaping, and drying. The leaves appear straight and flat. The aroma is long-lasting above a bright green liquor. The tea has a fresh taste with abundant amino acids, polyphenols, and vitamins.
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Q|A Ceramic Artist Luo Shi
Luo Shi uses iron-rich Miaoli clay and traditional methods to bring his vision of nature to life. His work, such as his wonderful teapots, sell for hundreds of dollars each in his homeland and have earned him celebrity status in Taiwan’s fine arts and tea-drinking circles.
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Tea in Peru
Peru’s tea industry is gradually expanding after decades of decline. Tea drinking has grown in popularity, but due to social and political problems and the economic crisis, commercial production in the late 1990s began a seemingly endless decline, compounded by bad administrative management and the arrival of less expensive Argentine tea. In the ten years since 2011, Peru’s tea market has increased 61% by value.
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Nepal’s Specialty Tea Evolution
The Barbote tea farm is nestled in the steep hills of Ilam, Nepal, planted by his grandfather and tended by his father but grower Narendra Kumar Gurung spent most of his working years with the Japan International Cooperation Agency. Like most of Nepal’s new-generation farmers, specialty tea is a new endeavor built on a century-old foundation of commodity production.
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Magnificant Mozambique
Once the most productive growing region in Africa, Mozambique’s tea gardens lay idle during decades of war until investors realized the potential of rejuvenating millions of mature tea trees naturally purged of pesticides and chemical fertilizer.
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Herbal Teas: Know the Risks So You Can Enjoy the Benefits
Many tea drinkers enjoy the benefits of herbal teas, but are they receiving herbal tea’s health benefits? The critical question is, “are herbal teas good for you?” This article addresses the risks of herbal teas and aims to answer that question.
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La Ruta del Té
Knowledge of how tea is grown and processed came naturally to fourth-generation Argentine grower Carolina Okulovich but she observed that was not so for the tourists and visitors to the farm who found tea cultivation and processing fascinating. That was how the idea arose to create a learning experience for visitors touring the 15 hectares known as La Ruta del Té.
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