When Tea Became Chai
If you imagined that Chai was part of the traditional Indian kitchens and comes with a long history, you’ll be surprised to know that chai is very much a 20th-century creation.
Tea
Aspiring to Be Good Fathers: The Dreams of Boys
Fatherhood is not just about being there physically but also about being emotionally present and engaged. Boys are motivated to create and sustain meaningful relationships when they witness this healthy behavior in their fathers.
Pyrénees: The Birth of a New Tea Terroir
A tea enclave has emerged amid the Pyrénees Mountains, a natural barrier between France and Spain that runs over 430 kilometers from the Mediterranean Sea to the Atlantic Ocean. A young agronomist, Lucas Ben-Moura established a new terroir in the Argelès-Gazost valley, a few kilometers south of Lourdes.
Hien Minh and the Evolution of Vietnamese Tea
“There are nights when the full moon is clear, and the golden light radiates like a warm forest. The ancient tea trees lit up magically, their warm, sweet fragrance mixed with a little bit of night incense… We would love to capture that magical moment through the tea which holds in it a feeling of mystery, something shrouded in the darkness.” – Nguyen Viet Hung
Romantic Tea Infused Chocolates
There’s an ideal pairing for every kind of tea and chocolate. Finding the right combination produces a union that delights the palate and raises the individual components to a higher level.
Taster Profile: Chandra Bhushan Subba
“My decision to embark on the path of professional tea-making and tasting was deeply rooted in my upbringing. Surrounded by the intricate dance of tea artisans and the fragrance of freshly plucked leaves, my fascination with tea began at a tender age. I’ve been living with tea for over three decades now. The stories shared by elders and how the plant encapsulated my entire world captivated me from early on. I never thought there was another option and never truly looked for one.”
An Unforgettable Holiday Tea Feast
This holiday season, use tea as a special ingredient to elevate your main dishes and cocktails. From prime rib to mushroom risotto, tea makes everything taste better.
Tea for Dummies
Coming up with the (right?) words
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.
It is important to keep in mind that many flavors are actually composed of the same chemical compounds. A great example is isoamyl acetate. For some, this organic compound can taste like bananas, whereas for others, it has a distinct pear flavor. Another is benzaldehyde. This organic compound smells and tastes like peaches, cherries, apricots, or almonds, depending on the chemical compound experienced on your tongue. Two tasters can taste these compounds differently. My friend Phil, who wrote Chapter 21 on tea cocktails, is a chemist who works as a distiller. He explained this to me one day at a whiskey tasting when I could swear that I tasted pear when my colleague said he tasted bananas. Though I, to this day, say that I was right, we both tasted what we tasted, and neither of us was wrong.
Again, it is helpful to learn words that best describe your tasting experience—but it’s important to remember to enjoy the experience and worry less about sounding like an expert.
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.
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.
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.
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.
The Tea History Collection
The Tea History Collection fills a huge gap in the documentation of the history of the business of tea the world over. Very few individual tea companies possess archives that relate to their own history, and many other tea businesses simply disappeared when they closed or were bought out.
Fine Tea from the Island of Jersey
With its 1,800 hectares of soil, the Jersey Royal is spoilt for choice when it comes to deciding where to plant tea. The islands’ acid soil is perfect for the tea plant to grow. Thanks to the Gulf Stream, Jersey winters are mild, without any risk of frost, while summers are moderately warm and sunny. The island’s high humidity also provides ideal conditions for the tea plants to thrive.
Gyokuro: Deep Sea Savory and Sweet
The aroma that swirls from a package of gyokuro, especially one of the highest grades, is so extraordinary that you could stop right there and be satisfied.
Tasting Notes: Wang Hai Green Tea
Wang Hai tea is a pre-Qingming green tea that is grown on Mount Tiantai in China’s Zhejiang Province.
Tea, Cha and Tisanes: Botanicals Reshape Tea Demand and Supply
There’s been a growing shift in the strange, unfamiliar and exotic words you’ll see on a tea ingredient label or […]
The Matcha Revolution: Baby Powder, Plastic Blankets and ¥3,000 Yen
The thousands of articles and blogs on matcha fall into two main groups: “Wow!” and “What?” Wow focuses on some […]
The Nuances of Authentic Tea Blending
Most people are familiar with the many black tea blends on the market but may not have much sense of […]
Kunlun Mountain Snow Chrysanthemum Tea: The two-mile high tea blossom
Kunlun Mountain Snow Chrysanthemum tea is as striking to taste as it is to look at. It’s a candidate […]
Enjoy Your Tea: Don’t Be Mythinformed
Enjoy your tea: 10 myths that get in your way Tea is a wonderful drink, with at least 3,000 varieties […]
Mother’s Day Teas That Empower Women
The tea industry runs on the backs of women. Their strong yet nimble fingers pluck the delicate buds from the trees, and sort the imperfect from the perfect leaves. Yet in many tea-producing countries, women are far more likely to live in extreme poverty and have less access to education. However, some people are striving to change that narrative by educating, empowering, and enabling women in tea to rise up and bring others with them. This Mother’s Day Tea Journey wants to celebrate the companies and individuals who are helping make a difference for mothers and female tea workers around the world.
Looking for that Special King of Duck Shit Aroma?
Highly-sought Phoenix wulongs mimic fruits, flowers, and herbs to delight the senses with uncanny aromas. Nothing is added.
Countenance: Travelers Along the Tea Horse Road
Tea once traveled the most daunting journey of any plant on the planet. Few tea drinkers know the story of […]
Aspiring to Be Good Fathers: The Dreams of Boys
Fatherhood is not just about being there physically but also about being emotionally present and engaged. Boys are motivated to create and sustain meaningful relationships when they witness this healthy behavior in their fathers.
Advent Calendars
Advent calendars are a lovely way to anticipate the arrival of the holidays, to be entertained and to discover new teas. So, revel in the joy of expectation. Surprises are organized neatly by day.
Teas That Show You Care
Many companies in tea-producing regions around the world endeavor to improve the lives of women, their families, and communities. Celebrate Mother’s Day buy choosing gifts from conscious tea companies that care about making a difference.
Mother’s Day Teas That Empower Women
The tea industry runs on the backs of women. Their strong yet nimble fingers pluck the delicate buds from the trees, and sort the imperfect from the perfect leaves. Yet in many tea-producing countries, women are far more likely to live in extreme poverty and have less access to education. However, some people are striving to change that narrative by educating, empowering, and enabling women in tea to rise up and bring others with them. This Mother’s Day Tea Journey wants to celebrate the companies and individuals who are helping make a difference for mothers and female tea workers around the world.
Tea Discovery: Thousand Tael Tea
Photos by Qiu, courtesy of Cha Dao Life Magazine Retold by Si Chen With its striking look, Thousand-Tael tea stands […]
Tea Clubs & Subscriptions
Annual subscriptions for tea are growing in popularity more many reasons. Subscription plans are convenient and encourage tea discovery. Tea sellers love the flexibility of offering a range of teas that reveal current trends and consumer preferences for organic teas, for example. Bagged or loose-leaf, herbals or single-origin limited editions, tea clubs are a good value and great way to learn about tea.
Bro-mancing the Stone-Pressed Puerh Cake
Men have for centuries dominated the professional tea industry as tea buyers, sellers, traders, and plantation owners. They have also led as change agents and tea masters in the cultural tea arts, from the Japanese tea ceremony to gongfu cha in China and Taiwan. Gifting tea to and from men has long been a tradition in Asia.
Harvest Review: Africa
Rains essential to the 2016 flush throughout East Africa arrived too soon or they arrived in torrents too late — but mainly they didn’t arrive at all.
Tea Confectionery
Consider these gift possibilities for moms who love tea and chocolate. Sample decadent truffles, dark and milk chocolate bars, and bonbons made with matcha and green tea, or genmaicha and hibiscus.
Green Tea Supplements under Scrutiny in Europe
The European Food Safety Association (EFSA) is under renewed pressure from the European Commission to investigate the safety of concentrated green tea catechins in supplements.
Ju Pu Cha
The uplifting citrusy aroma from dried tangerine is deftly balanced with the plummy, earthy and glowing vintage puer.
Corporate Gifting Suggestions
Consider presenting clients and staff a corporate gift for the holidays that is guaranteed to impress.
Tea for Two Gift Sets
Sharing a divine cup of tea or two with your sweetheart is always romantic. Make it even more special with one of these tea-for-two gift ideas.
Tea Gift Sets for Dad
Variety is the spice of life. Show a bundle of love for Dad with a gift of tea and accessories Selections include multiple teas, like these loose-leaf teas from Nepal as well as brewers, utensils, and more.
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.
Stocking Stuffers
This practical tea journal is the perfect companion on your journey through the word of tea. On 40 pages, you can quickly and easily record your thoughts during a tea tasting. Due to its clear design, the journal is suitable for tea novices and professionals.
Rural Entrepreneurs Establish Nepal’s National Brand
Nepal’s eastern tea-growing region leads the country’s tea trade, but the landscape is changing as rural entrepreneurs expand the tea terroir. Upcoming tea brands are establishing Nepal Tea as a global brand offering premium differentiated products with a compelling story that is authentic and modern.
Marten’s Favorites
Hamburg’s tea community is unique. Virtually all the tea imported into Germany is offloaded at Bremen and Hamburg, home to 211 tea companies. In addition, there are 300 tea companies in Berlin, and München has 152. Combined, these three provinces account for a 17% share of the German market. There are 3,858 tea companies in Germany, a testament to the fact that Germans love every type of tea. This collection of holiday gifts was curated by Marten Verch, a tea consultant, and writer who lives in Hamburg.
Pile-fermentation: The Catalyst that Creates Shou Puer
The 45-day pile-fermentation process involves moistening large stacks of sun-dried crude tea leaves. The leaves are piled high and carefully monitored to produce a dark composted tea known as Shou Puer.
Puer Chazuke (tea over cooked rice)
Experiment puer with simple Asian style stir fry. Vegan friendly.
Purnima Rai’s Nepal Garden
Smallholders are the backbone of the tea industry, especially in underdeveloped Nepal. Here’s the story of one Nepali smallholder: a widowed grandmother who has spent a lifetime nurturing tea in turn with nature, faith and family.
Pairings: Smoky Teas
The intense, smoky flavors of certain teas isn’t a fluke. Some are made from leaves actually smoke-cured during preparation, imbuing them with a robust taste that your dad may well appreciate on his special day. If he enjoys a cigar now and then, there are teas perfect to be enjoyed with his smoke, including the green tea listed below. And if a steak on the barbie is his ideal meal, gift him with a smoked tea rub for an unforgettable Father’s Day feast.
Inspired by Downton Abbey
Downton Abbey aired for six seasons in the U.S., and its American fans became legion. Millions could not resist the upscale dramas of the Crawley family and its servants. If your beloved mater is among the Downtonites, why not treat her this year to a tea service fit for the denizens of the Abbey itself?
Tea Books for Mom
Considered a basic for a tea book library, this gorgeous volume is by the chef-owners of Quebec’s Camellia Sinensis Tea House and covers history, farming techniques, and tea culture, among other subjects. You can buy it directly from the Tea House’s website, which is in French, under “Cadeaux Pour Debutants” (Gifts for Beginners).
T2_PUERPAGES_Demystify puer cakes: cake-pressing, papermaking and bamboo shell bundles
FIRST EDIT: Sooz Aug 19 *Question – First paragraph, who/what are the “maui” ? I want to correct this sentence […]