Archive for January, 2008
Review: Tea Zone Kenya Milima Estate GFBOP
Posted by Admin in Tea Product News on January 28th, 2008
By Stephen
From the Tea Zone web site:
“A rich full bodied tea with floral-like flavor notes. The cup has thickness with a malty but lively character. A perfect all day tea. It is the best grade produced by Milima.”
I’ll just come out and say it, I don’t know that I’ve enjoyed a black tea this much in a long, long time.
My initial reaction on the first sip was “Whoa, that’s sweet,” and in fact I asked my wife (who had prepared it for me) if she had added sugar to it. (She hadn’t.) The taste is rich and malty, but not bitter at all. It finishes clean, with a hint of natural, almost floral, sweetness. This is a black tea that could very easily become my everyday, go-to blend.
Review: The Story of Tea
Posted by Admin in General Tea News, Tea Product News on January 27th, 2008
By Stephen
The Story of Tea: A Cultural History and Drinking Guide
By Mary Lou and Robert J. Heiss
Ten Speed Press, 2007. 417p.
This is a beautifully-produced book, chock-full of over 150 photographs of tea leaves, tea farms, tea production, tea ceremonies, and just about anything else tea-related. The authors are tea-shop owners from Connecticut who have been in the business some thirty years.
How to brew a good cup of tea
Posted by Admin in General Tea News, Tea Culture / Ceremony on January 27th, 2008
Inside Bay Area – Oakland, CA, USA
By Chris Welsch
FIRST, ditch the tea bags. Tea in bags tends to be the lowest grade of leaf, and the bags impede steeping. Buy loose-leaf tea and brew it in a pot or cup that allows for free circulation. That means no tea-ballers, either.
In China and Japan, tea drinkers use the smallest possible pot for the number of people to be served and keep a thermos of hot water handy for re-steeps. That’s so they don’t have to leave water standing on leaves. That can create bitterness.
Sri Lanka: Richard Pieris goes for tea export with St. Clair brand
Posted by Admin in Tea Industry News on January 27th, 2008
By Hiran H. Senewiratne
Richard Pieris and Company Limited (RPC) is looking for a value addition in tea export with the development of their new brand named St Clair, its Director/Chief Operating Officer Pravir D. Samarasinghe said.
He said the company entered the tea plantation business in 2004 acquiring a controlling interest of Maskeliya Plantation and also buying Namunukula Plantation, which manufactured more than eight per cent of the total output in the country. The St. Clair brand will be used for their up country tea to low and mid country tea.
“The Kenyan crisis will have good opportunities for the Sri Lankan market in the first six months of the year. Therefore it would boost the entire tea market,” he said.
India: Pep pills for Bengal tea
Posted by Admin in Tea Industry News on January 27th, 2008
Calcutta Telegraph – Calcutta, India
SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
The Centre wants tea gardens in Bengal to come out of the red by producing more orthodox varieties. The proposed tea park in Siliguri will also help the gardens to increase exports and improve financial health, according to Jairam Ramesh, the Union minister of state for commerce.
“Tea exports from Bengal is a big zero if we leave out production from Darjeeling. Even the contribution of this hill region to the country’s total exports (of the beverage) is just 1 per cent,” Ramesh told The Telegraph.
There are 312 gardens in the state, of which only 13 are closed. However, there are many financially weak gardens whose problems need to be addressed at the earliest. Ramesh said the government was considering a tea park in the state to provide avenues for creating value added products and increasing exports.
Russia: Tea Prices Set to Soar With India Ban
Posted by Admin in Tea Industry News on January 27th, 2008
Tea prices were expected to rise by as much as 30 percent after a ban on Indian plant products came into effect Monday, although special regulations may be introduced for tea and coffee imports.
The Federal Service for Veterinarian and Vegetation Sanitary Supervision introduced the ban after a shipment of sesame seeds was found to contain Khapra beetles, Rossiiskaya Gazeta reported Saturday.
The country’s tea stocks are sufficient to last a month, after which there would be significant difficulties because Russia gets one-third of its tea from India, the newspaper said.
The Black Drink
Posted by Admin in Tea Culture / Ceremony, Tea Product News on January 27th, 2008
This plant is a beloved plant. Southeastern Native Americans used the leaves to brew a highly caffeinated tea known as the Black Drink. Today, the plant is called Yaupon Holly, but long ago Creek Indians called it the “beloved plant.” The leaves were a prized commodity among all the Southeastern Native American tribes. The leaves were roasted then boiled to produce the Black Drink. The Indians consumed Black Drink much like Americans consume coffee, but with a few minor differences.
The Black Drink was served as an emetic during purification rituals that took place before councils convened or warriors went off to war or hunt. The natives believed that a physical purity led to a spiritual purity, and the Southeastern natives possessed a religious zeal for purity. Before a man could proceed with any important undertaking, he would first purify himself by purging with the Black Drink. Yaupon Holly became so closely associated with the purging ritual that botanists gave the plant the Latin name Ilex vomitoria.
Review: Mountain Kenya Tea – Mark T. Wendell
Posted by Admin in Tea Product News on January 27th, 2008
By The Tea Writer
Today’s tea – Mountain Kenya by Mark T. Wendell Tea of West Concord, MA. Kenya has become a major tea contender, supplying more than 1/3 of all of England’s tea. It is also the world’s third largest tea exporter. Its teas are known to be strong and bracing morning beverages. Most Kenyan tea is CTC (Cut Tear Curl, as opposed to more labor intensive orthodox harvesting/processing methods) and many Kenyan teas are used in blending.
Review: Enjoying Tea – Jasmine Dragon Pearl
Posted by Admin in Tea Product News on January 27th, 2008
By Jeff
With so many different Jasmine teas, I certainly have noticed a difference in high-quality rolled greens. The aroma wafted gently from my Gaiwan with the first infusion. For this steep, I boiled the water and let it cool to 160F. When I poured in the water, the rolled green tea pearls blossomed before my eyes.
Health Benefits Of Tea, Problem With Milk
Posted by Admin in Tea Health Benefits on January 27th, 2008
By Valerie
Ok, so it’s past the middle of January. If, like me, making your New Year’s Resolution has not yet led to action (I knew I shouldn’t have picked “run six miles every morning, bake your own bread, and no more cyber-slacking on the job”), I have a suggestion for a resolution do-over that’s easy, cheap and surprisingly pleasurable: drink a cup of tea every day. But if you really want the health benefits of tea – and they are numerous – don’t add milk. Here’s why….
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