By Richard Fray, Tea News Direct

I’m not the biggest fan of tea infusers. As a regular drinker of the finer, loose leaf teas, I like to watch my tea swirl in the water as it steeps. But there’s no doubt that tea infusers are a large part of the mainstream tea drinking culture, and have a bona fide place in the modern world of tea drinking.

So it was with great interest that I took delivery of Teafu, the latest invention from the amazing imaginations of Dreamfarm, an Australian company which specializes in innovation in the kitchen.

Teafu is a tea infuser like never before. The first innovation, and a real benefit, is that Teafu opens flat so you can use it as a tea scoop or spoon to measure and collect your loose leaf tea ready to brew. Once you’ve scooped your tea, flip the infuser shut and you’re ready to go. An excellent start!

Once I’d scooped my tea, I was ready to drop Teafu straight into a cup of boiling water. The infuser itself is made from premium grade, heat resistant silicone and has the unique property of being squeezable. This seriously speeds the brewing process. The cleverly designer handle allows you to squeeze the tea, speeding up the infusion process by manipulating and stimulating the leaves. Another benefit.

In a much shorter time than usual, my tea was ready to drink. Yet another brainy innovation was evident when I lifted Teafu from my glass mug and turned it, standing it smartly on the flat base of the handle, alleviating any mess on the counter top. High quality teas that can be infused multiple times can sit comfortably in Teafu, waiting for the next brew. Brilliant!

So what were my overall impressions? I used Teafu to brew diferent types of tea and came to several conclusions:

• OK, the reason I don’t generally use infusers is because I believe tea has to have room to circulate, to dance in the hot water and reveal its full flavor and character. Teafu, in common with all tea infusers, restricts tea to a smaller area and therefore it immediately loses marks on that score in my opinion. But many people love tea infusers and use them on a daily basis, so unless you’re an infuser-free purist like myself, this is not be a reason to be put off. If you use an infuser, read on…
• I tried several different loose leaf teas using Teafu. I had a couple of minor complaints:
  • With a lower grade, finely chopped black tea, when I squeezed Teafu using its unique handle and silicone infuser, small particles were forced out of the infuser and into my drink. It wasn’t a big deal really, but I was left with small particles at the bottom of my cup. This was simply resolved by not drinking the last mouthful, but some people may be put off if they use a cut loose leaf tea and experience the same problem.
  • With a really high grade, loose leaf oolong tea, such as Da Hong Pao, Teafu, just like all other infusers, wasn’t quite big enough to enclose the long, slender leaves. I had to shake and snap a few leaves to make it fit. After that, no problems at all – it made a great cup.
• To sum up, as someone who doesn’t use tea infusers as a rule, Teafu was definitely the best infuser I’ve ever used. The clever innovations - the ability to speed the brewing process by squeezing the tea, the handle which doubles as a stand, and the overall look and feel of what is clearly a top quality product – made for an enjoyable experience.

If you use tea infusers to make loose leaf tea, at a bargain $14.95 USD, Teafu is most definitely worthy of your attention. You can find out more by visiting the Dreamfarm website at: http://www.dreamfarm.com.au/products/teafu/.

Thanks to Joanna from Dreamfarm for sending me the Teafu to try. I shall certainly use it whenever I need an infuser, as it’s the best tea infuser ever!

The Economic Times

Starbucks, the world’s largest coffeehouse chain, may soon be serving Darjeeling tea in its more than 17,000 outlets across 49 countries. The Seattle-based coffee retailer has approached the Tea Board for a licence to import and sell premium Darjeeling tea, Tea Board chairman Basudeb Banerjee told ET.

“They have initiated correspondence with us and have sought some clarification on the present CTM (Certification of Trade Mark) licence,” said Mr Banerjee. Certification of Trade Mark from the Tea Board is a mandatory for all producers, manufacturers, packagers, blenders, exporters, and traders who wish to sell tea labelled as Darjeeling tea.

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San Jose Mercury News

By Emily Fredrix – Associated Press

Sonoma County-based kombucha maker Vibranz said its fermented tea is back at Whole Foods stores, marking the first return after the grocer pulled the products from shelves over worries they contained too much alcohol. Whole Foods Market removed all varieties of the trendy tea from stores in mid-June. The retailer and regulators are concerned that some bottles have more than 0.5 percent alcohol — the legal limit for a drink not to be considered alcoholic. The tea in its most popular form is raw and unpasteurized, meaning it ferments and the yeast inside produces alcohol.

Kombucha (pronounced com-BOOCH-a or com-BOOK-a) contains live bacteria and yeast, similar to yogurt. People like the bubbly drink and say it has health benefits such as improving digestion.

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CNN.com

From Jim Boulden, CNN

The East India Co. began as a trading monopoly in 1600. It was the world’s first multinational company, a trading giant during the colonial rule of the Indian subcontinent. This week, The East India Co. is being reborn as a luxury brand — under Indian ownership.

Sanjiv Mehta, an Indian-born importer and entrepreneur, bought the intellectual property rights to the company in 2005, after they had lain dormant for a century. His goal was to create a global luxury brand.

His dream is realized in a new store off London’s high-end Regent Street, where the new East India Co. now sells gourmet tea, chocolate, coffee and gifts.

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