Muse of the Brew, Student of the Leaf

I’m not an elitist, a purist, an expert, a tea-snob, or a know-it-all. I am a beginner, and a tea-adventurer.

Tea often speaks of the kindness of strangers, when spoken language will not suffice. Tea transcends expectations. In an ancient gesture of welcome, a cup of hot tea offered on a desert-journey refreshes and, surprisingly, cools, like a floral oasis. Mine was poured from a dented aluminum kettle carried by camel-pack, sipped in silence as we crouched on hard-baked earth that held its heat although the equatorial moon burned full above us.

Many degrees north and east, I have shivered and clasped a tea-bowl with both hands while a storm raged up and down the mountain, wind rattling the corrugated tin roof like a hungry ghost. My hosts chuckled at me through the veil of steam rising from our cups, their children dozing blissfully in our laps, wrapped in skins.

Imagine my amazement not long ago when I encountered the seemingly normal couple with no teapot. Prosperous retirees in a sleek, designer-y home on the northern California coast, filled with books and art. No teapot, no tea-kettle, no tea. Not even a random no-name teabag pinched from hotel room-service on a business trip. No, they were not zealots, who consider tea (perhaps correctly) as medicine. For the first time, I knew that I was amongst savages. I found it terrifying.

What I love about tea is its mystery. There is always an element of surprise when I raise a cup of tea, even if it is one of my favorites. Like wine, tea is dynamic and volatile. Its chemical composition evolves and changes. Even in a proper airtight tin, tucked away from light, it will not last forever. Speaking as a novice, my advice: enjoy it now.

There is no time like the present, starting with October, to enjoy “Tea for Her”, if you’re a gal. If you’re not, well, it couldn’t hurt, but Art of Tea also makes manly blends for dudes.

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. It’s the perfect time to schedule that squeeze-fest known as a mammogram, or as I prefer to call them, “girlie s’more’s”. For resources and information, check out Pink-Link.org, a non-profit online resource for women with breast cancer, breast cancer survivors, and all of us who love them.

Back to the brew: As you know, many potential benefits are swirling in the pot of discussion regarding tea-drinking. In particular, an organic phytoestrogen known as Shatavari makes this tea of special interest to women. In the Ayurvedic tradition, Shatavari is called “curer of 100 diseases”. Well, actually, in Sanskrit, “Shatavari” means “she who possesses 100 husbands”, which, hmmmmm, sounds even more interesting, as long as I don’t have to wash all those socks. In any case, this relative of the asparagus plant has been valued in India for centuries as a women’s tonic, recommended to support healthy pregnancy and support a nursing mother’s lactation.

“Tea for Her” blends Shatavari with Organic Fennel (yummy licorice/anise-like flavor, and famously digestive) with a bouquet of Organic Lavender, Hibiscus and Chrysanthemum, suffused with the exquisiteness of Organic Rose-Petals. No caffeine. This is a Certified Organic and Fair Trade tea. A pleasing cup for anyone needing a lift, or just lovin’ some girl-power.

-Victoria Thomas

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Fair Trade is an issue that’s close to our hearts. However, our stance on Fair Trade goes beyond tea. Fair Trade products include coffee, cocoa, sugar, honey, flowers, gold, handicrafts and more. Regardless of the material, it’s amazing what a difference that we, as citizens of first world countries, can make with a few small changes.

Interested in making a difference with Fair Trade? Here are five ways you can get involved with Fair Trade and change the lives of international workers for the better:

1. Like us, you can opt for Fair Trade teas whenever possible. They’re increasingly available, and the more people buy them, the more available they will become.
2. Encourage your local cafe to serve only Fair Trade Certified Tea.
3. Look for the Fair Trade certification logo in other purchasing decisions, particularly for labor-intensive products like cocoa and sugar.
4. Organize a Fair Trade event at your school, place of worship or home.
5. Offer Fair Trade products through your business. This could mean retailing Fair Trade products, giving Fair Trade caswsazworporate gifts or simply switching the coffee and tea in the break room to Fair Trade.
6. Donate to causes like the empowerment of female workers, the education of farmers’ children or the health of third-world farming communities.

How do you support Fair Trade? Share your tips for a fairer world in the comments below.

As you may have heard, October is Fair Trade month. Here at Art of Tea, we are committed to sourcing Fair Trade teas whenever possible, and proud to offer a range of Fair Trade certified teas. Ultimately, our goal is for each and every one of our teas and our tea blend ingredients to be sourced as sustianably and fairly as possible.

At Art of Tea, Fair Trade isn’t just a business strategy. Four years ago, we got certified as a Fair Trade company by TransFair USA because we think that Fair Trade tea is about making this world a better place than the way we found it. To share our viewpoint with you, our founder Steve documented just a few of the ways in which Fair Trade has benefited a tea-producing community in China, with a new video on Fair Trade tea. See for yourself what Fair Trade means to the tea producers in a town near Wuyi Shan in Fujian.

Some of our best-selling teas (including Caramelized Pear, Egyptian Chamomile and Velvet Tea) are Fair Trade, so it’s possible that you’re already drinking Fair Trade tea without even knowing it. If those teas have piqued your interest in trying more Fair Trade teas, or if you simply feel that opting for Fair Trade tea is the right thing to do, then we think you’ll be interested in trying our new Fair Trade Tea Sampler. It includes four delicious Fair Trade tea samples (Jasmine Reserve, Caramelized Pear, Tali’s Masala Chai and Velvet Tea) totaling about 70 servings of tea. If you’re interested in spreading your passion for Fair Trade, it also makes a great gift.

Have things settled down from the Back to School Mania? If you’re a student or a parent of a student, you have just gone through some major changes. Here are a few teas to help ease you back into the swing of the school year:

Kid-Friendly Blends

Kids love the sugary flavors of sodas and juices, but at Art of Tea we’ve created a few caffeine-free herbal infusions that are kid-friendly, too. We recommend Blueberry Cheesecake, Banana Dulce and Kauai Cocktail Fruit Blend as a naturally sugar-free alternative for the school-bound kids in your life. These blends smell great and taste delicious!

Teas to Adjust Your Sleep Schedule

Long daylight hours and summer vacations can wreak havoc on the sleep schedule. If you need to get to sleep at a decent hour and wake up bright and early, sip relaxing herbal blends like Ethos, Chamomile Clementine and Caramelized Pear.

Need a healthy energy boost in the morning? Try caffeine-rich teas like Biodynamic Breakfast, Earl Grey or our award-winning Classic Black.

Study Teas

Some studies have shown that a component in tea called L-theanine aids in memory function and alertness. Sounds like a great study aid to us! Shade-grown teas, such as Ceremonial Matcha, Uji Gyokuro and Ginger Matcha, are all high in L-theanine.

Alternatives to Juice and Soda for Lunch

If you plan to pack teas or herbal infusions for lunch or a late night at the library, you’ll probably want to know that some teas hold up better in a Thermos than others. In general, rooibos and other herbal infusions retain their flavor well. If you’re looking for an iced tea, we also recommend Santiago Strawberry, Passionfruit Jasmine and Garden of Eden. For hot tea, we also recommend Assam Gold, Cinnamon Figand 1896.

Do you have any recommendations for back-to-school teas? Tell us which teas you choose to drink during the school year (and why) in the comments below!

The Art of Tea team and I recently wrapped up from a weekend at The World Tea Expo in Las Vegas. Steve taught a three-hour class on tea blending and two of his blends (Passionfruit Jasmine black tea and Petal Pedal rooibos) won awards in the North American Iced Tea Championship. Perhaps it was the combination of desert heat, a weekend brimming with tea, and one of the world’s best wine scenes, but something inspired me to share a few summery, pairing-friendly iced tea recipes with you here on the Art of Tea blog. Brew these iced teas at home or at your tea business… or convince your favorite restaurant to serve them with the pairing suggestions below.

Petal Pedal on Ice

Petal Pedal is an award-winning, caffeine-free rooibos blend. When iced, it has a perfectly balanced, naturally sweet flavor profile that appeals to everyone from tea connoisseurs to kids. Brew iced Petal Pedal with these easy instructions:

1 cup (250 mL) filtered or spring water

2 Tbsp. Petal Pedal

1 cup ice cubes

Instructions:

1) Bring the water to a boil.

2) Brew Petal Pedal for five minutes.

3) Remove the leaves and pour the brew over ice.

4) Serve immediately.

Makes approximately two servings (1.5 cups/350 mL).

For an added treat, pair Petal Pedal on Ice with lamb tagine, dark chocolate French macaroons or lavender-sea salt caramels.

(Almost) Classic Iced Tea

Art of Tea’s award-winning Classic Black makes a fantastic iced tea. Its Nilgiri base produces a fragrant, crisp, clear brew, while its Yunnan golden buds add an alluring, chocolaty depth that’s rare in iced teas. Blended with sugar and lemon, it takes Southern sweet tea to a new level. Brewed with vanilla sugar and orange, it becomes a sophisticated, satiating iced tea unlike any you’ve ever tasted. Here’s how to make our (Almost) Classic Iced Tea:

1 cup (250 mL) filtered or spring water

1 heaping Tbsp. Classic Black

1 Tbsp. freshly squeezed orange juice

1 Tsp. Madagascar vanilla sugar (or coconut palm sugar with a few drops of pure vanilla extract)

1.5 cups ice cubes

1 wedge orange

Instructions:

1) Bring the water to a boil.

2) Brew Classic Black for four minutes.

3) Remove the tealeaves.

4) Stir in the vanilla sugar and orange juice.

5) Pour the mixture over ice.

6) Add the orange wedge and serve immediately.

Makes approximately two servings (2 cups/475 mL).

For an added treat, pair this modified classic with Kansas City-style barbecue, fresh peaches or cardamom-vanilla pudding.

One of things I struggle with is finding time to find balance. It really is a tea paradox because once you make time for tea you realize how much more time you have. When visiting China I am reminded of how expansive this world really is and there is no time to waste on unmindful lethargy. Ok, so we need to chill out some times but chilling out with intention is different than spacing out from overload. Once ones mental bucket is full then it is challenging to empty it. And with media and technology overload it is easy to become well, overloaded. Ideally we can find an hour a day of reconnecting and making the day great however that is not always possible.

So, 10 minutes we can do on a break at home or at work. A great teacher once told me you have to know what you know. Meaning once you know something stick with it don’t trick yourself into not knowing. With tea, knowing how to make great tea starts by finding the right water, using the right storage, selecting the best tea possible and taking a few minutes to prepare your select tea. In only ten minutes a day this time can be spent as a recharge moment to improve the rest of your day.

Start with ten minutes without your phone or computer or any distractions and build from there. Stick with this rhythm and you’ll be surprised at what only ten minutes can do.

I hope I don’t offend anyone here with this post. According to my resources deep in the Wuyi Mountains there are plenty of wild tea trees but  no Monkeys that pick tea or for that matter have ever picked tea here.

Oddly enough however there appear to be several species of non human primates in this region which are known to open/pop the top off a bottle of beer. Granted there are pictures and old paintings of the tea partnership between Monks and Monkeys trading food for wild tea leaves that could not be reached by humans, however these primates have no interest in the leaf. They prefer another brew.

So why have the name  Monkey in a tea such as our white monkey picked or golden monkey? Monkey Picked Tea refers to a top tier tea. Typically wild thicker leaves are used for this or rarer more precious leaves and buds.

Charcoal or Wood?

I wish all decisions were this easy. When looking for a clear result you have two options left or right, green or red, bagel or muffin, in this case charcoal or wood. These are two elements used most of the time in China  for the beginning process of withering or cooking tea. Simply put this is the early stages of making tea…at least it’s simple on the surface level. There are more steps involving time, humidity, crop yield, the artisan crafting the tea and yes all this plays into making a great tea with the fate of the tea leaves passed into your hands with the right teapot.

However you view it the choices are obvious, it’s a given that you have two choices. And the results open a world which unlocks the senses by playing with these two simple gifts of charcoal and wood.

Thanks to new data from several studies, the idea that tea leaves could be decaffeinated simply by rinsing prior to brewing is now both outdated and inaccurate. At Art of Tea we are dedicated to providing our customers with accurate information and pride ourselves on being on the leading edge of research.  Here are the facts regarding home decaffeination and caffeine levels in different teas:

To begin with, it’s important to understand that decaf and caffeine-free are not the same thing. Caffeine free means that there was never any caffeine in the product to begin with, while decaf means that caffeine was removed from the product, leaving behind small amounts of residual caffeine.
According to tea experts, the “30-second decaf” theory has been officially debunked.  Noted tea technologist Nigel Melican, founder and managing director of Teacraft, Ltd. says, “You cannot (despite what some notables in the tea industry believe) you just cannot significantly decaffeinate tea by using a 30 second hot water wash (in fact 30 seconds leaves 91 percent of the caffeine in place – and removes a lot of the antioxidants).”

A 1996 study at Auburn University backs Melican up. According to the study, only nine percent of the caffeine was removed during the first 30 seconds of infusion. The researchers also found that it took approximately three minutes to remove 50 percent of the caffeine, about nine minutes of infusion to remove 80 percent, and approximately 15 minutes to remove more than 96 percent.
A 2008 study conducted by Dr. Bruce Branan, Professor of Chemistry at Asbury College, found that a three-minute infusion removes 46-70% of the caffeine from a cup of tea and that it would take a six-minute infusion to remove 80% of the caffeine.
The conclusion to be reached on the “30-second decaf” theory is thus: it doesn’t work. If you want to enjoy a cup of tea that is truly caffeine-free a Tisane (a fusion of different botanicals) or stand alone herb is your best bet. Art of Tea has an entire section dedicated to delicious caffeine-free blends.

Now, on to tackle the caffeine levels of the four major tea families; white, green, oolong, and black.  It’s a popular misconception that both white and green teas have lower caffeine levels than oolong or black teas. The Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University conducts micronutrient research for optimum health.  They suggest that the popular belief of low caffeine level in White Tea is misplaced: “Buds and young tea leaves have been found to contain higher levels of caffeine than older leaves, suggesting that the caffeine content of some white teas may be slightly higher than that of green teas.”

In 2008 a study at Asbury College corroborates this finding, concluding that white tea does not have less caffeine than green, oolong, or black teas. Likewise, an article in Food research International, Vol 29, 325-330 (1996), states that, “All teas have roughly similar caffeine contents, and one cannot rely on the belief that green tea has less caffeine, as asserted by many popular claims.” So now we know that the myth that both white and green teas have less caffeine than black or oolong teas is just that: a myth.