Art of Tea’s new Silver Needle just arrived, and it’s proving to be the best Silver Needle AOT founder, Steve Schwartz has ever tasted, he says. This 2011 crop of hand-picked Silver Needle is organic certified and is now also fair trade.

These delicate and rare white tea leaves can be found only in the Fujian Province in Southeastern China. Silver Needle tea leaves uniquely resemble uniformly-shaped needles that are covered in a silvery green fuzz or “hao”. When the tea is brewed, the fuzz disappears to reveal a vibrant green tea leaf. Chinese legends say Silver Needle was solely picked just two days a year in the spring by virgins wearing white gloves and offered exclusively to the emperor. Only the top buds are harvested to maintain Silver Needle’s supreme quality among white teas. Today, this prestigious and widely sought-after white tea is still revered for its high quality and rareness.

This new batch of Silver Needle is pure splendor in your cup. It has a golden ivory flush with an inviting earthy tone. Its light woodsy aroma lingers in the taste, but offers a mildly sweet finish. These leaves are fresher and softer in texture, and provide a beautiful green hue. Contrary to the Chinese legends, Silver Needle can widely be enjoyed by everyone, and that is something you should definitely take advantage of. Steep for one to three minutes for best results!

-MELISSA CHUA

I know the holidays are coming when I start to see fall-inspired baking mixes such as cranberry, apple spice and of course, pumpkin. Thanksgiving is just 2 days away. Do you know what you’re making for dessert?

Why not try this simple recipe for Pumpkin Muffins infused with Art of Tea’s Chocolate Monkey? This delectable dessert tisane is made with fair trade rooibos, pink peppercorn, cacao nibs, chocolate, banana chips and apple bits. Chocolate and pumpkin in muffins are the perfect way to treat your family and friends this Thanksgiving. This recipe yields about 40 mini muffins.

Chocolate Monkey Pumpkin Muffins

You Will Need:

· Pumpkin Mix, which you can easily find at any major grocery store during the holidays

· 2 Large Eggs

· ½ Cup of Vegetable oil

· 1 Cup of Over-steeped (10-12 minutes) Art of Tea’s Chocolate Monkey

· 1 Cup of Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

· 1 tbsp of Cinnamon

· Mixing Bowl

· 40 Cupcake Liners

· Ice Cream Scooper

Instructions:

Follow the directions on the pumpkin mix box. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lay out the cupcake liners onto your muffin trays. Let the over-steeped cup of Chocolate Monkey sit for 10 minutes or until room temperature. Then, mix eggs, oil and tea in a large bowl until the batter is smooth. Add in the cinnamon and chocolate chips, and mix thoroughly. Use an ice cream scooper to transport the batter into the cupcake liners two-thirds full. Finally, place your sheets in the oven at 400 degrees for 18 to 20 minutes. Perform the toothpick test by gently inserting a toothpick in the center of a muffin and pulling it out.                                                                                                                                                     If the toothpick is clean, your muffins are done!

Tip: Once the muffins cool off, add your favorite frosting, and you’ll have cupcakes! I topped mine with buttercream frosting. Enjoy, and have a Happy Thanksgiving!

-MELISSA CHUA

Have you tried our new batch of Jasmine Pearls? Art of Tea proudly offers certified organic Jasmine Pearls that are now sourced from a fair trade vendor. Being a green tea lover, I naturally gravitated toward Jasmine Pearls for its exquisite presentation and flavor. This supreme quality, organic green tea is hand-picked in Fujian, China and scented with night jasmine blossoms. The wonderful aroma of the jasmine flowers embodies the tea, which is hand-rolled into tiny pearls. As the silvery-sheened pearls are steeped in boiling water, the green tea unravels into its original shapes of leaves and buds. Jasmine Pearls brew a yellowish- green cup of mild flavor. As you indulge into each sip, the smoothness of the green tea harmoniously blends with the floral and sweet scent of the jasmine to craft a heavenly treat for your taste buds. This is definitely my favorite green tea.

Over a thousand years of traditional tea scenting techniques are still used in creating Jasmine Pearls. Green tea leaves and buds are hand selected and harvested in the spring. They are stored until summertime, when the jasmine flowers begin to bloom at night. The jasmines are meticulously picked accordingly to the color of their petals, which indicates their readiness and extent to bloom. Plucking an open flower means the scent has already escaped, but if you pick a bud too early, it may not bloom in time to impart its scent onto the tea leaves. Every evening, the tea is carefully placed on burlap and layered with fresh jasmine. Layer upon layer, the flowers open up, leaving their scent on the leaves. Every morning, the flowers are removed, and the process is repeated nightly. Once the tea leaves have sufficiently absorbed the jasmine scent, the green tea is dried and hand-rolled into little spheres about 8 to 10 mm. in diameter. Because of their beautiful shape and color, Jasmine Pearls are often called Dragon Phoenix Pearls.

-MELISSA CHUA

I love the fact that the tea that’s generating so much excitement these days –Rooibos– isn’t technically a “tea” at all… in the sense that it is not made from the leaf of the Camellia sinensis plant.

The Rooibos plant actually belongs to the legume family (Fabaceae), meaning it’s botanically related to beans. No wonder an herbal Rooibos tisane is sometimes referred to as a “coffee-drinker’s tea”. It’s robust, hearty and earthy, and hip-minded cafés now offer Rooibos in coffee-inspired concoctions, like “lattes” and “espressos”, made coffee-free and caffeine-free with Rooibos instead of the obvious. But unlike the coffee-originals, Rooibos is naturally sweet, with a creamy-vanilla aroma top note that’s straight from the earth.

The plant’s name is Afrikaans, the Dutch idiom spoken in South Africa—it means “red bush”, which is another common name for this plant. The bush is grown exclusively in the Cedarberg Mountain region of Cape Town, South Africa. European colonists who emigrated to the Cape in the early 20^th century initially took an interest in this rugged, shrubby plant because tariffs on Asian teas were, pardon the pun, steep. The local Khoi-Khoi people had been brewing and drinking the fine, needle-like leaves for centuries (they loved it so much that they collected the precious seeds from anthills!), so the new arrivals decided to join them.

One of the reasons that Rooibos is a modern-day success story for South Africa is that bean-connection. Legumes are “nitrogen-fixing”, meaning that they minimize the need for fertilizer in low pH, less-than-rich soil. For instance, when growing other veggies, many farmers plant rows upon rows of Fava beans for this reason alone. This make Rooibos economical to grow, and also reduces its planetary footprint, since it does not require heavy ag-chemicals in the form of fertilizers. The bio-efficiency of Rooibos as a crop creates a dynamic basis for both Organic and Fair Trade growing and harvesting practices.

Generations of indigenous Africans used Rooibos as a soothing bath, especially for babies, and anyone with rashy, irritated skin. These soothing properties, according to their traditional beliefs, also eased insomnia and headaches when the plant was brewed and sipped.

Today, Rooibos is enjoying renewed popularity as a topical ingredient in modern skin care formulations. Research is currently underway to establish its other health benefits. For now, there is no arguing that a cup of Art of Tea Rooibos, or Art of Tea’s headier Rooibos Chai (infused with a spice-route of Organic Cloves, Cardamom, Cinnamon and Ginger) refreshes and satisfies, from the first gorgeously-transparent red sip, until the pot runs dry.

–Victoria Thomas

October is Fair Trade month. You hear and see the words “fair trade” all over the place—in supermarkets, retail stores, coffee shops–but do you really know what it is? Fair Trade is a social movement where the goal is to help producers in developing countries create healthier trading conditions and promote sustainability. This global practice started in the 1940s when North American and European organizations helped underdeveloped communities sell their handmade crafts to local markets. Fair Trade is an exchanging partnership that contributes to sustainable developments by offering better trading conditions to, and securing the rights of, marginalized producers and workers. Fair Trade practices assist in creating more equal exchanges between consumers and producers. Funds from Fair Trade practices solely support social, economic and environmental development projects in these poverty-stricken regions.

Art of Tea founder Steve Schwartz, documented a few of the ways in which Fair Trade benefited a tea-producing community in China. Click on the link below and see for yourself what Fair Trade means to the tea producers in a town  near Wuyi Shan in Fujian:

Why Does Fair Trade Matter?

Fair Trade Gift Set

Art of Tea is a leading purveyor of Fair Trade USA certified Fair Trade blends. We offer about 39 Fair Trade certified teas and continue to search for Fair Trade opportunities to produce more. Among these Fair Trade teas are favorites such as Caramelized Pear and Velvet Tea.

But as we usher in the fall season, Tali’s Masala Chai seems fitting in my mug. I am a Chai fan, so I had high hopes when I tried my first cup. Not only is it Fair Trade, it is organic certified. The mildly caffeinated blend consists of the traditional Assam black tea from India, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and ginger.

Tali's Masala Chai

This aromatic concoction is smooth with hints of spiciness garnered from the cinnamon and ginger. I was quite pleased with its strong yet well-balanced flavors. This also makes a great latte. Simply stir in milk, and you’re moments away from a heavenly treat.

Here are just a few reasons why Fair Trade practices are so important to Art of Tea:

· Fair trade practices help producers in under-developed countries have greater opportunities to acquire the resources they need to improve their livelihood.

· Sustainable development protects against land loss by promoting environmentally friendly processes which in turn creates a healthy working environment for producers and their families.

· Fair trade practices also promote fair wages for workers, build schools and hospitals, create cultural centers, promote gender equality and fight against child labor in tea producing areas.

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Since we were certified as a Fair Trade company by TransFair USA four years ago, we’ve had a significant increase in the volume of Fair Trade tea we sell each year. As our purchases of Fair Trade teas have grown, we’ve been thrilled to see the direct impact it has had on the lives of the tea farmers who produce our teas. (You can get a glimpse of Fair Trade’s impact in the Southern China’s mountainous areas with this Fair Trade tea video from Art of Tea’s founder, Steve Schwartz.)

We’ve been so happy with the results of our work with Fair Trade farms, we guess you could say we’re thirsty for more. In September 2010, we introduced Fair Trade versions of our Earl Grey and English Breakfast teas, but we’re not stopping there. Perhaps Steve put it best when he said, “This is an continuous progression for Art of Tea, as we are determined to make sure that every one of our ingredients are sourced from sustainable, Fair Trade practices.”

Long story short – The more Fair Trade tea our customers buy, the more Fair Trade tea we buy, and the more farming communities we support in an ethical, sustainable manner. For you, it means delicious, ethically sourced tea. For us, it means a chance to make the world a better place through our business. For the farmers, it means a better life for themselves and for future generations.

Are you as thirsty for Fair Trade teas as we are? Check out our collection of Fair Trade teas.

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.

Holy basil one of India’s most sacred herbs and recognized as the “elixir of life”, is also referred to as Tulsi (which means “incomparable”). This special brew is impressive in its capacity to assist the body’s natural process of healing and maintaining health. Originating in the tropical parts of Asia, its fragrance and delicacy stem from long purple flowers and smooth green foliage.
Our Tulsi basil is an organic herbal botanical known for its unique  and complimentary traditional health benefits. The exquisite blend is comprised of the Tulsi (Indian basil) leaves and blossoms, grown in remote locations in rich organic soil, as to promote the healthiest plants possible. Our lovely Tulsi is cultivated from seedlings and harvested at optimal time, right after first flowering, thus producing a tisane whose flowers aromatic and beneficial oils are at peak. We also add this wonderful botanical other tea blends such as Fluer de Vie.

Traditionally taken due to its rich antioxidant and adaptogen qualities, research shows that holy basil is known to create strong antibacterial, antiviral and immune enhancing properties. This all becomes possible due to hundreds of compounds of phyto-chemicals, that work together to support the body’s natural defense against stress and germs.   Highly regarded in the Ayurvedic system of medicine, this caffeine free, very tasty and beneficial brew is traditionally used within Ayurveda to promote wellness, longevity, and mental clarity by balancing metabolism.
Infuse two to five minutes, much the same way as one would make green, white or black tea.
Alonger steeping time, such as five minutes yields a stronger tea with more beneficial properties.

Kinezuka Toshiaki is an organic tea farmer in Shizuoka, Japan. In the 1970s, he founded a collective of organic tea farmers, and over the years he became a vocal advocate for the environmental benefits of organic farming. During a recent trip to Japan, we had the opportunity to ask him about his experiences as an organic tea farmer. Here is part one of our conversation. Check back next week for part two of this discussion of organic tea farming in Japan.

Art of Tea: You’ve said originally switched to organic production in search of better tasting tea. What is the difference between the taste of organic and conventional [non-organic] tea to you?

Kinezuka: Organic tea has a deeper, richer taste. We often receive tea from other [conventional] farmers, and I am always surprised to taste it because it looks very good, but once we brew it, it is not tasty at all.

Art of Tea: When did you make the switch to organic tea production?

Kinezuka: In 1976. Before then, I had a strong dependency on chemicals.

If we go back to the earliest history of agriculture, we cannot find any time with such a high dependency on chemicals. In the 1960s,Japanese agriculture became highly dependent on chemicals, so the dependency has only a short history of about 50 years. In these 50 years, without people realizing it, there was a huge environmental destruction.

Art of Tea: What kind of environmental destruction?

Kinezuka: When I was little, farmers used a very strong chemical in the rice fields. After they sprayed, they would put up a red flag in the field, and the children were not allowed to play in the river. This is why I never learned to swim.

At the same time, the fish disappeared. If there had been a factory up the stream that killed fish and damaged the environment, it would have been a big social issue, but since it was farming, people did not take the same approach. However, farming is one of the biggest polluters.

Until today, there has been destructive construction that killed a lot of the creatures in the river and nature. We used to have many fireflies, but now we don’t see many. At one point, they almost totally disappeared.

Art of Tea: That’s terrible… What is the role of insects on your organic tea farm today?

Kinezuka: A professor observed two farms in Shizuoka from March to November, when the insects are the most active. He compared our farm to a conventional farm 250 meters away. The insects with wings were evenly spread over the two farms. However, the number of insects without wings was steady on the organic farm and it changed suddenly on the conventional farm. Overall, the average was lower on the organic farm, in part because helpful insects like spiders exist on organic farms. They eat the harmful insects. In addition, there was a much wider variety of types of insects on the organic tea farm.

Check back next week to learn how the diverse ecology of organic farms makes better tea.