In the month of May, we are dedicating 8 minutes of each work day to tap out of technology and tap into a tea experience. This “8 Minute Digital Detox With Tea” campaign will challenge you daily to unplug yourself from all your devices- computers, phones, and other social gadgets to focus on the ritual of preparing tea.

Why Tea?

Since tea has been used universally for over 5000 years as a natural remedy for the mind and body, tea is the perfect vessel to reconnect with yourself. Tea is typically known to calm the mind, ignite focus and awareness, and sooth the body. Disconnect from technology to reconnect with yourself. Find a quiet space where you are not tempted to respond to an email or text. You can even set aside a box to hold your cell phone, iPad, and all other electronic devices. Join us in tapping out of technology to tap into tea!

Why 8 Minutes?

We usually get a 10 minute break during a work day, so we invite you to use 8 of those minutes to hone in on the art of tea, so to speak. Most teas take 3 to 5 minutes to steep. Tisanes or caffeine free blends can steep longer at 5 to 7 minutes, so it is manageable to prepare tea within an 8 minute cap. Also, the number 8 is a lucky number in China, which is where we source many of our teas.

Day One- My Tea Ritual

I chose to steep an oolong tea called Bao Zhong Pouchong to kick off this digitox cleanse. First, I prepared my Smart Tea Maker by adding two heaping teaspoons of tea. Then, I poured hot water over the leaves. I quickly gathered my teapot and perfect tea timer, and headed outside. I set my pot down and watched the leaves infuse into the water for the remaining 2 minutes. I could see the leaves slowly dancing in the water, which is known as the agony of the leaves. Oolongs are especially eye catching to witness steep because like Bao Zhong Pouchong, the leaves are more tightly rolled and twisted. When the leaves are submerged in hot water, they dance as they unfurl during steeping. After multiple steeps, the leaves fully unravel, so you can see the full size of the leaves expanded in the pot.

While I took a few sips, I purposely engaged my senses to focus on my surroundings. It was a beautiful and sunny California day with a slight, cool breeze. I could smell the garden of white roses blooming beside me. I could even hear birds nearby chirping in the midst of cars driving pass. The warm cup of tea was comforting and perpetuated a serene ambiance.

This was my first time tasting Bao Zhong Pouchong. I could tell by the green color of the dry leaves that this oolong was less oxidized than others. It tasted similar to a green tea. It had sweet yet buttery notes that created a well-balanced flavor on my palate. The steeped leaves created a champagne hue and smelled mildly floral.

When I returned to my desk, I felt less stressed and rejuvenated to finish the rest of my work day. My tea experience provided a little escape from constant emails and text messages this digital age allows at the touch of a button. It was delightful to step away from all my technology and intentionally indulge in a moment to enjoy tea.

Now it’s your turn. Join us in our “8 Minute Digital Detox With Tea”. Learn more tips and facts, and share your digitox thoughts and pictures on our Facebook page. Click on tab: #8MINDIGITOX. We would love to hear about your digital detox experiences. Remember, take your pictures and post on social media networks after the 8 minutes. Drink tea, and be well!

-MELISSA CHUA

Melissa is the Business Development Manager at Art of Tea. Contact her directly with any feedback, ideas or questions via Google+.

For all the jasmine lovers, you are in for a treat. Art of Tea now carries Jasmine Rings exclusively until our supply runs out. This premium green tea from Fujian, China is similar in quality and flavor to Jasmine Pearls. As the jasmine flowers naturally impart a lasting aroma and flavor, the effect is more intense in the Jasmine Rings. Supreme quality green tea leaves alone (unlike Jasmine Pearls, which contain the leaf and bud) are handpicked and carefully hand rolled into rings.

As I cupped the tea, I noticed the dry, silvery and pearly green leaves that formed into unique, varying ringlets. I watched the leaves unfurl slightly as I poured the hot water over them. The steeped leaves were just as beautiful dry because the ringlets were still intact but looser. The leaves were a brownish green and engulfed by the jasmine’s fresh and organic floral scent. I took one sip, and I was immediately overwhelmed with the floral notes of the jasmine. This tea is so delicate and pure that a mere two minutes is just the right amount of time to infuse.

I also re-steeped the rings twice more. With each steep, it was entertaining to see how the ringlets uncurled further and still released a consistently robust jasmine perfume. The re-steeped leaves had a more mild and balanced jasmine flavor that wasn’t quite as overpowering as my first steep. I found the tea to taste better each time.

-MELISSA CHUA

Melissa is the Business Development Manager at Art of Tea. Contact her directly with any feedback, ideas or questions via Google+.

With spring almost here and warmer days upon us, it’s the perfect time to host an afternoon tea party. Spring is the season for tea parties! Follow these tips to help plan your own afternoon tea party.

*Decide on a budget and theme. Do you want a formal or informal party? Spring themes often focus on spring holidays like St. Patrick’s Day or Easter. Other common themes are: “Alice In Wonderland” or “big hats for a garden party.”

*Finalize a date, time and location. Afternoon tea parties are typically around 2 to 5 p.m. Will the party take place indoors or outdoors, in a garden?

*Make a guest list and send out invitations accordingly. Evites (evites.com) are an easy, eco-friendly and free way to invite 10 or more people. Facebook (facebook.com) invites are also a great way to get the word out. If you’re having a more intimate gathering, it might be nice to get crafty with a handmade invitation or a phone call would suffice.

*Create the food and tea menus. Make sure to buy or make a variety of sweet and savory treats to complement the teas. Food infused with tea is an excellent way to showcase the tea. Try some of our favorites made by Katie Kirby, our social media maven. Click on these links to past posts for recipes: Matcha Cupcakes, Tea Truffles and Earl Grey Chocolate Cake.

Tea party menus typically include a mix of pastries and sandwiches. Think bite-sized appetizers or finger food. You can find many recipes on Pinterest.com with or without an account.

Select teas that will pair well with your food options. Here are Art of Tea recommendations:

Black Teas: Earl Grey, Earl Grey Crème, Tali’s Masala Chai, English Breakfast, Starry Night

White Teas: White Coconut Crème, Silver Needle, White Acai, Amore

Green Teas: Jasmine Pearls, Green Pomegranate, Happy Tea, Sencha

Oolong Teas: Mandarin Silk, Iron Goddess of Mercy, Plum Oolong

Pu-erh Teas: Naked Pu-erh, Pu-erh Tuo Cha, Coconut Cacao Pu-erh

Herbal/Tisanes: French Lemon Ginger, Egyptian Chamomile

If you want to serve one tea at a time, we recommend tasting light to dark for a smooth transition for your palate. Take your guests on a tea journey starting with white; then green, followed by oolong and ending with black or pu-erh tea if adventurous. If you are new to pu-erh teas, refer to this two-part article on re-steeping pu-erh: Part 1 and Part 2. You should also have herbal blends available to accommodate guests who do not want caffeine.

Lastly, since tea is the star of the party, you may want to share more fusions or unique teas like blooming teas such as Halo or Beach Flower. If you want to go a step further, you can make tea cocktails or tea-tinis! Check out these recipes from past posts: Happy Hour with AOT’s Blooming Teas and Hibiscus Cooler cocktails.

Learn about recommended steeping times. We recommend 1 tsp per every 8 oz.

*Make sure you have the proper teaware and accessories-teapots, teacups, kettle and water heater. Get some teaware tips from the last post on: How To Choose The Right Teapot. If you don’t have enough mugs, you can ask your guests to bring their favorite teacup, which will also add to the party décor.

Hope these tips were helpful! Enjoy sharing cups of tea with great company. Cheers!

-MELISSA CHUA

Melissa is the Business Development Manager at Art of Tea. Contact her directly with any feedback, ideas or questions via Google+.

Happy 2013! New Year’s resolutions have been made. As many embark on the journey to weight loss for the new year, it’s fitting to explore the increasingly popular, paleo (Paleolithic) diet. The paleo diet has been around since humankind, but there has been a rise in this particular diet because of CrossFit, a trending fitness regimen that involves constantly varied functional movements performed at high intensity within a community environment. As a CrossFitter, I immediately saw that paleo is the diet for CrossFit enthusiasts. It was first introduced to the CrossFit community by Robb Wolf, former CrossFit nutrition adviser and author of The Paleo Solution. News of this low carb, high protein diet quickly spread throughout the CrossFit community and eventually replaced the initial CrossFit Zone diet because it produced results to be lean, energized and strong.

What is Paleo?

Known as the caveman or hunter-gatherer diet, this nutritional plan entails consuming unprocessed foods with high protein, lean meats from grass fed animals and complimented with moderate fruit and vegetable intake for healthier carbohydrate sources. The diet restricts: processed foods, dairy, grains, legumes and sweets. When in doubt, ask, “What would a caveman eat?”

Paleo and Tea

Water is the recommended beverage of choice, but is tea accepted in the paleo diet? Paleo purists would probably shake their heads no, but nowadays, modern Paleoists make exceptions to fit these modern times. Bacon is a processed meat, but many paleo dieters can’t resist it. Along the same lines, tea is a subjective topic for paleoists. Purists forbid it because of its caffeine content; while some say caffeine free blends or tisanes are fine.

Nonetheless, paleo palates can enjoy tea-like substitutes from Art of Tea’s rooibos blends. Although rooibos is part of the legume family, a dietary restriction, paleoists still drink it for its many health benefits. This caffeine-free red bush from South Africa is notably rich in antioxidants and helps fuel the body with iron. French Lemon Ginger, Italian Blood Orange and Rooibos alone are great tisanes to start with.

Other paleoists argue that organic teas or least processed teas are accepted. Given that reasoning, white teas are the least processed tea type (simply picked and dried) and so are often referred to as the most organic. Paleoists who don’t mind the caffeine can drink organic white teas such as Silver Needle, White Picked Monkey and White Peony.

Paleo-coffee fanatics also known as caffeine lovers can still get their caffeine in healthier doses through green tea. It’s widely accepted because of its natural health benefits. In keeping with the Stone Age premise of the diet, we recommend Art of Tea’s minimally caffeinated Kukicha Twig Tea and Green Kukicha. These earthy greens  are made of the twigs and leaves from the tea plant Camellia Sinensis.

For more information about the paleo diet, check out Wolf’s website at  http://robbwolf.com/. Another plan that follows a stringent nutritional structure similar to paleo is Whole 9. Learn more at http://whole9life.com/start/.

-MELISSA CHUA

Melissa is the Business Development Manager at Art of Tea. Contact her directly with any feedback, ideas or questions via Google+.

Everyone indulges in sweets during the holidays. It’s tradition. Whatever your guilty pleasure may be, Art of Tea has healthy alternatives to satisfy your sweet tooth. Butterscotch, Chocolate Monkey and Vanilla Berry Truffle are just a few Dessert Teas we offer. Drink them as is or concoct fun and festive beverages that will certainly fare well with your banquet. Forget about counting the calories with these healthy dessert options. Here are three tea recipes using Art of Tea’s dessert inspired favorites: Apple Pie, Blueberry Cheesecake and Lemon Meringue.

Apple Pie Spiced Cider

Art of Tea’s Apple Pie fuses together all the ingredients necessary for an apple cider. This caffeine free tisane is a rooibos blend of honeybush, cinnamon, apple bits, coconut, ginger, pink peppercorn, black peppercorn and nutmeg.

You Will Need:

· 1 heaping tsp Art of Tea’s Apple Pie

· 1 Mug

· Cinnamon Sticks

· 2 tsp Cloves

Instructions:

For 5 to 7 minutes, steep the Apple Pie blend in your mug. Add the cloves and mix well. Add one or two fresh cinnamon sticks to garnish.

Blueberry Cheesecake Gin and Tonic

Art of Tea’s tisane, Blueberry Cheesecake marries all the quintessential flavors to create a blueberry cheesecake without all the carbs. This rooibos blend contains honeybush and blueberries decorated with cornflower and marigolds.

You Will Need:

· 1 oz. Art of Tea’s Blueberry Cheesecake, steeped

· 3 oz. Gin

· 3 oz. Tonic water

· Blueberries

· Ice

· 8 oz. Glass or double-walled glass teacup

Instructions:

First, add ice cubes into your glass. Add the rest of the ingredients, stir and enjoy!

Lemon Meringue Drop

Art of Tea’s Lemon Meringue, a caffeine free tisane, is a green rooibos blended with orange peel, rose petals and cornflowers. This is our tea-tini take on the popular vodka infused, Lemon Drop martini.

You Will Need:

· 2 oz. Art of Tea’s Lemon Meringue, steeped

· 1 oz. Vodka

· Shaker

· Ice

· Martini glass

· Sugar on a plate to rim the glass (optional)

· Lemon/lime wedge (optional)

Instructions:

First, rim the glass with sugar by wetting the rim with a fresh lime or lemon wedge. Then, gently dab the glass face down into the plate of sugar, rotating it until the entire rim is lined with sugar. Next, pour the vodka and steeped Lemon Meringue into a shaker over ice and shake until completely cold. Carefully pour contents into the martini glass.

Check out our full selection of Dessert Teas and create your own healthy elixers! Happy holidays!

-MELISSA CHUA

Let’s cap off the matcha series with a green tea smoothie recipe. Culinary matcha or Art of Tea’s Grade A Matcha is most frequently used as an organic base flavoring for smoothies and lattes. Enjoy the nice, long weekend with this healthy iced blended matcha treat! This recipe yields 2 servings.

Matcha Green Tea Smoothie

You Will Need:

-1 tsp Art of Tea’s Grade A Matcha

-1/3 cup Milk or milk alternative (I used coconut milk.)

-1 cup Ice cubes

-1/2 Banana, sliced

-3/4 cup Blueberries

-3 pinches Cinnamon, grounded

-1 tsp Agave or honey

-Blender

-Tibetan Goji Berries (optional)

Instructions:

First, pour the ice into the blender. Then, add the milk followed by the banana slices and blueberries. Carefully sprinkle Art of Tea’s Grade A Matcha and pinches of cinnamon. Squeeze about a teaspoon of agave or honey. Start blending until the contents fully mix together to create a frothy consistency. Empty into serving glasses. Use Art of Tea’s Tibetan Goji Berries as a finishing touch. These organic certified berries act as a natural sweetener and provide cherry and plum-like flavor notes. Cheers!

-MELISSA CHUA

Grade A Matcha or culinary matcha is commonly used to flavor, season and marinate food items and drinks. Follow these three easy steps to make instant green tea flavored ice cream anytime you’re craving it!

Green Tea Ice Cream

You Will Need:

-Art of Tea’s Grade A Matcha

-Vanilla ice cream of your choice (I used Breyer’s lactose free vanilla.)

-Mixing spoons

-Measuring spoon

-Ice cream bowl

-Blueberries (optional)

Instructions:

1. Put a serving size of vanilla ice cream in the bowl.

2. Add about one quarter of a teaspoon of Art of Tea’s organic certified Grade A Matcha. We recommend about one teaspoon per pint size, but go with your taste preference.

3. Mix well with spoons. You can cover with plastic wrap and re-freeze or enjoy as is!

*Tip: Garnish with blueberries or toppings of your choice.

-MELISSA CHUA

Matcha Cupcakes

Here’s a fun, easy recipe using tea. Try to use a high grade matcha, such as Art of Tea’s Grade A Matcha since the quality will greatly affect the end result.

You Will Need:

• 24 cupcake liners
• 2 sticks unsalted butter (left at room temperature to soften)
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 large egg yolks
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup milk
• 2 tbsp Art of Tea’s Grade A Matcha

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350.

2. Using a mixer or hand blender, beat the butter until soft.

3. Add sugar and beat for a couple of minutes, until light and fluffy.

4. Add eggs and egg yolks one at a time, making sure to combine each one with the mixture fully before adding the next.

5. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Then add this dry mixture to the batter and mix to combine.

6. In a separate bowl, mix the matcha in with the milk using a whisk. Add to the batter and mix to combine.

7. Use a spoon to put the batter into the cupcake liners, filling each one 2/3rds of the way.

8. Bake for about 22 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

9. Allow to cool on a rack before frosting.

Matcha Frosting

You Will Need:

• 1 tub of Cream Cheese Frosting (I used Pillsbury Whipped Supreme)
• 1 tsp Art of Tea’s Grade A Matcha
• A few drops of green food coloring, if desired!

Instructions:

1. Scoop the frosting into a bowl.
2. Sieve the matcha into the frosting bowl to prevent lumps
3. Add food coloring and mix until combined!

Recipe adapted from Matcha Source by KATIE KIRBY

Nestled along riverbeds and amidst luscious forests, lies a region called Yame, where we source our Ceremonial Matcha. This city in Fukuoka is known as one of the leading tea producers in Japan. In this scenic oasis, premium green tea called Gyokuro is shade grown for 20 days. Harvested during the spring, these fresh and young leaves are picked and steamed. The veins and stems are meticulously removed from the leaves to produce tencha. The leaves alone or tencha is stone ground by granite into a fine, vibrantly jade green powder. Since Zen Buddhist Eisai introduced matcha to Japan in 1191, matcha has become a significant part of Buddhist tradition. Today, ceremonial matcha is used in traditional Japanese tea ceremonies called chadō or “the way of tea”. We can partake in our own chadō tea ceremony or drink this tasty matcha daily.

How to Prepare a Sublime Cup of Ceremonial Matcha:

You Will Need:

-Art of Tea’s Ceremonial Matcha

-Matcha bowl

-Matcha whisk

-Freshly drawn water

-Bamboo spoon or teaspoon

-Teapot or water heater

-Cleaning cloth or chakin

-Sifter or strainer (recommended)

Art of Tea’s Complete Matcha Set includes everything you need to prepare ceremonial matcha!

Instructions:

First, pour hot water into the bowl to preheat and awaken the cells, aromas and flavors currently in the bowl. Pour out the water and dry the bowl with a clean cloth or chakin. Then, heat your freshly drawn water to about 140 to 170 degrees Fahrenheit. Since this is a delicate tea, water temperature is important and will affect the tea’s flavor. Use your bamboo spoon to measure about one quarter of a teaspoon and pour into the bowl. It is recommended that you sift the powdered tea with a strainer to remove any clumps. Carefully, pour the water into the bowl. Use your whisk in a brisk W motion starting at the bottom of the bowl and slowly make your way upward in the same W motion. Whisk until the matcha provides a frothy consistency. Enjoy this creamy and sweet cup of Yame Ceremonial Matcha! It’s delicious!

-MELISSA CHUA

Contrary to the popular belief that matcha derives from Japan, it originally emerged during the Song Dynasty in China. Matcha is made from a shade grown green tea, also known as Gyokuro that is carefully steamed and meticulously dried. After the steaming process, the leaves are separated from the stems, so the leaves alone, called tencha are grounded into a powder called matcha. The art of producing, preparing and consuming this powdered tea became a ritual performed by Zen Buddhists in China. In 1191, a Zen monk by the name of Eisai, traveled to Japan and introduced matcha to the country. As matcha’s popularity lessened in China, the Japanese embraced this powdered tea. Matcha eventually became an important part of rituals in Zen monasteries in Japan.

At Art of Tea, we offer two types of matcha–ceremonial and culinary. Ceremonial Matcha is primarily from Japan. It is typically stone grounded into a fine powder producing a brighter green hue. The powder is whisked back and forth rapidly to create frothiness. The taste is grassy with a sweet undertone. Grade A Matcha, on the other hand, is the matcha used in cooking and added in lattes and iced teas. Read on to learn more about the harvesting process of Art of Tea’s Grade A Matcha.

Art of Tea founder and CEO, Steve Schwartz recently journeyed to China on an educational trip visiting tea plantations. He travelled throughout the Zhejiang Province, along China’s eastern coast. Steve spent some time at a tea farm that specializes in producing Japanese style green teas such as Sencha, Gyokuro and matcha, including Art of Tea’s very own organic certified Grade A Matcha.

Let’s take a look at the harvesting process of Matcha green tea. First, the Sencha green tea leaves are shade grown for 20 days. During this time period, the leaves become darker and develop into Gyokuro leaves. The darker the leaves, the higher the chlorophyll content, which in turn contributes to the tea’s health benefits.

The green tea leaves are then picked and steamed, a Japanese method of processing tea leaves.

The vibrantly green leaves are then put in a tube-shaped machine where the leaves are air tossed upwards to quickly dry.

The machine (below) is used to separate the stems from the leaves. The leaves alone called tencha, are taken into a rotating drum filled with ceramic-covered magnets.

As the magnets bounce rapidly within the rotating drum, hitting against each other, the tencha leaves are slowly grounded into a fine powder without losing their vibrancy.

The result is culinary Matcha green tea , which we call Grade A Matcha. This rich, green powder is great as a stand alone tea but is commonly used to flavor various food items and create delicious smoothies and lattes.

Stay tuned for recipes on how to make a matcha smoothie and steep the perfect cup of Ceremonial Matcha.

-MELISSA CHUA