Warming the hearts of many, Earl Grey has become a timeless tea enjoyed most frequently in the West. Earl Grey is said to be named after English Prime Minister Charles Grey, who was also the second Earl of Britain in the 1830s. Historical tales say Lord Charles Grey rescued a drowning boy in China. The boy’s father who was a tea blender showed his appreciation by giving the prime minister the famed black tea recipe, later known as Earl Grey. There are a number of varied accounts, but it is questionable in all the stories whether Grey ever visited China. If he did, bergamot oranges were not harvested in China at that time, nor was it common for the Chinese to drink black tea.

How did the pear-shaped citrus appear in the tea? Some sources say that during the Jewish diaspora, bergamot was used as the etrog, a citrus fruit used in rituals during the Jewish festival of Sukkot. The bergamot was obtained from Corfu, Greece, which became the British naval base in the Mediterranean. Britain’s tea loving, naval officers were then stationed in the world’s primary market for bergamot. There is a notion that a British commander possibly introduced the tea to Grey. Whether the stories are fact or fiction, Grey is remembered for his namesake tea. In fact, the English still refer to Earl Grey tea as “old stinky” as a nod to Grey’s foul odor and the tea’s distinct scent.

So what makes Earl Grey tea an Earl Grey? It’s the bergamot oil. A classic Earl Grey is black tea flavored with the oil from the rind of the bergamot orange, which is native to Italy. Nonetheless, we at Art of Tea find that Earl Grey is a versatile tea that can be blended with different tea types or even recreated in a caffeine free form creating fifty shades or blends of Earl Grey or at least a handful of Earl Grey varieties. The tea blending possibilities are limitless!

Art of Tea’s organic and fair trade certified Earl Grey showcases everything one expects in a classic Earl Grey with the Art of Tea touch—a hand-picked black tea from Sri Lanka flavored with oil of bergamot to produce that distinct fragrant, citrus zest revealed in flavor and aroma.

Earl Grey is distinguished as a strong black tea, so the astringency is often toned down with sweeteners like milk, honey and sugar. Kiss those sweeteners away when you try Art of Tea’s Earl Grey Crème. This bestseller and AOT office favorite has the great flavors of a traditional Earl Grey but perfected with a touch of vanilla. It is just heavenly—creamy, light and bold at the same time with citrus notes harmoniously dancing in your mouth.

Interested in a unique spin on Earl Grey? Try Green Earl Grey, a green tea with bergamot oil. Dr. Oz listed Art of Tea’s very own Green Earl Grey as one of his top favorite green teas in Oprah’s O Magazine. The organic green tea leaves are hand rolled and blended with Italian bergamot. It steeps a beautiful amber hue.

In a place where blending is second nature, Art of Tea created the beautifully aromatic Earl Grey Lavender. This tea marries organic and biodynamic black tea from Sri Lanka with lavender and bergamot oil. There is a delicate balance of sweet and floral with a mild citrus richness that will soothe the nasal cavities and gently warm the throat.

Defying all Earl Grey boundaries, Art of Tea caters to the tisane lovers with a caffeine free version. We use organic and fair trade South African rooibos in place of tea and pair it with the Earl Grey signature ingredient, bergamot oil to create Herbal Earl Grey. Enjoy similar profile flavors without the caffeine!

Whether you prefer to stick to the traditional Earl Grey, an award-winner at the World Tea Expo, or explore other shades of Earl Grey, you will be delighted with the aroma and distinct flavor profiles the bergamot fruit provides when complimented with different tea types and herbs.

-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

This recipe is prepared with a 2 lb boneless shoulder roast lamb seasoned with Art of Tea’s organic certified, caffeine free blend called Pacific Coast Mint.

The Marinade

You Will Need:

-3 cups of strong tea made from Art of Tea’s Pacific Coast Mint

-2 tsps minced garlic

-4 tsps minced basil

-½ tsp chili pepper flakes

-½ tsp salt

-Dash of black pepper

-1 tsp cornstarch

-8 stems of fresh tarragon

Instructions:

Boil the water and pour over 4 teaspoons of Art of Tea’s Pacific Coast Mint. Let sit for an hour. Add some of the tea to the cornstarch to make a syrupy liquid. After an hour, add the rest of the marinade ingredients. Bring to a slow boil. Mix in the cornstarch stirring constantly. Continue cooking until the tea thickens a little. Then, let cool.

Meanwhile, rinse the lamb. Wipe, dry and place in a roasting pan. When the marinade is cool, pour it all over and if rolled, into the center of the lamb. Refrigerate lamb overnight or for a minimum of 4 hours.

When ready to cook, take the lamb out of the refrigerator and bring to room temperature. Slice a bulb of fennel crosswise ¼ inch thick. Slice a large Italian eggplant crosswise ¾ inch thick. If the eggplant is seedy, add salt and let sit for 5 minutes. Rinse to remove bitterness.

Preheat the oven to 375⁰

Pour the marinade at the bottom of the pan into a pot and boil. Strain through a sieve and cool. When cool, pour the marinade over the fennel and eggplant that you put into a large flat bowl or side dish.

This process results in a medium to well done roasted lamb.

Put a rack in the roasting pan and add 4 stems of tarragon. Then, carefully place the lamb on top.  Place 4 stems of tarragon on top of the lamb and place in the oven.  Roast for 10 minutes. Then, reduce the temperature to 350⁰ and roast for 35 more minutes.  Lift the roast off the rack and place on a dish.  Put the fennel on the rack and then the eggplant. Turn the roast over and place on top of eggplant.  Cook for another 30 minutes. Take the roast out of the oven and check the color of the lamb meat by making a small slit in the thickest part of the roast with a sharp knife to see the color of the meat. It should be pink for medium or brown for well done. Lift it off the rack and check the vegetables for doneness.  Remove the eggplant and fennel if tender.

If the inside of the lamb is not cooking, you may want to flatten it out at this point. Replace the lamb and cook for another 15-30 minutes.  If you left the vegetables in, cook for a short time, check everything and remove or cook longer to your preferred roast.

-KATHY ROSENBLATT

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

We recently launched some amazing iced tea blends including a tropical, caffeinated tisane called Hibiscus Cooler. Similar to Art of Tea’s caffeine free favorite, Kauai Cocktail, this fruity blend marries sweet and tart flavors with a pinch of citrus from the organic lemongrass, while providing a caffeine lift. Hibiscus Cooler does not contain any tea leaves from the Camellia Sinensis plant but contains caffeine from the organic guayusa. Cousin to Yerba Mate, guayusa is a caffeinated evergreen holly from the Amazon rainforest. Natives believed the plant invigorated the body with energy and renewed focus. Hibiscus Cooler is naturally sweetened with organic stevia leaves, which nicely compliments the tartness of the organic hibiscus.

Here are some fun and easy Hibiscus Cooler recipes to spice up your Independence Day celebrations and upcoming summer soirees. Our new 2 quart iced tea pouches (also available in other iced tea blends) will be used in all the recipes below. These are ideal for smaller batch brewing or 64 oz. serving size.

Cold Brewed Hibiscus Cooler

Recipe yields about 8 servings

You Will Need:

-Takeya’s 66 oz. Iced Tea Pitcher or any 64 oz. pitcher

-One 2 qt. pouch Hibiscus Cooler

-Freshly drawn water

-Sliced fruit of your choice (I used strawberries and blueberries)

Instructions:

Using the cold brew method to make iced tea, toss your 2 qt. pre-measured teabag into your pitcher. Fill the pitcher three quarters of the way to the top. Heighten the flavors by adding strawberries and blueberries in your Takeya infuser. Twist the infuser back onto the cap. If you don’t have an infuser, add the fruit directly into the pitcher. Cover the pitcher and store in the refrigerator for 8 to 10 hours. Remove the teabag and enjoy!

Hibiscus Cape Cod

A traditional Cape Cod is made of vodka and cranberry juice, but this new creation replaces the tart, berry juice with our Hibiscus Cooler.

You Will Need:

-2 oz. Vodka

-4 oz. Hibiscus Cooler

-Lime wedge (optional)

-Shaker

-Ice cubes

-8 oz. Glass

Instructions:

First, prepare your Hibiscus Cooler iced tea using the directions below. Then, measure about 4 ounces of the iced Hibiscus Cooler. Add the vodka, Hibiscus Cooler and ice cubes into a shaker. Rapidly shake for a few seconds and pour into your glass. Garnish the glass rim with a lime wedge. Cheers!

Malibu Hibiscus Bay Breeze

A classic Malibu Bay Breeze infuses rum, cranberry juice and pineapple juice, but this libation substitutes cranberry juice with our Hibiscus Cooler.

You Will Need:

-1 ½ oz. Malibu Rum or any coconut rum

-2 oz. Hibiscus Cooler

-2 oz. Pineapple juice

-Shaker

-Ice cubes

-Martini glass

Instructions:

First, make your Hibiscus Cooler iced tea using the directions below. Once your Hibiscus Cooler is chilled to your heart’s content, measure out 2 ounces. Add the pineapple juice, iced tea and rum into a shaker with ice. Shake well and pour into your favorite martini glass.

How to Make Hibiscus Cooler Iced Tea

You Will Need:

-Takeya’s 66 oz. Iced Tea Pitcher or any 64 oz. pitcher

-One 2 qt. pouch Hibiscus Cooler

-Boiling water

-Freshly drawn water

-Ice cubes

Instructions:

First, remove the infuser from the Takeya pitcher. Toss a 2 qt. Hibiscus Cooler teabag into the pitcher. Pour one third of the way of boiling water into the pitcher. Then, pour two thirds of the way of freshly drawn water into the pitcher. Steep for 4 minutes. Finally, remove the teabag and add ice.

-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

Memorial Day weekend is here! Whether you’re relaxing at home or hosting a little get-together, an amazing beverage selection is the perfect way to kick back and indulge in the long weekend. Celebrate the launch of Art of Tea’s blooming teas now exclusively offered in our signature artisan tins. The collection features Halo, Blooming Bliss and Beach Flower.

We’d like to also welcome a limited edition flowering tea called Bird of Paradise, which is available while supplies last. This green and white tea infusion showcases pink amaranth flowers and orange lilies when steeped. The fully bloomed tea will closely resemble the tropical bird of paradise flower, as you may have guessed from the name.

These artful hand-sewn tea leaves are delicately woven into flowers to create a sphere. Once submerged in boiling water, the tea leaves open up to reveal a miraculous blossom. Each flowering bulb is naturally flavored providing a unique taste and aroma in addition to its mesmerizing bloom.

Optimize your relaxation during this three-day weekend with the following recipes for delicious blooming tea-tinis using Art of Tea’s blooming teas.

Garden Iced Tea using Halo and Blooming Bliss (yields about 12 servings)

You Will Need:

-Glass serving pitcher (I used a 96 oz.)

-Boiling water (206-212 degrees Fahrenheit)

-1 Art of Tea’s Halo bulb

-1 Art of Tea’s Blooming Bliss bulb

-Glass brewer such as a teapot or pitcher (wide enough for the blooms to fully expand.)

-Food tong

-Ice cubes

-Lemon slice (optional)

Instructions:

First, fill your glass brewer with the boiling water and drop a Halo and Beach Flower bulb. After five to seven minutes, the flowers should have fully expanded. Pour one third of the way of room temperature water into your serving pitcher. This will avoid breaking the glass and eliminate shocking the boiling water with ice, which causes cloudiness. Carefully, use a tong to transfer the blooms into the serving pitcher. Gently pour 30-50% of the tea in the serving pitcher and add ice cubes as needed.

Enjoy as is or make it a long island iced tea by adding 1/4 ounces of vodka, gin, rum and tequila! Mix equal parts well in a shaker with ice and pour into your pitcher. Garnish the glass rim with a lemon slice if you like.

Bird of Paradise Tea-tini

You Will Need:

-Boiling water

-1 Art of Tea’s Bird of Paradise bulb

-Glass brewer wide enough for the bloom to fully expand (I used a 12 oz. hand blown glass teapot .)

-Martini glass with enough space for a fully expanded bloom

-1/2oz. Blueberry vodka

-1/2oz. Sweet vermouth

-1/2 oz. Plum juice

-Food tong

-Shaker

-Ice cubes

Instructions:

First, pour the boiling water into the glass brewer. Drop the Bird of Paradise bulb and watch as the tea slowly opens up. It usually takes five to seven minutes for optimal expansion. Carefully, use a tong to place the blossomed bulb into the martini glass. Let the tea cool down until room temperature. Then, mix the vodka, vermouth, plum juice and 1 1/2 oz. of tea in a martini shaker with ice cubes. Finally, pour all the ingredients into the martini glass.

Beach Flower Cocktail

You Will Need:

-Boiling water

-1 Art of Tea’s Beach Flower bulb

-Glass brewer wide enough for the bloom to fully expand

-Glass (I used Bodum’s 8.5 oz. double walled glass .)

-1/2 oz. Triple sec

-1/2 oz. Vodka

-1/2 oz. Light rum

-1/2oz. Lychee juice

-Food tong

-Shaker

-Ice cubes

Instructions:

First, pour the boiling water in the glass brewer. Drop the Beach Flower bulb and wait five to seven minutes as the bulb fully blossoms. Remove the bloom and carefully place into the glass. Let the tea cool down to room temperature. Then pour the triple sec, vodka, rum, lychee juice and 2 ½ ounces of tea into a shaker with ice. Shake well and pour into the glass.

-MELISSA CHUA

Art of Tea owner and founder, Steve Schwartz and I continued our tea journey to discover the wonders of re-steeping pu-erh. Naturally, this is not my favorite choice for tea because of its bold and earthy characteristics, but I learned that re-steeping it can definitely change its flavor profile. This time, Steve and I re-steeped loose leaf pu-erh using Art of Tea’s Immortal Nectar.

The name Immortal Nectar comes from the Sanskrit term, Amrit, meaning “immortality”. In Hinduism, Amrit is known as a drink of the gods or nectar of the goddess. Just as the Greeks consumed ambrosia or food of the gods, the Hindus drank Amrit, which granted them immortality. Accordingly, this cave-aged, supreme loose leaf pu-erh was named after a heavenly elixir to infer that it may provide unearthly graces, or health benefits.

An article from Livestrong.com says pu-erh tea reduces cardiovascular risk and fat content as well as helps prevent cancer. Since pu-erh consists of broken leaves from the tea plant, Camellia Sinensis, these leaves yield a higher oxidation level when the tea is fermented. This is believed to produce pu-erh’s health benefits.

First, we put one teaspoon of the loose leaf Immortal Nectar in our Gaiwan. Then, we flushed the tea for 30 seconds to rinse off any excess sediment still lingering on the tea from the fermentation process. After that, we poured the boiled water over the leaves and drained the water after 30 seconds.

This is a great pu-erh to try if you are new to this tea because it provides lighter flavors that come across as slightly sweet and less astringent. Throughout the five steeps, the flavor profile of Immortal Nectar continued to evolve in sometimes unexpected ways. As you notice, the third steep released a whiskey taste and alcohol-like essence. By the fourth steep, the traditional robust and woodsy pu-erh flavors were soon overpowered by sweet and cinnamon undertones. This was the best cup yet! It was evident that the more I re-steeped the better tasting the tea became. Each steep unlocked a number of flavors and aromas surprising me each time.

The discovery of new tea profiles never ends when you simply re-steep the leaves. It’s amazing what aromas and flavors are released after multiple steeps. Now it’s your turn! Feel free to use our steeping times and water temperatures as a guideline, but adjust where you see fit. Share your tea journeys with us by commenting below!

-MELISSA CHUA