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

I sat down with Art of Tea owner and founder, Steve Schwartz for a lesson in re-steeping tea. One of the many benefits of loose leaf tea is the beauty of re-steeping the leaves. The Chinese typically prefer to re-steep oolong and pu-erh teas because they believe that only after multiple steeps, the true flavors and essence of the tea come out. However, you can re-steep most loose leaf teas multiple times. You may find that you prefer a tea’s tenth steep far more than its first. Re-steeping tea opens the leaves further, releasing different flavors, tones and aromas. Enjoy the best cup of tea one steep at time and receive more of its benefits as the leaves continue to unfold.

It’s an exciting adventure to witness how the flavors ripen and notice how your senses react to each steep. Follow our journey as Steve and I re-steep pu-erh teas divided into two parts. First, join us through our exploration of re-steeping a pu-erh cake. Stay tuned for part two, where we re-steep loose leaf pu-erh.

What is Pu-erh?

Pu-erh, (pooh-air) sometimes called dark tea, is mainly found in Yunnan, China. It’s the most consumed tea throughout the country. According to an article in Natural News, pu-erh has been used in Chinese medicine for centuries. Traditional uses include the removal of toxins from the body, weight loss, improving eyesight, reducing cholesterol, promoting blood circulation and reviving those who have over indulged in alcohol.

Pu-erh tea undergoes a unique fermentation process where microbes feed on its leaves, allowing natural mold and yeast to develop. This aging process enhances and produces the earthy flavors and moss-like characteristics of pu-erh. The darkened and dried leaves and buds of the Camellia Sinensis plant are then traditionally pressed into a cake or served as loose leaf. Similar to red wine, the older the tea, the better tasting and higher quality the tea becomes. Because of its fermentation process, pu-erh tastes and smells like a damp forest floor. It is engulfed with earthy tones, damp wood and dirt tastes and aromas. More men over women tend to gravitate towards this tea. The smell alone often hinders me from taking my first sip. But after much hesitation, I’ve tasted a number of pu-erh teas, and I can fairly say that I’m not a fan. Find out if re-steeping it swayed my palate.

In this venture, Steve and I decided to re-steep Art of Tea’s Pu-erh Tuo Cha. Tuo cha literally means pressed tea. In early China, tea was compacted into a pressed cake for easy transport during long trading voyages. Art of Tea’s Tuo Cha is pressed into a tiny bowl shape perfect for a single serving, which goes a long way with re-steeping. As the hot water hits the pressed leaves, they gently unravel into loose entities emitting their flavor.

First, we flushed the Pu-erh Tuo Cha for 30 seconds. We dropped the single bowl-shaped cake into our Gaiwan and poured boiling water over it. After 30 seconds, we threw out the water as if to clean and rinse the pu-erh.

*Tip: Flushing tea is an important step in re-steeping because it removes excess and external sediment naturally found on tea, especially pu-erh. A quick flush of 5-10 seconds awakens the tea leaves by opening and expanding cells within the leaves.

Keep in mind that every experience is different, but this is just part of the mystery of each sip of tea. As expected, this pu-erh initially tasted very earthy and astringent. However, after five steeps, the flavor finally opened up to sweeter and lighter tones. The sixth steep surprised my taste buds completely. Although the sweetness started peaking in on the fifth steep, I did not expect the oatmeal and barley flavors to permeate. By the final steep, I was actually enjoying my cup of pu-erh! Join us next time as Steve and I continue our journey in re-steeping pu-erh.

-MELISSA CHUA

Thanks to the Chinese, green tea has been around for over 4000 years. According to numerous studies and medical reports, there are many health benefits attributed to drinking green tea. We reap the fruits of green tea because the leaves are less processed than other teas allowing the chlorophyll, amino acids and flavonoids (antioxidant compounds) to remain and flourish. Because of this minimal processing, green tea’s unique catechins, especially epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), are more concentrated.

Once the green tea leaves are picked from the Camellia Sinensis plant, they are immediately cooked to prevent oxidization. Green tea is prepared using one of four main techniques, which are heavily based by region—steaming, pan firing, baking and wok-roasting via wood or charcoal. In Japan, green tea is typically steamed resulting in a vibrant, green hue like Art of Tea’s Uji Gyokuro. The Chinese traditionally wok-roast the green tea leaves, which turn pale green, almost brownish as Art of Tea’s Dragonwell.

Take a look at 7 Benefits to Drinking Green Tea:

1. Routine intake of green tea may help promote healthy teeth and gums. A study by the American Academy of Periodontology suggests that green tea’s antioxidants may help reduce periodontal disease.

2. Green tea is recognized for its potential to combat and help prevent cancer. According to WebMD, green tea contains antioxidants called catechins, which contribute to removing free radicals that can damage DNA and lead to cancer, blood clots, and atherosclerosis.

3. Daily doses of green tea help reduce heart disease. In 2008, TIME Health reported that flavonoids in green tea help prevent clot formation and inflammation in body tissue reducing the risk of heart attacks. A study by Harvard Medical School concurs with findings that the antioxidants in green, black, and oolong teas can help block the oxidation of LDL (bad) cholesterol, increase HDL (good) cholesterol and improve artery function.

4. Green tea is vastly known as a weight loss beverage. It contains polyphenols that are believed to help burn calories and aid in digestion thus, increasing one’s metabolism overtime through regular consumption. Livestrong.com featured the green tea diet, which involves drinking green tea throughout the day instead of coffee or sodas. As seen on The Oprah Winfrey Show, Dr. Nicholas Perricone supports this diet saying that green tea helps cleanse the body and results in weight loss. On Oprah, Perricone suggested that substituting green tea for coffee can help cause significant weight loss.

5. It’s no secret that tea is calming. The amino acid, L-theanine found in green tea produces relaxation effects. Ease your mind and kiss your worries away with each cup. For the calming and relaxing benefits of L-theanine, Andrew Weil, M.D. recommends drinking green tea in moderation rather than taking a supplement.

6. Because Matcha green tea is essentially the whole leaves grounded into a fine powder, Matcha contains higher levels of amino acids, polyphenols, vitamins, catechins, as well as additional antioxidants compared to other green teas. Dr. Andrew Weil says, “Matcha is rich in catechin polyphenols – compounds with high antioxidant activity. The most important polyphenol in matcha is EGCG. (Additionally,) matcha has a significant amount of dietary fiber and practically no calories.” Try Matcha Grade A, Ginger Matcha and Art of Tea’s Ceremonial Matcha to consume green tea’s optimal benefits.

7. Green tea offers a diverse range of flavors from vegetal and ricey to sweet and fruity. Art of Tea creates a colorful selection of green teas to suit every palate. From more traditional blends like Gunpowder and Sencha to fruit fusions such as Tropical Pineapple and Green Pomegranate, Art of Tea provides a wide array of enticing green tea blends.

Need I say more? After water, tea is the most widely consumed beverage worldwide, so why not go green? Green tea is good for your mind and body. Just like they say, one cup of green tea a day will keep the doctor away. Check out Art of Tea’s Green Tea blends. Also enjoy the latest green tea addition, Pot of Gold, a St. Patty’s Day tribute blend.

-MELISSA CHUA

Valentine’s Day is February 14^th. It is celebrated in the United States and in some parts of the globe as a holiday to express love to friends, family members and significant others. This is a day often set aside to celebrate and cherish relationships in our lives with grand, romantic gestures. Though Valentine’s Day is generally marked as a couple’s holiday, many are embraced by the “love in the air” and partake in the gift-giving tradition of thoughtful surprises and presents to loved ones. Whether or not you celebrate this holiday, Art of Tea has steeped up a number of blends that are sure to spark your taste buds and ignite some love in your cup.

This year, try Art of Tea’s newest Valentine’s blend appropriately named Cupid’s Arrow. This organic oolong is surrounded by a garden of flowers including: rose petals, lavender, tea blossoms and chrysanthemum blossoms. There’s also a touch of organic strawberries for a dash of sweetness, a key ingredient to a blissful Valentine’s day. With all the beautiful flowers in this blend, this tea creates a gorgeous display for potpourri.

How to Make Potpourri with Cupid’s Arrow:

You Will Need:

-Cupid’s Arrow blend by Art of Tea

-Presentation bowl or short vase

-Essential Oil in lavender

-Additional dried roses (optional)

Instructions:

Pour the Cupid’s Arrow blend into the bowl filling it a little more than half of the way. Add any extra dried flowers to create more depth in the bowl or vase. Mix and arrange to your liking and add 3 to 5 drops of the essential oil.

Another Valentine’s-inspired tea is Lover’s Leap, a name that came from legends of star-crossed lovers fated to be apart. There are age old stories about a scenic oasis in Sri Lanka that houses the country’s highest peak soaring above the clouds alongside a waterfall called “lover’s leap,” a nickname given to the place where long lost lovers reunited. Lover’s Leap tea is cultivated in this picturesque, high-grown estate. Contrary to tragic love stories associated with the name, Art of Tea’s Lover’s Leap blend will warm your heart with its mild black tea flavor and floral almost fruity finish. This divine taste will melt away any heartache at least until you finish a cup of it.

Enjoy other hand-crafted Valentine’s-inspired teas and tisanes in Art of Tea’s Valentine Teas and Gifts section.

-MELISSA CHUA

When you live in a place where the climate typically reaches the 70s and 80s year round, it’s easy to forget about seasons. Driving down the Pacific Coast Highway in February, I see women in their bikinis lying out under the golden sun and shirtless men playing volleyball. Being a native Southern Californian, these sights are just everyday living in a sunshine state like California. So how do I remember that it’s February–a month into winter, a season that in most parts of the world reaches low temperatures of negative degrees Celsius? The answer is tea!

I drink tea daily, and during these winter months, I notice that I start to transition my tea selection to chai blends. This season often invites ailments such as the flu and cold, but the ginger in chai, is generally known to combat respiratory inflammation and pain. For centuries, ginger has been used in many cultures as a natural cure for the flu and cold. It is also believed to reduce all symptoms associated with motion sickness.

Winter, an essentially frosty and cold season, hails comfort from a spicy and aromatic tea. The spices commonly found in chai– ginger, cinnamon, cloves and cardamom, gently soothe the throat during colder days and nights. Together, these chai spices create a pungent flavor for the palate, which soothes, balances and warms the body.

Chai or chi is the word for tea in many countries. Traditional chai is a spiced milk black tea from India made up of a strong black tea, heavy milk, various spices and a sweetener. For a take on India’s customary chai, Tali’s Masala Chai by Art of Tea presents a fair trade and organic-certified blend with the quintessential balance of sweet and spice. Using organic Assam black tea anchored in savory spices, this chai can be enjoyed as is or with milk and a sweetener.

But if you’re looking for something more unique, Art of Tea’s new winter-inspired White Winter Chai is my new chai favorite this season. This signature blend is composed of organic white tea, black peppercorns, cinnamon, fennel, cloves, cardamom, star anise and natural flavors. The beautiful star anise is frequently used as a cough remedy by Asian herbalists. The addition of fennel to this chai blend suggests medicinal properties since fennel is widely used to treat kidney and ocular problems. White Winter Chai’s lighter and milder flavors succumb to a sweeter tone that is comforting and warming.

For non-caffeine drinkers, cozy up with a cup of Art of Tea’s Rooibos Chai. This caffeine-free blend or tisane allows you to enjoy and reap the same flavor notes found in a traditional Indian chai. Grounded by South African rooibos and gently hand-crafted with Indian spices, this unique concoction is a nice alternative to chai without the caffeine.

For more teas and tisanes to comfort you this winter season, check out Art of Tea’s selection of Winter Inspired Teas.

-MELISSA CHUA

Winter officially arrives December 21, with the Winter Solstice — which means, that as of last week, we have already welcomed it. For thousands of years, winter has been viewed as the time to conserve resources, rest, and restore. Modern life, however, no longer perceives the season in this way. Not surprisingly, the December holidays find many of us frazzled, frantic, frenzied and frankly fried because we are trying to do more (travel, shop, cook, gift, entertain) instead of less.

One gentle step toward better balance this winter: a cup of Art of Tea’s Cran Marnier, which is Caffeine Free for a blissful winter’s night of sweet slumber. Spices in this blend – Cinnamon, Cloves and Nutmeg—are traditionally associated with warming, across many cultures. The jewel-bright, holiday cranberries which give this blend its name and its tangy, citrus-y finish, are considered by many to be naturally supportive of bladder, kidney and urinary tract health.

This second point is significant in the context of Traditional Chinese Medicine. This 10,000 year-old system of wellness associates the season of winter with the kidneys. The kidneys are considered the source of all Qi, Chi, or life-force, and during the deeply Yin (dark, cold, damp, quiet) period of winter, protecting and replenishing the strength of the kidneys is considered essential to well-being.

If you live in the Sunbelt like I do, it may be difficult to connect with the archetypal experience of winter. Here in Los Angeles, Uggs and a bikini-top are often worn together as a fashion statement. A bit confusing, from both an energetic and a sartorial standpoint.

And, apart from climate, our modern lifestyle no longer corresponds to the seasons. For instance, many health-conscious people eat a crunchy, chilled, raw diet year-round, or at least eat many raw foods (fresh fruit, cold salads, sushi) throughout the year. Our immediate ancestors, on the other hand, did not have access to peaches and tomatoes and cherries in February, as snow drifted past their doors. Foods were cooked, cured, smoked and preserved any way possible, to provide nourishment during lean times.

A traditional winter diet in the Northern hemisphere would, by necessity, have consisted of warm, long-simmered stews and soups, based around leeks, onions, garlic, potatoes, turnips, beets and other root vegetables which could be stored for many weeks without refrigeration, as well as dried legumes like lentils and beans. Marrow and bones often provided rich protein, fat and flavor. These “slow” foods would still be considered harmonious and consistent with winter energy by practitioners of Traditional Chinese Medicine today.

Winter typically also brought a slowing of activity, with the focus shifting inward—close to the hearth, close to home. But those of us in the industrialized world do not make space for rest, although spiritual stillness and deep reflection also have traditionally defined winter. Occasionally a massive snowstorm will close down a major airport, leaving thousands of travelers stranded. They always seem surprised –often outraged– by winter’s self-assertion.

A warming cup of tea addresses this potential imbalance on a number of levels. First, and perhaps most importantly, a cup of tea persuades us to stop, slow down, take a breath. This moment of reflection may be solitary, or shared with others.

And, specific ingredients in the blend take the chill off. Another Art of Tea favorite this winter: French Lemon Ginger, also Caffeine Free. The “heat” of Ginger root, paired with zesty, tart Lemongrass and Lemon Verbena, will energize and comfort even as the days grow short. This tea can be slipped into and savored, like a haramaki, an ancient Japanese garment worn around the midsection, to keep the lower back and kidney area deliciously warm all winter long. Wearers of low-riders and hip-huggers, take note.

Consider the act of making tea itself: water, the quintessentially Yin element, associated with winter, encounters fire, which is the blazing essence of Yang. Heat creates steam, a rolling boil, a brew. This meeting of elemental energies borders on alchemy, and merges in a cup of tea—to your health this season.

-Victoria Thomas

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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

The month of December seems overstuffed and overwhelming, perhaps because it really was intended to be the tenth, and last, month in a 10-month cycle. Anthropologists and other scholars agree that 10, and multiples of 10, occur easily to human reasoning, probably because we have ten digits. Ten “feels” like a perfect number to us on many intuitive levels. Twelve is overkill.

Blame it on Julius and Augustus, who expanded our modern calendar from 10 to 12 months. There’s a lot to like about the Romans (cool armor, great language), but they weren’t exactly known for their restraint. Excessive ego ruled. No surprise, since the Romans gave us the word “ego” itself!

These two emperors, the story goes, insisted on inserting months named for themselves—July and August—into the original 10-month calendar. This is why September, October, November, and December still contain the Latin prefixes for 7, 8, 9 and 10. (How February got its name is another story altogether.)

Personally, by December 1, I’ve had more than enough. In November, my freezer and pantry are packed, ready for feasts of thanksgiving. Then, as the Bears of summer, Ursus Major and Ursus Minor, depart for the season, and the belt of Orion appears in the night sky, the bones are picked clean. There is a sense of bareness at the year’s end. Austere and spare.

Those of you who love traditional shakuhachi playing will be reminded of the classic “A Bell Ringing in An Empty Sky”, and the specific feelings of the season invoked by the sound. But, in American culture, we fight these feelings.

So, December typically is a month of major consuming and indulgence in our society. We buy and binge, as cultural traditions. I find that the simplest, gentlest way out of this feeling of “too much-ness” is a pot of tea. I usually like to share, but in this instance, enjoying tea in solitude may be the most cleansing.

The Art of Tea menu really speaks to me this time of year with several purifying and tonic brews. Green teas especially seem to invite the falling-away of excess, through their purity and simplicity.

• UJI GYOKURO – The most precious and sought-after Japanese green tea, with high levels of chlorophyll and a bright green vegetal essence.

• YUN WU CLOUDS MIST FAIR TRADE GREEN TEA – Poetically called Mist and Cloud tea, harvested in a mystical environment which rarely sees beyond its cloud-cover.

• FRESH GREENS – Because we do believe in spring, lemon verbena and lemongrass are added to the green mix, suggesting sun.

• LIQUID JADE—Award-winning blend of white with green, with gorgeous sweet-notes of bergamot, honey and citrus.

• ZUISHO PINE SENCHA – Premium deep steam organic green tea, with leaves resembling pine needles, making it a fitting choice for December. Art of Tea is the first trader to bring this unique Japanese tea stateside.

• SNOW DRAGON – Clean, refreshing, breath of early spring frost, from Fujian, China.

• GUNPOWDER GREEN TEA – The distinct rolled shape of these leaves, along with the whiff of smokiness behind the grassy infusion, makes this tea ideal for those days when you’re feeling especially overwhelmed.

And, if the weeks around the Winter Solstice do involve overindulging, Art of Tea offers Pre-Tox and Post-Tox brews. Pre-Tox helps to prepare your body for an onslaught of wanton a-wassail-ing or other excess, blending green tea with Dandelion Root and other naturally cleansing botanicals. In the aftermath of partying, caffeine-free Post-Tox soothes and restores, with singular botanicals including Fennel Seed, Chicory Root and Milk Thistle.

I also follow the advice of my favorite Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioners when making my tea in anticipation of a new year. I regard my stove—my fire-source—as a metaphor for my finances (another reason to never microwave water for tea!).

With this in mind, I use every burner on my stove (I happen to have a great gas-range). In other words, keep the fire moving; keep all of the burners engaged. Don’t just favor one burner. In a single day, I probably use each of the four burners at least once, which some sages say will bring more fire, meaning more prosperity, to my house in 2012. May it do the same for yours.

——–VICTORIA THOMAS

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Sharing of food and drink has always fascinated me primarily as social ritual. Travelling as a stranger in desolate places, I have taken special note of how refreshments and nourishment are offered as part of cultural interaction.

The way that food and drink function on a symbolic level depends largely upon context. For instance, in a place where the mercury rarely descends below 100 degrees F, there is no more lavish gesture of welcome than a glass of ice-water, further cooled by a slab of peeled cucumber, a crushed sprig of mint leaves, and the piercingly tart juice of tiny limes.

Humans have also historically used foods, spices and seasonings to send messages of status, prestige and wealth, similar to the appeal of luxury designer goods today. Both tea and sugar have a shared history as a prestige import, and this is, in part, why sugar is conventionally part of tea-drinking in the West.

Author John Keay illuminates some of this history in his fascinating book, THE SPICE ROUTE – A History (University of California Press, 2006), where he chronicles the trade boom around stimulants (tea, coffee, sugar) as well as many other kitchen-commodities which, though familiar to us now, were once exotic beyond compare. Salt and pepper, for example, were once as valuable as precious metals.

Poor-quality tea also invites intervention. Since the 1930s, commercially produced tea-bags, filled with “fannings” which are essentially the dust from the broken remains of tea leaves, call out for cream, sugar, honey, lemon. These traditional augmentations cut the raw-feeling bitterness and mustiness of an inferior brew. Tea purists understandably rankle at this, and nutritionists warn against our current sugar consumption.

But the sugar bowl and creamer predate the modern teabag by centuries. Like the salt cellar, these containers for precious condiments once broadcast the worldly affluence of the owner, and thus occupied a place of honor on the formal dining tables of imperialist Europe and Britain.

Times change, and now premium teas from everywhere on earth are available and accessible for brewing and enjoyment. From a historical perspective, this is an unprecedented opportunity to enjoy tea in its most immaculate state.

Because we now are able to experience the freshness of tea, we also have the opportunity to shelve the sugar bowl for baking. Just as an aside—in the quest for a sugar-free alternative, have you ever had even a lovely cup of tea dosed with Stevia? A bit like sipping through a rolled-up ball of aluminum foil.

Buddhists say that life is simply a moment, and that life is comprised of moments. Art of Tea specializes in creating teas for every one of these moments, including the craving for a bit of sweetness (when you really want to go there, check out Art of Tea’s new tea-infused gourmet chocolates!).

Blending the essences of natural fruits, spices and other botanicals releases subtler, mellower and more complex sweet notes than interaction with sugar, aloe-syrup or honey, much less the yellow, pink or blue packet.

For the move from fall to winter, Pumpkin Pie (Caffeine Free), Cinnamon Fig, Cherry Amaretto (Caffeine Free), Caramelized Pear (Caffeine Free), Italian Blood Orange, award-winning Lychee Peach and Peach Oolong bring the last bit of ripeness from the harvest and orchard to the cup.

In a holiday mood, or want to get there? Chocolatey-vanilla Velvet Tea, White Coconut Crème, Coconut Cacao Puerh, Hot Sweet Cinnamon and Vanilla Berry Truffle warm as well as sweeten the palate, perfect for sharing with friends around the fireplace.

These blends open the experience of tea in its uninterrupted state—a bit like drinking real tea for the first time.

–Victoria Thomas

The royal wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton last April sparked interest in the British culture amongst Americans. There were a number of articles written about British traditions including highlights misunderstanding afternoon tea with high tea. They were often used synonymously. Both refer to meals with tea, but do you know the difference between high and afternoon tea?

High tea on the contrary to what some people think, does not involve high class. Rather, high tea is served amongst the working class. “High” refers to how the tea meal is served—on high dinner tables or countertops. “High” also comes from the fact that this meal is served later in the day as an early evening meal typically from 5 to 7 p.m. A high tea banquet includes a hot meal, which tends to be fish and chips, macaroni and cheese or shepherd’s pie followed by bread and jam accompanied with tea.

Historically, we believe afternoon tea started in the 1800s in England by the Duchess of Bedford. At that time, there were only two meals, a morning breakfast-like feast and a late dinnertime meal. The story goes that the Duchess felt fatigued and famished during that long meal break, so she invited some friends over to share tea and snacks. Thus, afternoon tea became recognized as the meal served to bridge the gap between lunch and dinner. Also known as “low” tea, afternoon tea is accordingly served on low tables. This light meal or snack usually consists of jam and bread and an assortment of pastries such as scones, English muffins and cakes. Loose leaf tea is served with milk and sugar. The spread is enjoyed in a sitting room oftentimes garnished with lace table cloth, doilies and a centerpiece of beautiful flowers. This tradition quickly became a social gathering mainly for women emphasizing manners and elegance. Today, people love to host tea parties that follow the theme of afternoon tea. Picture the Mad Hatter’s tea party from Alice in Wonderland, and you’ll get a better idea of afternoon tea. Here is a photo from an Art of Tea afternoon tea party hosted by Katie from Art of Tea.

How to Throw An Art of Tea Afternoon Tea Party:

1. Choose a few of your favorite loose leaf teas to showcase. I recommend Art of Tea’s Earl Grey Crème, Earl Grey and English Breakfast. Offer milk and sugar on the side.

2. Prepare a homemade or store bought cornucopia of pastries including scones, bread and jams, and cakes.

3. Choose a low table or coffee table inside, or patio table in the garden. Use a nice tablecloth. Place a doily in the center of the table. Add a vase with freshly cut flowers over the doily.

4. Bring out the fancy china and silverware—teacups, teapots, etc.

5. Don’t forget to invite your friends, and enjoy your afternoon tea, just like the Brits!

-MELISSA CHUA