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

Brûlée Mint on Ice

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

1 cup (250 mL) filtered or spring water

2 Tbsp. Brûlée Mint

1 cup ice cubes

Instructions:

1) Bring the water to a boil.

2) Brew Brûlée Mint for five minutes.

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

4) Serve immediately.

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

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

(Almost) Classic Iced Tea

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

1 cup (250 mL) filtered or spring water

1 heaping Tbsp. Classic Black

1 Tbsp. freshly squeezed orange juice

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

1.5 cups ice cubes

1 wedge orange

Instructions:

1) Bring the water to a boil.

2) Brew Classic Black for four minutes.

3) Remove the tealeaves.

4) Stir in the vanilla sugar and orange juice.

5) Pour the mixture over ice.

6) Add the orange wedge and serve immediately.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Things are complicated these days – Mac or PC, Blockbuster or Netflix, highlights or lowlights, yoga or pilates, the list goes on and on. To further complicate things, today’s consumers now have more options than ever before – the internet, television, magazines, newspapers and Billy Mays inundate us with “can’t live without products” on a daily basis. Although all this pomp and circumstance can be overwhelming, we can simplify by making small choices that benefit our well-being. Something as simple as choosing to get out of the house and take a walk or drink a hot cup of tea instead of, say, an energy drink, can have an immediate effect on your mood and state of mind.
At Art of Tea we try and give you a variety of healthful and palate-pleasing options. Our Tea of the Month Club is a great way for you to experience our teas, enabling you to become an informed consumer and connoisseur of tea. Each package lets you, “Experience tea classics, rare finds and specialty blends created exclusively for Tea of the Month members.” Each month a new tea will be shipped for a total of 12, 6, or 3 months – depending on the package you choose – to your desired location. The teas are seasonal and alternate each month.

The fact that tea wasn’t served at the first Thanksgiving won’t stop us from incorporating it into as many aspects of our modern day Thanksgiving dinner as possible.  The folks over at Bon Appetite have the right idea. See: tea-brined turkey with tea and lemon gravy.  The tannin in tea – Black Tea specifically – acts as a natural meat tenderizer.
Be sure to wash your turkey down with a delicious glass of Grossmutters Punsch or Grandmother’s Punch, a spiced rum and tea punch usually enjoyed warm at midnight on Christmas Eve.  And what would Thanksgiving dinner be without a batch of earl grey tea cookies?
Even if you aren’t buying this whole “tea brining” bit, we could all use a cup of tea to decompress during the hectic holiday season.  It’ll also help grandpa (and everyone else) digest that overwhelming Thanksgiving dinner – this way, instead of passing out on the couch, you’ll all make it to that pumpkin pie.

If, after all that food, the thought of pumpkin pie makes you queasy, indulge in a cup of Art of Tea’s pumpkin pie dessert tea, a select herbal blend of holiday spices like exotic cloves, cinnamon, ginger, and honeybush.

As Thanksgiving kicks off the holiday season (peace, goodwill towards men etc.) let’s not forget the peacemaking aspect of tea. With everyone’s nerves on edge, altercations are sure to transpire –
Just Remember… The next time you needlessly snap at a friend or family member, reach for a pot of tea. Remember, even Nixon was given tea as part of a peace offering with China.
Happy Thanksgiving!

Grilled Tea-Brined Turkey with Tea-and-Lemon Gravy
from Bon Appetit : November 2004  http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Grilled-Tea-Brined-Turkey-with-Tea-and-Lemon-Gravy-231086
Ingredients
•    5 lemons, divided
•    18 Earl Grey tea bags
•    11 4-inch-long rosemary sprigs, divided
•    2 cups coarse kosher salt
•    1 1/2 cups (packed) golden brown sugar
•    1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
•    12 cups ice cubes
•    2 turkey-size oven-roasting bags
•    1 22-pound turkey; neck, heart, and gizzard reserved for gravy
•    1 12 3/4×9x2-inch disposable aluminum pan
•    1 celery stalk, cut crosswise into 3-inch pieces
•    1 medium onion, quartered
•    1/4 cup olive oil
Preparation
Bring 6 1/2 quarts water to boil in large pot. Remove from heat. Using vegetable peeler, remove peel from 3 lemons (yellow part only). Add peel, tea bags, and 6 rosemary sprigs to water; steep 20 minutes. Remove tea bags. Add salt and sugar; stir to dissolve. Stir in lemon juice. Cool to lukewarm. Add ice to reduce temperature to below 45°F.
Place 1 roasting bag inside the second, forming 2 layers. Place inside large pot. Place turkey in roasting bags, breast side down. Pour brine over turkey. Tie bags tightly, eliminating any air pockets. Refrigerate 36 to 48 hours. Or, place bags into large cooler, pour brine over turkey, and tie bags securely. Pour ice over and around turkey in bags. Place lid securely on cooler. Check twice a day to ensure that turkey is covered with ice (some ice will melt). Remove top rack from grill. Place disposable aluminum baking pan in center of barbecue (if using 2-burner gas grill, place pan on 1 side of grill; if using 3-burner grill, place pan over center burner).
Prepare barbecue (medium-low heat). If using charcoal grill, arrange coals on each side of aluminum baking pan, dividing equally. (You will need to add about 6 briquettes to each side of aluminum pan every 30 minutes to maintain temperature while cooking turkey.) If using 3-burner gas grill, light burner(s) on left and right, leaving center burner(s) off. If using 2-burner gas grill, light burner on side opposite disposable pan. Insert instant-read thermometer into top vent of grill. Maintain temperature at around 350°F.
Drain turkey; discard brine. Pat turkey dry. Pierce 2 lemons all over with fork. Stuff turkey with lemons, 5 sprigs rosemary, celery, and onion. Tie legs together. Brush turkey all over with oil.
Place turkey directly on grill above aluminum pan. Close grill. Adjust temperature to maintain 350°F. Roast turkey until thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 175°F, about 3 hours. Transfer turkey to platter. Tent with foil. Allow to rest 30 minutes before carving (internal temperature will rise 5 to 10 degrees). Serve with gravy.

Tea-and-Lemon Gravy
Ingredients
•    8 cups low-salt chicken broth
•    2 celery stalks, coarsely chopped
•    2 carrots, peeled, coarsely chopped
•    1 medium onion, halved
•    1 fresh rosemary sprig
•    Neck, heart, and gizzard, reserved from 22-pound turkey
•    1 lemon
•    1 Earl Grey tea bag
•    5 tablespoons butter
•    5 tablespoons flour
•    1/2 cup whipping cream
•    1 tablespoon finely grated lemon peel
Preparation
Combine first 6 ingredients in large saucepan. Using vegetable peeler, remove peel from lemon (yellow part only). Add peel to broth mixture. Bring mixture to boil; reduce heat and simmer until neck and gizzard are tender, about 45 minutes.
Remove neck, heart, and gizzard from broth; finely chop heart and gizzard. Pull meat from neck and chop. Strain broth. Return broth to pan; boil until reduced to 3 cups, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat; add tea bag. Cover; steep 10 minutes. Discard tea bag.
Melt butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour. Cook until light brown, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Whisk in broth and cream. Bring to boil; reduce heat to medium and simmer until slightly thickened and smooth, stirring frequently, about 8 minutes. Stir in grated peel and neck, heart, and gizzard pieces. Season with salt and pepper.

Spiced Rum and Tea Punch
This German drink, called Grossmutters Punsch (Grandmother’s Punch), is usually enjoyed warm at midnight on Christmas Eve. It can also be served as a refreshing chilled drink. For a festive touch, add a cinnamon stick to each glass.

Makes 6 servings
from Bon Appetit : December 1996                    http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/drink/views/Spiced-Rum-and-Tea-Punch-200566
Ingredients
•    2 1/4 cups water
•    1/3 cup honey
•    1/4 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
•    2 tablespoons chopped peeled fresh ginger
•    16 whole cloves
•    16 whole allspice
•    1 vanilla bean, chopped
•    1 tea bag (preferably Earl Grey)
•    1 750-ml bottle dry red wine
•    1/4 cup dark rum
•    Crushed ice (if serving punch chilled)
Preparation
•    Combine water, honey, sugar, ginger, cloves, allspice and vanilla bean in heavy large saucepan. Bring mixture to boil over medium-high heat, stirring until honey and sugar dissolve. Boil 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Add tea bag; let steep 5 minutes. Strain syrup into bowl. Add wine and rum. If serving cold, refrigerate until chilled. Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.
•    If serving cold, fill 6 glasses with crushed ice. Ladle punch into glasses. If serving hot, bring to simmer in medium saucepan. Pour punch into cups.

Earl Grey Tea Cookies
From Real Simple : May 2005                                               http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/earl-grey-tea-cookies-10000001046907/

32 min | 20 min prep | Serves 72
Ingredients
•    2 cups flour
•    1/2 cup sugar
•    1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
•    2 tablespoons earl grey tea leaves, from approximately 6 tea bags
•    1/2 teaspoon salt
•    1 teaspoon vanilla extract
•    1 teaspoon water
•    1 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces
Preparation
1.    Preheat oven to 375°F
2.    Pulse together all the dry ingredients in a food processor until the tea leaves are pulverized.
3.    Add vanilla, water, and butter; pulse together until a dough is formed.
4.    Divide the dough in half, placing each half on a sheet of plastic wrap.
5.    Roll each half into a 12-inch log.
6.    Wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
7.    Slice each log into 1/3 inch thick pieces.
8.    Place on baking sheets lined with parchment paper or foil, 2 inches apart.
9.    Bake until the edges are just brown, about 12 minutes.
10.    Let cool on sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks.

The cold and flu season (both swine and the old school variety) is upon us. While the flu shot is a viable option for preventing infection, there are also simple, everyday, natural methods of avoiding using up your sick days.
Because your mouth/throat is one of the main portals of entry – the other is your nose – Dr. Vinay Goyal, an Intensivist and Thyroid specialist, recommends drinking tea and other warm liquids as much as possible. According to Dr. Goyal, drinking tea washes off proliferating viruses from the throat and into the stomach where they cannot survive.
Green tea is especially effective at preventing the flu thanks to its high catechin percentage, which helps prevent infection and inhibits viruses’ growth and reproduction.
Catechins are flavonoid compounds that appear predominantly in green tea. According to an article in WholeHealthMD.com, green tea has about 27 percent catechins, oolong tea (partially oxidized) has about 23 percent, and black tea (oxidized) clocks in at approximately four percent.
While the flu vaccine protects against that year’s most prevalent flu type, catechins can protect against many different types of the flu virus.
Gargling twice a day with warm salt water is another great, natural way to prevent swine flu. Interestingly enough, a 2006 medical study conducted at the University of Shizuoka in Shizuoka, Japan found that gargling with tea catechin extracts reduced flu infection rates by 87 percent.
The study divided 124 elderly residents into two groups; one gargled three times a day with a solution that contained tea catechin extract, the other with a catechin-free solution. The tea catechin group had a 1.3 percent infection rate while the control group had a 10.0 percent infection rate.
Harness the power of tea! Don’t underestimate these simple, inexpensive, and natural preventative methods – your body will thank you for it.

With Halloween looming on the horizon things are getting just a little spookier – giggles turn into evil cackles, black cats abound, brooms become flying vehicles, and paranormal activity is at an all time high. If you’re anything like me, all this creepiness has distracted you from putting together the ultimate costume. Not to fear, Art of Tea to the rescue, just take cues from some of our brews. Here for your pleasure, four costume ideas inspired by our blends:

1. Art of Tea’s Rooibos Chai and Tali’s Masala Chai are two spicy numbers: infused with cinnamon, cardamon, cloves, and ginger they’re the perfect point of inspiration for an equally spicy costume. You can go the sassy route (the devil, a nurse) but remember, there is a very fine line between sassy and trashy. Get creative and dress up as a pepper shaker or even better, a chili. Assemble a crew and have each of your cohorts dress up as the spice of their choice – cinnamon, cardamon, clove, or ginger – it’ll be the hottest thing since the Fruit of the Loom crew.

2. Instead of whipping up a bowl of “blood punch” try something a little different:
brew Kauai Cocktail or Wild Red Tian Hu Shan tea– both brew a rich red color, which will surely delight both your vampire and zombie friends.

3. Art of Tea’s Ammo blend – hand tied cinnamon bark with star anise and licorice –
is the perfect complement to that Rambo costume you’ve been meaning to resurrect. After all, what would Rambo be without his Ammo?

4. Iron Goddess of Mercy: that’s right. I know it sounds a little intense but with some careful planning your costume will turn out as balanced as Art of Tea’s blend of the same name.  Take some cues from the tea’s description: steeps an amber colored infusion with a full body and distinctive rich flavor notes of dark chocolate with hints of roasted chestnut and sun drenched raisins. I’m envisioning something like the Statue of Liberty but darker.

Researchers have reviewed new findings on the possible health benefits of tea. Now, the caffeine in tea known as theanine is linked to improve human attention and focus.

Dr John Foxe, Ph.D., Professor of Neuro Science, Biology and Psychology at City College of New York has presented results of his experiment in which he made human trials to study the effect of theanine on the alpha brain-wave activity. Theanine is an amino acid which is almost exclusively found in the tea plant. The alpha brain rhythm is known to induce a calmer, yet more alert, state of mind.
During the experiment, the participants are made to drink solutions containing either 250mg theanine or placebo and later their brain activity was monitored using electrophysiological measures. Speaking about the observations during the study Dr. Foxe says, “Our results showed that after having theanine, individuals showed significant improvements in tests for attention and that activity in cortical regions responsible for attention functions was enhanced.”
Having mentioned that theanine is almost exclusively found in the tea plant, it is interesting to note that the studies do have a basis, looking at the fact that variants of tea such as herbal tea and the advantages of tea in terms of being rich in antioxidants are being stressed upon and are being promoted as health drinks across the globe.
Moving further on the research conducted by Dr. Foxe, his new research in the Cognitive Neuropsychology Laboratory at Nathan S. Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research in Orangeburg, NY, additionally proposes that the effect of theanine is far greater in combination with caffeine than the effect that caffeine and theanine have individually. The combination promises higher improvement in attention than that would be induced by either alone. They say that theanine may work synergistically with caffeine to help induce a calmer, relaxed state but also one that allows the mind to concentrate and focus on tasks better. A regular cup of tea contains approximately 20 – 25mg of theanine.
Dr. Foxe concludes, “We have seen that just 20 minutes after consuming theanine, the blood concentrations increase and the brain’s alpha waves are impacted. It lasts about three to four hours, which we have speculated may be why people tend to drink a cup of tea every three-to-four hours during the day.”

Meet Melissa Fielding, Spa Consultant at Creative Spa Concepts.  Melissa works on various spa projects throughout the world.  When she started in the spa industry tea became a small passion of hers.  We spent some time with Melissa getting her advice and feedback on integrating tea with spa programs.

Q: How did you get involved with the spa industry?

A: “My background is mainly in food and beverage.  When I entered into the spa world I noticed that a lot of spas were forgetting to include the food and beverage area as part of the concept and experience.  Tea is an easy affordable way to enhance the area.”

Q: So Melissa what are your top health tips with tea you recommend to your clients Condé Nast spas?
A:Here are my 5 detox and health tips
1.)     Tea is a great source of antioxidants
2.)     Tea is a wonderful appetite appeaser
3.)    The caffeine in tea is much healthier then the caffeine found in other beverages
4.)    Tea can help calm the mind and body after a stressful day
5.)    Tea is not only healthy when you drink it but also has benefits when used in face creams, body lotions, scrubs and wraps.

Q: Discuss the making of their custom Qua Tea Blend at Qua Bath and Spa Caesars Palace Bath.
A: When I was working as the Spa manager at Qua Baths and Spa, Art of Tea and I worked closely together to create the perfect signature blend.  We took all aspects of the spa into consideration, the concept of the spa, the size, the guest experience, the menu of services and the space available.  After looking at all of those aspects, Steve Schwartz, CEO of Art of Tea and I talked about what I wanted the signature blend to taste like. It was important to me that the tea could be served hot or cold and the flavor was so good that it would leave an impression with the guest.  Steve then sent various samples to us and I did tasting with myself and my management team.  I had everyone rate each tea based on look of the loose leaf, smell of the liquor and dry leaf, and most importantly the taste.  After I received the results I went back to Steve and we took the best of all blends to and created the Qua Signature Blend.

Q: What are your core concepts that you would recommend to people wanting to get into or more out of the spa and health industry?

A: As a global spa consultant I believe that serving tea in a spa is a must.  I believe that spa is a sensory experience and you must entice all 5 of your guests’ senses.  Tea is the perfect way to reach your guests sense of taste and smell.  A properly executed tea program can help you stand out in a unique way among the hundreds of spas.  Don’t be afraid to try something completely new and interesting with your tea program.  Have fun with the program and your guests will too.

Art of Tea Reviews our Customers Top 10 Holiday Tea Gift Guide. Here are some of the latest and greatest suggestions for the holiday season.

1.Spice up your holidays with the Steamy Sampler. Featuring a seasoned choice for any occasion. The steamy sampler includes Jasmine Pearls, Halo, Iron Goddess of Mercy, Vanilla Berry Truffle Amore Tea, Velvet Tea.