The Tea Smith Ugly Mug Contest Winner

Omaha, Nebraska's The Tea Smith recently wrapped up another incarnation of their Ugly Mug Contest. The winner, pictured here, was Fred. The proud owner of this majestic piece of work was identified only as Jo Ann P.

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Charleston Tea Plantation Hosts First Flush Festival

Explore America's Only Tea Garden During the First Flush of the Year
(from a press release)

Bigelow Tea's Charleston Tea Plantation welcomes guests to celebrate the arrival of the spring season with their Annual "First Flush" event, a day dedicated to the entrance of the 2008 crop harvest. Taking place on May 17, 2008 on Wadmalaw Island, the 2nd annual First Flush Festival will offer a full day of excitement and revelry.

Throughout the day, the "Tea Trolley" will take visitors on a special route and provide an informative and enlightening "First Flush Tour." Attendees can also observe the process of making tea in the on-site factory.

In addition to the plantation tours, food, live music and games, attendees will have the opportunity to purchase their very own supply of Charleston Tea Plantation's 2008First Flush Loose Tea. At an extremely limited availability, the First Flush Tea - produced only with tea leaves from the very first spring growth on the tea plants - has a unique taste of its own.

Tickets for the festival will be sold prior to the event at the Gift Shoppe for $8.00. On the day of the event, tickets will be $10.00 at the gate. For more details regarding the First Flush Festival, please call 1-843-559-0383 or visit the Bigelow Web site.

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Revolution Tea 3D Launches First in Arizona

Revolution Tea Blends Super Fruits, Multi-Vitamins & Premium White Tea for New Beverage Line
(from a press release)

Revolution Tea, known for its masterfully-blended whole leaf teas and innovative Infusers, announced today the launch of its new multi-dimensional beverage: Revolution 3D. Revolution 3D is a first-of-its-kind combination of antioxidant-rich super fruits, multi-vitamins, and premium white tea in an all-natural drink. Revolution Tea is releasing four refreshing 3D flavors: Green Apple, Blueberry, Mango and Pomegranate in sleek 12-ounce cans and four-packs.

Revolution 3D will be available in select Arizona retailers beginning in May, as well as online via the Revolution Tea website. For retail locations or to order online visit Revolution Tea.


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Not All Of The Tea In China

No, it's not all of the tea in China, just a few articles that I've run across recently that have to do with the subject.

Here's an article from the English language version of the People's Daily. It's about tea and tea culture in Hangzhou, probably best known for producing the Dragonwell variety of green tea.

Pu'er, China, is best known for another type of tea - guess which one. It was the topic of an article that recently appeared in the New York Times. Read it here. If you have trouble accessing that one, you can read the same article at the International Herald Tribune, here.

If you're looking to brush up on your tea knowledge, Tenfu Tea College, in Zhangzhou, might do the trick. Read more about it here.

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Guayaki Announces Opening Of First Yerba Mate Bar

Guayaki Announces Opening Of First Yerba Mate Bar
(from a press release)

The grassroots California company that pioneered the spread of South American yerba mate beverages across the U.S. is breaking new ground by opening a classic Mate Bar. The Guayaki Mate Bar is conveniently located in downtown Sebastopol in the big ‘gold’ building at 6782 Sebastopol Road (Route 12) in the heart of Sebastopol, and is open from 7 AM to 2 PM Monday through Saturday.

This unique ‘jungle lounge’ blends authentic South American yerba mate culture with delicious local artisan cuisine. Although the focus is on the celebration of yerba mate and its community-oriented culture, the Guayaki Mate Bar also offers a creative food menu that features light and healthy organic fare with ‘something for everyone’ including delicious gluten-free, wheat-free and vegan options.

The Mate Bar drink menu includes a wide variety of tasty organic yerba mate beverage styles such as mate lattes, cappuccino mate, mate mocha, mate chai, java mate, spicy mayan mocha mate, mate shakes, espresso shots, iced mate (seasonal), and drip brewed mate. Since a key objective is to help others discover the joy of sharing yerba mate, it is only natural that one of the features at the Mate Bar is traditional yerba mate sipped from a gourd and bombilla. You can even bring in your own gourd and the experienced staff will provide helpful advice.

Guayaki

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More Twinings Tea Blog Articles

Here are some more of the articles I've written for the Twinings Tea Blog. For links to some earlier articles, check the previous list.

Tea Shows Results in the Fight Against Alzheimer's

The Tea Pages: Explorations and Musings on the World of Tea

The Tea Drinker's Bookshelf 3: Another Five Essential Tea Books

Tea for Your Teeth

Breakfast Tea: Blended Black Teas Provide A Morning Eye-Opener

Tea for the YouTube Crowd: Tea Videos

Tracing Tea Team Plans 15,000 Kilometer Trip From Calcutta to London

Bringing Relief to Allergy, Cold and Flu Sufferers

Tea Leaf 101 - A Brief Overview

Watching Tea: A Guide to Tea TV and Film

Tea Drinking May Help Increase Bone Density and Guard Against Osteoporosis

Getting the Most Out of Your Tea With Multiple Infusions

Tasseography: Taking a Look at the Future By Reading Tea Leaves

The Art of the Teapot and Teapot Museums

Tea and Spirits: Specialty Products Combine Tea With Something Stronger

Green, Black and Oolong Tea May Play a Role in Fighting Diabetes

The Tea Drinker's Bookshelf 2: Five More Essential Tea Books

Yixing Teapots: China's Prized Drinking Vessels Get Better With Age

Tea May Aid in Efforts to Have a Healthy Heart

Offbeat Teas, Tea Drinks and Tisanes

Ceylon: Distinctive Black Tea From the Island Nation of Sri Lanka

Bubble Tea: Tapioca Pearls Add Substance to This Popular Asian Drink

Studies Indicate That Tea Might Play a Role in Weight Loss

Tea Taster: Tea Lover's Dream Job Involves Plenty of Hard Work

Assam: Indian Black Tea From the World's Largest Tea-Growing Region

The Tea Drinker's Bookshelf: Five Essential Tea Books


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Tea Blog List Updated

Here's the latest tea blog list update. The full list - located here - is now up to 141 blogs.

(aq) (Tea & other beverages)
Giardino Zen (Italian)
Gracious Hospitality
Love4Teas Tea Blog
Manhattan Tea Blog
Taiwan Tea Guy
Tea Drone
Tea Jar
Tealevelek (Hungarian)
Tetulia Blog
Ya-Ya’s Tea-Board (New Zealand)

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Snapshot - My Tea Shelf

It's been a while since I've done a proper tea review, but here are notes on a few things I've been drinking lately. What about you?

Mystery Assam
I'm always up for a good Assam. This loose leaf variety of indeterminate origin (purchased at a local grocery store) is not a great one, but it's suitable for daily use.

Saphara Premium Estate Assam
I couldn't resist trying this one, which is part of Celestial Seasoning's new line of high-end whole leaf teas. I especially couldn't resist since they sent a coupon for a free box. Would I pay for another box out of pocket? Probably not. "Premium" might be a bit too high-falutin' of a term for this one. Not bad, really, but not quite good enough that I'd go back to the well.

Two Leaves and a Bud Tamayokucha
I had high hopes for this Japanese green. Two Leaves refers to it as "extremely green" and claim that it's "incredibly full flavored." I didn't see it that way. No matter how I tweaked the brewing parameters I wasn't able to coax much flavor from it.

Sencha Shot
From Ito En - it's canned sencha. The strong sencha flavor of this one was completely overwhelmed by bitterness. Then there's the price - $1.39 for just over six ounces. That's the part that really left a bad taste in my mouth.

Archer Farms Golden Breakfast
This loose leaf Yunnan was a pleasant surprise and the best of this lot. Archer Farms is apparently a store brand for the Target chain. Which made me a bit hesitant to give their tea a shot but it turned out to be better than the average Yunnan. Perhaps not the best I've ever tasted but I would (and did) buy this one again.

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Tea Fights Anthrax, Star Trek Tea & More

Issue two of The Leaf is now available at digital newsstands everywhere. In other words, click here to read the full issue online. Good stuff.

Can tea fight anthrax? That's the good word nowadays, according to some American and British researchers. More here from the Telegraph and a tongue in cheek response from Graeme Wood at the Atlantic, here.

The record for the world's largest tea party was upped again recently in Indore, India, where 32,000 people turned out to take their sips. More here.

We've written about Zen Green Tea Liqueur, but recently the McClatchy-Tribune News Service had their say on the matter. Read more and check out the recipe for a Zen-tini here.

While undertaking research for a project I've been working on, I ran across some unearthly teas, including Cardassian red leaf, Pyrellian ginger and more. Don't rush out looking for them, since they only exist in the world of Star Trek. More here.

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Two Leaves and a Bud Introduces Organic Rooibos

Two Leaves and a Bud Tea Company to Introduce Organic African Rooibos Tea and the Trust Organic Small Farmers Co-op at The Natural Products Expo West Show
(from a press release)

Two Leaves and a Bud, the tea company with whole leaf organic tea sachets for "a better cuppa' tea", is pleased to announce the introduction of Organic African Sunset Red Tea. This rooibos (red bush or red tea) caffeine-free herbal tea will be supplied by a small farmers' cooperative in South Africa; it will be the first tea launched in North America from The Trust Organic Small Farmers Alliance (TOSFA).

The TOSFA is a unique initiative, founded by producers, traders and non-government organizations (NGOs) from around the world. The TOSFA works within existing Fair Trade labeling and organic certification procedures to help small farmers overcome the disadvantages that they face. African Sunset tea will debut at Expo West Natural Products Show, March 14-16 2008.

Other exciting company developments include the introduction of three new Super Fruit Teas and the conversion to Certified Organic of White Rose (White Peony) and High Mountain Chai.

African Sunset is a 100% organic herbal tea blend, which includes organic rooibos (red tea), organic lemongrass and lemon peel. Rooibos is a naturally caffeine free tea and like green tea, contains significant amounts of antioxidants, iron, potassium, magnesium, copper, calcium, manganese and fluoride.

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New Tea Pyramids From Choice Organic Teas

Whole Leaf Organics: New Tea Pyramids From Choice Organic Teas
(from a press release)

Choice Organic Teas, North America’s leading purveyor of exclusively organic teas, announces the launch of Whole Leaf Organics, the largest collection of organic, Fair Trade Certified tea pyramids on the market today. Packed in eco-friendly, biodegradable tea pyramids, this product line brings an artful new shape to the organic tea experience. Available May 2008, the first taste will come at Natural Products Expo West in Anaheim, CA from March 14-16.

Loose leaf teas are often considered by tea connoisseurs to be the finest way to enjoy a cup, as the unfurling of the full tea leaves allows complex flavors to come to the forefront. With extra room inside each tea pyramid, Whole Leaf Organics achieves this same quality but with the added convenience of a tea bag. The line includes eight varieties of traditional blends and new favorites — English Breakfast, Earl Grey, Estate Blend Darjeeling, Jade Green, Jasmine Green, Chamomile Citrus, Sweet Liquorice Mint, and Lychee White. The suggested retail price is $8.49 for a 15-count box of individually wrapped tea pyramids.

Choice Organic Teas

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Tea Bag Art, Teapot Worship & More

For your consideration, a few tea-related news bits I've run across recently. For more of my writings about tea, be sure to check out the Twinings Tea Blog at Twinings Canada, where I'm a regular contributor.


The New York Times ran a brief report this week on an interesting project that takes used tea bags, of all things, and turns them into little wee canvases with which artsy-fartsy stuff can be made.

Even the most avid tea fanciers among us probably stop short of worshiping tea or the paraphernalia associated with it. Not so for a group in Malaysia who once worshipped a giant teapot, or at least they did until the government there destroyed it. For more, read this recent article from the Telegraph.

Here's a nifty item called the Tea Control Teapot with Brew Stop Infuser. Whether or not it works as promised, it still gets points for looking nice.

Last up is an item that falls into the category of tea tourism. It's the Web site for the Tea Factory Hotel, in Sri Lanka, the land of Ceylon tea.


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