February 8, 2017
I love banana bread. I don’t make it often, but I love it. Due to the infrequency of baking this treat I think I forget how yummy it is. That is until it comes out of the oven, onto my plate and into my mouth! I was so happy when I realized today that we had a couple of bananas that were a little past their prime. I decided to make this baking event into a blog post so I could have an excuse when my calorie conscious partner came home from work. He was not surprised when he was bowled over by the smell of fresh baked banana bread as he walked through the front door. His only comment “I thought you’d be baking. You seemed […]
January 7, 2017
It’s National Hot Tea Month and I don’t think we can have a discussion about tea without highlighting the hottest tea trend right now Matcha green tea. Matcha is a powdered green tea grown in Japan and used in the famous Japanese tea ceremony. It is also made in small quantities in other countries such as China and Vietnam, although tea producers in these countries use a different leaf than in Japan. Today this lovely tea is consumed in a variety of ways. It is prepared in the traditional manner, made into lattes and other beverages and is added to smoothies, cakes, cookies and more as an ingredient in baking. Production Matcha is grown in the same way as Gyokuro tea. When new shoots on the tea bush produce […]
October 25, 2016
Autumn is here in all its glory and, personally, I couldn’t be happier! I find that the beginning of every season prompts me to declare that this is my favorite season. And this is Autumn is no different. We’re fortunate to live in the Northeast where the seasons are so clearly defined. As Summer is slowly fading away, I have very fond memories of the fun times and special adventures, but now it’s time to embrace the spectacular Fall foliage and the cooler temperatures while we prepare for, hopefully, a snowy Winter. I’ve been enjoying these warm Fall afternoons, sipping a cup of tea in the sunshine while I look at the distant trees and enjoy the colorful baskets of mums beside me. I hope you have been […]
October 11, 2016
Halloween is right around the corner. Are you ready? Here are some fantastic ideas that will make your Halloween tea party celebrations more festive. This dip platter is easy & decorative. And to make the pumpkin theme complete, serve your guests our Pumpkin Spice Tea Cocktail! Who doesn’t love cheese and crackers? This creative idea to make Halloween themed cheese slices is brilliant and will delight your guests. Enjoy it with our Cozy Comfort Tea Cocktail (right) or pair with our new Mary Shelley Green Tea, which features a spooky Frankenstein label (see the label in our featured image). These black cat sandwiches and witches brew soup pair beautifully with our Edgar Allan Poe tea! The brew is earthy with a hint of smoke […]
August 24, 2016
It’s summer again and as the hot beverage business slows, we have time to revisit some old ideas for new tea blends and see where we can take them. Our Literary Tea Line has been hugely successful so far and we’re pleased to introduce you to its newest additions. We’ve been playing with a few ideas and we finally settled on the pair of authors for whom we’ve gotten the most requests. One of our new blends was created with the works of Louisa May Alcott in mind while the other was designed to evoke the stories of Edgar Allan Poe. Born on November 29, 1832 to Transcendentalist parents, Louisa May Alcott grew up poor among some of the most famous intellectuals of the 19th century. She and her […]
August 10, 2016
It’s Summer and time for refreshing new beverages. Lately I’ve been interested in bitters and, while there are many options available commercially, I often can’t find them in my local stores. So I looked online for information on making herbal bitters. Are you looking to add a different dimension to your cocktails and iced beverages? Try making your own bitters! It’s fast and easy and the combinations are endless. You’ll need a funnel, a scale that can weigh small quantities (less than 1oz), high quality vodka or gin, high quality herbs, amber dropper bottles. That’s pretty much it. I found useful information about proportions of different herbs to use here. To start I thought I would take 6 different herbs and steep them individually to see which I liked […]
June 20, 2016
In honor of International Yoga Day (June 21st) we offer this brief introduction to the practice of yoga, the eight limbs of yoga. When people think of yoga, they associate the practice with the physical movement of the body in a variety of poses. This, however, is only one aspect of yoga. Yoga is about a way of life, a road-map (if you will) of how to live your life. In the Yoga Sutra, Patanjali details the steps one should take to enrich their lives and reach enlightenment. He describes the eight limbs of yoga. The physical movement of the body in postures is actually called Asanas and is the 3rd limb. The first two limbs are Yama and Niyama and correspond to our approach to the world […]
June 13, 2016
June is National Iced Tea Month. To celebrate we’ve got some fantastic iced tea recipes and information about iced tea through the years. History of Iced Tea While iced tea was popularized at the St. Louis World’s Fair in 1904 (see our blog on the origin of iced tea) references to iced tea recipes appeared in cookbooks as far back as 1876. At that time, tea consumption was evenly split between green and black teas. According to the US National Library of Medicine, the breakdown of the tea consumed was 40% black teas, 40% green teas and 20% oolong. During WWII, due to public opinion and availability, tea importers were forced to switch their sources to Indian black teas, which were supplied by the British. Many of […]
June 6, 2016
How much do you know about Iced Tea? June is National Iced Tea Month so we’re celebrating with specials on a variety of iced tea blends throughout the month. Test your iced tea knowledge below! 1) Iced tea became popular in: 1904, 1875, 1776, 1935 1904 at the Louisiana Exposition (St. Louis Fair) click here to read our blog on the origins of Iced Tea. 2) Iced tea was introduced to the masses by: Sir Thomas Lipton, Martha Washington, Richard Blechynden, Betsy Ross Richard Blechynden – click here to read our blog about Iced Teas 3) Of the tea drunk in the US, iced tea accounts for: 25%, 50%, 73%, 85% Currently 85% of all tea consumed in the US is Iced Tea according to the Tea Association […]
March 23, 2016
Personalized Tea Gifts for that Special Event! Tea is the perfect party favor or place setting gift. Make your next party extra special with your own personalized tea party favors. Delight your guests with your brews and tasty treats, and then make the event even more special with a take home tea gift. We offer any of our over 400+ teas and tisanes in 1oz, 2oz or 4oz tins that can be personalized with your name, the date and the event (i.e. Terri’s Garden Party, May 2016). We are often asked to create tea and/or herbal blends for customers to use as favors for wedding showers, bridal teas, birthdays, etc. We can create an entirely new blend for you or use one of our already blended teas packaged […]