black tea Archives - The Loose Tea BlogThe Loose Tea Blog

March 28, 2024

Tea Processing

The following information is a quick overview of the intricate process that creates high quality teas. Tea plantings begin from propagation (cutting or transplanted root branches) and clonal leaf cuttings. The new plants are raised in a nursery and are transplanted when they reach an average height of 6-8 inches, which takes roughly 6 months. These new tea bushes remain untouched for 2 years and obtain a height of 5-6 feet. At that time they are sheared down to a foot and pruned weekly to keep them at waist height (perfect for picking). These new bushes will not produce a commercial yield for 3-5 years depending on the growing conditions. Once the bushes have reached maturity tea processing begins. The process of creating teas depends exclusively on the […]

July 14, 2020

Delicious & Refreshing Tea Sangria Recipes

Sangria is a wonderful treat to cool off with on a hot summer day so we wanted to share some of our favorite tea sangria recipes. We hope you enjoy these while relaxing this summer. Fruity White Tea Sangria Serves 6 1 bottle white wine (Sauvignon Blanc works well) 4 cups sweet tea (using S&V White Ambrosia tea, sweetened to taste) 1/4 cup triple sec 2 cups each frozen or fresh raspberries and frozen sliced peaches A bit of fresh mint for garnish Combine all ingredients in a pitcher and refrigerate 1 hour or until properly chilled. Very Berry Tea Sangria 2 quarts Sweetened iced tea chilled (using our S&V Iced Tea Blend) 1 (750 mL) bottle sweet red wine chilled we like a red moscato or sparkling […]

April 15, 2020

Introducing our National Parks Tea Collection

Honoring our beautiful National Parks There are over 419 national parks across the US and this number grows every year. The massive protection project covers over 84 million acres and is kept by the National Park Service, multiple non-profits, volunteers, etc. One could say we all have an influence on our nation’s National Parks. My journey with the National Parks began in Sept. 2017 during a spontaneous trip to Colorado. With a pair of hiking boots I bought two days prior, I decided to take on the Rockies. Beyond this, I travelled to the Great Smoky Mountains, Shenandoah, the Grand Canyon, Acadia, and many other National Parks not (yet) featured in this tea line. Over the years I found a lot of comparisons between the National Parks and […]

November 4, 2015

Fall and Winter Seasonal Tea Drinks

With the Summer season fading away it’s time to rejoice in the activities we love to do in the Fall and Winter seasons. Apple picking, pumpkin carving, lovely hikes to view the foliage, skiing, sledding, snowshoeing and so much more. Part of the joy at this time of year is the season change in our diets. Gone are the fresh fruits and salads of summer – bring on hearty stews and the aroma of freshly baked goodies! Below are a few recipes to add to your cool weather tea drinking repertoire. Happy Sipping! Creamy Earl Grey London Fog 2 tsp Creamy Earl Grey tea 8 oz water 8 oz milk (regular, coconut, almond – your choice) ½ tsp sugar (if desired) Brew tea for 3-5 minutes then strain. […]

October 19, 2015

Breaking News – our new Literary Tea Line

Simpson & Vail is unveiling a new line of tea tins that we’ve been working on for months. The Literary Tea Line is a collection of blends that were created with a specific author in mind. The teas vary from a black tea blend to a flavored herbal blend and each is inspired by the authors’ works and lives. The Literary Tea Line is inspired by William Shakespeare, Walt Whitman, Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Jane Austen, the Bronte sisters, Emily Dickinson, James Joyce, Beatrix Potter, Lewis Carroll, and Charles Dickens. A warm mug of tea and a good book go together like, well, a warm cup of tea and a good book. Keep warm in any armchair with occasional sips of tea while letting the words of brilliant writers wash over […]

January 24, 2013

S&V Chai Tea Oatmeal

In one of the tea chat groups I belong to (Teamail), a woman mentioned that she had recently been served Chai tea oatmeal at a restaurant on the West Coast. She said it was delicious and I could well imagine that it would be pretty tasty. So since it’s winter and I do love a warm bowl of oatmeal in the morning, I brewed up some chai this morning and gave this a whirl. Oh my gosh – Yum! I will never make oatmeal without chai again! I brewed up 1 1/2 tsp of Chai Black Tea in 8oz water and steeped for 5 minutes. Then I poured the brewed tea in a saucepan, added 1/2 cup of oats, returned to a boil, then simmered. I added a little maple syrup […]