Mad Scientist Strikes Again!

One of the things I love to do is create new tea blends and so, I've been playing Mad Scientist again.  I've come up with a couple that I think are worthy of adding to our stash. 

One is Buddha's Chocolate Chai.  We've been wanting to add another Chai to the mix and some interesting flavor notes came to me one day.  This blend has rich chocolate blended with all the usual Chai spices, but also has a haunting note of grenadine, a favorite monk's imbibe.  It's a must to add milk and sugar, at least in my opinion, and I find myself rewarded with a rich, satisfying, and comforting cup.  Who needs dessert?

The other new concoction, just in time for Valentine's Day is JazzBerry Champagne.  This one is a white tea blended with just a touch of black tea for jazzed-up raspberry flavor.  Along side, you'll find the taste of juicy champagne grape.  I love the white teas for their delicacy and great punch of health benefits, and I'm especially liking the addition of just the right touch of flavor, making sure to not overwhelm the delicate tea.  What a great way to celebrate Valentine's Day! 

Drink Up & Be Healthy!

In a meta study reported in the December issue of UK Nutrition Bulletin  correlating 40 research papers linking black tea and disease prevention, results of the study suggest that drinking three to six cups of tea daily can cut the risk of a heart attack by 60 percent. The papers also supported strong evidence that one to five cups daily clearly reduce the threat of type 2 diabetes, reduce clotting which can lead to strokes, and help control blood pressure. Results like that make it difficult to understand why the FDA still prevents tea purveyors from making any health claims about tea. Clear data is out there.

Well, January is National Hot Tea Month, and we say, "Drink Up & Be Healthy!" While we usually only hear about green tea when it comes to tea being healthy for you, these studies show that regular old black tea is unquestionably good for you especially in contributing to cardiovascular health. One study showed that 3 cups a day can reduce the risk of stroke by 21%, and 6 cups raises that to 42%. And, did you know that within one-half hour of drinking a cup of tea, your blood pressure goes down? Black tea comes in more flavors and varieties than any other type of tea, so the only real problem might be narrowing it down to which one to enjoy.  I'm off to enjoy a nice cuppa decaf chai before bed.  

Christmas Cheer!

The shop is a-bustle

with shoppers galore.

Looking for teapots

and teacups and more.

So many quite lovely

varities of teas.

And even some ornaments

for decorating trees.

But most important of all,

Friendship and Good Cheer.

We're wishing to all

the very best of New Year!

Wishing you the warmest Christmas or whatever holiday you might celebrate.  Savor the gatherings and goodies of the season, and enjoy your favorite cup of Christmas Cheer too!



The Golden Hour of Tea

The Golden Hour by Kellie Hill

Here's another painting by one of my favorite contemporary artists, Kellie Hill.  Her work is often evocative of much more than the simple subject depicted.  This one is more than a cup of tea on a lace tablecloth covered table.  I sip tea all day long, but this painting evokes something more. That special tea time where one might prepare their best tea in a treasured tea cup, when no one else is around and you can relax with just your own thoughts in restful, restorative tranquility. The Golden Hour. Perfect title. Elegant simplicity, peaceful serenity, Zen.

The Subtle Charm of Tea

There is a subtle charm in the taste of tea

which makes it irresistible

and capable of idealization.

It has not the arrogance of wine, the self-consciousness of coffee, nor the simpering innocence of cocoa.

~Okaura Kakuzo, Tea Master, Author, Poet

People don't send note cards often anymore. Now, they barely e-mail. Tweet in 140 characters or less is more the aptitude these days.  This quote would be too long even to tweet, but the sentiment expresses how I feel about tea.  So, I've put it on a note card and send it out whenever I get the chance. 

There is a subtle charm in tea.  Perhaps that is why it is missed by so many who must be bombarded with intensity before they "get" a thing.  Tea is subtle.  Tea is balanced.  While it has caffeine which provides alertness; it has L-theanine which lends calm.  No major jolt, just a pleasant relaxed focus.  Yet, within the subtle charms of tea exist a mighty power.  When life has us frazzled, it's tea that we reach for to comfort and calm, give us clarity, and bring us back to center again. 

While there are over 10,000 (or more?--I read varying numbers on this) varieties of tea to be enjoyed, there is a simplicity to tea that invites all, from peasants to kings and queens. Yet, there is a deep complexity in tea's subtle flavors, and one could spend a lifetime exploring.  There are less fruitful ways to spend one's time, and I can think of no better pursuit than to look forward to that next cup of tea.  

Ayubowan!

 Ayubowan!

This is the friendly greeting you receive everywhere in Sri Lanka.  Lalith Guy Paranavitana, owner of Empire Tea Services is offering his wonderful Tea Tour of Sri Lanka again this coming January.

If you are even remotely thinking about going, don't hesitate a minute longer.

It was the trip of a lifetime, will be long remembered for its tropical beauty, kind and gentle people, and of course, all that wonderful fresh tea!

Here are a few photos of our memorable trip.

This official greeter at the Galle Face Hotel has been at his post for something like 70 years!

Beautiful Hotels 

Ladies Plucking Tea -- only two leaves and bud for all tea from Sri Lanka!!!

We even plucked some ourselves!

 We visited 4 factories and saw how tea is made from start to finish!  First it is withered in large bins shown here, then rolled to crush the leaf and open the cells so that oxidation can begin.  Then leaves are put on tables to oxidize.  Then dried and sorted by leaf size.  Then, lots of tea tasting.

 

We asked one of the experienced tea tasters how long it took to become proficient at tasting.  He said, "Well, I've been tasting tea every day now, 7 days a week, for 10 years, and I think I am just now getting good at it!" 

The tea tasting at each estate was so much fun. I have never, and may never again, tasted such fresh tea--some that had just finished that day!  That fresh tea aroma in the factories is something I will never forget. 

We got up close to the elephants!

And visited many temples and famous Buddhist sites.

Who knew Cocoa bean pods were this big?

I had to be drug out of this batik store! Beautiful wares!

Majestic waterfalls

The Jeep Safari was so much fun.

We waded in the Indian Ocean.

Wove through narrow, winding mountain roads.

And saw beautiful vistas in every direction!  It's easy to see why Sri Lanka is now one of the top tourist destinations in the world!

NYC & Tea

Just got back from a quick trip to NYC to celebrate one of those milestone birthdays with 3 other gradeschool/high school friends.  One of them lives in SoHo, so we were a few short blocks from Harney's new digs and of course we had to stop in for tea one day.  It was great, and John's grandson, Emeric, was most gracious and gave us a complimentary tea tasting.  My friends mostly like the flavored teas, and we thoroughly enjoyed them all.  I can't remember exactly which ones we tried, but I do remember that they were perfectly prepared.  That's always such a treat for me--a rarity to find well prepared tea anywhere outside my own shop.  But, I expected as much from Harney and Sons and was delighted with our tea and the melt-in-your-mouth scones. 

Afterward I took a stab at reading my friends' tea leaves.  I only found out a couple of years ago that my paternal grandmother read tea leaves.  I wish I'd known that when she was with us, but somehow it never came up.  So, I've decided I must carry on the tradition.  It was great fun, and something significant seemed to show itself in each cup!

Another quite new shop we had lunch at was the "Bosie Tea Parlor" at 10 Morton Street.  Again, the tea there was supurb.  I was very impressed with their extensive selection, and I felt right at home when the waiter had to interrupt taking our lunch order to answer the tea timer from another customer's pot of tea.  You know you're in serious tea territory when the tea pot takes priority over everything else! 

Their food was quite good.  The variety was excellent for a tea shop, the service and presentation elegant.  I do wish the scones had been warmed just a bit as they were served cold.  But, all in all, another lovely tea experience and I would highly recommend Bosie's to anyone passing through lower Manhattan. 

The World's Largest Teabag

Customers are always commenting on one of my sculptures I have near the front door.  It's possibly the world's largest tea bag--made out of clay.  I have it there with a sign that says: "This is the only teabag you will see in Elaine's Tea Shoppe.  We only carry fine quality loose leaf tea.  Please do not touch."
Well, of course, everyone does end up touching it.  It looks quite real, and they can't believe it is solid.  They also often think it is a purse at first glance.  So, I have lots of fun with it when they discover its true identity and composition. This type of art, called trompe l'oeil, is made to "fool the eye".  I love it when customers are fooled and think it is a real teabag. 
I miss having my hands in clay.  When my sculpture teacher passed a couple of years ago, the group that met regularly disbanded.  It's just not the same trying to work on my own in my own home.  I miss the group.  We laughed a lot. Ate lots of chocolate together. Drank a lot of tea together. And expressed ourselves with our clay creations.

A Bite of Tea

A delightful gentleman came in the shop yesterday and, as people often do, started telling me Tea Tales from his childhood.  The one that made me laugh was this.  He often spent time with his grandfather, an avid and daily tea drinker. His grandfather didn't like anything too hot, so he would always take the first sips of tea by scooping out a teaspoonful and blow on it, then take it like one would take a bite of food from a spoon.  The child, wanting to mimic and enjoy tea like his grandfather had, finally asked, "Can I please have a bite of tea?"
To this day, every time he takes a sip of tea, he is taking a bite of tea with his grandfather.
Lovely.

This lovely teacup and spoon is from: One Painting a Day

Small Studies by Kellie Marian Hill

http://kelliehill.blogspot.com/2010/01/tea-and-spoon-paynes-grey.html

"I Break for Tea!"

There has been a lot of chatting lately on Afternoon Tea Across America (an on-line tea chat group) about an "I Break for Tea!" bumber sticker, and we now have one available!  Due to a very limited initial supply, we haven't posted these on the Wild Orchid Teas web site yet, and they are only available here.  To order just call Elaine at 866-TEA-LADY (832-5239) during our posted hours: Tues/Weds/Thur 10am-5pm, Fri/Sat 10am-4pm EST.  Cost is $7.95 + $2.95 S/H. 

AND...for a limited time, and only for the first 20 orders, we will include a *FREE* coordinated magnet with Eleanor Roosevelt's famous (and our favorite) quote: "A woman is like a teabag...you never know how strong she is until she gets into hot water." 



The Tea Cup Story

One day a middle aged couple came into the shop and when they saw the tables at the front of the shop, asked quietly if they could sit and have a cup of tea.  I said, "Of course--have a seat and I'll bring you a menu.", in my normally cheery voice.  They sat, ordered tea and scones, and said how much they appreciated this opportunity for respite from their weary travels.  I didn't probe, but garnered that they were here in town because of a family illness or possibly even for a funeral.

 

They chatted softly with each other over their tea and within their time there, seemed a bit more relaxed by the time they had finished.  As they got up to leave, they said how appreciative they were for the opportunity to relax and refresh in our serene environment, and said that this Tea Cup Story, which is in one of the pages of our menu, had deeply touched them and was so comforting to them at this juncture in their lives.

 

I love what I can bring to my community through the sharing of tea.  I make very little money doing what I do, but this, fellow tea-lovers, is what it is all about. On this particular day, I was richly rewarded.

The Tea Cup

There was a couple who used to go to England to shop in a beautiful antique store. This trip was to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary. They both liked antiques and pottery, and especially teacups. Spotting an exceptional cup, they asked, "May we see that? We've never seen a cup quite so beautiful." 

As the lady handed it to them, the teacup suddenly spoke. It said: "I have not always been a teacup. There was a time when I was just a lump of clay. A potter took me and rolled me pounded and patted me over and over and I yelled out, ‘Don't do that! I don't like it! Let me alone!’ but he only smiled and gently said, "Not yet!!" 

"Then, WHAM! I was placed on a spinning wheel and suddenly I was spun around and around and around. He spun me and poked and prodded and bent me into a shape he liked. 'Stop it! I'm getting so dizzy! I'm going to be sick!' I screamed. But the potter only nodded and said quietly, “Not yet.” 

”Then he put me in the oven. I never felt such heat. I yelled and knocked and pounded at the door. ‘Help! Get me out of here!’ I could see him through the opening and I could read his lips as he shook his head from side to side, “Not yet.” 

"When I thought I couldn't bear it another minute, the door opened. He carefully took me out and put me on the shelf, and I began to cool. Oh, that felt so good! ‘Ah, this is much better,’ I thought. But, after I cooled he picked me up and he brushed and painted me all over. The fumes were horrible. I thought I would gag. ‘Oh, please, Stop it, Stop it!!’ I cried. He only shook his head and said, “Not yet!” 

“Then suddenly he put me back in to the oven. Only it was not like the first one. This was twice as hot and I just knew I would suffocate. I begged. I pleaded. I screamed. I cried. I was convinced I would never make it. I was ready to give up. Just then the door opened and he took me out and again placed me on the shelf, where I cooled and waited… and waited, wondering ‘What's he going to do to me next?’

“A few hours later he handed me a mirror and said “Look at yourself.” And I did. 
“I thought, ‘That's not me; that couldn't be me! It's beautiful. I…I…I'm beautiful!’ I said.”

Quietly he spoke: "I want you to remember…” Then he said, “I know it hurt to be rolled and pounded and patted, but had I just left you alone, you'd have dried up. You'd still be nothing more than a lump of clay. 

“I know it made you dizzy to spin around on the wheel, but that is what has given you your magnificent symmetry. 

“I know it hurt and it was hot and disagreeable in the oven, but if I hadn't put you there, you would have cracked and crumbled. 

”I know the fumes were bad when I brushed and painted you all over, but if I hadn't done that, you would not have had any color in your life. And if I hadn't put you back in the second oven, your colors wouldn't have become so bright and beautiful.  ”Now you are a finished product. Now you are what I had in mind when I first began with you." 

So when life seems hard, and you are being pounded and patted and pushed almost beyond endurance; when your world seems to be spinning out of control; when you feel like you are in a fiery furnace of trials; when life seems to "stink", try this.... Brew a cup of your favorite tea in your prettiest tea cup, sit down and think on this story and then, have a little talk with the Potter.
(author unknown)