Tea Pages

Windows

2012-01-26T21:23:00.000-05:00

Many years ago someone told my husband that he looked at his life like a window of time. Every other person who has ever lived has their own window and sometimes, by miracle or happenstance, your window overlaps with someone special.

With billions of people on the planet I look at the most special people (not related to me) in my life and sometimes wonder how I was so fortunate as to have our windows overlap.

My experience blogging and writing has only served to make these moments of gratitude more frequent. I have readers who have been with me from the very beginning. They comment and drop me notes and have made this experience feel so personal and important. (Thank you.) There are the people from all over the planet who wrote essays for my book or who have read it and let me know how they felt about it. There was the woman in Singapore whose husband found the book in an airport in Indonesia. Really? There are tea folks that I have admired all my tea life and I finally got to meet like Norwood Pratt and Jane Pettigrew. They have made my life richer simply by those small moments.

Twitter has been a whole other experience. I had avoided Twitter for a long time. 140 characters seemed like just enough to be a major time waster. I liked writing long blog posts (too long, more than likely). I wanted to be thorough and I could barely manage posting regularly on the blog AND trying to write other things AND get some kind of Facebook page up. I just never got to it. Finally I gave in and set up an account. I began to find more tea folks there. I found my new Tea Trade friends over there and lots of my industry contacts. Before I knew it I was saying things like "Twitterverse" to my husband. (I can't say that he was impressed.) At World Tea East I finally had the chance to put some faces to names and was reminded of how powerful a tool like Twitter can be. It's like a global meet up.

There is a point to posting this. Today is a difficult day for many of us over in Twitter land. Two days ago I received a message from one of my tea/writer friends that said simply "our Milly has passed away" with a hyperlink. I found that the link was to his blog with a beautiful tribute to an equally beautiful lady who went by @MildewPea . I didn't even know until that day that her name was Diane. As far as I was concerned she was Milly and she was as British as an American in Indiana could be. I think that was one of the reasons I took to her so much. She was the Anglophile I sometimes find myself striving to be. Her profile pic showed her smartly dressed in tweed with a big tea mug adorned with a Union Jack.

I remember times in my life when I lost someone close to me and I suddenly felt like others were trying to "claim" that person. Like in high school, when there is a loss and suddenly everyone was that person's best friend. I was not Milly's best friend. I am sure I was barely on her radar screen. But no matter. She was on mine. I immediately felt happier when I saw that profile picture. I smiled at her kindnesses and the way that she always cheered everyone else up. I smirked when she broke out of her "very proper" style and said something naughty, but only naughty in a very dignified way.

I've tried to figure out why the news struck me so deeply. I've never met Milly. I've only communicated with her one-on-one a handful of times. I think for me it was the reminder that these tea friends I've made may be virtual in some ways but they are real people with real lives. They face heartbreaks and pain and love and joy. As with all friendships, they are only as strong as the work you put into them. 140 characters can make relationships pretty superficial unless you read between those lines.

So tonight I want to close by saying thank you. Thank you to those of you who write to me and comment on the blog. Thank you for inspiring me and supporting my tea writing habit. Thank you for helping me to know you and for overlapping with my life at this moment. And now I raise my cup (I thought my mug from Harrods with the double-decker buses would be appropriate) and tonight I remember Milly.

Warm welcome for "A Tea Reader"

2012-01-18T00:23:00.000-05:00

As you no doubt know (and if you don't, then I haven't been doing my job), my first book was released in October by Tuttle Publishing. (It had a November release in the UK.) "A Tea Reader: Living Life One Cup at a Time" is a book of essays, old and new, that I collected from tea drinkers from across the globe. Many of you probably remember my initial call for essays. Then I started reaching out to shop owners and tea enthusiasts and experts I knew, asking (begging) them to participate. I cannot tell you how moved I was when people like Jane Pettigrew, Roy Fong, and Laura Childs said yes. Then James Norwood Pratt agreed to let me reprint one of his lovely pieces written for "Fresh Cup" about his first trip to China.

I won't go through the craziness of finding a publisher and bringing this book to the public other than to say that I feel extremely fortunate to work with a publisher that is so committed to its books and its authors. Tuttle is really a wonderful company.

Since the book released it's been a whirlwind. You can see images of some of my readings and book events on the book's Facebook page. It's been great fun choosing the essays to read at the events, meeting some of the essayists for the first time, and seeing some great teashops and bookstores.

If you want to read what others are saying, check out the reviews on the "A Tea Reader" website. You can find a complete list here. I have been overwhelmed by the lovely things that have been said. I was honored when Publishers Weekly and Shelf Awareness selected the book for review. I have been delighted to read some of the well researched and well considered blog posts. It was fantastic to participate in an interview with USA Today that has now been republished in papers from Tampa Bay to Vancouver, from Indianapolis to Ottawa, and many, many places in between. There was also a particularly lovely review in yesterday's "Montreal Gazette."

There is a great deal more fun ahead for this book I know and I am gratified to know that it is finding its audience. I'd love to hear from more of you who have read the book. What were your favorite essays? What are your own favorite tea memories? Have you shared the book with anyone else?

12 Hopes for 2012

2012-01-10T23:32:00.000-05:00

I don't do resolutions, at least not New Year's resolutions. Here's the thing: I can't just decide to make a life change; I have to feel inspired to do so. I know some people flip a switch January 1 and march their way into the nearest gym to lose that five (ahem...fifteen) pounds that they've been talking about losing. With me motivation doesn't follow the calendar. It may be that February 3 or May 17 that is the day that I throw on my big girl sneakers and get serious. I might not even know it the night before. It just hits me. And so, here I am at the start of a calendar year and instead of offering my resolutions, I will instead call them my "hopes," the things that I hope to accomplish this year...until I wake up inspired to do something completely different.

12 Hopes for 2012
1. Empty out the tea cabinet
I have always completely ignored all rules about discarding spices and I find I do the same with my tea. I know that there is a particular window in which tea is the freshest. I know that aroma and taste degrade, yet I find it painful to discard teas, even mediocre ones. Thus, the teas pile up in the cabinet and the onslaught of tea samples that find their way to me only intensifies my problem. This year I hope to find the fortitude to rid the cabinet of teas I don't love, clearing space for the truly special ones that I do.

2. Begin Level 3 certification with the Specialty Tea Institute
I found the Level 1 and 2 Specialty Tea Institute classes to be an outstanding experience. I reviewed information I had already learned, gathered new knowledge, and gained valuable experience with tasting and cupping. Level 3 is a whole different animal - far more intense, a much bigger stretch for me. Because there are number of classes required for Level 3 certification and they are held across the country, I expect it will take me a few years to complete. It is with excitement, and a bit of trepidation, that I say that I hope to start my Level 3 certification.

3. Attend at least one or two more trade events
I had the chance to go to NY Coffee & Tea Fest back in 2008 and then didn't attend another trade event until this year's inaugural World Tea East in Philly. In 2012 I'd love to get back to the NY event (an opportunity to start that Level 3...) and maybe, just maybe, I'll overcome my aversion to Vegas and make it to World Tea Expo. Philadelphia too? Time will tell.

4. Become more comfortable with tasting sets
This might seem like a funny thing to list, but it's something I think is important. I'd love to get to the point where the mechanics of cupping come easily and smoothly, so I can be fully focused on the tasting and not the logistics.

5. Continue to participate with ITCC
I mentioned my great experience in 2011 with the International Tea Cuppers Club. I've already registered for the Assam tasting in 2012 and, if finances allow, I may try to do another this year. This program is another important way for me to hone my tasting skills.

6. Rework the blog to focus more on experiences and events rather than specific tastings
In the early days of my blog I spent a lot of time reviewing teas. It was my way of documenting my experiences and keeping track of what I liked. After four years I've placed less emphasis on that side of the blog. I prefer to focus on general impressions of the offerings of a company, rather than a specific tea. My tastes change season to season, even day to day, and teas, particularly single estate teas, can be quite varied over time because of weather, processing, picking conditions. In the future I think I'll be more likely to talk about the companies that show consistently solid and interesting options, as well as tea events I attend and experiences I have.

7. Explore some new vendors
Because so many samples arrive from vendors I have become a bit complacent in actively seeking new tea sources. This year I want to take better advantage of the wonderful tea community I know and call upon their expertise to point me to those gems that I may have missed.

8. Continue magazine work
I hope to continue to grow my magazine writing and copywriting work. I find the work challenging and a great way to strengthen my writing skills, because of the input of great editors.

9. Continue with readings and book events
"A Tea Reader" was such an important part of 2011 that I sometimes forget that the book has only been out for a few months. There are many audiences to reach yet and I look forward to continuing to do readings and other author appearances.

10. Complete proposal for new book and find a publisher
Yes, I have a new book project in the works. I'm in the process of writing the proposal and I'll start sending it out in the next couple of months. I'm hoping the publisher of my current book will bite, but if they don't, I'll work hard to find the right home for it.

11. Make it out to the west coast to explore some new tea spots
We haven't done nearly enough travel since the kids were born, for a whole host of reasons. I hope that this is going to be the year that we make our way to the west coast. There have been so many tea spots out there on my list that I look forward to diving in with both feet.

12. Relaunch the Tea Pages website
It is time. Before the blog was the Tea Pages website.

And now, as I fall asleep (quite literally) on my keyboard it is time for me to bid adieu. Here's hoping for a productive 2012 for all.

New Beginnings. New Year.

2012-01-08T16:47:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year to all.

It's been a wild ride around here this Fall. We've dealt with kids with stomach bugs, pneumonia, and RSV which included a hospitalization; an October storm that resulted in a six day power outage; and having a deer run into our car on the way home from a book signing. On the positive (because there sure had better be some!) I met some amazing new tea friends, attended World Tea East, and had my first book reach bookstores.

In honor of the changing of years I wanted to engage in a little end of year nostalgia while offering some thoughts on the year ahead. So, here I present my Top 11 Hits of 2011.

Top 11 Hits of 2011
1. The Release of "A Tea Reader"
This was certainly one of the highlights of my professional life. Seeing my book in print, reading reviews, and talking to people who have read it is more amazing than I could have anticipated. We had so much fun at the launch party in Concord and I was delighted that both illustrators, Stephanie Sewhuk-Thomas and Kate Finnegan, were able to come. Hartley Johnson from Mark T. Wendell shared some great tea and we enjoyed treats from Concord Teacakes and Nashoba Brook Bakery. It was really special to have my kids there watching along with lots of other friends and family members. Other special readings and book events took place at Harney Soho, Clipper Merchant Tea House, the Old Town Museum, Dobra Tea, H3O Women's Ministry, Westford Museum, and The Cozy Tea Cart. You can find pictures of the events on our Facebook page and on the book website.

2. Helping to raise the profile of tea
Among the other rewards of having "A Tea Reader" reach bookstores and teashops, is that it provided a great way to promote tea. Certainly I was honored to see wonderful reviews of the book in tea publications like "Tea: A Magazine," "Tea Time," and many tea blogs. I was particularly gratified, though, to have the book selected for review in non-tea spots like Shelf Awareness, Publishers Weekly, and Monica Bhide's A Life of Spice blog. The year was topped off with the publication of an article for which I was interviewed in USA Today. The print version even included a picture of the book.

3. Meeting essayists and bringing others togetherThis is my last book-related item on the list, but it's a special one. What was interesting about this project was that much of the work of this book was done online. My conversations with essayists were mostly via email. The book's publication gave me the chance to finally meet some essayists and I expect to continue to meet others in the months and years to come. I kept a single copy of the book and I am having essayists and artists sign it as I meet up with them. I now have the signatures of both illustrators and six of the writers. The other thing that pleased me was seeing that some of the essayists had the chance to meet one another out at the Northwest Tea Festival.

4. Attending World Tea East
I had the chance to attend New York Coffee & Tea Fest a few years ago and an early iteration of World Tea East, but this was my first big trade show. World Tea East in Philadelphia was a fabulous time. I met some old and new blogger friends, got to do some writing work for World Tea News, attended some interesting workshops, tried new teas and products, and enjoyed two fun dinner with tea friends (one with brand new tea friends and one with some of my tea mentors.) You can find posts about the event here and the people here. My long promised post on products is still stuck in my brain.

5. Meeting John Harney and Norwood Pratt and reconnecting with Jane Pettigrew
Of course we all have those people in our professional fields who we admire. Two of my very early tea teachers were Jane Pettigrew and James Norwood Pratt. I read their books over and over and I always felt that they provided me with both knowledge and inspiration. I was delighted to have the chance to correspond with both of them and to have both as contributors to the book. I was lucky enough to talk with Jane on the phone and to travel to London to attend her Tea Masterclass in 2010. Now, here in 2011 I was able to see her again at World Tea East and to present her with a signed copy of the book. Philadelphia also afforded me the chance to finally meet Norwood Pratt in person and to hear him speak. I was not disappointed. He was kind and generous with his words and encouragement. It was a true pleasure. The unexpected meeting of the event was having the chance to talk with John Harney, founder of Harney & Sons, who was being awarded the Cha Jing Lifetime Achievement Award. He was funny and warm and we have since had several conversations, including the first of several interviews we've planned. I am honored to have the chance to meet and thank these special mentors in person.

6. Joining Teatra.de and Twitter and "meeting" some great new bloggers
I have been blogging for awhile and have been fortunate to connect with some other writers whom I admire and learn from continually, especially those members of the Association of Tea Bloggers. This year brought me to a new group, Teatra.de, where I had the chance to republish my blog and to find a very different blog community. I found the "Beasts of Brewdom," a group of guys from across the globe who share their "manly" approach to tea, their irreverent takes on life, and their tremendous senses of humor. I also came upon some other bloggers who have renewed my energy for blogging and inspired me to think seriously about what a blog can really do.

7. STI Training
My trip to World Tea East also gave me the chance to take the first steps toward a professional goal of mine - Specialty Tea Institute certification. My Philadelphia adventures in September gave me the chance to complete Level 1 and Level 2 of the training. It was a great chance to review information about tea production, tea styles, and to practice cupping skills.

8. ITCC
This year I became a member of the International Tea Cuppers Club and participated in one of their cupping programs - First Flush Darjeeling. Organized by Dan Robertson, ITCC gives you the chance to taste a number of teas (8-10) of the same type so you can begin to see some of the variety within a specific type. It gave me a much better sense of First Flush Darjeelings and I also discovered the tremendous quality of product provided by Lochan Teas. It was great to compare my tasting notes with those of others and I'm looking forward to the upcoming Assam session.

9. Favorite new tea companies of 2011: Lochan Tea, Wild Tea Qi, Boston Tea Company, Persimmon Tree
This is a slightly dangerous category. I hate to call out "favorites" for fear of forgetting others, but I do want to mention some of my favorite finds of this year. I already mentioned Lochan Teas above. Wild Tea Qi has made me reconsider my ongoing fear of pu'erh. I received samples from Boston Tea Company and I have to confess that my expectations were a little low. I receive so many samples of flavored teas that are lacking so I brewed the first pot only hoping for a reasonable cup. I was really shocked with how well balanced the flavors were and what a nuanced tea they had created. I worked my way through several samples, continuing to have excellent pots of tea. While I don't drink a lot of flavored teas these days, Boston Tea Company is a company that I would turn to when I'm in that mood. Persimmon Tree Tea Company is the other company that has won my heart. They provided me with several samples that I can only describe as cravable. I can't get them out of my mind. Even now my heart sings just thinking of them. Their Coconut Creme and Mandarin Silk Oolong were unbelievable and I assure you that they will stay stocked in my tea cabinet.

10. Four year blogging anniversary
This is the year that my blog turned four. No longer a baby it is finding that it needed to stretch its legs a little. It spent the year in a growth spurt and is about to settle in to its own personality and spirit. Many of the bloggers who launched when I did have shuttered their blogs and I had moments where I also considered it. Instead I am now excited to see where it heads next.

11. My writing grows
Finally, I enjoyed growing my writing business in 2011. In addition to the book I took on a number of writing assignments for magazines and online publications. I spent much of the year writing steadily for World Tea News and I hope to be contributing again later in 2012. I began to reach out to companies to establish some consistent copywriting work. I was able to write for "Tea Time," "Fresh Cup," and "Living Without," this year and I look forward to pitching and earning new assignments in the months to come.

So those are the highlights of my 2011 in tea. Coming soon will be my "12 Hopes for 2012."

Ch-ch-ch-changes

2012-01-03T15:25:00.000-05:00

Here I was about to pen a big end of year entry and ended up instead spending four days in the hospital with my littlest. Blah. I would have rather been writing to all of you.

I am still planning my annual end-of-year wrap up entry. Give me a couple of days to catch up!

In the meantime I wanted to comment on the latest tea news to hit my computer. It was announced today that Sara Lee has just purchased Tea Forte. (Here's the WSJ article.) This news was pretty stunning to me. As you may know I've done copywriting work for Tea Forte and have gotten to know a few of the staff members. I've interviewed the founder Peter Hewitt a few times and have loved knowing that this local company has grown itself to such a tremendous brand identity. I've admired their integrity and the heart and artistry that makes up the company.

Word is that Sara Lee has also purchased a European cafe chain and a foodservice coffee company and they intend to create CoffeeTeaCo, a company focusing on international coffee and tea. This will be a separate entity from their "meat products." The articles state that Tea Forte will run independently for a bit and then be integrated into their business fully.

Here's the good news - Tea has grown enough as a commodity that a company the size of Sara Lee is now looking to focus such substantial resources and attention to it. Tea Forte is a company that is focused on premium tea so Sara Lee wasn't just looking to take the cheap way out. Tea Forte's owner has built a brand from the ground up that he can be proud of and may now be able to grow in ways they couldn't have imagined.

My sadness - I'm sad to see this gem become less local. Maybe all will remain as it was and the West Concord facility won't change. I love popping into that place and seeing the great people who work there. I loved having the chance to do tea writing work face to face instead of by phone and email. I'll miss working with them in that way. Most of all I hope that this move is a positive one for Peter and his staff. They deserve nothing but the best.

That's my news of the day. I actually included some things about Tea Forte's great design work in Fresh Cup's annual Tea Almanac. You can also check out some of my past blog posts about the company here and here.

Welcome to my new readers

2011-12-21T00:36:00.000-05:00

Hello readers!

I hope everyone is enjoying the beauty of the season. Happy Hanukkah to my Jewish readers. May this season of light bring you joy and peace. Merry Christmas to those who celebrate and Happy New Year to all.

We are anxiously getting ready for Christmas here. With three kids ages six and under the house will be utter and wonderful chaos.

Response to "A Tea Reader: Living Life One Cup at a Time" has been wonderful. Please make sure you visit the website: www.tea-reader.com and our Facebook page to see event photos, reviews and more. An article is slated to publish in the Wednesday (12/21) edition of USA Today that will have some quotes from me and a cover shot of the book!

I'm currently preparing my end of year "favorites" article. I've missed many of my annual posts like my anniversary dinner post. I won't miss this one. It's one of my favorites.

I'll be back soon with that post. For now, welcome to all who have recently joined us. I look forward to getting to know you!

World Tea East - The people

2011-09-19T17:06:00.001-04:00

I think what I looked forward to most about attending World Tea East was the chance to meet people. I had a huge list of people who: a) I had "met" through the blog over the past four years, b) I "talk" with on Twitter and Facebook, and/or c) I had admired for years and hoped to catch a glimpse of or saddle up my courage and speak with. I wasn't disappointed.

I've already posted pictures on the Tea Pages and Tea Reader Facebook pages of some of the essayists from "A Tea Reader" that I got to meet up with. It was fantastic to let them see the book "in person" and to deliver a few copies. I must confess to feeling like I was doing a piece of absurdist theater when I was standing at a table "autographing" copies of my book for Jane Pettigrew and James Norwood Pratt. Seriously. What kind of bizarro world am I currently operating in?

(As with yesterday's post, there are more photos on the Tea Pages Facebook Page. Check out the World Tea East - People album.)

My first priority was to meet Dan Bolton. He's the new(-ish) Editor at World Tea News. I'd been doing some writing for him since last spring but hadn't yet had the chance to meet him in person. As I mentioned yesterday he was giving a talk on retail trends and then I spent some time hanging out at his booth and doing some reporting from the Expo floor and the evening networking reception. I also had the chance to meet Alan Richman who is one of the Contributing Editors at WTN. Again, someone whose work I'd been reading, but I hadn't yet met.

As I've mentioned before, I traveled to London last January to do research for the book and attended Jane Pettigrew's Tea Masterclass at the Chesterfield Hotel. I was so happy to see her again and it was nice to be remembered! She's such a joy and a wealth of information always.

I hadn't expected James Norwood Pratt to be at the Expo. He had also contributed an essay to the book and we'd talked via email numerous times but I hadn't yet had the chance to meet him in person. It was nice to have a chat and to see him in action as he did a tea tasting at the ITI Booth.

Speaking of ITI, it was wonderful to meet Devan Shah -- such a pro. He's friendly and so knowledgeable. I will certainly be paying closer attention to his company in the future.

I was surprised when walking the Expo floor to see John Harney just sitting on a stool at the Harney & Sons booth. He was cracking jokes with people, asking them to be sure to come to the reception so he'd have someone to clap for him. He teased me about the extraordinary length of my last name and we talked a bit about kids and the business. He introduced me to his son Paul. I spotted his son Michael a few times who I'd met at NY Coffee & Tea Festival but we only had time for a quick "hi" at the evening reception.

I knew Teas Etc. would be a major stop in my travels. I had met Beth Johnston and Newman Johnston at the first iteration of World Tea East when it was co-located with the Natural Foods expo. More recently I'd been trading tweets with them and knew that they planned lots of activity at their booth. I had the chance to talk with Beth and Newman and to meet their son Chris, while also cupping some great Dong Ding.

Since today's post has essentially become a bunch of name dropping, here's the rest of my list, in no particular order:

* Bill Waddington from TeaSource - I interviewed him recently for an article for World Tea News and I have long listened to him on APM's "Splendid Table." I was thrilled to speak to him in person finally!
* Blogger/Twitter friends - Nicole aka AmazonV, Jo from A Gift of Tea, Alex Zorach of RateTea.net, Marlon and Dylan from Chan Teas, Courtney from LittleMewBrew/The Purrfect Cup, Alexis from Teaspoon & Petals, and Nicole from Tea for Me, Please. It was great to have dinner with AmazonV and LittleMewBrew on Friday night and to meet up with some of the other folks at TBar on Saturday.
* Charles Cain from Adagio Teas

* Pearl Dexter - Editor and Publisher of "TEA:A Magazine" - I've met Pearl at a few tea events and wrote one piece for her magazine
* Kim and George Jage - Owners of World Tea Media
* Kirsten Kristensen - She is the owner of Tea4U and did an essay for the book. She is preparing to open a new tea house in NJ, White House.
* It was wonderful to reconnect with "Culinary Tea" author Cynthia Gold and Danielle Beaudette of NH's Cozy Tea Cart. It was a special surprise to get to share dinner with them Saturday along with Cynthia's husband Julian Landa (a very talented painter with some tea artwork that you would all be fortunate to see.)

My next post will explore more about the products I saw and some new acquaintances made. This one will certainly get you excited about your holiday shopping. There are some really amazing new products and teas that you won't want to miss.

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Again, don't miss the rest of the photos on the Tea Pages Facebook page and if you missed yesterday's post about the World Tea East workshops, head over here.

World Tea East - The workshops

2011-09-17T16:07:00.000-04:00

I think I've finally gotten back in the swing of things after my World Tea East adventures. It was wonderful, magical, and amazing; although, I must confess, it was hard to be away from the little ones for so long. The baby isn't quite one so this is certainly the longest I've been away from her. Everyone did fine at home, though, and it was well worth the effort. Just seeing my book out there in the real world made every challenge of getting to the Expo worth it.

I flew to Philly on Thursday, Sept. 8th. It was a quick flight and everything went so smoothly that I figured I was due for a major problem on the way home. (I seem to have become something of a pessimist.) I arrived at the Philadelphia Downtown Marriott around 8:00, sent a few emails, bemoaned the lack of Food Network on the hotel TV package, and then tried to get some sleep before my very full Friday began.

I had a few priorities for the show. 1) I was doing some reporting for World Tea News on Friday -- general observations and remarks for a round-up and some writing about the evening networking reception. 2) World Tea News was kind enough to allow me to have my book on display and I took the chance to talk to some people about the book and to hand deliver copies to a few of the essayists. 3) I wanted to make sure I experienced as much of the show as possible -- meeting vendors, seeing products, and finally getting to meet bloggers and Twitter friends who I had not yet met.

Because I was writing for WTN I made it a priority to get to as many of the workshops as possible. For each session there were three to four concurrent workshops/lectures/tastings so I logged some mileage up and down the hallway.

(For more images of the workshops, please visit the Tea Pages Facebook page!)

I started with Dan Bolton's "Top Tea Retail Trends" presentation. Dan is the editor of World Tea news. There were a couple of dozen people attending and Dan highlighted some of the most recent movements in the tea industry. I was particularly struck by the dramatic increase in US tea imports (a record 18% increase in 2010.) In terms of market share in the beverage industry, tea is currently 7th, behind juice but ahead of sports beverages. He also noted the significant expansion of tea in the grocery stores, both in terms of shelf space and the number of SKUs. 84% of American households have tea in them and about 10% is loose leaf.

I spent a few minutes visiting Lisa Boalt Richardson's "Tea 101" class and then Susan Peterson's workshop on edible flowers. (Susan is from Teaberry's Tea Room in NJ.) Lisa (of "Lisa Knows Tea" fame) is a great presenter so I wished I had more time to spend. (I was very happy to discover that she was actually co-teaching the Specialty Tea Institute Level 1 and 2 trainings that I was taking later in the weekend.)

I then headed over to Beth Johnston's Black Tea Tasting. Beth is the owner of Teas Etc. and she was presenting with the help of her son Chris. I was seriously conflicted when I saw that Dan Bolton and Beth were presenting opposite one another. I think if Dan had been giving his lecture at another time I likely would have ponied up the cash to register for Beth's focused tasting as a participant. I must confess to being a little star struck when I spotted Jane Pettigrew at the front table. Having Beth and Jane in one room was a bit too much for me -- women I have admired so much for their contribution to the tea industry. I also noticed my friend and colleague Danielle Beaudette of NH's Cozy Tea Cart was one of the volunteers for the class. I later realized that also at Jane's table was blogger AmazonV (Nicole Schwartz.) When I popped into the room they were cupping a Hawaiian black tea. Apparently Beth also shook up the room by sneaking a Lipton tea bag into the cupping session.

The next round of workshops had Anupa Mueller speaking about "How to Conduct a Successful Tea Tasting" while Margaret Heery and Michele Schmal presented on "Food Service Market Trends: What's Driving the Sales of Iced Tea." I spent a little time in Mueller's presentation and appreciated her concrete recommendations and her rich experience in this area. It was one of the better attended workshops with approximately 40 participants. I thought her tips on guiding conversations were useful: providing background to customers on origin, history, seasonality, etc. while walking them through how to look at a dry leaf, to inspect the color of the infusion, to experience the aroma, and to taste. I will certainly use some of her ideas of how to create a selection of teas for a tasting, whether a sampler of the five main tea types plus an herbal, by category (all black, all green, etc.), a range of organic or Fair Trade, or even by theme (teas with connections between their names, such as "royal" words.)

The last set of workshops was the hardest for me to choose between. Two of my friends/colleagues were presenting at the same time: Cynthia Gold, the tea sommelier at Boston Park Plaza Hotel & Towers and author of "Culinary Tea" presented "Think Tea in Every Menu Course" while Chris Cason of Tavalon offered his always popular workshop "Tea & Cocktails Flavor Fusion." In other sessions Dianna Harbin talked about how to start a tea meetup and Mim Enck did a tasting session of blended and flavored teas. I spent a few minutes in Cynthia's, Chris's, and Dianna's presentations. Chris had given me the tip to show up later in the session when he was starting to pour. I made sure to get their in time for his Crimson Toddy, a hot hibiscus tea combined with some orange peel, cinnamon, clove, and bourbon. When I left he was working on infusing gin to make some Earl Grey MarTEAnis. I was certainly jealous of the attendees of Cynthia's class when I saw the amazing array of food they were able to try - tea rubbed pork, Darjeeling vinaigrette, tea cocktails, and tea-infused chocolates among other treats.

Saturday was another day of great workshops, but I spent the day at the Specialty Tea Institute trainings. I would have again felt torn between Charles Cain's Tea 201 class on profitability and Thomas Shu's tasting session with Taiwanese oolongs. I did grab a few minutes to visit Pearl Dexter's "History of Tea in America" during my lunch break.

My experience made me very excited to attend World Tea Expo in Las Vegas in June when there are more workshops, but I will be incredibly torn choosing between sessions. It was such an unusual opportunity to get to workshop hop and I was glad I took full advantage.

Next time: The Expo floor

To see more photos from the workshops, visit the Tea Pages Facebook page!

The Tea Eagle Has Landed

2011-09-08T21:51:00.000-04:00

I've touched down in Philadelphia for the World Tea East exhibit and show. My travels were unbelievably smooth. I boarded the plane and just two hours later I was checking into my hotel. When does that happen? Dare I hope to be so lucky when it's time to head home?

I'm feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness. There are a few tea friends who I know well that will be here, but many more I only know from online interactions. I look forward to finally meeting people. I also have a few copies of my book on hand (HOORAY!) and I'm looking to get it signed by any of the essayists I come upon. I know that Jane Pettigrew, Cynthia Gold, Kirsten Kristensen, and Danielle Beaudette will be here. Dan Bolton, Editor of World Tea News, has also agreed to have the book on display at his booth.

This is a great opportunity for certain and I want to take full advantage. Friday I'll be doing some reporting for World Tea News and will be taking lots of notes for all of you on the exhibit and maybe a few of the seminars and guided tastings. In the afternoon I'm going to drop by the Mid-Atlantic Tea Business Association reception to meet some tea friends and in the early evening I'll be at the reception and celebration of John Harney. Saturday and Sunday I'll be studying for my Level 1 and 2 Specialty Tea Institute certification.

The only downside for me is that I already miss my little ones at home. They are excited for me, but my middle one was pretty sad as I headed out the door. This is her first week of preschool so it is a hard time for me to be away, but I know it's an opportunity I had to take advantage of. My husband was insistent that I come and he's going above and beyond to make sure the kids are well taken care of while still balancing his work responsibilities. So I will plan on fully embracing every minute I'm here so I make all of our sacrifices worth it.

More as the weekend goes on. You can also follow me on Twitter @teapages and I'll try to keep messages coming out throughout the show!

World Tea East - Who's with Me?

2011-08-23T23:24:00.000-04:00

I am absolutely ecstatic that World Tea East is approaching. I plan on sharing more info on the event in the coming days, but I wanted to make sure you all had the basics. I will definitely be attending and I'm looking forward to meeting some of my readers and other tea lovers in person.

World Tea East

September 8 - 11 in Philadelphia

(Philadelphia Convention Center/Philadelphia Marriott Downtown - Market St.)

From the press release:

"This new event features 100 innovative manufacturers and suppliers, best new tea products, expert-led educational sessions, focused tea tastings, pairing workshops and other special events for tea professionals, food and beverage manufacturers and decision makers in related industries. The expo also presents the unique "Reflections in Tea" interactive art exhibit, which will benefit victims of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami in Japan, a major tea-growing and tea-consuming region. In addition, World Tea East debuts the Cha Jing Lifetime Achievement Award, which will be presented to distinguished tea leader John Harney, founder of Harney & Sons Fine Teas, for his significant contributions to the industry."

The Schedule of Events

September 8

World Origin Tasting Tour: All day exploration of tea from Sri Lanka, India, China, Japan, China, and Taiwan. Registration: $425.

September 9

The exhibition, day 1 - For the trade (retailers, distributors, etc.) Admission prices are here.

Educational sessions ($60 for seminars and $85 for tastings): Courses include Tea 101, retail trends, culinary tea, tea cocktails, and more. The full list is here.

North American Tea Championship Winners tasting circle: green teas and unflavored herbal infusions.

Evening networking reception and presentation of lifetime achievement award to John Harney.

September 10
The exhibition, day 2 - For the trade (retailers, distributors, etc.) Admission prices are here.
Educational sessions ($60 for seminars and $85 for tastings): Courses include Tea 201, Fair Trade, marketing, history of tea, and more. The full list is here.
North American Tea Championship Winners tasting circle: black, blended and flavored teas.
STI (Specialty Tea Institute) certification courses - Level One only. (Note that this is a change from the original schedule.)

September 11
STI certification courses - Level Two only. (Note that this is a change from the original schedule.) Registration for STI classes is through Tea USA.

Lodging

Hotel discounts are available for this conference. The Philadelphia Marriott Downtown is offering a rate of $149/night.

What you can expect

More about what you'll find at World Tea East according to the latest press release:

"---New and leading-edge exhibitors of tea and related products - The exposition is set to deliver tea favorites like International Tea Importers, Teas Etc., Sungarden Teas and Rishi Tea, along with newcomers, including Best International Tea, British Delights, Custom Co-Pack, Revolution Tea, SerendipiTea, Teazzers, Tiesta Tea, Tracy Stern SalonTea and Woodford Wicks.

---Best new products - World Tea East also features the latest tea products, such as: the finum Traveler ZITA, Riensch & Held's newest and most impressive tea ware for on-the-go; and AIYA America's Matcha Zen Café Blend in single-serving packets for delicious Matcha smoothies and lattes at home, among many other exciting teas and wares.

---Expert-led educational sessions - Presentations include: Top Tea Retail Trends; How to Conduct a Successful Tea Tasting; Tea 201: Finding Profitability; Food Service Market Trends; Building Tea Community the Easy Way; Fair Trade Certification Alternatives for Tea & Herbs; Unusual Herbal Teas; Using Protocol and Etiquette to Increase Sales &Traffic; and the History of Tea in America, among other topics.

---Focused tea tastings - World Tea East tea-tasting sessions include type-specific teas, including the newest in Black, Unusual Herbal Teas, Blended/Flavored Teas, Oolongs, Puers and African Teas.

---Workshops - Unique workshops include "There's a Flower in My Soup: All About Edible Flowers" and "Tea and Cocktails - Flavor Fusion."

---World Origin Tasting Tour - This event stops at six different countries of origin, where attendees explore the country's tea culture, look at unique manufacturing processes and taste six to eight teas that are authentic to each origin, providing delegates a solid understanding of the flavors and profiles of each.

---North American Tea Championship Winners' Tasting Circle - This experience offers attendees the opportunity to sample winning teas, meet the suppliers and judge for themselves which teas are the best in each category.

Cha Jing Lifetime Achievement Award World Tea Media is also planning to introduce its Cha Jing Lifetime Achievement Award at World Tea East. The Award recognizes and celebrates individuals who have made considerable contributions to the growth, innovation and education of the specialty tea industry throughout their lifetime. This year, John Harney, founder, Harney & Sons Fine Teas, is the recipient of the award. Widely respected by his peers and a role model for many, Harney has made a significant impact on the specialty tea industry through innovation, mentoring and service. Attendees may congratulate Harney, who will be honored during World Tea East's Networking Reception, Friday, Sept. 9, from 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. in the Philadelphia Marriott Ballroom."

I hope to see some of you there!

ATB meets Adagio Roots

2011-08-15T07:00:00.116-04:00

** Update - I just corrected a URL that was not working and added "Teaspoon and Petals" to the list. Enjoy!

Today's post is part of the Association of Tea Bloggers latest blog carnival. Through the carnival, bloggers at a number of different sites will all tackle the same topic on the same day. Today's participants include:

Black Dragon Tea Bar

Gongfu Girl

LeafJoy

Notes on Tea
The Tea Enthusiasts's Scrapbook
Tea For Today
Teaspoon and Petals
That Pour Girl
Walker Tea Review
******************
If you have ever had the opportunity to visit a farmers market you understand how wonderful it is to talk with the people who have actually grown your food. It is not like choosing produce out of a bin at the grocery store where you feel that it could have come from pretty much anywhere on the planet. Suddenly these fruits and vegetables feel more real to me. This experience is even deeper when I am able to grow my own food and take my kids on a tasting tour of the back yard.

I have often wished for the same experience with my tea. It is that which makes me dream of traveling to tea farms and experiencing first hand the process of plucking and nurturing those leaves to a drinkable form. Since I am not yet able to make those journeys myself I find it very important to buy my tea from people who do. I seek out vendors who frequently travel to the farms and see how the tea is being grown and cared for. It is for this reason that I was intrigued by Adagio Teas Roots Campaign.

The Roots Campaign gives us a chance to get to know the actual farmers who have labored to make truly special teas. You can read about the people and also see pictures of their farms. The participants have even taken the time to answer questions that you might have. Visitors to Adagio's retail shops will also have the chance to send postcards to the growers which I think is a great way to allow us to offer thanks. You can check out the campaign here.

Last week I received a package of Pi Lo Chun (sometimes called Green Snail Spring) in the mail from Adagio. This green tea hails from China's Fujian province. What struck me immediately about this tea was the gorgeous floral scent that poured forth from the bag when I opened it and the soft, supple leaves that tumbled out. I could tell right away that this tea was right up my alley. It was a green but didn't have the marine or spinachy notes of some. It reminded me more of a very light oolong like a pouchong. Initially it had a soft light flavor but I found that it seemed to grow richer as I drank. Beautiful.

This particular tea was grown by a farmer named Huang Jian Li. I learned from his profile at the Roots Campaign that he grew up in a tea region and began his first tea job at 20. I appreciated his tips for proper brewing including recommendations for temperature and encouraging the use of open topped glass containers to properly appreciate the beauty and to ensure that the tea is aerated fully.

I look forward to checking out more of the teas in the campaign and I send my thanks to Huang Jian Li for his efforts in growing this lovely tea.

"The Secret Ingredient" review

2011-08-11T15:59:00.000-04:00

I'm about to break into a box of McVitie's milk chocolate digestives and it seems the perfect thing to enjoy as I write this review. They are true comfort food and make an afternoon feel warm, cozy, and relaxed. I would say the same about Laura Schaefer's new book "The Secret Ingredient."

I fell in love with Laura's book series when it was a single book, "The Teashop Girls." In that first story we met a girl named Annie and her friends who help Annie's grandmother save her business, the "Steeping Leaf" tea shop. The book painted a beautiful picture of a Madison, Wisconsin and a welcoming shop that we all wish we could visit. Annie and her friends worry about the typical problems of middle school girls and navigate relationships and friendships.

"The Secret Ingredient" brings us back into these girls' lives as they prepare to enter the ninth grade. In the meantime they are all trying to make the most of their summer. Genna is recently back from theater camp and tries to balance a new long-distance relationship but also self-doubt about her appearance. The book touches on some of the issues young girls (and, actually, all adolescents), face with body image. Annie's friend Zoe spends her days cultivating her garden, exploring the community farmers' market, and working to convince the schools in her town to embrace the use of local and fresh foods in their lunch program. I should also mention that Annie's grandmother continues to run her shop and is enjoying the start of a new relationship. And now the star of the book, Annie.

Annie is entering a contest -- a scone making contest. In order to win she must create an original scone (in which she intends to use a secret ingredient) and gain the most readership for her new blog. The winner will get a trip for four to London. Throughout the book she struggles to create a special scone, deal with an online bully, manage friendships, and decide if the neighborhood boy Zach is a potential boyfriend or saboteur.

It is a truly charming book and, as a bonus, you will be treated to some wonderful scone recipes. You'll find everything from the expected (chocolate chip and plain ) to the unusual (parmesan strawberry!, bacon, and cookies-and-cream). Take an afternoon with a hot pot of tea, some sweet treats, and this delicious little book.

For more about Laura and her books, you can check out our interview with her from March of 2009 and June of 2011.

Adagio Makes a Liar of Me

2011-07-27T13:16:00.000-04:00

I have one big problem with the blog lately -- too many things I want to write about. I guess the only solution is to get to work! (AFTER I finish that other article I'm working on. Don't worry boss, it will be done. Early in fact. I hope. I expect. No, definitely early. "Do or do not. There is no try.")

Just so you know what is next to come, since I know you're waiting in breathless anticipation, is a review of Laura Schaefer's book "The Secret Ingredient," reviews of some teas from a brand new shop -- Tea & Jazz House, some long overdue reviews from Tiesta Teas, and another little (hopefully) provocative editorial about why we should love the "big guy" tea companies. Really. You'll love it. Or hate it. Either way.

Now on to today's post and how Adagio has made a liar of me.

In general I've been someone who feels that it is pretty rare for a company to make a memorable tea bag. With a few very notable exceptions (like those made by my friends at Tea Forte*), I find most tea bags just can't make a cup of tea that comes close to that made with loose leaf. Some of it is purely psychological, but some of it is also a function of the bag. The old school square paper bags with a string just cannot hold anything but pretty fine pieces of leaf and they do not have any room to really move within the water. More companies are moving toward "silken" sachets and pyramid bags but in many cases the actual leaf just doesn't make a very good cuppa. I keep some on hand for guests who cringe at the thought a stray tea leaf might make its way into their cup, but I just couldn't picture choosing a tea bag for myself. And that's when Adagio made me drink my words.

I recently received two boxes from Adagio from their new Gourmet Tea Collection. These cream colored paper stock boxes have a lid that flips open to reveal six compartments. Each compartment holds five individually packaged tea sachets. The graphics on the packages are really clean and bold. There is a purity that I really appreciate along with an emphasis on the ingredients.

The first box was the "Sweet Medley Collection" - Vanilla Rooibos, Citrus Green, Peach Oolong, Blueberry White, Peppermint, and Earl Grey. I started with this because I've generally felt like flavored/ scented teas are Adagio's strength. They've launched a range of interesting flavors in the past which definitely appeal to the "dessert" tea crowd. Overall I was pretty pleased with these and any critique I had was related more to the tea just not matching flavor profiles I prefer versus the tea's quality. The peach oolong was the one big miss for me. I really have a hard time accepting flavored oolongs. There are very few I like. The flavors must be subtle and must compliment that really special oolong flavor not mask it as I felt that the peach did here. I wouldn't have known it was oolong if it hadn't said so on the package. The peppermint was a nice mint infusion (no tea in this one.) The Citrus Green was refreshing and the Blueberry White was shockingly pleasant. I'm generally anti-blueberry in my tea. I grew up in Maine with those perfectly sweet and boldly flavored Maine blueberries so most blueberry teas just taste artificial to me. This one did not. I actually found it very enjoyable. The Vanilla Rooibos was the biggest surprise. I'm not a huge rooibos fan but the vanilla really mellowed the flavors nicely but didn't make me forget it was a rooibos. This is a pretty strong collection if you like flavored teas and infusions.

The next box made me more worried. It is the Artisan Comfort Collection of Wuyi Oolong, Silver Needle, Oolong Goddess, Dragonwell, Golden Yunnan, and Jasmine Pearls. These are some of my favorite tea types so my standards are pretty high. And, again, we're talking about a tea bag versus loose leaf. Adagio knocked my socks off. I haven't sampled the jasmine or silver needle yet, but the oolongs were excellent. The Dragonwell was nice and smooth and the Golden Yunnan was like the Yunnans I remembered from a few years ago that I've had a hard time finding again.

Is this collection BETTER than loose leaf? No. Is it as good as many loose leafs? Absolutely. I'm tossing all the other tea bags in the house. From now on any guest who wants a tea bag can only have Tea Forte or Adagio.

* I should note that I have done writing work for Tea Forte so I cannot be seen as completely objective. But I loved their tea and pyramids before I worked for them, while I was working for them, and now, so I stand by my statement.

A story I need to share

2011-07-19T10:48:00.000-04:00

This is another one of those non-tea posts that I just had to write. Thank you for bearing with me. I sincerely hope you'll read.

On July 1st, the Johnson family was in their van enjoying the first day of their vacation in Georgia. They had traveled from Florida, had just gone to watch fireworks and were stopped at a traffic light in Blue Ridge. Mom, Dad, and the four kids had no idea that a 16-year-old boy was speeding up behind them. He crashed into the back of the truck pushing their van into the car in front of them. The Johnson's 6-year-old daughter Hannah was killed in the accident. It is thought that alcohol was involved.

Mr. Johnson had only minor injuries; Mrs. Johnson, who is pregnant, was airlifted from the scene, but thankfully she and the baby are okay.

Their two other daughters were seriously injured spent 8 days in the hospital (four of which were in the PICU). One has a broken leg and a broken arm. The other has two broken legs, a fractured pelvis, and a broken wrist.

The youngest, a 3-year-old boy, faces the biggest challenges now. His spinal cord was completely severed, very high up, leaving him quadriplegic and dependent upon a ventilator. They will soon be moving the whole family to another location for his inpatient rehabilitation.

My heart is breaking for this family. I don't even know them personally. (They are friends of a friend.) Their need is going to be incredible - physically, emotionally, and financially.

I ask that you consider sending a donation to help them with the medical bills and the other expenses they face now and will face in the future. You can contribute here: http://navistudios.net/donate.html

If you are not able to contribute money please send your positive thoughts their way. This is a family that needs to know that people are thinking of them. And please, please remind your children never, ever, under any circumstances, to get behind the wheel if they've been drinking.

You can read more about the family here.

Stop stealing my tea!

2011-07-17T13:17:00.000-04:00

I've been writing this post in my head for weeks and then I was scooped by another tea blogger. Harumph. What's worse is that he's a really, really talented writer. Hate that. I suppose I will still provide the link to his blog, although I refuse to approve any comments that say things like, "Wow. His post was so much better than yours." So, go check out Lahikmajoe.

Now, here's my take on a related topic:
I need people to stop stealing my tea. Okay, no one is stealing my actual tea, but they are appropriating the word and I don't like it.

Awhile back I set up some Google alerts for stories about tea - I have one that alerts me to posts using the word "tea" or the phrases "tea pages" or "tea reader." I thought it would help me stay up on tea-related news stories I might have missed as well as mentions of my blog or my book. The problem is that, as pretty much anyone who has done a web search for the word "tea" will attest to, 90% of the returns related to a certain political movement. Grumble. And, of course, I can't exclude those words from my search since, well, then there would be no search.

OK, so I try to ignore those entries. Then, inevitably, there are entries for TEA - the Texas Education Agency. Seriously?

Finally I get down to the one or two entries that are ACTUALLY tea related. This is how it's been for months. Until last week.

Unfortunately for my fellow tea searchers a three-year-old phrase has now come back into vogue - "The Teacup Generation." These are, apparently, the children of so-called "helicopter parents." (Cue the hate mail from helicopter enthusiasts.) The idea is that they have been so entitled and protected that they break, like a teacup, under pressure.

It's not that I don't find the topic interesting. I actually write about parenting issues in addition to my tea writing. BUT I really just need everyone to leave the word "tea" alone for awhile. Let it live in peace.

I suppose I'm fighting a losing battle. Those thieves of language aren't going anywhere. I guess I'll just go make myself a cup of t*a.

Visit from author Laura Schaefer

2011-06-30T09:05:00.001-04:00

I am thrilled to announce that we are fortunate enough to have another visit to the blog by author Laura Schaefer. You might remember that Laura visited us back in March of 2009 after the release of her book "The Teashop Girls." (My review of that book is here.)

Laura has just released her second book in this great series. "The Secret Ingredient" hit bookstores this week and Laura agreed to answer a few questions for us.

This is part of Laura's "blog tour" to celebrate the release of the book. You can see some of her other stops here: "Read, Write, Repeat" on June 28, "Mrs. Katz Book Blurbs" on June 29, and at "International Tea Moment" on July 1.

***********************************************

AN(OTHER) INTERVIEW WITH LAURA SCHAEFER

***********************************************

Welcome, Laura. It is great to have you back. I'm very excited to see your new book.

The first book in this series, "The Teashop Girls," was set in the Steeping Leaf teashop. Where do we find Annie, Genna, and Zoe as we enter "The Secret Ingredient"?
Writing the opening scene of the new book was so fun. It begins on a Saturday at the Madison, Wisconsin farmers' market (www.dcfm.org) on the capitol square. I go as often as I can throughout the season, and I love it. Anyway, "The Secret Ingredient" begins about two months after "The Teashop Girls" ended. It's the middle of the summer before ninth grade (high school! Augh!). Annie and Zoe are shopping for ingredients for a baking contest Annie has just entered, when Genna finds them in the crowd. She's home from theater camp a bit early, so as you can imagine, the girls are thrilled to be reunited, and still have a few weeks to enjoy together before school.

We're anxious to hear what everyone is up to in your new book. Can you tell us a bit about what we'll find in this latest edition?Annie is baking her heart out, inventing new scone recipes, and running a brand new food blog. Zoe has started volunteering at a community garden and is learning all about local food, so she's happy to help Annie with her recipes. Genna is consumed by a long-distance romance and seems to have stopped eating healthfully. As you can see, the whole book is about food! Zach has taken to hanging out at The Steeping Leaf almost every day to bother Annie--that is, until he kisses her out of the blue. It's all very exciting. ;-) So fun to write!

I read that Annie is in a scone bake-off with one of the teashop suppliers in this book. Is baking a big interest of yours? If you were in such a contest, what scone would you make?I enjoy baking, but the truth is, I was as much of a newbie as Annie. I made some scones that didn't work, and I had to remake them until I got the hang of it. Baking can be a very relaxing hobby, especially in the wintertime, which is when I was putting a lot of these recipes together. If I were in such a contest, I'd probably make a savory scone with lots of delicious Wisconsin cheese.

Do you find the books easier or harder to write as the girls begin to get a little older? Why?

I found this book quite easy to write. I already know these characters, so some scenes were written at typing speed. Of course, it all needed revisions and added details, but the book just kind of tumbled out of me. I have a good editor and an outline to thank for that, I think. Also, the girls have only aged two months, even though I've aged three years since the last book. No fair!

You used amazing graphics in your last book - images of tea advertisements. Do you employ any of the same techniques with this latest book?

YES! I loved including all my "tea extras" last time, and I wanted to do it again. Now, however, the between-chapters material has a new feel, because each page is from Annie's food blog. Some of the entries are recipes, some are vintage ads, there's one interview with a pro baker...it was all very fun to put together. The only thing difficult about it for me was getting the time stamps correct within the timeline of the story. I think I have some sort of chronology block because my poor editor Alexandra had to redo my efforts. Thanks, Alex!

Oh, and I found all new tea quotes for the chapter beginnings. I think between "The Teashop Girls" and "The Secret Ingredient," I tracked down or invented about sixty tea quotes. If I write a third book, I'm not sure what I'll do about finding quotes. They've all been found!

Finally, the question I always have to ask (although I admit that I already know a bit about your answer!): Can you tell us briefly about your favorite tea memory?

I recently did a blog post about a fond Florida tea memory that you initially read two years ago, but I want to actually talk about something else. When The Teashop Girls came out, I didn't really know anything about the "tea community," as it were, and I want to thank everyone who has been so kind to me. Lots of tea shops did events, sent delicious samples, reviewed the book online, purchased the book, or just generally made me feel awesome. What an amazing group of people. Every time I got a kind note or met a new tea lover, I made a nice new memory. It's super cool to get to do this all over again. I look forward to meeting and connecting with more tea people. They're the greatest!

Thank you for having me to your blog. :-)

Warmest regards,

Laura

Tweet, tweet little bird

2011-06-19T11:51:00.000-04:00

I've been having fun in the Twitterverse lately. (Come visit anytime.) The medium is so peculiar though. Sometimes you find amazing connections with people and begin to develop relationships. Other times you feel like you are suddenly in the midst of people's very private conversations. And sometimes a comment comes back at you that sticks.

A few weeks ago when I was working on my tea decluttering project (which will start again soon) I mentioned a particular tea that I'd found mediocre. Someone tweeted back at me, "Awful." That's it. No more. I had never read any tweets by this person and knew nothing about them. So I responded, "Which? What I said or the tea?" or something to that effect. No response came my way. I chalked it up to the usual crazy that sometimes happens on Twitter. I figured I'd never know. A few weeks later I expressed similar dismay over another tea by the same company. Once again, the comment appeared, "Awful."

I felt a mixture of irritation and curiosity. It felt like I was being heckled, but I didn't know why. I wrote, "I remember a similar response about a month ago. I guess you're not a fan of (X Company)?" A response did arrive this time to the effect that he actually loved the company but couldn't believe that with that shop's amazing selections that I would buy teas targeted at tourists. I felt like I'd been slapped by a stranger who walked by me on the street. I posted something back about having bought them for friends who weren't yet into more exotic teas...or something to that effect. But I instantly regretted my answer. It wasn't completely true and it wasn't really what was bothering me.

1) I bought the teas because I liked the containers and the tea names. I totally admit it. It's what I do sometimes and occasionally I find a real treasure.

2) Yep - they were teas targeted at tourists, and you know what? I was a tourist. I was in London for just a few days and I ran into the shop after my tea masterclass with Jane Pettigrew, on my way to meeting my friend at the theater. They caught my eye and they seemed like perfect mementos of the trip.

3) The most important point of all: I have no problem with companies making teas intended for a particular population (like tourists). However, I feel that the tea should still reflect the company's level of quality. It actually bothers me to think that this company with a truly stellar reputation would deliberately create an inferior product to take advantage of out-of-towners. I have no problem believing that it happens, but it's wrong. Your job should be to create an absolutely brilliant tea that would appeal to a tourist in order to gain a following. I would happily order teas online if I had had a great experience. I didn't. I had a mediocre experience and so it really isn't worth placing the order from here.

Have any of you had experience with "tourist" teas? It's funny after so many years of tea study that I still feel like I have to justify my palate. But also, I think this whole discussion grated on me because it goes against everything I've tried to do at Tea Pages. Tea shouldn't be intimidating and people shouldn't feel guilty or self-conscious about their choices. They should drink what they love and be open to trying new things.

Off my soapbox now...and maybe I'll just peek at Twitter.

Summertime tea fun

2011-06-10T23:27:00.000-04:00

I love tea in its beautiful, simple, unadulterated form. At its best, the pure rich earthy cup does not need anything more. You can keep your sweetener. I'll put the milk in my cereal where it belongs. Just give me the leaf, simple and perfect.

But then, sometimes, I make room for tea with a bit more. Sometimes it is flavoring or scents. Other times it is tea with some milk or honey or agave or spices. Lately, I've been feeling that itch -- that itch to try something a little bit different.

It started the other day when I brewed some White Peach tea from Persimmon Tree Tea Company. I put about 4 tablespoons of loose tea in a t-sac in about a quart of water. Once the tea steeped, I removed the t-sac and added ice to fill the pitcher. I had a glass...and another...and another. I ended up drinking about 2/3 of the pitcher in one sitting. That tea didn't make it through the next morning. (Thank you to Persimmon Tree for another brilliant sample.)

So my mind was then stuck on interesting summertime tea treats. What iced tea would be next? Then, I saw a link from Heaven of Tea on how to make white tea popsicles. White tea POPSICLES? I loved the idea. I was excited by the range of possibilities opened up. Then I noticed a comment on the article from a tea colleague, Lindsey Goodwin, who mentioned tea granitas. How much fun would those be to make? (Eating Well had an article on how to make them awhile back. Most recipes I've seen actually stick with the idea of pouring the mixture into a pan and scraping it, rather than using an ice cream maker.)

Then, yesterday, the one that blew my mind. It made me want to revisit my days of physics classes. I have now promised myself that someday I will figure out how to make this. Just on principle. I have no idea how it tastes, but I have to see this/make this someday. Welcome to the world of seven layer tea.

Finally, with my head full of amazing summertime opportunities I saw one last tweet that made me realize a trip to NYC will be imperative this summer. Harney Soho (the new-ish location for a Harney & Sons tasting room. There is also one in Millerton, NY.) is making tea floats this summer. Seriously. They are adding carbonation to iced tea to make, essentially, an iced tea soda. Then they are topping that with tea-infused iced cream.

Swoon.

I love summer.

Itty Bitty Bao Zhong

2011-05-31T22:41:00.000-04:00

It's time for another blog carnival! This is when I join my friends from the Association of Tea Bloggers to write posts on a common theme. The host for this month's carnival is the fabulous Gongfu Girl. (As I remind you regularly, if you're not reading her blog, you should be. She is absolutely one of my favorite tea bloggers.) As the host, she'll post the links to all of the responses to the month's theme on her site on June 1. Go check them out!

The topic for June: Choose a type of tea and talk about how you brew it.

It seems like such a simple question but I was absolutely at a loss of where to start. I drink such a diversity of teas that I wasn't sure which to choose. I started looking at my teaware for clues. I realized that I often change my brewing method and teaware to suit my mood and the demands of the day.

I decided that I really wanted to write about a tea that's been a favorite of mine for the past year or more -- Bao Zhong. Bao Zhong (or pouchong) is a very lightly oxidized oolong. It is close to a green tea, but sweeter and less vegetal. (I know, I'm supposed to ban that word from my vocabulary. OK, it tastes less like asparagus or green beans and more floral.) Some retailers liken the flavor and aroma to that of lilacs. This struck me as true and helped explain my adoration of this tea. Lilacs are my favorite flower -- I love their look, their amazing aroma, and the fact that they are only around for such a brief time. They feel like a gift we are given, but just for a moment. For me, bao zhong oolong has that same feeling that the beauty could slip away any moment.

This isn't a tea that I drink on a whim. This is a tea that I think about before I brew it. When it comes to mind it gives me a calm feeling, that I have discovered something special. It is as if I am about to experience it for the first time. It is for this reason that I like to make the moment special. I use a beautiful teapot I purchased from Zhong Guo Cha. I place the leaves gently in the upper chamber. I add water briefly and pour it off, allowing the leaves to expand slightly, readying themselves for the moment of brewing. I then add fresh water -- it holds just enough for a small cup. The leaves stand up and dance and swirl in the water as the beautiful tea essences seep into the liquid. The color builds and reveals itself. And then, it is ready.

I lift the chamber and press a small button on the top of the teapot, releasing the lovely tea into the glass pot. The scent is heavenly. I pour the tea into a cup and finally, sip.

The true beauty of this tea is that, at this point, I am not done. Not nearly. I have only begun. I add more water and steep again...and again...and again. Little sips, little cups, itty bitty moments of splendor. It is my itty bitty bao zhong experience and it is always amazing.

Why do we talk about health?

2011-05-26T00:50:00.000-04:00

Some of you might have heard that a major tea company was recently slapped by the FDA for making health claims about their tea. They're not the first and I'm sure they won't be the last, especially now that the FDA has taken the position that claiming health benefits means that the company is promoting tea as a drug. I am not, however, going to take this blog post in the direction you might expect. Instead I'll say, I'm really tired of talking about tea and its purported health claims.

There, I said it. Send along your hate mail and I'll begin answering when I can.

Seriously, though, I really am. It is one of the top areas of discussion as soon as people hear that I'm interested in tea. They want to lose weight, lower their blood pressure, improve their teeth...you name it. You'll notice that it really isn't a topic I've talked about much in the blog and I generally only write about it if hired to do so.

It's not that I'm disinterested in health. Far from it. I was actually a biology major in college and then earned a Masters degree in public health. It's not even that I don't believe there could be health benefits. There are lots of studies out there that suggest there could be some positive effects, but we do have to keep in mind that many of these studies utilized tea extracts and not tea in the form most of us consume it.

Again, not really my point. So what is my point? My point is that I want to drink tea because I like the taste of tea. I like its connection to centuries of history. I like to think about where it was grown and all the people it took to bring it to my door. I like tea just for what it is. I don't need to grab onto these health claims that are largely unproven and have led to ridiculousness like green tea in my shampoo and hand lotions.

Some claim that we need to promote tea's health benefits in order to get people to drink it. I don't buy it. When is the last time Starbucks had to put a sign in their window that you should drink coffee because it gives you shinier hair and stronger fingernails. (These are not real health benefits of coffee. Do not go get a cup because I said this.) People drink coffee because they like the taste and/or because the industry has done an amazing job in convincing people that coffee is the perfect way to connect with others. You meet friends over coffee. You stop and grab a cup in the morning and then talk to everyone at work about how you really "needed a cup of coffee." You linger over coffee at the end of a meal.

It's time for tea folks to stop trying to get people to drink tea to be healthier. You don't see people gathering over plates of spinach. Let's get people to drink tea because it's warming and relaxing and satisfying and tasty.

And that makes me feel better.

One, two, chai, chai, chai

2011-05-18T14:32:00.000-04:00

Before I talk about chai, I wanted to give you an update on the book! You know the one. I mean THE book - "A Tea Reader: Living Life One Cup at a Time." It is done. Totally and completely done. The edits have gone off to the publisher and it is 100% out of my hands. I got some lovely reviews from I respect very highly - Mary Lou Heiss (author of James Beard award-nominated "The Story of Tea"), Tracy Stern (Owner of SalonTea), tea master Shozo Sato, and Joseph Simrany (President of Tea USA/ Specialty Tea Institute.) I'll be updating the website soon and adding some exclusive content and photo slideshows. It can be pre-ordered through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and through IndieBound (to pre-order through independent bookstores.) I hope to be setting up some readings, workshops, and other events once the book comes out in the Fall. Stay tuned! And, for now, I have started on the next book. More on that another day.

Chai! I love it. Have I mentioned that? A lot? Okay, here I say it again. I love chai. Over the years I've found some great ones. I've particularly come to love ones from Tavalon (Kama Chai Sutra), Indonique (Masala Chai), and Yogic Chai (Original Masala, Kuki Chai, Coconut Masala, Mint Masala). While there are other really nice ones out there, these are the ones I continually go back to.

It's nice to see that others agree. In March (sorry for the delay, Ricardo!), I got a note from our friends at Yogic Chai. Their Original Masala Chai was awarded 1st place in the Chai category at the 2011 North American Tea Championship! Not only were they awarded first place, but their score was the highest ever given for a chai in the competition. Others recognized in the category include a purveyor in my neck of the woods, MEM Imports of Somerville, MA as well as Malabar Trading Company. In other categories, I saw our friends from Rishi and Teas Etc. represented as well. Congratulations!

Yogic is offering samples of this award-winning tea for $1 on their website.

You can find information about the winners in all the categories here. I can see I have many more companies to check out soon!

I saw that my Original Masala Chai review was published in Feb. 2008. Just remember that I told you about how great Yogic is first. ;)

Book review: Scones and Bones

2011-05-18T10:16:00.000-04:00

I'm sitting here, sipping a cup of jasmine green (Boston Tea Company), listening to "Shakespeare for Kids" with my four-year-old. A little "Midsummer Night's Dream" - I have to pause it about every 8 seconds to explain what's going on but she won't let me turn it off. In the meantime I wanted to try to get another post up before the baby wakes! (Nothing like having two teeth come in in a week to mess up a baby's sleep patterns!)

I wanted to mention before I get into the bulk of the post that I have an article in the current edition (May/June) of "Tea Time." It's a great magazine that is always full of great recipes. The cover of this one makes it worth the purchase anyway with a spectacular peaches and cream layer cake. My article talks about one of my favorite places - Clipper Merchant Tea House in Limerick, ME. (You'll recognize the first two images accompanying the article from my blog post.)

Now, as I mentioned in a past post I was lucky enough to receive a copy of Laura Childs' 12th book in the "Tea Shop Mystery" series, "Scones and Bones." (You might remember my previous reviews of "Death by Darjeeling" and the "Silver Needle Murder," "Oolong Dead," and "The Teaberry Strangler" and I had the chance to interview her in 2009.) I love Laura's books. They're uncomplicated reads with good characters. Some may discount these books as too "light," but I think there's absolutely a place for these types of books on my shelf. They're the kinds of books I turn to on a lazy day when I want to curl up with a blanket and a cup of tea. They're books that I read when other things are crowding my mind and I want to escape a bit. They're just plain fun. Plus, I commend Ms. Childs for bringing such attention to tea - to dedicating a big portion of her writing time to developing books that honor tea.

In "Scones and Bones" a skull cup, thought to be made from the skull of Blackbeard, was stolen at a Heritage Society event and an intern was killed in the process. And, of course, Theodosia, the owner of the Indigo Tea Shop was on the scene when the crime took place. (It's a little like Jane Marple in that way. We always say that if we're ever at a B&B or hotel and Jane Marple arrives, it's time to leave. (Yes, I know she's a fictional character. It's a joke.)) Theodosia and her friends discover that this skull cup is connected to other artifacts that could lead the way to Blackbeard's treasure. It's clear that the thief knows this as well and when Hailey (the tea shop's pastry chef) is kidnapped we wonder if Theodosia and her tea sommelier Drayton will solve the crime in time.

It's great to see Childs' characters take their places in the story. The neighborhood gossip Delaine and police detective Burt Tidwell add their usual color. And Theodosia is forced to make some big decisions about her on-and-off boyfriend Parker.

As usual, Childs ends the book with some yummy looking recipes. She already had me with the lemon scones but then to add a chai tiramisu, and lemon chess pie, and a cous cous salad? I'm in love.

****
Next up -
Book reviews: A review of Cynthia Gold's "Culinary Tea" and Mary Lou Heiss's "The Tea Enthusiast's Handbook."
Tea: Another from Boston Tea Company and some new ones from Tiesta Teas and Karma Teas

Space tea

2011-04-13T20:50:00.000-04:00

No, I haven't gone to an all link blog, but I wanted to share this.

Here's a little space tea. I think I'd REALLY be missing my cuppa!

http://www.welovedc.com/2011/04/13/smithsonian-snapshot-of-the-week-space-tea/

Afternoon tea travesty

2011-04-12T16:52:00.000-04:00

If you want to watch something that will make you laugh hysterically, while bordering on making you insanely uncomfortable, check out this clip of Stephen Colbert practicing afternoon tea etiquette at Tea & Sympathy in NY.

http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/380598/april-06-2011/my-fair-colbert---hugo-vickers

Good...Really Good...Wow!

2011-03-18T11:06:00.000-04:00

I'm so glad to be writing today. It's a spectacularly beautiful day. The sun is shining. It is warm. One child at school, one playing next to me (happily singing aloud without even realizing it), and the baby is exploring the toys on her playmat. It is a moment I want to capture...to stop time...In the midst of all the craziness in the world outside the house, it feel like drop of liquid gold.

I'm continuing to update my last post as tea companies announce efforts to support Japan. You can see the most complete version here.

The tea cabinet spring cleaning continues. Yes, I'm up to 25 teas. Just so you have some idea of the scope, here's a picture of the cabinet. And there's also a few shelves elsewhere. Again, much of this is tea that I've received as samples or gifts. I'm getting excited as I see space freeing up. My hope is to get down to one shelf of teas I really love, space for new samples coming in, and a place to display teaware. I must say though that this is my favorite cleaning project to date. So fun to revisit teas I've loved. You can follow the progress on my twitter feed (username Teapages) or on our Facebook page. Since my last blog report here's the status:

Keeping:
Adagio's Anhui Keemun
Equal Exchange Darjeeling 1st Flush
Persimmon Tree Tea Company Mandarin Silk
Tavalon Tea's Genmai Cha
TeaZone Very Berry
Yogic Chai Coconut Masala Chai

Finished:
Indonique Earl Grey
Mighty Leaf Okayti Darjeeling Autumn Flush

Sharing:
Adagio Ceylon Sonata
Berrys' Tea English Breakfast - Shared this with my neighbor too
Mark T. Wendell Formosa Keemun - Gave to a neighbor

Tossing:
Aura Teas Formosa Mingjian GABA tea
Tealuxe Tiger Hill Nilgiri
Virtuous Teas Pu-er

Now, on to the title of today's post - Good...Really Good...Wow! This refers to some new samples I received from Persimmon Tree Tea Company. This California-based company offered to send me some samples and, even with the tea declutter, accepted. The first thing I want to mention is how beautiful their packaging is. The teas arrived in tall slender cylindrical tins. There's something elegant about the shape to me. The labels use earthy soft colors - sand, taupe, and cream with a bolder colored box for the tea name. Packaging doesn't usually receive this much attention from me, but this was just so well done. I noticed the prominent note about recycling, but was thinking that this is one I will certainly reuse, making it even more environmentally friendly.

I received four teas, but will only address three today. Let's start with the "Good." One package was labeled "Classic Black." It is a Nilgiri/Yunnan blend. It has a beautiful scent - fresh and slightly earthy. The leaves are a nice bold brown with some curl and some gold from the Yunnan. This black had a nice flavor, some strength but not astringent. It was a perfectly pleasant black. I didn't flip over it, but on the other hand, I don't always have to flip over it. "Good" is not a criticism. It is a very solid everyday tea. Classic Black is well-named and nicely representative of a daily tea. I'll likely share some of this one (but I'm keeping the container.)

Tea two I call "Really Good." It was the Coconut Cream, a white tea with coconut, safflowers, and cornflowers. You probably know by now that I'm a sucker for coconut tea. Usually, though, it has been in black teas and chai blends. I don't know that I've had a white tea/coconut combination before and it's a winner. The white tea is delicate enough to enhance, but not compete, and to add some sweetness. The coconut feels fresh in flavor, not cloying. It's a beautiful light tea that I think would be phenomenal iced. Sorry friends, I'm keeping this one for sure.

Number three is my "WOW!" This was the Mandarin Silk. It is a pouchong (a super light oolong - one of my favorites anyway) with lemon myrtle, marigolds, and vanilla. The vanilla sent was strong but I was also picking up a creamy aroma that I couldn't put my finger on. The leaves are long with green edges, with the golden marigold petals mixed in. When I brewed the tea the kitchen was filled with an absolutely heavenly scent. Then it hit me - BUTTERCREAM FROSTING. That's exactly what this tea smelled like to me. The taste did not disappoint. It reminded me of buttercream with a touch of orange. I have had other silk teas with very mixed results. Some have been truly awful to me. Some companies use silk and milk oolongs interchangeably although milk oolong has a very specific definition. I've had an occasional silk oolong that I like. (Tea forte - a company for whom I do paid work on occasion so take this comment as you will - had a loose leaf silk that I liked and I think it was the first that I found really notable.) But this one from Persimmon Tea I actually crave. Opening the tin almost makes me hungry. Definitely worth a try.

Well, I've definitely enjoyed this little writing session. Now I'm off to hurtle into the rest of the day - getting oldest from school along with his friend, gymnastics class, and trying to figure out how to make dinner when the fridge practically echoes.

Happy Friday!