Aug

18

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We recently received a bunch of new items from the ever-popular BeeHouse and Forlife lines. We proudly carry these wares as they are well-crafted, beautifully designed, and exceptionally usable for preparing most any tea. New colors, new sizes…they’re all worth checking out.

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We also just received more copies of Liquid Jade as we had sold out a while back. I have mentioned this book more than once here. I think it is one of the finest books on tea, and perhaps the most beautifully written. If you read one book on the history and culture of tea through the ages, this may be the one you want to check out.

Lots of web work, and we are in the final stages! We can see the light, and it will go live very soon (honestly).

We hope you are all well. Thanks very much for checking in.

- James

Aug

11

Tuesday Afternoon

August 11, 2009 | 2 Comments

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Fine music for a Tuesday from one of my favorites, Hank Mobley. He may not have been considered as heavy as Coltrane or Sonny Rollins, but I love many of his offerings from the Blue Note years. This track, Recado Bossa Nova came up today while I was enjoying a cup at the shop. Thought I’d share it with all of you. I hope you enjoy it.

Hope your week is shaping up to be a great one. Thanks for checking in.

- James

Jul

10

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photo: Alison Miksch from The New Tea Book

Iced tea in the summer months is one of my absolute favorite things in life. One could argue that, living in San Diego, it’s always kinda like summer anyway, right? Well, not really. We do have beautiful weather throughout the year, but the vibe is just different. How’s that for vague? While some would say that we don’t have seasons here, I disagree. We do! Seasons in San Diego are just a bit more subtle. It’s kind of like getting familiar with a delicate white or light green tea compared to a hearty black tea. Being tuned into the seasons here is just like honing your palate to really appreciate the subtleties. But, make no mistake, Summer is indeed in full swing and it’s the season for iced tea. Just like hot tea, there are just so many ways to take iced tea. A classic iced black tea can be made from a crisp Ceylon or a mid-bodied Assam. Sweet tea? Just add your sugar and lemon, maybe a little mint, and go out on your front porch swing. And don’t forget, iced herbals, green teas, scented teas…the possibilities really are endless. Stay tuned for some of our favorite iced tea recipes in upcoming posts.

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This little gem of book takes you on a very romantic visual journey of all things tea. The information is tight and concise, and the photography is lovely. A quick read, there are also some great tea beverage recipes along with recipes for cooking with tea. A great gift-bundle addition, this is also one to have in your own selection of tea books.

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We hope you are well. Thank you very much for checking in!

- James

Jun

6

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I have always loved McVities digestive biscuits. Still do. But they have recently taken a backseat to a new favorite. Well, not entirely new as I’ve had them before. Last year, on our vacation we bought some Lyons Rich Tea Biscuits when picking up some travel tea and related goodies. They didn’t have McVities, so we grabbed the Lyons biscuits instead. I loved them right away. They are less “wheatie,” have a crisp bite, very mild sweetness, and feel lighter overall. They are perfect with a nice cup of hot black tea (like the Assam Mokalbari pictured here). After the trip, I didn’t seen them locally, so before we opened the shop I went back to McVities. Well, I recently found them stocked by a wonderful vendor and decided to bring in a couple of cases. Come in for a sample cup and try one to see what I’m talking about. So good!

Hope all is well with all of you. Thanks very much for checking in.

- James

Apr

28

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A lot of talk about teabags in the news lately. Ah, whatever for all of that. Here’s a better use to consider. Try it and let us know if it works. This helpful hint comes from the book Uruwaza: Secret Everyday Tips and Tricks from Japan. Yes, of course we stock it. It looks like this:

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I must say, the remedies I tried did actually work. Maybe I’ll go write on myself and try this one too. But, James, you guys have tea bags? I thought you were all about loose leaf teas? Yes, but remember we’re not snobby about it. And, all I have to do is use a T-Sac full of loose tea. We sell a lot of boxes of T-Sac disposable, biodegradable, unbleached bags that people use for their convenience. We have used them for events and they work like a charm when needed.

Hope all is well with all of you. Thanks for checking in!

- James

Mar

8

Featured items are 10% off.

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1. Featured Tea: Silver Needle (Bai Hao Yin Zhen)
A very fine white tea made solely from tender, down-covered leaf buds. Lightly-colored liquor and smooth, subtle flavor with sweet hints of honey and mild apricot. Delicate with a velvety mouthfeel, this is a lovely example of a true white tea.

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2. Featured Teaware: Chawan
These traditional tea bowls are the perfect vessel for whisking Japanese powdered green tea (matcha). A beautiful blend of function and aesthetics, these Chawan reflect the raw, Wabi sensibility of beauty in natural form. Beautiful wares elevate our experience and add another dimension to our daily preparations.

On another note: Our Tea 101 sign-ups have begun. If you are interested in reserving a spot, please contact us at the shop (619 450 4224). We can hold space for a day with reservations guaranteed upon payment. The session is limited to 10 participants and will take place on Saturday, March 21st beginning at 6 pm. For more info. on the courses, please view the previous post below. The event announcment/flier will be sent via email this week. We hope to see you there!

Thanks for checking in.

- James

Feb

21

Tea Storage Options

February 21, 2009 | Leave a Comment

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As you tea people already know, properly storing your teas makes all the difference when it comes to maintaining the quality and freshness of the teas (especially whites, greens, and lighter oolongs). This is the main reason we use high-barrier, resealable bags when we pack your teas. People often bring these bags back to re-use, which we are always so happy about.

For those organizers who like to have things contained in a nice, neat fashion we have two types of storage canisters in the shop. Once you begin using canisters it’s hard to go back. This way you can empty the contents of your bags into the canisters and save the bags in a neat, nearly unused stack for bringing back to the shop. We give you a discount for this; it’s good for us, good for you, and also good for the planet.

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This Beehouse canister is a high-quality ceramic container with a completely airtight seal. Classic design and quality craftsmanship make this a very popular tea storage solution. The ceramic is completely odor-neutral and does not impart any flavor into the tea. Capacity varies depending on a tea’s leaf size. $19

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Our double-lidded metal canisters just arrived. Well-built and inexpensive, these have quickly become a popular storage option. We will also be getting a few of the larger size version in the next week. $8

Feel free to call or stop in with any questions. Also, we are currently featuring our African black teas at 10% off. Come by anytime for a taste of these or any other of our 60+ teas.

We hope all is well with you. Apologies for the length of time between blog posts; times are busy (happy about that), and we’ve been working to finalize and launch our site. Soon!

As always, thanks so much for checking in. We appreciate it.

- James

Jan

14

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We just received a new shipment of the ever-popular Beehouse teapots in a variety of colors. We had a serious run on these pots over the holidays; they are excellent quality everyday teaware. Stop on in and check out the latest selection. We’re always happy to make some time for tea and a chat.

Hope all is well with you. Keep an eye out for our new featured tea and teaware coming in the next day. Also, we will be announcing forthcoming events, so stay tuned.

As always, thanks for checking in.

- James

Jan

7

Featured items are 10% off!

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1. Featured Tea: Sencha Fukamushi Premium
A deep-steamed sencha with a full-bodied mouthfeel and very little astringency. This is an easy-brewing Japanese green tea with a darker color and thicker flavor than many lighter-steamed senchas. The deep-steaming enhances the tea’s natural sweetness and the thicker body enables the tea to be paired with your favorite sweet without being overpowered. We suggest sea-salt chocolate as a perfect complement!

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2. Featured Teaware: Hakusan Sabi Sensuji Tea Set
This elegant porcelain set is crafted in Japan and features a modern kyusu-style pot with two beautiful matching cups. The cups feel nice in your hands; they’re light with a medium-thin edge, perfect for Japanese teas. The pot is sturdy and well-balanced with a nicely fit lid. An example of style and function fully-realized.

Stop in for a taste and a browse. We’re enjoying some beautiful (if brisk) weather here at the shop this week. We look forward to seeing you soon.

Thanks for checking in.

- James

Aug

1

Morning Biscuits

August 1, 2008 | 3 Comments

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As I mentioned, it’s hard to keep me away from these things. So far I’ve only raided one pack, but Christi and Paul should probably hide these from me if they want to have some for the shop.

Enjoy your weekend!

- James

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