Sep

30

Making Lemonade

September 30, 2009 | Leave a Comment

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Mila demonstrates how to use a failed squirrel tea cozy prototype. Prior to this, we were merely using it as a large felt hotpad for our cups of tea. I think this is much better.

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Mila thinks so too.

Don’t forget about our 4:00 Friday tea tasting this week, and Walkabout this Saturday. More to come on both.

Thanks for checking in!

- James

Sep

24

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Kukicha Midori Japanese Green Tea

Tea’s health benefits are an added bonus for us. We know tea is good for us, but this isn’t our main reason for drinking it. Still, we must say that our experience drinking heaps of green tea during last year’s cold and flu season definitely helped to boost our immunity. With the cold season fast approaching (we’ve already talked with a few sniffly folks), we’re featuring a Japanese Green Tea this week: Kukicha Midori. Also called “twig tea,” it is made from the stems, stalks and twigs of the tea plant. It is a lovely bright green in the cup with a fresh, lightly sweet and toasty flavor perfect for these warmer days.

Stop by Friday from 4:00 pm until close to sit down and sample this lovely tea! It will be featured at 10% off all week long.

As always, thank you so much for checking in!

- James

Sep

18

Hello, all. My apologies for a week without new posts. Believe it or not, this usually happens for dynamic reasons like planning new events, pushing to launch the website, etc. This week was no different. There is actually a lot happening right now! We are excited about what is on the horizon as Fall nears. Stay tuned.

So, what’s on tap for this week’s 4:00 Friday?

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Tung Ting Formosa Oolong
Tung Ting is a famous high-grown oolong from Nantou County, Taiwan’s most renowned tea-producing region. This mid-oxidized tea produces a golden yellow infusion with a deep floral fragrance. The flavor is rich, with a smooth mouthfeel and a crisp lingering sweetness.

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This tea has quickly become a customer favorite, and we will prepare it for samples from 4 pm to close today. Come on by for a taste and see what all of the fuss is about.

We hope all is well with you, and thanks so much for checking in!

- James

Sep

10

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Hey all, we hope this message finds you well. Just a quick note to let you know we will be tasting a featured tea every Friday from 4 pm to close. Each new selection will become our tea of the week, available at 10% off.

This week: Silver Peony

Want to know more about this tea? Just stop on by and sit down for a free tasting—no RSVP required.

Come try a different tea each week. We’d call it a ‘happy hour’ but every hour is happy here. Could be all that tea we’re drinking.

As always, thank so much for checking in!
- James

Sep

3

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I love this illustration comparing the distinctive leaf styles of tea plant varietals from four producing countries (top to bottom: China, Japan, Sri Lanka, India). It’s from Tea Blending as a Fine Art written by Joseph Walsh in 1896. I enjoy reading old accounts on tea. The countries and cultures were so much more mysterious back then. There was a romance that tends to be lost when everything is at our fingertips with the click of a mouse. Don’t get me wrong, I do love how accessible things are these days, but there will always be a part of me that likes how things were. Even as a kid, we had to see things in magazines, or wait until they were featured on the news or in documentaries, etc. It’s like listening to a record of a band you have only heard and never seen. Maybe it’s just album artwork with no photographs and very limited information. All you have to go by is the music and your imagination. I do miss that a bit, though I see the irony in writing about this for a blog post, online, on my computer that I can use to access so much information. Ah well, here’s to mystery, romance, and google.

Still, the romance of tea persists, and there is always something new to learn, try, or fall in love with all over again. Cheers, and thanks for checking in!

- James