Category Archives: Tea Info

LONDON 2024 – 5th Installment – Tea Stop #4

August 12, 2024 Admin (kateri) Leave a comment

Postcard Teas

Long-time customer, Joanne, told me about this tea shop. They operate in a unique manner. For walk-in shopping, you can only purchase small quantities of tea (approx 20-50gm*) packaged in a postcard sized box that can be mailed to friends or loved ones, or keep for yourself! [*Larger quantities can be purchased by advanced order.]

They offer a wide and varied selection, and all of their teas come from small-hold farms (average maximum of 15 acres, and most are 5 or fewer acres), and each of their tea “postcards” tells a brief story of the farm it came from.

They also have a selection of very high-end handcrafted teapots, cups, and gaiwans

They do not offer any wholesale terms, but I really like the way they are supporting small farms/farmers and fostering the art of handcrafted teas. Visit their website. Support small farmers.

I brought back a lemon black for Lori (that she proclaims is “divine”) and a lemon rooibos blend to compare against our ginger citrus (haven’t done a side by side yet). It is probable that I will be placing orders as I get a chance to explore more of what they have (and bring in some of that lemon black, heh heh).

If YOU want to try only 1 or 2 smaller packages of tea – would you like to go in with us for an order – as shipping is free on orders of £150? ….. [feel free to comment on this post – what do you think of this idea?]

How it could work:

First order deadline of 9/15 – If you see something you would like to try, please call Kateri at the shop to pre-pay for your tea. Actual USD amount will depend upon the exchange rate at the time the credit card is processed. (When I made my purchases in the store, USD was 1.3 x the British £ price.)

I will collect 1.2 x the price displayed on their website and we can settle up any differences when you pick up your order. I will email you a copy of whatever receipt or tracking they give me – so you can follow along until it comes in.

Next installment – Last Tea Stop #5 – Chinese Tea Company

Favorite Tea, General, News, Tea Info

London 2024 – 4th Installment – Tea Stop #3 – Mei Leaf Tea

August 7, 2024 Admin (kateri) Leave a comment

As many of you know – sourcing quality post-fermented teas – like puerhs and hei cha (dark tea) has been an ongoing challenge for me. Occasionally I have been able to get some special teas from my friend Eric (Fragrant Cup) who is most knowledgeable in the area of Chinese teas. So, I asked him if he had any suggestions for London shops and he turned me on to two that I got to visit, and intend to source from going forward, and I hope will have finally resolved our post-fermented tea “shortage”.

The first is Mei Leaf tea. They do sell retail online, so some of you may have heard of them before. What I focused on from them this time is more yellow teas and some “puerhs”. Because I was able to sign up for wholesale terms I was able to bring in more from here than most of my other stops. I have not yet had an opportunity to personally try much of what I bought. I did enjoy a glass of iced purple leaf tea during my shopping excursion. It was quite refreshing, but not significantly different than anything we currently offer.

Available now in shop and online: GABA Oolong, 2 of the 3 Yellow teas, a couple of Puerh bings (White Shou and a Sheng), and a really cool glass tea brewer (8oz)

Amber GABA Oolong – organic oolong version that we have not offered for a couple of years. Tea researchers discovered that by exposing tea to nitrogen during the oxidization process brings forth the naturally occurring (gamma-aminobutyric acid) GABA amino acid compounds in tea. GABA is a natural chemical produced in the brain that relaxes the nervous system and reduces anxiety. When we offered this in the past, some customers reported that it did help them with migraines and general relaxation.

Cleveland Clinic article about GABA https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/22857-gamma-aminobutyric-acid-gaba

” GABA is present in some fermented foods, including kimchi, miso and tempeh. It’s also found in green, black and oolong tea. Other foods that contain GABA or boost its production in your body include brown rice, soy and adzuki beans, chestnuts, mushrooms, tomatoes, spinach, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, sprouted grains and sweet potatoes. ….. Like supplements, it’s not fully clear if eating GABA-containing foods allows GABA to reach your brain. More studies, with large numbers of people, need to be conducted.”

Yellow tea is very rare. Originally only available in China, it was considered a gift or tribute tea to the Emperor. As you may now know, Great Mississippi Tea Company is successfully producing a yellow tea as well {we are currently sold out on our stock}

We are offering 3 versions of yellow tea – try one, try all three and see what differences you note!

The Mei Leaf website offers a wealth of educational information, and we will be exploring and learning together!

If you browse and find teas you would like us to offer in the future, please let me know. Here is a link to a great video describing essential info about tea production (about an hour long)

Your comments and questions are welcome here!

Next installment – Tea Stop #4 – Postcard Teas

General, News, Tea Info

London 2024 – 2nd Installment – Tea Stop #1 and Jessica’s Wedding

August 3, 2024 Admin (kateri) Leave a comment

Tea Stop #1 – Scottish Grown Tea “Nine Ladies Dancing”

For nearly 2000 years tea was primarily known to be grown only in China (and Japan circa CE 804). In the 1800s adventurous explorers and botanists began to bring seeds and plants to other countries so China would no longer have a monopoly. Now, in the 21^st century tea is grown on nearly every continent of the world.

The United Kingdom boasts tea gardens in Cornwall and Wales and then, around 2016, nine Scottish women got together and began the process of growing tea on their estates.

It is my understanding that each of their tea gardens produces a limited amount of hand-crafted teas; and a few years ago they made tea news by getting their “Nine Ladies Dancing” tea blend (with leaf from all 9 farms) picked up by Fortum & Mason (UK provisioner-grocer-department store in operation since 1707). These limited edition teas sell out quickly and are impossible to get outside the UK (as far as I can tell). Visiting F&M to procure some of this tea was my #1 goal for this trip.

Oh my, it is expensive – 60 grams (slightly more than 2 ounces) is all they had available at the time I was there; with the exchange rate (at F&M prices) it cost over $3 per GRAM. 3-4 grams are used to make a cup of most black teas (!).

I look forward to exploring this tea with you – and to get feedback – IS There sufficient interest in this super premium exclusive tea that I should invest in 8-16oz, to sell in more affordable small trial and gift size portions? …. I Could do this – maybe not this year anymore, if they don’t have any left, but in the future???

We will be scheduling 1 or 2 sampling sessions soon. Guests will get an opportunity to taste this Scottish grown tea, as well as a number of other teas from this trip, as will be described in the next several installments. Invitation/Announcement will go out via email to our existing local customer list.

JESSICA’s Wedding – on the Isle of Portland, at the very southern end of England.