I can't believe that it is over! It seems as though every year the holidays go by faster than the last. We had a great holiday both personally and professionally. The web site kept us busy right up until the 22nd, wrapping, making bows and shipping…

As you may have noticed, we did not send out an October edition of the tea newsletter. Busy upgrading the web site, we are pleased to unveil our new look with many added features and even easier navigation. Look for an upcoming e-mail inviting you…

Sorting out the Facts Reinforcing the many potential health benefits of tea consumption, a recent review of black tea research, sponsored by the United Kingdom Tea Council, has gained a great deal of attention over the last few weeks. The findings,…

As I sat down to write this newsletter I thought about my first Yixing tea pot. I was leaving my job to open Teas Etc. and my co-workers bought me a Yixing pot as a farewell gift. Despite the question that they all asked "WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO…

Tuesday night was another fun oolong workshop with some new and familar faces in attendance. We sampled everything we intended too and slipped in a couple of Indian oolongs samples that we had just received. Brewing with a Gaiwan and Gung Fu style…

Here are some more great ideas to jazz up cold tea brews. I hope you will enjoy them. Mix a hearty black tea, like organic Nilgiri, China OP or a breakfast tea, with lemonade for a refreshing summer beverage. Or get really creative and use a fat…

Not to state the obvious, but boy it's been hot! Interestingly South Florida, when compared to the rest of the US, has been one of the cooler places to be. A great way to quench your thirst in this sweltering heat is by drinking iced tea. Unlike…

As we prepare for tonight's Oolong workshop, one of our most popular and certainly one of my favorites, I was thinking about the workshop series that ended in June. Here are some of the pictures and my thoughts from that awesome class. I really…

It was great to see so many friends at the openhouse! Unlike the January openhouse, where we had a huge crowd, we were able to sit down and have tea with our guests. We had the laptop set up and shared some of the pictures from China. We had fun…

When I was in China I so enjoyed taking time to sit down and write for the blog and promised myself that I would continue this new found ritual once I returned. As sometimes happens life dictated otherwise and I have not done as well as I had hoped.…

You may have read or seen on television that the FDA has recently rejected a petition for a qualified health claim for Green Tea. Unfortunately the media plays this up as if the FDA is saying that green tea does not have any health benefits, when…

As our trip begins to wind down there is still a lot to see and experience. Today I had the pleasure of traveling to Changsha in Hunan Province to visit with one of the largest Chinese tea exporters in the country, Hunan Tea Company. I have known…

Up early and on our way to the Qixia Shan, the sacred Buddhist Mountain,the Qixia Si Temple and the Thousand Buddha Cliffs. About 9 miles northeast of Nanjing is one of the largest Buddhist seminaries in China, home to 200 Buddhist monks. As one of…

Let me point out that the blog is out of order. The download times can be long and as much as I enjoy sharing my trip and the wonderful world of Chinese teas it is sometimes difficult to sit and blog vs being out to see new sights! Barb and I…

The Chinese National Tea Museum is situated at the Double Peaks, one of the ten famous sceneries in West Lake, Hangzhou. With Jiqing Mountain to it's north and Wulao Mountain to its south and beautiful gardens throughout this serene setting hosts…

The Chinese people are extremely courteous and once again my trip has been made delightful due to the polite concern of Marco, the young man who ended up my bunk mate on the train. Mr. Fong and Will got on the train with me to be sure that my…

As I wrap up my stay in Huangshan, the Green Tea Golden Triangle, I am excited to move to the next stage of my trip in China. I always am looking forward to tasting new teas and food for that matter to experience the many regional differences. At…

Getting photographs uploaded to the blog has been a challenge. So here are a variety of photos from different parts of our journey. Processing Organic Green Tea at Mr. Fong's Tea Factory Once the fresh tea leaves have been harvested the first step…

This awesome spiritual place is full of natural wonders to numerous to count. When we started out this morning we weren't sure if we could visit the temple due to the awful weather conditions, constant rain with periodic thunder and lightening but…

Wuyishan Mountain is one of the five sacred mountains of China and is the most beautiful place I have ever seen at least to date. Yesterday upon our arrival we visited with a small independent tea processor who literally processes the dark oolong…