Today is my 28th birthday. Age 27 was an eventful year! Here are a few highlights:
* Got to work with some great tea companies! From staff training to events to copy (mostly copy), I loved learning about what makes each tea business successful in its own, unique way... and helping them do better within their niche. It's incredible to see such a diversity within the growing world of tea in North America. I'm thrilled o be a part of it.
* Continued to work with World Tea News. No one else is taking a look at the tea industry the way they are, and it has been a joy to be a part of the team.
* Started writing for About.com as their Coffee.Tea guide. Figured devoting time to coffee is worth it if I can spread the love of tea. (I'm kidding! Kind of...) Continued to work toward my goal of exposing more people to great tea.
* Left NYC. Temporarily relocated to Charlotte, NC to help my mom open her second location of Urbana Cityspa & Teabar. When my work was done there, my husband and I traveled across the country to Portland, OR, a city much more suited to our lifestyles. (You can read about my journey, mostly my many stops for tea, on World Tea News.)
* Tasted some amazing teas. Got deeper into oolongs. Had a month of focused tastings. Sipped entire collections of tea from multiple vendors. Subscribed to Teance's teas of the month. Realized that, even if I tried, I could never get tired of tea.
* Worked hard. Lived well. Late last year, I realized that I was verging on burnout. After re-evaluating some priorities, making a commitment to only taking on clients I really want to work with and getting back into a regular exercise routine, I'm happy to say that burnout is no longer on my horizon. Might sound like a small task, but those who have been there will likely agree with me that it is not.
I hope that this year will be as much of an adventure as the last one (though I wouldn't mind moving less!). There are a few exciting projects in the works, including writing a book (the topic of which is currently secret), writing copy for several promising new clients and maybe even taking a trip to Japan and/or Sri Lanka. One of my goals for the year is to blog more, so I'll do my best to share news of these projects (and whatever else may come along this year!) here as it comes up. Until then! ~Lindsey Goodwin, Age 28
Showing posts with label World Tea News. Show all posts
Showing posts with label World Tea News. Show all posts
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Tea & Cheese Pairings
If you're reading this, you probably love tea and, more likely than not, you're a foodie. If you're a foodie, you probably love cheese. Lately, tea and cheese pairings have been a fascination of mine. I think there's no better time to share them than the holidays -- they're perfect for parties and meals as an alternative (or addition) to wine and cheese pairings. Whether you're a tea business owner looking to spice up your events or a host/hostess looking for a new culinary path for your guests, I think you'll enjoy this approach to pairing.
I recently wrote about the topic for World Tea News. Here's an excerpt from my article, with pairing advice from David Barenholtz (Le Palais Gourmet/American Tea Room), Cynthia Gold (Boston Plaza Hotel, lecturer at the World Tea Expo and other venues) and Mim Enck (East Indes Tea Company, lecturer at the World Tea Expo and other venues):
*Pair opposing flavors – the salty, fruity flavor of Taleggio with the peppery, chocolaty notes of Risheehat First Flush Darjeeling (Barenholtz), or sweet Lychee Black or Pouchong and with salty Gorgonzola or Shropshire Blue (Gold).
*Play on similarities – the grassy-sweetness of Nevat with grassy-sweet Japanese greens, or the herbaceous Vento d’Estate with the honey-hay notes of Golden Needle Yunnan (Barenholtz).
*Consider texture – the fat of a rich Brie with a brisk, palette-cleansing Darjeeling First Flush (Gold).
*Bring out sub-tones and sub-textures – well-aged Comte emphasizes the cleanliness and chestnut tones of Dragonwell (Gold).
* Follow the seasons – seasonally available Irish whiskey cheddar with cold-weather teas like Lapsang Souchong (Enck).
Yum! What are your favorite ways to pair tea and cheese? Interested in doing this with your tea business? Read more on World Tea News.
I recently wrote about the topic for World Tea News. Here's an excerpt from my article, with pairing advice from David Barenholtz (Le Palais Gourmet/American Tea Room), Cynthia Gold (Boston Plaza Hotel, lecturer at the World Tea Expo and other venues) and Mim Enck (East Indes Tea Company, lecturer at the World Tea Expo and other venues):
*Pair opposing flavors – the salty, fruity flavor of Taleggio with the peppery, chocolaty notes of Risheehat First Flush Darjeeling (Barenholtz), or sweet Lychee Black or Pouchong and with salty Gorgonzola or Shropshire Blue (Gold).
*Play on similarities – the grassy-sweetness of Nevat with grassy-sweet Japanese greens, or the herbaceous Vento d’Estate with the honey-hay notes of Golden Needle Yunnan (Barenholtz).
*Consider texture – the fat of a rich Brie with a brisk, palette-cleansing Darjeeling First Flush (Gold).
*Bring out sub-tones and sub-textures – well-aged Comte emphasizes the cleanliness and chestnut tones of Dragonwell (Gold).
* Follow the seasons – seasonally available Irish whiskey cheddar with cold-weather teas like Lapsang Souchong (Enck).
Yum! What are your favorite ways to pair tea and cheese? Interested in doing this with your tea business? Read more on World Tea News.
Friday, November 20, 2009
East/West Tea Tour Ends: Tao of Tea
My last stop on my East/West tea tour/move was my new home, Portland, Oregon. I visited Tao of Tea's gorgeous location in the Portland Classical Chinese Gardens. Here's an excerpt from my review on World Tea News:
The buildings, plants and pond interacted in a distinctive way, completely unlike Western gardens (which often come across as more rigid and controlled) and classical Japanese tea gardens (in which tenuous structures play up a Wabi-Sabi sense of impermanence, while ponds and plants may appear more manicured).
The garden was bustling with visitors, yet a sense of tranquility permeated the space. Peeking into one pavilion, I saw Verinder Chawla, Tao of Tea’s owner, instructing two-dozen people how to grow, process and brew tea. Outside, people gazed at the lake, crossed covered bridges and observed the plants. On our way to the tea house, Marko and I stopped to shake Chinese fortune sticks with other visitors. Mine said something about being tempted; it must have foreseen where I was headed!
It was a lovely end to my journey, and a great beginning to my new journey of tea in Portland. You can read more about Tao of Tea and my visit there on World Tea News.
The buildings, plants and pond interacted in a distinctive way, completely unlike Western gardens (which often come across as more rigid and controlled) and classical Japanese tea gardens (in which tenuous structures play up a Wabi-Sabi sense of impermanence, while ponds and plants may appear more manicured).
The garden was bustling with visitors, yet a sense of tranquility permeated the space. Peeking into one pavilion, I saw Verinder Chawla, Tao of Tea’s owner, instructing two-dozen people how to grow, process and brew tea. Outside, people gazed at the lake, crossed covered bridges and observed the plants. On our way to the tea house, Marko and I stopped to shake Chinese fortune sticks with other visitors. Mine said something about being tempted; it must have foreseen where I was headed!
It was a lovely end to my journey, and a great beginning to my new journey of tea in Portland. You can read more about Tao of Tea and my visit there on World Tea News.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
East/West Tea Tour: The Tea Grotto
My next-to-last stop on mt tea tour/cross-country move was in Salt Lake City at a charming place called The Tea Grotto. Here's an excerpt from my review:
The Tea Grotto is located in Sugar House, a suburb dating back to the 1850s. From inside and outside The Tea Grotto, it was evident that small business culture was an integral part of the neighborhood. The large space was shared with a small gelateria, which increased the patronage and indie business cred. Tisanes included Ayurvedic and medicinal blends formulated by a local naturopathic doctor. Local regulars streamed in for tea to go, lively discussion with the staff and food that ranged from vegan sweets to a Brie plate paired with Dragonwell.
The food and tea were good, but what really set The Tea Grotto apart was its vibrant warmth. The space – large with high ceilings, whimsical aesthetic touches (including an enormous, colorful tea menu and a lighting fixture made of stemware), free WiFi, local art and plenty of nooks for customers to burrow into – was certainly a factor in the sense of community.
It's rare that I see a tea business that has cultivated such a sense of community. Congrats, Tea Grotto! You can read more about them (and my visit) on World Tea News.
The Tea Grotto is located in Sugar House, a suburb dating back to the 1850s. From inside and outside The Tea Grotto, it was evident that small business culture was an integral part of the neighborhood. The large space was shared with a small gelateria, which increased the patronage and indie business cred. Tisanes included Ayurvedic and medicinal blends formulated by a local naturopathic doctor. Local regulars streamed in for tea to go, lively discussion with the staff and food that ranged from vegan sweets to a Brie plate paired with Dragonwell.
The food and tea were good, but what really set The Tea Grotto apart was its vibrant warmth. The space – large with high ceilings, whimsical aesthetic touches (including an enormous, colorful tea menu and a lighting fixture made of stemware), free WiFi, local art and plenty of nooks for customers to burrow into – was certainly a factor in the sense of community.
It's rare that I see a tea business that has cultivated such a sense of community. Congrats, Tea Grotto! You can read more about them (and my visit) on World Tea News.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
East/West Tea Tour: Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse
On my trip across the country, I stopped mostly at smaller tea businesses filled with charm and community. My visit to Boulder included a larger, glossier tea house with the potential unrealized for greatness on an international scale. Excerpt from the review:
After visiting Seven Cups in Denver, my husband Marko and I drove to the famed Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse in Boulder, Colo. I had read rave reviews of it, and I do not disagree with them. However, Dushanbe wasn’t what I expected. While I would recommend it to others, I doubt I will return.
I can sum it up this way: People are sometimes surprised that the World Tea Expo is in Las Vegas. They say, “Vegas isn’t a tea town,” but they mean, “Vegas seems too glitzy and hollow to capture how I feel tea should be.” Boulder feels more like a tea town, but if there is ever a tea house on the Vegas Strip, it will be something like the Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse.
This was a rather controversial review. Personally, I think it was balanced and that the tea industry is grown enough to handle reviews that do more than pat backs, but, hey, to each his own! Read more on World Tea News.
After visiting Seven Cups in Denver, my husband Marko and I drove to the famed Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse in Boulder, Colo. I had read rave reviews of it, and I do not disagree with them. However, Dushanbe wasn’t what I expected. While I would recommend it to others, I doubt I will return.
I can sum it up this way: People are sometimes surprised that the World Tea Expo is in Las Vegas. They say, “Vegas isn’t a tea town,” but they mean, “Vegas seems too glitzy and hollow to capture how I feel tea should be.” Boulder feels more like a tea town, but if there is ever a tea house on the Vegas Strip, it will be something like the Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse.
This was a rather controversial review. Personally, I think it was balanced and that the tea industry is grown enough to handle reviews that do more than pat backs, but, hey, to each his own! Read more on World Tea News.
Sunday, November 8, 2009
East/West Tea Tour: Seven Cups
My cross-country tea tour continues with a trip to Seven Cups Denver! Excerpt:
Walking toward Seven Cups, my husband Marko and I noticed that the Platte Park district where it is located had some of the traits that had attracted us to Portland and started our cross-country move and tea tour in the first place: smiling pedestrians, cute shops and restaurants, a moderately high population density, alternative medicine practitioners’ offices and the like. Tea house owners often say neighborhood characteristics like these contribute to their success, and Seven Cups indeed appeared to be the kind of business that thrives on the foot traffic these neighborhoods encourage.
This was a lovely stop on our way to Portland. If you're in the area, I recommend checking it out! If not, you can still read more on World Tea News. Up next: Boulder, CO.
Walking toward Seven Cups, my husband Marko and I noticed that the Platte Park district where it is located had some of the traits that had attracted us to Portland and started our cross-country move and tea tour in the first place: smiling pedestrians, cute shops and restaurants, a moderately high population density, alternative medicine practitioners’ offices and the like. Tea house owners often say neighborhood characteristics like these contribute to their success, and Seven Cups indeed appeared to be the kind of business that thrives on the foot traffic these neighborhoods encourage.
This was a lovely stop on our way to Portland. If you're in the area, I recommend checking it out! If not, you can still read more on World Tea News. Up next: Boulder, CO.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
East/West Tea Tour: House of Cha
Part two of my East/West Tea Tour is up on World Tea News. The trip may have ended, but the reviews go on! Here's an excerpt of the article on House of Cha in Lawrence, Kansas:
...
Perhaps it is this combination of college-town surroundings and international influence that resulted in the tea room’s unusual dichotomy of tea: bing cha puer cakes line the walls, shelves are filled with large Chinese-style canisters of oolong from the owner’s in-laws’ tea farm in Taiwan and Yi Xing tea ware adorns the counters, yet bubble tea is heavily featured on the menu and the store signage.
It’s rare that a tea business crosses the line between “serious” and “fun” so boldly, so I inquired about it. Freeman informed me that the claim of “the best bubble tea guaranteed” on the banner outside isn’t just ad-speak. Forget artificially flavored syrups – at House of Cha, they brew fresh tea concentrate for their boba three times a day and cook imported, raw Taiwanese tapioca pearls daily.
Even I was temped to try it (despite having sworn off bubble tea forever after a particularly terrible experience), but I opted instead for some of their directly sourced Snowy Moon Oolong (from the last picking of winter in the Chinese calendar), a bowl of house-made soup and a side of matcha-dusted pumpkin seeds.
...
It was a lovely visit. If you're ever in the area, be sure to check them out! In the meantime, you can read the full article on World Tea News.
...
Perhaps it is this combination of college-town surroundings and international influence that resulted in the tea room’s unusual dichotomy of tea: bing cha puer cakes line the walls, shelves are filled with large Chinese-style canisters of oolong from the owner’s in-laws’ tea farm in Taiwan and Yi Xing tea ware adorns the counters, yet bubble tea is heavily featured on the menu and the store signage.
It’s rare that a tea business crosses the line between “serious” and “fun” so boldly, so I inquired about it. Freeman informed me that the claim of “the best bubble tea guaranteed” on the banner outside isn’t just ad-speak. Forget artificially flavored syrups – at House of Cha, they brew fresh tea concentrate for their boba three times a day and cook imported, raw Taiwanese tapioca pearls daily.
Even I was temped to try it (despite having sworn off bubble tea forever after a particularly terrible experience), but I opted instead for some of their directly sourced Snowy Moon Oolong (from the last picking of winter in the Chinese calendar), a bowl of house-made soup and a side of matcha-dusted pumpkin seeds.
...
It was a lovely visit. If you're ever in the area, be sure to check them out! In the meantime, you can read the full article on World Tea News.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
East/West Tea Tour: French Broad Chocolate Lounge
During my move across the country, I had the pleasure of visiting a number of tea businesses. I'll be chronicling my visits to six of them in World Tea News. The first visit was French Broad Chocolate Lounge in Asheville, NC. Here's an excerpt from my article:
French Broad Chocolate Lounge is on Asheville’s artsy Lexington Avenue, just south of the vintage clothing stores and eco-chic boutiques. It’s named for the local French Broad River, aptly, since the lounge focuses on the flow of liquid – “liquid truffles” (drinking chocolates), more than a dozen teas and tisanes, and various coffee drinks and local beers. Its specialty is chocolate, which it serves in liquid form and as solid truffles and other confections.
Walking into French Broad Chocolate Lounge from the street, I was struck by how fitting the title “lounge” is. Lush surfaces, low lighting and a laid-back vibe permeated the atmosphere. The shop was crowded even thought it was about 3 p.m. on a weekday; the day after I visited, the Lounge opened a second level to accommodate the burgeoning patronage.
Hand-written chalkboards listed the gourmand-centric food offerings, including local cheese plates and vegan options, but what had drawn me to there was the tea. Like other more adventuresome gourmet chocolatiers, the Lounge’s owners have opted to use “trufflefy” (as the menu put it) tea as a culinary ingredient for chocolate. Its tea truffles are White Jasmine (white chocolate and jasmine green tea ganache covered in dark chocolate), Earl Grey (Earl Grey-infused dark chocolate covered with milk chocolate and topped with Earl Grey tealeaves) and Masala Chai (milk chocolate ganache infused with traditional masala chai spies, vanilla bean and Darjeeling black tea).
It was a really fun visit! You can read the full article on World Tea News.
French Broad Chocolate Lounge is on Asheville’s artsy Lexington Avenue, just south of the vintage clothing stores and eco-chic boutiques. It’s named for the local French Broad River, aptly, since the lounge focuses on the flow of liquid – “liquid truffles” (drinking chocolates), more than a dozen teas and tisanes, and various coffee drinks and local beers. Its specialty is chocolate, which it serves in liquid form and as solid truffles and other confections.
Walking into French Broad Chocolate Lounge from the street, I was struck by how fitting the title “lounge” is. Lush surfaces, low lighting and a laid-back vibe permeated the atmosphere. The shop was crowded even thought it was about 3 p.m. on a weekday; the day after I visited, the Lounge opened a second level to accommodate the burgeoning patronage.
Hand-written chalkboards listed the gourmand-centric food offerings, including local cheese plates and vegan options, but what had drawn me to there was the tea. Like other more adventuresome gourmet chocolatiers, the Lounge’s owners have opted to use “trufflefy” (as the menu put it) tea as a culinary ingredient for chocolate. Its tea truffles are White Jasmine (white chocolate and jasmine green tea ganache covered in dark chocolate), Earl Grey (Earl Grey-infused dark chocolate covered with milk chocolate and topped with Earl Grey tealeaves) and Masala Chai (milk chocolate ganache infused with traditional masala chai spies, vanilla bean and Darjeeling black tea).
It was a really fun visit! You can read the full article on World Tea News.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
PDX Update
I'm getting settled into Portland. Exciting! Here are a few highlights:
The move was rough (drove across the country in 5 days, unloaded the truck and unpacked with some assistance from my cousin, but otherwise it was just me & hubby), but we are mostly settled in now.
The first things I unpacked were my water kettle and Yi Xing pot (of course). The tea collection and remaining tea ware followed soon thereafter. Got an order from Jing Tea shortly after my arrival, complete with gorgeous tea glasses. Win!
I am in love with Voodoo Donut.
My visit to Tao of Tea will be on World Tea News soon. Updates later. :)
My cousin took us on a bike tour of a few fun spots, including some food carts, the famous Doug Fir, the "vegan mall" and a cute little Japanese restaurant.
This weekend, we're going to check out a local distillery. We're looking forward to checking out Imbibe's top Portland beverage picks, too. (As I mentioned, people are all about their drinks here!)
Elin from Teafolio sent me a fantastic list of PDX places to visit. Thanks, Elin!
Planning on hanging out with a few tea people here soon. Always a pleasure!
So far, the weather has been good (although the hubby and I didn't fare so well on the way here -- there was a snowstorm in Idaho, complete with power outages).
Overall, everything is great! Looking forward to getting to know Portland better. :)
The move was rough (drove across the country in 5 days, unloaded the truck and unpacked with some assistance from my cousin, but otherwise it was just me & hubby), but we are mostly settled in now.
The first things I unpacked were my water kettle and Yi Xing pot (of course). The tea collection and remaining tea ware followed soon thereafter. Got an order from Jing Tea shortly after my arrival, complete with gorgeous tea glasses. Win!
I am in love with Voodoo Donut.
My visit to Tao of Tea will be on World Tea News soon. Updates later. :)
My cousin took us on a bike tour of a few fun spots, including some food carts, the famous Doug Fir, the "vegan mall" and a cute little Japanese restaurant.
This weekend, we're going to check out a local distillery. We're looking forward to checking out Imbibe's top Portland beverage picks, too. (As I mentioned, people are all about their drinks here!)
Elin from Teafolio sent me a fantastic list of PDX places to visit. Thanks, Elin!
Planning on hanging out with a few tea people here soon. Always a pleasure!
So far, the weather has been good (although the hubby and I didn't fare so well on the way here -- there was a snowstorm in Idaho, complete with power outages).
Overall, everything is great! Looking forward to getting to know Portland better. :)
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Natural Flavors Primer
Just in time for Expo East, I wrote a new article on natural flavors for tea. It covers what different names mean, how they're made and what to look for in a "naturally flavored" tea vendor. Excerpt:
Natural – A natural flavor from a single source, derived with an approved solvent, such as water or ethyl alcohol (a consumable alcohol). Boehmer said natural flavors often use propylene glycol (a substance that occurs naturally in foods in very small quantities, but which is derived from petroleum) as a carrier.
With Other Natural Flavors (WONF) – A natural flavor (such as lemon) that is blended with natural flavors from other sources (such as other citrus fruits). According to Vorsheim, the above example would be labeled as “natural lemon flavor with other natural flavors.”
Natural-Type Flavors – Natural flavors that mimic the taste of a particular natural ingredient without actually containing that ingredient. For example, a “natural apple-type flavor” may be a blend of natural flavors from fruits other than apples. According to Boehmer, if a tea blend contains a natural-type flavor and does not contain its namesake flavor (apple) or the flavor source (dried apple bits) as an ingredient, it must be labeled as “artificially apple-flavored with natural flavors.”
Natural Organic Program Compliant (NOP-Compliant) Flavors – Natural flavors that are made from organic-compliant materials. According to Boehmer, all ingredients must be from non-genetically-modified sources and must be organic compliant. Boehmer said the USDA only allows oil carriers such as organic soybean oil, as well as glycerin or alcohol extracted from organic, non-GMO plant materials for NOP-compliant flavors.
You can read the full article on World Tea News.
Natural – A natural flavor from a single source, derived with an approved solvent, such as water or ethyl alcohol (a consumable alcohol). Boehmer said natural flavors often use propylene glycol (a substance that occurs naturally in foods in very small quantities, but which is derived from petroleum) as a carrier.
With Other Natural Flavors (WONF) – A natural flavor (such as lemon) that is blended with natural flavors from other sources (such as other citrus fruits). According to Vorsheim, the above example would be labeled as “natural lemon flavor with other natural flavors.”
Natural-Type Flavors – Natural flavors that mimic the taste of a particular natural ingredient without actually containing that ingredient. For example, a “natural apple-type flavor” may be a blend of natural flavors from fruits other than apples. According to Boehmer, if a tea blend contains a natural-type flavor and does not contain its namesake flavor (apple) or the flavor source (dried apple bits) as an ingredient, it must be labeled as “artificially apple-flavored with natural flavors.”
Natural Organic Program Compliant (NOP-Compliant) Flavors – Natural flavors that are made from organic-compliant materials. According to Boehmer, all ingredients must be from non-genetically-modified sources and must be organic compliant. Boehmer said the USDA only allows oil carriers such as organic soybean oil, as well as glycerin or alcohol extracted from organic, non-GMO plant materials for NOP-compliant flavors.
You can read the full article on World Tea News.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
New Article: Tea Time in a Hot Town
As many tea business owners will tell you, summer tends to be a slower time for U.S. tea sales. However, tea business owners in Phoenix are finding way to counter this trend. I talked with them about their tactics that beat the heat. Here are a few they shared:
* A focus on health, including organics, natural flavors, general benefits and
overall lifestyle
* Cooling Ayurvedic or Chinese medicinal blends
* European-style teashops
* Frozen tea treats, like slushes, smoothies, ice creams and gelatos
* Locations in artsy areas, or former coffee shops
* Modern, gender-neutral aesthetics
* Pairing tea with desserts and meals
* Partnerships with herbalists, caterers and other tea-related professionals
* Tea body products, like soaps and lotions
* Tea for rubs, marinades, smoking and other outdoorsy recipes
* Tea cocktails, mocktails and sodas
* Tropical and desert flavors, like passion fruit and prickly pear
Sources indicated that these kinds of tactics may work elsewhere, and shared other tea-in-hot-weather advice for World Tea News in my new article, Tea Time in a Hot Town. In a summer slump? Check it out!
* A focus on health, including organics, natural flavors, general benefits and
overall lifestyle
* Cooling Ayurvedic or Chinese medicinal blends
* European-style teashops
* Frozen tea treats, like slushes, smoothies, ice creams and gelatos
* Locations in artsy areas, or former coffee shops
* Modern, gender-neutral aesthetics
* Pairing tea with desserts and meals
* Partnerships with herbalists, caterers and other tea-related professionals
* Tea body products, like soaps and lotions
* Tea for rubs, marinades, smoking and other outdoorsy recipes
* Tea cocktails, mocktails and sodas
* Tropical and desert flavors, like passion fruit and prickly pear
Sources indicated that these kinds of tactics may work elsewhere, and shared other tea-in-hot-weather advice for World Tea News in my new article, Tea Time in a Hot Town. In a summer slump? Check it out!
Friday, May 29, 2009
Tweens Tea Essay Contest
A new press release from Teas, Etc. and The Tea Shop Girls:
Teas Etc and The Teashop Girls author Laura Schaefer are pleased to announce an essay contest for young writing enthusiasts. The contest was created in an effort to encourage imagination, writing and summer reading and to introduce the next generation of tea drinkers to premium quality loose leaf tea as a healthy beverage alternative.
To inspire each participant Teas Etc will send out free tea samples at the time of registration, which begins June 1st. "We want young people to use their imagination and not be intimidated by the topic of tea which is why we are sending out the inspiration samples." said Laura "While tea needs to be a central theme, the story can be a fairy tale, science fiction or whatever the writer creates. It’s all about self expression and creativity." Register at http://TeasEtc.com/Tea-Essay and receive your free tea inspiration sample.
Entrants will be judged in one of two age groups 7-10 and 11-14. The essay must include tea as a part of the story, be 400 words and be submitted no later than June 30th, 2009, 12 midnight EST. Stories will be judged on creativity, writing style, voice and grammar appropriate to the age group. Submit essays at http://www.TeaShopGirls.com
Winners will be announced on July 18th. Prizes will be awarded to the top essay in each age category. Each winner will receive a free copy of Tea Shop Girls, signed by author Laura Schaefer and a Flowering Tea Gift Set with Ceremony Side Handle Teapot which includes a beautiful ceremony style glass teapot and 8 handcrafted flowering teas that bloom as they brew.
In addition to the prizes awarded, winners and their essays will be featured in World Tea News (http://www.WorldTeaNews.com) a weekly online publication that brings the latest tea news and hot new trends, to readers across the globe. "World Tea News is pleased to participate" says George Jage, President of SFG Group owner/operator of World Tea News, "as a tea news publication how could we say no to the next generation of tea drinking writers?"
Winners will also be highlighted on both sponsor’s websites – http://www.TeaShopGirls.com and http://www.TeasEtc.com
Tea Shop Girls
Laura Schaefer loves to write almost as much as she enjoys drinking tea. As a regular contributor for the Princeton Review she is the author of Man with Farm Seeks Woman with Tractor (Thunder’s Mount Press, 2005). Her first novel for young readers The Teashop Girls (Simon & Schuster/Wiseman), released December 30, 2008, has been well received and can be found at amazon.com. The book hosts an official website that includes tea party photos and the latest in Tea Shop Girl happenings. Laura resides in Madison Wisconsin and is currently working on her second young adult novel, entitled The Hollywood Scoop. Tea Shop Girls is online at http://www.TeaShopGirls.com
Teas Etc, Inc
Teas Etc, Inc., an importer/exporter of specialty teas and related items, has been providing retail and wholesale customers with quality products for over a decade. Dedicated to maintaining the highest level of quality, the Company is USDA Certified Organic, with green facilities in West Palm Beach, Florida. In addition, it maintains a satellite office in China and a showroom at AmericasMart in Atlanta. Teas Etc is online at http://www.TeasEtc.com
Media Contacts:
Tea Shop Girls
Laura Schaefer
608-886-3703
Teas Etc, Inc.
Newman Johnston
561-683-6838
VeeTea comments:
Cool! I read The Tea Shop Girls. It was cute -- the kind of thing I think a tween would really enjoy. I'm glad to see this contest encouraging young women to write and to drink tea!
Teas Etc and The Teashop Girls author Laura Schaefer are pleased to announce an essay contest for young writing enthusiasts. The contest was created in an effort to encourage imagination, writing and summer reading and to introduce the next generation of tea drinkers to premium quality loose leaf tea as a healthy beverage alternative.
To inspire each participant Teas Etc will send out free tea samples at the time of registration, which begins June 1st. "We want young people to use their imagination and not be intimidated by the topic of tea which is why we are sending out the inspiration samples." said Laura "While tea needs to be a central theme, the story can be a fairy tale, science fiction or whatever the writer creates. It’s all about self expression and creativity." Register at http://TeasEtc.com/Tea-Essay and receive your free tea inspiration sample.
Entrants will be judged in one of two age groups 7-10 and 11-14. The essay must include tea as a part of the story, be 400 words and be submitted no later than June 30th, 2009, 12 midnight EST. Stories will be judged on creativity, writing style, voice and grammar appropriate to the age group. Submit essays at http://www.TeaShopGirls.com
Winners will be announced on July 18th. Prizes will be awarded to the top essay in each age category. Each winner will receive a free copy of Tea Shop Girls, signed by author Laura Schaefer and a Flowering Tea Gift Set with Ceremony Side Handle Teapot which includes a beautiful ceremony style glass teapot and 8 handcrafted flowering teas that bloom as they brew.
In addition to the prizes awarded, winners and their essays will be featured in World Tea News (http://www.WorldTeaNews.com) a weekly online publication that brings the latest tea news and hot new trends, to readers across the globe. "World Tea News is pleased to participate" says George Jage, President of SFG Group owner/operator of World Tea News, "as a tea news publication how could we say no to the next generation of tea drinking writers?"
Winners will also be highlighted on both sponsor’s websites – http://www.TeaShopGirls.com and http://www.TeasEtc.com
Tea Shop Girls
Laura Schaefer loves to write almost as much as she enjoys drinking tea. As a regular contributor for the Princeton Review she is the author of Man with Farm Seeks Woman with Tractor (Thunder’s Mount Press, 2005). Her first novel for young readers The Teashop Girls (Simon & Schuster/Wiseman), released December 30, 2008, has been well received and can be found at amazon.com. The book hosts an official website that includes tea party photos and the latest in Tea Shop Girl happenings. Laura resides in Madison Wisconsin and is currently working on her second young adult novel, entitled The Hollywood Scoop. Tea Shop Girls is online at http://www.TeaShopGirls.com
Teas Etc, Inc
Teas Etc, Inc., an importer/exporter of specialty teas and related items, has been providing retail and wholesale customers with quality products for over a decade. Dedicated to maintaining the highest level of quality, the Company is USDA Certified Organic, with green facilities in West Palm Beach, Florida. In addition, it maintains a satellite office in China and a showroom at AmericasMart in Atlanta. Teas Etc is online at http://www.TeasEtc.com
Media Contacts:
Tea Shop Girls
Laura Schaefer
608-886-3703
Teas Etc, Inc.
Newman Johnston
561-683-6838
VeeTea comments:
Cool! I read The Tea Shop Girls. It was cute -- the kind of thing I think a tween would really enjoy. I'm glad to see this contest encouraging young women to write and to drink tea!
Friday, May 22, 2009
Kevin Rose Tea Interview
At the World Tea Expo, I had the pleasure of interviewing a number of tea celebs. The interviews will be popping up on World Tea News over the following weeks. Here's the first of the interviews I conducted: talking tea with Kevin Rose of digg.com. More soon!
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
More on Tea & Health
I recently interviewed prominent tea researcher Dr. Iman Hakim on tea & health. Excerpt:
Goodwin: What are your findings on tea and heart health?
Hakim: Tea is shown to improve the fluidity of the blood, which makes circulation easier, so it can lower your blood pressure and lower incidence of stroke. We have also seen a very beneficial effect on lipids in general. One study was on patients in the Middle East who drank two to three cups of tea a day. It showed a decrease in LDL (bad cholesterol) and an increase in HDL (good cholesterol) that was particularly strong amongst women who smoke.
Goodwin: Does tea impact diabetes?
Hakim: As long as it doesn’t have any sugar in it, of course, tea can control blood sugar. It can also prevent complications, like the cardiovascular effects that accompany Type 2 diabetes. The research was first done on black tea, but now they are studying green tea. Both black and green come from the same plant, so if it works with one, more than likely, it works with the other.
You can read the full article on tea & health on World Tea News.
Goodwin: What are your findings on tea and heart health?
Hakim: Tea is shown to improve the fluidity of the blood, which makes circulation easier, so it can lower your blood pressure and lower incidence of stroke. We have also seen a very beneficial effect on lipids in general. One study was on patients in the Middle East who drank two to three cups of tea a day. It showed a decrease in LDL (bad cholesterol) and an increase in HDL (good cholesterol) that was particularly strong amongst women who smoke.
Goodwin: Does tea impact diabetes?
Hakim: As long as it doesn’t have any sugar in it, of course, tea can control blood sugar. It can also prevent complications, like the cardiovascular effects that accompany Type 2 diabetes. The research was first done on black tea, but now they are studying green tea. Both black and green come from the same plant, so if it works with one, more than likely, it works with the other.
You can read the full article on tea & health on World Tea News.
Monday, May 11, 2009
World Tea Expo
This post is dedicated to the World Tea Expo. It was, as usual, fantastic. Here are a few highlights from my week in Vegas, from the Expo and otherwise:
Seeing so many tea people -- I love learning about what everyone is up to, talking tea and connecting with people and ideas in the industry. Connections took the forms of chatting between classes, touring the show floor, interviewing like mad, holding a TweetUp, sending the obligatory "where are you now" texts to find fellow attendees... I only wish I'd had more time to spend with everyone!
Trying new teas -- ITO EN's new shincha (sold out already), Hawaii-grown teas from Sherri Miller, oolongs from Teas, Etc. and much more... Along with the people, this is one of my favorite things about the Expo each year!
Interviews -- I held about two dozen interviews over the course of the Expo. Some were informal talks, some were sit-down-with-a-recorder interviews and some were video interviews. The videos were with notables like James Norwood Pratt, Jane Pettigrew, Bruce Richardson, Kevin Rose and Steve Schwartz. They'll start showing up on World Tea News soon.
Classes -- My favorite class was Rona Tison's Japanese green tea cupping course. Tasty! A few of my other favorites were with Charles Cain (TeaGschwendner USA), Michale Cramer (Adagio) and Elisabeth Knottingham (The Teacup in Seattle, WA), who held a fantastic class on hiring and keeping great employees.
Leaving the Strip -- Sometimes Vegas is just so... Vegas-y. This year, I got off the strip on a few occasions. Downtown Vegas' First Friday with my husband, my World Tea News boss and her husband (and his beautiful flower shop, set to open soon) was fantastic. Red Rock Canyon was gorgeous! And tapas with the Gamila Teastick crew was was tastier (and cheaper) than most of the strip fare.
What was your favorite part of the Expo? What are you looking forward to about next year?
Seeing so many tea people -- I love learning about what everyone is up to, talking tea and connecting with people and ideas in the industry. Connections took the forms of chatting between classes, touring the show floor, interviewing like mad, holding a TweetUp, sending the obligatory "where are you now" texts to find fellow attendees... I only wish I'd had more time to spend with everyone!
Trying new teas -- ITO EN's new shincha (sold out already), Hawaii-grown teas from Sherri Miller, oolongs from Teas, Etc. and much more... Along with the people, this is one of my favorite things about the Expo each year!
Interviews -- I held about two dozen interviews over the course of the Expo. Some were informal talks, some were sit-down-with-a-recorder interviews and some were video interviews. The videos were with notables like James Norwood Pratt, Jane Pettigrew, Bruce Richardson, Kevin Rose and Steve Schwartz. They'll start showing up on World Tea News soon.
Classes -- My favorite class was Rona Tison's Japanese green tea cupping course. Tasty! A few of my other favorites were with Charles Cain (TeaGschwendner USA), Michale Cramer (Adagio) and Elisabeth Knottingham (The Teacup in Seattle, WA), who held a fantastic class on hiring and keeping great employees.
Leaving the Strip -- Sometimes Vegas is just so... Vegas-y. This year, I got off the strip on a few occasions. Downtown Vegas' First Friday with my husband, my World Tea News boss and her husband (and his beautiful flower shop, set to open soon) was fantastic. Red Rock Canyon was gorgeous! And tapas with the Gamila Teastick crew was was tastier (and cheaper) than most of the strip fare.
What was your favorite part of the Expo? What are you looking forward to about next year?
Friday, May 8, 2009
Web Two Point What? (Part Two)
The Expo was awesome! More on that later...
You may remember that I wrote about using the Internet as a marketing tool for your tea business a while back. Well, here's tea & the Internet, part two. It talks about social networking, photo, video and other means of using the internet to market your tea company, and has a few notes on web culture. Here's an excerpt on sources' web marketing ideas that were not covered in detail:
*Imbed Web 2.0 tools like Digg and StumbleUpon into your site.
*Offer RSS feeds on specific topics, such as green tea.
*Include real-time reviews on your site.
*Respond to reviews on sites like Yelp and Citysearch. (Jacobs politely responds to every Yelp reviewer with a coupon, which he said increases loyalty and causes 80 percent of the negative reviewers reverse their reviews.)
*Launch specific, targeted, unique Google Adwords campaigns. (Lawrence went from all organic traffic to 75 percent search engine traffic after doing this.)
*Encourage viral marketing.
*Post on community message boards, related informational sites and blogs to increase backlinks.
Most of the rest of the article goes into much more detail. It's been getting some retweets, so I'm guessing that means it's useful. :) Check it out on World Tea News.
I'll post about the Expo next week, when I'm a little more caught up on things. In the meantime, I'll just say that it was fantastic connecting with so many tea people!!!
You may remember that I wrote about using the Internet as a marketing tool for your tea business a while back. Well, here's tea & the Internet, part two. It talks about social networking, photo, video and other means of using the internet to market your tea company, and has a few notes on web culture. Here's an excerpt on sources' web marketing ideas that were not covered in detail:
*Imbed Web 2.0 tools like Digg and StumbleUpon into your site.
*Offer RSS feeds on specific topics, such as green tea.
*Include real-time reviews on your site.
*Respond to reviews on sites like Yelp and Citysearch. (Jacobs politely responds to every Yelp reviewer with a coupon, which he said increases loyalty and causes 80 percent of the negative reviewers reverse their reviews.)
*Launch specific, targeted, unique Google Adwords campaigns. (Lawrence went from all organic traffic to 75 percent search engine traffic after doing this.)
*Encourage viral marketing.
*Post on community message boards, related informational sites and blogs to increase backlinks.
Most of the rest of the article goes into much more detail. It's been getting some retweets, so I'm guessing that means it's useful. :) Check it out on World Tea News.
I'll post about the Expo next week, when I'm a little more caught up on things. In the meantime, I'll just say that it was fantastic connecting with so many tea people!!!
Monday, April 27, 2009
Chanoyu News
Sadly, Mr. Hisashi Yamada (founder of the NYC Urasenke Chanoyu Center) passed away last week. You can read a bit about his fascinating, tea-centered life in his obituary (the first I've ever written) and in this NY Times profile.
If you're interested in learning more about the art of chanoyu, be sure to check out the Modern Teaism demo at the World Tea Expo!
Also, if you're interested in architecture and/or design, be sure to check out this tiny teahouse by Terunobu Fujimori. It's the fourth pageview into the sampling Tashcen has provided. You can see more of his tea architecture on Dezeen.
If you're interested in learning more about the art of chanoyu, be sure to check out the Modern Teaism demo at the World Tea Expo!
Also, if you're interested in architecture and/or design, be sure to check out this tiny teahouse by Terunobu Fujimori. It's the fourth pageview into the sampling Tashcen has provided. You can see more of his tea architecture on Dezeen.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Random Fun Links, Part One?
None of these warrant a full post on their own, so I bring you: RANDOM FUN LINKS
This is probably part one in an ongoing series of me being too lazy to write cohesive blog posts because I'm too busy writing even less cohesive articles and copy. (I hope I'm kidding about that last part, but too busy to know for sure!)
This book is awesome. Read it.
Good Magazine says tea is more sustainable than coffee. Rad.
I officially declare this the cutest tea packaging of all time.
Bryan Stafford gets added to the World Tea News blogger list. Welcome!
Samovar on How to Get Into Tea. Forward it to the uninitiated.
The World Tea Expo is NEXT WEEK. I'll be there. Will you?
This message was brought to you by...
a giant tea cozy.
Enjoy your tea!
This is probably part one in an ongoing series of me being too lazy to write cohesive blog posts because I'm too busy writing even less cohesive articles and copy. (I hope I'm kidding about that last part, but too busy to know for sure!)
This book is awesome. Read it.
Good Magazine says tea is more sustainable than coffee. Rad.
I officially declare this the cutest tea packaging of all time.
Bryan Stafford gets added to the World Tea News blogger list. Welcome!
Samovar on How to Get Into Tea. Forward it to the uninitiated.
The World Tea Expo is NEXT WEEK. I'll be there. Will you?
This message was brought to you by...
a giant tea cozy.
Enjoy your tea!
Monday, April 20, 2009
Phoenix
Went to Phoenix to speak about tea at a wellness conference last weekend. While I was there, I visited with some tea business owners and learned some very interesting things about tea in Phoenix, which I'll be sharing on World Tea News soon. In the meantime, here's a taste of my trip:
Prickly Pear Cactus "Tea"
.jpg)
A "teatini" at Chandler Urban Tea Loft -- Yum!
.jpg)
Chihuly glass pieces at the Desert Botanical Gardens -- Gorgeous!
I also got to eat at Quiessence, which is a local, artisanal restaurant. Loved their pan-seared cobia with pureed cauliflower and their caramelized onion soup with sorrel. Their menu changes daily, but I'm sure if you visit you'll find it to be as delicious as I did!
Prickly Pear Cactus "Tea"
.jpg)
A "teatini" at Chandler Urban Tea Loft -- Yum!
.jpg)
Chihuly glass pieces at the Desert Botanical Gardens -- Gorgeous!
I also got to eat at Quiessence, which is a local, artisanal restaurant. Loved their pan-seared cobia with pureed cauliflower and their caramelized onion soup with sorrel. Their menu changes daily, but I'm sure if you visit you'll find it to be as delicious as I did!
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
New Article: Tea & the Internet
I have a new article out on using the Internet as a marketing tool for your tea business. Excerpt:
Twitter is sometimes referred to as “micro-blogging” because it has informal, blog-like content and a 140-character maximum. For each tweet (Twitter message), Jacobs said, he averages less than 10 minutes of writing and more than $500 in revenue.
Cason launched a Twitter campaign in March to reach 10,000 followers (readers) by April 1. Although he failed in the goal, he did generate publicity and reached 1,100 followers – enough to temporarily crash his site when he tweeted a 40 percent off sale.
“The best thing about Twitter is you get to follow who you want,” Cason said, “so you know that everyone who is receiving your tweets wants to know what you have to say. All you have to worry about is telling them what they want to hear.”
Dake recommended Twitter over other social media, video and blogging, explaining that it’s efficient, easy, free and effective for immediate connections with people. At the recent SXSW festival in Austin, TX, he used Twitter for a Tweet Up (get-together) where he gave away Mighty Leaf. He said it generated word-of-mouth publicity that lasted weeks after the event.
Sources gave these tips for using Twitter:
*Put content before sales.
*Keep posts educational, casual, unique and personable.
*Give it a face, but don’t make it overly personal.
*Follow Twitterers in related areas.
*Tweet often.
You can read the full story on World Tea News. Enjoy!
Twitter is sometimes referred to as “micro-blogging” because it has informal, blog-like content and a 140-character maximum. For each tweet (Twitter message), Jacobs said, he averages less than 10 minutes of writing and more than $500 in revenue.
Cason launched a Twitter campaign in March to reach 10,000 followers (readers) by April 1. Although he failed in the goal, he did generate publicity and reached 1,100 followers – enough to temporarily crash his site when he tweeted a 40 percent off sale.
“The best thing about Twitter is you get to follow who you want,” Cason said, “so you know that everyone who is receiving your tweets wants to know what you have to say. All you have to worry about is telling them what they want to hear.”
Dake recommended Twitter over other social media, video and blogging, explaining that it’s efficient, easy, free and effective for immediate connections with people. At the recent SXSW festival in Austin, TX, he used Twitter for a Tweet Up (get-together) where he gave away Mighty Leaf. He said it generated word-of-mouth publicity that lasted weeks after the event.
Sources gave these tips for using Twitter:
*Put content before sales.
*Keep posts educational, casual, unique and personable.
*Give it a face, but don’t make it overly personal.
*Follow Twitterers in related areas.
*Tweet often.
You can read the full story on World Tea News. Enjoy!
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