A Month of Tea

January is almost over and my adventure of drinking a different tea every day for the whole month is also ending. It has been quite the journey! Here are a few discoveries from along the way...

* Tea has so many amazing aromas and flavor profiles to offer... it dizzies the mind. I knew this already, of course, but there's nothing like a month-long reminder of the fact. :)

* Changing caffeine levels in my diet was harder than I thought it would be! I went from drinking four cups of white tea, to one to two cups of green tea and oolong (depending on the type), to one to two cups black tea (depending on how overloaded my work schedule was at the time -- one was more my tolerance level by the end), to two to three cups of pu-erh (depending on how aged it was). Despite the changes in quantity, it was still a challenge finding that caffeine sweet spot between not enough and too much.

* Sometimes, you're simply in the mood for a certain type of tea. I thought I could overcome my tendency to be inordinately particular about my tea selections by the end of the month, but no... I still found myself craving teas that were not in my tasting routine.

* For me, different tea types are conducive to different activities. White tea is great for chilling out. Chinese green teas are good for before or after yoga and stretching. Japanese green teas are better for mental and physical tasks that need to be completed quickly. Oolongs are perfect for writing (which is part of why I drink them so often). Black teas are better for physical activity and gut decisions. Puers are more introspective and reflective. This exercise was a firm reminder of which teas help me the most in my daily life.

* This kind of exercise really does improve your palate. I was a doubter in the beginning. I thought, "I could just taste everything in a day..." but tasting one each day is like that "eat a single Oreo and truly enjoy it" thing they do for food addicts. It forces you to concentrate, to savor, to exist in the moment. Tea becomes far more profound when viewed in these discrete moments over time. It's a singular and a cumulative effect that's completely different from the many cuppings (and casual cuppas) I've enjoyed over the years.

* Planning a trip during my oolong tasting week was not the best decision I've ever made. (Still, the Fancy Food Show and time with friends and tea people in SF was worth it!)

* Sometimes, one tea a day is just not enough! I'm not talking about caffeine, here -- I'm talking about the need for different teas for specific reasons. I didn't make any rules about sticking to the one each day, but if I had, I would have broken them for three reasons: 1. Oolong really does help me write (and I swear it's not just a mental thing). 2. Sometimes, the cravings for specific teas can get out of hand. There is nothing quite like pu-erh by a roaring fire or watching the sun rise over a cup of Genmaicha. 3. I write about tea for a living. I can't exactly tell clients, "I'll get to cupping all these teas next month." (Well, I suppose I could, but it would be a really bad business decision.)

Writing this over my second cup of Imperial Tea Court's Imperial Pu-erh for the day, I am thoroughly satisfied with this "month of tea" experiment. Of course, for me, every month is a month of tea (this is just a different KIND of month of tea)... and I'm looking forward to drinking a wild-crafted white sage and mint tisane for focus after I finish the pu-erh (After all, I have serious deadlines and can't exist in a pu-erh-induced introspective state all day!)... but I'm really glad I did this and would definitely consider repeating it next year. Maybe by then, I'll have a few more people to actively share the adventure with! (Marilyn? Steph? Jan? Am I sensing potential for a Portland group here?)

Chilled Tea

Whew, is it hot in Charlotte today! Fortunately, I have the remedy for stultifying weather -- chilled teas. I wrote this post for Samovar, but it applies elsewhere, too. :)

Lately, I've been considering blending traditions and making an iced pu-erh with preserved lemons. Pu-erh was traditionally made as a savory, soupy concoction with spices, aromatics and even citrus. However, my initial inspiration for this was the Southern tradition of iced tea with lemon. I think it will either be delicious or terrible, with no middle ground. What do you think?

Numi RTD Puerh Reviews

Numi recently launched a line of puerh (also spelled pu-erh, pu'er or puer) teabags in controversial flavors like "Chocolate Puerh." This was just crazy enough that I knew it would be either: a) the worst thing I have ever tasted, or b) actually really good for a flavored tea. Thankfully, Numi knew to put in extra effort when taking risks and made Chocolate Puerh (a potential nightmare in liquid form) into a balanced, rich tea in which the flavors (vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon) mimic the tea itself's naturally rich and chocolaty taste. Now, they are launching a line of RTD (ready-to-drink -- bottled/canned) puerh teas. Will these widen our perceptions of puerh and draw new audiences deeper into the world of tea types? Or will they taste like cotton candy that has been used to clean out a garbage can? Let's find out!

"Earl Grey Puerh Black Tea" -- Earl Grey is the starter tea of starter teas, the one tea offered in most Western "one-tea-only" establishments and (occasionally) a decent cuppa. The packaging on this tea is technically correct (It is a black puerh, yes.), but also slightly misleading to noobs (Those looking for a regular black Earl Grey are sipping from the wrong bottle with this one.). That said, it isn't a far cry from what you'd expect from any other "lightly," "barely" or "other-word-meaning-not-absurdly-and-overpoweringly" sweetened Earl Grey RTD. Citrus notes dominate, followed by tannin and honey. (To be clear -- honey notes. It actually contains agave and evaporated cane juice, but no honey.) The citrus notes are in the form of not only aged Earl Grey tea (which has traditional bergamot essence), but also brewed orange peel and lemon myrtle, creating a more nuanced taste than your usual Earl Grey. I'm not a big fan of the aftertaste, but otherwise I am very impressed with this one!

"Moroccan Mint Puerh Green Tea" -- Whoa! EXTREME minty blast like you can only experience in a chewing gum commercial! I love mint in moderation, but this is just out of control. Hands down, my least favorite of the bunch.

"Magnolia Jasmine Puerh Green Tea" -- More magnolia than jasmine, more green than puerh. As someone who was raised in the South, the fragrance of magnolia blossoms holds a special place in my heart. The taste... not so much. To me, magnolia has a bitter taste, kind of like jasmine green steeped in overly hot water. I'm told that this is because I'm a super-taster. Perhaps that is true, but let's just say that this is NOT my new favorite RTD. If you try it, let me know if you get the "sweet floral taste" the label touts.

"Mango Passion Puerh Black Tea" -- When you open this bottle, you are immediately hit with the fragrance of sweet, ripe mangoes, followed by the tang of passionfruit. The tea reveals itself later in the flavor. This is a great intro tea or a tea for a hot day. The label says it is a "freshly brewed white tea and puerh black tea blend," but the ingredients list a black puerh without any other brews. If the latter is correct, Mango Passion and Moroccan Mint are the only two teas in the line with only one tea type used. The rest have several types included. For this reason, the tea profile is simple, leaving the fruit profile to dominate. Thumbs up!

"Peach Nectar Puerh Green Tea" -- White tea, osmanthus, peach puree... this is a fruity-sweet treat. Along with Mango Passion and Moroccan Mint, it's the sweetest of the bunch, but it's not as sweet as many peach teas and the green puerh cuts the stickiness I associate with peach brews. It's refreshing and smooth -- perfect for Summer. I just wish I didn't spill it all over myself while opening the bottle. (This was an ongoing problem. At first, I thought it was me. Now, I think it's the pop-top. Don't open this over your keyboards, people!)

All this said, I'd like to point back to an article I wrote about a year ago predicting the rise of more diverse RTD tea types with more diverse sweeteners. Not that I was the only person saying this, but... yeah, I totally called it. :P

Bonus Review -- Numi's "Honey Lemon Rooibos Teasan" -- First off, what's up with "teasan?" Haven't we confused tea noobs enough with the whole "it's not a tea, it's a tisane/infusion/botanical" thing? (And, for the record, many "infusions" are actually NOT infusions. If they need to be boiled, they're actually "decoctions." The deeper you go, the more complex it gets...) Now we're saying it's a "teasan?" I'm a respected professional in the tea industry and even I have no idea what that's supposed to mean. (It's a tisane with tea-like properties? No... It's a blend of a tea and tisane? No...) Moving on, this one is not kidding about the "Honey" part. It has more honeybush (rooibos' cousin) than rooibos, which gives it a naturally honeyed taste (hence the name). It's also "Barely Sweetened" (No...) with honey and agave. As you may have guessed, this is a VERY sweet brew. I'd recommend it for people who love Southern-sweet iced tea, but want to skip the caffeine.

World Tea Expo

After attending an awesome webinar today (Charles Cain talking about how to purchase tea), I'm am getting really excited about the upcoming World Tea Expo. I'll be attending classes, interviewing some top tea experts, watching demos, writing for the show dailies, leading a tearoom owners' roundtable and orchestrating a TweetUp (follow me on Twitter to attend). My classes are:

Hire & Keep Great Employees (A challenge for most businesses, tea or otherwise...)
Focused Tasting: Oolong (I went to last year's oolong tasting an wanted to go again. Oolong is such an amazing tea!)
Focused Tasting: Puer (Attended Guang Lee's (non-tasting) session on puer last year and wanted to learn more, especially after writing about puer for World Tea News.)
Sell Your Tea Online Successfully (One of their most popular classes. I can see why!)
Skill Building: Japanese Green Tea Cupping (With the fabulous Ms. Rona Tison of ITO EN -- I'm sure it will be amazing!)
Model a Successful Teashop (With Charles Cain. Once again, I'm sure it will be great.)
Price It Right and Sell it Smart (I think this is an important topic, especially now. Can't wait to learn more!)

When we're closer to the event itself, I'll tell you more about who all I'm interviewing. Hint: It's going to be awesome!

Are you attending? What are you taking? What are you looking forward to the most?

Thanksgiving Teas

Thanksgiving can be an ideal time to share delicious teas with friends and family. Aside from flavored teas, there are a number of rich, warming and even digestion-aiding teas, tisanes and tea cocktails/mocktails you can make for Thanksgiving. This year, I'm making home-blended masala chai, fresh ginger tisane, Superior Pu-erh from Imperial Tea Court and Ti Kwan Yin from Teance. I'm also making homemade rum-spiked apple cider, which I'll also be spiking with black tea. Yum! What are you brewing this Thanksgiving?

Leaving SF...

So sad to be leaving San Francisco today... I can't wait to come back! It's on my short list of cities to live in once I tire of NYC, so we'll see -- maybe I'll end up there soon! :) In the meantime, I have a few goodies to take back with me -- amazing oolongs and an "eight treasures" herbal tea from Teance. (Next time I go to Imperial Tea Court, I'll have to be sure to save time for selecting pu-erhs, instead of just interviewing the owner (at the Ferry Building location) and enjoying the incredible hand-pulled noodle soup with friends (at the Berkeley location). Still, I'm very glad to have the teas I managed to pick up!) What's your favorite tea from a vacation/business trip?

Celebration Teas

Sometimes, you just need to celebrate! Most people break out the alcohol, some break out the tea and others break out both. I love high-quality oolongs, pu-erhs or greens, flowering teas or masala chai for non-alcoholic options. Tea cocktails are also delicious and fun if alcohol is part of the plan. Which teas and tea recipes to you use to celebrate?

Dim Sum, Mooncakes and Tea

Last Friday, I had the pleasure of joining Winnie Yu (of Teance) and some of her friends for vegetarian dim sum and tea in Chinatown. (Winnie's rule -- Always bring your own tea to dim sum! Good advice...) She gave me these fantastic lard-free mooncakes, which she ordered from China for Teance. They are an important of the annual Moon Festival, which happens mid-fall, and were used to smuggle secret messages during the Ming Revolution. Since they are very heavy sweets, Winnie suggested pairing them with pu-erh, but they also go very well with the wonderful Tieguanyin Winnie gave me.

You can read more about pairing tea and sweets in my most recent World Tea News article. You can buy Winnie's incredible teas (which she sources from farms directly) on Teance's site. Maybe if they get enough emails requesting mooncakes, they'll offer them online next year. :)

Olympics Tea

A recent visit to one of my favorite tearooms gave me the chance to see a 2008 Olympics pu-erh cake for the first time. Pu-erh cakes can be used to commemorate all kind of occasions, from the Olympics to royal weddings to births to trade agreements. As pu-erh becomes more collectible worldwide, these kinds o commemorative cakes are likely to gain popularity. For this year's Olympics, even Coca Cola got in on the commemorative action. Crazy!

Seven Cups Tearoom, makers of the fantastic Seven Cups video podcast series, thought of a different way to celebrate the Olympics and tea in their Denver location: a competitive tea taste-a-thon. Winners receive Gold Medal Honey Orchid ea, Silver Needle or Iron Arhat Rock Oolong. Cool!

Investing in Tea

These days, it seems like everything's a commodity... even tea. From Dubai launching the world's first tea futures contract to the growing world of pu-erh investment, tea is hot despite the economy's general cooling. The World Tea Expo is getting in on the action with a new specialty tea rating system, which will be listed in The World Tea Buyers Guide^TM.* I think of tea investment in a few different ways:

Investment in myself--Tea is healthy and delicious alternative to many other beverages and it makes me feel good.
Investment in the planet and the future--Organic, fair trade tea is sustainable and benefits the land and people who produce it.
Investment in companies I appreciate--I think of each dollar I spend as a vote of sorts. Which companies do I prefer to support? These are the ones I spend my money on.
Investment in VeeTea--Obviously, I need to learn more about tea every day in order to educate my clients, whether they are companies or individuals. I think of my tea purchases are a business investment.

I was never one for collecting or for investing in particular assets. (Mutual funds are just fine by me!) However, I can see why tea could be (and is) an alluring investment for many. Although I prefer to think of tea as something much, much deeper than a money-making opportunity, it's exciting to see the love of tea spread through new businesses and investors. Happy investing, and enjoy your tea!


*Of course, just like wine rating systems, the scores depend very much on the preferences of the tasters, which may or may not be in line with our own preferences (or our clients'!).)

World Tea Expo Forecast

The World Tea Expo is approaching fast. They have new programs lined up, including a New Business Boot Camp and an Executive & Technical Series. They will also continue to have the Exhibit Hall and the Core Conference Program, which I covered on the Vee Tea Blog last year (scroll down). Very exciting. Below are some of the Core Conference Seminars which I think will be highlights of the 2008 World Tea Expo.

Skill Building Workshop: Cupping
I think that everyone in the tea industry should have at least a basic working knowledge of cupping. If nothing else, it cultivates a fuller appreciation for the product.

2008 Tea Report
Tea trends of the past few years and tea forecasts for the upcoming one, all summed up in a neat little hour-long presentation. If you don't stay on top of the trends for yourself (which you should!), this is the "Cliff's Notes" way to try to stay on top of the game.

The Profound World of Pu-Erh
Pu-Erh is a misunderstood and under-represented tea in the West. I hope this seminar will help more tea professionals (and, in turn, their clients) understand this complex and sophisticated tea.

Tea Purchasing
Tea purchasing can be overwhelming for new tearoom owners. In fact, many of my clients come to me for consultation on this very matter. While a seminar can't provide much in the way of one-on-one time and customization, it may be a quick fix for sourcing woes.

Marketing Organic
Organic products are making up an increasingly large segment of sales revenue in many areas of the food and drink markets. This seminar addresses how to market organic teas effectively. This course would pair well with this is "Social Responsibility Panel Discussion."

Focused Tasting: Taiwan
This tasting is led by the renowned Jane Pettigrew. Need I say more?

Super Workshop: Tea and Chocolate Pairing
I attended last year's version of this seminar and it was pure fun. If you, like me, have a fairly well-developed palate and understand the concepts of pairing, then you probably won't gain much in the way of profound knowledge from this seminar. However, it is highly entertaining and also quite delicious.

Skill Building Workshop: Blending
This session addresses the art of tea blending, which is cool. I hope that next year, they also address the legality of blending, which is not so much cool as it is absolutely necessary for you to not get in loads of trouble for blending tea in your tearoom's back room.

Whole Body Tea Retailing
A few years ago, tea spa treatments were the hot new thing. Now, this trend is filtering down to the mainstream in the form of tea soaps, lotions, etc. This workshop addresses expanding your tea line to include tea body products.

Package Design for the Green Generation
Green packaging is huge (or, rather, tiny) in Europe. It seems that many American companies and designers have forgotten that bigger is not always better, and flashy and fast is not always the best way to win the race. However, this trend is changing, and not just in the local health food stores. More people are using totes for their groceries and noticing just how much they have to throw away to reach the product inside the packaing. This workshop seems like a good intro to sustainable packaging and its potential benefits to your brand.

How to Conduct a Successful Tea Tasting
I attended this workshop last year. It was so good, had to restrain myself from signing up again. The entire audience was so thrilled with the depth and breadth of information presented, as well as the clarity of the presenter. The question on everyone's lips afterward was, "When can we expect your book?" Even if you have held tastings before, this is a fantastic workshop to attend.

Tea and Meditation
I have the feeling this will be a hit or miss workshop with attendees. Personally, I think it will be amazing, but it all depends if you're into that kind of thing. If you are, check it out!

Super Workshop: The Way of Tea
This workshop is led by the Ura Senke Foundation. That alone is enough for me to give it the thumbs up.

Victorian Matrons, Fearless Flappers, and Chai-Sipping Executives: The History of American Tearooms
Despite the typical association of tearooms with the UK, the US also has a fascinating history of tearooms. Personally, I can't wait to attend this workshop.

Social Responsibility Panel Discussion
I think this seminar will be the most important one in the whole Expo. It will address key issues in the future of tea production which directly impact tea quality, not to mention quality of life on this planet. That aside, if you are looking for the dollar signs in your workshops, using marketing to highlight a socially responsibile aspect of your brand can be great for sales.

Social Media Marketing Strategies
Those around my age probably know a thing or two about this. Learn more. For those above their late twenties, welcome to the future. If you are at all interested in having a strong web presence, you should really take this course.


So, that's my forecast for the 2008 World Tea Expo. If you have anything to add, please drop a note in my blog!

Pu-erh Investment

OMG, pu-erh is SO HOT right now. Check out this article on speculative pu-erh investment. Personally, I invest my money in stocks and bonds and I buy pu-erh for the taste, but to each his own.