Dear sweet Tea Apostles;

I do so appreciate your attention and care as you study the many aspects of the Way of Tea. I know that in my constant instruction and general testiness when it seems you don’t know why rooibos tea is called red tea, and other basic facts that you should certainly know by now, I sometimes forget to tell you that I am proud of you. My heart sometimes swells up like a used teabag at the thought of how much you continue to grow.

Forgive me if I am overly sentimental. I seem to be out of my morning black tea today, and I am missing it a bit, feeling a bit emotional.  I do so love black tea, you know. I love its brisk flavor, so rich and strong. I love every kind of black tea, from the flowery and fruity teas like Crimson Rose and Passion Fruit, to the spicy and nutty taste of the Masala Chai and Cinnamon Spice.

How much do you know about Black Tea?

Read full entry! »

Tea for Your Thoughts?

Hi Loves,

Ms. Tia is feeling contemplative today. And a good, strong cup of hot tea is just what the doctor ordered for a good sit down and think session.

It’s amazing how the steam from freshly brewed loose leaf tea clears my head. Whether it’s a classic caffeinated teas like English Breakfast or Earl Grey or a wild herbal tea like Ginger Cinnamon or Peppermint, I always think a little better with a tea cup in my hand. And we all know about the health benefits of tea–those can really put your mind at ease–but the natural, safe jolt of caffeine from tea or the herbal properties of some blends can actually make a difference if you’re preforming some mental gymnastics.

Can you guess what I’m thinking about?

Read full entry! »

Greetings, Tea students.

As you sit there with your hot cup of loose leaf tea, welcoming the first hints of Fall, perhaps you think to yourself, “Master Amanzi has taught me so much. I know how healthy tea is, where it comes from, how to make it—but how much should I drink?”

This is a good question, young Tea Seeker, and I am glad you have asked it. Your tea knowledge has grown, and I am suitably impressed.

Read full entry! »

There seems to be a lot of confusion out there about the amount of caffeine in a cup of tea, and what that means. When you drop your tea bag into your cup of tea, you want to know just how much caffeine you’re getting. The short answer is that it varies—depending on whether you’re using a tea bag or loose leaf tea, how long you steep it for, etc. But fear not—Master Amanzi shall tell you more.

Read full entry! »

Hello my tea pets. How are you feeling? A little under the weather, you say?  Worry no more–Teato is here to tell you about yet another health benefit of tea. I am taking a break from writing poetry to my new love, and sitting down with a hot cup of herbal tea as you should be, too.

There’s a lot of chatter about all the healthy foods out there, and unhealthy foods too, and what you should and shouldn’t eat. Teato’s head spins sometimes with all the conflicting information. But I have learned that after a romantic night of dining on oysters and chocolate, I often need a warm cup of Rooibos tea to calm my tummy.

Read full entry! »

Greetings peasants. I have returned from a challenging day of settling land disputes among my subjects, and find that I cannot relax. It occurs to me that you might have issues with stress in your more ordinary lives. So I thought I would share with you a bit about the calming effects of tea.

I have mentioned to you before how tea is good for you—the list of the health benefits of tea seem longer than your silly “bill of rights” at this point—but let me be more specific.

Read full entry! »

Tea is a delicious drink for morning noon and night. It comes in a million flavors. You already know this. But here’s something of which you might not be aware. Tea is good for you. Green tea is known to have some positive effects. Herbal tea also has been noted to be beneficial to your health. But let us be a bit more specific.

I, the Earl of Grey, have taken a moment of my precious time to remind you that I invented tea, throwing tea leaves into my drink as a result of sudden inspiration. (I don’t care what Master Amanzi says, it was my idea!) So I shall tell you now why I still look so good for my age—tea has many health benefits.

Like what, you ask? I shall be brief, as my time is extremely valuable.

Read full entry! »

Hey Tea Lovers! Jasmine here, coming to you from the hallowed halls of my alma mater, good old Tea U.

I was noticing today that all the fast food joints on the quad seem to sell a LOT of soda. So as I sit here sipping from my thermos of iced tea (Apple Mango herbal tea, to be exact—mmm!), I thought I might take a moment to point out that tea isn’t just for incredibly old fogies like the Earl of Grey or Master Amanzi. With all the health benefits of tea coming out these days, and increase in availability of different tea options, tea is becoming more popular than ever!

I thought you should know that  young people don’t all want to drink hot tub-sized cups of super sweet, overly caffeinated soda. It’s just not good for you. And those that do, well, they’re probably already hopped up on sugar to be rational. So I wanted to tell you a little bit about what to look for when you get tea for your kids.

Read full entry! »

Part 7: Herbal Tea

You are no doubt anxious to complete your lessons on the different types of tea. You have studied hard, I have no doubt, and know all that I have shown you and more about the previous types I have explained to you: white tea, green tea, oolong tea,  black tea, rooibos tea, and yerba tea. Now it is time to finish your journey.

The final type of tea is herbal tea.

Herbal tea, like yerba mate and rooibos, are not actually types of tea since they are not made from the leaves of the tea bush. But while these other two are made from specific plants, herbal tea is basically any kind of tea not made from tea leaves. Herbal teas are actual infusions made from other plants, such as leaves, flowers, roots, or seeds.

Read full entry! »

Part 6: Yerba Tea

As you all continue your journey down the Path of the Perfect Pot of Tea, I, Master Amanzi hope to guide you with my vast knowledge of the Way of Tea.

We have already dealt with the four kinds of actual tea:  white tea, green tea, oolong tea, and black tea. We have also discussed rooibos tea. This brings us to another cousin of the tea family: Yerba Tea.

Yerba tea, also called mate, is a Central American drink that is made from a type of holly plant that grows in that region. Because yerba isn’t made from tea leaves it’s not considered tea, but is prepared in the same way and is often served as an option in tea circles.

Read full entry! »