Tea . . . A Beverage For all Phases

I recently had an opportunity to sit and contemplate my cuppa tea. You ask, why in the world would you do that? Well, that is an easy question to answer -- the tea leaves were aromatic prior to steeping and when once steeped the aroma was amazing -- sweet, spring-like (even with all the snow and cold surrounding me), and a sweet fruity citrus taste that had a very slight hint of apricot. Wow! now, can you beat that? 

All this stimulation started me thinking about all the times my beverage of choice is tea, whether it be served hot, cold, iced, or at room temperature. Taking a deeper look into my thought process . . . when surrounded by happiness and joy my tea selection is normally a fruity iced tea. This brings my inner self a pick-me-up without added sugar -- the fruit or fruit flavoring does job.

Should I feel a little overwhelmed with life's challenges, I find that a very bold Chinese Yunnan or Indian Assam hits the spot. A bold black tea always provides me a cuppa of calm comfort. I often turn to a bold black tea or the earthyness of a Pu'erh when deep in reading a novel too. 

Now, should I be reading an intense Tea book to enhance my tea knowledge I will choose a Japanese green tea -- either a sencha or a Matcha -- to stimulate the brain to retain all the detailed facts being presented. For me green tea increases my ability to concentrate and retain. BTW, I make it a norm to start each day with a cuppa Matcha. I find the wellness properties and theanine are a needed daily ingredient for me.

While doing a very stressful (at least to me) task like blogging, I often find myself selecting a Chinese green tea with perhaps an addition of the appropriate herb for the situation. A future blog will address the potential of herbs to choose as an additive to a cuppa. 

When I just want to relax, enjoy my surroundings, and find my inner peace the tea of choice is a Taiwan Oolong -- Ruby 18 if possible. To me an highly oxidized Oolong immediately relaxes my senses, brings a feeling of calm throughout, and says, "Relax, enjoy, and laugh." 

Here's to you Tea of Choice -- May you always have Inner Peace and Joy,

The Tea And Hat Lady

Las Vegans Gather to Celebrate Tea!

If you enjoy tea and were in Last Vegas on Saturday, November 11, then you probably were at the 2012 Las Vegas Tea Festival at the amazing The Arts Factory. The Festival was a perfect demonstration of what is happening in today’s tea industry – sincere passionate people are taking an idea and thinking “out of the English Tea Cup”  to introduce others to authentic tea. This festival was a perfect example of how tea is going beyond the norm to interest today’s consumers.

 Naomi Rosen (Joy’s Teaspoon) and Louise Carruth’s (Little Candle Teas) definite passion for tea was confirmed through their efforts to provide all attendees an opportunity to learn about Japanese, Chinese, and Indian teas through tastings, pairings, and classes. The many, many months of preparation came together on Saturday and come together it did. Exhibitors displayed teas, tea accessories, tea gifts, and artistic tea products by Clay Arts Vegas.

 Although the introduction of Japanese, Chinese, and Indian teas were interesting, more research needs to be done on the details of each country’s teas. For me the highlights of the day were the tea-infused lunch and dinner formulated, prepared, and served by Chef Beni Velazquez of Bar & Bistro (www.barbistroaf.com) on E. Charleston Blvd. in downtown Las Vegas. “Tea/foodie” people are always looking for ways to combine their passions – so – why not infuse, blend, season/smoke our foods with tea!!! Let your imagination run with this luncheon menu . . . .

 Four Season Roasted Tomato Soup

(Not being a tomato soup fan, I was not looking forward to this course but WOW! Were my taste buds ever surprised with the amazing flavors beyond tomato and basil.)

Basil, Lemongrass, Ginger, Sofrita, Thai infused with Four Seasons Tea

Loch Duart Scottish Smoked Salmon Salad

(Salmon was smoked with the Lapsang Souchong Tea)

Baby Watercress, Tomato, Spiced Pecans, Grilled Pear, Lapsang Souchong Tea infused Citrus Dressing

Masala Chai Tea Flan

A Spanish Custard with Chai Syrup

Does that not sound like an outstandingly delicious lunch? And then to top all this off we were served a Tea infused Genever with pomegranate, molasses, and lemon juice. Personally, I found the molasses and pomegranate combination enhanced the tea while allowing the tea malty-ness to linger.

Now, just wait until you read what we were served for dinner by Chef Beni and Mixologist Scott I should note that the tea-infused meals were not part of the Tea Festival registration fee but well worth the additional fee. My recommendation to Naomi and Louise when planning another Vegas Tea Festival would be to concentrate on the “cooking (entertaining) with tea”

 Early evening brought us the pleasures of Chef Beni’s Four Course Tea Cuisine paired with hot teas and Mixologist Soctt’s cocktail creations to delight any palate.

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FIRST COURSE

Bristol Bay Scallops Consommé

Pan Seared Scallops, Carrots, Leeks, Wild Mushrooms, infused with Lovingly Lavender Tea 

Tea Inspiration – Lovingly Lavender – Black Tea blended with French Lavender

SECOND COURSE

Loch Duart Scottish Smoked Salmon Salad

Baby Watercress, Tomato, Spiced Pecans, Grilled Pear, Lapsang Souchong infused Citrus Dressing

Tea Inspiration – Lapsang Souchong – Pine Smoked, Chinese Black Tea

Cocktail Pairing – Atop Old Smokey

(Triple Smoke Scotch, Lapsang Souchong Syrup,

Aztec Chocolate Bitters, Old Fashioned Bitters)

THIRD COURSE 

Pineapple Crusted Baked Chuleta

Pork Chop, Spanish Chorizo & Cabrales Cheese Stuffed, Mahalo Infused Honey Brandied Applies

Tea Inspiration – Mahalo – Pineapple Green Tea

Cocktail Pairing – Bonzai – Nolet Gin, Mahalo Syrup, Fresh Lemon, Hibiscus Syrup, Presecco

FOURTH COURSE

 Masala Chai Flan

Spanish Custard, Chai Syrup

Tea Inspiration – Masala Chai – Black Tea and Spice Blend

Cocktail Pairing

Chaitini – Vanilla Vodkam, Chai Liquer, Chai Syrup, Bailey’s, All Spice

I believe you would have to agree, I certainly experienced a day of “tea overload” .  . .  tea, tea everywhere and tea to drink, eat, savor, and crave for the next time.

Until we again share a cuppa, try new ways to enjoy your enjoy tea!

The Tea And Hat LadySalmon being prepared for searing, smoking, and baking.

Yellow Tea Compliments Summer Afternoons

Wow, it feels like centuries since I last shared tea with you. Summer, family, friends, and life -- in general -- have become challenging for me recently. But I am happy to write that this morning I have been able to enjoy the great summer weather (no humidity and lower temperatures), early morning quietness with only sounds from the garden. This is the environment that most inspires me to connect with all my favorite tea peeps. 

During my hiatus from the virtal tea communication link, my seasonal favorite tea has been a Chinese Yellow tea. I might add no one ever takes a hiatus from Tea!!! My cuppa was filled with the lightly pale yellow liquor intense with floral aroma and fresh fruity notes that proceeded a light buttery note which lingered on the tongue. My cuppa definitely held a traditional Chinese Yellow tea.

My enjoyment of this cuppa enticed me to return to my tea library to re-read the history, growing methods, and production of Yellow tea. If one has a cuppa of the tea subject in hand and mouth, the written history becomes more meaningful and lasting. Perhaps the enjoyment of the tea entices the brain to absorb the written word. I am sure there is a study somewhere that would substantiate my idea.Yellow Tea - as seen through the liquor in my cuppa

Yellow Tea Facts: Yellow tea can also be named Huang Jing Kwei, Yellow and Gold Wu Long. An authentic Yellow tea is a lightly oxidized tea from Fujian Province, China. Harvested and manufactured twice a year (April to May; October to November). Yellow Tea is intensely floral often with buttery notes. First produced during the Qing Dynasty. The name reflects the scent of the osmanthus flower and the golden color of its liquor. 

Yellow Tea - First Steeping

May your cuppa be filled with delicious tea and ever lasting knowledge,

The Tea And Hat Lady

The Tea And Hat Lady Reflects on the Recent World Tea Expo

Many tea professionals have written in detail on all aspects of the recent World Tea Expo, I am going to report on the annual industry event from my perspective of the three very busy while enjoyable days I spent at the show.

The 10th Anniversery of the World Tea Expo is now over and the anticipation is building for World Tea East in Philadelphia on October 2-3, 2012 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. The recent West Coast and upcoming East Coast Expos are the largest events dedicated to specialty tea in North America. You are probably wondering what could tea professionals possibly do for three days that is directly related to tea. Well, just read these satistics (taken from the Celebrating 10 Years!, World Tea Expo Schedule, page 11) -- remember these have taken place over the course of a decade . . . . 

• Approximately 6,120,000 samples of tea have been tasted--that's nearly three gallons per person. (I am sure I have definitely consumed my three gallons and this was only my 4th World Tea Expo.)
• Conservately speaking, approximately 35,000 different flavors of tea have been savored. Did you get that --- 35,000 different flavors?
• Nearly 17 tons of premium tea has been showcased. (Remember that most tea is very light in weight.)
• Nearly 1,000 new products were launced at World Tea Expo. (All related in someway to tea and many of which I now own!)
• 486 educational conference sessions have been taught. (Here again, I sure have attended my share of these tea educational sessions.)
• The first tea auction on U.S. soil was held. (No, I did not have the honor of being present for this.)
• The first professional tea competition in the United States was conducted. (No, I was not present for this competition.)
• The first tea brewing competition was created. (Nor, did I attend this first tea brewing competition.)
• The first cooking with tea demonstration by a professional chef was offered. (Ah, yes, I did attend this demonstration and believe me, it was wonderful. One of the most interesting and delicious meals I have eaten.)
• The first authentic Gong Fu, Korean and Japanese tea ceremony demonstrations were held at a U.S. show. (Although, I did not attend these ceremonies at a World Tea Expo I have attended all these ceremonies.)
• More than 60 languages have been spoken.

And the statistics go on and on with new ones being added each Expo.

 I attended the show all three days and can honestly report that I learned something new each day. New teas to taste where offered in every aisle,  from a Taiwan ground green tea to an award winning Kenyan black tea grown by small-scale farmers.  Each box, of the Kenyan tea, features a unique label handmade using dired banana bark from banana trees where a hundred percent of the profits are used to pay school fees for orphans. One never knows what you will find on the exhibit floor of a World Tea Expo. 

Since I was registered for an additional Level 4 Specialty Tea Insitutute Certification class, I decided to keep my participation in educational sessions to a reasonable number to allow more time for exhibit hall demonstrations and tastings. With this restriction in mind, I choose a Core Conference session that included my favorite beverages -- Tea and Wine!

The session -- "How to Put Together a Comparative Tea and Wine Tasting" was taught by Certified Tea Specialist, Kyle Stewart and Beverage Manager and Master Sommelier, James Tidwell. Both gentlemen are well accomplished in their fields while extremely generous with their time, skills, and knowledge to encourage others to explore the Worlds of Tea and Wines. By the way, James Tidwell will soon be a Certified Tea Specialist in addition to all his expertise.

The similarities of the two beverages were examined during parings of a Santorini white wine with a Bai Hao Yin Zhen (Silver Needles from the Fujian Province of China), a Texas Viognier (white wine) with Huang Jin Gui (an Oolong Tea from the Fujian Province of China), and finally we paired a Santenay from France with an Oriental Beauty from Taiwain. Similarities of the wines with the selected teas were comparable in color, brightness, aroma, and flavor notes. This was an experience that I truly enjoyed and hope to provide the opportunity to do a tea and wine comparative with others. I have been motivated to include wine when exploring the characteristics of tea.

During my "pre-tea" days I had the opportunity to attend many trade shows but have yet to attend one better planned than the World Tea Expos. Kudos to all who have played a part in the idea, planning, and execution of all World Tea Expos.

Anticipating World Tea East,

The Tea and Hat Lady

Tea Friendships Along the Way . . .

Having Tea at Radiance Tea House & BooksI cannot believe it has been almost a month since I last blogged. Although I haven't been blogging, I have been very involved in the world of tea visiting interesting tea rooms, cupping new teas, presenting tea education programs, and seeking out new locations for my teas and tea accessories.

The end of February found me in New York City to participate in a "Tea Tour" arranged by one of my favorite tea friends Darlene Meyer-Perry (www.theteaenthusiastsscrapebook.com)  for myself and five other tea friends. The highlight of the two days was my friends graduating Level 3 of the Certified Tea Specialist program. We are now all "Certified Tea Specialists." Who would have thought?

Many of us began our tea journey two years ago in Charleston, South Carolina and as is always true with great friendships we added more to our group of traveling tea ladies along our tea journey. Our tea journey has become a life-long journey of tea education, cuppings, explorations, and ever-being the student.

Writing this makes me think of something I just read today in The New Tea Companion by Bruce Richardson and Jane Pettigrew (www.benjaminpress.com)  . . . "It seems that tea and its rituals help to create an atmosphere in which people feel safe, calm, nurtured and protected . . . in which they can discuss their experiences and feelings in a way that is not possible for them elsewhere." Oh how true this is for our little group. We may not see each other for months but once we are together with a cuppa in hand no time has passed since our last gathering. The laughs, sharing, and love is abundant.

Our first stop was at Radiance, Tea House & Books (www.radiancetea.com) on West 55th Street. Our selection of teas ranged from premium Matcha to iced Eastern Journey (a unique blend of green and black teas from China, India and Ceylon with rose, jasmine, and sunflowers) and everything in between. For lunch, I chose a Teriyaki Glazed Salmon Rice served with Shitake mushroom, red onion, steamed baby Bok Choy and Teriyaki sauce, Edamame, salad, dumplings and rice that was outstanding.

A selection of hot tea was served in this beautiful Chinese Teapot and Cup

 Premium Matcha Tea

My luncheon selection -- doesn't it look delicious?

 May your cuppa overflow with quality tea enjoyed by all tea spirits,

The Tea And Hat Lady