Happy Earth Tea's Blog
Thank You!
Now that the holiday shopping rush is over, we have a little time for reflection. Our shelves are empty, but our hearts are full of gratitude. Our Holiday Pop Up Shop was a grand success because of you! Many of our local customers visited, but we also welcomed many new people.
Holiday Shopping Update
Warm greetings everyone! Our Holiday Pop Up Shop has been going great! It is wonderful to have a spacious setting for lots of distancing and product displays. Thanks to all of you who have been so encouraging about this creative approach to holiday shopping during the pandemic. The online orders have also been robust, especially from the Rochester area! Our hearts are full of gratitude!
Tea news to distract you from the News
We’ve all felt increased anxiety with the Presidential election, protests and the global pandemic. Adding to the worry, is that it will probably take some time until the Presidential race is official. In the meantime, we suggest you stay calm and drink tea. We have some lovely new teas to try, and also teaware. You can check them all out here.
Learn More About Our Ceylon Black Tea
Way back in the late 1800’s Sri Lanka, formerly known as Ceylon, started growing and producing tea. It was a sleepy little enterprise until it gained the attention of an entrepreneurial Scot. This individual whose name would become synonymous with tea was none other than Sir Thomas Lipton. Sir Lipton was already rich because of his chain of grocery stores which started in Scotland and eventually spread throughout Britain. Though as a shrewd businessman Lipton wanted to cut out the middle-men and buy tea directly from producers to make tea affordable for the untapped working class market.
Teas for Intermittent Fasting
For the past couple of months there has been quite a lot of buzz about intermittent fasting. Sadly, COVID has disrupted many of our daily routines and forced us to adopt more sedentary lifestyles which has resulted in weight gain for many of us. We’ve had a number of inquiries asking which teas should be used during fasting periods and we’ll share our insights today.
Back to School Reflections
Today our children went to school which has drawn out so many mixed emotions. Normally the first day of school is a celebratory feeling, but today is quite different. On one hand, we are happy they return to school for two days a week of in-school instruction where they’ll get to have a quasi-normal school experience while wearing masks and socially distancing from their peers. On the other hand, we worry about their health both emotional and physical.
Relaxing with cheese, wine & community
During the global pandemic we’ve altered most of our daily routines to stay socially distance from others and remain in our homes to keep each other safe. Fortunately, our community has done a great job of containing the spread of the virus, so we felt comfortable taking a little nearby adventure.
Himalayan Sunshine - a first flush 2020 Nepal tea
Today, we have a very special new tea, Himalayan Sunshine, for you! This tea was produced earlier this spring by Jun Chiyabari tea estate (Organic), our partners in Nepal who are incredibly committed to crafting exceptional teas while protecting the environment.
Daughter of Darjeeling she was...is
On the eve of our daughter’s 13 birthday, I am a little nostalgic reflecting on the incredible journey of our precious girl. Oh, how time flies! It seems like only yesterday when she took her first steps and uttered her first words when we lived in Darjeeling. We could see Mount Kanchenjunga, the world’s third highest mountain (on a clear day) from our old British bungalow. Our little girl frolicked in the garden while we drank copious amounts of glorious Darjeeling tea.
Baozhong Wenshan Oolong and Best Ways to Prepare it
One of our favorite teas to sip on when the mercury starts scaling the roof is Baozhong Wenshan oolong. There was a heat wave this past week here in upstate NY, and after a few days of respite, we have another one in the forecast. If you are looking to cool off with tea, reach for Baozhong.
Recipe - Iced Coconut Matcha Latte
It's getting hot out there. It's only June and we have a rare heat advisory out today. One of the things you can do to stay cool and energized is make yourself a iced coconut matcha latte. Its a very easy recipe to follow. (Check out the video at the end).
Recipe - Happy Hibiscus Iced Tea
One of our popular iced tea at the tea bar is the "Happy Hibiscus." Made with a blend of our Flor de Jamaica and Rooibos Ginger Lime, the concoction is super refreshing. Here's the recipe and check out the video below.
Recipe - Instant Iced Tea
It's getting warm and toasty out there. Guess what's it time for? Iced Tea!!!
Let me share with you today a very easy method of making iced tea. It is a method we use at Leaf Tea Bar. It is a very easy way to make iced tea this way. There is no need to wait for the tea to cool, and you can make this practically with any tea. I love it with Darjeeling first flushes and other lighter delicate teas.
New Healing Herbals
We are extremely excited to now be offering some Ancient Indian Powerhouse healing herbs... Ashwagandha and Triphala. These are some of the most important functional herbs used in Ayurveda, a 3,000-year-old natural medicine tradition from India.
Staying Sane During Stay-At-Home
It has been around six weeks since we have been confined to our homes. Handling bosses and projects remotely, challenges of home-schooling, lack of socialization, stream of negative news and political rancor that refuses to diminish would wear out the best of us. Given that, I want to share some centering practices that may help you keep your sanity and find a little peace.
Jun Chiyabari Nepal on COVID-19 and First Flush 2020
Last week we received an email from Bachan Gyawali, the owner of the farm, updating us about the current status at Jun Chiyabari. We were happy to hear some positive news and we thought of sharing it with you here. I will extensively quote Gyawali because it gives you a sense for what it is like on the other side of the planet - almost the same as it were here. The challenges and the triumphs (there are few but they are there) in a world that has never felt this small before.
Differences Between First Flush, Second Flush and Autumn Flush
So you might have heard us use the term first flush, second flush and autumn flush particularly when talking about teas from Darjeeling and Nepal. What do these terms mean? Very simply they are used to distinguish different tea productions on the basis of seasons.
Green Tea, Its Anti-Viral Effects and Influenza
Tea may not prevent COVID-19 but past studies suggest green tea has anti-viral properties with preventive effects on influenza and common cold. We chanced upon some research thanks to a book on Japanese tea ceremony.
COVID-19 and Its Impact on Tea Production
Darjeeling first flush 2020 tea, as well as tea from Nepal for the season, will be a rare commodity this year. This sweeping pandemic has brought most of the world to a halt, including tea production. The timing is particularly sad, because now is when plucking begins for some of the world’s finest tea – Darjeeling.
Types of White Tea
Premium white tea is made primarily from the freshest shoots of yet unopened tea leaves and with minimal processing. Organic white tea can be described as the most pristine form of tea. Not much is done to the leaf - just withering in the sun, piling it up for a while for slight oxidation to set in and then gently baked. No rigorous rolling, pan-frying or shaping.
Tea ware at Metropolitan Museum of Art
It was a great way to kick off 2020 for us: a visit to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York city where some priceless tea articles from Japan were on display as part of the exhibition "Kyoto: Capital of Artistic Imagination."
Location matters for a tea garden
The quality of fine tea is dependent on many qualities, with sunlight, soil content, and elevation drastically effecting the finished product. A lesser known factor, however, is the direction a hill slopes while growing tea.
Tea Garden Visits - India Summer 2019
Two things I most love about my job - spending time with customers, and visiting the tea gardens back east. Every time I am driving around the hills where the tea is grown, the beauty of the place makes me feel utterly blessed that I can do this for a living.
India Trip, Summer 2019
I just got back from India after a two and a half week trip. Although it was not the intent but me and my travel companion, who in this case happened to be my 12 year old daughter, Tara, ended up "Chasing the Monsoons", like the travel writer Alexander Frater in his once popular book. And like Frater discovering - in our case rediscovering - the overwhelming life force of India even as the heavens hosed down the sub-continent.
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