Free Tea At British Airports

There's no such thing as a free lunch. But if this article in the Telegraph is to be believed, everyone arriving at a British airport may soon be offered free tea and biscuits.

Here's another article from the Telegraph, this one announcing that Orange Pekoe has been named the best tea to drink with a fry-up. Which, for those not in the know, is a traditional British breakfast made up of fried eggs, bacon, sausages, black pudding, mushrooms and baked beans.

What does the Queen eat for breakfast? More here, including some info on royal tea-drinking preferences.

Also from the British press, an account of a visit to the tea tasting room at the Taylors of Harrogate HQ.

Finally, here's a brief piece on the importance of tea in British culture.

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Clinical Trial Shows Cardiovascular Benefits for Rooibos

Clinical Trial Shows Cardiovascular Benefits for Rooibos, Popular Antioxidant Herbal Tea from South Africa
(from a press release)

The first-ever human clinical trial on a popular traditional South African herbal tea was recently conducted, testing whether the tea can possibly lower the risk of cardiovascular disease.

The new trial also generated the first human safety data in a controlled clinical trial environment, scientifically showing that short-term consumption of rooibos tea is safe for the liver and kidneys while keeping various blood parameters (e.g., blood pressure, cholesterol levels, etc.) in a normal range.

Provisional results from this study indicate that rooibos tea protects the body against oxidative damage, as seen by the approximate 21% decrease in conjugated dienes in the blood. Conjugated dienes are products formed in large numbers during the early stages of oxidation (destruction) of important cellular components such as fats (lipids). These lipid peroxidation products may be implicated in the development of vascular disease.

The trial (entitled “Modulation of blood oxidative stress markers and DNA damage by rooibos tea in volunteers at risk for coronary heart disease”) was conducted by Jeanine L. Marnewick (PhD), senior researcher at the Oxidative Stress Research Centre at Cape Peninsula University of Technology in Cape Town, South Africa.

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Guayaki Launches San Mateo Yerba Mate

Guayaki Launches San Mateo Yerba Mate
(from a press release)

Each of the yerba mates from the various regions of South America offer a unique flavor and style - just like regional specialty coffee, tea, wine and cocoa. Guayaki is celebrating yerba mate (pronounced ‘MAH-tay’) diversity with the announcement of San Mateo Loose Yerba Mate. Sourced from the rainforest in the San Mateo region of Southern Brazil, this air-dried organic yerba mate provides Guayaki customers with yet another delicious and invigorating yerba mate style to enjoy. San Mateo Yerba Mate provides “the lift of coffee, antioxidants of green tea, euphoria of chocolate and nutritional profile of wheatgrass” - all in one delicious eco-friendly beverage.

In South America, where yerba mate is a cultural phenomenon, techniques for processing yerba mate vary from country to country. In Paraguay and Argentina, many people prefer mate that has been wood dried and aged. Whereas in Brazil, “cruda yerba” (yerba mate which has not been roasted or aged) is often preferred. Guayaki’s new San Mateo blend is crafted in the Brazilian style by using an air dried, smoke-free drying process that yields a bright and lively herbal flavor and a clean finish. Unlike other brands in North America, Guayaki uses a premium cut which blends the whole leaf, tender stems and leaf powder to capture the potent ‘whole plant’ energy of the yerba mate tree.

San Mateo Loose Yerba Mate can be brewed like coffee in a French press, coffee machine or espresso maker, or it can be enjoyed the traditional way with a gourd and bombilla (metal filtered straw). Guayaki provides San Mateo in an economy sized 16-ounce bag for an SRP of $13.99.

Guayaki


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Argo Tea, BoilingPoint & Twisted Tea

Is Argo Tea poised to take on Starbucks? Well, perhaps that's overstating things a bit, but a pair of recent articles about the Chicago-based chain both dropped the name of the coffee giant. Read what the Chicago Sun Times and the restaurant trade magazine QSR had to say about Argo.

Looking for a gadget that claims to brew tea directly in the cup? Look no further than the BoilingPoint. More here.

For iced tea fans with a desire for something a little stronger, here's Twisted Tea, a "hard iced tea" that comes in a variety of flavors.

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Dilmah 'Single Origin' Ceylon Tea Expands In U.S. Market

Dilmah 'Single Origin' 100% Pure Ceylon Tea Expands U.S. Market Penetration With Availability at Major Grocery Chains and Specialty Gourmet Outlets
(from a press release)

Dilmah and Unity Brands Group have joined together to bring the splendor and quality of Dilmah Teas to the U.S. and have announced that they have expanded availability of the Dilmah Gourmet, Dilmah Single Estate and Dilmah Green Tea brands throughout the Eastern Seaboard and Southeast. Grown, handpicked, cured and packaged by family-owned company Dilmah Teas, the premium brand has emerged as a gourmet alternative to mass-produced, "blended" products and is currently the leading single origin, ethically produced Ceylon tea in over 90 countries.

The luxurious Dilmah Single Estate teas are among the most exclusive, boutique teas in the world and include Lover's Leap Estate, Somerset Estate, Dombagastalawa Estate, and Nilagama Estate. Among the traditional varieties in the Dilmah Gourmet Series are Earl Grey, English Breakfast, English Afternoon, Irish Breakfast, and Ceylon Supreme. The Dilmah Green Tea offerings include renowned Ceylon Green Tea with Real Cinnamon, Real Ginger, Natural Lemongrass, Moroccan Mint, and Natural Green Tea.

Dilmah

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