Tea and Horse Trail: From Yunnan to Tibet (Part 1)

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Republic Of Tea’s New Web Site

The Republic Of Tea’s New Web Site Is An Educational Tea Experience
(from a press release)

The Republic of Tea’s new Web site (RepublicofTea.com), an educational tea experience built especially for Citizens (consumers) of The Republic of Tea, is live today. It features a homepage dedicated to tea education, informative tea-focused videos and The Citizen’s Tea Library -- a fully-integrated tea-knowledge center. Further, the new site is a visual embodiment of the brand and emblematic of The Republic of Tea’s “Sip by Sip Rather Than Gulp by Gulp” lifestyle.

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World Of Tea 13

From Australia, it's the Tea-Cha, a gadget that apparently allows one to whip up a cup of tea in as little as 30 seconds. One does this, it would seem, at least in part, by using a finer grade of tea. Hmmm. I hate to sound curmudgeonly but don't count me convinced on this one just yet. More here.

Hong Kong milk tea, also known as "silk-stocking milk tea," is apparently so renowned that it merited a brief article in the Wall Street Journal recently. Click here for Hong Kong’s Famous Milk Tea Recipe — Revealed?

Yes, tea people, we have sommeliers too. They exist in the United States and Canada, among other places - including the United Kingdom. For more, check out this profile of "the UK's first Tea Sommelier."

As for England's first commercial tea estate, well, it's one that we've covered here in these pages before. For more about Tregothnan Estate, refer to England’s Homegrown Tea, a short article I wrote recently for the Taste of English Tea blog.

Stay tuned for more World of Tea, an occasional feature that gathers tea-related dispatches from around the globe.

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A Year of Free Tea

New Leaf Brands Launches Twitter Contest "A Year of Free Tea"
(from a press release)

New Leaf Brands today announced the launch of a new social media contest "A Year of Free Tea." Its goal is to engage Twitter followers by offering a chance to win free New Leaf teas for a full year.

The contest will offer any new New Leaf Twitter follower a chance to win one case of free New Leaf tea each month for 12 months (a total of 12 cases). Each case contains 12 bottles of thirst-quenching teas; different flavors will be delivered each month. The contest will be implemented on New Leaf's Facebook and Twitter pages, however only individuals who follow New Leaf @drinknewleaf will be entered to win.

With a goal of reaching 800 or more followers, the "A Year of Free Tea" contest is effective immediately and will run for one month with 10 winners (picked at random) to be announced on May 17, 2010. New and current followers will be able to stay updated with news, information, special offers, and exciting giveaways from New Leaf Brands on Twitter and Facebook.

For further details on contest rules and regulations please visit New Leaf Brands. Start now to increase your chances of winning free tea for a year and follow New Leaf @drinknewleaf.

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mypressi TWIST Handheld Espresso Maker

mypressi TWIST and red espresso Rooibos Tea Espresso Introduce a Healthy, Handy Espresso
(from a press release)

A South African olive farmer in Cape Town and an Australian entrepreneur honeymooning in Bora Bora may not seem to have much in common, other than that they are both ardent espresso lovers. One is looking to curb his coffee addition and wants a healthy espresso that’s naturally caffeine-free; while the other dreams of an easily-accessible, quality espresso machine that is operable even in remote destinations such as Bora Bora… Add sheer determination, some lateral creativity and a passion for pursuing the seemingly impossible and this is what you get: two revolutionary products – a naturally caffeine-free, healthy espresso made entirely from Rooibos tea, and a lightweight, handheld espresso maker designed to produce amazing espresso. Both are Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA) Best New Product Award winners and both have put an irrevocable, fundamental spin on the global espresso experience. As it turns out, they also work so well together they have now entered a global partnership.

Created by Espressi, Inc., the mypressi TWIST is one of the world’s finest espresso makers, with a convenient handheld design. The first in a line of products born from a passion for espresso, the multi award-winning TWIST is stylish, lightweight and effortlessly easy to use. The TWIST uses a revolutionary, patent-pending pneumatic engine to provide perfect espresso time after time. It is petite enough to fit into a small kitchen or desk drawer and requires no external power source. It is the ideal companion for the creation of exceptional espresso or espresso-based drinks, and has received the highest accolades from Barista Champions, roasters, World Barista Championship judges and the media for its shot quality, breakthrough technology and ease of use. In 2009 the mypressi TWIST became the first portable espresso maker to win the SCAA’s prestigious Best New Consumer Product award. It was also voted Product of the Year by Sprudge.com, and CoffeeTalk Magazine awarded it Best of Show for CoffeeFest Seattle.

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Get Tan & Stop Snoring With Tea

From the Offbeat Uses For Tea file, a pair of noteworthy items.

Can tea (well, an herbal tisane, actually) help reduce snoring? The makers of Organic Relaxation Herbal Blend would like us to think so. It's not clear exactly how this is done but their press release suggests that it might have something to do with the valerian it contains. Hmmm. Read the release here.

Here in the American Southwest you don't have to work too hard to get a tan. But if you live in a less sun-drenched clime and you don't want to bother with tanning booths and fake tan lotions and potions, you might want to try tea. Yes, that's right - tea. More here.

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Tea Gadget Report

Stop...gadget time. Here's an assortment of tea gadgets, gizmos and whatnot that I've run across lately.

Do we really need a tea kettle that tweets (sends a message through Twitter) when the water is hot enough? Apparently so.

Tea "ball" in the shape of a musical note, anyone? Sing out if you'd like one.

This one's not specifically tea-related, but I guess it could come in handy as iced tea season approaches. The USB Powered Beverage Chiller Bag, as the name suggests, is powered through the USB slot of your computer. It doesn't "tweet" when it reaches the desired level of coldness but hey, you can't have everything.

Seems that hot beverages and bike riding might be a dubious mix. But hardy souls who want to try this sort of thing might check out the Morning Rush Coffee Mug & Holder - which can presumably be adapted for tea drinking.

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The Tea Enthusiast’s Handbook

The Tea Enthusiast’s Handbook: A Guide to Enjoying the World’s Best Teas
by Mary Lou Heiss and Robert J. Heiss
(from a press release)

(For my review of this title, check the Taste of English Tea blog, here.)

From the authors of the James Beard and IACP-nominated The Story of Tea comes a pocket guide edition no tea lover should ever be without. The Tea Enthusiast’s Handbook is a singular blend of practical know-how and rich detail on how to buy, brew, and enjoy the six classes of tea. In their thirty-five years as retailers of premium tea, veteran tea professionals Mary Lou and Robert J. Heiss have been asked just about every possible question regarding tea, tea steeping, and tea storage—questions that are answered with unparalleled passion in this handsome guide for casual tea drinkers and connoisseurs alike.

The Heisses know that crafting fine tea requires a highly developed sense of perception that no machine can replicate, and that every tea tells a story in the cup about the soil and air that nurtured it and the teamaking skills that transformed and shaped it. So get ready to explore the world of premium tea, with information to decipher tea lists, tea labels, and tea menus and to purchase a varied selection of wonderful and delicious tea with assurance. This concise and authoritative guide to the world of fine tea offers the perfect brew to fill one’s cup.

Mary Lou Heiss and Robert J. Heiss have been premium tea retailers since 1974. They are adventurous tea trekkers and food and travel writers, and they also present popular educational tea workshops and tastings around the country. They are coauthors of The Story of Tea and Hot Drinks. When not traveling to source tea for their shop Tea Trekker, the Heisses make their home in western Massachusetts.

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The Relaxing Company Launches Bottled Relaxation Tea

The Relaxing Company Launches Bottled Relaxation Tea
(from a press release)

The Relaxing Company, Inc., creators of Mary Jane's Relaxing Soda, announce the national launch of its newest euphoric product, boldly dubbed – The Relaxing Tea.

The Relaxing Tea is the world's first bottled tea to enter the relaxation beverage market. With its natural blend of decaffeinated green tea and black tea, Kava Root extract and agave it is designed for functional enjoyment during life's stressful moments.

"We are particularly proud to be the first to introduce, not only a Kava-based tea, but a relaxation tea to this industry," Matt Moody, president of The Relaxing Company said. "We created The Relaxing Tea for people who want a healthy, natural way to relax and unwind. It only has 13 grams of sugar per serving and has an undeniable relaxing effect."

Like its sister beverage, Mary Jane's Relaxing Soda, the tea's core ingredient is Kava root. Kava root extract is primarily used to experience euphoric relaxation, and to counteract stressful situations. Kava is the traditional ceremonial beverage native to the islands of the South Pacific.

The Kava root originates from the island nation of Vanuatu where there are quality control procedures in place from the establishment of the Vanuatu Kava Act.

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Mountain Top Green Tea Farm

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Tea Tasting A Success

Independent Tea Tasting Huge Success at Park Hyatt Washington
(from a press release)

Tea Extravaganza 2010, the first independent tea tasting of its kind in Washington, D.C., was successfully completed at the Park Hyatt Washington on Friday, March 12 and Saturday, March 13, 2010. Similar to a fine wine tasting, the two-day event was unanimously hailed by registrants as extraordinary after tasting 14 of the finest, rarest, and most exquisite loose-leaf teas the from around the world. Tea Extravaganza 2010 attracted aficionados from around the Washington, D.C. area. The event was co-sponsored by Park Hyatt Washington and the American Tea Masters Association.

Tea Extravaganza 2010 was a very unique and independent tasting event. None of the teas were available for sale. The event was purely an experiential gathering for sampling three steepings each of the high-end, exquisite teas.

Chas Kroll, Certified Tea Master and Executive Director of the American Tea Masters Association personally prepared the menu for the two-day event. “We taste-tested and evaluated well over 200 loose-leaf teas over the past three months. We followed the tasting protocol used by the association for training new tea masters,” explained Kroll. “Several of the teas on the menu were harvested by hand on only one day of the year. This is important due to the influence of the terroir and growing conditions affecting their rarity, similar to fine wines. This also explains why the teas retail for $100 to $500 a pound.”

The teas on the menu were all donated to the association by major tea vendors such as: PeLi Teas, Keiko-Tea, Metropolitan Tea, Tea Habitat, Shan Shui Teas, and The Whole Leaf.

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Lyons Tea Birds

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