There are very few things as important as our children’s education.  For millions of children worldwide, a quality education is a distant to unknown dream.  The REPUBLIC of TEA and Room to Read have joined forces to help promote children’s learning through the sales of The REPUBLIC OF TEA’s Little Citizens’ Herb Tea ($1 from each sale of this herbal tea will support Room to Read).  As a father of two daughters, I’m proud to spread the word about the partnership to help those that are less fortunate than many of us.

Mission of Room to Read: “We partner with local communities throughout the developing world to provide quality educational opportunities by establishing libraries, creating local language children’s literature, constructing schools, and providing education to girls. We seek to intervene early in the lives of children in the belief that education empowers people to improve socioeconomic conditions for their families, communities, countries and future generations. Through the opportunities that only education can provide, we strive to break the cycle of poverty, one child at a time.”

Today I made Strawberry Vanilla Little Citizens’ Herb Tea for my entire family.  The organic and fair trade certified Rooibos was perfect for the kids because it is naturally decaffinated. After drinking a couple of small cups, they still went to bed at their normal time.  The strawberry and vanilla flavors were very well balanced with the Rooibos.  The beverage was naturally sweet and flavorful enough to keep their attention.  The Strawberry Vanilla flavor was the perfect choice for my family since everyone really likes strawberries.  Give it a try, and help support the vision of the program by enjoying an excellent family-friendly herbal tea.

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My passion for tea extends beyond taste and health.  It’s because of your efforts that millions of tea drinkers get to enjoy a daily cuppa.  Your efforts pour more than tea into our lives and for that I thank you.  Our diversity is celebrated with each sip.  I’m proud to promote tea and tea related products because I’m proud of you.

Sincerely,

Marty

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About Tetulia: Tetulia is named for the region in Northern Bangladesh where our tea is grown. Tetulia teas reflect the pristine and delicate environment from which they hail. The Tetulia Garden sprang forth from virgin land nestled against the Himalayas to the North and the Brahmaputra and Ganges Rivers to the South.  Into this perfect tea-growing land, we introduced strong, vibrant saplings, which were planted with care in the new millennium. Since then, the tea plants have been encouraged and nurtured by Mother Nature’s own hand. The result: exquisite, organic teas unlike any you’ve experienced before. Fresh. Clean. Smooth.

Social responsibility is a primary focus of Tetulia.  The Tetulia Cooperative has provided many opportunities to those closest to the tea.  Education, health and cattle-lending programs, are just a few of the benefits Tetulia has offered the Bangladeshi men, women, and children.  I applaud this effort and can only hope by supporting their products that it will benefit a group of people that deserve an improved living environment.

The good news.. the black tea was very enjoyable.  After receiving my order, I quickly started steeping the loose leaf tea.  The scent of the dried tea has a deep freshness about it.  It’s not the most aromatic tea I’ve ever had, but I liked the fact that the scent differentiated itself from other black teas.  After steeping the tea for a few minutes in water around 208 degrees, I poured the tea into my cup.  With no major expectations, I enjoyed the aroma of the steam rising from the cup.  Then, I took a sip.  The flavor was very pleasing.  The smooth, fresh flavor with low astringency, made for a very good first impression.  This is an excellent everyday black tea.  The tea is full bodied with a slight sweetness that adds to the overall balance of the tea.   This tea easily rivaled many breakfast blends that I’ve tried lately.  Although the region is very close to India, the tea did not remind me of Assam or Darjeeling teas.  To top it off, Tetulia is certified USDA Organic.  Definitely give this tea a try if you are a black tea drinker looking for another black tea to diversify your daily routine.

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I can’t believe it’s been nearly two years since I started my journey into the world of tea.  I’ve met some great people along the way, and I’ve been able to experience a lot of excellent teas and tea related products.  I’ve been to two World Tea Expos, and my blogs are linked on some very popular sites.  When I started marTEA.com, my focus was simply to challenge myself to learn more about a fascinating beverage – tea.  I’ve developed a passion for “the leaf” that transcends a tea hobby.  For those of you new to my blog my name is Marty – pleasure to meet you.  The name “marTEA” (Marty) just fit.  My goals for the next two years will be to continue reviewing and promoting tea products.  In addition, I want to travel the world and learn in a hands-on environment how tea is farmed, plucked, processed, auctioned, packaged, shipped, etc.  Ultimately, I’d like to use my passion and knowledge for tea to better the quality of living for those in need with a focused effort on taking care of our planet.  I have a lot of questions, and I’m ready to search for the answers.  I hope you continue to join me along the way.

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From the Press Release:

A new video series encouraging world peace through tea culture from the San Francisco-based Samovar Tea Lounge promotes cross-culture dialogue and tolerance while drawing attention to the cultivation of tea around the world.

• Visit Samovar and view the videos

Enjoy the videos. You can checkout the videos on iTunes. Excellent job Samovar!

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At this year’s WTE, I stopped by and wanted to let them know that I admire their hard work. marTEA.com would like to wish Lindsey Valentini, President of Tea District, much success with her business. For a company that was started in 2005, you’re certainly off to an excellent start.

Visit Tea District

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I like how Choice Organic Teas are not only supporting Fair Trade, but they are also selling environmentally friendly organic products. Now, to take it one step farther, they have chosen to support a cause that they feel is worthy of attention (Save The Himalayan Kingdom). With each purchase of a box of Himalaya Green Tea, ten cents will go toward Save The Himalayan Kingdom. Nepal and its surrounding mountains are natural phenomenons that challenge the imagination of mankind to ponder its mass and beauty. Nepal is located in South Asia. If you look on a map, you’ll notice that Nepal borders China (north) and it is surrounded by India (south, east, west). It’s easy to see why Nepal is a tea producing country. Now, the green tea I’m drinking today is a USDA certified organic bagged tea from the Kanchanjangha Tea Estate in Nepal. The tea inside the bag was finely cut. The organic Nepalese green tea was light and fresh. There was a slight bitterness about it that didn’t agree with my palate. I wasn’t impressed with the overall flavor, but it easily rivaled its competitors that offer similar products. That said, if you enjoy bagged teas and you are looking for a green tea to try, what a great company to support. I enjoyed some of their other teas that I’ll blog about in the near future.

• Visit Choice Organic Teas

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I still cannot wait to visit the tea plantation in Charleston, South Carolina. That said, as I suggested in my previous blog, I was going to try one of their loose leaf teas. I’ve had several of their bagged products, and for the most part I have enjoyed most of their selections. I ordered this tea online from bigelowtea.com. I had no problems with the online checkout process, and the delivery of the tea was very fast. I selected their signature tea “Constant Comment.” Again, this was one of Bigelow’s loose leaf teas. This was the first time I have ever tried a Bigelow loose leaf tea. In addition, it was the first time I have ever tried “Constant Comment.”

The tea absolutely exceeded my expectations. First off, the tea leaves looked large and fresh. There are orange rind pieces mixed throughout the tea. The pieces of orange rind add to the presentation of the dried product. The scent of the tea coming from the tin literally makes your mouth water. Now, I’ve tried several fruit flavored teas. I have even tried orange flavored teas. Bigelow’s “Constant Comment”® is by far the best flavored black tea I have ever tried. I’ve tried several cups, and I have yet to be disappointed. The orange flavor is authentic and fresh. If you are a fan of citrus flavored teas, this is a must. My only complaint about the tea is that I don’t know where the tea was grown. I’ll let that slide…

Click here to follow Bigelow Tea’s “Going Green” initiative.

• Visit Bigelow Tea

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