marTEA on TwitterCindi Bigelow shows us how to prepare a “perfect” cup of tea in this YouTube video. Bigelow Tea has produced quality tea since 1945. The company is based in Fairfield, CT. Cindi Bigelow is the Co-President of the successful family-owned tea company. Cindi Bigelow is a well-respected executive in the tea industry. Her charm and charisma makes this instructional video both entertaining and educational.
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This is a good video to watch for those of you that are new to tea. If you are starting to gain interest in tea, Bigelow Tea is a great place to start.
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The tea scene would not be complete without personalities like Dr. Tea. Mark Ukra (aka Dr. Tea), is the co-owner of the Tea Garden Herbal Emporium in West Hollywood. I noticed Dr. Tea in the History channel documentary Modern Marvels: Tea. For those in attendance at the World Tea Expo, you could not miss his bright orange lab coat that is one of the trademarks of Dr. Tea’s style. If you’ve seen Modern Marvels you can’t miss Dr. Tea’s interviews. His enthusiasm and knowledge for tea mixed with his infectious personality makes for a very entertaining individual. Dr. Tea is not a doctor. In the interviews I’ve read, he makes it very clear that he is not a doctor. “Dr. Tea” was a nickname given to him because of his extensive knowledge for tea. He means no disrespect to the medical professionals. That said, the nickname really suites him. If you can, try to find Modern Marvels: Tea to see his interviews. He literally inspired me to be more passionate about tea. For example, although I blog about tea and drink more tea than anyone I know, I realized I wasn’t doing enough to truly learn the finer details of tea. When I watched his interviews, he holds the dry tea. He puts his nose in it. Obviously, you may not want to stick your nose in tea that your guests are going to drink, but for me to truly appreciate tea I’ve learned to hold it in my hands. It may sound crazy, but by holding the tea and really focusing on the leaves you start to pick-up on the quality of the leaves. Anyway, check out Dr. Tea’s website. This guy is really entertaining. If you are in West Hollywood, you definitely want to visit the Tea Garden Herbal Emporium.
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If you are interested in learning more about tea, check out this video by Dragon Pearl Tea. Dragon Pearl specializes in providing premium quality Chinese teas from the Fujian Mountain farms. The “Love of Tea” is an informative video covering a wide range of tea related topics. If you want to know the differences between black, green, oolong, and white tea, this is an excellent video. Learn why the Fujian mountains are known to produce some of the world’s finest teas. A brief lesson on Chinese tea serving as well as the health benefits of tea are also covered in the video. The video gives you a stunning view of the Fujian mountains.
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If you are looking for an easy and efficient way to make tea, Zarafina has an innovative product to help you. As loose leaf tea continues to gain popularity in the U.S. due to the countless health benefits and superior natural flavor, a popular method for steeping tea needs to be established. Coffee drinkers have a plethora of coffee makers to choose from to prepare their beverage of choice. Tea drinkers have not been as fortunate. Zarafina is filling the void. If you are comfortable with your current tea making technique, this product may not appeal to you right now. However, I think the timing is right for Zarafina’s product to take-off. Most people I know have no idea how to make loose leaf tea. I know a lot of intelligent people, and when they see my “real” tea, they always ask, “how do you make it?” After I explain, they go off and… get a coffee.
Zarafina’s tea maker helps tea drinkers by standardizing the tea making process:
What I like most about the Zarafina tea maker is the noticeable quality of the product. I was impressed with the packaging of the product. Packaging is very important to me. It let’s me know that the company cares about the customer and the delivery and presentation of the product. The quality of the tea pot, cups, and various pieces of the tea maker suite all seem to be very durable. I’ve had the tea maker suite for about two weeks. Like any food or beverage appliance, a good washing is in order after you remove it from the box. I ran a few “test” brews through the tea maker to get all of the “newness” out of the hardware. So far, I’ve drank a few of my favorite black teas and an oolong, all made with the tea maker suite. After a little practice, my tea is tasting just as good as it did with my other brewing methods. With this tea maker, I don’t need to worry about water temperature and steeping time. Life is hectic enough. My practice time with this product was geared more toward how much tea I needed to use to get the brew strengths where I like them.
Last night was the moment of truth. I made the first “tea for two” using my Zarafina tea suite for my wife. Regardless of how you make your tea, there’s nothing better than enjoying it with someone you love.
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My quest for knowledge regarding tea is leading me to the World Tea Expo. The expo is going to be held in Atlanta, GA, June 9-11. It’s an exciting opportunity to attend this massive trade show. I look forward to learning more about current tea trends and new products. I will be sure to blog about the exciting products and services I see at the event. The tea industry is, without question, one of the most exciting and challenging industries to be a part of during this time period.
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It must be awesome to be a part of Bigelow tea and the heritage that surrounds the company. I’m sure any one reading this post knows of Bigelow Tea. The U.S. family owned and operated tea company is located in Fairfield, Connecticut. They own the Charleston Tea Gardens in Charleston, South Carolina. It’s often dubbed “America’s only tea plantation.” My goal is to some day make it there. I truly admire their passion for tea.
Now, the reason I’m writing today is to let you know about their blog. That’s right, they’ve had a blog for a short-while now, and they keep it up-to-date. You’ll be notified of both the good and the bad happenings within the Bigelow tea company. In addition, you’ll get the message directly from the top. So, check it out. One more important note: on May 12, 2007 @ the Charleston Tea Plantation, they are holding a First Flush Celebration from 10am – 5pm. That should be pretty cool to attend. See the links below for details:
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There are several tea blogs like martea.com floating around cyberspace. However, there are only a handful of podcasts that talk about tea. If you are new to podcasting, podcasts are audio files typically streamed or served in mp3 format. Most podcasts allow subscribers to download the audio files (mp3s) to the listener’s computer for free. The listener can play the podcast on their computer or transfer the podcast to any mp3 player like an iPod or multi-media mobile phone.
What I like about podcasts and blogs is the fact that they appeal to my tea hobby and my interest in technology. I found a “teacast” last year using Apple’s iTunes software called the “Tea Lover’s Room Teacast.” The “teacast” is hosted by Stephanie from Sacramento California. She describes the podcast as an audio podcast show about tea, tea customs, and traditions. For anyone that wants to learn more about tea, and you are technically capable of listening to podcasts, I recommend Stephanie’s podcast. You can listen to all the past episodes to get caught up with the evolution of the podcast. I’ve noticed lately that the podcast is not as frequently produced as it was last year. Keep in mind, most of us that blog and podcast do this in our spare time around our busy lives. Stephanie’s website now includes the Tea Lover’s Boutique, which sells tea and related products. Her efforts deserve a look.
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