Sold Out??? Don't Know When I Will Receive Another Shipment??

Have you ever heard these words when you drove to your favorite tea shoppe specifically to buy your very special tea only to find out it is not available? I'm like that with Acacia Honey; it is very hard to find. When I do find it, I buy every jar on the shelf. Importing is the problem because it is not produced in the US. With tea leaves, you have many additional issues. Sometimes it is a shipping issue due to poor weather conditions; sometimes the issue is the volatile weather in the area (typhoons, hurricanes, too much heat, too much cold); sometimes it is the political climate in the area; and last but not least, the tea is not as pure as the distributor contracted. Teas can have all the right qualities but if when it is tested, it is loaded with pesticides...the crop has to be destroyed or sold to another company who is not not so discerning. Another factor to keep in mind is the rarity of the tea. Very limited quantity may be produced during a certain season, and you have several companies vying for that product which means when it is gone...it is gone. So the next time, you visit the TeaGschwendner store in Cameron Village stock up on your favorite teas, especially if they are rare.

Another Great Use For Tea Leaves

When you finally decide to switch to tea, you take it very seriously. Whether you are switching for health reasons or just because you enjoy it, tea drinking quickly becomes a favorite all times of the day. You select just the right tea leaves, just the right pot, just the right water, just the right temperature, and just the right brewing time (so it's not bitter). Then you start experimenting by blending teas to create your own individual tea or you may start muddling (smashing) fruit and blending it with your tea. I enjoy this more with iced tea than hot. Recently, I brewed Blood Orange (6 heaping teaspoons) + a half cup of sugar + a large can of mandarin oranges + a little water to taste...it was delicious. I brewed it strong so by the time the ice melted...it was perfect. I have even thrown a handful of muddled Rooibos Lemonade into icing on a pound cake plus in the batter. I pulverized the leaves so all guests saw was little flecks of something...loved it. It must have been good because it disappeared quickly.

Tonight I tried something different. In my coffee grinder that I use for spices I dumped the following: 2 teaspoons of Mango Indica, 1/2 teaspoon of peppercorns, 1 teaspoon of Kosher salt, 1 teaspoon of herbs provincial (any combination), 1/2 teaspoon lemon thyme (regular is fine). Grind it all and pour into a small bowl. Add just enough extra virgin olive oil to make a paste. Rub into chicken parts...let set in refrigerator for awhile (at least an hour). Bake or Grill normally. It really flavored the chicken. Let me know how it turns out.

June is National Iced Tea Month...Classes Are Focusing on White Teas

Song Dynasty Emperor Hui Zhong proclaimed White Tea was the very essence of elegance. For centuries, white teas were enjoyed only by the Chinese elite. The traditional home of White tea is China. Today, one can find this deliciously delicate tea in India, Nepal, Sri Lanka and many other tea producing countries.

Why is White Tea so Rare? First, the harvest season is very brief...just a few short days. Leaves are painstakingly examined and harvested...only the perfect ones are plucked. It is the least processed of all the teas. The production of white tea is more labor intensive than other ones. That extra time and care shows in the price. Most shoppers will find only a tiny supply of this rarest of rare teas.

In classes this month, one of the teas, guests will sample is South India White Oothu. This white tea is partially oxidized with large leaves showing green, russet, and pale brown. It is grown on the Oothu Tea Garden 40 miles from the southern tip of the subcontinent and it is isolated in a pristine tropical rain forest. Oothu is the 1st tea garden to adopt Biodynamic tea cultivation. which means the tea is organic and practices fair trade. It employs over 1600 workers.

The tea has an earthy, nutty flavor with just a slight lemony nuance. It brews bright yellow to a bronze (almost bourbon) color depending on the number of infusions. Two teaspoons per cup with 170-180 degrees filtered water (depending on your water source). Brew for two minutes. Many tasters have suggested brewing the first cup at 10 minutes to allow the aromas to develop. Fine teas can be brewed this long without bitterness;however, lower grades of this tea will show bitterness. Usually, this tea can be brewed three times. Be careful with the temperature or the tea will taste bitter from burning the delicate leaves. White teas are the highest in antioxidants of all the teas, and for health benefits, you will want to drink 2-4 cups per day. If you have concerns about caffeine, many drinkers recommend that you pour hot water over the leaves for 30 seconds then dump the water and re-brew. I often wonder if that is the method used when tea companies say "naturally decaffinated".