It is official, spring is here…although it is hard to believe since it was snowing last week.  I have returned from the World Tea Expo in Las Vegas.  It exceeded my expectations in all areas.  The beginning of the trip began with my volunteering for the Specialty Tea Institutes (STI) level I and II training classes.  It served as a great refresher for me, and I was able to meet and work with some of the leaders in the industry.  (I have also just returned from Charlotte, NC, and completed my Level III, Professional level certification through STI.)  Following the two days with STI, I participated in nine tea and business related seminars.  The information provided me with many new and exciting ideas that you will see over the coming months. 

Cynthia Hamel, my very special tea friend from New Jersey, and I attended a beautifully and artfully presented Chinese Gong Fu Tea Ceremony performed by two women from China.  This ceremony is based on harmony, respect, purity and tranquility.  While observing such a ceremony, one can feel how their art and ceremony of tea can bring peace of mind.  We also attended one of the delicious “Cooking with Tea” demonstrations offered by William Jarvie of Johnson & Wales University, Providence, RI.  His culinary techniques were dramatic as he skillfully created a Darjeeling Bearnaise Sauce, Fu Man Chu Dressing for Cabbage or Wilted Spinach, and a Yunnan Dip for Vegetable Crudites.  Due to FDA regulations, we were not able to sample his gourmet dishes, however the recipes were provided.  You can be sure I will try to recreate them for our tea party catered functions! Cynthia and I also attended the first ever Tea Auction to be held in the U.S. The Nilgiri teas we sampled were superb, with one of them breaking a world record and selling for $600 per kilogram, possibly becoming the highest priced black tea to be sold at auction.

In this newsletter, you will find the following news items:

• This Months Specials

• Up-coming Events- “Tea Tastings,” “Cooking with Tea Event,” and “Recipe Search”

• Tea Terms

• Health News

THIS MONTHS SPECIALS

All SPRING china, pottery and giftware is 15% off until the end of April.

Raspberry Black Tea

This is a Ceylon black tea with dried raspberries and all natural flavoring.

Loose tea in 4 oz. tin        $6.35                                

Tie Guan Yin

This China tea offers a fragrant and sweet aroma and flavor with a golden yellow liquor.  Sometimes referred to as the Iron Goddess of Mercy, this is a slightly oxidized oolong that can be infused up to 5x per tsp.    

Loose tea in 2 oz. tin        $7.25

Tea Tasting:  Treasures Antiques, “An Evening Out”.  Wednesday, April 12^th.  5:00 – 9:00.  Amherst, NH. 

Tea Tasting and Cooking with Tea Demonstration:  Toadstool Bookstore, Friday, April 21^st.  Milford, NH.  Call Toadstool Bookstore at 673-1734 to reserve your seat today!

Recipe Search: A Local New Hampshire author, Michaeline Della Fera, is seeking submissions for her new book, “Recipes to Soothe the Soul.”  They should be sent with a stamped, self addressed envelope to, Michaeline Della Fera, 94 Wheeler Road, Hollis, NH 03049. For more specific guidelines, click here to email Michaeline.

TEA TERMS

If there is a term that you would like defined, please click here to email us.

FTGFOP:  Type of tea leaf grade used in India.  Stands for: Fine, Tippy, Golden, Flowery, Orange Pekoe.

Pai Mu Tan:  Also know as white peony, this delicately flavored tea with a sweet aroma is from the Fujian Province of China. 

Green Tea May Protect the Aging Brain

Reuters

Updated: 6:25 p.m. ET Feb. 24, 2006

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