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Just the Leaves

Your Tea Journey Begins Here

Learn about the origins of our tea, new recipes to try, how tea can fit into your daily routine, and more.

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Tea Consultant Cupping: Tasting 13 Varieties of Earl Grey Tea

Tea Consultant Cupping: Tasting 13 Varieties of Earl Grey Tea

Did you know that Upton Tea Imports carries 13 varieties of Earl Grey? That’s a lot of bergamot! Customers will often ask us: “what sets your Earl ...

How Sweet It Is

How Sweet It Is

Inspired by traditions of enjoying tea with jam and bread, adding jam to tea emerged as a practical way to sweeten tea when sugar was scarce. If yo...

Lavender Fields Forever

Lavender Fields Forever

Lavender oil has been shown to have anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antimicrobial properties, which some evidence suggests can help soothe th...

Memorial Day Honors and Iced Tea

Memorial Day Honors and Iced Tea

Celebrated since 1868, Memorial Day was originally known as Decoration Day, when loved ones would decorate the graves of those lost. Moving forward...

Time to Celebrate Tea!

Time to Celebrate Tea!

To celebrate International Tea Day, you may enjoy preparing or attending a tea party, perhaps, weather permitting, a picnic tea party where you can...

A Little Bit About Terroir

A Little Bit About Terroir

Tea leaves, like wine grapes, are particularly susceptible to subtle shifts in this complex system. This can be detected most broadly between teas ...

Tea and Water

Tea and Water

You may not typically think of water as having a distinct “flavor” per se, but the mineral and particulate content of water from different sources ...

The Case for Multiple Steepings

The Case for Multiple Steepings

The reason re-steeping works is that each of the soluble compounds, like polyphenols and amino acids, and the insoluble essential oils in tea leave...

A Closer Look at the Difference Between Teas, Tisanes and Herbal Infusions

A Closer Look at the Difference Between Teas, Tisanes and Herbal Infusions

That wonderful, aromatic beverage prepared by pouring hot or boiling water over the processed and dried leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant, tea ...

Tea and Time Out

Tea and Time Out

During the week, mornings tend to feel rushed for those headed out to work or school. A tea routine may consist of heating up the kettle as you pre...

What Do Dragons Have To Do With Green Tea?

What Do Dragons Have To Do With Green Tea?

What do these seemingly unconnected and wildly off-topic concepts have to do with your cup of tea? The answer may surprise you. Every time you orde...

The Etymology of Tea

The Etymology of Tea

Tea was first discovered in China, thousands of years ago in 2732 BC, by Emperor Shen Nung who happened upon the amazing tea leaf. With tea origina...