Search Results for "chai"

Evoking the heady aroma of nutmeg, ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, and black pepper, the word chai has visceral sensory connotations.

As the weather grows colder and the days grow shorter, Autumn is the perfect time of year to enjoy the warmth and comfort of tea.

In 1953, the Tea Act was put into place to standardize tea production in India. The Tea Board of India was created to assist in setting the standard and regulations from propagation of plants to sales of the final tea product and everything in between. Improving quality, setting standards, promoting consumption and cooperative efforts are a few aspects the Tea Board of India covers. Long before this time, tea was grown in the country.

WhatCha talking about? Tea, of course! Have you ever noticed that some cultures don’t refer to tea as tea but call it cha or chai? Why is that and how did we start calling it tea?

Tea is equally delightful when sipped on a warm summer day outdoors with a cooling breeze, as it is in the heart of winter, wrapped in a cozy blanket. The most devoted tea drinkers know their daily cup offers comfort in every season, whether served hot or iced. As summer settles in, many customers turn to our website seeking recommendations. What is the best tea for summer? What is the most refreshing tea?

Not sure what to buy for your loved ones this holiday season? We have a wide selection of gifts for tea drinkers! Follow along with us as we help you build your own tea gift basket with loose-leaf tea and accessories.

A new day dawns over the Nilgiri Hills of south India, the rising sun slowly illuminating the vast swaths of verdant tea fields, terraced into the steep mountainsides in a series of horizontal ridges to minimize erosion and conserve moisture. Towering eucalyptus trees stand sentinel over the fields, helping to improve soil micronutrients. These aromatic trees impart a desirable refreshing undertone to the cup steeped from the premium tea leaves.

When was the last time you went caroling? Every winter, countless communities throughout the world participate in the tradition of caroling to spread holiday cheer through song. So gather your family, friends or neighbors put the kettle on, and prepare your favorite travel mug. We have the perfect Christmas carol-themed holiday tea recommendations for your night on the town!

As summer draws to a close, the crisp autumn air begins to make its presence known. As daylight hours lessen, we prepare for the onset of a new season. Despite the impending chill, it is essential to savor life's simple joys.

“Decaf” is a term always revered with passion; it's usually either adorned with a grateful love or with a dismissive scorn. While some people desire the stimulating effects of caffeine, some find they need or prefer to avoid caffeine, for various reasons. Some may avoid it for dietary reasons, or as a life choice. It's important to have choices and variety in life. So, what is a tea drinker who loves the taste of tea supposed to do?

For many of us, a fresh, new year equals a lot of reprioritizing and redoubling our efforts to put our very best self forward. Wellness and immune support can provide a perfect basecamp as you prepare to summit whatever your plans and goals may require. Revving up your immune system predictably proves to be most challenging during this time of year, which is quite notorious for sniffles and sore throats. When seeking to fortify your defenses, where better to turn than the culmination of thousands of years of tried-and-true traditional healing.

Steep a cup of tea to sip alongside some classic records for a delightful sonic experience.

Every year when the weather grows cooler and the nights grow longer, tea drinkers around the world cherish a warm cup of tea. You could add cream and sugar or lemon to enhance your autumn cuppa, but what better way to add brightness to your morning routine than a touch of honey to remind you of spring?

According to the Tea Association, Americans consume as much as 3.8 billion glasses of iced tea per year! That means that as a country, we consume far more tea iced than hot. Contrary to popular belief, however, iced tea is not a strictly American creation. This summer, tea lovers around the world are reaching for an ice-cold cuppa. Join us on an exploration of some of the world’s most popular iced tea recipes, and enjoy some tea history along the way. Recipes make one serving.

It’s a dark and dreary day by the River Thames in downtown London. A fog rolls in with bouts of mist and rain. You seek comfort, and a local shop is serving tea.

The most anticipated time of the year is upon us – the first flush season in Darjeeling, India. The season usually begins in mid-February when the earth starts to warm up after the plants’ winter dormancy. The newly sprouting tea leaves are packed with stored nutrients and plucked by hand in the traditional way – two leaves and a bud. Batch sizes are limited and their quality is unparalleled. First flush teas are sometimes referred to as “sunshine in a cup,” with a flavor that is delicate and smooth yet so full of brightness. The fresh and slightly floral aroma is enthralling.

Cha-no-yu, the Japanese tea ceremony, is a time-honored and cherished tradition: a ceremony crafted for the optimal enjoyment of the experience of drinking a bowl of tea, arranged with great care and detail to create beauty and harmony in this moment of simplicity. To understand the complexity of Cha-no-yu and its cultural value, let us begin with the history of the tea that inspired the ceremony: a powdered green tea known today as Matcha, prized for its characteristic umami (savory vegetal) flavor.

Recently, our tea buyer Tanya and I had the privilege to visit Kagoshima to see where the tea is grown. Japan’s Kagoshima prefecture is located on the Osumi peninsula, in the south of the island Kyushu.

While many types of tea are grown in China’s Yunnan province, perhaps the most iconic and unique is Pu-Erh tea, an ancient and culturally significant beverage with an incredible history, grown nowhere else in the world.

The gaiwan is perhaps the most traditional vessel used to prepare tea, dating back centuries to China's Ming Dynasty.

While many types of tea are grown in Yunnan, perhaps the most iconic and unique is Pu-Erh tea, an ancient, unique and culturally significant beverage with an incredible history, grown nowhere else in the world.

Did you know that tea-producing countries in Africa, such as Kenya and Rwanda, grow almost a third of the world's tea supply? Because most of the world’s tea is grown in Asia, Africa is often overlooked in conversations about tea production.

The creation of “low” or “afternoon” tea is often credited to the Duchess of Bedford, who, according to legend, started this tradition to satisfy her afternoon cravings. It was becoming fashionable around the time of the introduction of gas lighting for the wealthy to stay up late into the night.

As the light faded on a clear autumn day in early November 1848, Robert Fortune first gazed upon the steep slopes of the “far-famed” Sung-lo-shan (Sung-lo Mountain). Cloaked by a misty layer of clouds, its intense beauty evoked the sense that he had just stepped into a painter’s landscape.

The lush tea fields of China’s An Hui province flourish, surrounded by craggy mountains that seem to stretch skyward into the clouds. When the wind blows, the damp mountain air carries the aroma of sweet spring rain and vegetation...

When you hear the words “high tea,” what images fill your mind? Decorative bone china tea cups with colorful floral designs? Meticulously arranged displays of little frosted cakes and scones? Or perhaps, dainty crustless finger sandwiches served on silver trays decorated with doilies?

Oolong tea, a beloved favorite ranging in flavorful versatility thanks to many methods of processing and oxidation levels, has a rich history spanning from legends to thriving traditions to your own personal cup.

As the days grow warmer and trees spring to life, signs of spring are all around us. It can mean only one thing: May has arrived, and with it comes the celebration of Mother’s Day! It is the perfect time of year to honor the mother figures in our lives and show appreciation for all they do. If they love tea (or if you happen to be a tea lover yourself), then you are in luck! We have carefully curated an abundant selection of tea gifts.

Royle had a proposition for Fortune. With his previous experience as a plant collector in China, would he be interested in traveling back to China, on behalf of the East India Company, to collect tea seeds and plants for cultivation in the Himalayan mountains of India? His answer changed the world.

We couldn’t believe how fortunate we were. As a Tea Consultant, I was excited because Japan is home to the finest green tea in the world. As a tea drinker, it also felt personal.

You may have noticed Matcha lattes popping up on menus in cafes and tea houses near you. Most tea drinkers are Matcha crazy these days, and our customers are no exception! With a high-quality Matcha tea, a little milk, and the sweetener of your choice, you can whisk yourself a cup of this delicious frothy beverage in your kitchen, for just a fraction of the price.

A cracked tea bowl mended with veins of gold. A faded, dog-eared paperback. A tea-darkened patina, formed over time in your favorite mug. A river stone worn smooth by years of movement. The fleeting beauty of cherry blossoms in spring. Dry tea leaves that gently unfurl in hot water. They embody the spirit of wabi-sabi.

A Unique German Tea Tradition: The Ostfriesentee Ceremony