[-]


NE14T? - http://uniquelytea.blogspot.com/feeds/4586651997281244278/comments/default

[-] Dragonwater now has a facebook page. Become a fan!

Facebook Page

Facebook page - http://dragonwatertea.blogspot.com/feeds/3340756482674474154/comments/default

[-]

January Newsletter - http://dragonwatertea.blogspot.com/feeds/4322542225511528208/comments/default

[-]


Competition Winner Dong Ding Oolong "Two Roses" - http://teadork.blogspot.com/feeds/4411101872657175607/comments/default

[-] Yesterday we found this wonderful "gingerbread Cincinnati" inside the lobby of the Hilton Cincinnati Netherland Plaza Hotel at the entrance of the Carew Tower shops.


Gingerbread Cincinnati - http://friendshiptea.blogspot.com/feeds/4160007487487117612/comments/default

[-]
Tea House Times' Publisher Launches Tea Course; An Education and Social Networking Site for Tea Enthusiasts and Tea Professionals
(from a press release)

The Tea House Times, a bi-monthly publication for those who enjoy tea and the tradition of afternoon tea, recently launched Tea Course; a valuable resource to connect consumers and tea industry professionals. Tea Course is a members only site to present and share tea related educational materials from industry pros, facilitate networking among members, and promote members or their businesses with a Facebook Flair.

The new Tea Course site is A Global Tea Journey introducing everyone - everywhere - to the wonderful health benefits of tea, time honored traditions, ceremonies, and ways to use tea time traditions to enrich their lives or elevate their businesses. Now you can sip and surf to find educational materials and presentations about tea, business, tea health and traditions, and tea party ideas and menu plans too.

Members of the Tea Course site can upload personal photos and contact information as one of the many applications to interact with other tea lovers and professionals. Full access members have access to creating personal or business blogs; downloads; MP3s; videos; a personal web page dedicated to a member or their business; audio postcards; and capabilities to give or hear advice from industry pros. Members can enjoy posting rights in the forum with the abili-TEA to create audio conferencing and video chat with other members. There is also an online store, a virtual book club with reviews, and live broadcasts along with a generous affiliate program to earn money for referrals. Posted events on the Tea Course calendars simply tip the cup.

Tea Course


shop for tea books.

tea, green tea, food, food and drink

Tea House Times' Publisher Launches Tea Course - http://www.teaguyspeaks.com/feeds/448789386455929874/comments/default

[-] Description (from Dragonwater.com): Rooibos with orange blossoms and citrus peels.

Review: This is definitely one of the next teas I am going to buy. Dragonwater has some killer rooibos blends, and this is definitely one of them. While I've tired of many of their other blends, this one surprised me with its fresh taste and incredible orange flavor. The flavor is, in all honesty, completely, mind-blowingly artificial...and I'm 100% ok with it. I can't drink orange juice because it is so unbelievably acidic, so this is a welcome alternative for me.

I am surprised to see that the reviews on the DW site are not so great -- this tea has a score of 3.8 (pretty low considering the massive love for many of their other blends). People say it is overpowering, too much flavor, etc. While some posters criticized it for its chemical flavor, I don't really taste that in this blend. I think the combination of orange flavor and the slight taste from the orange peels in it (orange zest) gives it a somewhat strange flavor. Rooibos in general also has a funky taste...in my opinion, orange drinks like Tang or Sunny D have far more of a chemical taste than this does.

In any event, I think I am going to use this tea to drink in the morning, like an orange juice. I will say again that I HATE tangy tea, or fruity/tart teas, but this orange rooibos is awesome. Plenty of flavor and very smooth and refreshing.

The Good: delicious combination of mint, chocolate and rooibos
The Bad: none
More Information/Buy: Dragonwater Rooibos Orange

Dragonwater Rooibos Orange - http://authoritea.blogspot.com/feeds/2908545056532674024/comments/default

[-]

The 2008 Taipei Tea Expo was held at the end of November, and I apologize in not getting this report posted up sooner. I’ve had some frustrating computer issues to deal with, as well as a lot of work (Taiwan kindergartens and ‘cram schools’ like to put on huge Christmas shows to show off to the parents, so there’s a lot of preparation to do).  Anyway, the show this year wasn’t as big as 2007, but we still had a lot of fun. Here’s how it went:

 

Aliang won a packaging design award last year with his gift box set and High Mt. Tea series custom tins & bags, so this year we had shelf space in the OTOP display. (The top shelf in the photo at left). OTOP collects top-level products in a variety of industries and markets them internationally as ‘the best products of Taiwan’, and Aliang’s ChaTei product line is one of their featured teas.

 

 

 

 

I had to work Friday and Monday, so was only able to help out over the weekend. As usual, I spent most of my time manning the gaiwans. I’ve been working on my ‘doubles’ technique, and had fun showing off for the visitors. It was especially cool doing 2 different teas simultaneously - I think that’s TKY and 4 Seasons Oolong I’m pouring in the picture at left - so that people could quickly get samples of both teas, which sold briskly both days I was there.

 

 

When I wasn’t at the booth, I was checking out the shows & other displays. The tea demos were better this year (in my opinion), although I didn’t have time to see any on Saturday. The Lu Yu tea school has a large presence each year, and this time they did a mini-clinic on the Wu Wo style’ tea presentation, inviting attendees to join in and practice their skills.

 

 

They also had a ’synchronized tea brewing’ demonstration wonder if that will ever make it as an olympic event . . . hmmm . . . It was fun to watch, but it seems that the demos aren’t all that viewer friendly. There is a lot of noise and commotion going on around, but the shows themselves are pretty serious (almost somber) and there isn’t much interaction with the crowd. Aliang says that we should start preparing something to do for next year’s expo - he wants something a bit offbeat, with more viewer participation if possible, so we’ve got our thinking caps on. If anyone has suggestions, please post them here for me.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All in all, it was a fun weekend. We didn’t break even on our sales, but the real point was to get out, see and be seen, and get people to try our tea. Chinese New Year is coming up, and that’s a big gift-giving season here, so we’re hoping there will be a lot of orders for gift sets & extra tea to drink at home with the family.

 

 

 

 

 

2008 Tea Expo - http://www.taiwanteaguy.com/2009/01/04/2008-tea-expo/

[-]

A two-week trip to Melbourne with a lack of internet access means that I haven't been blogging over the festive season (though I have certainly been drinking oodles of tea, and in fact received a bountiful amount of it for Christmas, hurrah!)... Back at home, life continues apace and it's back to work tomorrow... and it's a bit belated, but I do wish all of you the very happiest of New Years and hope that 2009 brings you all much joy (and tea, of course).

Looking through our photos from NZ with a friend the other day, I came across some that I took at the Puhoi Cottage Tea Rooms, where my husband and I stopped off one afternoon on our way from Paihia to Auckland. 

We had the best Devonshire cream tea ever – all the better for us  being extremely hungry at the time, too – fantastic scones and lovely tea in a beautiful setting, a closed in veranda of the house set in a lovely cottage garden complete with wishing well. 

There were a couple of cats wandering around and in and out of the tearooms as well, one of

 which looked very much like it had been getting too much cream for its own good, judging by its size! Both the cats were a bit shy but I still managed to get some photos of them too.

I saw a remarkable thing while we were there: the ‘Jolly/Sad teapot’ which I

 used to have until it broke, and which I’ve mentioned here. Not exactly the same one, of course – I think the one I had was a little smaller than this one – but the same pattern. Of all the places to see it! I almost asked if it were for sale, but decided that might be rude and settled for taking a photo instead…

Puhoi Cottage Tea Rooms - http://joiedetea.blogspot.com/feeds/1197699993581434595/comments/default

[-]

2008 Yongpinhao "Lanxiang Guyun" - http://half-dipper.blogspot.com/feeds/1224172891582974221/comments/default