Tea to Ease your Mind and Body

Sarasota Magazine included Local Tea Company in a recent ’round up’ of things you can do to Ease your Mind and Body as part of their ‘Self Care’ series.

The author, Heather Dunhill, picked our Bertha Palmer Rooibos and the category of Green Teas.  We suggest any of our green teas for the combined effect of calming alertness. She references Buddhist monks who drink tea all day long, striving to balance a relaxed, calm mind.

Here is a post about Green Tea Makes you Happier and a post about a research study on Green Tea fighting Covid.  More reasons to drink Green Tea in addition to a tea to ease your mind.

Similarly, for Rooibos, we offer nine (9) varieties with a range of flavors.  Rooibos offers many health benefits and is caffeine-free so that it can be enjoyed at any time of your day.  Here is a recent post, Five  Reasons you will Love Rooibos, by Tim Agnew.  The article also tackles How to pronounce Rooibos.  Or, what is the proper pronunciation for Rooibos?  We say ROY – BOSS.

Other parts to the pieces include DogStreet Cookies from DogStreet Photo, a CBD Balm from the Skin and Body Bar,  Lavender bath salts from Blue Mercury, and a Weighted Blanket from Ravi.  With a Cuppa, a wonderful collection for your ‘Self Care’ Sunday or any day of the week.

Thank you, Sarasota Magazine and Heather Dunhill.

Valentine’s Day with Tea

“That’s one of the things I look forward to about an evening like this.  Someone to drink tea with at the end of it.  For all I know, the whole point of civilization is to provide one with someone to drink tea with at the end of an evening”.

Aurora Greenway

Shirley MacLaine in Terms of Endearment

Happy Valentine’s Day, everyone!  We hope you plan on drinking tea with someone this evening, Valentine’s Day with Tea!  At Local Tea Company, we have two exceptional teas with which we celebrate our loved ones – Sweet Sin Rooibos and Chocolate Honeybush.  Both are packed full of romantic flavors, and both are naturally caffeine-free herbal infusions.  Perfect for drinking in the evening.  You may recall an earlier Valentine’s Day post, “A Time for Tea,” that Glynis made a few years back.  What tea has the most caffeine?

Sweet Sin Rooibos

Sweet Sin is a South African Rooibos tea blended with raspberry and rose petals. Rooibos is becoming more and more popular as tea drinkers discover the unique taste, excellent health benefits, and versatility.

How to pronounce Rooibos?  Or, what is the proper pronunciation for Rooibos?  We say ROY – BOSS.

Sweet Sin is fantastic served as a hot tea but equally useful as an iced tea.  Maybe garnish with a rose today?  We have a previous post about Rooibos tea and a more recent guest post titled “5 reasons you will LOVE Rooibos Tea” if you want to refresh your memory on where this herb is grown, how it is produced, and the tea’s excellent health benefits.

If you have not yet read any of Alexander McCall Smith’s books about the No.1 Ladies Detective, then do look them up and enjoy tales of Mme Ramwotse solving cases whilst drinking Rooibos tea. I am sure she would drink this tea with her husband to celebrate Valentine’s day with Tea.  What tea has the most caffeine?

Chocolate Honeybush

Chocolate Honeybush is also from South Africa, and although Honeybush is a ‘bush’ tea, the plant is a different species. This tea is blended with rose petals, chocolate flakes, and caramel pieces.

Above all, this tea is perfect for ‘Chocoholics’ and ‘Romantaholics,’ and is very yummy served hot and very able to satisfy a sweet tooth without all the calories!  Not quite as healthy as the original Organic Honeybush, but Valentine’s Day is a good excuse to indulge.

Whatever you do today, wherever you are, I hope you have someone special to share tea with at the end of the day. Therefore, taking tea together is very civilized, especially with ‘love’ in the air. Enjoy.

Tea Newsletter #6 – Green Tea vs Covid 19

Green Tea v Covid

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Happy 2021 Tea Lovers

Tea always seems to be in the news, especially in the first part of the year.  After all, January is National Hot Tea Month, so we have been…drinking a lot of hot tea.  How about you?  What’s in your cuppa?

Green Tea v Covid

Also, in the news, Green Tea fights Covid?  Really??  A research study from North Carolina State University says maybe.   While you are waiting for your vaccination, why not put some green tea in a teapot?  For an added boost, matcha!  We wrote about the many benefits of Matcha powdered green tea here, and Glynis shared a recipe for Matcha Green Tea Ice Cream here.  What tea is good for a sore throat?

Places

This is not news, but if you are ever near the Venice Airport, be sure to visit the SunCoast Cafe in the terminal.  Chef Tony braises his pork for 13 hours and then compiles the best Cuban sandwich in my world.  They serve our teas, but you really have to go for the Cuban with rice and beans.

The cafe is busy and always has reggae music playing in the open kitchen.  There is a Bob Marley quote on the grill hood, and people really do fly in from all over for lunch at the SunCoast Cafe.  You should too.

Tea Quotes

At the end of Dr. Doolittle, I found this quote and thought it was of special ‘tea’ interest.  The last line in the book reads…

“You know, there’s always something rather attractive in the bad weather in England-
when you’ve got a kitchen-fire to look forward to…
Four o’clock!
Come along-we’ll just in nice time for tea.”
Hugh Lofting

Books

While we are on quotes, I loved ‘Steal Like an Artist’ by Austin Kleon, filled with quotes and inspirations.  Here is one I liked from Salvatore Dali, and if you are ever near Tampa, be sure to visit The Dali Museum.

“Those who do not imitate anything produce nothing.”
Salvator Dali

Next on my list for 2021 is the Queen’s Gambit novella by Walter Tevis.
Tea Pairing – I suggest Roasted Mate; all of our yerba mates bring out the cleverness in me and gives me a boost in the afternoon.

Sip Locally Tea Blog

Green Tea Fights Covid? – Green Tea v Covid 19.  What tea is good for a sore throat?

Cremesh Coffee & Bakery – New Serving Partner in Bradenton

Green will Make you Happier (Guest Post by Tim Agnew)

Lights in Bloom at Selby Gardens 

Watching 

I did NOT know there was a remake of ‘All Creatures Great and Small’ when I mentioned James Herriot’s book in my last Newsletter.  And, yes, I am enjoying the show very much!  The accent reminds me of another Yorkshire lass:):)  I’ll let Glynis pair a tea in the next newsletter.

Listening – Podcast

The podcast LBJ‘s War is a bit dry but a welcome escape.  The last trip I took before the Pandemic was to Austin, Texas.  An unexpected connection to Austin Kleon, who also lives in Austin!  Anyway, we visited the LBJ Presidential Library, my only visit to any Presidential library.  Very cool.
Tea Pairing – Something sweet, probably Sweet Sin Rooibos (also ideal for Valentine’s Day!) and probably iced tea or ice tea.

Listening – Music

I found Lloyd Cole on Twitter and have been listening to his Spotify Channel.  A blast from the past, I hadn’t really thought about him or The Commotions in many years. East Lansing’s most important musical duo, Kwi-J, introduced me to Lloyd Cole’s music in the ’80s.  Cole is now a golfer and maybe the next subscriber to GolfToons?  He sells his handwritten lyrics. I think?
Tea Pairing – I’m going with Pioneer Tea, a blend of citrus, eucalyptus, lemongrass, and sweetened with beetroot and carrot flakes.  Very unique, and so, also, a nod to Dali.

As always, your comments are welcomed, and thanks for your support.

Your Local Tea Team

Cremesh Coffee and Bakery

Enjoy!

Lights in Bloom at Selby Gardens 2020

Today we restocked the Selby Gift shop with more Selby Select Rooibos, Secret Garden Green, and Little Monkey Fruit Tea.  There is a wonderful holiday vibe when you enter the Gardens.  Lights in Bloom at Selby Gardens is underway.

Selby Gardens comes alive with brilliant lights, festive displays, and a spectacular Christmas tree made of bromeliads every year.

Guests stroll through a magical garden filled with sparkling lights, live holiday music, and children’s activities.

The Gardens look GREAT!!!  My favorite is the flamingos with antlers!  This year will be slightly different, though the ‘Botanical Elves’ at Selby Gardens do a tremendous job every year.  See you at Selby! 

This blog has a bunch of posts about Lights in Bloom as well as our FestiviTea.  Tis the Season, and we did have a bunch of orders for FestiviTea over the weekend.

See Lights in Bloom at Selby Gardens, the Open-Air Holiday Light Show through Jan 2, 2021.

Here is how Selby Gardens describes the event…

‘More than two million lights illuminate the gardens, and walkways are transformed into sensory light tunnels. Stroll through magical gardens filled with beautifully lit flowers, radiant rainforest butterflies, dragonflies, and more.  Lights in Bloom®: An Open-air Light Show.  has become a tradition for residents and visitors to celebrate the holiday season in Sarasota.’

So true, a wonderful Local Treasure.

Tea Newsletter #5 – Supporting Local, Thank you

Supporting Local, Thank you

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Happy Holidays Tea Lovers

Last week was Small Business Saturday and then Cyber Monday.  We had record sales at our online shop.  I am massively grateful and sincerely appreciate all the support AND the many kind notes received with your orders.

This year more than ever, supporting local businesses is vital.  And it’s wonderful to see so many people finding clever ways of support.

Before we opened in 2007, we established our three operating tenets…

• Buy local products and services, 
• Celebrate local treasures,
• Protect local environments.

We still use these ideals for how we operate today.  And, while no tea is grown in Sarasota, we consider our teas ‘locally inspired.’

Thank you for supporting our Serving Partners.  This month I am thrilled to add three new locations offering our teas; Cheesecake Cutie, Cremesh Coffee & Bakery, and Vernona Gourmet.  While you have every reason to doubt my neutrality, all of our Serving Partners are the BEST!

Onto the Holidays in Sarasota…

Places

The Selby House Cafe is one of our Serving Partners; they sell a lot of our tea at Selby Gardens.  What is better than walking around this botanical waterfront oasis with a hot cuppa?

Lights in Bloom starts on December 12th when Selby Gardens is transformed into a holiday celebration.  The Bromeliad Tree is lit, so grab a cuppa and enjoy the splendor!
Tea Pairing – Selby Select Rooibos was our first locally inspired tea and still our best seller.

Sip Locally Tea Blog – recent posts

5 Things to Remember when Gifting Tea

The Time of Year for Chai

GIY – Grow it yourself

I found this article about creating your own Herbal Tea Garden filled with great tea details, and the wonderful quote below.
Tea Pairing – Organic Egyptian Chamomile

                     “We often think that drinking anything without caffeine is innocuous,
but herbal tea has power.”         Timothy d’Offay

Places

Recently, Dianne and I visited The Ringling Museum to check out the Kabuki exhibit.  Fantastic.

Every visit to Ringling is special.  The Gallery with the enormous Rubens is my favorite spot in Sarasota, absolutely transportive.  It feels like Firenze!

We revisited the Japanese Tea Room, then walked to and along the waterfront near the Ca d’Zan, back past the newly filled wading pool and the Mable’s Rose Garden.  We are lucky to have this treasure in Sarasota.
Tea Pairing – I’m going with the Big Top Tea, and next time we’ll go into the Circus exhibits.

TV

Every version of Fargo is a blend of suspense and odd humor.  Always a twist and filled with surprises.
Tea Pairing – Pinhead Gunpowder Green Tea a dangerous-sounding tea!

Books

It is a short one, but I started ‘The Voyages of Doctor Doolittle’ this week.  Growing up, I wanted to be a veterinarian because of both Dr. Doolittle and James Herriot’s books.  And now I sell tea!
Tea Pairing – Little Monkey or DragonFruit Green Tea!  Both good choices:):)

As always, your comments are welcomed, and thanks for your support.

Your Local Tea Team

5 Things to Remember when Gifting Tea

5 Things to Remember when Gifting Tea is a repost with updates and additions.

After spending Thanksgiving at my Aunt’s home, I found a neglected tea cabinet that I immediately corrected.  The details are irrelevant, other than to say I started from Square 1.

As I put together a list of teas, I realized it might help others thinking about gifting tea for the holidays.  You can find the actual list at the bottom of ‘5 Things to remember when Gifting Tea.’

5 Things to Remember when Gifting Tea

As a gift, tea is a wonderful way to show your love, appreciation, respect, and that you are thinking about someone. That is the point of any gift.  While the gift of tea can be personal, everybody has a tea they love. Some just don’t know it yet!!!

Here are a few thoughts to consider when giving the gift of tea…

1. Caffeine or Herbal (caffeine-free)

Which tea has the most caffeine, or what tea has the most caffeine?  We hear that all the time.  Caffeine is an important consideration. Caffeinated teas are a great way to begin the day or a superb lift in the late afternoon, but caffeine can create problems for the novice or the beginning tea drinker.

A wonderfully flavored black tea like our Organic Strawbango might not be the best tea to drink after dinner. I always ask the server for their home number when ordering herbal or caffeine-free beverages at a restaurant, so if I am awake at 2:30 AM, I know who to call.

When in doubt, go with a caffeine-free herbal, rooibos, or fruit tea. You can’t go wrong with our Organic Peppermint, Selby Select Rooibos, or Siesta Tea (fruit tea).

For my ‘Thank You’ gift, I went with a mixture of both—a few blacks, a few greens, and then an equal number of caffeine-free teas. And here is a post about how green tea can make you happier.

2. Loose leaf tea or tea bags

We are quite partial to loose-leaf tea at Local Tea Company. Experienced tea drinkers tend to prefer loose leaf tea. The tea typically will be of better quality, fresher, and a much better value. It cost money for the convenience of bagged tea!

Loose-leaf teas also provide more flexibility in how much tea you might want to brew; tea for two or three or a big pot for your sewing circle.

That said, teabags, especially the biodegradable ones we offer, SOILON sachets, are very convenient for anyone traveling or those interested in trying a new tea.

Check out the many options of our tea samplers available in loose-leaf or sachets. If they don’t love it, the tea can always be served to guests.

I noticed a box of tea sacs during my visit, so I’ll send both loose-leaf teas and teas in sachets. 

3. Flavored tea or pure blends

Would you rather a gift of Organic Sarasotan Breakfast blend (an unflavored, blended tea) or our Organic Earl Grey (flavored with Oil of Bergamot)? This may be the easiest comparison.  Flavored tea or pure?

There are so many spectacular blended teas from our Goji Green or Jasmine green tea with flowers to our Cochin Masala Chai or our many rooibos blends.

What is better than a strong cup of pinhead gunpowder green tea or a pure Organic Sencha on the pure side of the discussion?  Maybe a pot of our Organic Red Berries that you can share with the kids or enjoy as an iced tea later in the day.

Tough one, but that is why you are an expert gift-giver, and you really can’t go too wrong!!

For my gift, I erred on the side of abundance and included both.

4. Accessories

Is your gift for a serious tea drinker, someone loaded with tea accessories? Do they really need another tea ball with an elf fob?

There are ‘heaps’ of options.  For the newbie just starting their tea journey, a box of tea sacs or a few mesh balls of different sizes will spark a conversation.

Or get them an inspired gift, maybe a bamboo tea basket, and challenge them to figure it out! And there is also the whole category of things that can be added to tea that make wonderful gifts; honey or jams are always welcome.

Another void during my visit was honey?  So,  I included a bottle from Sarasota Honey Company.  Yes, this is quite a gift!!!

5. Overthinking

Most important is not to overthink your gift. The person you are gifting will appreciate the gesture you are making.  Remember, it’s the thought that counts.

Find a clever and creative tea. Find a tea with some meaning, or be realistic, something that can easily be ‘Regifted.’

I will be back for another visit in February and plan to take a tea inventory!  Here is my complete list of the gift I sent yesterday.  The total cost before shipping was $99.

1. 1. Organic Sarasotan Breakfast Blend (Loose-leaf)
   2. Organic Earl Grey (Sachets)
   3. Island Mango Black (Loose-Leaf) … Cochin Masala Chai would have worked here as well.
   4. Organic Sencha Green Tea (Loose-Leaf)
   5. Goji Green (Sachets)
   6. Mote Beach Tea (Sachets)
   7. Selby Select Rooibos (Sachets)
   8. Organic Peppermint (Loose-Leaf) … Organic Egyptian Chamomile was considered!
   9.  Raw Wildflower Honey from Sarasota Honey Company

***I threw in some printed GolfToons for their cartoon-littered fridge!

Please visit www.LocalTeaCo.com or send us a note in the comments section of 5 Things to Remember when Gifting Tea, and we will help you select tea gifts.

Tea Newsletter #4 – Why Loose Leaf Tea is Better

Why Loose Leaf Tea is Better

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Hello Tea Lovers

It may be late in the year for Iced tea (or Iced tea.)  Even here in Sarasota, we have the windows open, and it’s great sleeping weather. But I have a story I want to share with you about Why Loose Leaf Tea is Better.

Debbie S is a long time customer who uses our Organic Sarasotan Breakfast Tea to make ice tea. I recently connected with her, and she told me she steeps her tea THREE times, with outstanding results.

Cold Brew Iced Tea

She makes large tea bags using the Tea Sacs #4 – Large and 38g of tea.  In the first batch, she uses the  ‘Cold Brew‘ method; a gallon of cold water in a sealed container, with the Tea Sac in the fridge overnight.

For the next batch, a second steep in cold water, but this time she leaves the container in the fridge for at least 24 hours.  Debbie told me the tea is a little bit lighter, but it’s still a nice cup of tea.

For the third steep, she uses the same tea sac in a large bowl and hits it with a quart of boiling water.  She lets the tea steep until it cools, adds cold water to make it a gallon, and then puts it in the fridge.

Debbie is a creature of habit and drinks tea all day long.  My preference is hot tea, and I like a bit of variety.  Above all, this is just one reason why loose leaf tea is so much better. In this case, so much more economical than tea bags.  Debbie is an inspiration to anyone, everyone who wants to get the most out of their tea.  It is possible, and I thought it was interesting to share it here.  Thanks, Debbie.

Tea Station at Home

We have a tea shelf loaded with tea options at our home, and then near the kettle, we keep the teas we are drinking most often.  I found this article about creating a tea station at home ( or a coffee station) with tons of details and good ideas.

The author is Lorena Roma, and the article is at Porch, a company focused on helping people take better care of their homes.  Pretty cool, and I hope you find this helpful.

Correction to Last Month’s Newsletter

Thank you for the emails telling me ’Live from Here’ got canceled. Drag!  I need a whole new Sunday Tea routine.

Netflix

I am a sporadic viewer of the Great British Baking Show, but I found ‘Biscuit Week’ to be especially ”Tea Focused”  I don’t bake at all, but the show grabs me with the characters and the vocabulary.  I love the way the brits turn a phrase.  Hilarious, and they don’t take themselves too seriously, even in competition.

Enter Rowan.  He laughs his way through a few episodes, stopping for a cuppa amidst the chaos.  For the ‘Showstopper’ challenge, many contestants created variations of tea services made from biscuits. Clever.  However, I still have a few episodes to go.
Tea Pairing – Chocolate Honeybush with store-bought biscuits.

Places

Faith Stewart-Gordon, the owner of the Russian Tea Room, has died. She was 88.  Obit here.  Fun Fact – Madonna was a coat check clerk and was fired for slipping her demo tapes to guests.  Stewart-Gordon had a goal “to make the restaurant look the way people remembered it, not the way it was.”  RIP, and I raise a cuppa Lapsang Souchong in a decorative glass teacup in her memory.

 Sip Locally Tea Blog – recent posts

5 reason you will love Rooibos Tea

Teapots for TeaParties – Teapotty

Books

I am reading ‘Titan’ by Ron Chernow. My ‘big book’ for the year from the author who wrote Hamilton. I don’t see a rap version of this story about John D Rockefeller, but then again, Lin-Manuel Miranda is a genius.
Tea pairing – Organic Earl Grey with a splash of Oat milk.

GolfToons

I play more golf since the Carriagehouse Tea Room at Selby Gardens closed.  GolfToons is a side hustle I’ve been working on with Dianne’s brother, Marty.  Have a look, and please pass along to any golfers you know.  Or, you can subscribe and Laugh at the Agony!
Tea Pairing – Organic Strawbango Mushed up words that sound funny!

As always, your comments are welcomed, and thanks for your support.

Your Local Tea Team

5 Reasons Why You Will Love Rooibos Tea

This article by Timothy Agnew was posted to his Health & Wellness blog and reposted here with permission.  Love Rooibos Tea

Note: This is the first in a series of blogs on the science of tea, and here is a post about how green tea can make you happier. Learn why it’s good for you, and all about the myriad kinds of tea (we love tea!)

Consumed in southern Africa for centuries, rooibos tea has a growing fan base and enormous health benefits to go along with the eclectic flavor. Also known as a red or bush tea, rooibos tea uses leaves from a shrub called aspalathus linearis, often grown on the western coast of South Africa. While it uses the “tea” moniker, The South African Rooibos Council considers rooibos an herb, not a true tea. But don’t let that dissuade you from trying this marvelous beverage.

Love Rooibos Tea

How to pronounce Rooibos?  Or, what is the proper pronunciation for Rooibos?  We say ROY – BOSS.

Like most tea, prepare rooibos tea by steeping the fermented leaves. In addition, the beauty of rooibos is the longer the steep, the more delicious the flavor in your cup (unlike black teas, which tend to get more bitter). Rooibos tea offers something for everyone. Let’s take a look at the health benefits of drinking this unique tea.  You will love Rooibos tea.

1. Loaded with Antioxidants

For anyone concerned with a healthy lifestyle, rooibos is loaded with powerful stuff. Aspalathin and nothofagin are two vital antioxidants designed to boost your immune system and protect your body against all types of diseases (especially diabetes). Rooibos contains polyphenols, flavonols, flavonoids, and dihydrochalcones. These protective compounds have anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and antimutagenic qualities. Polyphenols are organic chemicals known for their antioxidant capabilities. Flavonoids can help lower the risk of coronary heart diseases. This study suggests that regularly drinking organic red rooibos tea provides anti-inflammatory support, and the Sloan Kettering Institute suggests rooibos slows tumor growth.

2. Improves Heart Health

Since rooibos tea is anti-inflammatory in nature, the tea is a natural angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor. This helps regulate blood pressure and boost heart health. Many studies confirm the protective cardiovascular effects of red rooibos tea. Quercetin, another powerful antioxidant found in rooibos tea, helps prevent many heart conditions. It also promotes an increase in HDL cholesterol (good cholesterol) and inhibits LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol) from binding to arteries and blood vessels’ walls.

3. Managing Diabetes

Aspalathin, one of the antioxidants found in rooibos tea, has several unique traits. The Rooibos Council found that aspalathin in rooibos tea can help balance blood sugar, improve insulin resistance and glucose absorption by muscles, and boosts insulin secretion from the pancreas. Above all, rooibos has a dramatic protective effect on diabetes.

4. Skin Care

Because of the richness in antioxidants, vitamin D, and the array of minerals (zinc, manganese, calcium, magnesium, and more) present in the tea, roobios is a dynamic force on the skin. Its anti-inflammatory components help with acne, eczema, and rashes, as it helps neutralize free radicals. And it makes you look beautiful!

5. Caffeine Free

What tea has the most caffeine?  Or, which tea has the most caffeine?  Rooibos tea is completely caffeine-free and is the perfect choice for patients who have insomnia and for those who need to keep caffeine low in their diet. Similarly, a cup of rooibos tea just before bedtime can help you sleep better (and maybe enhance your dreams).  You will love Rooibos tea.

In conclusion, if you’re looking for a truly healthy lifestyle tea, this strong and delicious tea has many benefits. Where to buy rooibos tea? A great source is the Local Tea Company, featuring locally inspired loose leaf teas. They also offer 9 diverse blends of rooibos and so many others.

Tea Newsletter #3 – Better Teas, Better Spices

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Since the pandemic, sales on our web site have ticked up.  I suspect people are drinking more tea, with many new habits formed these past months. Firing up the kettle any time of the day is one of the healthiest habits you can have.

Better Teas

And if you are drinking more tea, the next logical step is to drink better tea.  We have many favorites, like Selby Select and Mote Beach Tea or Siesta Tea and Goji Green.  All will dazzle you and contribute to that newly formed habit.

If you are interested in learning about healthy teas, here is a post Glynis wrote a few years back and a more recent post about consuming goji berries every day.

Some of our more unusual teas include Lapsang Souchong (my personal favorite), our Young Pu Erh, or perhaps our Aronia Oolong with chokeberries and passion fruit.  Lots to explore in our online shop.

This uptick in sales does not cover the drop volume to our wholesale business.  So, if you can support our Serving Partners, thank you.

Better Spices

Like everyone else, we have been preparing more of our meals at home.  And in the spirit of drinking better tea, I am doing the same when it comes to the spices.   So, we are using better spices.  Better teas, better spices.

We have used a mortar and pestle for years to grind pepper and kosher salt.  And, we use a lot of fennel, especially on salmon.  Freshly ground fennel is Magic!!

And now, I have started using really good spices, and the difference is MASSIVE.  I have known about the Spice Trekkers (or Epices de Cru) for years.  I have even gifted sets of their blends, along with a mortar and pestle as my go-to wedding gift.  But like many gift buyers, I bought better for others than myself…

No more. I am hooked. My first order was for two different black peppers (Yupanqui and a Tellicherry) and fennel from Greece.  I also found a powerful Chinese Five Spice and a tangy Harissa.  I filmed an unboxing video, in case you are interested.  Better teas, better spices!

The company is based in Montreal, and they have a fantastic website filled with ‘spice stories.’  I really like the videos they created, especially for the Yupanqui black pepper from Ecuador. Very cool and hard to not order the works!!  Merci, Epices de Cru!

Better Teas Better Spices

My Sunday tea is Sweet Orange Mate while listening to Live from Here on NPR. I do miss Garrison, but the music Chris plays is much better. And Tom Poppa always makes me laugh.  I drink my cuppa (or mugga) Mate as hot tea.  And you may enjoy a recent blog post, “Is it Iced Tea or Ice Tea?”

Music

I had some fun reviewing Yusuf Cat Stevens ‘Tea for the Tillerman’ this summer.  I thought the remastered version was his new one.  Explained here.  ‘Tea for the Tillerman 2’ came out a few weeks ago.  The original was arguably one of the best albums ever, and 50 years later, we get another version by Yusuf Cat.  I’m working on the final post, but in the meantime, listen and enjoy.  Tea Pairing – Organic Sarasotan Breakfast Blend “brewed strong with a cardamom pod dropped in, taken sweet with a dash of milk.”

TV

We ping pong between Lovecraft Country and The Vow.  HBO is knocking it out of the park, though I don’t know which is weirder. John Oliver is back, and Fargo is waiting in the wings.  Tea Pairing – Organic Peppermint, for when your breath gets taken away!!

Podcast

My new favorite podcast is “It Was Said,”  A shortish show (45 minutes or less) where Jon Meachum covers a famous speech and provides a bit of context or historical perspective.  The Ronald Reagen episode was especially touching.  Tea Pairing – Margaret’s Hope Darjeeling, a serious black tea!

And lastly, a farewell to Pat Glass, Dianne’s Mom.  She passed away last month.  Pat was incredible, a true force in the Universe.  Glowing tributes here and here, and an obit with her many accomplishments. With Love!

As always, your comments are welcomed, and thanks for your support.

Your Local Tea Team