Rose Oolong Tea
I’m excited to offer a chance at buying some incredibly great teas at discounted prices, in celebration of Spring! For my spring selection, I chose one green tea, one oolong tea and one black tea, including two spring flavoured teas!
The Rose Oolong tea is a delightfully scented, and high-quality oolong tea with a subtle rose scent. In fact, you can see some of the tiny rose petals still in evidence amongst the tea leaves. Normally, this sells for a minimum of $15.99 per 100gm. With this tea, tiny rose petals are added to premium hand-picked Jin Xuan oolong tea, making for a terrific blended tea. Choosing the right snacks or food to go along with a specific tea is as much of an art as wine and food pairing. Try eating some stronger, hard cheese and crackers with your Rose Oolong, or serve along with a chicken or turkey meal.
Jasmine Green Tea
Jasmine Green tea, a favourite amongst many tea-drinkers, is another of my Spring choices. The scent of jasmine always reminds me of spring and this tea hasa sweet and fragrant scent to it. The brewed tea should also have a faint jasmine aroma. Green teas generally pair well with salads and also with seafoods. Of course, this particular tea is great for drinking on its own.
Black teas are often traditionally people’s first choice of breakfast tea. High quality Keemun black tea, which normally retails at around $22 per 100gm, is no exception. This tea is a great breakfast choice as it has a very subtle chocolate flavour, albeit without the sweetness that is normally associated with chocolate. This makes it an ideal beverage to end your breakfast with or to accompany a pancake breakfast, for example. It also pairs well with curry dishes or other spicy foods such as Mexican, Thai or Chinese foods.
Keemun Black Tea
I hope you enjoy the three choices I have prepared for my “Spring Special”. If you are new to drinking loose leaf tea, these three choices will give you the ideal opportunity to explore the difference in taste between green, oolong and black tea. For seasoned tea drinkers, you will hopefully enjoy the freshness of these different types of teas and enjoy experimenting with drinking them at different times and pairing with different snacks and meals.
Hopefully, soon
Continue reading “Spring Special” Three Amazing Tea Choices at Discount Prices
I have just received my stash of blooming tea (also known as flowering tea) and I’m thrilled! There are ten different varieties, some with a green tea base but most with a white tea base. They’re beautiful.
You can see them all here.
They are not only a very pleasant tea drink but also a real attention getter when entertaining. Just stick one in a glass teapot, pour on hot water and watch your guests become enthralled at the display. Honestly, even if you don’t drink the tea, the sight of the flower unfurling will be enough to wow most guests. Every one is hand made and each has its own personality. It takes between 5 to 10 minutes for one to totally unfurl.
If you are a tea lover, my suggestion is to let the tea make its presence known, let everyone have a sip of tea and then unveil your ‘best tea’. For example, you could say, “Oh, wasn’t that great. How about tasting one of my premium white or green or oolong teas?” Then serve your best organic loose leaf tea. A winner. I’m sure.
If you have die-hard black tea drinkers (think Lipton and the sort) you can bring out your premium Red Jade tea and let everyone sample it. I have never added the ol’ “milk and sugar” to it, but I am confident that it would live up to the ol’ cup of Lipton 🙂
Honestly, tea is like wine. Once you have had a good one you will scorn everything else.
Aside from the fact that organic loose leaf teas actually do taste great, they are also very healthy for you. Think of these teas like coffee. Once everyone just drank instant (yuk). Now people buy coffee makers — even drip coffee makers, and enjoy a decent cup of coffee. Tea is the same. Introduce your friends to loose leaf tea and they will be hooked. Nothing quite tastes as good once you have had a decent, freshly brewed loose leaf tea. You can choose: green tea (with its earthy flavor), black tea (which tastes better than any teabag, oolong tea (same health benefits as green tea but a little less organic tasting), or white tea (served to Chinese royalty ONLY for many years.)
Do They Always Work As Expected?
And, back to blooming teas. Not only are they a delight to
Continue reading Blooming Tea – Flowering Tea In Stock
Hopefully, within the next couple of days, I will have some fresh blooming teas arriving from China! These are made with either a green or white tea and they are simply gorgeous, taste great and are beautiful to watch unfurl as well. I wrote previously about flowering tea choices and included a video at the end which shows one of these delicate teas unfurling. The article also included tips on brewing and serving these teas — so if you haven’t read it, you should catch up on the tips and ideas given.
White Tea Blooming Teas
Fairy Flowers Spreading (Jasmine, Lily blooms) Jasmine with Love (Jasmine blooms) Love at first sight (Marigold, Jasmine, Amaranth blooms) Love Story By Tea (Marigold, Amaranth blooms) Tea Flower Attaching (Marigold, Jasmine, Amaranth blooms) Two Dragons Playing Pearls (Marigold, Jasmine, Amaranth blooms) Whispered tea and flowers (Marigold, Jasmine, Amaranth blooms)
Green Tea Blooming Teas
Ruby (Amaranth blooms) Peacock outspread (Marigold blooms)
White Tea
As mentioned in this article about green tea there are quite a few health benefits gained from drinking green tea and few, if any, side effects. What about white tea though?
White tea, just like green, oolong and black tea, comes from the Chinese Camellia sinensis plant. The difference with this tea, which is rumored to have been available only to Chinese Royalty, is that it is made from the buds and youngest leaves of the plants. These buds and leaves are then left to wither in the sun, then are dried either naturally via sunlight or by other methods. In fact, the actual production of white tea is much simpler than the processes involved in green, oolong or black tea however the actual process of harvesting the tea itself — remember only the sensitive buds and young leaves are picked — is quite time consuming and great care needs to be taken not to damage the tender buds or leaves. For this reason, white tea is usually a little more expensive and up until recently less readily available than other types of common loose leaf tea.
Being from the same plant as green and oolong tea, it naturally contains most of the same health benefits. Some claim that it contains even more antioxidants than regular teas because of the little actual processing of the leaves. The tea is light in colour and has a very mild, somewhat sweet taste. There
Continue reading Flowering Teas Available Soon
There are quite a few sources online regarding green tea and the benefits gained from drinking it regularly. However, there are relatively few sources that outline side effects from drinking green tea. From my own personal research and from years of experience living in countries where green tea and oolong tea is one of the more common beverages consumed, I have concluded that there are few, if any, green tea side effects.
As with any food or beverage there are bound to be some side effects for some people, if moderation is not used. However, the side effects are not strictly related, in this case, to green tea but rather to people’s pre-existing intolerances or other existing medical conditions. In other words, while green tea is a relatively safe beverage to consume there may be some contraindications to drinking it regularly or in too great quantities.
Photo By: Shirokazan
Health Benefits
First, though, let’s take a look at some of the documented benefits of green tea. It has fairly low caffeine levels making it a great drink for people wanting to avoid heavily caffeinated drinks.
All teas, especially green tea and oolong tea, are rich in antioxidants. Green tea has anti-aging benefits, is said to help decrease the risk of certain types of cancer and the antioxidants help to cleanse and rejuvenate the body.
It likewise tends to increase the body’s metabolism which lends itself toward being a great supplement when dieting or simply trying to maintain a specific weight.
The low caffeine levels make it non-addictive, unlike many other highly caffeinated drinks.
When Not To Drink Green Tea
Low Tolerance to Caffeine: I am often asked, “is green tea caffeine free?” In short, no, it is not. Obviously, if you have a fairly high intolerance to caffeine, which many people do, you may want to either avoid drinking green tea or at least steep and discard the first cup of green tea brewed. Regular organic green tea leaves can be used to steep up to three cups of tea before you need to discard the tea leaves and start over with a fresh batch of leaves. The second and third cups of tea will have little to no caffeine. There are also decaffeinated green teas available however the decaffeination process can sometimes use chemicals that are more harmful to the body
Continue reading Green Tea Side Effects? Are There Any?
 If you are interested in trying different Asian teas but are not really sure where to start, you may want to take a look at the selection of milky oolong tea. You will often hear this tea referred to as milk oolong tea, milky oolong tea, or simply milky oolong. However, it is important to realize that there are definitely differences in the quality of the milk oolongs that are sold these days. Some are grown from the Jin Xuan varietal of tea plant; they are organically grown and naturally processed. Others are flavored teas that are also labeled as milky oolongs.
For US and Canada customers Milk Oolong can be ordered here: Zi Chun Teas Online Shop
What Is Oolong Milk Tea ?
Even though the name implies that there is milk in this tea that is not the case at all. It is a pure oolong Jin Xuan tea, that when organically grown and processed simply has a subtle milk flavor. This flavor can be enhanced if the tea is lightly roasted or if the tea is given a longer oxidation period. Changes in temperature can also sometimes affect the flavor as can the actual altitude at which the Jin Xuan tea plants are grown. In other words, the milky characteristic is due to the varietal of tea plants used to make the tea.
Buy Milky Oolong Tea Here
Because of the initial popularity of this type of tea, some tea merchants and even some farmers hoping to replicate the aroma and taste of the tea actually began adding milk flavor to the teas. These days it is still possible to find blended teas that have this flavor added, however if you want the best type of milk oolong go for the organically grown Xin Xuan non-blended milky oolong tea.
What Does It Taste Like?
An organically grown Milky Oolong tea will not have an over-powering milky aroma or taste. A high quality tea will have an almost buttery taste which actually complements the regular oolong tea taste nicely. It is also naturally slightly sweet. This aroma of milk and slight sweetness make it a great tea for regular black-tea-with-milk-and-sugar drinkers to begin their journey into the discovery of Chinese teas. It also blends well with other flavored teas.
How Can You Be Sure You Are Buying The Natural Milky Oolong Tea?
An honest
Continue reading New To Asian Teas–Try Oolong Milk Tea
What is GABA tea?
Discovered over twenty years ago in Japan, GABA tea is made by exposing tea leaves to nitrogen during their processing. At the time this discovery was made, Japanese scientists were experimenting how to better preserve food. During their experimentations they discovered that exposing tea leaves to nitrogen actually increased GABA levels in tea.
That’s Fine…But What Is GABA Anyway?
GABA (Gamma Amino Butyric Acid) is one of the main neurotransmitters for the CNS (Central Nervous System). It acts as a kind of brake, in that it prevents over-excitement of the nervous system. For example, many common medications prescribed for stress or anxiety actually stimulates GABA receptors to provide greater relaxation. Decreased GABA levels in a human brain have been well documented by medical studies to be associated with many psychiatric or nervous system disorders.
GABA not only works on the nervous system, but it also affects the endocrine system as well. Human Growth Hormone has been found to increase naturally with people taking GABA supplements.
One hundred grams of GABA tea contains around 150 -250 milligrams of GABA. In comparison, regular green tea only contains six milligrams per 100 grams! Melon juice, also high in GABA, has 100-150 milligrams per 100 millilitres of juice.
Organic GABA tea is usually made from oolong tea though it can also be made from green tea and black tea.
Popularity of GABA Products in Japan
Because of the many benefits found in GABA tea, it is very much promoted in Japan. In Japan you can not only readily buy GABA tea, but you can also buy GABA soft drinks and even GABA chocolate! In fact, you will find GABA supplements included in all kinds of food that is sold in supermarkets there.
While less well known in other parts of the world, it is beginning to increase in popularity. It is fairly easy to find a GABA supplement, such as GABA capsules or other related items in pharmacies and health food stores, and even GABA soft drinks in some countries. However, as stated above, one of the best sources of GABA, and one of the cheaper sources, is GABA tea.
So, What Does GABA Do Exactly?
While there are many benefits attributed to including GABA rich foods in your diet, one of the main benefits is that it increases alpha brain waves. This, in turn, will help to
Continue reading What Is Gaba Tea and Why Is It So Good For You?
Looking for Blooming Teas? Buy blooming tea here.
Photo By: Catherine Bulinski
If you are looking for tea that perhaps epitomizes all that tea is about, you could look no further than the blooming tea or flowering teas. They are, perhaps, the most beautiful of all beverages as they are not only pleasant to look at but they have a delightful taste as well.
What Are Blooming Teas?
Blooming teas, or flowering teas as they are also called, are special blends of teas. Commonly, green tea is combined with naturally herbal flowers or buds. Black tea and oolong tea is also sometimes used. The way they are made is quite unique. Most are handmade, in that a bundle of flowers and tea leaves are tied together with thread into a tight ball. The bundles are made in such a way that when brewed the leaves and flowers unfurl into amazing designs where the tea leaves form the leaves of the flower and the bud or flower unfolds at the centre. In some instances the flowers unfurl into an arch, a dragon’s eye, or even a small boat. To give you an idea of some of the designs, here are some photographs of blooming teas in all their glory!
The Best Way To Showcase Flower Tea
Usually, blooming teas are steeped in glass teapots so the artistic designs can be easily seen. Some people prefer to brew tea in a glass teacup instead. Often it is served at the end of a meal where the teapot is set in the middle of the table so everyone can appreciate it. You will also find it served with a light afternoon or morning snack, again placed on the table so everyone can enjoy watching the flower unfold.
Our Blooming Teas
We have a selection of blooming teas available now. These teas are made using green tea or white tea as the base.
Our selection includes teas made with jasmine flowers, Osmanthus, Lily, Globe Amaranth, Marigold and possibly chrysanthemum and marigolds! If you are interested in buying blooming teas please take a look at the flowering teas now available in our store.
How To Brew Blooming Teas
There are a couple of different ways you can prepare your flowering tea, however most recommend that you first pour the boiling water into a glass teapot and
Continue reading Blooming Tea — Flowering Tea Choices
 You may be very familiar with teas or you may be just starting your journey into exploring the delightfully fragranced and flavored teas that are available. Either way, chances are that once you have sampled some of the different organic loose teas that are now readily available worldwide you will never turn back!
My Introduction To Tea
Photo By: David Menino
In my home, when young, my parents and sisters loved their cup of tea–as they do to this day. Being dedicated tea drinkers they refused to make their tea from teabags but instead bought Lipton tea (made from broken leaves, not whole leaves). Their tea ceremony began by pouring hot water into the small, well used teapot in order to ‘heat up the pot first.” Next several teaspoons of tea were tossed into the pot and boiling water poured over. It sat for several minutes and was then poured into cups–not mugs. Everyone in my family had their tea with milk. Sugar was an option, depending on who was dieting at the time! Long gossipy conversations usually ensued, especially when the aunts were visiting. That was the extent of my knowledge about tea. I drank coffee instead.
Learning About Asian Loose Leaf Teas
Upon moving to South East Asia, suddenly my knowledge of tea was expanded. I noticed that men, not women as was traditional in my home, prepared the tea. It was brewed in tiny, rotund pots and served in small cups without handles. You never added milk or sugar!
Photo By: Krista
In Myanmar, in a northern city, Mandalay, I was served tea leaf salad–apparently a rather famous dish made with fermented green tea leaves and other additives. I was surprised at how good it actually tasted. So, there was more to tea than I had originally thought.
It wasn’t until I went to live in Taiwan, however, that my tea education really began. My husband became fascinated with the whole concept of Cha Dao, or the ‘way of tea’. He learned about tea from various tea masters, participated in tea ceremonies and ended up drinking it frequently throughout the day. In Taiwan, oolong tea (or wulong tea, as it is also known as) is usually served. He has become so enthused with tea that he has started his own tea export company–it looks like tea has really become a part of
Continue reading Why Opt For Organic Loose Teas?
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About  I hope your journey into the fascinating world of tea is as rewarding for you as it has been for me. I have lived in Asian countries for almost thirty years-spending twenty five in Thailand, and almost five years in Taiwan. I recently relocated to Australia, where I hope to continue to promote and sell Chinese and herbal teas. |
