When: SATURDAY, OCTOBER 2, 10 AM – Noon

Where: SOUVIA, 15414 7th Street

Cost:      NO FEE

On Saturday, October 2nd, Gayle Nobel will lead a discussion on how to live  well with autism, share her personal experience, answer questions and introduce important tools for thriving on the lifelong journey of living with autism and other life challenges.

Gayle has a connection to autism through her 50 year old brother and 26 year old son who is deeply affected by autism. She has a BA in special education, elementary education and taught special education in the public school system. She also home-schooled her son, Kyle, for 11 years. She is an inspirational speaker, parent mentor and author of two books: Breathe- 52 Oxygen-Rich Tools for Loving and Living Well with Autism (2010) and  It’s All About Attitude: Loving and Living Well with Autism (2006).

During the 2 hour discussion, Gayle will share how she has used the tools described in her books in her own life and how they have helped in living with her son.

Participants will also have the opportunity to practice three of these tools during the session and discover their potential immediate beneficial effects. Gayle will provide  specific, practical support that will help parents of children with autism thrive versus merely survive life’s challenges. She will anser questions and encourage a discussion of attitude and the impact it has in all situations.

Don’t miss this great complimentary educational session on Saturday, Ocober 2nd!

Eatrip is a charming Japanese documentary, exploring our connection to food and to each other, featuring a singer, a famous actor, a homemaker who lives off the land and a Buddhist monk.

Sit in on a tea ceremony, visit the famous Tsukiji Fish Market in Tokyo, and gather around the dinner table with this engaging film by director Yuri Nomura.

This Special Showing of “Eatrip” benefits

the Japanese Friendship Garden in Phoenix

Wednesday, September 29th

Chef’s Loft, Scottsdale

Film showings at 6:30PM and 9:PM

Reception from 8-9PM with Japanese snacks, beverages and

a Matcha Presentation by Souvia

Doors open at 6 PM with taiko drumming on the Scottsdale waterfront. Attendees are encouraged to wear Japanese-inspired attire.

Yesterday morning, I woke up feeling achy and feverish – your typical flu symptoms. Knowing that time is of the essence, I immediately took 40 drops of Echinacia tincture every three hours. Echinaecia is an immune system stimulant and if taken immediately at the onset of a cold/flu, can prevent a full blown break out.  Fortunately, I had just made a fresh batch of Echinacea tincture and Elderberry Syrup, the latter helps break up congestion and prevents viruses and bacteria from setteling in your chest. Combined with rest and vitamin-rich food, I was back on my feet today. Mother Nature came to the rescue!

Instead of buying expensive herbal extracts/tinctures, you can easily make these at home. For the Echinacea tincture, you need the following:

-          Dried Echinacea (Echinacea Pururea, Echinacea Angustofolia) cut and sifted

-          A clean glass jar (mason jar )

-          Solvent of choice (grain alcohol such as Vodka, glycerin)

-          Funnel, Labels, small tincture bottles

 Preparation:

Place 1 part of the herb to 5 parts liquid in the jar. Liquid needs to cover the herb well. Label the  jar (name of herb and date)  and place the jar in a warm, dark place for at least 4 weeks. The longer the herb sits in the solvent, the more potent the tincture will be. Shake the jar daily and add more liquid if necessary.

Strain the tincture through a fine wire-mesh strainer lined with a cheesecloth or coffee filter, in to a measuring cup.

Pour the liquid carefully into dark bottles, using a funnel and label these with the name of the   herbal and date of preparation.

Your Echinacea tincture will keep for 3 years!

Dont know where to get the herb Echinacea?  Try us at Souvia – we just got certified organic, cut and sifted Echinacea Angustofolia in!

What sounds like the title of a suspense novel, is the story about the beginnings of a tea which can be considered one of the most popular among traditional black teas.

While there are numerous opinions about when and how this tea blend was created, they all center on a political figure of the 18^th century – Earl Grey.  Earl Grey, the person, was born Charles Grey II in England in 1764. He spent most of his life in politics and in 1830, became Prime Minister of Britain. The Earl was very passionate about human rights and used his position to not only abolish slavery in the British Empire, but to also reform the child labor laws. These are the facts recorded in history books, however, what is a little bit more obscure and not so easily agreed upon, is how a very popular tea came to be named after this famous gentleman.

One of the versions I read tells that during his political career, the Earl was very taken with a diplomatic gift he received – a chest of flavored black tea. He liked the tea so much that he asked British tea merchant Richard Twining to match the flavor of this mysterious tea. Twining created a blend of Indian and Ceylon black tea and added a bit of smoky Chinese Lapsang Souchong. He also used a special and rare ingredient which lent this tea its unique citrus fragrance and flavor. Since Twining blended the tea especially for the Earl, it was only fitting to name it after him – Earl Grey!

The secret of Earl Grey – the tea that is, – lies in this special ingredient, the oil of bergamot fruit (Citrus bergamia risso). As secret as the ingredient, as secret is the place where we find bergamot. It is in San Gregorio, a tiny village in the province of Reggio Calabria, the southernmost part of the Italian boot where bergamot grows in luscious orchards that supply 95% of the world’s bergamot – this inedible fruit that gives Earl Grey its unique character and citrus flavor.

While it is unclear how the fruit ended up in Italy, San Gregorio is the only place where bergamot is successfully grown on a larger scale.

The fruit weighs about 3.5 ounces and is harvested in early spring.  In the early days, the essence was extracted by squeezing the rind manually and collecting the liquid onto natural sea sponges that were wrung into bottles. This slow and messy work was later replaced by the macchina Calabrese, a wooden grinding wheel with a box to collect the essence. It takes 100 pounds of fruit to make one pound of essence, making bergamot an expensive flavoring agent.

While there are less expensive, synthetically created essences that resemble the flavor of bergamot, the purest and finest bergamot essence can only be found in Calabria and a powerful agricultural consortium, the Consortia Del Bergamotto is responsible for overseeing its production and for making decisions which affect the global tea industry.

The next time you purchase Earl Grey, let your tea purveyor lift the secret of its secret ingredient and make sure you get to enjoy a cup of true bergamot scented tea!

As for the equally well known “Lady Grey” black tea blend, which by the way is only blended and sold by Twining, it is named after Mary Elizabeth Grey, wife of Charles II.

People used to say that Earl Grey was too strong for the delicate female constitution and could cause rather strange impulses. Therefore, Lady Grey was blended to suit the female palette better and to ease women’s minds and hearts. Next to the traditional bergamot essence, the flavor of Lady Grey is softened by the addition of flower and fruit essences.

Whether you prefer Earl or Lady Grey, make sure you are enjoying the true secret of the oil of bergamot in your cup.

Cheers!

Botanical Name: Echinacea (E. angustofolia, E. purpurea, and E. pallida)

Parts used: Roots, leaves and lowers

Contra indications: Echinacea is not recommended for people with autoimmune diseases

Echinacea is among the most popular and well-researched herbs in the modern world. It is native to  the American continent and had been used by the native people for hundreds of years to treat bug and snake bites, gastric problems and diphteria,  before research studies supported its medicinal value and established  it  as a very potent immune system stimulant, anti-viral and anti-inflammatory.

There are three species of this plant, also called “purple cone flower”: Ecinacea angustofolia, E. purpurea and E. pallida. Herbalists argue over which  species is best, however all of them possess phytochemicals that help improve immune system function. How exactly does it do this?

• the plant’s phyochemical  “inulin” improves the white cell blood cells’ ability to travel to the infection
• it increases the number of white blood cells and activates them
• it signals the body to  release interferon, a powerful anti-viral agent

Ecinacea is a first-line defense against cold and flus, yeast and respiratory infections. Even though very potent, it is absolutely safe for children and older people. To maximize the benefits, it is best used immediately at the onset of cold and flu symptoms. Echinacea should be used for a short period of time only, since its effectiveness will decrease if it is used continuously.

Dosage: You can make an herbal infusions using the leaves and flowers. Take 1-2 tsp per 8oz of boiling water and steep for 15 minutes. Drink 3 cups per day. If you prefer a tincture or extract, use 30-40 drops in juice or water 3 times daily.

While Echinacea is an excellent herb to ward of a cold or shorten its duration, there are many other herbs which can be taken as tonics to strengthen your immune system so that you may not even need Echinacea .

If you want to find out which herbs those are, sign up for our 2 hour class “Immunitea” on Sunday, September 19th and taste 5 immune-boosting herbals, learn about their use and make your own blend. You will also learn how to make other herbal remedies, such as lozenges, syrups and tinctures and take come some great samples and recipes!