Do you speak tea?  We love acronyms, or special expressions that make a topic more interesting or mysterious to the less knowledgeable. Just like with wine,the tea industry has created many terms unique to the manufacture, taste and enjoyment of this infusion. We often get a staggering array of questions from customers and wanted to spend some time on clarifying the tea buzzwords that leave glazed over looks and confusion.

Antioxidant- Antioxidants are naturallly occurring substances that stop free radicals from causing chain reactions that damage, kill, or interfere with cells that fight infections. Tea contains free radical-fighting antioxidants such as catechin, epicatechin, epicatechin gallate and epigallocatechin gallate, also know as EGCG. (also called polyphenols)

Astringent  – This term is related to tea tasting and refers to a sharpness of flavor and drying sensation in the mouth, caused by large amounts of unoxidized tannins in some teas. Astringency becomes more prominent when teas are steeped beyond the recommended time.

CHAI- Chai is simply the Hindi word for “tea”. Here in the West, Chai is similar to what Indians call “Masala Chai” – a black tea that is  steeped in water and milk, together with spices such as cardamom, cinnamon, ginger,  cloves and pepper. It is served hot and often sweetened with honey.

L-Theanine - L-theanine is an amino acid found in all teas (camellia sinensis) and is produced by our body. It increases the production of alpha waves in the brain, thereby relaxing and calming the nervous system. It also has cortisol-controlling and anti-stress effects. Shade-grown teas such as Japanese Gyokuro and Chinese Fog teas tend to have a higher amount of this amino acid.

Tea Sommelier- The French word “sommelier” means steward and refers to a restaurant’s wine expert, who helps customers with the wine selection. Since tea and wine have much in common, the term tea sommelier is an adaptation of the original and refers to a knowledegable tea specialist who can answer questions on the different tea varietals and help customers find the right tea for their palate.

Terroir- Terroir is French and is used as a way to describe the origin of a tea in terms of growing region, soil content and climate. Different terroirs create different flavors and aromas.  India’s Darjeeling district, with its high grown teas, for example, produces lighter black teas with distinct muscatel notes compared to the lower grown and more full-bodied teas from the Assam valley.

Tisane -  Yet another word, borrowed from the French! A Tisane is the correct name for an infusion made from plants (herbs) other than the tea plant Camellia sinensis. Peppermint, Chamomile and Hibiscus are all examples for Tisanes.

Want to learn more? Join us for our informative, fun and hands-on tastings at Souvia!

As a small business, we mostly have to rely on tea importers to obtain the teas for our store. For the past two years, however, we have bee establishing a relationship with Glenburn Estate in India, which makes it possible for tea businesses our size to purchase the teas directly at origin.

Glenburn estate is located in Darjeeling, India. It is a 1600 acre plantation with breathtaking views over the Kanchenjunga Mountain Range. The estate stretches from an elevation of 3700 ft all the way down to the sandy banks of two snow-fed Himalayan rivers.

At Glenburn in Darjeeling, where the higher altitude provides the necessary “stress” to the tea plants � giving the tea its characteristic flavor, the succulent leaves result in a very attractive tea with a purplish bloom and a sprinkling of silvery tips.

The estate is family operated in its 5^thgeneration by the Prakash family, also known as the� Chaiwala family� (tea planters).Originally started by a Scottish tea company in 1859, the Prakash family has now been cultivating magnificent teas for over a century.

Bret and I had the pleasure to meet Husna Prakash, one of the estate owners and operators at the World Tea Expo in Las Vegas tweo years ago and have been importing some of our teas directly from the estate.  Very popular is the Konghea Assam with its rich and malty flavor  and the Glenburn Darjeeling. A few months ago, we purchased a small quantity of  an Glenburn Autumn Oolong with an exquisite floral note, smooth mouth feel and a taste that incorporates the characteristics of a Darjeeling with those of a well-produced oolong.

I just received word from Husna, that the production of “First Flush Darjeeling” has begun. These prized Darjeelings are eagerly awaited by tea aficionados. Due to our connection with the estate, we will  be offering the 2011 Glenburn Darjeeling “First Flush’  at Souvia by the beginning of next month 

Don’t forget to stop by for a sample!

Check out an easy way to make Iced Tea without heatingup the Kitchen

Iced Tea made Easy -

While much has been written about the benefits of tea, especially green and white teas, Rooibos (Roy-boss) has only recently stepped into the spotlight as more scientists are seeing “red” and are studying this marvelous brew, discovering its various benefits and health properties.

Even though Rooibos (Red Bush) is commonly referred to as tea, it is in fact a Tisane. The description “tea” is reserved for infusions made from leaves of the evergreen shrub Camellia Sinensis. The Rooibos tea plant (Aspalathus linearis), on the other hand,  is a unique wispy bush found only in a small part of South Africa’s South Western Cape region. The infusion made the prepared leaves has been enjoyed for centuries as both a beverage and a health tonic by the local indigenous population and is now gaining in popularity worldwide.  

Medical Science is only beginning to discover the many physical benefits of Rooibos, but findings indicate that Rooibos is a broad spectrum antidote to the daily stress of our lives. It is a naturally caffeine free and can therefore be enjoyed at any time of the day and in unlimited quantities. It is an ideal drink for children!

Calming and Soothing

Rooibos has a soothing effect on the nervous system and can be helpful in treating nervous tension, mild depression and disturbed sleep patterns. Its antispasmodic properties have long been known to relief stomach and digestive discomfort in adults and children.

Healthy Skin

Skin irritations such as eczema and acne are significantly relieved by direct application of Rooibos onto the affected area. The anti-oxidants in Rooibos are great for your skin, something the cosmetic industry has found out is increasingly using Rooibos in skin preparations to help improve skin complexion.

Minerals

Rooibos contains essential minerals for several metabolic functions and due to its low tannin content, it increases iron absorption. It does not have oxalic acid and can therefore be consumed without concern by individuals with kidney stones. The potassium, calcium, copper, zinc, magnesium, fluoride and sodium make Rooibos and ideal beverage to replenish electrolytes.

Spring is the time when we get rid of the old (that which does not serve us any longer) and bring in the new!  Typically,  long winter months are marked by reduced activity levels and increased indulgence and our bodys might reflect this on the outside as well as on the inside.

For many people this is the time to shed a few pounds and get back into their workout routines. What about cleaning up on the inside and shedding some of those toxins that have accumulated due to poor diet, limited physical activity and not to mention exposure to pollutants around us?

If you want to “clean house” completely, join us at Souvia for our “DETOX NATURALLY” class this coming Sunday from 2PM -4PM.

Next to learning why it is important to cleanse periodically, you will be introduced to several safe herbals that are commonly used to detox the liver, kidneys and gallbladder.  After gaining some insight into why and how to detox, you get to create your own detox blend to make a tea or even a tincture.

It is a hands on event and equally informative and entertaining! Don’t miss it…

There are about 3000 tea varietals, yet some teas rise to the top and gain status as well as popularity among tea aficionados worldwide. Dragonwell, also known as Lung Ching or Long Jing, is one of the top ten teas of China  – and not undeservedly!

Legend and History

Dragonwell comes from the Hangzhou, the capital of Zhejiang province in China’s southern region. The stories behind Dragonwell are as colorful as its name implies. The most intriguing one involves a dragon inhabiting a spring near the heart of Hangzhou. Emperors and locals alike used the spring water to brew tea from the nearby tea bushes and named the tea Dragonwell.

Dragonwell has a unique leaf style that is easy to recognize. The leaves are pine-needle like and flat with a smooth feel. Tea makers create this leaf style by pan firing the leaves in a hot wok and flipping the leaves hundreds of times until the desired leaf shape is achieved.

Dragonwell holds a unique place in U.S. history since it was the tea Chairman Mao served to President Nixon during his groundbreaking trip to China in 1972!

Taste

Dragonwell’s distinctive vibrant jade-green leaves are broad and flat, producing a pale emerald color with a slightly sweet, chestnut-like and vegetal flavor. Steep at 175F for 203 minutes to enjoy the perfect cup!