….a little deviation from the good old Reese’s Peanutbutter Cup, but much friendlier to your waist!

Zoe, one of our, not only knowledgeable, but also creative tea consultants came up with a recipe for a great tea blend that will satisfy every sweet tooth – a guiltless indulgence !

Take 1 part of Souvia’s Sonoran Chili Chocolate

1 1/2 parts roasted Dandelion Root and 1/2 part of Black Vanilla.

Puerh is a tea varietal from the Yunnan region in the Southern part of China. It is traditionally made with leaves from old tea treas and is well known for its rich flavor and aroma as well as its health benefits. Pu-erh teas are processed like green teas – but then aged to perfection!

There are two categories of Pu-erh

1.Raw (Sheng Puerh)

Raw Puerh, also known as uncooked, or green Puerh is processed like green tea. The teal leaves are wilted and then pan-fired, using a large wok. This stops the enzymatic action and prevents any oxidation of the leaves. The leaves are then rolled, shaped into strands and then dried in the sun. These dried tea leaves are the foundation for Puerh and are called “Mao-cha”. Mao-cha is sent to the tea factories where it is pressed into raw Puerh cakes or nests and left to age. For more than 1000 years, this process and the tools involved have remained unchanged. Raw Puerh requires quite a long time for aging to develop its character – up to 20, 30 years.

Cooked/Ripened Puerh (Shu Puerh)

During the second part of the 20th century, Chinese scientists explored the possibility to accelerate this aging process through induced, high speed artificial fermentation. The production of Shu Puerh involves wilting and pan-firing the tea leaves just like with Sheng Puerh, but after the sun-drying, they undergo a unique process known as “wet piling”. The tea leaves are piled up, watered and then covered with a wet cloth. They are then submitted to high heat and moisture for extended periods of time. During this process, the chemical composition of the tea leaf changes,  leading to a reduction in bitterness and a purer flavor. This process is repeated for 30-40 days and requires much skill and experience.

Regardless of the type, Puerh teas have been enjoyed in the Southern parts of China for thousands of years and have been revered for their healing properties. If you need to settle your stomach or have overindulged at the Sunday brunch buffet, a cup of Puerh might just be the answer to bring order into your digestive system!

This world famous oolong comes from the Fujian province in China, where it is prized for its floral and fruit like aroma.

The tea name is derived from an old legend in which a poor tea farmer faithfully maintained an old delapidated temple dedicated to the goddess “Guan Yin” ( Buddhism’s Bodhisattva of compassion). Every day, on his way to the tea fields, he sweeps the temple, and honors the goddess with fresh flowers.

Grateful for his watchful care, the goddess appeared to him in a dream and offers him a gift, which is to find behind the temple. She promises him that if he took good care of this gift, the gift would take good care of him, his family and his village. The next day, the tea farmer searches behind the temple and finds a unique tea bush. He takes the bush, plants it in his fields and carefully tends to it. The tea he receives from this special bush, is remarkable in flavor and character and quickly becomes a sought-after product which brings wealth to the farmer and his village. To honor the goddess Guan Yin, the tea was named after her.

Since the tea leaves are tightly rolled and therefore feel a little heavier, like iron, the tea was hence forth called “Ti Guan Yin” – Iron Goddess Of Mercy.

Ti Guan Yin’s dark jade curled leaves brew up into an amber liquor with a delicate and smooth, peachy, and sometimes slightly nutty flavor.

Ti Guan Yin can be infused several times and is truly a delightful oolong!

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 arenaturally 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 known 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 knowledgeable 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 tea tastings and classes at SOUVIA®

Need a little help relaxing or getting restful sleep – Lavender might just be the herb for you!

Native to the Mediterranean, this beautiful, fragrant and hardy plant thrives in hot, dry conditions and is therefore easy to grow here in Arizona.

Lavender is not only a poplular scent used in perfumes, massage oils, salves and lip balms,  but it has long been revered for its medicinal properties. The relaxing aroma is used to soothe headaches,  calm nerves and lift your mood. Lavender also has antiseptic properties and can be used to treat minor cuts, scrapes and insect bites.

To benefit from Lavenders calming properties and to prepare for a restful night’s sleep, try this easy to make Lavender Spray:

Ingredients:  1/2 cup distilled water

1 tsp witch hazel

5-6 drops lavender essential oils

Mix ingredients and pour into a clean spray bottle. You can use this spray on your skin (lavender can be used by all skin types, especially sensitive skin) or use it on your pillow before going to sleep.

For a lavender body butter that works great as a garden salve and to treat minor cuts and scrapes, try the following recipe which I found in the Herb Companion.

Ingredients:  1/4 cup cocoa butter

2 tbsp. sunflower oil

1tbsp. coconut oil, 1 tbsp flaxseed oil

2 tbsp. grated beeswax

1 tsp. vitamin E oil

5-6 drops  lavender essential oils

Combine all ingredients except the essential oil and gently heat until melted. Heat them on the stove top on low heat. Stir well and add the lavender essential oil. Pour into a clean container and allow to cool completely.

This salve work well on those very dry and rough areas such as elbows, heels and knees.

While I love to cook and experiment with new recipes, during these hot Arizona summer months, there is little activity in my kitchen – unless I find a recipe for a cool and refreshing treat like the Rooibos Dulce De Leche Ice Cream. It is really easy to make and you will savor every bit of it – I promise!

Ingredients:

2 cups whole milk

1 cup heavy cream

4 tbsp dry red rooibos

1 2/3 cups dulce de leche

1/8 tsp pure vanilla extract

In a medium saucepan, combine milk, cream and rooibos. Bring to a full boil, then remove from heat. Allow rooibos to steep in the milk/cream misture for 15 minutes, then  popur the misture into a medium-sized bowl, straining out the leaves and stems with a fine-mesh strainer or filter. Whisk in the dulce de leche until disolved. Whisk in vanilla. Chill the mixture for several hours or overnight.  Freeze the mixture in an ice cream maker or in your freezer until it is almost firm, then transfer it to an airtight container and return it to the freezer  for at least another hours so it can harden.

We all know how good tea tastes and how can instill as sense of well being and relaxation. But there are many more ways you can use your tea leaves.  Cosmetic Companies have already tapped into the antioxidant powers of the Camellia Sinensis plant and incorporate tea in many of their beauty products.

I want to share three tips on how you can use tea in a new, creative way that will benefit your beauty and health:

SUNBURN COOLER

New York City dermatologist David Goldberg recommends green tea soothe a sunburn. The anti-inflammatory properties in tea will cool your skin and relieve irritation. Simply fill a spray bottle with chilled green tea and spritz onto the sunburned areas twice per hour.

TEA TONER

The astringent properties in tea will help your complexion glow by removing build up from make-up and air pollution. To make your own “tea toner”,  pour 1/4 cup of boiling water over 4 tsps of tea (green, black, it will all work) and steep for at least one hour to make a strong infusion. Remove the tea leaves and add 1/4 cup of witch hazel to the tea. Cool and fill into clean glass bottles. Apply with cotton ball.

HAIR RINSE

Hair rinses work gradually, the longer you use them, the better the results. To darken hair and keep a healthy shine, use black tea and sage; to lighten blond hair, use chamomile.

Steep 2 tbsp. of dried herbs in 2 cups boiling water for 5-10 minutes. Strain liquid and let cool before you use it.

It’s fun and easy to make any of these three recipes…..and maybe you will tap into the creative powers within yourself and discover more.

If you do  – I’d love to hear it!