New and Notable - Tea Forte Single Steeps and Tea Internship for One Lucky College Grad!

My love for the Tea Forte line of fine teas continues to grow.  As a devotee of their beautiful packaging and wonderful flavors along with a great line of accessories, I was beginning to wonder what was next for them?  The company recently launched Single Steeps, an easy to use line of pre-portioned pouches that are a convenient and simple way to prepare and enjoy the perfect cup of premium loose leaf tea.  The company recommends steeping the teas by opening the pre-portioned pouch of tea and emptying the contents into a teapot or infusing basket and pouring the water over the leaves to steep the perfect 12 oz cup or pot of tea.

Loose leaf tea fans will be excited to learn that all Single Steeps are USDA Certified Organic.  They come in a 15 count sampler including three eco-pouches each of Chamomile Citron Naturally Caffeine-Free Herb Tea, Earl Grey Black Tea, Green Mango Peach Tea, Forte Breakfast Black Tea, and Ginger Lemongrass Naturally Caffeine-Free Herb Tea.  The set will retail for US $12.

A complimentary Single Steeps Brewing System which includes a set complete with 24 pre-portioned pouches of Single Steeps tea along with a 12 oz KATI double-wall ceramic tea tumbler with integrated stainless-steel infusing basket is also available for US $24.

Aside from these great single steeps, I was pleased to learn that the Tea Council of the USA is offering a "Sip of Success" Dream Job Contest to grant one lucky college graduate an opportunity to prepare for a great career and experience a unique and thrilling adventure on tea plantations in India, Sri Lanka, Kenya and the USA. College grads can create a two-minute video showing their passion for tea and knowledge of its many health benefits, for a chance to win this exciting prize.  The winner will intern in all three host countries, as well as in the US.  The international internship will begin in mid-October of this year, with a tea tour of Darjeeling and Assam, India, the second largest global tea producer following China. The winner will remain in Assam to begin a 6-week intensive training program, after which he or she will travel to Sri Lanka for another leg of the internship, and then on to Kenya for the final week, returning to the US in late December, 2010. Sri Lanka and Kenya are the world's two leading tea exporters.  To top off the experience, in early January, 2011, the winner will participate in the US portion of the Dream Job internship at SalonTea, under the tutelage of nationally known tea entrepreneur Tracy Stern.

During the internship the winner will learn about all aspects of tea cultivation, processing and appreciation (cupping). He or she will live in Tea Estate Bungalows, which are actually beautiful homes built for the original British managers.  All entries must be original videos created by the entrants and must contain at least one valid message regarding the health benefits of tea, specifically black, green, white or oolong tea. Open to legal residents of the United States and Puerto Rico, who are recent college graduates at least 18 years of age, all entries must be received electronically at www.teausa.org/sipofsuccess no later than midnight on Tuesday, September 7, 2010.

For more information and to submit a video for consideration, please visit www.teausa.org/sipofsuccess or e-mail cooklikejackie@gmail.com.

Tea Time

As we wind up the month of January, do not forget to pay homage to one of the most amazing drinks ever created---hot tea. January is national hot tea month and it is a great time to learn more about tea, a drink that has been in existence for nearly 5,000 years. Tea even holds a unique place in American political history thanks to the infamous Boston Tea Party which produced the familiar phrase "taxation without representation."

Societies around the globe have universally recognized the unique qualities a cup of hot tea can produce. Tea is known to encourage conversation and to have soothing properties that provide warmth and comfort. Tea is produced from the camellia sinensis plant, a hearty evergreen that tends to grow in warm climates. Teas varieties result from differences in the health of the leaves and a process we learned in science class, oxidation. Green tea and white tea is formed from tea that is not oxidized at all, instead the tea leaves are steamed, rolled and dried. Black tea is oxidized for at least two hours and up to four hours. Oolong teas are typically oxidized for two to three hours.

Popular herbal teas do not come from the camellia sinensis plant and instead are combinations of leaves, roots, bark, seeds and flowers from a variety of plants. Notably, herbal teas have not been linked to many of the popular research which suggests that tea provides health benefits.

According to the Tea Association of the U.S.A., tea has grown to a nearly $7 billion industry with almost $2 billion dollars worth of tea sold at retail supermarkets. Tea is produced in many foreign countries located in South America, Asia and Africa including Argentina, Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Malawi, Sri Lanka and Tanzania.

Tea in its purest form contains no sodium, fat, carbonation or sugar and is either low-calorie or calorie-free. Teas are also renowned for their flavanoids which are compounds that are said to have antioxidant properties which according to scientists block and neutralize free radicals which can cause damage to the body.

Tea is extremely easy to prepare and there are many products on the market which seek to optimize your tea experience. Breville has a variable temperature kettle that will boil water at varying temperatures depending on the type of tea that is brewed.

Tea Forte has some of the most beautifully packaged teas in their signature prism tea bag with ribbon. A ribbon box is quite affordable and makes an ideal gift at US $18 - US $24. The company is running a special promotion valid until January 31st. By using the coupon code FREEDOLCE, one can receive a free box of tea from the Dolce Vita collection with the purchase of a Sontu teapot which compliments the Tea Forte line exquisitely.

If you are interested in a more formal tea presentation, the Damman Freres Loose Tea Coffret 1825 sold online at Sur La Table provides a set of 18 teas including Jardin Bleu, Quatre Fruits Rouge and Citrons.

While traveling in San Francisco, I came upon the Red Blossom Tea Company who through a minimalist facade presents an awesome array of fine teas housed in beautiful large silver tins. Removing the lids reveals the fragrance of the teas like a fine perfumery. The store also features wonderful accessories such as specialty ceramics including a kyusu pot and a Korean ripple tea set.

For more information on tea selections, e-mail me at cooklikejackie@gmail.com.