A Bit Behind!

I happened to mention on Facebook that I am most certainly climbing up a wall right now. Some bits, I can’t go into full detail for the public, but full-time work is going bonkers with things to do, volunteer work is pulling me everywhere, and there is that constant unquenchable urge to save up a down payment to afford a house in today’s near impossible housing market. At this point, I am feeling a bit like Odysseus – on an epic journey to find myself while battling witches and man-eating cyclopses along the way. I’d like to think of myself as clever as Odysseus (minus the whole pissing off Poseidon thing – not too wise when you are on a boat), but of course, I stumble.

One of the big ways that I stumble is over-exerting myself. Thankfully, things are going to calm down substantially, but a way that I have been able to keep some semblance of sanity is through tea, as silly as that may sound.

This past Tea Love talk I held at Congregation Beth El (who, by the way, were wonderful, warm, and inviting), I mentioned the fact that I am a bit of a coffee-aholic, as well as a tea-aholic. But the main difference between the two beverages is not how I drink them or how much, but when I drink them. Right now, as I type this, I am sitting at my desk at my full-time job with a full 12-pot coffee pot next to me, which will be mostly drunk by the time I leave here at 5PM (not the healthiest. Don’t mimic me). But when I am looking to unwind and finally relax, I don’t reach for a glass of wine – I instead brew a warm cup of tea. The gentle warmth like a hug that I receive when I curl my fingers around my mug, the scents of grass and sweet and spicy and floral all dancing under my nose, the gentle caress on my tongue as I take my first sip – all of the senses interact and play with one another to take the thoughts of what I need to get done, what my mind needs to do, my hands need to do, what I need to say – they all get wrapped up in my tea.

In a way, it’s silly. When my mug is empty, the laundry will still need to be folded. Dinner is still waiting to be chopped and cooked. I still need to edit a video or two as a volunteer, then edit a photo as a paid worker. Webinars still need to be formatted. But if even for a good hour, at least, my mind is centered and meditative over a cup of my favorite tea.

And that’s what makes the difference.

Thank you all, for being patient, since this blog is later than I intended, but the rest was necessary.

Green Tea May Help With Brain Health

First, let’s start this blog off on the right foot:

I am not a doctor. Please, for any medical regimen that you ever undertake (including something that is viewed as natural and innocuous as tea), make sure to follow up with your physician.

I have a deep-seated fear from when I worked in pharma that someone will come across my posts, take it as medical advice, and seriously injure themselves by following a girl’s blog. While I am thrilled that people come to me to learn more about tea and its amazing benefits, I never want to be looked at as the authority, especially when medicine is involved. Imagine me more as an intrepid explorer. Who is slightly addled. But you like to listen to, regardless.

So, with that out of the way, I want to share some news with you that I found while browsing the internet. Recent studies show that green tea may place a role in brain health! Specifically, studies are revealing potential benefits in rats who have experienced a stroke.

What are the details?

A medical emergency of any sort is frightening, to say the least. My grandmother elected to go into hospice in the early 2000s after suffering a particularly cataclysmic stroke resulting in a large swatch of her body being paralyzed. Ischemic strokes are when there’s a block that keeps oxygen from reaching all areas of the brain, resulting in cell death. Quick action can help reverse at least some of the symptoms but, if not treated immediately, it can result in permanent damage or death (make sure you learn the warning signs of a stroke using FAST – Face, Arm, Speech, Time). Standard treatment is a procedure known as thrombolysis, or pretty much dissolving the clot using an IV line or catheter.

Now, here is where tea comes in. Green tea is the most consumed tea in the world. It’s no secret that people value it for its amazing health properties. A search on green tea + weight loss will yield thousands, if not millions, of results on the internet. That same catechin that impacts weight loss – epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) – shows promise to decrease stroke risk and even treat acute stroke! It helps to pause or stop cell death, though this was only done in rats as of right now. However, because it shows potential benefit, some researchers are calling for more research to be done.

The takeaway?

Don’t stop take any blood thinners or helpful medicines! However, green tea does show promise for helping with strokes. So drink up, and celebrate brain health.

Sip Versus Slurp – Which One is Appropriate?

Now that I am restarting my Tea Love blog, the Facebook algorithm is going nuts. All things tea – tea brands, teaware, articles on tea – are all popping up on my newsfeed. One article that the Facebook Gods saw fit to bequeath to me was from a southern New Jersey radio station offering the ten best tea spots in the state – Sip, don’t slurp. Here are 10 of the best teahouses in NJ. While I am definitely pocketing this article for future delicious research, it was the title of the article that got my head buzzing – what is more appropriate, sipping or slurping your tea? Is that a universal fact, or does it vary depending on where you are in the world? So, I decided to go down the rabbit hole.

Most cultures tend to gravitate towards the thought that slurping your tea is rude. According to British etiquette expert Jo Bryant, one must never slurp their tea. In the context of British culture and the history of the beverage, when tea was treated as a fashionable high-society event, it does make sense. Examining the drink with nineteenth-century individuals portrayed as coy and gentle in nature does make slurping seem an anachronism. The stringent etiquette of the entire event also disallows slurping. One must sit up straight, stir their spoons in a specific fashion, blot their mouth a certain way, hold their cup and saucer in a certain way. The rigid nature of the event makes it feel like a slurp would be most unwelcome.

But, as is with most things in life, there are always exceptions to the rules. Slurping tea can allow for more than just simply drinking the beverage. It allows you to get the full experience of the drink, such as one might do when sampling wine. The act of slurping allows for the drink to cool naturally as you take a drink, while also encouraging a greater amount of the scent to hit you in one fell swoop. This is common in some countries, even, such as China. However, if one is not used to the practice or is enjoying their tea in a public setting such as an office, it can be viewed in a negative fashion.

For those that know me, they know I can be rather lax in regard to rules. So long as you are not hurting anyone, enjoy your tea how you want. If you want to slurp it? Slurp away! If you want to sit up straight, go for it. I know personally, I am one to lie on the couch like Kate Winslet in Titanic, watching Netflix, and slurping away on my mug my boyfriend and I bought from Cape Cod, MA. But a helpful tip – don’t be like me if you ever plan to meet the Queen of England.

Re-Launching – Again. No, I’m Serious This Time!

­­­Wow, it has been quite some time! After many false starts and thoughtful meditation, I have decided to officially re-launch my Tea Love blog (no, wait, really!).

First, I want to apologize for all those teasers that I was going to sit down and start writing again, only to have one post or one video and to never return. Tea Love has always remained close to my heart and quickly became a project bigger than I could ever imagine. It was born of necessity – while struggling to find work after college, I wanted to ensure that my writing skills remained somewhat sharp while I applied to what felt like thousands of writing jobs. Soon, I was losing hope, even going so far as to apply to become a professional sander at a local woodworking shop just to get some additional income. After another failed interview – one that I was incredibly confident in – Tea Love was born. A library reached out, asking if I offered seminars on tea. While it was something I never considered, it sounded like a new way to expand my skills while having fun. That first library talk kicked off a tour to various libraries across the state (and even one in New York!), talking to others about the joys of tea.

But, as life tends to be, I became busy. I managed to find that coveted full-time job, as well as a few freelance gigs, and Tea Love fell fallow. It never fully left me, though. That glowing ember has since flared again, as I realize my writing style has changed to be stiff, cold and calculated. Just like the drink allows, I hope to warm my syntax once more.

My dream for this blog will be to examine past posts to see where I was wrong and correct, to continue to inform, and to keep you, my reader, up-to-date on the latest trends involving all things tea. Ideally, I will be posting every Sunday. But I can’t do this alone. Make sure to contact me with tips, tools, resources, and even correct me where I am wrong. Send me pictures and videos of your tea and tea-making. I’d love to see them and share! And of course, make sure to share this blog with your family, friends, neighbors, dogs, cats, birds, etc. Anyone that may enjoy tea (yes, dogs, cats, and birds can also enjoy tea!)

Looking forward to sharing a cuppa with you once again.

Tea And Babies – Can They Mix?

Photo by freestocks.org on Pexels.com

So, fun fact – my sister-in-law, Amanda, is going to be bringing a baby boy into the world any day now! (worth noting that the picture to the right is not Amanda) Everyone in my family is excited for little Michael William, and all have been preparing for his arrival (everyone is also secretly hoping he is born on the 29th, making him a Leap Year Baby, but only time can tell that one). Whether it’s knitting or crocheting endless baby blankets, or getting ready to spoil that kid rotten, we are all preparing for the new joy about the bless our household.

Amanda is a huge tea fan like myself. I would even venture to say even more so. While I am also an avid coffee drinker, choosing tea more so when I am in the mood to relax, she strictly drinks tea for all scenarios. Sick? Drink tea. Tired? Tea. Relaxing? Tea.

But that got me thinking – what happens if you give a baby tea?

<insert disclaimer about how I am not a doctor and you should seek a medical professional’s advice before pursuing anything related to health>

According to WebMD, about 9% of mothers give herbal supplements to their infants under 1 year old. Mothers who use herbal supplements themselves were more likely to use them on their children.

Some baby bloggers are all on board the baby tea train. One blogger cites all the health benefits associated with rooibos tea, even going as far as to say there are no side effects associated with the beverage (warning, anyone that ever has the audacity to make such a claim either did not do their due diligent research or is flat out lying to you. Everything has side effects, whether good or bad. It’s just a matter of balancing them. To be fair, at the very end of the blog, the person does state to consult doctors and that side effects exist, they are rare, contradicting their earlier statements). And it’s true, there are a lot of health benefits associated with rooibos for adults. Another blogger goes into how to make a safe chamomile brew for your baby. Many cite tea as being a cure for colic.

That being said though, your baby is brand new to the world and will inherently react differently to things compared to good ole’ Mom and Dad. What might be good for you as an adult may not be good for your child. Though the jury is still out whether or not it is OK to give your infant teas and herbal supplements, babies under six months should still only receive breast milk and formula, using vitamins and supplements as directed by the doctor. Additionally, with tea being less regulated, numerous risks exist. And regardless, colicky babies should NOT be given tea as a form of medicine due to neurological risks.

In the end? Giving tea to babies may not be ruled as safe or unsafe yet, but it can be risky. Best suggestion from someone who is not a doctor? Leave the tea to the adults. If you are going to have a tea party with your infant, use formula only for now. At least until they are three years old.

A Reflection on Returning

You know, sometimes, it takes a lot of back and forth to persuade yourself to get back into the ring. You can tell yourself you have too many commitments, that you are no good. That your website needs a complete overhaul and that you lost your readership anyway. Why should you get back into writing for enjoyment? (for those that do not know, I am a writer by trade for a nonprofit, in addition to freelance writing and editing).

But, even though my last post was in 2017 and those posts were getting sporadic at best towards the end, I saw something amazing happen. People still liked my Facebook page, still would find me in web searches, click on links from Pinterest that led to my work. I kept my WordPress for freelance work, and would sometimes check on the stats for Tea Love and be amazed. How on earth are people even finding me now?

Life has gotten worlds busier, reader. But life is meant to do that. Back in 2017, I was working at a job that, while I loved, I also knew was not the right fit for me. I was delving deeper and deeper into the nonprofit world, finding refuge there as I helped others struggling with homelessness, poverty, and hunger. While the feeling was magical watching others being helped, it was also a lot of work and time that sometimes left me feeling drained by the end of the week. My budding relationship, though still full of love and hope, also had a lot of roadblocks placed in our way by society, making it difficult to stay afloat (we have been together since 2014 now, as the roadblocks are slowly wasting away). Maintaining a blog about tea, as well as doing talks every once in a while, simply became too much. And so, Tea Love went into hibernation for a few years.

Now, I am working at a job that I adore, doing what I love – writing and advocating for others. I live in an apartment not too far from my family, friends, and boyfriend. I am about to become an aunt at the end of the month, if you can believe that! I continue to advocate for others by serving as a board member of a local nonprofit dealing with homelessness while also running a chapter of their emergency winter sheltering program.

It took some time falling into place. Maybe more than I would like to admit. And things are still finding their way to their proper homes. I am still finding my way at the age of 31, and probably will be for the rest of my life. But I think it’s time to look back at my successes, and see what I can revive to help me continue to be me.

And one of those is to start Tea Love again.

I hope you will all forgive me for the time it’s taken to start again, and I hope you will all rejoin me in this journey of exploring tea, correcting old mistakes, and working hard to bring timely information straight to your inbox every Sunday.

Until then, keep sipping ❤

Most Liberal Product In America – Kombucha

Admittedly, kombucha is still a bit of a mystery to me, the main reason being that I do not drink alcohol.   Once I read that it was a fermented beverage, I just thought, “Nope.”   However, watching some of my coworkers swear by it and seeing all sorts of recipes for SCOBY (the weird culture of bacteria and yeast that looks a bit like an oceanic creature), I decided to at least do a bit of research on it and know what on Earth I am talking about.

The mystery of kombucha….

For those of you who have lived blissfully unawares, kombucha, dubbed the most liberal product in America as of 2009, is an ancient Chinese tea-based drink (usually green or black tea) that is brewed with a yeast disc, yielding low levels of alcohol.   Now, it is toted as being a huge part of PepsiCo’s portfolio, despite the fact that it had an alcohol regulation scandal only a few years ago.   Health nuts love it, because it states that it contains vitamins, amino acids, and other buzz words healthy people (and the government) associate with health benefits.   This also implies a non-alcoholic base, so kids and adults can enjoy the drink.   It almost developed a cult following, with people expounding upon its properties to do everything from fix what ails ya to even curing AIDS and cancer (helpful note, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center states that kombucha has not been shown to treat cancer nor AIDS in humans).

Kombucha is prepared mostly by placing the SCOBY in sweetened tea and left to ferment at room temperature for 1-3 weeks, then bottled for 1-2 weeks to contain the CO2 that is given off and increase the natural carbonation of the drink.   From there, the drink is stored in the fridge, at which point it is ready to be sold.   The scandal happened because people did not think of the second fermentation cycle that the drink goes through:

“However, the production and distribution of kombucha halted abruptly for two months in 2010 following a Whole Foods inspection  by Maine Department of Agriculture Consumer Protection Inspector Randy Trahan. During a routine bottle audit at the Whole Foods in Portland, Trahan noticed leaking kombucha bottles. Trahan explained, “Some of the Kombucha bottles on the shelf were leaking. Being a public health official, I know that alcohol is a by-product of the fermentation process. I could immediately see that there might be a public safety issue…Kids could get hold of this and get a buzz.””

After Trahan submitted the bottles for testing, they found alcohol levels ranging from a bit over 0.5% to even going as high as over 2.5%, well above the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau’s regulations.   The drink was pulled from shelves as a result for a bit while the industry gathered itself again to try a second time in the kombucha boom.

The government stepped in and stated that it would regulate any kombucha products that contain 0.5% or more ABV, even after the product was bottled and continued to ferment.   Trade association Kombucha Brewers International was also founded as a way to educate both consumers and retailers about kombucha, as well as promote industry ethics and labeling standards, working with the government to do so.

With new regulations in place, producers went two ways – some decided to comply with the ABV standards through manufacturing changes and de-alcoholizers, while others used their original formulas and labeled their brands as beers instead.   Purists believe the de-alcoholized products stripped away the health benefits of the beverage that made it so popular in the first place.   However, sales continue to climb, estimated to be about $1.8 billion by 2020.

So, while I might try some of the de-alcoholized kombucha, there’s something to be said about its fascinating history, and the current hype surrounding the beverage!

Sit back, enjoy a cuppa, and let me know your thoughts.

Happy #NationalChocolateWeek!

First thing’s first, I want to give a great shout-out to the Orangeburg Library in Orangeburg, New York.   Yesterday, they invited me to come speak to their patrons about Afternoon Tea and give the low-down on Low Tea.   Over 20 people showed!   Everyone was in wonderful spirits, and we even got to use antique tea cups supplied by the Orangetown Museum and Archives!   I won’t lie, that was slightly nerve-wracking to use those tea cups, but it all worked out and I think we had a wonderful party.   Thank you to all who showed, and thank you to the Orangeburg Library for inviting me!   I am looking forward to my next trip out to your neck of the woods.

And now, onto tea….

Pretty much, I log into Facebook daily because I am an internet addict, as much as I might try to deny it.   I don’t rely on it for the likes or anything, but I am addicted to the recipes that flood my news feed, plus I love the puppy videos that pop up here and there.   Today, upon logging in, I learned it was National Chocolate Week over in the UK!   October 9th through the 15th, citizens across the pond are going to be hopping around to different chocolatiers to get a taste of some indulgence and celebrating a heavenly product.   But, what better way to celebrate your morsel of chocolate than with tea?

One of my favorite chocolate recipes to make are truffles.   Simple, elegant, and, most importantly, fun, you can experiment and make as many or as few as you would like.   Martha Stewart posted about jasmine tea-infused truffles, and that light floral note you get from the tea is well worth it.   Try it out and let me know what you think!

Jasmine Tea-Infused Truffles

Ingredients:

 

• 24 ounces bittersweet chocolate, preferably Valrhona Manjari, finely chopped
• 8 ounces milk chocolate, preferably Valrhona 42 percent, finely chopped
• 2 cups heavy cream (not ultra-pasteurized)
• 6 ounces Jasmine tea
• 11 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 cups cocoa powder (not Dutch processed), preferably Valrhona, for rolling

Directions:

1. Line a 13-by-9 1/2-inch rimmed baking sheet with plastic wrap; set aside.

2. In a heatproof bowl, set over (but not touching) simmering water, melt 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate and milk chocolate together until it reaches 120 degrees.

3. Place cream in a small saucepan over medium heat; heat until cream just comes to a boil. Place tea in a medium stainless steel bowl. Pour cream over tea and let steep 10 minutes. Strain cream mixture through 4 layers of cheesecloth.

4. Remove chocolate mixture from heat and add to 1 1/3 cups cream mixture, reserving any remaining cream for another use. Using a heatproof spatula, mix together, starting from the center of the saucepan and working your way to the outer edges until mixture is emulsified. Add butter and mix with an immersion blender until well combined. Pour mixture into prepared baking sheet, evenly spreading mixture with an offset spatula; cover with plastic wrap, pressing down gently on chocolate mixture to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate at least 2 hours, and up to overnight.

5. Line the back of another 13-by-9 1/2-inch baking sheet with parchment paper. Uncover chocolate and invert onto parchment paper; remove second piece of plastic wrap. Using a pizza cutter or sharp knife, and a steel ruler as a guide, cut chocolate into 1-inch squares.

6. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside. Roll each square of chocolate between your hands to form a smooth ball. Transfer chocolate balls to baking sheet; refrigerate for 1 hour.

7. Melt remaining 16 ounces bittersweet chocolate in a heatproof bowl, set over (but not touching) simmering water. Place cocoa powder in a shallow dish. Place some of the melted chocolate in the palm of your hand and roll a chocolate ball in the melted chocolate to coat, then roll in cocoa powder. Repeat process with remaining chocolate balls. Transfer truffles to an airtight container, stacking truffles no more than 2 to 3 inches high, and refrigerate up to 2 weeks. Bring truffles to room temperature just before serving.

 

Pumpkin Spice EVERYTHING Season Is Back!

October has just started and yes, I have already had a pumpkin-inspired tea.   Around this time, my friends and I stalk the haunted houses, indulge in pumpkin-flavored products, and gorge enough candy where we regret ever committing to a diet in the first place.   We always hear about PSL (thank you, Starbucks), but did you know that there are plenty of healthy teas that are also pumpkin-themed?   Take a look below!

Pumpkin Pie – Made by Premium Steap – A Lifestyle of Tea

I first found out about Pumpkin Pie from a coworker, who was kind enough to bring me a cuppa while we worked endlessly on a project (yay for that project finally being completed!).   It was my first day meeting her, and the topic of tea came up (of course it did).   She told me about this magical Pumpkin Pie and I tried it.   It warmed every sense within, and the taste was divine.   Seriously, I know I rave about tea, but I often sort of shy away from some of the more specialty flavors since sometimes, they just overdo the hype.   But the blend contains pumpkin, cinnamon, and other spices without leaving a gritty or powdery taste in it.   And the best part?   You actually taste the pumpkin!

Pumpkin Chai – Made by DavidsTEA

One of the things that I love about DavidsTEA is that it is environmentally conscious.   Bring in a reusable container, they will fill it up with tea.   You don’t need to drain your pocketbooks buying their air-tight containers (spoiler alert, they are quite awesome and you should keep your tea in an air-tight container regardless, but that’s another story) and their tea is mighty tasty.   One thing to keep in mind though, I tell everyone that their tea is not “pure” in the sense of it ONLY being tea.   They usually have add-ins, and Pumpkin Chai is no exception.   Doesn’t mean that it’s bad, but it does mean you might be getting some sugars that you would not otherwise get in your cuppa.   This tea is spiced with caramel, pumpkin candies, cinnamon, and cloves and advertises as being great as a latte.   Move over, Starbucks!

Sweet Harvest Pumpkin – Made by Celestial Seasonings

My heart is always torn with Celestial Seasonings.   On the one hand, I ADORE their herbal fruity teas.   On the other hand, they sometimes fall short.   This tea is a black tea, automatically making it a bit stronger, spiced with cinnamon, ginger, roasted chicory, natural pumpkin flavor, and more.   So the good news is, the strength is there, not like their peach blend.   Plus, it is also a bit different from the others which streamline to be pumpkin spice thrown into a tin of black tea and then calling it a day.

Bad news about all of these?   All of them are black teas, so all contain caffeine.   If you are looking to watch your intake for whatever reason, stick to a nice cinnamon apple.

Gross Post Of The Week – Wash Your Cups

For those of you who don’t know, I get Google Alerts in my inbox every day for the words “tea + drink”.   This has yielded some interesting new stories, such as the idea of cheese tea.    Well, the latest alert?   Has me more sad than anything….

 

If you drink coffee or tea over at your office, I HIGHLY recommend you wash your mugs both before and after you drink.   Per Mirror.co.uk, Charles Gerba, Ph.D., professor of environmental microbiology at the University of Arizona, states that 90 per cent of most office mugs carry dangerous germs, and 20 per cent of those carry fecal bacteria.

 

AKA poop.

AKA yuck.

I don’t want to drink out of toilets anymore than you do.   So, why is this a thing though?   Do people actively bring mugs back and forth from the break room to take a poop?   How do we find and stop these heinous individuals who share more of themselves than you ever care to be exposed to?

In fact, it comes about most often when you use the office communal sponge (thank God I keep mine in my desk).   These sponges harbor germs and might not be thrown out as regularly as they should be.   Therefore, when you wash your mugs using these sponges, you are really just wiping a cesspool into your cup rather than actually cleaning it.

Your best bet?   Take your mug home and wash it in your dishwasher.   You can probably also get away with disposable cups or, as I do, have your own sponge.

Because no one wants to drink poop.