Souvia Tea Blog

A newcomer called LEmon meringue is on the shelves…It is a blend of white and green teas with a creamy lemon finish

 Midsummer Nights Dream the 2007 Wolrd Tea Expo award winner will be out within a week!

In the stores now

Coconut Black

Sweet Cherry

Pineapple Lemon

Sencha Pina Colada

It is that time of year when we phase out our “winter” teas to make room for the summer teas.  Gingerbread House and Nutcracker Sweet are on this list.  In addition the Gopaldara First Flush Darjeeling is almost gone and the Next First Flush will arrive probably in June.  The Ume Shiso has been discontinued by the supplier.

 Get ‘em while they last!

For those waiting, our Dragonwell Organic, Jasmine Downey Pearls, and Camomile are all back in stock.

 Both locations.

Bret

Many people make iced tea using the  “Sun Tea” method which consists of placing tea in a glass jar in the Sun for several hours. 

We do not recommend “Sun Tea” for several reasons:

First, there is no need to brew tea in the Sun.  It does not provide any benefit over cold steeping.  Prevention Magazine found the hot vs. cold steeping provides no diference in health benefits or taste. From the article “fridge tea actually won (on antioxidants), edging out hot-brewed iced tea made from the same box of Salada Green Tea tea bags.”

Second, The Centers for Disease Control does not recommend this method.
From the article at http://www.snopes.com/food/prepare/suntea.asp

“Tea made by placing loose or bagged tea leaves in glass jars of water which
are then left in direct sunlight can harbor bacteria that can make you ill.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, using the sun’s rays to make
tea can facilitate the growth of bacteria. Tea steeped in a jar on your
porch won’t get any hotter than 130deg Fahrenheit, about the temperature of
a really hot bath and not nearly hot enough to kill nasties lurking either
in the water or on the tea itself.”

Alcaligenes viscolactis, a bacteria commonly found in water, consequently
turns up in sun tea.”

Third, Cold steeping is simple, easily done overnight, and doesn’t heat up
your kitchen!

So, give it a try… Cold steep your next batch!

A great article in the New York Times makes the point that much of the tea consumed in the US is not all that healthy…  From the article

“But a 16-ounce bottle of the popular Arizona Green Tea with Ginseng and Honey, for instance, contains 140 calories and 34 grams of sugar. (By comparison, a similar amount of Coke has 194 calories and 54 grams of sugar.) A grande Tazo chai tea latte at Starbucks packs 240 calories and 41 grams of sugar.”

this is a benefit of brewing your own tea or drinking good quality leaf teas without all the additions.

 You can read the rest here….

   
Did You Know…?
Ø     Rooibos gets better with age just like a good wine. It can be stored in the fridge without clouding and re-used later.
Ø     Rooibos can be used as a meat tenderizer or as a base for marinades.
Ø     Rooibos can be re-steeped.
Ø     Rooibos will give dark hair a nice shine when used as a rinse.
Ø     Apply cold Rooibos with cotton balls to treat skin rashes and eczema.
        

It’s hot this time of year.  A Colleague reported temps above 100 in Montana!  Everyone know is is important to stay hydrated.  There was a great story on National Public Radio this week on that topic.  The good news?  Tea is a great hydrator.  Listen to the whole story here.  Got Water? Summer Heat Ignites Dehydration

Both Souvia locations will be closed July 4th in honor of Independence Day. 

However, July 2-7th we’ll be featuring our Red, White, and Blue Teas at 20% off.

Enjoy a safe 4th of July Holiday….