I was recently reminded of the start of my affinity for my favorite tea when we had the opportunity to visit with David Lee Hoffman and his lovely wife, Bea.  David, who is the subject of the Les Blanc film, All In This Tea, had Bea serve me (and, I’m sure, hundreds of other Americans [...]

While Beverly Hills Psychiatrist Dr. Carole Lieberman interviewed me on her radio show on August 17, 2010, she surmised that I must have a warm and happy childhood memory about tea that led me to have the passion and fascination I have for tea today. We were talking about my new book, but, of course, [...]

Everyone talks about the good old days, but in truth, I am still too young to have a firm opinion as to whether the past might have been better than the present.  But what if there were a way to travel back to an older tradition?  Korean teas might just offer a way.
Upon first learning [...]

Taking a bowl of green tea in your hands and drinking it, you feel one with nature and there is peace.  This peace can be spread by offering a bowl of tea to another.  I hope you will drink and share this peace with me.
-Soshitsu Sen XV, Tea Life, Tea Mind

Many times, I have been [...]

Consistently ranked among the Top 10 tea-producing countries in the world and frequently in the Top 5, Turkey today is a tea powerhouse on both the production and consumption sides of the equation.  However, that has not always been the case.  From the time the first tea seedlings were imported to Turkey from Japan and [...]

Keemun, or Qimen tea, is a China Famous Tea.  China Famous Tea is the modern name for Imperial Tribute Tea.  These teas were claimed as an exclusive provenance of the emperors in the last four dynasties: Tang, Song, Ming and Qing.  Each emperor had his favorite teas delivered and recorded as a tax payment owed [...]

While traveling and enjoying the incredible weather up here in beautiful British Columbia this summer, I’ve taken notice of a growing trend percolating throughout this great province of ours. The menu boards in teahouses and cafés are now offering an incredible array of tea-based lattes.  Even in some of the most off-the-beaten-track hovels, there is [...]

Iced tea is an American summer tradition.  Served up on the hottest of days, it is usually prepared sweetened, in plentiful quantities, and as cold as the laws of physics will permit to help cut the heat of the August sun; it also happens to be my favorite summertime treat.  To feed my mounting obsession [...]

Summer is here, accompanied by sunshine, heat, and of course, iced tea.  The warm summer days almost always warrant a refreshing, cold beverage that quenches our thirst as well as satisfies our taste buds.  But watch out!  There are imitation iced teas lurking in the grocery store aisles that tempt us with their convenience and [...]

Shizuoka prefecture is the Number 1 tea-producing region in Japan, followed by the Kagoshima prefecture. Located on Kyushu Island, Kagoshima City is the gateway to China and Korea.  Kyushu is also known for Nagasaki, an international port through which the early influences of Chinese culture, poetry, and tea-producing techniques passed.  Pan-fried teas - either Kamairi-cha [...]