One of the best times for those of us in the tea world is when shipments of the new season’s test samples arrive. Opening the packages (and inhaling the fresh aroma) is like opening a birthday present. The first sips of the flavorful leaves are as exciting as New Year’s … Continue reading
Many of us appreciate tea daily – some of us several times a day – but on Sunday, May 8, we have the opportunity to celebrate tea in a whole new way – an entire day dedicated to hallowing tea! Dianna Harbin, the founder and organizer of what is graciously … Continue reading
“So what is a tea festival?” This is a question I get asked all the time, but I guess what we do must be quite unique, as I have to answer a lot of questions. Not that I mind it at all – after all, a large part of what … Continue reading
Tea tourism is becoming an ever-more intriguing idea as tea lovers and business people desire a more personal and in-depth experience of tea. Governments are adding tea tourism arms to their tourism bureaus. International conferences are including lectures and segments on tea tourism. Tea gardens – some of the most … Continue reading
Winter is by far my favorite time of year to reflect upon our successes and not-so-successful efforts at the teahouse during the year, and this year has yielded a few surprises in terms of trends. In no particular order, here are the top 5 teahouse trends I’ve noticed this year: … Continue reading
Like most of you, I’ve been following the discussion going on in the specialty tea industry about the political tea party and its impact, if any, on tea’s image. I had resolved to stay out of it, but the topic (like the tea partiers) just won’t go away.Most recently, the … Continue reading