Last month I thought I’d take a rest from overeating and drinking with my little diet blog post and that (unexpectedly, I must say) brought on great discussion with my tea industry colleagues. So this month, I’m actually asking for input. Just food for thought, intended primarily for tea compatriots – what do we all [...]
Mark Ukra is better known to the public as “Dr. Tea”. As his alter-ego tea persona, Mark has appeared on such shows as “The View” and “Rachel Ray” as well as on numerous morning TV shows. He comes outfitted in a bright orange jacket and is an enigmatic spokesman for our favorite beverage…tea.
You may have [...]
In the business of selling specialty tea, I see two camps that - while not mutually exclusive - could be seen as opposing. On one side are those who emphasize tea’s propensity to slow down time and invite participants to be more present in each savored moment. On the other side are those who are [...]
It was a chilly fall day in the 1990s in Edmonton when a group of my friends gathered to indulge our foodie nature in some wonderful eats. The restaurant was known for its succulent cuts of local Angus beef, aged to perfection and served up to your exact specification. We had duly filled ourselves and [...]
I was at the Fancy Food Show in San Francisco a couple weeks ago, and had a great time talking to tea people and foodies who are tea curious. I kept getting the same questions I’ve heard repeated over my 5+ years in the tea business - “How do I get trained in tea?” and [...]
When you curl up with a hot cup of tea (especially on a cold winter day), you’re probably focused on the warmth of the cup and beverage, the taste and smell of your chosen blend, and the boost your immune system receives. The environmental impact of your cuppa may be far down on the list [...]
For well over year now, a small, but important, transformation has been in the works. Starbucks - reliable coffee beacon to some, small business-squashing villain to others - has decided to upgrade their Tazo dustbags to loose-leaf tea sachets (and potentially even to bonafide loose-leaf tea itself). It’s one small step for tea, but one [...]
If you own a tea cafe or drink a lot of tea lattes and don’t want to invest in a decent (read: expensive) espresso machine, affordable options for heating and frothing your milk and chai lattes are, unfortunately, quite limited. While I can’t speak to the adequacy and efficacy of the Froth au Lait Professional [...]
2010 will likely be an interesting year. We seem on the verge of so many changes socially, politically, economically, and environmentally. Will the recession of the last couple years result in a REAL change in the mentality of the U.S. consumer? Will the economy recover quickly or will retailers continue to suffer? Will the explosion [...]
May 3, 1999 – Edmonton, Alberta. Steeps – the Urban Teahouse opened its doors for business on a hot and dry prairie morning - 1000 square feet, 28 seats, 78 teas, 2 pies, 2 cakes, 3 kinds of cookies, date squares, and an antique sideboard where you could choose your very own tea cup to [...]
