Christmas Tea Punch (Adults only please)

Christmas Tea Punch

4TBSP Loose leaf black tea
(we recommend Java Kertasarie)
2 cups white rock sugar
3 cups of water, just below a boil the juice of three lemons
3 sticks of Cinnamon
9 cloves
9 1/2 cups of dry red wine (we recommend a good Shiraz/Syrah)

Steep the black tea and cloves in the 3 cups of water for 3 1/2 minutes. Strain and discard tea leaves and cloves.
Mix with rock sugar, cloves, cinnamon and lemon juice and bring to the boil.
Add wine and reheat but do not boil. Perfect in a crockpot set on low.
Serve hot in fireproof glasses. Serves 24.

(The tea, rock sugar and cloves are all available at SensibiliTeas, Cinnamon sticks are currently out of stock, but one tablespoon of cinnamon chips from SensibiliTeas will work fine as well)

SensibiliTeas will be open Thursday 12/23 1pm-5pm and Friday 12/24 10am-5pm.
Happy Holidays!

Winter Solstice

This morning there was a full moon and a lunar eclipse. The sun entered the astrological sign of Capricorn. This combination of events will not occur again in our lifetime! In fact, the last time I figure it happened was December 21, 1638, and it won't happen again until December 21, 2094! Haven't figured out yet when the last time these events occurred while Mercury was in retrograde. The holiday season is a little to busy for that kind of research!

Today is the shortest day and the longest night of the year. It's winter in the Northern Hemisphere (or summer if you're in the Southern Hemisphere!)

Poets over the ages have proffered plenty of advice for the coming months. Poet Pietro Aretino, born in the 15th century, said, "Let us love winter, for it is the spring of genius." William Blake wrote, "In seed time learn, in harvest teach, in winter enjoy." There's a Japanese proverb that says, "One kind word can warm three winter months."

Emily Dickinson wrote, "There's a certain Slant of light, Winter Afternoons — That oppresses, like the Heft Of Cathedral Tunes." Existentialist Albert Camus wrote, "In the depth of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer." Victor Hugo once said, "Winter is on my head, but eternal spring is in my heart."

American writer Minna Antrim gave these instructions-in-verse:
"Brew me a cup for a winter's night.
For the wind howls loud and the furies fight;
Spice it with love and stir it with care,
And I'll toast our bright eyes, my sweetheart fair."

Were any of you lucky enough to glimpse the lunar eclipse with a delicious cup of tea held in your hands? No such luck here. As for most astrological events (it seems) it was cloudy. But I had the cup of tea in my hands ... I almost always do! For those of you who missed it here's a video of last night's lunar eclipse!
Grab a cup of awesome tea and enjoy!

Beehouse teapots have arrived!

Isn't she lovely?! We have a whole new line of teapots in stock. From the Beehouse line from Zero in Japan. We have a wide variety of colors and finishes in stock in both a 15oz model and a 22oz model. Each pot comes with an infuser basket, so all you need do is add water and tea! If we don't have a color you love, ask to see the color chart and we can special order yours with our next order! 101 colors from which to choose!

Stop by the Shirt Factory Open House this weekend, Saturday and Sunday Dec 11 & 12 from 10am-5pm and see the new Beehouse teapot line! You'll love them!
(Other products may also be available via special order)