We moved!

But we didn't go far.

This month we finally opened in our new location!

We're still in The Shirt Factory (www.shirtfactorygf.com), but we are now located closest to the Lawrence Street entrance. The loading dock is another great entrance for easy navigation to the tea shop. The other doors remain as available entrance ports, but are a far walk from to the tea shop.

We have about fewer teas than previously (we moved from a place with a 16' tea wall to a 14' tea wall. The discontinued teas are currently available at a 30% discount, as packages in 2 oz packages. We will offer a 50% discount if you take the rest of what we have available. The discontinued teas have been removed from the website, but are available if yo call us.

The following are the discontinued teas.

Black Teas

• Ceylon Balangoda
• Chisunga
• Santosa
• Gunung Dempo
• Keemun Qi Hong
• Yunnan Golden Halo

Flavored Black Teas

• Apple (we still have Apple Cinnamon Coffeecake)
• Apricot Brandy (we still have Apricot Allure)
• Black Rose
• Candy Apple (may return seasonally)
• Candy Cane (may return seasonally)
• Eden
• Red Currant (this one breaks my heart ... I love this one!)
• Spice of the Orient

Green Teas

• Kukicha (just the non-organic one; we still have an organic version)

Flavored Green Teas

• Duke of Africa
• Spiced Green
• Pacific Spring (which we can recreate for you if you want it ... there's a couple die hard fans of this tea ...)

Herbal Tisanes

• Blossom Blend
• Fire Ginseng
• Forest Glen
• Garden of Eve
• Moonlight Serenade
• Myrtle Mint (We can mix this anytime you'd like)

White teas

• Eclipse
• Evening
• Kenyan Nandi Safari White (it's already gone)
• Song Yang

Flavored White Teas

• White Tropics
• Pomegranate-Blueberry

Rooibos

• Berry Green Rooibos
• French Vanilla
• Green Rooibos Chai (We can always make it if you'd like some)
• Green Rooibos with Mate (we can always make this if you'd like)
• Lemon Chiffon
• Peach Green Rooibos
• Rose
• Rooibos with Mate (we can always make it if you'd like some)
• White Swiss Truffle

The TEA BASICS class at 

ACC is coming 

up fast! 

If you had planned to attend and have not yet signed up, please do so soon. There is much preparation to be done for the course (yes, there are parting gifts ....) and I need to know for how many people.

The class is called Tea Basics (no. 10060) and will be held at ACC on Wednesday, October 24 (yes ... that's NEXT WEDNESDAY!) from 6pm-8pm. This is a one-time session (we're testing the waters you know) and cost is $35.00 ($25.00 tuition and $10.00 fee)

If you'd like to register, please call ACC Continuing Education at 

(518) 743-2238 ... but do it soon!

Hope to see you there! 

Let me be your TEAcher!

Considering a gift for the tea lover in your life?

Or are you the tea lover wondering what to wish for?

Have you considered a Tea-of-the-Month plan from SensibiliTeas?
Here's how it works ...
A Tea-Of-The-Month plan is a subscription plan that provides the tea lover with 4 ounces of tea each month for a period of 3 months, 6 months or a year. The plan begins with a teapot with filter (or 1-cup in

fuser) and a teaspoon for measuring a perfect cup of tea. (Other awesome equipment can be substituted at a modified price) You can choose a plan for the recipient, or the recipient can choose the plan later.

There are several plans from which to choose:
Black teas (we choose the black teas for you)
Green teas (we choose the green teas for you)
White Teas (up to 6 months only-- we choose the teas)
Oolong teas (we choose the oolong teas for you)
Herbal Tisanes -- recipient can choose the monthly selection
The Flavorful Plan -- Recipient can choose from flavored, black teas, flavored green teas, herbal tisanes or rooibos (our most popular plan)
World Explorer Plan -- each month features teas from a different country
Beginner Plan -- A different type of tea is featured each month.
Surprise Plan -- we choose the teas, and our guess is honestly as good as yours. Not always 4oz of tea, but still of equal value when much higher priced teas are sent.

Shipping is included.
If your tea lover is already tricked out with tea making equipment, we can just expand the plan to include and extra month of tea.

It's the gift they'll look forward to every month! Call, email or visit to order!

(518) 824-1290 or (800) 449-9888, or teasmith@sensibiliteasonline.com, or visit us at The Shirt Factory on the corner of Lawrence and Cooper Streets in Glens Falls NY Tuesday - Friday 11am-5pm, Saturday 10am-5pm.

3 months = $65.00 (less than $22 per month)
6 months = $105.00 (Less than $18 per month)
12 months = $175.00 (less than $15 per month)

Bolthouse Farms Vanilla Chai Tea ... can we talk?

``Heart Healthy"
``Perfectly Protein"
"Lactose and Dairy Free"








``FEEL GOOD about what's in this bottle"
``Our Vanilla Chai Tea is a smooth blend of brewed green tea, heart healthy soy portein, chai spices and a hint of vanilla flavor -- it's as nutritious as it is delicious"
``7g Soy protein per serving ..."


Let's take a peek at the ingredients, shall we?
INGREDIENTS: Soymilk from concentrate (water, soymilk concentrate), cane sugar, soy protein isolate, natural flavor, acacia gum, calcium (tricalcium phosphate) carrageenan, salt, vitamin C (ascorbic acid) Magnesium (magnesium oxide), green tea (water, green tea extract, vitamin B6 (pyridozine HCL), zinc (zinc sulfate), iron (ferrous lactate, vitamin B12 (cyanocobalamin)


So tea is the 11th ingredient in the ``Vanilla Chai Tea" ? That's not cool.
Let's look at the nutrition facts.  8oz. serving ... that's 1 measuring cup.

26 GRAMS OF SUGARS??

1 teaspoon of sugar is about 4 grams.... so 26 grams means 6.5 teaspoons of sugar in a 1 cup serving.

But it's cane sugar, so it's okay, right?

No ... that much sugar is bad for anyone at anytime.

Especially given that tea has no calories at all.

Smooth tasting, sure ... but unless it's cheesecake, I don't need that much sugar... EVER!

I'll make my own, thanks.

SensibiliTeas -- a whole lotta shakin' going on!

Big changes at SensibiliTeas!

First, we're moving, but we aren't going far.

In the near future, perhaps by late autumn or early winter, SensibiliTeas will be moving into the space previously occupied by The Acupuncture Studio, near the Lawrence Street entrance of the Shirt Factory. The shop will still be easily accessed through the loading dock/gallery entrance, or just a longer walk from the Cooper Street entrances. It will take a while to renovate the space, so I can't say when this will happen ... only that it will happen. In the meantime, we will continue to operate out of the space we've been in for 6+ years, in the first floor south building hallway, between JAG Gallery and Moss and Friends. Maybe I"ll be brave and post pictures of the new space as it evolves (as if I have time, right?)

I'm excited to announce that just down the hall from the new SensibiliTeas space, Dickinson's Delights will be moving into one of the suites to set up a retail space for their amazing baked goods and other treats. Jon and Tamberlyn Dickinson have been in business for 7+ years (I think) and can be found at many of the area farmer's markets. Jon is the guy making the crêpes!
We are so happy to have them on board!

And finally ... all the new employees ...  Luke and Linnell may peek their heads in from time to time (always a blessing!), but they have college ambitions to follow, Luke at SUNY Oneonta and Linnell at Temple University, and the commute was a bit much. Kris started a few months ago and is doing quite well. Chris started a week ago and is showing great promise and Kayla starts tomorrow. While you have always enjoyed an experienced staff, I beg your patience with the new staff while we get them the experience. They have a whole lot to learn ... this isn't a standard retail job!

This seems a good time to thank all of you for your loyalty and continuing support through what has been an incredibly difficult economy. Many of you have noticed the pricing changes, and sadly I've lost a few customers because of it, but I assure you the costs are directly relevant to the difference in costs between the day I opened the door in 2006 and now. It's been meaningful to develop so many lovely friendships over these years, and I have been blessed to be a surviving business. It doesn't happen without you, so for what it's worth.
Thanks!

MAKAIBARI SILVER TIPS

Tuesdays are for white tea descriptions...


MAKAIBARI SILVER TIPS


An exquisite white tea creation from Makaibari Estate in Darjeeling, India—the world’s first certified biodynamic tea estate. With one sip, you’ll understand why Silver Tips often commands the highest top price at tea industry auctions every year. Suggestions of apricots, sultanas, wooded glens, and flowers give way to a mouthwatering close. Biodynamic, organic, fair trade and single estate. $9.00 an ounce/10 servings per ounce/.90 a serving.


Hey Donnalynn, why so expensive? I mean ... I can get my Makaibari Green tea from the same estate for just $3.00 an ounce...


Supply and demand, really ... Most of the tea grown on the Makaibari estate is allocated to black tea production --- delightful Darjeeling selections. The next highest allocation is to the Makaibari Green tea you love. Very little of the tea is allocated to the production of this white tea, known as Silver Tips Imperial. The less there is, the higher price it demands. Actually, if you do a websearch for this tea, you'll likely find I've offered it here at the very best price. You'll likely also find not there are not many sources for it.


$9.00 an ounce ... I think you're worth it... don't you?


Biodynamic ... what's that?  Well, here I'm going to share a wiki link that explains it pretty well ... my apologies for taking the cheap way out... a little short on time today...

Tea drinkers in studies see cardiovascular benefits

23 May 2012By World Tea News

Two independent studies suggest flavonoids and polyphenols found in tea may aid in the prevention of heart disease.

Consumption of the flavonoid rutin in foods and tea could help to prevent the formation of blood clots, according to researchers at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center at Harvard Medical School.

The report published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation reveals that the compound commonly found in fruits and vegetables could have promise in blocking the formation of blood clots in an animal model of clotting (thrombosis)

“Rutin proved to be the most potently anti-thrombic compound that we ever tested in this model,” said lead researcher Robert Flaumenhaft. In particular, he revealed that rutin was shown to inhibit both platelet accumulation and fibrin generation during clot formation.

Clots occur in both arteries and veins, he explained. Arteries are platelet-rich while those in veins are fibrin-rich. This discovery suggests that a single agent can treat and prevent both types of clots,” he said. The researcher recommended clinical trials.

Results show rutin may prove helpful in the prevention and treatment of stroke, heart attack, pulmonary embolism and deep vein thrombosis.

A different study to examine the impact of tea drinking on blood cholesterol levels found black tea intake improves lipid profile and antioxidant status of a random population.

In a paper published in the Journal of Preventative Medicine, researchers studied the effect of black tea on risk factors of cardiovascular disease in a normal population.

In a report included in the American Botanical Council’s HerbClip “the moderate intake of black tea improved the plasma levels of some of the cardiovascular disease risk factors and total antioxidant capacity.”

"Although the underlying biological mechanisms for these effects and the exact role of phenolics warrant an extensive study, tea may provide an important source of dietary antioxidants in many individuals," conclude the authors.

They conducted a randomized, controlled, parallel clinical trial to determine the effects of black tea consumption on fasting serum glucose, total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TGs), high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, as well as the antioxidant status in a normal population in the Republic of Mauritius.

Participants were given three 200mL servings of tea daily with no additives for 12 weeks, then drank hot water to wash out their systems. Black tea was from the Mauritius Corson Tea Estate Co. was carefully analyzed to determine the concentration of flavonoids.

Subjects tested after 12 weeks of tea drinking showed significantly increased HDL (good) cholesterol levels: 17% in the men and 24% in the women.

A significant increase in antioxidant activity was in tea-treated men (440% FRAP) and tea-treated women (386% FRAP) at week 12, followed by a significant increase in the men during the washout. The tea’s antioxidant effect was also measured in TEAC values which were slightly reduced by tea intake in the men and women at week 12.

Tea also appears to have a beneficial impact on glycemic levels. The mean fasting blood glucose level at baseline was 134 ± 66 mg/dL for the men and 111 ± 38 mg/dL for the women. At 12 weeks, those levels dropped significantly for the men (30.2%) and for the women (14.8%). Non-significant decreases were observed in the control groups.

The population of Mauritius has an unusually high (23.6%) incidence of diabetes compared to populations worldwide. The authors note that the baseline glycemic levels in both the control and test groups were higher than the international standard values. Examining the results of this trial, the authors conclude that "an antihyperglycemic effect of black tea can therefore be anticipated."