Happy Birthday Bono!

Bono, main vocalist of the highly successful Dublin-based rock band U2, turns 50 today! Born and raised in Dublin, it's natural to find that Bono's favorite beverage is tea!

Outside his work with the band Bono is also widely known for his activism concerning Africa, for which he co-founded DATA (Debt, AIDS, Trade, Africa) EDUN (a socially conscious clothing company, the ONE campaign (an organization which aims to increase government fund for and effectiveness of international aid programs) and Product Red (a brand that partners with companies willing to donate proceeds to global funds). He has organized and played several benefit concerts and has met with influential politicians to seek support for his concerns. He has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, was granted an honorary knighthood by Queen Elizabeth II and was named Person of the Year by Time Magazine in 2005, along with Bill and Melinda Gates, for his work promoting justice and equality.

Today is also his daughter Jordan's 21st birthday.

Other Bono bits:
Bono's favorite foods are caviar and fish n' chips, his favorite drinks are tea, Jack Daniels, and wine, and his favorite color is amber.
(Wonder if he knows the perfect tea with fish n' chips is Longjing or Gunpowder ...)
As a child he was a chess champion.
The natural color of his hair is red.
He is fluent in English, Italian and Spanish and also knows some Gaelic.
Bono credits watching The Secret Policeman's Ball in 1979 as being his inspiration to get involved with charity work.

Do you believe world peace can begin with a cup of tea?
I'm not sure, but I think it's a great start.
I'll put the water on and give Bono a call.

Inspired by Spring!

I've become so inspired by the recent outbreak of spring weather here in the Adirondacks! But I've been here long enough to know that spring weather in March is often a cruel hoax and that tea drinking weather is still with us. So in an attempt to celebrate the beginning of spring, and to give you a great chance to stock up in preparation for the early spring snowstorms we often get, I'm having a sale on spring-related teas! So on Saturday, March 20 (the first day of spring) if it has the name of a flower or the word spring in the name of the tea it will be on sale for 20% off.

Included are Lilac Bouquet, Emerald Lily, Orchid Oolong, Assam Rani Spring, Darjeeling Makaibari Spring, Blossom Blend, all the artisinal (blooming) teas, all jasmine teas, etc.

(Website customers can take advantage of this sale through Saturday by adding the code SPRING in the spical comments field of the online order form.

Happy Spring!

The South High Marathon Dance

Well, long time, no blog ... I know! Life has been beyond hectic! My deepest apologies!

Well, instead of touting the benefits of tea this time, I'd like to turn your attentions to a phenomenon we have here in our area. It's the 33rd annual South High Marathon Dance. While I know that conjures images of couples hanging on each other to be the last one standing, this event, scheduled for Friday March 5 and concluding Saturday March 6 is far different.

This marathon dance is an annual fundraising event held by the student of South High in South Glens Falls NY. They raise money through various means to serve the needs of the community that are not properly served by larger organizations. They've been doing this since 1976. Since that time, the kids have raised over 2.14 million dollars that has been funneled right back into the community in which they live. For a list of this year's recipients, please see http://shmd.org/public_recipients.htm The kids decided where the money goes, and with the assistance of a devoted alumni group, a dedicated teaching staff and community supporters the kids beat their previous year's total almost every year! Last year they raised over $260,000 with the support of people like you.

SensibiliTeas is a strong supporter of this effort. Our ``tip jar'' is actually part of our donation to South High. We match that penny for penny ... that means a $1 donated equals $2 donated to local causes. Additionally, we've always donated the proceeds of Tom's Compassion and White Pear to the Marathon, as they are the favorites teas of Tom Myott, South High art teacher and alumni and Bill McCarthy, one of the founding members of Marathon, respectively. This year, in addition, I'll be donating proceeds from the favorite tea of South High Alumni Thaddeus Powers -- Earl Grey Creme. And all week this week all proceeds from the sale of any to-go beverage in the shop will be donated AND MATCHED!

I urge you to do what you can to support this effort. Online donations are possible ... click here Every little bit helps! Or just stop by SensibiliTeas and enjoy a cup of tea! Hydrate and help! For those of you who are local, you are also welcome to stop by South High this weekend and participate in their silent and live auctions, and haircuts by Kip Dare of Kipper's Clippers in South Glens Falls. And if you can stay for the closing ceremonies, I think you'll find it to be a moving experience you will not soon forget! Hope to see you there!

All the tea in China

There's a lovely young student in the South Glens Falls school district, Emily Meyer, who is diligently trying to raise money for a once in a lifetime experience with People to People. She's been chosen as one of their ambassadors this year, and the trip she anticipates making will be to China! That would be a dream come true for me!

I've decided to help her in a unique way ... I will be donating a portion of the proceeds of all the teas from China sold between January 17 and the beginning of Chinese New Year, February 14. (Year of the Tiger ... can you hear the jokes starting already?).

So what teas come from China?
All the Pu Erh
Most of the White Teas
All the Artisanal teas (Blooming/Flowering teas)
Many of the oolongs
The iced tea blends (Sorry, :0( Arctic has been discontinued)
Many of the green teas
Any black tea that comes from Hunan, Yunnan, or Keemun, plus the smoky teas
and
All the yellow teas !

I know that's a lot of tea, but this is the opportunity of a lifetime and its only for a month.
If you'd like to make an additional donation to help Emily reach her goal of raising over $3,000, please contact me and we'll make arrangements for that to happen. (Please note that these donations are NOT tax deductible. This is donation you just make because it feels good to make a dream come true).

Pu Erh, cholesterol, weight loss and you!

This is largely a repost from last year, but it bears repeating. Local doctors are sending people to the tea shop to try a regimen that includes this tea in order to avoid cholesterol medication. Most of those who stick with the tea avoid the medication. While the earthy scent can be tricky to adjust to at first, in my opinion it's easier than adjusting to the $40.00 monthly prescription price tag that comes complete with side effects. Additionally, folks continue to happily share reports of reduced C-reactive protein levels (increased levels have been associated with sudden fatal heart attacks) and triglycerides levels. Pu Erh also has a loyal following of those who are giving up coffee or cutting back on caffeine, as this tea is quite dark and rich, though never bitter. So far in 2010, in just 11 business days, 4 people have come into the teashop to excitedly report that their cholesterol has dropped! This excites me to no end! It's one thing to send a customer out knowing they go equipped with the tea that is capable of keeping them off the medication. It's quite a different happiness when I see the excitement and hope in their eyes as they tell me of their most recent success. The average cholesterol reduction is about 60 points over 6 weeks if three cups of tea are consumed daily. One person reported a drop of 80 points as a result of drinking only one cup per day.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From last year ... This is the time of year everyone tries to lose that holiday weight and head back toward that shapely bathing suit figure. If people come into the shop looking for the ``weight loss tea’’, I usually recommend one of two teas. One of them is Pu Erh. Pu Erh (pronounced Pu-Air or Pu-Er) comes from Pu Erh county in Hunan province. It is not uncommon for it to be made up of leaves plucked from ancient trees rather than from carefully cultivated bushes. It is a post-fermented tea. This means that all the normal processing to be a black tea, a green tea, or a white tea has already been done, and then the tea is aged. Essentially, it is composted, but likely without the worms and all. While in the past this composting occurred in highly guarded caves belonging to the emperor, it is now likely occurring in a climate controlled setting. During this processing the tea takes on an earthy quality. Tea can then be pressed into cakes or tuo cha, small single servings of Pu Erh that resembles a tiny birds nest (pictured in this post). It is also available in a leaf form, which seems earthier, but more popular due to the ease of preparation. Some say it tastes like dirt.

I’ll tell you the black tea loose leaf version, which is what I carry at the shop, certainly smells earthy. The older it gets, the more mellow it becomes. I find it to be a very smooth, relaxing cup of tea. It is believed that the caffeine level is reduced during processing.

The most popular Pu Erh I carry is Immortal Nectar, as found in this collection. I admit. I hated the first cup I ever drank, but told myself I must be professional about this, and I continued to drink the sample. By the end of the sample, I wanted more. It had become my go-to tea. And I had lost weight, to boot! While there is no carefully controlled scientific evidence available to support the notion that Pu Erh is effective as a weight loss tea, I’ve had in-shop results. I invited 15 willing participants to drink Immortal Nectar for 10 weeks – one cup with each meal, for a minimum of three cups a day. Many of those participants had physicals before they started so they knew their exact weight, cholesterol levels, triglyceride levels and C-reactive protein levels. Of the 16 participants, 15 lost weight. After 6 weeks, we started receiving reports about cholesterol and triglyceride levels being greatly reduced. Cholesterol reduction was the most popular result.

After 6 weeks, the average cholesterol reduction was 60 points. One woman saw a reduction of 123 points while another saw a reduction of 102 points. When someone comes to the shop looking for Pu Erh now, it is not uncommon to learn that they have been sent by a doctor. For many, this may be an easy all-natural, organic way to avoid being put on cholesterol reduction meds. Together they lost 164 lbs. The participant who gained weight (6 lbs.) learned that drinking this tea was not a license to eat Crispy Creme donuts for breakfast and lunch. May common sense prevail.

Love spicy food? Pu Erh is the perfect spicy meal complement. I've found the only food I don't think it is suited too is sushi and sashimi. Not a big problem in the standard American household (for sushi and sashimi, try a nice light oolong)

I asked the father of a Chinese friend of mine how he could explain the effectiveness of Pu Erh in a weight management program. He surprising replied … ``Maybe it’s not the tea.’’ He went on to explain he theory that historically, Chinese consume most meals with a cup of tea while Americans take their meals with a cold beverage. And then he asked ``if you are going to put grease down the drain, would you follow it with hot water, or cold water?’’

Could it be that simple? Well worth a try, I’d guess. And why not make tea that hot beverage?

All we are saying, is give teas a chance!

Cinnamon Apple Rooibos on Sale 01/09/10-01/12/10

Windy and cold in the Adirondacks on
Saturday, 01/09/10.
A high of 18°F ... sounds like tea drinking weather to me!
So how about a tea to warm you -- body and soul!
Cinnamon Apple Rooibos will be the
tea of the day on Saturday.
And on Saturday morning we'll be baking
Cinnamon Apple scones to go with it.
Additionally, so you can continue to enjoy this
warm, cozy anti-oxidant rich tea in the
comfort of your own home ...
Cinnamon Apple Rooibos
is on sale
Saturday, 01/09/10!
One ounce, $2.00 (16¢-20¢ per cup!)
Two ounce, $4.00 (16¢-20¢ per cup!)
Four ounce, $7.00 (14¢-17¢ per cup!)
Eight ounce, $13.00 (13¢-16¢ per cup!)
One pound, $25.00 (12¢-15¢ per cup!)

Stop in and warm yourself from the inside out!
(Internet customers enter code CINROO in the special comments section of the online order form. Valid for internet customers 01/09-01/12)

Snow Water

A short poem to enjoy with a cup of tea ...

Snow Water
By Michael Longley

A fastidious brewer of tea, a tea
Connoisseur as well as a poet,
I modestly request on my sixtieth
Birthday a gift of snow water.

Tea steam and ink stains. Single-
Mindedly I scald my teapot and
Measure out some Silver Needles Tea,
Enough for a second steeping.

Other favourites include Clear
Distance and Eyebrows of Longevity
Or, from the precarious mountain peaks,
Cloud Mist Tea (quite delectable)

Which competent monkeys harvest
Filling their baskets with choice leaves
And bringing them down to where I wait
With my crock of snow water.

While I'm not familiar with Clear Distance as a tea, I do carry Silver Needle, one that can be called Eyebrows of Longevity and Cloud Mist tea. All you need is the snow water. Many of us have access to plenty of that!

The Sixth of January

The Sixth of January
by David Budbill

The cat sits on the back of the sofa looking
out the window through the softly falling snow
at the last bit of gray light.

I can't say the sun is going down.
We haven't seen the sun for two months.
Who cares?

I am sitting in the blue chair listening to this stillness.
The only sound: the occasional gurgle of tea
coming out of the pot and into the cup.

How can this be?
Such calm, such peace, such solitude
in this world of woe.

From Moment to Moment: Poems of a Mountain Recluse (Copper Canyon Press)

It's National Hot Tea Month!

January is National Hot Tea Month!
I think Joe Simrany, President of the Tea Council in the USA summed it up nicely by stating:

``This January is the perfect time to consider tea as part of a healthy diet. As a new year and new millennium begin, people are making resolutions to eat and live healthier, and there’s no better time to celebrate tea’s healthy attributes than National Hot Tea Month.''

Naturally I agree ...

It's also National Soup Month!

And January 1-7 is Resolution Week. Such a good time to work tea into your healthier-for-the-past-four-days lifestyle. Perhaps paired with a great bowl of soup.

Here's a nice recipe that pairs soup with tea ... the tea is in the soup! Nice vegetarian soup or even vegan with the right pasta choice.

GREEN TEA SOUP

Ingredients
5 cups vegetable stock, broth, or bouillon
4 large cloves garlic, minced or pressed
3 tsp dried thyme, lightly crushed
3 cups chopped broccoli
8oz. small shells or other macaroni shapes
1 cup prepared green tea
2 TBSP fresh lemon juice (about one lemon)
1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
salt to taste

DIRECTIONS

Combine the stock, garlic, and thyme in a heavy saucepan and bring to a boil. Stir in the broccoli and macaroni, reduce heat, and simmer until the macaroni is just at the al dente stage of tenderness, about eight to twelve minutes according to package instructions. Stir in the tea and heat through for about a minute. Remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice and pepper, and adjust the salt if necessary. Serve immediately and piping hot.

Need a little different?
Substitute other chopped cruciferous vegetables (cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, kohlrabi) for of the broccoli.

For a main dish soup, add 1/2 pound firm tofu or chicken, diced

Enojy with friends, perhaps some awesome hot bread, and of course, a cup of awesome tea.
Namaste!

The Moon Diet

The moon diet is a liquid diet, consistent with the moon phases - new moon, first quarter, full moon and last quarter.

Obtain a full list of the phases of the moon by date and time and the exact phase of the moon at the moment. Here's a good site for that. All times are Universal (GMT) so adjust according to your correct time zone.

The diet starts when the moon enters into one of four phases and ends after 24 hours. During these 24 hours to drink only freshly squeezed juices from fruits and vegetables, tea with honey, mineral water.

Liquids have a multiple and favorable influences on the tone, spirit and health. Liquids stimulate kidney activity, clear the body and strengthen the immune system.

Moon diet relieves the body of water retention and accumulated toxins as a result of unhealthy diets, poor digestion and stress.

Once you pass the 24 hours it is best to eat light meats, more vegetables and fruits. Recommended are foods that are baked, steamed, or stewed rather than fried.

During the moon diet, drinking alcohol is not recommended, but if you have reason, it is acceptable to enjoy a glass of white wine.

The Three-day Moon Diet

What better time of year to post some strange diet menus? Oooo ... how about the moon diets! So appropriate for Blue Moon season!

Three-day moon diet is a liquid diet consistent with the moon phases.

Three-day moon liquid diet is consistent with the moon phases. The diet is followed once a month, beginning the day before the full phase, continuing during the full phase day and finishing the day after the full phase.

In this three days drink as much water -- mineral or spring, herbal teas and freshly squeezed juices -- as possible. Coffee during the diet is not recommended.

During the moon diet you can drink different kinds of herbal tea, mint iced tea or cup of hot water with lemon and honey.

Here example menus for each of the days during the three-day moon diet:

First day

Upon awakening - a glass of water and juice of half orange
Breakfast - yogurt and 1 apple
10 o'clock - juice from orange and lemon
Lunch - a cup of vegetable juice
Afternoon snack - herbal tea with honey
Dinner - a glass of citrus juice
Before bed - tea with honey

Second day

Upon awakening - a glass of water and juice of half orange
Breakfast - herbal tea with a spoonful of honey
10 o'clock - juice from orange and lemon
Lunch - a cup of vegetable juice
Afternoon snack - herbal tea with honey
Dinner - an apple puree
Before bed - tea with honey

Third day

Upon awakening - herbal tea with honey
Breakfast - yogurt and banana puree
10 o'clock - a glass of grapefruit juice
Lunch - vegetable juice and juice of two oranges
Afternoon snack - herbal tea with honey
Dinner - a cup of herbal tea
Before bed - tea with honey

To keep the lost pounds after you finish the moon diet is better to bet on light food menu. It is advisable to cook on steam.
The food should consist mainly of fruits and vegetables, focusing on carrots, cabbage, zucchini, celery, lettuce, tomatoes and cucumbers.
To flavor salads, use olive oil and apple vinegar, no salt.

The Blue Moon sale!

It's the Blue Moon sale!

It's a blue moon month! A blue moon is said to be the second full moon of any given month. This happens every two and a half years, on average. I think the next one is to occur August 2012.

10% off all orders totaling $20.00 or more 12/30/09 through 01/02/10.
20% off all orders totaling $30.00 or more 12/30/09 through 01/02/10.
30% off all orders totaling $50.00 or more 12/30/09 through 01/02/10.
That's for tea, tea accessories and even gift certificates! How crazy is that!?
(Offer not to be combined with other coupons or discounts)

Orders mean your total at the register upon your visit to the shop, or online orders received between 12/30/09 and 01/02/10 (Discount applied to total before shipping costs) Please mention the blog posting to take advantage of this sale.
Code BLUEMOON entered in the online order form for online orders.

Green Tea by Dale Ritterbusch

Cool poem found today:

Green Tea

by Dale Ritterbusch

There is this tea
I have sometimes,
Pan Long Ying Hao,
so tightly curled
it looks like tiny roots
gnarled, a greenish-gray.
When it steeps, it opens
the way you woke this morning,
stretching, your hands behind
your head, back arched,
toes pointing, a smile steeped
in ceremony, a celebration,
the reaching of your arms.

"Green Tea" by Dale Ritterbusch, from Far From the Temple of Heaven. © Black Moss Press, 2005.

A note to my loyal customers...

I haven't forgotten you! Yes, the current campaign seems to be all about getting new customers, but that is, after all, how businesses survive.
Have I anything special for you?

I do ... If you help me grow my business by bringing me a new customer, I will give you a discount card worth 10% of the new customers purchase. Bring 6 friends, 10 friends, a new customer every day for a month ... it doesn't matter. Each time you introduce a new customer to the shop, you receive a discount worth 10% of the new customers purchase.
Local customers: Yes, for accounting purposes it is necessary for you to be with the new customers.
Internet customers: email me and I'll tell you how to take advantage of this offer. I can be reached at teasmith@sensibiliteasonline.com

So ... are you still drinking dust?

If you're still drinking bag tea, you're likely still drinking dust. It's not your fault! It's usually all that's available in a grocery store. The boxes don't say Dust ... you wouldn't buy it if it did! They say ``fine quality Orange Pekoe'' or ``mountain estate grown'' or ``premium pekoe and cut black teas.'' Take one of the tea bags and cut it open ... what do you see?
If it looks like dust, it is likely dust.

Don't know anything about loose leaf tea? That's okay. No one is born with the knowledge to make loose leaf tea. We know plenty about loose leaf tea and we're willing to teach you what you need to know.

Want to try loose leaf tea? Bring one or two of your tea bags to us here in the tea shop. We'll do a free taste test. We'll make a cup of yours and we'll make a cup of ours. In five minutes or less, you'll know the difference between bag tea and loose leaf tea and will see how easy loose leaf tea can be to prepare. If you bring a second tea bag, we'll cup it open and we'll show you the difference between your tea and our tea. Our hours are Tues-Fri 2pm-5pm and Sat 10am-5pm. We are NOT a tea room, but rather a retail tea shop selling loose leaf tea and tea making accessories, but we do make the best tea-to-go in town!

Not here in town? Mail me a tea bag of your tea so we know what your drinking, and we'll mail you a tea bag or two of our tea (loose leaf tea in a bag made for loose leaf tea.) similar to what you've been drinking. You'll need no special equipment or knowledge. Just add water and enjoy.
Our address is:
SensibiliTeas
71 Lawrence Street
Glens Falls, NY 12801
Attn: Donnalynn

Not a tea drinker yet? If all we'd ever had to drink was tea bag tea, we wouldn't be tea drinkers either! If all you've ever had was a tea bag, you may have no idea what tea is supposed to taste like! Men didn't sail around the world and risk their lives in war and journey for the taste of a tea bag!

Or perhaps you're trying to get away from coffee a bit, or add tea as part of your healthy new resolution lifestyle. Our huge variety of tea convinces us that we'll certainly fit you to a tea! Visit the tea shop or email us at the teashop at (teasmith@sensibiliteasonline.com) We'll make some suggestions and send a cup or two of tea your way!

Restaurateurs? Want to understand how to increase tea sales? Bring or send us some of the tea you offer and we'll show you what you could be offering. If you're interested, we can even match teas to your meals or desserts. We can make it easy on your staff, and impressive to your clients.

Perhaps it's time to turn over a new leaf!

Does your tea make the grade?

Tea grading remains one of the most confusing of all tea discussions. This stands to reason as the tea grades are not standardized worldwide and tend to vary according to origin. The grading terms below are usually applied to black teas from India, Sri Lanka, Java, Sumatra, and Africa.

Black teas are typically graded according to leaf or particle size of leaf. Harvesting and manufacturing techniques greatly impact the finished size of the leaf, thus the tea grade. There are two main methods of producing black tea. The traditional Orthodox method requires hand-plucking of the buds and the two top leaves. The leaves are then rolled before size and grade of leaf is determined. (beginning of fermentation/oxidation stage) . The Orthodox method yields all of the possible leaf sizes and grades.

The CTC (crush, tear, curl) method of producing black tea has been gaining in popularity because of its convenience. CTC processed teas are either hand-plucked or may be machine harvested. When machine harvested, the CTC process gathers the traditional top two leaves and bud as well as other leaves on the tea bush. The leaves are then processed through the Cut, Tear, Curl machine which renders the leafs in particles cut to a common size. CTC processed teas have a appearance much like that of ground coffee.

Remember sifting sand as a child? The rocks or biggest particles always stayed on the top tray, while only the finest sand sifted all the way to the pail. Tea is processed with a similar technique. A whole leaf that does not pass through a designated sieve size during the sifting process is referred to as Orange Pekoe (OP) (pronounced 'Peck-o', rhymes with gecko). Orange Pekoe has nothing to do with oranges or orange flavor. The reference of Orange likely is a reference to the Dutch House of Orange, who, in founding the Dutch East India Company, played a major role in the spread of tea drinking habits throughout Europe and later the world. These leaves are usually of uniform size and rolled lengthwise. OP teas are categorized into finer definitions.

Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe (TGFOP) is the top grade. During harvesting the bud and the top two leaves are hand-plucked. When harvested during slow growth periods, these young buds have a golden tip, hence the grade ``Flowery". Flowery does NOT indicate the teas flavor. When these tips are in found in abundance, the terms ``Tippy and Golden" are also attached. Number ``1'' or ``2'' may be placed at the end of the letters to designate better grades among similar teas. Similarly the letter 'F' may appear before the TGFOP to indicate a ``finer'' grade, while the letters ``SF" indicates a ``super fine'' grade. A tea graded as ``SFTGFOP1'' is a Super Fine Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe - grade 1. Fabulous ... It's not unusual for higher grades of tea to command higher prices.

The next grade below Orange Pekoe is called Broken Orange Pekoe (BOP) which designates a broken leaf that is smaller than those designated as OP. Just as with the OP grades, letters and numbers may be added to further define the grade -- Tippy, golden, and flowery, or a combination of these terms may also be applied. Thus a grade of ``TGBOP'' is a Tippy Golden Broken Orange Pekoe tea. The letter 'I' for Imperial may also appear after BOP and designates a size which is smaller than whole leaf (OP) grade but larger than most of the BOP grades.

The tea grade which is even smaller than BOP is the PF, for Pekoe Fanning if produced by the CTC method of manufacturing, and Fanning if produced by the Orthodox method. This is a broken leaf about the size of a pin head. This grade of tea is often found in tea bags.

The lowest grade of tea available is the PD, Pekoe Dust if produced by CTC method of manufacturing, and Dust if produced by the Orthodox Method. This size is the smallest broken pieces left after siftings. These pieces are sometimes called the ``sweepings'', and it doesn't take much imagination to determine why. Some tea bags will contain fannings, or a combination of fannings and dust. Most tea bags in the United States contain only dust.

But your box of tea says ``fine quality Pekoe tea''? Could be true, but it likely means Pekoe Dust. Be wary of terms like ``fine'' and ``natural''. ``Fine'' is likely an opinion, and there is nothing in this world that is not ``natural'' (that is to say, derived from nature.). And to say a tea is ``mountain estate grown'' ... well, most teas are estate grown. And many estates are on mountains. That isn't anything special as tea goes ... that just where it like to grow best!

Fannings and dust have their place in this world. Fannings and dust are popularly used in tea bags because they steep so much faster than full leaf teas. Loose leaf teas, do though, have other advantages:
1) Loose leaf teas come in a far larger variety.
2) Tea bags may have environmental implications. Regular tea bags take about seven years to break down in the environment under perfect conditions for biodegradation. Pyramid tea bags, if not made from polylactic acid (a corn product), may last in the environment for over 120 years.
3) Studies have shown greater health benefits exist in loose leaf teas than tea bags.
4) You can control the strength of your own brew when using loose leaf teas.
5) Far better flavor

As SensibiliTeas, we do not carry dust. We do have a few teas that are the result of the CTC process, and are granular in nature, but they have been brought in by popular demand. Our standard at SensibiliTeas is to bring in as many hand-plucked, hand-processed first grade teas as possible and we are leaning toward a majority of teas produced through organic, fair-trade and/or bio-dynamic means.

We have also huge variety of caffeine-free herbal tisanes, and would be happy to teach you how to decaffeinate any of our other teas.

Fireworks in a cup!

What do you think about giving flowers for Christmas?
What if it could be a surprise right up until the moment of delivery?
What do you think about fireworks in a cup!?
Artisanal teas might just be your cup of tea!

What's an artisanal tea? It is tea leaves carefully selected, often placed around flowers and hand molded and hand tied into adorable little unassuming balls of tea that magically bloom in minutes when added to hot water. The tea used is typically a low tannin tea (won't get bitter), which allows the tea to remain in the pot while you enjoy cup after cup.
With nearly 30 different Artisanal teas on hand (and six brand-new-never-been-seen artisanal teas arriving tomorrow) we certainly have a selection that can turn any Christmas stocking into a mysterious, luxurious trip around the world.

Don't forget! As gift giving goes, we offer tea of the month plans, gift certificates, sampler packs and expert gift giving guidance. Visit the Shirt Factory Open House this coming weekend! Saturday Dec. 12 and Sunday Dec. 13 10am-5pm both days!

Let's Do It Again!

Let's do it again!

By overwhelming requests, the Shirt Factory Artist's Association is hosting a Second Open House and Holiday Showcase on Saturday December 12 and Sunday December 13, from 10 - 5 pm each day.
The Open House and Holiday Showcase at The Shirt Factory invites you to tour the building, visit the studios, shops, and galleries, and shop for original works of art, fine crafts, services and items for your Holiday gift giving. The exhibition and sale features over 30 in house and guest artists and craftsmen offering locally made, finely produced, original art and fine handcrafts, as well as personal services. Did I mention I'm making scones again?
The Shirt Factory is located on the corner of Lawrence and Cooper Streets in Glens Falls, NY.
For directions visit www.shirtfactorygf.com
For more information please contact Dolores Thomson at 744-2002 or clayconcepts@yahoo.com, Bev Saunders at 793-9350 or bjsartworks@aol.com, or me Donnalynn Milford at SensibiliTeas (518) 824-1290 teasmith@sensibiliteasonline.com.

It's never too late to mark your calendar!

It's never too late to mark your calendar for an outstanding event!

The Shirt Factory that houses this tea shop is hosting our 8th annual Holiday Showcase Open House. Such a great opportunity to do some holiday shopping away from the hustle and bustle of the mall, and find some first rate handcrafted items! In addition to the great shops and studios in the building we also set up outside vendors in the hallways -- a chandler (candlemaker), weaver, beadweaver, stained glass, pottery, wire- wrapped stones, polymer clay crafts, fresh pine wreaths and boughs, and so much more! This is Thanksgiving weekend 10am-5pm on both Saturday and Sunday, with a preview (not so many hallway vendors) on black Friday 5pm-8pm. Hope you'll be able to join us! If you wish, click on the image for a clearer picture.

This year we will also be having a Shoppers Advantage drawing (we'd like to call it a basket, but there's just too much stuff in there!). Have your daily Open House receipts from any of the shop or vendors in the Shirt Factory verified (you keep the receipts of course). Each $25 worth of receipts gains you a entry for the Shoppers Advantage drawing (one on Saturday, one on Sunday) The prize is a variety of goods from the Shirt Factory vendors, such as a $50 gift certificate from SensibiliTeas, a gift certificate from Adirondack Quilts, a Thaddeus Powers mug, a Kate E. Austin giclee print, gift certificates for classes (painting, textile art, yoga) ... just too much to list! Each drawing is valued at about $500. To win the basket would mean your holiday shopping is done!

Lemon Myrtle ... I've learned more!

Lemon Myrtle is an Australian rainforest tree growing to 25 feet in height, although if regularly pruned it can be kept to bush size suitable for home gardens. The leaves, growing to 4 inches in length, are rich in lemon oil. Citral accounts for over 90% of the plants essential oil (note: lemons have approximately 3% citral).

The high levels of citral in the leaves is noteworthy, as citral is a component that has been found to relieve cramps, spasms, rheumatism, headaches, fevers and have an anti-cancer effect. Studies have shown that the citral can inhibit the growth of Helicobacter pylori, the pathogen that has been found to be a cause of ulcers and other gastroduodenal diseases. Lemon myrtle also has been found to be beneficial to muscles and connective tissue, for reducing cellulite, and to strengthen the immune system. Additionally, lemon myrtle is anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal (That's what I already knew ...)

Lemon myrtle makes a fantastic herbal infusion on its own, or you can blend it with so many other herbs and teas. We love it with black tea (Raven’s Zest), green tea (Pacific Spring), white tea (myrtle white), peppermint (Myrtle Mint), rooibos (African Outback), and tulsi (Lemon Tulsi), and can be found in many more of our blends (Holy Detox, Lady Myrtle Grey, Citrus Mate, Sea of Love, Waves of Joy, Citron Green Iced tea blend, Lemon Ginger Green, Serenitea, Blueberry Lemon Rooibos, and Aussie Spiced Chai.

Lemon myrtle leaves may also be used fresh, dried, and ground, and used in bread, stuffing, with chicken, beef, fish and rice dishes, sauces, noodles, vegetables, barbecues, cheesecakes, biscuits – you name it! The lemon myrtle aroma combines well with basil, chili, cilantro, cinnamon, cloves, coconut milk, garlic, ginger and turmeric.

If you haven't tried it you really should ... you'd be amazed how something so good for you could taste so outstanding!

Whatt are soft drinks doing to your body?

This is an article posted
on 10/30/09 to Yahoo! Health
by columnist Dr. Maoshing Ni

The article:

What Soft Drinks are Doing to Your Body

Soda, pop, cola, soft drink — whatever you call it, it is one of the worst beverages that you could be drinking for your health. As the debate for whether to put a tax on the sale of soft drinks continues, you should know how they affect your body so that you can make an informed choice on your own.

Soft drinks are hard on your health
Soft drinks contain little to no vitamins or other essential nutrients. However, it is what they do contain that is the problem: caffeine, carbonation, simple sugars — or worse, sugar substitutes — and often food additives such as artificial coloring, flavoring, and preservatives.

A lot of research has found that consumption of soft drinks in high quantity, especially by children, is responsible for many health problems that include tooth decay, nutritional depletion, obesity, type-2 diabetes, and heart disease.

Why the sugar in soft drinks isn’t so sweet
Most soft drinks contain a high amount of simple sugars. The USDA recommendation of sugar consumption for a 2,000-calorie diet is a daily allotment of 10 teaspoons of added sugars. Many soft drinks contain more than this amount!

Just why is too much sugar so unhealthy? Well, to start, let's talk about what happens to you as sugar enters your body. When you drink sodas that are packed with simple sugars, the pancreas is called upon to produce and release insulin, a hormone that empties the sugar in your blood stream into all the tissues and cells for usage. The result of overindulging in simple sugar is raised insulin levels. Raised blood insulin levels beyond the norm can lead to depression of the immune system, which in turn weakens your ability to fight disease.

Something else to consider is that most of the excess sugar ends up being stored as fat in your body, which results in weight gain and elevates risk for heart disease and cancer. One study found that when subjects were given refined sugar, their white blood cell count decreased significantly for several hours afterwards. Another study discovered that rats fed a high-sugar diet had a substantially elevated rate of breast cancer when compared to rats on a regular diet.

The health effects of diet soda
You may come to the conclusion that diet or sugar-free soda is a better choice. However, one study discovered that drinking one or more soft drinks a day — and it didn’t matter whether it was diet or regular — led to a 30% greater chance of weight gain around the belly.

Diet soda is filled with artificial sweeteners such as aspartame, sucralose, or saccharin. These artificial sweeteners pose a threat to your health. Saccharin, for instance, has been found to be carcinogenic, and studies have found that it produced bladder cancer in rats.

Aspartame, commonly known as nutrasweet, is a chemical that stimulates the brain to think the food is sweet. It breaks down into acpartic acid, phenylalanine, and methanol at a temperature of 86 degrees. (Remember, your stomach is somewhere around 98 degrees.) An article put out by the University of Texas found that aspartame has been linked to obesity. The process of stimulating the brain causes more cravings for sweets and leads to carbohydrate loading.

Carbonation depletes calcium
Beverages with bubbles contain phosphoric acid, which can severely deplete the blood calcium levels; calcium is a key component of the bone matrix. With less concentration of calcium over a long time, it can lower deposition rates so that bone mass and density suffer. This means that drinking sodas and carbonated water increases your risk of osteoporosis.

Add in the caffeine usually present in soft drinks, and you are in for even more trouble. Caffeine can deplete the body’s calcium, in addition to stimulating your central nervous system and contributing to stress, a racing mind, and insomnia.

Skip the soda and go for:

• Fresh water
Water is a vital beverage for good health. Each and every cell needs water to perform its essential functions. Since studies show that tap water is filled with contaminants, antibiotics, and a number of other unhealthy substances, consider investing in a quality carbon-based filter for your tap water.

On the go? Try using a stainless steel thermos or glass bottle, filled with filtered water. Enhance the flavor of your water with a refreshing infusion of basil, mint leaves, and a drop of honey.

• Fruit Juice
If you are a juice drinker, try watering down your juice to cut back on the sugar content. Buy a jar of organic 100% juice, especially cranberry, acai, pomegranate, and then dilute three parts filtered water to one part juice. You will get a subtle sweet taste and the benefit of antioxidants. After a couple of weeks, you will no longer miss the sweetness of sugary concentrated juices.

• Tea
Tea gently lifts your energy and has numerous health benefits. Black, green, white, and oolong teas all contain antioxidant polyphenols. In fact, tea ranks as high or higher than many fruits and vegetables on the ORAC scale, the score that measures antioxidant potential of plant-based foods.

Herbal tea does not have the same antioxidant properties, though it is still a great beverage choice with other health benefits, such as inducing calming and relaxing effects.

If tea doesn’t satisfy your sweet tooth, try adding cinnamon or a little honey, which has important health benefits that refined sugar lacks. For a selection of healthy teas that promote total body wellness, click here. Drink up!

I hope you find the ways and means to avoid soft drinks. I invite you to visit often and share your own personal health and longevity tips with me.

May you live long, live strong, and live happy!

I have also read studies that link daytime soda drinking to GERD and acid reflux. Other studies link soda consumption to childhood obesity, type 2 diabetes, pancreatic cancer, heart disease, bowel cancer, increased risk of kidney stones and nerve damage. Doesn't sound like it should be anyone's first choice for a beverage!

Think before you drink!

Tulsi vs. Swine Flu ... We Have a Winner!

This is a repost, but I was asked to repost this by many people.
I apologize for anyone disappointed with the duplication in postings.

This is excerpted from an article found in The New Nation in Bangladesh:

Tulsi is a medicinal plant of local origins that has abundant medicinal benefits. Tulsi has much of a cultural significance in India as well, where it is considered divine and its presence in households, auspicious. The latest revelation about the medicinal properties of Tulsi comes in the wake of pandemic alerts world over. Tulsi helps in countering the deadly H1N1 virus! Tulsi is found to improve the body's defence mechanisms against viruses in general and its effectiveness has been vouched for in its ability to act against the virus causing flu. It has been revealed that Tulsi could ward off the Swine Flu virus as well as could cure people who have been infected with Swine flu. The treatment for Swine flu involves consumption of 20 to 25 leaves of Tulsi in its fresh form or as liquid and to be taken in empty stomach twice a day. The revelation assumes significance as other medicines are found lacking in their ability to tackle H1N1 virus, with Swine Flu sweeping across the world, spreading panic among people and offices and schools being shut down to control the spread of the epidemic. Tulsi's effectiveness against Swine Flu may have come as news to people who are unaware of the wealth of benefits that the humble herb has to offer. Traditionally, Hindu temples provide water that has Tulsi leaves soaked in it to devotees. Tulsi leaves are boiled in water and the essence is given to children and adults who suffer from flu and common cold. Tulsi plant is a repellent against mosquitoes and other insects and Tulsi leaves and juice extracted from the leaves are found to be cures against malaria. Tulsi is also a remedy against constipation, indigestion, poor appetite and acidity. Tulsi is known to help solve health problems in women that are associated with menstruation and pregnancy. Tulsi strengthens the body's immune system in children and protects them from common infections. The effectiveness of the medicinal plant in preventing and curing swine flu only vouches for the host of other health benefits that the plant is traditionally known to offer.

While not on the website, Tulsi is available at SensibiliTeas. The cost is $3.00 for a 1 oz package, which would make about 15 cups of tea. In order to get the full benefits of Tulsi it is recommended that you drink 3 cups (2 mugs) of Tulsi per day. Wow ... all those benefits for about 43 cents a day? Nice!

Hot Spiced Cider

Wouldn't this be nice after a day of raking?

HOT SPICED CIDER

• 1 quart water
• 1-2 TBSP Constant Compliment
  
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 2 cups apple cider
• 1 1/2 cups light rum
• 8 cinnamon sticks
• 1TBSP butter

DIRECTIONS

1. Steep the Constant Compliment for five minutes using your favorite method. To the prepared tea, stir in the sugar, apple cider and rum. Add 2 of the cinnamon sticks. Heat just to steaming -- do not boil. (Mmmm ... doesn't that smell amazing!?)
   
2. Drop 1/6 TBSP (1/2 teaspoon) butter into each of 6 mugs. Ladle the steamy cider blend over the butter and garnish with a cinnamon stick.

Trick or Tea!

On Friday, October 30th and Saturday, October 31st, SensibiliTeas is offering a free sample of any tea of your choice to anyone visiting the shop or placing an order during those two days.
Friday 2pm-5pm and Saturday 10pm-5pm. Happy Halloween!
30% off Pumpkin Pie Honeybush or Pumpkin Spice black tea!

Just a quick note ...

SensibiliTeas will be opening late on Saturday, September 19, as I must attend the burial of a family member. Our hours on that day are expected to be 2pm-5pm.

SensibiliTeas will also be closed much of the following week. Closed Wednesday, September 23-Friday September 25 opening, reopening Saturday, September 26 at 1pm or so.

I apologize for any inconvenience these closures may cause.

Back to school tea

Our bodies and immune systems are constantly fighting off foreign things such as pollution, bacteria and viruses. Our fast paced lives create stress which further weakens of our body's ability to combat illnesses. Using antibiotics can actually weaken our immune systems and it is predicted by medical experts, that super viruses will soon occur for which there will be no drug cure. Because we want to do what's best for our body, we desire to put only natural substances into it.

Olive leaf, from both the Mission and Manzanillo olive trees, dates back to around 1000 B.C. It was first used in the Mediterranean area of the world and was became known for its ability to promote good health and wellness. In the past decade, it has also become well known in the United States and other places of the world. Olive leaves can provide a natural way to produce energy, fight infection, help with managing chronic fatigue syndrome, and work with controlling your cholesterol. It is said that the olive leaf also boosts our immune systems, helps with viruses, shingles and herpes and increases skin health, and it is a wonderful aid in detoxifying our bodies. It's the toxic build up of free radicals that make our bodies sick.

Olive leaf can be used as a tea or in capsule form, both of which are now available at SensibiliTeas. The olive leaf can also be found in Holy Detox, a SensibiliTeas proprietary blend of olive leaf, tulsi and lemon myrtle. The olive leaf produces what is called oleuropein. It has been proven to fight colds and flu. In fact, recent studies have shown to be effective against the H1N1 virus, better known as swine flu. Research suggests that olive leaf may be a true anti-viral compound because it appears to selectively block an entire virus-specific system in the infected host. Olive leaf's broad killing power includes an ability to interfere with critical amino acid production for viruses; to contain viral infection and/or spread by inactivating viruses by preventing virus shredding, budding or assembly at the cell membrane; and to directly penetrate infected cells and stop viral replication.

Great idea for back-to-school!

Closed for vacation

SensibiliTeas is closed for vacation until August 11.

Would you like some lemon with that?

New research (though I don't know by whom) suggests that a squeeze of lemon juice in your tea helps with the absorption of catechins into the blood stream. Catechins are the class of powerful antioxidants found in abundance in green tea, as well as in wine and cocoa. Read the full story about the lemon juice here

Green Tea Has Role in Prostate Cancer Prevention

A clinical trial whose results were published this month concluded that green tea has a potential role in the treatment or prevention of prostate cancer.

A team of researchers from the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center and Overton Brooks VA Medical Center in Shreveport, La., conducted the study, which sought to determine whether high doses of the polyphenol found in green tea could reduce the levels of serum biomarkers associated with poor prognosis in prostate cancer patients.

The study was based on previous work indicating that epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), the polyphenol in green tea, has possible benefits for patients with prostate cancer, which leads to the death of some 27,000 men in the United States each year.

Twenty-six men ages 18 to 75 took 800 milligrams of EGCG daily over an average of six weeks. The EGCG was contained in Polyphenon E pills, and the patients all were scheduled to have their prostates removed.

Before and after the surgery, researchers measured the levels of several tissue markers that have been shown to indicate the worsening of prostate cancer. They found that, "men diagnosed with prostate cancer who take 1.3 grams daily of green tea catechins (800 milligrams EGCG) show a significant reduction in" several of these markers, stated a report published in the June 19 issue of Cancer Prevention Research.

Further in vitro study of cells also indicated that EGCG blocked the production of two of the biomarkers – hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) – in "at least two different prostate cancer-associated fibroblast cell lines." This is significant because HGF has been demonstrated in other research to promote cancer progression, the report noted, and lower levels of VEGF is predicted to increase a patient's overall survival time.

The study also looked at the possible detrimental effects on the liver of the high doses of EGCG, and found none.

The report concluded, "These data support a potential role for Polyphenon E in the treatment or prevention of prostate cancer and suggest that these findings should be verified by larger, placebo-controlled clinical trials."

Dr. James Cardelli, professor of microbiology and immunology and co-director of the LSU Cancer Center said, "The work will continue, and in fact we have opened a clinical trial to begin to determine if tea extracts can increase overall survival of lung cancer patients when combined with the targeted agent Tarceva. A lot of work still needs to be done."

Friday, 26 June 2009
by Heidi Kyser