Tealandia's Blog

June 25, 2010

Unheard of deals this weekend only!  In the next two days, you’ll be able to purchase any of our teas and receive amazing discounts through www.jasmere.com.  Jasmere is offering Tealandia Organic loose Leaf Tea for iced tea at 59% off and possibly more.

Each order will include two large bags plus a small, tea-pot size pouch of your choosing, and shipping is $4.95!

The more people who buy, the lower the price, so tell your friends and you’ll also get a $10 referral bonus if they make a purchase.  Visit www.jasmere.com and celebrate the beginning of summer with Tealandia’s organic and fair trade iced teas!

Happy Summer Soirees!

A robust and spicy tea is often considered an ideal drink for cold, winter days.  Since I drink tea year-round, organic & Fair Trade Certified Masala Chai tea (black tea with spices in this case) is just as yummy today as it is on any winter day.  In fact, if it gets too hot in the middle of the summer, an iced version of the same tea is equally satisfying.  But I’m getting ahead of myself.  It’s the second half of May in Southern Cali and perhaps it was the unusually cool weather this morning that called for yet another creation of our famous organic Masala Chai tea.  This one was a strong infusion of tea with water and the remaining one-third was hot, boiled milk with seeds of cardamom and one cinnamon stick.  I have a terrible sweet tooth so adding two tablespoons of organic and raw cane sugar to my large teapot was a must.  Frothy milk on top with a dash of cinnamon made this cup of tea an extra special designer drink.  As I mentioned in the beginning, the same can be done on a hot summer day by chilling the finished beverage in the fridge.  Anyway, dipping chocolate and hazelnut biscotti made the ten minutes of preparing this delicious dessert-like drink all worth it.  Heaven on earth.  I wish I could share this with you right now.  Hopefully a pic will do for now…

Sounds great, doesn’t it?  There are numerous ways of creating a chocolate tea blend, which may include cacao nibs, chocolate chips, cocoa powder, or even natural or artificial chocolate flavor, typically with black or rooibos tea.  However, here is a quick way to make chocolate-tasting tea without having to buy a new tea blend, using ingredients most likely found in your fridge.

Pick your favorite black or rooibos tea (mine happens to be organic Special Earl Grey tea – it’s fantastic with chocolate) and add one teaspoon of natural chocolate syrup!  Yes, the same chocolate syrup you use on your waffles or pancakes.  I usually add it when the tea is still very hot.  Also, a splash of milk of your choice adds an amazing velvety layer.

Quick and simple, chocolate flavored tea for everyone to enjoy.  Bon appetite.

I come across many folks who look at loose-leaf tea as a problematic concoction of something or other that they just don’t have the time to deal with in the morning or at any other time of day.  They may not be interested in any fancy accoutrements to prepare loose-leaf tea either (think Japanese water dispensers providing exact water temperature, fancy cast-iron teapots with infusers, or simply a beautiful set of porcelain tea cups with a tea-ball or strainer).  However, I have a simple solution for everyone to prepare organic loose-leaf tea in a short time with limited tools or accessories.  The solution:  Universal Infuser!

If you are waking up in the morning and would love to start your day with a cup or pot of organic loose-leaf tea, then boil some water, place one teaspoon of tea (or more for larger amount) inside the Universal Infuser that you placed inside your mug (or cup) and pour water over the leaves.  After about 2 minutes, remove the infuser and your tea is ready quicker than your coffee pot can dispense coffee!  Here’s why I like the Universal Infuser and use it on daily basis:

1.  The smallest perforations you will find in any tea-making accessory – it will keep all the tea and other ingredients (think fine Rooibos!) inside and only allow your tea to flow through; not even a tea ball can do that.
2.  It is a well-made tool of stainless steel material, which means it won’t rust and should last a lifetime.
3.  It is VERY easy to clean – just hold under running water for a few seconds to allow the leaves to come out and let it dry naturally (although it is dishwasher safe); the holes are very tiny (laser-cut) that no ingredient will get stuck inside of it, no matter how small (see if your bamboo strainer can do that).
4.  It has a silicon handle (and lid) so that it stays cool when handling.
5.  It allows you to keep the tea leaves inside of it for a second, third, or even fourth infusion – simply repeat the same process of pouring water over the leaves and viola!
6.  It’s ideal for a single use or placed inside a larger tea pot, say 12 cup glass teapot, to quickly infuse loose-leaf tea for your family and friends without a hassle, just add 2 to 3 more teaspoons of tea; OR, use it as a filter by pouring a larger container of loose-leaf tea into another teapot or individual cups.
7.  The universal infuser is great for home use or office and used with your favorite mug at work – most office water-coolers have a “hot water” option, which is great for most tea types.

Preparing loose-leaf tea is a snap with this simple tool – save time to actually enjoy the tea!

It’s the end of winter and the weather all around the country keeps playing tricks on us all.  One day it’s raining and cool and the next it’s nearly 80 degrees, and catching a cold is typical these days.  You start to feel a loss of energy and appetite because your immune system has been compromised.  This one day last week, I felt a sudden urge to look for the healthiest ingredients I could find in my fridge and because I didn’t feel like cooking, I simply through everything into my blender.  Here is what was in my concoction:

• 1/4 cup of pomegranate seeds
• 3 tbsp of plain yogurt
• 1/2 cup of blueberries
• 1 bunch of baby spinach leaves (about 10 leaves)
• 1 cup of freshly squeezed orange juice (about 4 oranges)
• 1 sweet lemon, juiced
• 1 cup of Tealandia Jasmine Bliss organic tea

I used my left over cup of cool Jasmine Bliss green tea from my morning pot with the other ingredients and blended everything together for about 45 seconds.  The final result was two tall glasses of delicious smoothies; sweet and nicely balanced flavors.  This rich in antioxidants drink gave me a boost in energy almost immediately and after two days of repeating the same routine, my cold was gone and I felt a huge improvement in my overall well-being.  This was one powerful smoothie that will most likely remain a staple in my weekly diet routine for a long time.

Cheers!

What is Fair Trade Certified™?

The Fair Trade Certified™ label guarantees that a product was grown and traded in a socially and environmentally responsible manner.  When you buy Fair Trade Certified™ products/teas you directly support the prosperity of families, communities, and the earth.

Many of the foods we enjoy every day are grown by people who struggle to keep food on their own table.  Volatile prices and power imbalances make it tough for farmers and farm workers to stay afloat.  They can end up in a cycle of poverty and debt, unable to support their families or keep their kids in school.

Fair Trade is a market-based solution to this problem, driven by consumer demand for products that were produced without harming people or the environment.

How does Fair Trade help?

Fair Trade empowers farmers and farm workers to be self-reliant, enabling them to invest in their farms and communities, protect the environment, and develop business skills necessary to compete in the global marketplace.  Fair Trade principals include:

- A fair, minimum price to farmers

- Fair labor conditions and living wages for farm workers

- Direct trade between farmers and their international markets

- Democratic and transparent organizations

- Environmental sustainability

How do I know if a product is Fair Trade Certified™?

Look for the Fair Trade Certified™ label on all of Tealandia’s teas.

Who certifies Fair Trade?

TransFair USA, a non-profit organization, is the only independent, third-party certifier of Fair Trade products in the U.S.  TransFair’s rigorous audit system, which tracks products from farm to finished product, verifies industry and farmer compliance with Fair Trade criteria.  TransFair allows U.S. companies to display the Fair Trade Certified™ label on products that meet strict Fair Trade standards.

Since 1998, Fair Trade Certification has sent nearly $80 million in additional income to farmers and farm workers around the world.

Become a part of the solution today.

Time: 20 min.
Serving Size: 2

Ingredients:

- 1 cup of Quinoa

- 2 cups of water

- 1 cup of Tealandia’s White Chai organic tea (latte style)

- handful of raisins

- 2 cinnamon sticks

Directions:

1. Rinse and then cook the Quinoa in water for 14-18 minutes or per instructions on your box along with two cinnamon sticks

2. Prepare one cup of Tealandia’s White Chai organic tea with steamed milk and agave nectar or honey – latte style

3. In the last two minutes of cooking Quinoa (by now water should be absorbed by Quinoa), add your cup of organic chai tea to the pot and a handful of raisins

4. Serve in two small bowls as a healthy breakfast alternative, especially on subzero mornings!

Special note: you may change to Tealandia’s Masala Chai organic tea for a stronger and more robust flavor of black tea or use Tealandia’s Red Chai instead for a sweeter and caffeine-free option. Also, feel free to use soy milk or soy creamer in place of milk and throw in some almonds or walnuts to personalize it!

Great and healthy way to start your morning! You’ll get your anti-oxidants, protein, fiber and a ton more! Here’s a few things about the health benefits of Quinoa:

Quinoa is of great nutritional importance and has become highly appreciated for its nutritional value. Its high protein content of 12% to 18% makes it a healthy choice for everyone, including vegetarians and vegans, as a side dish or breakfast meal. Unlike wheat or rice, quinoa contains a balanced set of essential amino acids for humans, making it an unusually complete protein source. It is a good source of dietary fiber and is high in magnesium and iron. Quinoa is gluten-free and considered easy to digest.

Enjoy!

It’s the end of 2009 and it’s raining in Los Angeles.  Most of us are happy to see the year’s end, and the rain, as it’s been a transforming year for a lot of folks.  From new presidents and foreign governments, vanishing and rising companies, deaths of heroes and births of new ones, it’s the ever-evolving cycle of life, as we know it.   As I’m sitting here reminiscing about the big events that took place this year, I’m sipping on Tealandia’s organic cup of Jasmine Bliss green tea.  Actually, it’s more like a gigantic green mug, my favorite mug (for now at least, ask me again in a few months).

As a warmed up my tea in a microwave (what!!!???), I realized that making the perfect cup of tea is not the complicated science that many tea connoisseurs write about.  Sure, it does entail fresh water, spring is my favorite, and its proper temperature, the right amount of tea per cup, and advisable infusion time.  Many experts will argue that one-minute for ANY tea is plenty to create the right balance of flavor and aroma.  Others will advise you to use standard time frames for each type of tea (see below for Tealandia’s suggestions).  However, after drinking tea for almost twenty-five years, I’ve come to realize that the secret to making the perfect cup of tea is not a set-in-stone formula.  The secret is that there is no secret.

Tea is such an amazing and flexible beverage that you can truly make it however you wish to make it and please your palette or craving.  From using one teaspoon of tea leaves in your cup to doubling the suggested amount, from very hot (boiling) water to not so hot (140 degrees), filtered tap water to overpriced spring water, your way of making tea is your own and no one can tell you how to make it right but merely suggest.  Playing around with recommended guidelines will surely help you to find your own tasty cup of tea (great starting point, especially for novice tea drinkers) but even that sometimes will change.

I personally almost never use a microwave for anything but today, warming up my Jasmine Bliss mug of tea seemed like a great idea.  Most other times, I will make a larger amount of tea and keep it closed under a lid of a teapot to keep it hot.  The point is, it’s all about the mood you’re in, the time of the day and in your schedule, the need for a specific cup of tea (chai lattes come to mind:), and a number of other factors like where you are or if you’re about to enjoy your tea solo or with friends, etc.  Making a great cup of tea is as unique as who we are as individuals.  Some folks like to infuse green tea for at least five minutes as they enjoy the bitterness of the tannins – they’ve told me so.  Others will infuse the tea leaves in cold water and set aside for hours to create a unique way of making iced tea, and still others will splash steamed milk to create a thicker beverage, with or without sweetener (agave nectar is my fav).  I love tea because each cup that I make is a reflection of who I am today, at this moment.  So go on and make yourself a cup of tea that only you will love because only you can make the New Year 2010 a better one than the last.

If you’re still perplexed or welcome our recommendation, here is a suggested guideline for making a great cup of tea.  And, of course, change it up as you please to suit your idea of the perfect cup of tea.

Here are parting words for now from someone who knew better:
“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.”
Eleanor Roosevelt

Tealandia is not just a tea company but also a vehicle for social change with focus on Organic and Fair Trade teas.  It was initially conceived as an idea and after years of research and development, Tealandia was officially launched in March of 2007 by Mark Deliman and Julio Castorena, who describe themselves as “just two guys who want to make a difference in people’s lives by providing a healthy product that everyone can benefit from.”  Wanting to become vehicles for social change and as consummate tea lovers, they have created imaginatively sophisticated blends that inspire the mind, relax the body, and motivate the soul while also contributing toward the development of a more just and humane world.

To learn more about their journey, visit About Tealandia.