Alex Ahearn (Photo courtesy of Alex Ahearn) I'm so excited to bring back tea industry interviews! Today I have an interview with an amazing tea friend Alex Ahearn, who has been studying tea from an early age. His knowledge and passion for tea is infectious, as is his convivial personality. Alex recently published his beautiful book Flowers + Tea, an amazing combination of poetry, flower photography, and tea evaluations. It's an eloquent expression of his love for tea, and I highly recommend it. He has also published two baking books that incorporate tea as well as gluten free ingredi ..read more

It's that special time of year! If you're wondering what to get your favorite tea lover for the holidays, I've compiled a list of suggestions from the beginner to the more advanced tea geek, and everyone in-between. Of course, a whole list of tea vendors as well! So let's bring on the gifts: For Those Working From Home Small Tea Tray: I have this exact tea tray in my office, and it's the perfect size for gongfu tea on a desk. I also like that it doesn't have any images or logos on it. Plain and simple! Zens Travel Set: I have used this little travel set for years, and it's perfect for desk t ..read more

Did you know you can grow tea at home? I've been growing my own Camellia Sinensis plants at home for a couple of years now, mostly figuring things out as I go along. I was so excited to see the new book Grow Your Own Tea by tea farmer Christine Parks and tea historian Susan Walcott, Ph.D and couldn't wait to get my hands on it. There are so many questions to answer before you start growing tea. Do I need seeds?  Where should I plant them? What kind of soil and light do the plants need? The questions can go on and on. This book covers all the basics of growing Camellia Sinensis plants ..read more

I love iced teas in the summer, they are easy to prepare and super refreshing. I've been having fun experimenting with various chilly tea-brewing methods and posting them to Instagram, and I've had many people ask me about the techniques! Here are three easy ways to have cool, refreshing teas: cold brewed, shaker chilled, and fizzy brewed.  Cold Brewed Tea Nothing beats a crisp cup of cold brewed tea on a hot day. It's simple to make, and just requires a little time to brew to your desired strength. Necessary Equipment: A pitcher or vessel to brew the tea in. I love usi ..read more

We all need to support black-owned tea businesses. I often get questions on where to purchase tea, and I've created a comprehensive list of as many black-owned tea businesses as I can find. This list is based on recommendations, online lists, and word of mouth. Everything from local shops to online stores. This post will be continually updated as I discover more places to add, so please add your favorites in the comments Black-Owned Online Shops Adjourn Tea House: Based in Virginia, this woman-owned shop specializes in limited edition, unique hand blended teas and accessories. Bea's Welln ..read more

It's a difficult time for everyone during the COVID-19 pandemic, and I've wondered how tea vendors have been faring in this unprecedented environment. I recently published a post about how Chinese Tea Vendors were doing during the pandemic, and I decided to check in with a few tea industry friends, to see how COVID-19 has affected their tea businesses. I spoke with a few tea vendors and online sellers. I wanted to get a sample of individuals working with brick and mortar tea stores, and also those selling tea online. I had the pleasure of speaking with: Elena Liao, co-owner of T ..read more

It's been a tough few weeks, and I know many people have it far worse. Living in the middle of a huge COVID-19 outbreak in NYC has been tough, but my family and I are trying to take it one day at a time. Sometimes one minute at a time when even a day becomes too much. Blogging has been tough lately as I'm working from home while making sure my family is healthy and safe. But I thought it would be helpful to put together a few tea-related things to do if you are staying at home as much as possible. Support Small Tea Vendors Independent tea vendors need our help now more than ever. Brick and ..read more

I've been reading articles about how the novel coronavirus has impacted the tea industry, and decided to find out how tea vendors have been faring. To start, I sent questions to various people selling Chinese tea to see how their business has (or hasn't) changed since the outbreak began in China. Before we get into what I learned, let me be clear: this isn't an article about COVID-19 with regards to health or safety issues. This is an article focusing on Chinese tea vendors and how they have been impacted by the virus. Of course other vendors around the world have been affected as well, but ..read more

It's tough to find mindfulness in our busy lives. I try to set aside a few minutes for tea and quiet every day, but often there is only time for a few sips. Taking just a short few moments from the day to pause, make tea and breathe will help the day improve. Here are a few tips on how to create your own form of tea meditation no matter where you are, or what you have with you. Tea Meditation- Stay In The Moment First, it's important to point out that no matter what you do, staying in the moment is key. I personally look at it as a moment for myself, and nothing else. It doesn't need to be ..read more

English Breakfast Tea, no milk or sugar for me Chances are you've had English Breakfast tea before. Its a staple in many restaurants and often the only black tea choice on the menu. But have you ever wondered why it's called English Breakfast tea? Is it because it came from England? Tea didn't become a breakfast beverage until sometime in the mid eighteenth century. Up until this point tea was a pricey beverage, reserved for afternoon tea affairs. But when prices lowered it became more of an 'all day' drink. Also, it's recorded that around this time Queen Anne started taking tea instead of al ..read more