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I hope you are well and that winter has not been treating you too harshly. We got ice from the big storm that affected so much of the country and my tea plant was covered with it. Several days of very cold temperatures followed and I was concerned that she wouldn't make it through. But she did and she's looking good so far. Spring has begun to show here and I'm hoping to be able to harvest enough of her spring flush to process and make a cup of tea.
Last call for holiday blends, but the autumn teas will still be available for another month. See below for the list and grab the ones you need before they are out of stock. All can be found in the online shop at https://www.pleasuresoftea.com.
Since September we have been "traveling" through the tea-producing provinces of China and discovering the diversity in types, styles, and aromatic and taste profiles. So far, we have explored the major producers of Yunnan, Fujian, Hunan, Sichuan, Guizhou, Anhui and Zhejiang Provinces. If you missed any of these newsletters, you can view them here (scroll to the bottom). This month we are going to explore the provinces of Jiangxi, Jiangsu and Henan and we'll continue our journey next month in a few more!
As always, I appreciate your continued support of my small business!! :)
-- Kristine, NBC-HWC, FDN-P, CIMA
| | Luponde Estate Tanzanian Black Tea is back in stock! I had to re-source this tea and this batch is a more robust broken leaf style, rather than the whole leaf OP grade that I had been offering. Gingered Vanilla Toddy Black Tea and Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Black Tea have also been restocked. Blended up fresh batches of Mount Everest Breakfast Blend Black Tea, Tulsi Lemongrass Ginger Organic Herbal Tisane and Turmeric Spice Organic Herbal Tisane! | | |
Gift Certificates
As a reminder, you may redeem any outstanding gift certificates in the online shop! To redeem, please input the following information in the Comments section in the cart: compliments of, especially for, gift certificate number, amount, and date. You will still need to input your credit card, but only the balance will be charged, if there is one. Gift certificates never expire - I put an expiration date on them because I want them to be used, not forgotten in a pile of paper ;).
Need to purchase an e-gift certificate? Feel free to email me at kristine@infuseteabarny.com - be sure to include name from and to and the gift certificate amount. I will email you an invoice that you may pay online. The gift certificates will be emailed to you and you can either email it to the recipient or print it out and give it to them.
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Teas of Jiangxi, Jiangsu & Henan
This month we are going to visit three provinces. They are not among the large producers of tea in China; however, the styles of tea that they produce are notable and all of the teas listed below are on one of the lists of the "Ten Most Famous Teas of China".
Our first stop is the Jiangxi Province, which is a mountainous, land-locked region in southeastern China that borders Fujian and Zhejiang. The province has a subtropical climate with very wet summers and high humidity. Black and green teas are produced in Jiangxi, but most does leave China. At certain times of the year its mountains are blanketed with clouds, giving its green teas the name Yun Wu, or Cloud Mist. Other regions manufacture Yun Wu green teas; however, Jiangxi's Lu Shan Yun Wu (Lu Mountain Cloud Mist) is the most well-known. The natural shading from the clouds creates a unique chemistry within the leaf, resulting in a tea that is high in caffeine and the amino acid L-theanine. The harvested leaves are delicately hand-processed with alternating pan-firing and rolling between the palms. The high elevation and uniqueness of the terroir yield an infusion that is thick, medium-bodied, rich and sweet, with umami taste and grassy aroma. It is reported that this tea has been produced for over 1,700 years.
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Our next stop is Jiangsu Province, which is on the eastern coast, just north of Zhejiang. The land in this province is mainly flat and at low elevation that does not exceed 165 feet. The climate is humid and subtropical. Tribute green teas have been produced here for about 1,500 years. Even though Jiangsu only produces about 18% of China’s teas, it is known as a major producer of quality green tea. Its most famous tea is Bi Luo Chun, translated as Green Snail Spring, green tea. This is another of China's "Ten Most Famous Teas" and the name reflects the spiral shape of the tea leaves and their spiraling motion as they unfurl during infusion. The very small one leaf and a bud pluck from the Dong Ting Mountain area is processed into soft, fuzzy curls that unfurl to yield a delicate and well-balanced, light-bodied infusion that has a slight astringency and a fresh, subtle earthy sweetness.
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 | | Our last stop this month is Henan, a land-locked province located to the west of Anhui Province. Tea is grown in the eastern plains and southern mountains of the province at elevations between 1,600 and 2,600 feet. The climate where tea is grown is classified as warm-temperate that is misty with ample rainfall. Archaeological evidence indicates that tea has been produced in this province for over 2,000 years and the most sought-after tea is a green tea that is grown and produced in Xinyang County, located in the southernmost part of the province in the Dabie Mountains. Xinyang Mao Jian Green Tea is one of the "Ten Most Famous Teas of China" and is rarely exported out of the country. Mao Jian translates as “hair tips” or “furry tips” and gets this name because of the small hairs on the bud of this early spring one-leaf-and-a-bud pluck. The small, well-twisted, needle-like dark green leaves and silver buds unfurl to yield a robust, thick, medium-bodied infusion that has a sweet and umami taste with pine needle and vegetal aromas.
I offer each of these high quality green teas. They are available in the online shop https://www.pleasuresoftea.com. To easily find them, type Jiangxi, Jiangsu or Henan in the search box or the name of the tea. Each tea will have a description about where and how the tea is grown, cultivar information and/or aromatic and taste profiles. Enjoy your "travels" to these provinces and feel free to share your experience! :)
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New Teas
Luponde Estate Organic Tanzanian Black Tea is back in stock!
The following holiday teas and tisanes are still available, all in limited supply: Christmas Blend Black Tea; Chocolate Peppermint Black Tea; Rooibos Chocolate Peppermint Herbal Tisane; Rooibos Christmas Cookie Herbal Tisane; Rooibos Orange Gingerbread Herbal Tisane; Candied Pomegranate Herbal Tisane; and Holiday Punch Fruit Tisane!
The following autumn blends are still available, some of which also are now in limited supply: Apple Molasses Black Tea, Gingered Vanilla Toddy Black Tea, Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Black Tea, Roasted Chestnut Black & Green Tea with Yerba Maté Blend, Maple Walnut Green Tea, and Rooibos Maple Walnut Herbal Tisane.
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The Pleasures of Tea
www.pleasuresoftea.com - online shop
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500+ Loose Leaf Teas, Herbal Tisanes & Functional/Medicinal Herbs
Certified - Tea Professional, Tea Sommelier & Tea Health Expert
Forever Student of the Art & Science of Herbalism
NBWHC Board-Certified Health & Wellness Coach, Certified Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioner, MRC Certified Healthy Gut Practitioner, Certified Terrain Advocate, & Certified in Functional Nutrition - Vitality Holistic Wellness
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