For quickest in-shop service, please feel free to pre-order your must-have teas in our online shop at www.pleasuresoftea.com!
Hello all and I hope you are well!

I would like to express my gratitude for all the well wishes that were sent last week. I'm sure that they contributed to my quick recovery and I'm looking forward to getting back to the shop to make tea for you!

A few new teas arrived at the shop, some of which are from the Hunan Province in China. They are the focus of this month's newsletter. Our summer teas are still available - see the New at the Shop section below for the complete list of summer teas and the new ones from Hunan.

Gong Fu Tea Service continues and our summer menu is now in effect! Appointments for this seated service are being accepted and please see below for all the details. I look forward to you joining me for this relaxing and culturally enriching experience.

The complete schedule of our tasting workshops through November are listed below, along with availability. Feel free to join us for an interactive, fun, and educational evening filled with tea! :)

Please note that the shop will be closed from Monday, September 5th through Wednesday, September 14th for my last break of the year.

I appreciate your continued support of my small business and I wish you much health and great tasting cups of tea!
-- Kristine, FDN-P
It appears that everyone needs a little more calm, so another freshly blended batch of our caffeine-free Calm Organic Herbal Tisane has been crafted! :) Also please note that the new harvest of Golden Monkey Black Tea is not as tippy as prior harvests and the Banana Coconut Fruit Tisane has been reformulated to be not quite so chunky.
Gong Fu Tea Service

The summer menu for Gong Fu Tea Service is now available! This Chinese method of tea preparation means "done well" and it requires time and focus, delivering a more aromatic and flavorful infusion than those prepared using the more familiar western method of tea preparation. I am happy to be able to offer this cultural aspect of tea and guide you further through your own tea journey.
This is an appointment only, seated service and, at the moment, is limited to three to four appointments at a time. Each session lasts approximately 1-1/2 hours and costs $30 paid upon booking. It includes multiple infusions of the tea that you select from the Gong Fu Tea menu and there are 3-7 infusions, depending on the tea selected and as time allows. It also includes a Gong Fu lesson, if you like, so that you may incorporate this method into your own tea ritual at home.

The menu is crafted and rotated seasonally and curated from the larger origin tea offering available in the shop. The summer menu is as follows:
  • Wild-Grown Purple Leaf Moonlight White Tea - Yunnan, China
  • Gyokuro Green Tea - Japan
  • Rukeri Estate Green Tea - Rwanda
  • Ya Shi Xiang Dan Cong Wulong Tea - Guangdong, China
  • Glenburn Estate Spring Wulong Tea - Darjeeling, India
  • Jun Chiyabari Estate Black Tea - Nepal
  • 2012 Sheng Pu-er Tea - Yunnan, China

Gong Fu Tea appointments are available:
Thursdays & Fridays - 11:30 through 3:00
Sundays - 11:30 through 2:00
Please note that there are no appointments on Saturdays.

If you would like to make an appointment for this unique experience, please email kristine@infuseteabarny.com or reply to this email. I look forward to preparing tea for you! :)
Tea Tastings & Pairings Workshop Schedule

Journey with us on select Saturday evenings for an exploration of tea. Whether it is a fun and unique tasting of a flight of teas or a "foodie" excursion where we pair a few of our favorite things, you will be experiencing a unique, informative, relaxing and interactive adventure - no passport required!

Here are the workshops that are scheduled for the next several months:
Pu-er & Other Dark Teas - July 16th (1 spot remaining)
Tea & Chocolate Pairing - July 30th (waiting list)
Tea & Cheese Pairing - August 13th (waiting list)
Tea & Terroir - Exploration of Elevation - August 20th (2 spots remaining)
Famous Teas of China - September 17th
Teas of Japan - October 1st
Rare, Hand-Crafted, Small-Batch Teas - October 15th (2 spots remaining)
Preparation Techniques - October 29th
Tisanes for Winter Health - November 12th
  
   Workshop descriptions and policies, are posted at infuseteabarny.com.

Workshops begin promptly at 7:00 PM and go to 8:30ish. Feel free to stay on after the workshop to enjoy the highly recommended second infusions of each tea that will be prepared. Cost is $30 per person. Pre-paid registration is required and seating is limited. For questions or to register, please email kristine@infuseteabarny.com or stop by the shop. I look forward to seeing you in class! :)
Pre-order Reminder

As a reminder, pre-orders of loose leaf teas are encouraged in order to streamline the preparation of your custom orders and reduce your wait time, especially if the shop is busy when you arrive. Orders also continue to be shipped nationwide and all (pre)orders can be placed in our online shop www.pleasuresoftea.com. Please place orders at least 24-hours ahead of desired pick up time, if possible, to ensure that I will see your order in the portal and have the time to pull it together in time for your arrival. Indicating the approximate date and time of pick up in the Comments section in the Cart helps ensure that your order will be ready for you upon arrival. If you plan to browse at the shop or grab a cup of tea, then please do not pay online - select the Pay at pick-up option. You will receive an emailed notification once your order is ready for pick-up.

Thank you for your continued cooperation in helping to serve you in the most efficient and expeditious manner possible! :)
Teas from Hunan Province

Hunan is a land-locked province that is located in the southeastern part of China. It is translated as "south of the lake" because it is situated south of the massive Dongting Lake. It is ringed by mountains on three sides and its geography is varied with hills, plains, and
basins. It has a subtropical climate with hot and humid summers, short and cool winters, and plenty of rain that is ideal for growing tea. In fact, Hunan is the second-largest producer of tea in China and production spans back over 1,800 years. Hunan produces mainly Hei Cha, translated as Dark Tea; however, it also produces several black teas and the yellow tea, Jun Shan Yin Zhen.
The majority of Hei Cha is produced in Anhua County, which is located in the northern part of the province at lower elevations of only a few hundred feet. Dark teas are fermented and aged, similar to Pu-er teas from the Yunnan Province of China; however, the process used to craft them is different. Hunan tea producers utilize a wet-piling process to produce the many different styles of dark tea, but only the high level points will be discussed here. Fresh leaves are withered and then heated in a pan. While the leaves are still hot, they are rolled and then piled about two to three feet high. This pile of leaves is then covered with wet cloths that will keep the heat and moisture in and allow the leaves to begin to be fermented by the beneficial bacteria that is present. After about 24 hours, the leaves are rolled again and then dried and stored for additional fermentation and aging. If the leaves are going to be formed into bricks, logs, or other pressed options, then the leaves are steamed after being dried and then pressed into the desired shape for storage, additional fermentation, and aging.
One of the new teas that just arrived from Hunan is the 2016 Loose Hunan Dark Tea. This is a post-fermented and aged loose dark tea that has undergone the pile fermented process, which encourages the growth of beneficial bacteria on the leaves. The leaves yield a smooth, rich, and clean, medium-bodied infusion with woody, earthy, and savory notes.
The other new tea from Hunan that arrived is the Gold Peony Black Tea. It is grown in the western part of Hunan and is crafted from the Jin Mu Dan cultivar, which is originally from Fujian Province, China. The tea is grown at an elevation of 3,000 feet and the pluck of two-leaves-and-a-bud are hand-harvested and processed in small batches. The leaves yield a medium-bodied, smooth, clean and balanced infusion with a sweet aroma and honey, grass, and subtle floral notes.
While we offer several teas from Hunan, only a few are currently available in the online shop at pleasuresoftea.com. Both of these new teas have been added and I hope you decide to take a trip to Hunan through them. I look forward to your feedback! :)
Do you or someone you know need a personal health detective to address chronic wellness issues that can't seem to be resolved? Make 2022 the year you find results for good!

As a Certified Functional Diagnostic Nutrition (FDN) Practitioner, I see clients to help them get to the root of their health and wellness issues and reclaim the vitality that they very much deserve. I offer fully customized, programs that are unique to each client and that incorporate holistic protocols addressing body, mind, spirit and senses. This is an extension of my work in tea and herbalism for the past fifteen years, but I will now be able to help those of you who need it at a much deeper and personalized level than I can offer in the shop. In addition to the new tools in my toolbox, I will continue to draw from my experience in using tea for health, along with my herbalism training, during the development of the comprehensive protocols that will be specific to the bio-individualized needs of each client. I want to be the last wellness practitioner you see and educate and empower you to make the choices that are best for YOUR health so that you can be your own health advocate moving forward. I look forward to showing you what I can do to help you achieve your wellness goals and enjoy continued vitality well into the future!

To learn more, please visit https://vitalityholisticwellness.net. If you are ready to make the investment in your wellness, then I would be happy to discuss the potential opportunity with you. You may book a complimentary discovery call directly through the website so I can learn about your issues and you can learn more about how I work and how my approach is different from the conventional medicine and/or alternative approaches that you have already experienced. I also have a new email address specific for Vitality Holistic Wellness business and I ask that all inquiries regarding these services be directed to kristine@vitalityholisticwellness.net.

The website also shares My Why - the reasons why I am so passionate about this approach to health and wellness. This is a very personal experience for me and I share my 32-year journey toward finding health and wellness and dealing with autoimmunity and a compromised immune system, among many other issues that you or someone you know may be experiencing. I hear from so many of you about your own chronic wellness issues and I share my story as a way to connect and open the door and show that there is hope…even after 32 years! If you would like to read my health story, please click here. It is long, so make sure you have a big mug of tea :)

I also email out a newsletter with health and wellness tips that do not fit within the scope of this newsletter. If you are interested in receiving the Vitality Newsletter, then feel free to sign up while you're at the website!
New at the Shop

Two new teas from the Hunan Province of China have just arrived! Gold Peony Black Tea and 2016 Hunan Dark Tea. Also new is the caffeine-free blend Lemongrass Bouquet Herbal Tisane.

Summer teas are still available! The following popular blends from years past have returned: Minted Coconut Lime Green Tea, Cherry Pineapple Herbal Tisane, Coconut Lime Herbal Tisane, Coconut Fruit Punch Fruit Tisane, Kiwi Peach Fruit Tisane, Pomegranate Lime Fruit Tisane, and Watermelon Fruit Tisane. All are currently available in the shop and online shop. Please note that, due to their popularity, Cherry Pineapple Green Tea, Raspberry Blackberry Fruit Tisane, and Rhubarb Cooler Fruit Tisane had been added to the permanent tea menu and are available year-round.

Chocolate povitica is back in stock!! This delicious swirled treat from my Croatian and Slovenian heritage is a customer favorite. Also available in Traditional Walnut & Honey and Apricot :)

Infuse Tea Bar & The Pleasures of Tea
106 Main Street
West Sayville, NY 11796
www.pleasuresoftea.com - online shop

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500+ Loose Leaf Teas & Herbal Tisanes
Certified - Tea Professional, Tea Sommelier & Tea Health Expert
Student of the Art & Science of Herbalism
Certified Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioner - Vitality Holistic Wellness

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