February 2025 Newsletter

Hello everyone! I hope winter has been treating you well :)

We are now in the home stretch and this is the last newsletter before the online shop undergoes its temporary closure. I thank you for the orders coming in and I am filling and shipping them as quickly as I can. Please be aware that processing has slowed due to the volume of orders I am receiving and there have been some USPS delivery delays around the country due to weather. Your patience is very much appreciated! Only six different scone mix flavors remain in stock and I have set up a 15% discount for this remaining inventory. This discount will automatically apply only to the in-stock flavors and while supplies last. Now is a great time to grab a bag or two or three of these delicious, easy-to-prepare scone mixes at a discount!

Our relocation to Tennessee is still on track for next month and, as promised, below are the most current details and key deadlines to keep in mind in preparation. My primary goal before the move is to ensure that you are able to purchase all the tea you need to get you through the duration of the service interruption, which will be longer than the one everyone experienced after the close of Infuse Tea Bar. I continue to put an insert in everyone's orders, whether being shipped or picked up, that informs about the upcoming transition. This will continue until the transition and I apologize beforehand to those of you who have been getting inserts with your multiple orders - trying to cover all bases. As a reminder, the last day to place orders in the online shop is Friday, February 28th at 10:00 PM.

Order pick-up service at Donna's continues and please note that the last day of this service is Wednesday, February 26th. As a reminder, orders need to be placed before the end of day on Sundays so that I will have the time to pull them together and get them over to her in time. I have been able to mostly accommodate late orders in the past; however, this is becoming impossible due to the volume of orders that need to be shipped and other obligations that I have scheduled daily. All orders are filled in the order that they are received. Thank you for helping me keep this as smooth a process as possible.

Some of the holiday teas and autumn blends are are still available in limited supply!! See below for a list of all of these teas that remain in stock. We have not been able to add any more of the functional herbs or teaware to the online shop, so please continue to let me know if you saw something in the shop that you would like to purchase. Please let me know as much detail as possible and we'll get it figured out. Lastly, gift certificates are also available - see below for details.

This month we are continuing our "travels" in Asia and are moving along to South Korea. Teas from South Korea are not often found in the marketplace, as very little of their tea is exported. I look forward to exploring them with you.

As always, I appreciate your continued support of my small business!! :)

-- Kristine, NBC-HWC, FDN-P

Pick-Up Option

Donna from West Sayville Flowers (my former business neighbor) has generously offered her shop as an option for order pick-ups! This service will ONLY be available on Wednesdays from 9:00 to 5:00, so as not to interfere with Donna's business. Orders will need to be placed before the end of day on Sundays so that I will have the time to pull them together and get them over to her. If you would like to take advantage of this option, please indicate so in the Comments section of the cart. Please note that a shipping charge will be applied when you place your order, but it will be removed when I manually finalize and charge the order :)

Please be advised that, at times, her shop may be closed for a short period of time while they are running deliveries. They will have a sign posted stating this, so please be aware that this may happen if you decide to use this service. The last day for order pick-ups at Donna's will be 2/26.

Gift Certificates

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.

Blended up fresh batches of Rooibos Tranquility Organic Herbal Tisane, Chamomile Citrus Organic Herbal Tisane, and Cold & Flu Blend Organic Herbal Tisane!

Our Upcoming Move Details

The move next is requiring significantly more logistics and there will be a longer interruption in service than what occurred at the closure of Infuse Tea Bar at the end of March last year. Preparation continues and here are some key things to keep in mind as the time draws near:

• The last day to place orders in the online shop at https://www.pleasuresoftea.com/ will be Friday, February 28, 2025 at 10:00PM EST. There can be no extensions to this date or time, so please make note and place your orders before. All orders placed near the deadline will be shipped no later than early in the next week. Ordering before then will ensure the best selection of teas and quantity that you are looking for. As mentioned above, it is taking a little longer than usual to get orders filled and shipped due to the volume. Thank you for your patience :)
• I anticipate having the website back up for you to place your orders no earlier than May 1, 2025; however, I will not know if this is a realistic date until I have made the move and get everything back up and running. As many of you know, we have a "cat rescue" and my main priority once there will be getting them situated and used to their new home - a monumental feat ;). Getting the business back up and running will most likely be a slow process. I am hoping to begin filing the paperwork to open the business in Tennessee before I leave to hopefully hasten that part of the process. I will start the set-up as soon as I will be able, along with getting teas restocked once my business paperwork is approved. I will continue to keep you all updated once I am there.
• We looked into the possibility of the website remaining live only for browsing and adding items to the shopping cart during the interruption in service; however, this is not feasible. Instead, there will be a message on our page stating that we are moving and anticipate being back up to receive orders around May 1st, etc.
• I am managing my tea inventory very tightly - trying to keep enough so you have what you need, but not so much that I have to move it all with me. I am already out of several more teas and anticipate running out of even more, as inventory on some teas has gotten quite low. This is a goal, so that I can restock once in TN.
• Out of stock teas are indicated on the website. If you are trying to place an order for a tea and you get an error, then this most likely means that you are trying to order more than what is in stock. Reduce the quantity until it goes through - so sorry that there is no easier way.

I am hoping to make this transition as smooth as possible, while still being able to support you and your tea needs. If you have any questions or need clarity on the above, please feel free to email me at kristine@infuseteabarny.com or reply to this email. Please note that I am trying to reply to emails as quickly as possible, but I am very behind in them again because I have been spending most of my available time working on getting orders out to you as quickly as possible.

Teas of South Korea

South Korea may not come to mind when thinking of a tea-producing country; however, the history and rich culture of tea spans about two thousand years in Korea. Unfortunately most of this culture disappeared through invasion and occupation by others over the centuries. However, after gaining

independence following World War II, the environment was ripe for a resurgence in the 1960's of the traditional tea culture. More tea is consumed in South Korea than is produced. As a result, a lot of tea is imported from other countries and, unfortunately, little of the tea produced in South Korea is exported.

South Korea is one of the northernmost tea-growing regions in the world. Tea can only be grown in the two southernmost provinces of mainland South Korea and an island to the south. The three main growing regions within these provinces are Boseong, Hadong and Jeju Island. All three areas have the mild, temperate to sub-tropical climate required for the cultivation of tea. As in Japan, tea producers in South Korea mainly craft green tea, of which there are

many different styles. These styles are based on the time of year the leaves are harvested, the age of leaves being harvested, and how the leaves are processed. South Korean green teas also include a brown rice tea and powdered green tea, similar to Japanese Genmaicha and Matcha, respectively. Small volumes of black tea, wulong, and dark teas are also crafted.

I offer two delicious teas from Jeju Island, South Korea. Click the links for each tea to learn more about the growing and crafting of these wonderful teas: 

• Jeju Organic Black Tea - twisted leaves unfurl to yield an aromatic, smooth, sweet and rich, medium-bodied infusion with savory and slightly spicy notes.
• Joongjak Organic Green Tea - curved, twisted leaves unfurl to yield a smooth and refreshing, light-bodied infusion with savory, vegetal and slightly fruity notes.

If you decide to "travel" to South Korea and try these exquisite teas, let me know how it goes! :)

New Teas

No new teas at the moment, but the following autumn and holiday blends are still available in very limited supply: Christmas Blend Black Tea, Chocolate Peppermint Black Tea, Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Black Tea, Pumpkin Pie Black Tea, Roasted Chestnut Black & Green Teas with Yerba Maté, Maple Walnut Green Tea, White Chocolate Peppermint White Tea, Rooibos Chocolate Peppermint Herbal Tisane, Rooibos Christmas Cookie Herbal Tisane, Rooibos Maple Walnut Herbal Tisane, Rooibos Orange Gingerbread Herbal Tisane, Rooibos Pumpkin Crème Herbal Tisane, Rooibos Pumpkin Spice Herbal Tisane, Candied Pomegranate Herbal Tisane, Holiday Punch Fruit Tisane.

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