I apologize for the short notice, but the shop will be closed on Sunday 7/25. I recently found out that the West Sayville Fire Department will be hosting an event that will be attended by fire departments from all over NYS. The resulting traffic and lack of parking will be a challenge and I feel it best to avoid the situation and any frustration that you may encounter trying to get to my shop that day. The shop will also be closed for a week in September and all the details are outlined below.

Some exciting new teas have arrived at the shop and they are listed in the New at the Shop section below. They are all available in the shop and most are now available in the online shop. We are diligently trying to get the remaining ones added to the website and should have this completed within a week or two. Most of the summer teas are still available, some with limited stock. We unexpectedly ran out of the Cherry Pineapple Green Tea in the week leading up to the break last month and I tried re-stocking it. I know many of you were looking forward to it returning, but unfortunately I will not be able to get it back in stock until the autumn due to the supply-chain issues that are plaguing many industries. Since it would then be out of season, it will return next year.

Please be advised that normal business operations have resumed at the shop. The wearing of masks is no longer required in the shop, but you may continue to do so if you prefer. Moving forward, I request that you do not come to the shop if you are feeling under-the-weather or please wear a mask, if you do stop by. 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. Your pre-order is not finalized until you pick up, so there is no need to input your credit card info. This allows flexibility to browse the shop, add more teas, a cup of tea, or some of our goodies to your order. Any changes to our COVID policies will be communicated as necessary.

Please note that the shop will also be closed from Monday, September 13th through Wednesday, September 22nd

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! :)

This month, we're going to discuss black tea, how it is classified, and its typical characteristics. But first, let's lay the foundation by acquainting ourselves briefly with the tea plant. It is believed that tea was discovered almost 5,000 years ago in China and we have been drinking and appreciating it ever since. The plant itself is much older and is believed to have originated near the Himalaya Mountains in the area today that comprises northeastern India, Burma, and Yunnan Province, China. All “true” teas are produced from the tea plant, Camellia sinensis, and the resulting six types of tea are classified based on how the leaves are processed. The six types of tea, which will be explained in this month's newsletter and those over the next several months are: black, green, white, yellow, wulong, and dark/Pu-er. The five main tea-producing countries are China, Taiwan, Japan, India, and Sri Lanka; however, tea is grown in over sixty countries around the world and we are proud to have a large selection of teas carefully curated from traditional producers and unique and rare sources as well. Other botanicals, such as mint, chamomile, rooibos, etc., are often mistakenly referred to as tea; however, the technical classification of these and all other herbs are tisanes, most of which are naturally caffeine-free.

 

Here are a few key details for some of the processing steps:

Plucking - the leaves to be harvested depend on the style of tea that the tea maker will craft. Leaf pluck for black teas usually includes two-leaves-and-a-bud, one-leaf-and-a-bud, or only buds. Occasionally, three-leaves-and-a-bud will be harvested for teas that will be crafted into a ball, or rolled, leaf style.

Leaf Style - this is the finished shape of the tea. Leaf styles may include open leaf, twisted leaf, or ball/rolled leaf. As you'll notice from the pictures above, black tea leaves can look very different!

Oxidation - the chemical process of oxidation on the leaves is a main factor that influences the primary characteristics of black tea. Typical characteristics of the infusion tend to be dark color, full body, and bold taste; however, you will notice that there is quite a range in these characteristics, along with aroma and taste notes.

Grading - grading is an indication of leaf size, not necessarily quality. Usually only black teas that originate from countries that had been under British colonial rule will employ a grading system for their black teas. OP, which stands for Orange Pekoe (pronounced PECK-o), is the standard grade and it does not indicate any particular flavor. Grades with a 'B', for example BOP (Broken Orange Pekoe), indicate that the leaves are broken and are lower down in the grading system. Higher grades include FOP (Flowery Orange Pekoe), GFOP (Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe), etc. The leaves of higher grade teas are usually more intact and yield a more refined flavor. The broken grades usually yield a more robust infusion.

I am really excited to announce that I was able to procure some really rare, outstanding teas! All are available in the shop and links to the teas in the online shop have been provided for those teas that are currently available on the website. We are working on getting the remaining ones added within a week or two. Jeju Organic South Korean Black Tea, Okayti Estate Golden Treasure Organic Darjeeling Black Tea, Gurué Organic Mozambique Black Tea, Guranse Estate Organic Nepal Green Tea, 2019 Imperial Grade Moonlight White Tea Cake, 2017 Yue Guang Bai with Camellia Flower White Tea Cake, 2018 Gong Mei White Tea Cake, 2012 Shou Mei White Tea Cake (large cake that is only sold by the ounce), 2014 Shou Mei White Tea Cake, and 2005 Jin Gua Tuo Cha Shou Blend Pu-er Tea.

Some of our summer teas are now out of stock and the following summer teas remain available, but supply is very limited for a few of them: Lavender Rose Petal Green Tea, Minted Coconut Lime Green Tea, Rooibos Guava Citrus Herbal Tisane, Berry Crush Herbal Tisane, Coconut Lime Herbal Tisane, Coconut Fruit Punch Fruit Tisane, Kiwi Peach Fruit Tisane, Pomegranate Lime Fruit Tisane, Raspberry Blackberry Fruit Tisane, Rhubarb Cooler Fruit Tisane, and Watermelon Fruit Tisane.