In my backyard, our sugar maple has been dripping sap for weeks now, drawing squirrels to chew on the limbs, and reminding us that spring is imminent. In some countries, the very earliest of the season's teas are already being harvested. Recently, I discussed what makes an early-spring tea and identified some of them. I've … Continue reading Comparing Flavor Differences between Tea Flushes
Many tea drinkers look forward to each year's early-spring teas, while tea growers and producers rely on the higher prices that these early teas command. The flavor profiles of these initial teas of the season—the first harvest, or first flush, of the newly emergent buds and immature leaves—are often the most delicate. Conversely, mature leaves … Continue reading Early-Spring vs Later-Harvest Teas
Is mid-February too early to think about spring? Or spring teas? In my mind, it's never too early to think about spring! And actually, this is the perfect time to consider spring teas. Tea leaves are harvested throughout the spring months, with the earliest of those leaves plucked in March. Which is mere days away! … Continue reading Early Spring Teas
I am a huge fan of sticky rice, served in any manner. However, as a tea? Not so sure. And I hadn't actually heard of Sticky Rice tea until recently, when a German distributor held a tea tasting for us and we were sorta blown away by the unique flavor of this tea! The selection … Continue reading Sticky Rice Oolong Tea
In many tea-growing regions, the plants are currently dormant, waiting until spring to bud out and yield the growing season's most valued tea leaves. So, during this off-season, where does the industry currently stand? Here's a quick look at just a few tea-producing regions. I've recently looked at the sobering state of the industry in … Continue reading Tea Industry Snapshots, January 2026
It's hard to overstate the importance of Assam tea, yet its future is tenuous. Located in northeastern India, Assam is one of the world's largest tea-producing regions, accounting for 11–13% of the world's tea, and more than half of all the tea produced in India. The first tea company was established in Assam in 1839; … Continue reading Will Assam Tea Go the Way of the Dinosaur?
What is it about miniatures that we find endearing? We spend big bucks for scaled-down versions of dog breeds; we coo over baby animals; we buy tiny Halloween or Christmas villages; we marvel at model train sets. So when our friend recently gave a vintage, multistory, furnished dollhouse to our granddaughters, the adults in the … Continue reading This Pewter Dollhouse Tea Set Charms
I'm fortunate to have a second Ukrainian herbal tea to sample! Unlike the visually stunning Becna, however, this blend is quite pedestrian with its twigs and olive green leaf bits that are interspersed with the occasional leaf. Its minimal packaging depicts mushrooms, but Google Translate identifies the ingredients as raspberry leaves, thyme, sea buckthorn leaves, … Continue reading Ukrainian Herbal Tea with Sea Buckthorn
Herbal teas are often a visually delightful mélange of flowers and leaves—like this Ukrainian blend called Becna. The minimal packaging supplies scant info, unfortunately. Google Translate identifies the ingredients as echinacea, oregano, raspberry leaves, hazelnut leaves, immortelle, and thyme, but there's no info on the Ukrainian supplier at all. Perhaps because I rarely drink herbal … Continue reading An Everlasting Ukrainian Herbal Tea
If you pluck some tea leaves on a dry morning, let them wither in the sun awhile, and then dry them, theoretically you've just made white tea. The least-processed type of tea, white tea also has the most delicate flavor. This delicacy of both physical tea leaf and its flavor has long been esteemed in … Continue reading White Tea from Nepal: Paradise in a Cup?
It's More Than Tea 