Introducing Andrews & Dunham

One of my primary goals for starting Tea Pages was to show that there was room in the tea room for people from all walks of life. There are those who prefer the white glove, chintz decor experience. Others revel in the mysteries and peace of the Japanese tea ceremony. From those who dunk a teabag in a ceramic mug to those performing elaborate gongfu tea preparation, we each have our own style. All that being said, I still think the tea world may need to brace itself for some of the newest entrepreneurs. They are definitely intent on shaking things up.

Charles Andrews and Erik Dunham have recently launched Andrews & Dunham Damn Fine Tea. Some of you might have known Charles from his blogger days at Charles' Tea House (where he claimed his occupation to be "Pirate.") I think it will likely take you no more than 4 1/2 seconds on the Andrews & Dunham website to tell you that things work a little differently over there.

Let me make clear that I have not yet tried their teas. I thought, though, that their business model made it worth telling you more about them early on. Rather than developing a large catalog of tea options, they are focusing on offering limited edition collections of their favorite teas of the moment. The first series is out and includes Ceylon, Dragonwell, and Nepal.

Now, on to our interview...

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INTERVIEW WITH CHARLES ANDREWS AND ERIK DUNHAM
Andrews & Dunham Damn Fine Teas

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TEA: What were the two of you doing for work before you founded Andrews & Dunham Damn Fine Tea?

Charles: I was a race car driver. I also had a part-time gig solving crimes.

Erik: Polycosmic Narrative Manipulating Cosmonaut.



TEA: What did you think that Andrews & Dunham could do that would be different from other tea companies? What is special about what you could offer to customers?

Charles: We hope our curatorial approach will appeal to people who are curious about tea but not too familiar with it. Also, we want to help regular tea drinkers get out of their ruts by offering them some different teas, some types they might not pick otherwise. I get in ruts and I'm sure there are others like me.

Erik: Fun. Tea is fun. It's rich like life. We look at the experience of tea from tin to tongue, so selection and presentation are paramount. And fun.



TEA: How did you choose the teas for your first series? Did you start with the tea type and seek out the best in that category or did you choose the teas and then create the series?

Charles: We tried a lot of teas, lots and lots, found some we really liked, and then built the series from them.

Erik: It was a very organic process. The first series just kind of came together. Everything: the tea, the packaging, the site, the ulcer. It all just clicked.



TEA: How frequently do you plan to issue new series? Will you eventually build a collection of teas that are always in stock or do you intend to have all your offerings be limited edition?

Charles: We're aiming to produce a new series every two months, but that could change.

Erik: We like the limited edition selections because it's fun, it's easy to manage inventory, and it's never boring. There are so many great tea companies that stock fantastic inventories. We don't hesitate to recommend other vendors to our customers. We want you to be happy even if that means sending you elsewhere for tea.


TEA: What is your "best case scenario" for what the company will look like in five years?

Charles: Me padding around my beach house while someone else does all the work. I think I see Erik pulling up in his convertible. He's been to the store and he's bringing me the little drink umbrellas I asked for.

Erik: The company will look fantastic from the leather couches on our corporate jet.



TEA: What has been your most special/unique tea experience or your best tea-related memory?

Charles: I'm pretty sure the first cup of tea I ever had was when I was just a lad, a choirboy hanging out in the Verger's office at the National Cathedral in DC. It was probably just Lipton's tea but along with a cookie and the onset of twilight it was the best thing ever. It's burned into my memory. Carved, if you will, like an inscription on the stone wall of a Gothic edifice.

Erik: I have many special tea memories. When I was a kid, I spilled a raging hot cup of Irish Breakfast tea on my leg. Talk about burned into my memory. But I faced that terror down and started a tea company.



TEA: What tea are you drinking today?

Charles: A pretty good Yunnan from an undisclosed source.

Erik: A dizzyingly fragrant Tie Guan Yin oolong.


*** Thanks to Charles Andrews and Erik Dunham for doing this interview with Tea Pages. ***

Knitting and Tea...Seriously...

Hello everyone!

I have to start by saying that I have been in a seriously good space "professionally" lately. OK, so my current two professions - blogging and being a stay-at-home mom - don't generate income, but they're pretty fantastic gigs. I also feel like I've been having some moments of crystallization toward that all important "what do I want to be when I grow up" question.

A quick follow-up on yesterday's post: I am continuing to work with that First Flush Darjeeling to try to coax something interesting out of it. No luck. I used more leaf and played with steep times. It just really isn't very impressive. I also broke out a Second Flush Darjeeling from Equal Exchange and have pretty much the same response. Too bad. Their Ceylon Green was quite good. I think this one is going to be used for some blending experiments. Stay tuned...

One other note - We're going to have another interview here at Tea Pages. This particular piece may be one of my favorites. I have found tea people who are just as sarcastic as I am. Quite refreshing. :) I was able to interview the guys over at Andrews & Dunham Damn Fine Teas. I need to disclose that I have not yet tried their teas. I think their site, blog, and this interview will convince me that I need to give them a try. (Who says marketing doesn't work?)


Today's post is about a newly released book called "Knitting and Tea: 25 Classic Knits and the Teas That Inspired Them" by Jane Gottelier. I have previously mentioned my obsession with knitting and you all know how I feel about tea. When this book arrived at my doorstop it was like manna from heaven.

This is a stunning book. It's a glossy hardcover filled with spectacular photos of tea plantations, tea shops, and gorgeous knit pieces. The book is divided into six chapters, each devoted to a particular "type" of tea: Ceylon Tea, Somerset Single Estate Tea, Green Tea, Afternoon Tea, "Builder's Tea," and Rose Pouchong Tea. The chapter begins by exploring the history and cultural side of the tea type being discussed, followed by several knitting patterns inspired by the tea. Interspersed in the chapters are random bits of history and information about the region being explored. The final page of each chapter highlights one specific location that is representative of the chapter that interested readers could visit. The locations covered are split between Sri Lanka (where Ms. Gottelier's husband was raised) and England (where she grew to love tea as a child.)

The knitwear is lovely in this book - diverse and covering a wide skill level. Jane and her husband Patrick opened their own knitwear company in 1977 so this project was certainly a labor of love. There is a focus on vintage design. Among my favorite patterns were the Ceylon Cardigan, a lovely shaped open front cardigan with seed stitch edging; the Boy's Fair Isle Planter's Vest; the Cricket Sweater; and the Biker's Jacket, a soft knit take on an edgy jacket. This book even included a pattern for knee high argyle socks with ribbons inserted through the top, long bows in the back and gunmetal grey glass beads knit into the front. The one pattern that did make me very worried was the Summer House sweater that called for threading THREE THOUSAND sequins onto your yarn. I was getting freaked out just thinking about it.

If you are a knitter who loves tea, this is a must have book. If you are a tea lover who doesn't (yet) love knitting, it's worth a peek at a friend's copy. It's a breathtaking book to behold.

Equal Exchange Darjeeling 1st Flush

I actually had to restrain myself from another Starbucks post. I began to fear that I would be drummed out of the tea community if I posted anything else nice about Starbucks tea drinks. (Let's remember that I wasn't a big fan of the black tea latte before you start labeling me a traitor.) Today I actually tried the much feared green tea latte and I must say - not bad. It was sweeter than I would have liked (an ongoing issue I have with Starbucks), but it actually tasted like green tea. (Hurrah!) It has lost the nuclear waste color and is now more of a mint green with a forest green colored foam. I was getting flavor notes very reminiscent of dark green veggies, like spinach. Definitely worth a try, but see if you can request that they put a bit less sweetener in.

I should also note that I just went to the Starbucks home page and there is now ZERO mention of tea. The headers are "Our Coffee," "Our Stores," "Starbucks Card," "At Home," "For Business," "About Us," and "Shop Online." On the bottom there are icons about their new foods and some other things, but NO mention of tea. Apparently you have to go to "Our Stores" and then to "Beverage Lineup."

Well, that's a whole lot of Starbucks for a post NOT about Starbucks.

Today I tried a new addition to the tea cabinet - Equal Exchange Organic Small Farmer Darjeeling First Flush. I had had excellent luck with Equal Exchange's Ceylon Green in this Small Farmer series so I decided to give it a shot.

The leaves were a mix of green, brown, and nearly black - relatively short and straight. There was actually a nice look to the mix. The scent was fresh and reminded me of hay on a farm in the spring.

The color of the brewed liquor reminded me exactly of Chinese restaurant tea. Do you know how much I hate when people describe tea that way? Yet, here I am doing it. I'm out of descriptors. It's was an orange-y brown color...That's better.

The scent was far milder than I'd anticipated. I couldn't force the aroma to come to me, no matter how deeply I tried to inhale. I had to be patient and accept the small sips of scent it allowed. I picked up notes of apple, gardenia, and a bit of black tea richness. The taste was VERY subtle. Too subtle. It emerged very slowly and just didn't seem all that interesting or complex. Sweet. A slight grapiness. It was just much too light in flavor for me, especially compared to a first flush I was drinking from Upton recently. The second infusion was basically colored, lightly scented water.

This brew was 1 1/2 tsp at 212 degrees for 3 1/2 minutes. I'm going to play with the parameters in hopes of getting more from this tea. I guess I can't get a winner every time.

Tea: Equal Exchange Organic Small Farmer Darjeeling First Flush
Source: Equal Exchange
Type: Black tea
Brewing details: 1 1/2 tsp at 212 degrees for 3 1/2 minutes
Comment: Too subtle a tea, with just not much interest.

Interview with Laura Childs

I could not be more thrilled to introduce today's author interview. Many of you are very familiar with this author already, but I suspect you will learn a few new things today.

Laura Childs is an extremely prolific writer, having recently published the tenth book in her Tea Shop Mysteries series. In addition she has written six books in the Scrapbook Mysteries series and has recently launched a new series, the Cackleberry Club. We are thrilled to announce that "Oolong Dead" was listed in the NYT Best Sellers list for the week of March 13. (You can find my review of the book here.) Tea Pages is extraordinarily grateful to Ms. Childs for participating in this interview.

As I did with our interview with Laura Schaefer, I also want to point you to some other excellent interviews that are already online with Ms. Childs. Each takes a slightly different approach and provides great information. Visit Mystery Lovers Corner, In the Library Reviews, and Cooking with Ideas for the interviews.

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AN INTERVIEW WITH LAURA CHILDS

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TEA: Hi, Laura. Thanks for agreeing to do an interview for the Tea Pages blog. We have become big fans of your work so, I must admit, we're a little giddy about the opportunity.

We’d love to learn a little more about you – just a basic bio, if you please.

Childs: I grew up in the Midwest and still live there, although I’m a closet Southerner (love the food, architecture, and weather!) After I graduated from the University of Minnesota, I went into advertising as a writer/producer, then eventually launched my own firm, Mission Critical Marketing. I’m married to Dr. Bob, a professor of Chinese and Japanese art history and have two Chinese Shar-Pei, Asia and Moosha.


TEA: What lessons from your advertising and marketing career have you brought to your writing career?

Childs: The first big lesson is deadlines. In advertising everything revolves around a deadline – and it’s the same thing in publishing. Each piece has to fall exactly into place for the end product (my book) to hit the shelves. The other big lesson is promotion. If you don’t market to book sellers, readers, and libraries, you’re always going to be limping along at mid-list. With my most recent book, "Oolong Dead", I pulled out all the stops and spent six solid weeks on marketing alone. And, of course, it paid off. "Oolong Dead" squeaked onto the New York Times Bestseller List!


TEA: You mentioned that your publisher suggested the idea of developing a mystery about “a snoopy woman who owns a tea shop.” Did Theodosia’s character emerge for you right away or did you have other concepts first?

Childs: Strangely enough, I found my “voice” for her within the first few lines I wrote. I could even picture Theodosia sitting in her quaint little tea shop with balmy breezes wafting in off the Cooper River. From there it was easy to weave in Drayton and Haley and set them on course for a murder mystery.


TEA: To what extent are the characters in the Tea Shop Mysteries based on people in your life? Is there any Laura Childs in Theodosia?

Childs: The characters come out of life experiences, but none are based on actual people except for Drayton. He’s a slightly more posh version of an art director I once worked with. And Laura Childs and Theodosia share a love of animals and volunteerism for service dog organizations.


TEA: Do you feel that readers of your Tea Shop Mystery series have an interest in “cozy” mysteries or are more struck by the novelty of a book about tea?

Childs: Both. I get readers who simply adore tea, recipes, and the ambiance of the Indigo Tea Shop. Other readers just like “classic” Agatha Christie type mysteries. Whatever the case, cozies have really come into their own in the last decade. A few weeks ago, I asked a book shop owner what genre was his biggest seller – full expecting it would be thrillers. Know what he said? Cozies!


TEA: Tea lovers definitely appreciate your detailed description of teas, often voiced in the books by Drayton. How did you develop your interest in tea?

Childs: I’ve always been a tea drinker. Then, when I started traveling to China, Japan, and Indonesia, I began to do tea tasting in a serious way.


TEA: You have expressed a love of Japanese green teas. Any particular favorite? What has been your most special tea experience or tea memory?

Childs: My favorite Japanese green tea is Bancha, which has a silky, toasty flavor. My most special tea memory is traveling on the bullet train from Tokyo to Kyoto one Christmas Day. I was deep into a book, when my husband told me to look up. There, out the window, was a spectacular, terraced tea garden with Mt. Fuji in the background!


TEA: I read that you are a collector of Yixing teapots. I noticed a number of references to them in your latest book, "Oolong Dead". What is your favorite teapot in your collection?

Childs: I have a round, very organic-looking Yixing teapot – maybe two hundred years old – that has a tiny rat perched on the lid. My second favorite is a miniature that is maybe an inch high.


TEA: The Tea Shop Mysteries are not your only series. You also have a long-running series of Scrapbook Mysteries and now a new series of Cackleberry Club Mysteries. Please tell us a bit about what is going on in these two series. And kindly allay our fears - does the Cackleberry Club project mean we’ll be saying goodbye to Theodosia and Drayton soon? If not, what is on the horizon for the Indigo Tea Shop gang?

Childs: The Scrapbook Mysteries (most recent book is "Death Swatch") are slightly edgier books that take place in New Orleans. My main character, Carmela, owns Memory Mine scrapbooking shop in the French Quarter and is always getting into trouble with her friend, Ava, who owns a voodoo shop.

The Cackleberry Club Mysteries ("Eggs in Purgatory") is a Midwest tale of three forty-plus women who have all lost their husbands and open a café called the Cackleberry Club. Eggs are the morning specialty here and they also have a Book Nook and Knitting Nest. There’s lots of humor and a dash of spirituality.

The Tea Shop Mysteries are my first love and will never go away. How could they when I have such great titles coming up as "The Teaberry Strangler", "Rosehips Revenge", and "Agony of the Leaves!"

Choice Whole Leaf Organics

I recently received some new pyramid teabags from Choice Organic Teas. These biodegradable teabags contain Fair Trade certified, organic whole leaf tea and are packed in boxes made of 100% recycled material that are printed with soy-based inks. I must say that all of this made me really want to like these teas...and I did.

I was given the opportunity to sample four of the flavors available: Lychee White, Jade Green, Jasmine Green, and Earl Grey. (Other flavors include: Estate Blend Darjeeling, English Breakfast, Sweet Licquorice Mint, and Chamomile Citrus ) All of the bags were very fragrant. None of the aromas were overpowering though. They smelled natural and fresh.

The Lychee White combines white tea from Southern India, lychee, and osmanthus flowers. The Lychee White brewed to a medium brown liquor. The lychee flavor was definitely dominant, masking the white tea taste. Lychee is not a fruit that I am particularly enamored with, but this was a nicely flavored tea. I was actually thinking that I would like to try this one on ice as well.

The Jade Green, a mix of several China and Indian green teas, brewed to a honey color. This brew had a fresh vegetal spring-like scent. The flavor was wonderful. This wasn't the grassy or marine-like green taste that we enjoy in Japanese greens. It was the more mellow, round, forest notes of China greens. I actually think it is one that would appeal to people just being introduced to green teas. This tea was excellent on ice.

The Jasmine Green is also composed of pan-fired China greens, but the greens are layered with jasmine flowers to absorb that flavor and scent. The liquor brewed to an amber/topaz color. The taste was boldly floral; the jasmine scent was very strong. The green tea flavor was not wholly apparent to me, but the had a very nice flavor nevertheless.

The Earl Grey was composed of Indian black tea scented with bergamot and decorated with yellow safflower petals. The liquor of this tea was a deep chocolate brown. This was a bold black, much bolder than I anticipated. The scenting was light, yet extraordinarily flavorful. This was a very pleasant, slightly subtle Earl Grey.

I was very impressed with this selection of Choice Whole Leaf Organic Pyramid Teabags. These are the kind of teabags I would actually keep on hand for those visitors who prefer not to drink loose leaf or for days I am in a hurry.

Also note, Choice launched a new blog last month called Sip This! You can take a peek at it by following this link.

Oh spring, where art thou?

I have a serious case of spring fever. I am absolutely done with the winter illnesses. I am desperate to open the windows and leave the house with fewer than six layers. I am getting the itch to deep clean and organize the house...And it is iced tea time.

Yes, today it was in the 60's here in Massachusetts - a veritable heat wave - and I took the opportunity to brew my first pitcher of iced tea of the season. My choice this time was Teajo Tea's Green Tea with Lemon and Ginger. I must say that this makes a fantastic iced tea, as is evidenced by the fact that the pitcher is already almost gone...I'm already dreaming of what pitcher number two will be.

And since spring cleaning the house is a project that must wait, I decided to start with something more manageable. I'm slowly working on making the blog design something easier to read and less cluttered. I definitely welcome feedback and opinions.

Welcome spring!

And the winners....

These are the four winners of the $5 Aura Tea gift certificates. Please drop me an e-mail at teapages(at)gmail.com so I can send you the certificate codes.

EM (who writes the food blog Relishments)
Jessie
Disgusted Homeowner
D (who writes the knitting blog Meandering)

Congratulations and thanks to all who entered! Have a great week.

Interview with Laura Schaefer, Author of "The Teashop Girls"

*** Final reminder: All entries for the Tea Pages contest must be submitted by TONIGHT (March 15) at midnight PST. Click here for more info. The winners of the four Aura Tea gift certificates will be announced tomorrow morning. ***

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AN INTERVIEW WITH LAURA SCHAEFER

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As I announced yesterday, Tea Pages was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to interview Laura Schaefer, the author of "The Teashop Girls." (My review of "The Teashop Girls" is here.) We are thrilled to share what we hope to be just the first in an ongoing series of author interviews. I think you'll find Ms. Schaefer as amusing and endearing as the book she has created.

I also wanted to link you to a great article about Ms. Schaefer that is on the 77 Square website. (77 Square is an arts and entertainment guide for Madison, Wisconsin and its surrounding area.)

TEA: Hi, Laura. Thank you for agreeing to do an interview with the Tea Pages. We're honored that you took the time to talk to us. And congratulations on your debut novel. Although I understand it is not your first published book. Can you tell us a bit about your first book?

LS: My first book is called Man with Farm Seeks Woman with Tractor.
It is a compilation of personal and matrimonial ads from the 1700s through today. I had so much fun reading and compiling these unique advertisements, especially the ones from the Victorian Era. Despite the formal language, people's practical--and romantic!--sides shone through.

TEA: "The Teashop Girls" is a bit of a love letter to the city of Madison, Wisconsin. How did you develop your love for this part of the world? Did you grow up in Wisconsin?

LS: I grew up in Oshkosh, Wisconsin and moved to Madison to attend the University of Wisconsin in 1997. I have fallen in love with the city, which is located on an isthmus between two lakes. Aside from the natural beauty, I find the people here to be both cultured and kind. I also enjoy the amazing restaurants and rich history of activism. Madison is a very special place and I plan to spend my life here...though I do admit our winters can get veeeeery long.

TEA: How did you develop the concept for "The Teashop Girls"? Why did you choose to write a a book for 8 - 14 year olds?

LS: The concept occurred to me during the summer of 2005 when I was in an actual teashop. I wanted a place or an idea around which to center the lives of some unique and fun girls, similar to how babysitting formed the nexus of The Babysitter's Club books (which I adored when I was a tween). The more I thought about it, the better the idea seemed. A teashop is a community gathering place, which naturally lends itself to lots of stories.

I chose to write for 8-14 year olds because I am secretly still 13 years old, so it comes very naturally. I guess the cat is out of the bag now, though! Seriously, I just think it is a great age. Girls are starting to decide what sort of person they want to be and it's just a wonderful, enthusiastic time of life.

TEA: What do you hope that young readers gain from reading this book?

LS: I hope they try lots of different types of tea! I also hope they value the idea of taking some time to just sit and think, or visit with a valued friend or relative. We have to carefully guard our quiet time these days in an ever more rushed world. Finally, I hope they see that it is cool and charming to be passionate about what you believe in.

TEA: Is the Steeping Leaf based on a place you know or is it more of a composite of those independent type shops that you like to support? (I have read that you are a fierce advocate for independent small businesses.)

LS: The Steeping Leaf is a composite of many local businesses I love, among them the Tea Lounge in Brooklyn, Imperial Garden in Middleton, Manna Cafe in Madison, and Lazy Jane's (also in Madison).

TEA: I understand that you, like your character Annie, spent some time working in coffeeshops. Not an easy job. (I come from a family with much of that type of food service work - diner owners, waitstaff, bartenders...) What was your biggest lesson learned from that experience?

LS: Actually, to clarify, I work on my laptop writing in coffee and tea shops. But I can still speak to this, as I've done my share of restaurant shifts. In fact, this is why I dedicated The Teashop Girls to Imperial Garden, where I've worked on and off for the last nine years.

Many, many writers find themselves doing food service and I think it is a good thing. First of all, it connects you to a huge web of people and experiences and writers need material. Second, it gets you out of your head for a little while. I think physical work can be good for the soul, in the right dose. Finally, when you finally have a completed work to sell, all your "regulars" will buy it. Thank you, regulars!

TEA: I was struck by the novelty of including the tea advertisements in the book with Annie's handwritten commentary. Did you seek these advertisements out specifically for the book or are you a collector?

LS: I sought them specifically for the book with the help of my amazing editor Alexandra Penfold. But I will say that finding all of the ads for "Man With Farm" laid the groundwork for this part of Teashop. I love thinking about books like collages. It's just fun.

TEA: How did you learn about tea in the first place? Were you enamored immediately or was it a love you grew into?

LS: As a kid, tea was just that stuff in bags you drank when you had a sore throat. I didn't get in to it until after college, when I tried loose tea. A whole new world opened up. My friend Aimee and I went to high tea at several places including teany in NYC, and I thought, "This is awesome! Little yummy food!" Also, as I became interested in healthy living, I've learned a bit about herbals and worked tea into my lifestyle just because it is so good for you. Tea is a soothing habit that also happens to be very healthy. I love it.

TEA: What is the future of "The Teashop Girls"? Will we be seeing Annie and her friends again (please!)? What other projects do you have in the works?

LS: I'd like to write a sequel to The Teashop Girls in which Annie becomes involved in Madison's extraordinary farmer's market and learns more about the local food movement. At the moment, however, I'm working on a YA (Young Adult) novel about a girl named Frankie Sullivan who lives in Hollywood during its golden age and yearns to be a movie director.

The dreaded melon syrup...and CONTEST DEADLINE APPROACHES!

Hi everyone,

I hope you're all having as good a Saturday as I am. The weather was spectacular here in New England and we had an awesome family day trip. The kids are happy...and exhausted. Me too. But it was a great day.

Quick reminder about our contest deadline - All entries must be in by tomorrow (Sunday) at midnight PST. All you have to do is go to this post and add a comment about your current favorite tea. Alternately, you can e-mail me at teapages@gmail.com. Four winners will be chosen to receive a $5 Aura Tea gift certificate.

In other important news - tomorrow I'll have a very special post. I recently had the opportunity to interview Laura Schaefer, author of The Teashop Girls. You will remember that I reviewed this book earlier this week. Tomorrow I'll be posting our interview. Seriously, though, how cool is she to agree to be interviewed for our little publication? I love it.

My final comment relates to "the dreaded melon syrup" from Starbucks. Nearly a year ago I reviewed Starbucks' Green Tea Latte. It is almost painful to recall. That review has received more comments than any other post I've published over the past year and a half. I think my favorite was still from Anonymous, " It's not better iced. It is not better in a hat. It is not better with a cat. It is not better here or there. It is not better anywhere."

Yesterday, I received an interesting comment from reader AZMike. He is actually in love with the aforementioned green tea latte WITH the melon syrup. He said that he is in deep mourning because Starbucks discontinued the melon syrup. (You can find his comment at the end of this post.) This was news I had to confirm for myself.

I headed into a Starbucks today up in Portsmouth, NH. The barista confirmed that they are no longer using melon syrup in the green tea lattes. The new lattes consist of matcha steeped in steamed milk (they used to steep in water and then add milk so this will yield a creamier flavor) and classic syrup (which, as we mentioned recently, is simple syrup...sugar....) It certainly will still not please the green tea purists, but it is something I am definitely willing to try. So, stay tuned...A follow up review is definitely in order.

Have a great night. I'll "see" you tomorrow with the Laura Schaefer interview...and a final shout out about the contest. (Did I really just say "shout out"? Sorry.)

I Want to Be a Teashop Girl!

That's it. I need to move to Madison, Wisconsin...and become eight years old again....and have The Steeping Leaf teashop be real, and not just a fictional teashop.

I have just finished Laura Schaefer's debut novel, The Teashop Girls and I'm completely smitten. I must confess to being a sucker for young adult novels and books focused on the lives of girls. "Anne of Green Gables," "Little House on the Prairie," and "Little Women" are still my all time favorite books. (I even took a trip to Prince Edward Island with M in 1998 to see Green Gables. See photo on right.) "The Teashop Girls" is definitely a book I will be sharing with others (and waiting anxiously to share with my kids someday...) I don't give this kind of praise lightly. It's fun and smart and develops a character in Annie that we all hope our girls will become.

Eighth grader Annie Green is a typical middle schooler - focused on spending time with her best friends Genna and Zoe, avoiding her nemesis Zach, and worrying about what happens when she gets to high school. That and taming her wild hair. Life becomes much more complicated when Annie convinces her grandmother Louisa to hire her at The Steeping Leaf teashop. Suddenly there's a boy to be concerned about...a cute boy. But more importantly, it quickly becomes clear that The Steeping Leaf's future is in jeopardy. Annie decides it is time for her and her friends to help save Louisa's shop.

The Teashop Girls explores friendship, family loyalties, and the stresses all kids face in trying to emerge from middle school emotionally unscathed. Schaefer's love of tea is clear throughout the book with quotes and tea facts interspersed through the text. She also uses the clever tool of a special scrapbook that Annie keeps of tea advertisements and information. It allows the author to reproduce some of these pieces with a little context, and a bit of commentary from Annie's character. The book also includes recipes, some of which I will definitely be trying shortly.

Well-written and engaging, The Teashop Girls is a book I definitely recommend. When I first corresponded with Ms. Schaefer she indicated that she hoped to make this book the first of a series. I sincerely hope that that is the case. I, for one, will be anxiously awaiting a sequel.

Now it's your turn, Grasshopper...

A friend of mine recently asked me for some tea recommendations and I thought it was time to put you all to work!

He expressed that he was enjoying some Yunnan Gold I'd given him and was interested in some other suggestions. He drinks his tea without milk and sugar and, I'm gathering from the Yunnan preference, likes something with a bit of interest and strength.

I sent along a few ideas, including Golden Monkey, 1886 Blend from Whittard, and Hao-Ya Keemun.

What do you guys think?

***ALSO REMEMBER - ONLY FOUR MORE DAYS TO ENTER OUR LITTLE CONTEST. I will be giving away four $5 Aura Gift Certificates. Click here to find out the details!

Book Review - Oolong Dead

New on the shelves - Oolong Dead: A Tea Shop Mystery from Laura Childs!

This is the tenth volume in Laura Childs' Tea Shop Mystery Series and it is a fantastic addition to the set.

Tea Shop owner and amateur sleuth Theodosia Browning is riding in Charleston's annual Point-to-Point race when she, literally, stumbles upon a dead body. To make matters more troubling, the victim is the sister of Theo's ex-boyfriend. When Theo is asked by her ex to help investigate, her life becomes more complicated and overwhelming than she could have imagined.

Through the course of the investigation she risks her relationship and her life, all the while wondering if she should even be involved. From jet skiing in South Carolina's inlets and inner channels, exploring Gullah land and an abandoned estate, investigating a secret society that meets in the dark of night, and attending a nearly fatal masked ball, Theo knows certainly shows she likes a life of adventure.

I thoroughly enjoyed this mystery. It felt like classic Childs, but had even more finesse and polish than some of the others I'd read. It was a wild ride that I was glad to be on. Definitely worth checking out and tea aficionados will appreciate the frequent nods to our beloved beverage.

Published March 2009 by Penguin Group
Thank you to Penguin Group for providing an uncorrected proof in advance of publication. My deepest thanks.

A Contest and a Formosa Baochong

What an amazing Sunday here in New England. It was in the 50's and 60's all weekend. Spectacular. The perfect weekend for our kids' birthday party. I'm so full of cake. :)

CONTEST
I'm finally announcing our first Tea Pages contest. I have FOUR $5 gift certificates to Aura Teas to offer. This is a perfect way to sample a few of their teas for little or no cost to you. Thank you to Aura Teas for providing these gift certificates.

Here's how to enter. Place a comment on this blog post or e-mail me at teapages@gmail.com with the name of your current favorite tea. Tell me the name of the tea and the company you buy it from. Feel free to share anything else you'd like about your favorite. Maybe I'll review it in an upcoming edition. If you leave your info. as a comment, make sure there is a way to contact you via your profile OR check this blog for the contest announcement so I'll be able to correspond with you about claiming your prize.

All entries must be submitted by midnight PST on Sunday, March 15. Winners will be announced on Monday the 16th.


A NEW REVIEW
Teance 2009 Formosa Baochong

I first came into contact with Teance through my tea and chocolate reviews. Teance partnered with Charles Chocolates to create tea infused truffles, including one made with Formosa Baochong.

I hadn't intended to purchase any new tea right now. I had gone to their site to pre-order the new edition of Kyoto Journal, a quarterly arts and culture magazine from Japan. This special edition is devoted entirely to tea. While there, though, I couldn't resist trying out their Formosa Baochong.

This tea is spectacularly wiry and gorgeous. A lovely mix of black and olive green leaves. The twists seemed so fine and delicate. Beautiful.

The tea was incredibly fragrant and spring-like. It reminded me of fresh-cut grass, tulips, lilacs, and citrus fruits.

I brewed 1 tbs of these leaves in 8 ounces of water for 1 minute. The liquor was lemon yellow and it smelled sweet and subtle, slightly floral, green and fresh.

The first infusion was floral, deep, rich, and buttery.

The second infusion (also 1 minute) was even more buttery. There was a luscious sweetness. It almost felt like you had just eaten a creamy truffle, rich and filling.

I continued to brew this tea through 7 infusions. The flavor continued to be wonderful. The first five infusions were outstanding. The sixth started to lose its strength. The seventh wasn't quite there, but there was definitely still flavor.

This is a wonderful tea. I'm so glad for this impulse purchase.

Have a great evening. I'm looking forward to reading about YOUR favorite teas!