Tin Roof Teas

The Proper Tea Pot

tinroofteas — Fri, 18 May 2012 17:15:02 +0000

People often come in asking which pot is best for brewing “the perfect cup of tea” and although I may be looked to as an “expert” on the subject, this is a question that persistently stumps me. Not because perfection in tea brewing is an impossible feat, but because it is, in my opinion, entirely subjective. My innate response to such a question, however, is that all one truly needs to prepare a fitting cup of tea is a vessel and some kind of tool to either hold the leaves while they steep or to catch them as the pourer decants, the rest of the details are up to the brewers themselves. Yet, as the one who wears the apron (that of a tea shop), such a reply is to no avail. To expand my original response I’d say: to brew the perfect cuppa, one must use the vessel that best suits them in size, materials, aesthetics, and functionality. Still this does not suffice and so it is my pleasure to go much deeper as needed. To keep this brief, and to allow me to taylor my advice specifically for individuals, when you come in to inquire, I’ll use this space to quickly differentiate between some of the most popular brewing pots. I do firmly stand by my belief that it is entirely up to you, fellow tea drinker, how you brew the perfect cuppa and you are welcome to use each vessel as you please even if it differs from their respective historic indications.

All-In-One Tea Makers: like the Krups Innovative Tea Brewing Filter System, these types of machines will heat water to the correct temperatures as well as steep the tea leaves. It’s a one stop tea maker that will not only heat and reheat your tea, but also make a great addition to any kitchen counter.

Borosilicate Glass: Elegantly simple and ideal for tea brew viewing, especially oolongs and blooming teas. This type of glass can withstand temperatures of up to 248°F.

Brown Betty: Traditional English red clay pot with glaze finish. It is believed that the round shape allows the leaves to be swirled to perfection offering each drinker the best cup of tea. The Brown Betty can withstand high water temperatures with ease and is appropriate for English style tea drinkers as well as those who are accustomed to other tea drinking styles. Due to the glaze, this clay pot will not absorb flavors so will work for many types of teas, if desired.

China/Porcelain: Available in a variety of shapes, sizes, colors, and designs. Will never store the flavors of other teas, so a good choice for any or many teas.

Gaiwan: Literally means ‘covered bowl’, these tiny tea brewing vessels are often only meant for 1 cup servings. The Gaiwan is excellent for tasting teas, but also a great way to get to know teas, especially for teas that allow multiple steepings.

Tetsubin: Japanese cast iron tea pots. They are glazed on the inside and although cast iron, these pots are only meant for brewing tea not heating water. Due to its materials, these pots hold heat very well and can withstand moderate wear and tear. They can be expensive, but are sure to last a lifetime.

Yixing: named for the city from which it originates, this type of pot is made from Zisha purple clay. The clay is porous, thus the pot becomes seasoned with repeated use, unless they are glazed on the inside. Because of this, it is best for brewing specific teas, especially if you have a favorite.

* You can find each of these tea pots and more in our store!

History of Iced Tea – History of Sweet Tea Prt. 2. (Newsletter Promo)

tinroofteas — Fri, 04 May 2012 19:01:34 +0000

1879 – The oldest sweet tea recipe (ice tea) in print comes from a community cookbook called Housekeeping in Old Virginia, by Marion Cabell Tyree, published in 1879: Ice Tea. – After scalding the teapot, put into it one quart of boiling water and two teaspoonfuls green tea. If wanted for supper, do this at breakfast. At dinner time, strain, without stirring, through a tea strainer into a pitcher. Let it stand till tea time and pour into decanters, leaving the sediment in the bottom of the pitcher. Fill the goblets with ice, put two teaspoonfuls granulated sugar in each, and pour the tea over the ice and sugar. A squeeze of lemon will make this delicious and healthful, as it will correct the astringent tendency.

1884 – This may be the first printed recipe using black tea, which has become so universal today, and could also be the earliest version of pre-sweetened iced tea, the usual way of making it in the South today. Mrs. D. A. (Mary) Lincoln, director of the Boston Cooking School, published Mrs. Lincoln’s Boston Cook Book: What to Do and What Not to Do in Cooking in 1884. On page 112, there it is: iced tea, proving that the drink was not just a Southern drink.

Ice Tea or Russian Tea – Make the tea by the first receipt, strain it from the grounds, and keep it cool. When ready to serve, put two cubes of block sugar in a glass, half fill with broken ice, add a slice of lemon, and fill the glass with cold tea.

1890 – Professor Lyndon N. Irwin, of Southwest Missouri State University and a member of the St. Louis World’s Fair Society, found an article from the September 28, 1890 issue of the Nevada Noticer newspaper regarding the 1890 Missouri State Reunion of Ex-Confederate Veterans. This article clearly states that iced tea had been around prior to1890. The article states the following:

“The following figures will convey some idea of the amount of provision used a Camp Jackson during the recent encampment. There were 4,800 pounds of bread, 11,705 pounds of beef, 407 pounds of ham, 21 sheep, 600 pounds of sugar, 6 bushels of beans, 60 gallon of pickles, and a wagonload of potatoes. It was all washed down with 2,220 gallons of coffee and 880 gallons of iced tea. The committee expended $3,000, a little in excess of the amount subscribed, for the entertainment of the old soldiers.”

1893 – The 1893 Chicago World’s Fair, also called the Columbian Exposition, had a concessionair that grossed over $2,000 selling iced tea and lemonade.

The Home Queen World’s Fair Souvenir Cookbook – Two Thousand Valuable Recipes on Cookery and Household Economy, Menus, Table Etiquette, Toilet, Etc. Contributed by Two Hundred World’s Fair Lady Managers, Wives of Governors and Other Ladies of Position and Influence, compiled by Miss Juliet Corson includes a recipe for variations on serving iced tea.

1895 – The Enterprising Manufacturing Co. of Pennsylvania distributed its popular recipe booklet called The Enterprising Housekeeper by Helen Louise Johnson. In the recipe booklet, they advertise their popular ice shredders and its many uses. One use was “for your iced tea.”

20th Century

1900s – After 1900, iced tea became commonplace in cookbooks, and black tea began replacing green as the preferred tea for serving cold. The preference for black over green tea in an iced beverage came with of import of inexpensive black tea exports from India, Ceylon, South America, and Africa.

1904 – It was at the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis that iced tea was popularized and commercialized (not invented. Due to the hot summer of 1904, people ignored any hot drinks and went in search of cold drinks, including iced tea. Because of this, it changed the way the rest of Americans thought of tea, thus popularizing iced tea.

Most historians mistakenly give credit to Richard Blechynden, India Tea Commissioner and Director of the East Indian Pavilion, as being the creator of ice tea at the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis. In the East Indian Pavilion at the Fair, Blechynden was offering free hot tea to everyone. Because of the intense heat, it was soon realized that the heat prevented the crowd from drinking his hot tea. Blechynden and his team took the brewed India tea, filled several large bottles, and placed them on stands upside down – thus allowing the tea to flow through iced lead pipes. This free iced tea was very much welcomed by the thirsty fair goers. After the fair, Blechynden took his lead pipe apparatus to New York City, offering free iced tea to shoppers at Bloomingdale Brothers Department Store, demonstrating iced tea is a desirable summertime drink.

According to the book Beyond The Ice Cream Cone – The Whole Scoop on Food at the 1904 World’s Fair by Pamela J. Vaccaro:

Both hot tea and iced tea appeared on most restaurant menus at the Fair – at the Barbecue, Fair Japan, the Old Irish Parliament House, the Louisiana and Texas Rice Kitchen, Mrs. Rorer’s East Pavilioin Cafe, and so on. It is highly unlikely that all these restaurants jumped on the bandwagon of Blechynden’s “new idea,” and scurried to the print shops to have their menus reprinted!

What really “stirs the pot” is that “Richard Blechynden” was listed as an official concessionaire (No. 325) “to serve tea in cups and packages” at the Chicago World’s Fair in 1893 – 11 years before the one in St. Louis. The financial records from the exposition do not list any ledger entries for Blechynden – which raises the question of whether he actually showed up or was just late with his report. But, if he had been there, it would have been odd that he would not have realized that his product was already being sold in hot and cold versions. It would likewise be odd that, in the 11 intervening years, he would have been totally oblivious to the drinkls inclusion in cookbooks and on menus.

1917 – By World War I, Americans were buying special tall iced tea glasses, long spoons, and lemon forks. By the 1930s, people were commonly referring to the tall goblet in crystal sets as an “iced tea” glass.

1920-1933 – The American Prohibition (1920-1933) helped boost the popularity of iced tea because average Americans were forced to find alternatives to illegal beer, wine, and alcohol. Iced tea recipes begin appearing routinely in most southern cookbooks during this time.

1928 – In the southern cookbook, Southern Cooking, by Henrietta Stanley Dull (Mrs. S.R. Dull), Home Ecomonics Editor for the Atlanta Journal, gives the recipe that remained standard in the South for decades thereafter. It is a regional book that very much resemblances the many “church” or “ladies society” cookbooks of that era.

TEA – Freshly brewed tea, after three to five minutes’ infusion, is essential if a good quality is desired. The water, as for coffee, should be freshly boiled and poured over the tea for this short time . . . The tea leaves may be removed when the desired strength is obtained . . . Tea, when it is to be iced, should be made much stronger, to allow for the ice used in chilling. A medium strength tea is usually liked. A good blend and grade of black tea is most popular for iced tea, while green and black are used for hot . . . To sweeten tea for an iced drink-less sugar is required if put in while tea is hot, but often too much is made and sweetened, so in the end there is more often a waste than saving . . . Iced tea should be served with or without lemon, with a sprig of mint, a strawberry, a cherry, a slice of orange, or pineapple. This may be fresh or canned fruit. Milk is not used in iced tea.

1941 – During World War II, the major sources of green tea were cut off from the United States, leaving us with tea almost exclusively from British-controlled India, which produces black tea. Americans came out of the war drinking nearly 99 percent black tea.

1995 – South Carolina’s grown tea was officially adopted as the Official Hospitality Beverage by State Bill 3487, Act No. 31 of the 111th Session of the South Carolina General Assembly on April 10, 1995.

21st Century

2003 – Georgia State Representative, John Noel, and four co-sponsors, apparently as an April Fools’ Day joke, introduced House Bill 819, proposing to require all Georgia restaurants that serve tea to serve sweet tea. Representative John Noel, one of the sponsors, is said to have acknowledged that the bill was an attempt to bring humor to the Legislature, but wouldn’t mind if it became law. The text of the bill proposes:

(a) As used in this Code section, the term ‘sweet tea’ means iced tea which is sweetened with sugar at the time that it is brewed.

(b) Any food service establishment which served iced tea must serve sweet tea. Such an establishment may serve unsweetened tea but in such case must also serve sweet tea.

Reference: whatscookingamerica.net/History/IcedTeaHistory.htm

PROMO: 50% off of all TO GO iced tea drinks from our bar with reference to this article. (Facebook and Preferred Customers only.)

The Power of Tea in the Healing Process

tinroofteas — Wed, 02 May 2012 16:56:58 +0000

I recently came across a short essay written by a nurse recalling how tea had saved one of her patient’s lives. The man had just undergone a bone marrow transplant and was not recovering well. His lack of health in the days following his surgery had left him not only physically impaired, but also depressed, uninterested in eating, drinking or socializing at all. The nurse, who had been watching over him at night, decided one night, with his approval, to sit and have her nightly cup of tea in his room. He agreed and knowing how warming, nourishing, and healing tea can be, she returned to his room with a pot of tea and two cups, just in case he had any interest in joining her. Upon arrival he turned down her offer for a cup, so she proceeded to drink hers as they watched television. As she began to pour her second cup, he voluntarily spoke for the first time saying that he’d “take half of a cup.” She returned the next day and they had tea together again, this time he had two full cups and an entire piece of toast—it was the first he had eaten since his surgery. They continued to have tea together for 4 nights and when she returned on Monday, after the weekend, he was gone. To her delight, he had recovered enough to return closer to home to finish healing. Many months later, the nurse ran into the man and his family. Thrilled to see her, he introduced her to his family as “the nurse who saved my life with a cup of tea.”

This story is one of many miraculous examples of the healing power of tea, one for which many tea and non-tea drinkers alike can relate to. A cup of tea can soothe, comfort, relax, revive, enliven, uplift, and calm us under nearly any circumstance. It can warm us when we are cold or cool us when we are hot (chilled or poured over ice). Not only do the specific molecular constituents of tea allow for healing to take place, but so do the simple—or complex—acts of making and taking a cuppa. The world of tea is so vast and filled with infinite nuances, colors, and depths that, whether you’re full of rippling potential or in need of an energetic boost, healing and refuge are just a few sips away.

Healing Suggestions:

Looking to relax and express gratitude to the abundance around you?
Try Japanese Bancha blended with Lemongrass.

Need to revive and enliven the senses due to a bruised temperament?
Try our China Phoenix Dragon Pearls blended with Peachy Green Rooibos & Lavender.

Want to fulfill longing and desire, guilt free?
Take a blend of creamy hazelnut Bossa Nova and Chocolate black tea.

Prefer to keep it simple?
Embrace nature’s golden elixir with soft, warm, and refreshing China Mao Feng.

Iced Tea: Our Summer Time Ally

tinroofteas — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 15:25:41 +0000

Summer weather is already sneaking up on us and we could certainly use a chilled friend during the oncoming intense heat. Thankfully, we’ve got the perfect solution: iced tea. Iced tea is a great way to stay cool while enjoying a delicious and healthy beverage. We’re not talking just ‘southern style,’ although we’ve got the perfect recommendation for that (see below), but you can ice absolutely any of your favorite teas. Read on to learn how!

How to prepare Iced Tea:

Quick Hot Brew

2-3 tsp. of loose tea
8 oz. water
8 oz. ice

Makes 1 large glass

1 50g bag of loose tea
64 oz. water
Top off with equal amount of ice

Makes 1 gallon iced tea

Bring water to appropriate temperature for brewing specific tea (ex.: black tea – boiling).
Allow tea to steep for indicated amount of time.
Remove tea leaves from water.
Stir.
Sweeten to taste.
Serve in tall glass.

Cold Brew:

Measure 1-2 tsp. per 8 oz.
Add purified cold water.
Allow to steep for at least 3 hours. Easiest if prepared before bed and allowed to steep all night.
Using the ‘Cold Brew’ method means that all time and temperature restrictions are lifted and tea leaves may remain in water until tea is finished.

*Sun Tea is prepared the same way, but tea is brewed in a transparent glass container and allowed to sit in the sun for at least 1 hour. Prepare in the morning and it’s ready by lunch!

For the perfect Southern Style Iced Tea we recommend our China Yunnan Golden Downey Pekoe generously sweetened with Savannah Bee Tea Honey!

Tea & Business: 8 Reasons to Choose Tea Over Alcohol for Connecting with Clients

tinroofteas — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 19:00:11 +0000

1. A good tea sets the stage for a memorable meeting.
2. Tea evokes a hospitable environment for all parties involved.
3. Taking the time to prepare quality tea for future clients initiates an aura of
thoughtfulness and caring.
4. A warm cuppa delicious tea puts our nerves at ease and facilitates peace of mind allowing us to focus on the task at hand. It’s safe to assume that no future client wants to carry out a business relationship with a muddled consultant, nor can they focus on the meeting if they are stressed. Alcohol may help us to forget about momentary stress, but it may also cause us to make or break decisions that we wouldn’t have in the clarity of consciousness.
5. Simply revealing that one is a tea drinker who takes the time to prepare quality tea may reveal nuances of one’s personality and character. The potential client may feel more trustful that they aren’t being wooed by alcohol.
6. The willingness to take time to prepare tea also shows a willingness to focus on intricacies and fine details.
7. Alcohol cannot always be taken seriously as it can cause us to act outside the boundaries of our intentions. The preparation and consumption of quality loose leaf tea, however, takes serious and focused attention, qualities a potential client will inevitably be seeking.
8. Frankly, not everyone is interested in drinking alcohol and tea can offer a gourmet and sophisticated option.

L B1 Lemon Balm

tinroofteas — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 16:08:59 +0000

Lemon balm is useful for treating nervous disturbances of sleep and chronic gastrointestinal disorders, but its primary use today is in treating viral infections of the skin.

Ingredients: Lemon Balm

50 grams per bag.

Preparation: 3 grams (1 to 2 heaping teaspoons) per 8 oz. cup of filtered, boiling water. Allow to brew 5-10 minutes.

LEM 1 Lemongrass

tinroofteas — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 16:02:11 +0000

As a medicinal herb, lemon grass is mildly diuretic and a stimulant tonic. The herb promotes digestion of fats, and in Ayurvedic medicine a preparation of lemon grass with pepper has been used for relief of menstrual troubles and nausea. The herb stimulates perspiration, cooling the body in summer and lowering fevers any time of year.

Ingredients: Lemongrass

50 grams per bag.

Preparation: 3 grams (1 to 2 heaping teaspoons) per 8 oz. cup of filtered, boiling water. Allow to brew 5-10 minutes.

T HT1 Happy Tummy Tea

tinroofteas — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 15:50:40 +0000

Support your healthy stomach with this soothing and yummy drink.

Ingredients: Organic Catnip, organic Spearmint, organic Lemongrass, organic Calendula flowers, organic Skullcap, organic Rosemary, organic Sage leaf, and organic Fennel seed.

50 grams per bag.

Preparation: 3 grams (1 to 2 heaping teaspoons) per 8 oz. cup of filtered, boiling water. Allow to brew 5-10 minutes.

Tea Wards Off Stress with Both Science and Spirit

tinroofteas — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 16:30:19 +0000

Although most of us are aware of its detrimental effects, today’s hustle and bustle has forced us to become all too accustomed to a high stress, hectic way of life. Since it is not feasible for us to simply walk away from the stress at just any time and it is incredibly important for us to deal with it long before we are forced to do so, we must find subtle and attainable ways for our mental and physical selves to cope. As usual, there is one certain leaf we can consistently rely upon to aid us in both our needs and desires: Camellia Sinensis, aka “tea.”

The simple act of preparing tea alone aids in the reduction of stress allowing us to take a brief peaceful time out to focus on a familiar task separate from stress causing factors. Inhaling the fragrant steam of a hot cuppa as it floats into our noses helps us to reconnect to our mindful intentions and let go of built up stress. If only for a moment, it is indubitably a beneficial one. Studies, in both Japan and the UK, have shown that preparing and consuming tea appear to act as stress lowering agents.

Yet for further scientific proof, there also appears to be laboratory evidence of tea’s ability to aid us in dealing with stress. Almost exclusively found in tea is an amino acid known as L-theanine, which appears to be responsible for the anti-stress related benefits associated with nature’s ‘golden elixir.’ In her recent publication, Carolyn Perrini tells us that,

“Research on human volunteers has demonstrated that L-theanine creates a sense of relaxation in approximately 30-40 minutes after ingestion via at least two different mechanisms. First, this amino acid directly stimulates the production of alpha brain waves, creating a state of deep relaxation and mental alertness similar to what is achieved through meditation. Second, L-theanine is involved in the formation of the inhibitory neurotransmitter, gamma amino butyric acid (GABA). GABA influences the levels of two other neurotransmitters, dopamine and serotonin, producing the key relaxation effect.”

When talking about tea with folks I always like to point out that while tea contains caffeine, and is an excellent any time of day pick-me-up, we rarely experience any of the jitteriness associated with other caffeinated beverages because of the unique l-theanine content. According to the October 2011 edition of Better Nutrition magazine, research studies have proven and continue to prove the health claims of l-theanine “and it is regarded as one of the safest and most effective natural products for stress.” As it becomes more evident with each new piece of research, we cannot stress enough the importance of incorporating tea into our daily regimens.
Call or come in today and let us help you find the tea that is the best fit for your wants and needs!

1 Sadakata S, Fukao A, Hisamichi S. Mortality among female practicioners of Chanoyu (Japanese “tea-ceremony”). Tohoku J Exp Med 1992; 166:475-77.
2 Steptoe A, Gibson EL, Vuononvirta R, et al. The effects of tea on psychophysiological stress responsivity and post-stress recovery: a randomised double-blind trial. Psychopharmacology (Berl.) 2007;190(1):81-89.
3 Perrini, Carolyn. “L-Theanine: How a Unique Anxiety Reducer and Mood Enhancer Increases Alpha Waves and Alertness”. http://web-us.com/l-theanine_anxiety_reducer.htm
4 Torkos, Sherry. “Stress Busters.” Better Nutrition. October 2011: 34-36.

Cooking With Tea

tinroofteas — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 18:59:19 +0000

One of the quickest and easiest ways to incorporate tea into cooking is by adding matcha, powdered green tea, into recipes. This grassy, sweet, bright green powder mixes well in sweet dishes, as some may have tried at Japanese restaurants in desserts such as Green Tea Ice Cream or Mochi, as well as savory dishes like the Matcha & Pistachio Crusted Halibut recipe, as featured in the October 2011 issue of Bon Appetit magazine. Blending a teaspoon of Matcha with ¼ cup of coarse or flaky sea salt is a gourmet and potently healthy addition to any dish and a creative alternative to consuming the most beneficial of green teas.

The most common way to incorporate tea into cooking is by using an already steeped tea infusion in place of water or other liquids in recipes. Of course, as always the case, fresh loose leaf teas offer the most flavor and possible health benefits, whether adding to recipes or drinking a cuppa. In addition to using tea in place of liquids in a recipe, tea infusions also work well as poaching liquids or marinades for many foods including meats, fish, veggies, and fruits.

A few ideas:

 Naturally smoky and robust black teas like Assams and Yunnans go well with red meat dishes and can be used as marinades or liquids for gravies. Lapsang Souchong is a great way to add a rich, smoky flavor to any dish. *If using as a marinade for raw meat, be sure that the liquid has cooled first!
 Poach fruits like apples or pears in a naturally sweet Oolong infusion.
 Add umami flavor by using Japanese green tea in vegetable broths.
 Crush quality tea leaves to add to baked recipes that don’t require a lot of liquid. Clair Robinson’s Earl Grey Shortbread Cookies look to die for!

Get creative, there’s a lot more to tea than simply enjoying from a cup. Please send in your ideas and creations as we’d love to hear how tea is being used beyond the cup!

Reference:

Gold, Cynthis and Lise Stern. Culinary Tea: More Than 150 Recipes Steeped in
Tradition from Around the World. Philidelphia: Running Press. 2010.