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NEWSLETTERS

Newsletter April 2003

Welcome to the 'world of tea', the Nothing But Tea quarterly newsletter, in which we hope to keep you up to date with news from Nothing But Tea and the tea world.

NEW PRODUCTS

We are really pleased to be bringing you 25 new teas. Three by demand, Green Earl Grey, Passionflower and Pu Erh Toucha. Eight new exotic teas including an exotic black tea like no other black tea (Golden Hook) we have ever come across. Three new green flavours, five new Rooibos teas including the fantastic Sylvan Ghosts (a green Rooibos, green tea and woodruff blend). A new rare Formosa Oolong, Black Dragon. We are also adding two new sets to our extremely popular starter sets. An exotic set and a Rooibos starter, as well as making some changes to the teas in our existing sets. Check out the shop for more details.

COMING SOON

We are really excited to be able to bring you a small selection of tea bag teas. Hold on... Didn't we say we weren't going to be selling teabag teas? Well, yes we did, but these are special and meet the criteria that we think you look for in a tea.. Not only are they orthodox, totally organic tea, but Fair-trade and in unbleached teabag paper, in recycled boxes. We also hope to be expanding our Accessories section, with tea glasses (to show of our exotic teas), teapots and a new check temp thermometer.

OUR CURRENT BESTSELLERS

  1. Pai Mu Tan

  2. Nothing But Tea Starter

  3. Ti Kuan Yin

  4. Special Aged Pu Erh

  5. Green Tea Starter

WHITE TEA

White tea is the least processed of all teas. White teas may be made from just the buds (needles) or from the topmost young leaf. Fine white hairs cover the loosely rolled leaves that may be dark green or even black. The true 'white' character is seen in the liquor - clear and almost colourless with a delightful sweet and mellow taste - but this tea is sensitive so never use water hotter than 70C to brew your white tea. Caffeine content is naturally low, and antioxidants are abundant, sometimes as much as three times the level of regular teas.

White tea is the rarest type of tea because of its limited availability. What separates white tea from black, green and oolong is the way it is made - carefully selected plants plucked gently at dawn with the dew fresh on the leaf, and manufactured by hand with natural wither and drying using sunlight.

Like green tea, White tea is unfermented but fermentation is avoided by gentle handling rather than by steaming or roasting. Initial drying is done in the morning sun, followed by gentle hand rolling to give some curl to the leaf but not hard enough to break the cells and cause fermentation. The leaf is then dried completely in the strong afternoon sun. White tea is rare and expensive because of the skilled hand making involved, and because conditions are only right for making it at certain parts of the year.

Nothing But Tea is always seeking new and unusual sources tea. Travelling in the Republic of Georgia recently we have discovered an old lady tea maker who hand makes wonderful White tea for her own use - watch this space to see if we can persuade her to make some for us!

DID YOU KNOW?

Drinking one cup of tea is equal in vitamin C equivalent antioxidants to eating four oranges!

antioxidants

2. Rooibos is reputed to be used to treat eczema! It contains Quercetin (believed to be an anti spasmodic) and has been used to treat; acne, hay fever, allergies, sinus problems and itchy skin. Not just for humans but animals as well!

TEA RECIPES

Spicy Tea Cake

Topping

Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F)

Sift all dry ingredients together.

Add Rooibos, milk and butter or margarine and mix well.

Turn into greased cake tin (220 mm in diameter)

Combine topping ingredients and sprinkle over cake.

Bake in centre of oven for 30 minutes and serve hot

BAKED APRICOTS

Put Apricots in a bowl. Strain hot tea over them cover and leave to soak overnight.

Preheat oven to 200C (400F).

In a bowl, mix together ground almonds, icing sugar, all but two teaspoons melted butter and the lemon juice. Knead to a smooth paste.

Drain Apricots; pat dry with absorbent kitchen paper.

Divide almond paste into 18 pieces. Press each piece around an almond and use to stuff apricots.

Brush a baking dish with the remaining butter, put apricots in dish and sprinkle with sherry. Cover with buttered paper and bake in the oven for 10 minutes. Serve hot, with chilled yogurt.

Serves 6

Footnote

We are always looking for ways to improve our site and our service. If you have any comments or feedback, or anything you would like to see here, please write to chrissie@nbtea.co.uk