NEWSLETTERS
NEWSLETTER MAY 2004
Welcome to 'The world of tea', the Nothing But Tea's bi-annual newsletter, in which we keep you up to date with all the news from Nothing But Tea and the fast growing tea world.
NEW FOR 2004
Several people have written in to complain that the plastic “worms” we use for packaging cannot be recycled. So we have changed over to biodegradable worms which break down on contact with water. Next time you order pop some in water and see!
You may have noticed that there hasn’t been a brewing guide included with recent orders. This is because our tea list is just getting too big. So we are now putting a brewing advice sticker on the bottom of each tin of tea. Just so you know where to look.
Marble Mountain a Tippy Orange Pekoe from Vietnam. Orthodox leaf teas from Vietnam are fast improving and throwing off the poor image that the country was acquiring, caused by too rapid expansion of its tea industry. Try Marble Mountain – we think you will be impressed.
We have some new accessories in the form of white porcelain Nothing But Tea mugs, and a rather splendid tea glass just perfect for showing of the exotic teas. For a tour of Indian teas try our Indian Panorama chestlet (see below for details), and if you’re a Maté fan we now have traditional maté drinking with our genuine Gourds and Bombillas.
COMING SOON
More flavoured Rooibos, more herbs and a Vietnamese green tea, Green and flavoured honeybush. A reorganisation of the tisanes section to make finding what your looking for easier. And, we hope, a “blend your own” facility.OUR CURRENT BESTSELLERS
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Choice Liquorice Peppermint
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Pai Mu Tan
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Choice Earl Grey with Lavender
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Formosa Oolong Finest
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White Anemoner
INDIA PANORAMA – SELECTION OF QUALITY INDIAN LEAF TEA
1. Nilgiri – South India
This chestlet tea is from an estate called Kairbetta situated in the Blue Mountains (Nilgiris) in the state of Tamil Nadu. The tea grows in cool conditions at an elevation of 6,500 feet. Kairbetta makes both CTC and orthodox teas and is one of the few South Indian estates to export directly to the specialty markets of Germany and USA. James Norwood Pratt’s famous “bespoke” Frost Tea is also manufactured on Kairbetta Estate. Our chestlet tea shows the same high grown fragrance with an appetising greenness of a Nilgiri tea at its best.
2. Himachal – North West India
This unusual estate tea is from the district Palampur in the state of Himachal Pradesh adjoining Kashmir. Grown at a height of above 6,000 feet, Wah Tea Estate teas are completely natural as no pesticides or chemicals are used in the region because frost during the winter period eliminates plant pests and diseases. Palampur is also the exiled seat of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, and is a district famous for tourism and fruit orchards, close to Shimla - the old winter quarters of the British Raj.
3. Darjeeling – North India
Nestling high on the snow tipped Himalayan slopes next to Nepal, Darjeeling is the home of some of the world’s favourite teas. This chestlet tea is from the well loved and much sought after Margaret’s Hope Tea Estate – a Goodricke Group mark that is popular both in the export and Indian domestic markets. This particular tea is an autumnal flush manufactured in November, a period noted for its distinct character and quality.
4. Assam – North East India
This strong black tea is grown on Bazaloni Tea Estate in Upper Assam on the flat level banks of the Brahmaputra River. The estate is noted for the quality of both its orthodox and CTC teas, and for its fine selection of clonal teas giving golden tips. Our orthodox Assam selection was manufactured during the June - July second flush, considered to be the pre-rains quality period in North East India.
5. Bengal Green – North India
Our unusual Oodlabari Tea Estate green tea is from the Dooars, an area of tea production slightly east of Darjeeling, but also in the Himalayan foothills of North Bengal. Home too of the rare Bengal tiger; hill streams cut across the green carpet of tea gardens and undulating plains, with low hills rising up from the rivers. Green tea production is rare in India, and Oodlabari is one of these few top green tea producing gardens, with exports to connoisseurs around the world.
DID YOU KNOW?
1. It takes more energy to produce one tonne of tea than manufacture one tonne of steel! To make a kilogram of steel requires 6.3 kWh of energy, yet to make a kilogram of tea takes on average 7.1 kWh!
2. According to the Chinese there are more than 10,000 different teas!
3. A combined analysis of 13 published studies revealed an 11% lower rate of heart attack among study participants who drank three or more cups of tea per day.
4. The Indian government still provides Darjeeling tea workers with basic food rations sold at 1951 prices.
TEA RECIPES
Every Day Cake
- 2 1/2 cups of sultanas
- ¼ cup hazelnuts (or pecans)
- ¼ cup glaze cherries
- 1 apple
- 1 cup of strained Rooibos (any kind)
- 1 egg
- ¼ tsp. cinnamon
- ¼ tsp. clove
- ¼ tsp. mixed spice
- ¼ tsp. nutmeg
- ¼ tsp. mace
- ¼ tsp. salt
- 4 tbls of Jam (any variety)
- 1 cup (heaped) sugar
- 2 1/2 cups self rising flour
Peel and core apple and chop very fine, put in a pan with Rooibos and bring to the boil.
Add sultanas, hazelnuts and cherries, turn off heat and leave over night.
Next day add all the other things and mix well.
Turn out into a 9-inch round pan and bake at 190°C. For about 90 minutes.
Let cool before turning out.
Earl Grey Sorbet
- 470ml (15fl oz) Earl Grey Tea
- 1 Lemon
- Mint Leaves
- 90g (3oz) Caster Sugar
- 155ml (5fl oz) White Wine
- 2 Egg Whites
Strain tea into a bowl. Pare a few strips of lemon and add to the tea along with the mint. Pour in the caster sugar and stir until it dissolves. Leave mixture to cool and then stir in the white wine. Pour into a freezer container, cover and place in the freezer for about an hour and a half. Scoop out contents of container into a blender and process until the ice crystals have broken up. Whisk up the egg whites until they are stiff and fold in. Return mixture to freezer container and freeze for another hour, blending in the processor again. Freeze for a further two hours until firm.
You can try this with some of the other teas and tisanes, or maybe swap the white wine for a different alcoholic beverage. Though if using spirits use a smaller amount and make up the difference with water. Raspberry and Vanilla Rooibos vodka sorbet anyone?
