Tea Talk

It’s the start of a brand New Year - 2024! The beginning of January is always a good time to decide what I want to improve in the first quarter of the New Year. This includes both personal and professional things. I find plugging into a shorter time span is more effective and offers me a much better chance at success. I love the mental shift a shorter time frame gives me. I can break things down by the day, week, and month if I want to feel like I’m really accomplishing things. I also give myself “grace.” So, if...

It's the time of year when many people feel under the weather with colds, flu, upper respiratory, and sore throats. If that's you, I have two teas that may help. Cold Season and Well Throat are staples in my house. I'll start drinking these teas at the first sign of a cold or sore throat. Cold Season and Well Throat are called Ayurvedic teas, meaning they are based on the age-old traditional medicine of India. These two herbal teas use extracts of plants and fruits combined with soothing Indian spices such as cardamom, ginger, pepper, or cinnamon. Enriched with vitamins...

Wow, Christmas is here. It seems time just flies by in the blink of an eye. And after all the lead-up and the hustle and bustle, Christmas is upon us. I wanted to take this time to say how thankful I am for all of you who’ve embraced me, my family, and the Uptown Tea Shop. I enjoy all the decorated trees, holiday lights, and festivities, but these connections are what the season is all about. I’m truly blessed for all who are in my life! I wanted to leave you with a great Christmas quote but couldn’t decide which...

Most of you have probably heard of Earl Grey tea, even if you haven't tasted it. Flavored with Bergamot oil, Earl Grey tea is very popular, especially in Britain. But what is Bergamot oil? Bergamot oil comes from the rind of a fruit called the bergamot orange that grows in Italy. It is a citrus fruit with the appearance and flavor somewhere between an orange and a lemon, with a bit of grapefruit and lime thrown in for good measure. I've enjoyed Earl Grey tea for years but didn't know its back story, so I thought I'd share what I...

Connoisseur is a big, fancy French word. It's pronounced "Khan a ser." How many of you know what it means? And don't feel bad if you don't because I don't know how often it's used in everyday language these days. It means someone with expert knowledge, especially in art, food, drink, or another subject, and qualified to judge and appreciate its quality. Connoisseurs usually have a keen interest in a specific topic and have studied it intensely, so they know a lot about it and can talk at length about the subject matter. I've come across some fascinating people over...