Tea Talk

As a child growing up, I always looked forward to the Easter holiday. No school, dying Easter eggs, and the competition between my brother and myself to create the most colorful and beautifully decorated eggs were intense. On Easter Sunday, my mom, dad, brother, and I would go to our sunrise church service, followed by a special breakfast at our favorite restaurant. We then went home to search for our hidden Easter baskets. My mom created the most amazing baskets lined with "grass," stuffed to the brim with all our favorite goodies: decorated eggs, marshmallow chicks (Peeps), chocolate rabbits (who...

I’m excited to let you know about the changes I’ve been making on the website and physical store location. I still have all the great teas you love, but in an updated website and an updated, fresh new storefront - I haven’t moved. I’m still at the same location inside Eight Legs Gallery; things are just improved. When I started the tea shop, I put a lot of thought and creativity into my logo, website, and marketing ideas. I was happy with what I had put together. However, as most of you know, when you work with something over time,...

This Wednesday is St. Patrick’s Day. For all of you who are Irish or anyone who secretly wants to be, this is your day to celebrate. St. Patrick’s Day recognizes the heritage and culture of the Irish people in general and commemorates Saint Patrick and the arrival of Christianity in Ireland. There is the traditional Irish-American meal of corned beef and cabbage, and of course, the beverage of choice is “green” beer. I still fondly remember my first frosted glass of the “green” beverage as a young college student. So, how do I celebrate now? By drinking lots of Green...

If you have not given rooibos tea a try, here is a primer for you. If you already are a regular rooibos tea lover, even better. I hope, though, that my article contains some new and useful information for you. But first things first. How do you pronounce rooibos? Just ignore the extra o, and you pronounce it as you see it: "ROY-boss". What is rooibos tea? Rooibos, meaning "red bush", is a plant indigenous to South Africa's mountainous region of Cederberg, around 80 miles north of Cape Town. Rooibos tea has been popular in Southern Africa for over 300...

Ever wondered what to do with your tea leaves besides throwing them out? Well, I’ll share one of my secrets. I use them all over in my garden and around my trees. When I’ve finished brewing my tea (and the flavor doesn’t matter), I simply take the used tea-leaves (no need to dry them out) and add them to my potting soil, garden soil, or compost bin. This gives me an acid-rich, nourishing compost that I use all over my garden to fertilize and grow my plants. Another great thing about using tea leaves in your garden: it keeps pests,...