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Another Information Night this Monday Night!

Steeped Tea is looking for individuals who are interested in part-time and full-time opportunities representing our wonderful Steeped Tea line of products.

Join us on Monday night from 9-10pm (EST) and learn more about the amazing business opportunity Steeped Tea has to offer. Steeped Tea consultants sell one of the most popular beverages on the market today. Our teas are super healthy, delicious and easy to sell. We also sell beautiful accessories and scrumptious goodies to go along with your favourite cuppa tea!

If you would like to join a webinar to hear more about the home-based business plan offered by Steeped Tea, click here to register.

Tea Made from Panda Feces

When I read the headline, "Tea Made from Panda Feces Expected to be Most Expensive Brew in the World" in the Tea News Direct (who got it from New York Daily News), I immediately thought about the expensive coffee beans that apparently pass through an Philippino cat's system. Coffee connoiseurs talk about the smooth dark chocolate flavour without a hint of bitterness, and the demand for this coffee is helping to provide work for impoverished people in the Philippines.

But, I sure hoped this article wasn't about someone trying to pick tea leaves from panda poop!

It turns out that a wild life expert from Sinchuan University, An Yashi, is planning to fertilize tea plants with the panda feces. Apparently the college lecturer plans to launch a special blend of green tea, which will fetch up to $36,000 per pound. The article goes on to explain why the tea would be so costly:

"Yashi, a college lecturer at Sinchuan University, said using panda excrement to fertilize the tea plants has a health-promoting upside because it contains nutrients from one of the bear’s favorite meals — bamboo.

 “Pandas have a very poor digestive system and only absorb about 30 percent of everything they eat: that means their excrement is rich in fibers and nutrients,” said Yashi, noting that those nutrients make their way into the tea through the fertilization process.

“Just like green tea, bamboo contains an element that can prevent cancer — and enhance green tea’s anti-cancer effects — if it is used as fertilizer for the tea.”

 

Tea and Blood Pressure study

Australian scientists have released a study that suggests that 3 cups of black tea per day can reduce blood pressure. This is more good news for tea! The study suggests that "those who drank black tea three times a day enjoyed a slight drop in blood pressure when compared to others who had another beverage." (cited from Ozarks First dot com) This conclusion would also suggest then, that black tea is good for the heart! And of course, it is great news for those on the borderline of high blood pressure. A slight change in lifestyle by drinking tea could improve health radically.

Steeped Tea offers lots of delicious ways to enjoy black tea! What are your favourite black teas? Do you drink tea for enjoyment or for health?

Celebri-tea: Billy Corgan and tea

Billy Corgan, frontman from the 90's band Smashing Pumpkins, is planning on opening a tea house in his neighbourhood in Chicago. According to NBC Chicago, via Tea News Direct, Billy says the drive for this project is that there is a  "lack of culture for someone in their 30's or 40's". His tea house is scheduled to open in March or April and it is to be the anti-Starbucks. Billy is dead set against what he calls the cookie-cutter approach. "I don't want to hang out with those people," says Corgan, who will not be running the day to day operations.

 

Celebri-tea! Adam Clayton

 I was given this book for Christmas by someone who knows I like U2 a little bit. Well, a lot!

It's one of those books that you can pick up and set down as time allows. About 1/2 way through the book, there is a short chapter subtitled Ten Totally Random U2 facts. U2 bassist, Adam Clayton, is a tea drinker.

Fact 10: "Adam Clayton won't go on tour without his favourite brand of Irish tea bags. Barry's decaffeinated tea bags," Adam announced during the band's 2009 tour. I know it sounds crazy, but if you don't travel with your own tea, it never tastes the same."

Although I prefer Steeped Fine Loose tea to tea bags, I do agree with the sentiment! Do you take Steeped loose tea with you when you have to hit the road?

 

Feeling Peachy Keen!

The second tea from the new winter insert that I am sampling is Peaches & Cream.

The aroma of the dry tea as I unzip the packet is extraordinary. You really believe you are standing in a peach grove!

Lovely large white tea leaves compose this tea which is flecked with yellow and orange petals and small chunks of dried tropical fruit.

The flavour is smooth and light. As expected with a white tea, there is nothing bracing about it. I'd also suggest there's a perky quality to it, perhaps from the fruit. It seems to be a cheerful tea. Without any spice or vanilla creaminess that might suggest a peach cobbler or peach crisp effect, this tea truly emanates white tea and fruit and makes a delightful mid-morning tea. I would think that this would also be a lovely iced tea, and would probably be a refreshing base for a cocktail as well.

Let me know if you try it iced or as a cocktail, or any other recipes you use it in - I'd love to hear about it!

To get your own Peaches & Cream simply contact your Steeped Tea consultant, and if you don't have one, you can find one close to your vicinity by clicking here.

 

The New Winter Insert

Have you browsed the new winter insert yet?

Right on the first page, you will see some new teas, which, for me, is always the highlight of any new Steeped catalogue or insert. I love my tea, and I'm always curious to see what new flavours Steeped has found for us to explore! I took advantage of December's hostess special so that I could try 2 new teas right away.

I have to tell you, they are both fabulous!

Nuts About You is a blend of black and oolong teas accented with almonds and walnuts. Isn't it beautiful? When you unzip the bag, the aroma that wafts out is sweet, yet nutty (not surprisingly). I steeped my tea for about 3 minutes and then started to drink.

I found it to be pleasantly sweet, without the addition of milk or sweeteners, and a very smooth, easy drinking cup. The insert suggests that this is a great after-dinner tea, which it certainly is - in fact, if you are trying to skip dessert (and a lot of us are at this time of year!), this could make a delicious replacement for dessert. The sweetness will satisfy your craving. That is why I also think this could make a great mid-afternoon beverage, when you might be thinking about a snack as a pick me up a few hours before dinner. I know I'm enjoying it just about any time of day, and encourage you to give it a try, perhaps at your next party!

I'll be back in a day or so to share my impressions of the other new tea I've had the pleasure of tasting!

 

Ring Out the Old, Ring in the New!

I think it's an old song about the new year. With the new year, there is lots going on at Steeped Tea.

First, there's a little special on some not-so-old teas and jellies. If you didn't try everything you wanted from the holiday insert, it's not too late!

With a new month, of course there are new specials!

For our January hostesses, choose one or both of these offers, exclusively available to Steeped Tea hostesses:

For Steeped Tea customers, there is a special for you too!

Great new tastes this year to enjoy or favourites from last year to restock - your choice!

Want to see more new teas and products? Just click on the Winter insert tab to the right.

Happy New Year!

May the new year bring you contentment, health, love,

and tea!

- Ann

Are You Dressing Up for New Years Eve?

How about a dress like this?

The Oddity Central shares via Tea News Direct that this eco dress was made of 4000 tea bags by a 16 year science student from Kuala Lampur. It took 3 months to complete the dress once she had saved enough tea bags. Her design was inspired by the beauty and intricacy of flowers, whose shapes mesmerize her.

She entered the dress in the Green Awards in Kuala Lampur and took the top prize in the wildly creative category. According to the article at Oddity, "Suraya says that people tend to take flowers for granted, and through her dress she wanted to highlight the significance of nature, especially that of flowers."

Long time followers of this blog may recall this posting, featuring a dress created by a 2nd year design student.

Tea just continues to inspire. How might it inspire you in the upcoming new year? Will you sip it while menu planning, or drawing up plans for a garden, or while journaling or writing poetry? Will you look at the dry or spent tea leaves and consider what you could do with them? What about those zip bags that Steeped Tea comes in - could you do something creative with those? We'd love to hear all about how tea inspires you, so leave us a comment!

Remember, too, as December draws to a close that this month's specials are only available for a few more days!