Fair Weather for Fair Trade: Green Needles Tea

    Fair Weather for Fair Trade: Green Needles Tea

    Get to know one of the stars of this spring’s tea harvest — Lu Zhen or Green Needles. A brisk green tea that’s virtually unknown outside of China.

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    On Earthquakes and Mercy: The Enduring Oolong of Compassion

    On Earthquakes and Mercy: The Enduring Oolong of Compassion

    Tae Guan Yin is one of the oldest oolong tea bush varietals. It’s also an heirloom of the tea generations and is highly regarded as a profound oolong. My affection for this treasure of a tea and my last trip to Taiwan to make Tae Guan Yin for Rishi Tea have inspired me to help those in Haiti.

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    Gyokuro, a Perfect Winter Tea

    Gyokuro, a Perfect Winter Tea

    I spend a great deal of my time in the sub-tropical heat of Southeast Asia. When I come back to my frozen homeland (Midwestern USA) at this time of year, I often find myself complaining, “It’s so cold and depressing. When is winter going to end?” When I feel that down and blasé mood creeping up on me, I call upon the uplifting powers of Gyokuro.

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    The Art of Tea Making

    The Art of Tea Making

    There are many factors that determine the quality of different types of tea. Soil conditions, climate, and harvesting all play a role in the ultimate taste of your brew. However, it’s the manufacturing process — particularly how tea leaves are fermented — that defines whether a tea becomes green, white, oolong, or black.

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    Who is Earl Grey?

    Who is Earl Grey?

    Earl Grey is consumed across the world but still finds its biggest audience in England. The bergamot used to complete the tea is grown in Italy.

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