Update of Things & Goings On

The ginger ale is gone - it was a great success but too much work to make on a regular basis. 

What's the next drink special you might be asking yourself? I don't know. I'll post something on it in the next couple of days. Right now I'm too busy getting ready for tonight's tea tasting! We'll have some interesting stuff like formed teas and matcha and white tea on the table. It should be very interesting. I hope to see you here.

Ginger Ale

Alas, the Shaken Basil Orange-ade is no more. It was loved while it was here but the summer is long and other drinks want to take the stage. 

This week it's ginger ale, home-made style. This drink is kind of a hassle to make, so don't expect it to be around too long. Chopping and boiling and straining and mixing ... 

Anyway, get it while you can!

New Teas

Four new teas just came in that I wanted to let you know about.

Izu Matcha Green Tea
Matcha has a long history that you can read about here but basically it is a powdered tea that gets whisked into hot water. That makes it one of the only teas where the actual leaf is consumed in the tea, instead of removed before drinking. It is traditionally used in Japanese Tea Ceremony and supposedly has a very high polyphenol antioxidant count. Our Izu Matcha has a jammy smoothness and the Gyokuro leaf provides a light astringent finish. It's messy too. We're already working it into drink recipes.

Jasmine Green Tea (with flowers)
This particular jasmine comes from the Fujian Province in China and is the first grade below the exotic jasmines. In China they call this level of green tea 'Jasmine #1.' Traditionally layers of jasmine blossoms are placed between fine green tea so that the scent of the blossoms can permeate the tea. It is a very floral tea with surprising body.

Pai Mu Tan White Tea
This white tea also comes from the Fujian Province in China. In the cup it is slightly pale with fresh aroma and a velvety mouthfeel. It has also been described as reminiscent of a mild Bordeaux. These leaves were plucked from a particular varietal of tea bush called Narcissus, where only two special leaves and a bud are selected. The leaves are naturally withered and dried in the sun and should be almost gray-white in color. Naturally high in antioxidants, this tea is currently the rage in everything from performance drinks to skin-care products. We just like the taste.

Tibetan Rhodiola Tea
This tea is blend of Sichuan black tea, Rhodiola from Tibet and honeysuckle from the foothills of the Himalayas. Pretty exotic sounding, huh? It's also interesting because it is a formed tea, meaning it has been worked into little 'bird nests' to be broken into serving portions as needed.

So come by and try them iced or hot. We've got summer specials planned for the matcha and white teas. In fact ...

That's it!

This month's workshop will be cupping the new teas! I've never even done a formal 'tea cupping' before. Exciting! So Monday the 28th, a tea tasting. Mark your calendar. 

I wonder if tea changes flavor as it cools ...

Shaken Basil Orange-ade

Ok, I know I still have to announce what the next workshop will be. Bother me not with these bothers! This post is about our next drink special, the Shaken Basil Orange-ade. We are having a lot of fun with herbs (our last drink used thyme) here at the shop and this drink utilizes fresh basil. We combine it with a little ginger, honey, lime and orange juice to achieve a really tasty, refreshing summer drink. 

But it won't be around long so get it while you can. 

Also unfortunately, I still don't know what to do for the workshop. I've been preoccupied with ... stuff ... lately and haven't been able to give it much thought. And you the reading public haven't been much help either! Anyway, it will be the last Monday of the month whatever we end up doing. I'll let you know soon, I promise.