A Sore Throat

In my last post, I took the opportunity of having both a willingness to write and the time to do so to slam the product of one of my employers' new teas for containing food additives like maltodextrin, which those who know me know was neither an especially gutsy move (by my usual standards) nor a move that was long in coming. The potential risk, knowing that the only member of that company's staff who has the address to this blog or the inclination to investigate my online habits, was very low, as was the potential gain. While that person did suggest that I make a retraction, I think that the reaction of a few clients in person to the ingredient listing is justification enough of the argument myself, and so it stands.

The point isn't that we're now marketing teas with synthetically-derived sugars and sodium-free salts (such as calcium chloride); I eat such products fairly regularly under the guise of soft drinks, fast food, and even in some middle-run restaurants. The point of contention is that we're doing so without dropping our usual reliance on the "tea benefits" (always careful to avoid sounding like medical advice), benefits which might not be undermined by the presence of artificial sugars but should certainly have them taken into account.

It seems to me to be a variation of the marketing for homeopathy at this point. While I do not deny that heavy consumption of various teas has specific health benefits to the drinker, there are other questions to be asked, which often include "so, what else is in your tea?". Just as homeopathic medicines are often in solutions so weak it is probable that no amount of the indicated "cure" is present in the given dosage, your tea, no matter the grade, is not going to do you that much good if it is primarily a vehicle for the delivery of milk and sugar.

Does that mean I never take sugar in my teas? No, but I have never stood upon the teas I usually sweeten as barriers against anything but acute dehydration (in the worst case) or as anything more than a palate-stimulant (in the best case). While I have always placed some small credit on herbalist cures for minor ailments and as treatment of specific symptoms, I have also remembered that one of the best treatments for inflammation is Asprin, which is itself derived from willow-bark, with the active ingredient in higher concentration. 

While I find a cup of herbal tea often enough to soothe whatever problem I am having, the herbals I lean on are always the ones with the greatest concentration of the ingredient I actually want. Today I am feeling headachey. I have a sore throat from sleeping with my mouth open and I am heavily congested. A bad habit of swallowing a certain amount of the product of my presently over-active sinus is leaving me feeling slightly nauseous.

I therefore want, primarily, two things: ginger, and lemon. Ginger is noted in cases of both nausea and congestion as a mild expectorant and a means of settling the stomach. It is of such utility that even people who stand against the concept of natural remedies accept ginger tea with a bit of lemon as a way to stave off a forming cold, which is what I probably have. Lemon is itself noted in the culinary world for cutting grease (which is the reason deep-fried or breaded foods are often better with a squeeze of it) and this affect, I find, works on mucous as well.

I do, however, find ginger and lemon exceedingly boring in the strengths at which it can be infused - a lemon-ginger sauce would be another story - and so I have chosen to use it as an additive for a green tea. The green I chosen, I am told, has anti-inflamitory properties.

Yesterday, I could drink enough of this tea, regularly enough, to stave off the effects of my cold and feel relatively productive, if not downright okay with the way my life was going. Today, however, I am feeling somewhat more ill. I am instead drinking a heavily-spiced tea with lots of cinnamon and cloves (Teavana's Mahraja Chai Oolong) and leaving the treatment of my symptoms up to the judicious use of Strepsils and chemical decongestants.

Tea Review: An Adjusted Shape-Up Tea

Well it's that time again. I am going to review one of my own blends; a variation of teavana's shape up blend I call Very Berry Shape Up. As always, in the interest of full disclosure, it's only fair that I disclose that I am a teavana employee, but I remind everyone that I am not compensated in any way for these reviews. It's just a bit of a tea desert here and Teavana is what's up.

Now, I also have to open with a few caveats. While I am inclined to believe in the restorative mental and physical benefits of tea, the experience is anecdotal. I have neither the time nor the inclination for extensive double-blind testing to determine if the benefits are placebic or actual. That being said, I do vouch for this tea by saying it is just as effective at aiding in weight contol as with our original shape up, with the added benefit of a better taste, and the hydrating effect of antioxidant-rich white teas.
I combined our Youthberry white tea, the Monkey Picked Oolong, a darjeeling-style black tea named Himalayan Splendor, and, of course, our Raspberry Riot Lemon Maté. The combination of three different teas and a maté might seem strange at first blush (you'll have to pardon the pun), but each are chosen for their associated benefits, which are of special use to those engaging in the athletic study of physical fittness.

White teas, in particular, are known for their antioxidant content (while sufficiently fresh). This lends them detoxifying qualities, but also allows them to be particularly hydrating, which is especially critical for those who are physically active. The youthberry, particularly, adds a pleasant fruity tartness with its açai, mango, and apple pieces. Oolongs are, naturally, good for the metabolism, converying food to energy - the choice of such a high quality of oolong lends longevity to the blend. Black teas are beginning to be understood to positively impact blood pressure levels and general vascular health, and the Himilayan is mild enough that it adds a black tea body to the drink without being a prima donna. Finally, of course, the Raspberry Riot, which includes a bit of a caffine boost, along with 21 vitamins and minerals that contribute to a mild suppression of appetite and a natural boost of energy to eliminate the caffine crash.

The tea itself has a beautiful maraschino liquor, with tue first flavours tasted being the raspberry, açai, and lemon. As the flavour lingers on the palate, the pleasantly astringent and herbaceous himilayan speaks and encourages a second taste. This is especially true in the iced tea, where the lemon is not amplified by the heat of the drink. Overall, the blend is unpretentious, unassuming, and easy to drink passively.

Very Berry Shape Up Blend
Renew your focus and clarify your goals with a refreshing splash of raspberry and citrus. Tart açai and premium white tea combine with metabolism-enhancing oolong and enegizing mate. The subtle bittersweetness of Himalayan Splendor give the tea an elegant, but simple, finish. This wonderful variation of the classic Shape Up blend was created by Saint John resident and Teavana Teologist Zachary J. Adam.

Tea Tuesdays: Silver Yin Zhen Pearls

You might be noticing a pattern here. To be honest, in an attempt to curtail a dwindling inclination to write, I'm implimenting a "topic-of-the-day" system. I'm obviously going to deviate from that system whenever something particularly polarizing or inspiring strikes, but in the meantime, I hope these do just as well.


I'm sure all this interest in tea seems sudden. To be honest, the level to which I've taken that interest essentially is, and I won't deny it's largely due to my involvement with Teavana, a tea retailer (who, I point out, don't pay me for my opinions). Working there has introduced me to a number of new teas I had no idea even existed prior to working there, never mind the wide array of high-quality teas I wouldn't have been able to get otherwise.

To that end, I want to talk about one particular tea: Silver Yin Zhen Pearl. Silver Yin Zhen is a white tea from Anhui province in China. It is comprised of hand-rolled balls of an organic white tea that we sell as silver needle... each ball contains six whole leaves!

The most wonderful thing about Silver Yin Zhen is its subtle, orchid-like liquor and the silky-smooth mouthfeel it presents. Raw, the leaves have a nutty, toasted aroma, that reminds me, at the very least, of the smell of timothy hay or toasted wheat. These leaves are even suitable for multiple infusions in a suitably small window of time... as many as eight, though I like the third infusion the best.

I say it blends well with other teas, because it does, and I'll talk about why that can be crucial in a second. First though, I want to take a moment to say that I prefer not to. You pay for the quality you get. Unless your water is unusually harsh, blend with a different white.

Now, having said that, there is a very good reason why you'd want to, if you could afford it. White teas provide the highest antioxidant count of any tea, because the fermentation process that transforms white to green, green to oolong, and oolong to black destroys these antioxidants. If you're chasing the antioxidants and their hydrating and detoxifying properties, you may wish to have the highest amount possible... and since Silver Yin Zhen is essentially a more compressed version of white teas like Silver Needle, it has even more antioxidant properties per cup. If the health benefits were a key thing to you, mixing Silver Needle with something flavoured might be your main goal.

However, I do strongly encourage everyone to at least occasionally drink this plain. Its subtlety demands concentration to unravel, and is a pursuit in itself.

The Pulse of Tea

I've always been a believer that there's a natural rhythm to everything. Heisenburg's Uncertainty might add that lovely dose of randomness we call free will, but on the macroscopic scale, life moves in waves. Everywhere I go has a tide. A natural ebb and flow, resulting from everything from the pattern of traffic lights in the surrounding area, the socio-dynamic forcing of the weather outside, and the cultural make-up of the people around me. Being able to feel that push and pull is a boon when working in that environment. For one thing, it makes the temperament easier to control.

This seems to be doubly true in sales, and I'm not entirely sure why. A salesperson is at his or her best when he can feel the pulse of his shop, knows the personality of his product, and understands what the customer needs (and that's not always what they came into the shop looking for). The retail industry spends a lot of time calculating these things. It's the modern version of Feng Shui, and while I understand it with a sometimes-bitter cynicism, I realize that it works.

My problem is that I get caught up in the moment. The vagaries of the politics between the property managers and the retailers. The latest craze relevant to my store (pu-erh teas, thanks to Dr. Oz) and the shortages that follow when corporate can't predict (or the industry can't supply for) these crazes. In a month, few will still be drinking pu-erh, mind you. That's not the point. It's the shortages, the lack of this tea or that tin, and the conflict between following the instructions of my bosses and the instructions of those who can tell my bosses to close shop.

But if you get a moment, step outside the shifting tide, and just take a moment to watch it flow, suddenly it all makes sense. You find the pulse again, know your place within it, and relax.

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I want to share with you a particular tea that I've drank a lot of lately, and the class of tea to which it belongs. You've already heard me talk a little about oolong teas (sometimes wulong), which are fantastically mild little things that are great for your skin, teeth, hair, and metabolism, and are traditionally used in the practice of meditation (because their subtle tea gives you something to deconstruct, I suppose).

There is, however, a subclass of wulong which are smoked, and these are called the Dan Congs. These are smoked, as they are dried, and this adds both a certain level of boldness and extra layers of flavour to take the time to unwrap. Lately, I've been drinking the Phoenix Mountain Dan Cong at work (unfortunately, I don't have any at home). It is marvellously complex, getting moreso with age. The three minute steep time gives me time to breathe.

I could go on for ages about this particular tea. It comes from trees that are centuries old. Dan Congs from the Phoenix Mountain range in Yunnan were imperial tribute during the Song Dynasty. Teas which once graced the lips only of the Song Emperors and their favourites are now mine to dissassemble. Fantastic.

Some Favourite Blends from Teavanna

I'm hoping to do a semi-regular tea feature around here these days, but I should point something out: namely that I work for Teavanna. Now, admittedly, I don't get paid for these advertisements and my pay is exactly the same regardless of whether you get these blends or something else. I just want to share a few favourites I've discovered over time.


Today, I want to introduce you to a favourite hot and cold blend of each class of tea that we carry.


Primary White Teas
Earl Grey White with Silver Zhen Yen Pearl - A double-hit of white teas with a rich bergamot aroma, lending fantastic citrus pop. Properly energizing and refreshing with a minimum of caffeine and maximized Antioxidant content for detoxifying and hydrating the body. Also known as my "Start" blend. Simple flavour to smoothly slide into the day.


Iced Youthberry with Raspberry Lemon Riot Mate - Marvellously refreshing berries and citrus combine with energizing Yerba Mate for a satisfying, refreshing, and punchy beverage that's great on a sunny afternoon.

Primary Green Teas
Gyokoro Imperial with Silver Needle -  Top grade, Imperial Reserve Japanese greens deserver to speak on their own level, and the subtlety of the silver needle white really allows the vegetal tones of the Gyokoro to speak on their own while relaying the benefits and subtleties of a white. A serene blend for afternoon relaxation.

Jingaa Citrus Twist and Morrocan Mint Iced Tea - A double-green iced that's marvellous on the hotest of days. Citrus and Mint combine to create a relaxing, restorative balm for the parched drinker.


Primary Oolongs
Monkey Picked Oolong with Lemon Lime Kampai Rooibos - The subtle and mellow flavour of this Top Ten tea of China lends well to blending, lending remarkable flexibility to the metabolic benefits of a sumptuous oolong. The equally subtle lemon-lime flavour of the rooibos lends itself well to such a humble tea, and this relaxing after-dinner cuppa is a fantastic digestif.

Shape-Up Blend - Served iced, this refreshing blend of Six Summits Oolong, Weight-to-Go, Black Dragon Pearl, and Raspberry Lemon Riot Mate provides the benefits of a natural encouragement to weight loss with the smooth refreshment of an ice tea. A great mid-run beverage.


Primary Black Teas
Golden Monkey with MateVana - Coffee drinkers find their first refuge in the leaf among this rich and smooth blend. The mocha aroma of the MateVana highlights the natural cocoa undertones of this heady top-flight black. Rich and energizing, this perfect morning blend will get even the most die-hard of coffee drinkers energized in the morning, and it helps augment heart health and appetite, making it a fantastic start to the working day.

WeightToGo Pu-erh and Strawberry Paraiso Iced Tea - A fantastic blend of the anti-oxidant rich white teas and the slimming benefits of a top-flight Pu-erh. The berry complexities allow a nice, subtle-sweet iced with an energizing result.


Primary Tisanes
Azteca Fire and Cocoa Mint Black - Rich cocoa with a splash of mint and spice to wake it up. Fantastically warming in these bitter-cold late spring nights.

Sevenberry Sangria and Strawberry Lemonade Iced - Naturally Caffine-Free and marvellously child-friendly iced teas are a wonderful benefit of the Tisane world. Healthier than commercial juices and soda, this wonderfully fruity blend will get even the youngest and most picky child away from her sugary drinks.