"Chai"is a beverage from the Indian subcontinent made by brewing tea with a mixture of aromatic Indian spices and herbs. By itself, chai is merely the generic word for tea in much of the world, but for many English speakers outside those regions, "chai"†is the name that we in the West, have given the Spiced tea which is a daily beverage throughout India.
Today, Chai is typically made with black tea and a variety of sweet flavors such as cinnamon and orange peel. two leaves and a bud offers a traditional chai that starts with true Assam tea (not cheap "blending tea") and adds only the true ingredients of chai: Cinnamon, Clove, and Cardamom. Fabulous with milk and honey!
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What is Earl Grey?
By tealover / in Uncategorized / October 23, 2008Earl Grey tea is a tea blend with a distinctive flavour and aroma derived from the addition of oil extracted from the rind of the bergamot orange, a fragrant citrus fruit.
The Earl Grey blend is named after the 2nd Earl Grey, British Prime Minister in the 1830s, who reputedly received a gift, of tea flavoured with bergamot oil, taken from bergamot, a citrus fruit typical of southern Italy.
The legend usually involves a grateful Chinese mandarin whose son was rescued from drowning by one of Lord Grey's men. Although this blend of tea was first made from fermented black Indian and Ceylon teas. As green tea is much more popular in China than black tea, it seems somewhat unlikely that they would have had a recipe for what we now call Earl Grey to bestow on visitors, though over the years many other varieties of tea have been used. In addition, Lord Grey never set foot in China. Another version of the legend has the son of an Indianraja being rescued from a tiger by one of Grey's servants.
Jacksons of Piccadilly claim that it was they who originated Earl Grey's Tea, Lord Grey having given the recipe to Robert Jackson & Co. partner George Charlton in 1830; according to Jacksons the original recipe has been in constant production and has never left their hands. Theirs has been based on China tea since the beginning.
(From Wikipedia)
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Know the different types of tea
By tealover / in Uncategorized / October 17, 2008
Two Leaves and a bud gives you a quick presentation of the different types of tea you can find:
Black Tea: When most Americans think of tea, this comes to mind. Black tea is the most common variety, an everyday leaf found in teas from Earl Grey and Assam to the that comes bagged in a box of Lipton or CainÃs. Black tea is fully dried and oxidized through a process that removes all chlorophyll. Then itÃs roasted to give it its signature dark color and rich brew.Green Tea: If you think it tastes more earthy, youÃre right. In general, green tea is minimally heated and simply dried, giving it its grassy, organic flavor. Its light flavor lends itself well to the numerous flavored blends seen on store shelves and in popular cold beverages. No doubt, its growing popularity has to do with claims that it has numerous health benefits.
Oolong: Generally speaking, oolong tea might be thought of as something between black and green. What makes it so special is that it is heated when most of its leaves are still green, but a portion of them have turned red. Rubbed to release the flavor and then dried, oolong is considered by some to be the perfect tea.
White Tea: A rare and pure tea, white tea leaves are the least processed without undergoing any oxidation. Some tea drinkers find it boring and lacking flavor, but superior varieties have nuances of sweetness and floral notes.
Herbal Tea: Herbal tea can contain any combination of black, green, white or oolong tea with spices and herbs added ó cinnamon to sassafras and lemon balm to licorice root ó to create a distinct flavor. Sometimes, herbal tea is referred to as ìtisanesî and can include flowers, seeds and other organic derivatives.
Yerba matÈ: Straight from subtropical South America, yerba matÈ (pronounced like ìlatteî) is beginning to make its way into the United States with its robust, earthy flavor. Rivaling co8ee for its stimulant qualities, matÈ is harvested from a small shrub-like tree native to such countries as Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay, where drinking the hot beverage from gourds is a staple.
Pu-erh: A tea from the Yunnan province in China, pu-erh teas are aged moist and then dried loose or compressed into shapes, such as cakes, disks or bricks. They come in either green, black or white varieties and are considered to have medicinal qualities to lower cholesterol and boost metabolism.
Rooibos: You may have seen this one on the specialty tea shop shelves as ìred bush tea,î but thereÃs no doubt that the rooibos shrub has characteristics as distinct as the South African soil it comes from. When the leaves are oxidized, they change to a reddish- brown color. The flavor released is smooth and slightly sweet without the help of sugar.
Chai: Much of the tea-drinking world calls tea by another name ó ìchai.î So when youÃre ordering a chai tea latte from any of the numerous coffee houses offering it, youÃre actually getting a blend of black or green tea, milk and the signature spices that made this a popular variety in India. Can you taste the cinnamon, ginger, cloves and peppercorn?
Extract from the Tulsa World.
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Definition of a Tea Garden
By tealover / in Uncategorized / October 15, 2008Have you ever wondered what at a tea garden really is? After researching the facts, this is what we found out abot tea gardens at Two Leaves and a Bud:
A Japanese tea Garden in San Francisco
A tea garden was a place to drink tea and stroll around lawns, ponds and view statues. These smaller versions of pleasure gardens flourished in the late 18th century. Examples were Cuper's Gardens and the area that became the Caledonian Cattle Market in London, England.
Tea gardens also flourished in Japan and examples of Japanese tea gardens can be found around the world.
Tea garden also refers to a tea plantation area where tea bushes are cultivated. These are found in Turkey(Karadeniz), India (from where our Organic Assam Black tea comes from), Bangladesh (Sylhet) and Sri Lanka (where our Earl Grey Tea originates from).
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Who is Two Leaves and a Bud…
By tealover / in Uncategorized / October 13, 2008
We founded two leaves and a bud tea company because we couldn't find a great cuppa' tea. Founder Richard Rosenfeld traveled extensively in Asia and India, but found himself frustrated by the lack of good tea in North America. He started two leaves and a bud tea company to bring great teas to tea drinkers here.two leaves and a bud tea company is based in the Roaring Fork Valley of Colorado, just down the road from Aspen. Snowy mornings, even in the summer, are not uncommon and we drink a lot of tea.
two leaves and a bud teas have received praise and awards from around the world, including a Best New Tea award for 2005-2006 from the Specialty Coffee Association of the United States. In 2006, ourEarl Grey Tea won the Peoples Choice Award at the Great Canadian Tea Steep-Off.
two leaves and a bud is Certified Organic through QAI and CERES. All but 3 of our teas are USDA Certified Organic; Alpine Berry Herbal, Tamayokucha, and Jasmine Petal.
two leaves and a bud tea co. proudly supports many local charities as well as provides donations to fund-raising events across the country. Our contributions range from Habitat for Humanity, American Cancer Society, National Public Radio, Slow Food USA and various education, art and youth programs, as well as community heath programs and centers.
We are very proud to be a founding member of the Trust Organic Small Farmers Alliance. two leaves and a bud tea co. supports small family run tea gardens. Many small farmers are not able to make a living, unable to make enough to cover the costs of growing their own tea. It is of the utmost importance that we as a company support the preservation of traditional farming methods and help to overcome the disadvantages for small organic farmers. In doing so we will all benefit from higher quality teas, raising the bar for premium quality Organic and Fair Trade teas. two leaves and a bud has taken action towards this cause and actively participated in initiating and partnering in the Trust Organic Small Farmers. We are interested in pushing forward our new common alliance by trying to implement innovative grass-root projects for sustainable development.
