How to Make a Mint: Show me the Monet

Hello Tea Friends,

Now that it is officially Fall in Michigan, it's time to clean up the garden, bring the tea plant indoors and store away summer memories for another year. Our mint and chamomile plants thrived in our newly cultivated tea garden/vineyard up north, as did my prized Camellia sinensis. Another bonus to our improved grounds this summer was the Pemberly Pines pond, which, only in its second year of existence, showed signs of approaching our source of inspiration, Monet's amazing water lily pond in Giverny.

A little over two years ago, my husband and I went to Paris and took a day trip to Monet's home in Giverny. It's here we learned how the artist spent much of his time creating a real life masterpiece of rows upon rows of brightly colored flowers around his estate and manipulating a local water source to benefit his own personal pond. (The latter was made famous by Monet's water lily paintings.) We were also told on our tour that Monet enjoyed not only painting in the landscape of his own design, but taking tea there as well.

So, this summer, we picked homegrown mint, brewed fresh herbal tea, and sat back in Adirondack chairs near the pond to watch our one water lily in bloom sur le jardin de thé, just like our favorite French impressionist artist. C'est magnifique!

Herbal Mint tea (derived from various google searches and our own personal tastes):

6 mint tea leaves per cup

Add boiling water to mint leaves and steep for 3 - 5 minutes

The refreshing lift of fresh mint tea will soon be replaced by warming chai lattes and the pond will soon look more like Monet's La Pie, Effet de Neige than a free flowing pool of water lilies. We're packing it in for the summer, but looking forward to the Fall pallet of vibrant colors from nature's brush; another masterpiece to take in with a hot cup of hearty tea.

Monet's water lily pond, France ******************* Pemberly Pines pond, Michigan

A History of Social Tea Time with Jane Pettigrew

Hello TEA Friends,

I first met Jane Pettigrew, tea historian, writer, and former tea room owner, back in 2004 at the World Tea Expo (then called "Take Me 2 Tea") in Rhode Island (see picture below). She was captivating to watch and listen to: a petite, pretty woman with close-cropped cut blond hair and a charming English accent, her enthusiasm for tea was truly inspirational.

At that time, Barb's TEA Shop was only several pages of notes and outlines in a three-ring binder. After meeting and talking with Jane, her knowledge and encouragement sent me home with plans to go from paper to real world in a few short months.

Jane Pettigrew has written 13 books - most of which I own, including my personally autographed copy of " A Social History of Tea" and my well-worn, "Tea in the City, Paris", which was given a real work out when we visited the City of Lights two years ago this month.

This year, I again, along with my daughter and BTS Creative Director, Rachel, met Jane in June at the World Tea Expo in Las Vegas. She was just as pretty and engaging as when we first met her in Providence and as she spoke about tea rooms in England, we were reminded what fun it is just to hear her recount stories with her enchanting style and humor.

Any tea time with Jane Pettigrew is always historic and we at BTS are great fans. We're sure you'll find any of Jane's book's, including her most recent "Tea Classified" which was voted best new publication 2009 at the World Tea Expo, tea time well spent.

Jane Pettigrew also conducts Tea Masterclasses every month in London, England. For more information on her classes and a full list of all her books, check out her webpage at janepettigrew.com.

Camellia Sinensis: Tea Garden Takes Off in Michigan

Hello TEA Friends,


This May, we planted a tea garden at our up-north retreat, Pemberly Pines (see photo bottom right). Knowing it would be a challenge to cultivate our own Camellia sinensis in a growing zone several levels north of the tropics, we nonetheless took it on as a total curiosity, if not a learning experience. In its cedar planter, the tiny tea plant sprig thrived in a clearing in the middle of our property, along with several herbs that have already provided us with some delicious tisanes.

According to the American Camellia Society, and About.com coffee/tea the tea plant grows best in zones 7, 8 and 9 and in sandy, well-drained, acidic soil with full sun to partial shade. So we do have a few things against us: we're in zone 4 and slightly below the US average for sunny days in the summer months (remember, we're growing inside in November!). We've got a few positives to encourage us, however, our soil is sandy and acidic and the clearing is in the sunniest part of all of Pemberly In addition, the tea plant can be grown very successfully in planters with seasonal indoor sheltering. I need only look to our friends at Light of Day in Traverse City, who now have an impressive tea plant the size of a small tree after only five years of growing.

In the fall we can expect our plant to flower and in the spring, it will dispense seed pods. In approximately three years, we can begin to harvest our plant for tea leaves and begin making our very own black - or green - tea.

With just another few weeks of August left, we'll be looking to bring the Camellia sinensis in soon. We'll keep you posted on its progress throughout the year.

In the meantime, we're enjoying the teas we've been brewing with the herbs from our garden. Refreshing and delicious, we've found the mint makes a wonderful cup of tea on its own or as an accompaniment to other brews, such as tea mojitos (more to follow on that).

If a tree can grow in Brooklyn, a tea plant has a chance in northern Michigan.

Yours in tea and friendship,

Barb

Hot Tea Travels Make for a Great Summer

Hello TEA Friends,

This summer, Barb's TEA Shop has been on the road and, along the way, we've tasted mint tea, corn tea, Sense and Sensibili-tea, sweet tea, Keweenaw tea, and mojito tea avec liquer. From Las Vegas to Louisville to Michigan's upper peninsula and all places in between, one constant held true - all the tea we drank may not have been hot, but we were hot wherever we drank it.

Naturally, when visiting Las Vegas in June one expects heat and it's not a stretch to anticipate sultry afternoons in Kentucky in July, but hot, humid days in northern Michigan as we approached August only proved that as interesting and fun as our travels were, we were never going to have a good hair day.

But, that was a small price to pay for some the most enjoyable tea trips we have had. In our journeys we met many entrepreneurs, craftsman, educators and folks passionate about tea. We learned so much and have so many stories to share, I just can't wait for you to get acquainted with them all (not to mention the update on the Pemberly Pines tea garden).

We caught up on the latest with Shelly Richardson and Jane Pettigrew at the World Tea Expo and were introduced to new products such as corn tea and teaspoons made of honey. In Louisville, we met Kim Wilson, author of "Tea with Jane Austen" at the third annual Jane Austen Festival at Locust Grove.

From Kentucky, we headed north again, but this time, went past the Mackinac Bridge to be guests at the only tea room in the Upper Peninsula, The Four Seasons, owned and operated by a delightful mother/daughter team. Driving along the Lake Superior coastline, we made another stop at Enerlei, a unique, northern Michigan gift shop with beautiful tea accessories.

Then, from one Great Lake to another, we took the long way home from Pemberly and visited the town of Lexington on the shores of Lake Huron. Here we met twin brothers who are making their career in pottery. Their one-of-kind teapots with driftwood handles are amazing. (I had to purchase one for Pemberly - and some matching cups, too!).

This resort town is also home to the Lexington General Store which has a great selection of tea, tea cups and a charming old fashioned candy counter and the nearby "Off the Beaten Path" gift store, with a nice selection of fine home accessories, coffees and even some Chai Tea.

So, with the suitcases packed away, at least for a little while, I'll be at my desk - or weekends at Pemberly by the pond with the laptop - with a cup of freshly brewed tea, my hair being held against its will with barrettes, hairspray or hat, and begin posting pictures and stories from this hot but eventful summer.

Yours in TEA and friendship,

Barb

American Pickers (& Antiques Diva) Picked Barb's TEA Shop

Hello TEA Friends!

American Pickers and Antiques Diva picked Barb's TEA Shop to win!

If you are witnessing a thrilling cross-country road hunt for antiques and collectibles at incredible bargains under a bit of dust and dirt, you've landed at History Channel's American Pickers. This series shows the (literally) gritty side of treasure hunting as self-described "modern archaeologists", Mike Wolfe and Frank Fritz, scour old barns, hoarders' dwellings and neighborhoods on garbage pick-up days for neglected relics that can be turned to profits. It's the "other side" of Antiques Roadshow and the search, the digging, and the haggling are as entertaining and educational as the "find" itself.

Barb's TEA Shop found it was the lucky recipient this week of the DVD of American Pickers First Season. A fan of antique-ing and devoted treasure hunter, BTS was excited to win the American Picker's contest hosted by Antiques Diva. The Antiques Diva blog and website, if you haven't yet visited, is the high end of "picking" and one cannot only live vicariously through AD's European adventures, one can actually purchase some one-of-a-kind treasures from this site. From Paris flea markets to high end shops in Germany, you'll feel like you're with your bff shopping and dining in some of the most interesting places across the ocean. (The recent entry about discount designer dresses in Paris made me much less excited about my prized 30% Kohl's discount sticker).

So, how did we get such a cool prize? Well, on July 4th weekend, I did all the usual holiday fun stuff: went to the annual (always best-ever) family/friends cookout at my brother's, watched the fireworks, played croquet and made a big pot of tea while hitting all my favorite blogspots. The Antiques Diva was sponsoring the American Pickers contest and one only needed to submit a patriotic post. When you combine bargains, antiques, history, the Fourth of July and a free prize - by gosh, it's as American as corn-on-the cob and as diverse as corn-in-the-teacup!

Along with the DVD, BTS also recently picked up a few new treasures of our own at our favorite haunt, The Antiques Depot in Lewiston, Michigan. My husband surprised me with his own "junk-et" there two week's ago with new wrought iron chairs for our wildflower garden, and my mother-in-law and I found some beautiful Limoges tea cups. Granted, we didn't have to dig too far or dust too much, but we follow in the spirit of the American Pickers.

Thanks American Pickers and Antiques Diva for picking us!

Yours in tea and friendship and treasure hunting - be it Paris, Iowa, northern Michigan or your neighborhood Kohl's,

Barb

World Tea Expo 2010 - James Norwood Pratt

Hello TEA Friends,

Two week's ago, Barb's TEA Shop attended The World Tea Expo, the international tea trade show held in Las Vegas every June since 2003. Some years have also included an east coast show. The 2004 expo in Rhode Island, then called "Take Me 2 Tea" and re-branded in 2005, was the last trade show we were able to attend, so this was especially exciting.

We met up with many familiar faces in the tea community, The Richardsons of Elmwood Inn Teas, fellow members of the Association of Tea Bloggers, and tea specialist and historian, Jane Pettigrew as well as a number of new acquaintances and introductions to fascinating teas and innovative products. But, certainly, one of the highlights was meeting author and tea guru, James Norwood Pratt, who is often credited with the meteoric rise in popularity of tea in the US back in the early 1980's.

James Norwood Pratt's "The Tea Lover's Treasury" (and subsequently republished as the "New Tea Lover's Treasury" with additional material) is the quintessential reference book for those who embrace tea, not only as a hot beverage, but as a lifestyle as well. I have worn the pages of my own autographed copy from many visits throughout the years.

As serendipitous as many of our tea adventures are, we quite literally bumped into James Norwood Pratt near the escalators of the convention center. Charming and gracious, he invited us to visit him inside the trade show to meet with other authors and tea enthusiasts. It's here we found this year's top pick for our holiday wish list: James Norwood Pratt's Tea Dictionary. Its purpose is to be "an indispensable tool for tea lovers of every description"and has been named 2010’s Best New Publication by World Tea Expo.

Although Las Vegas may not be the first city that comes to mind when you think of tea, we found the Tea Expo to be as warm and exhilarating as a walk down "the strip". When you get to meet James Norwood Pratt on the first morning of the tea expo, you have certainly hit the jackpot. Tea-va Las Vegas!

Yours in tea and friendship,

Barb

Post Script: Upcoming blogs will cover other tea industry specialists, authors and tea products we encountered at the Las Vegas Tea Convention. It was an amazing event, and attendance set another record from previous years.

Tea Travels: The Tea Emporium in Toronto

Hello TEA Friends,

The Tea Emporium in Toronto has long been on my "tea room visit wish list" and, finally, this past April, we made it there. We stopped at the Eglinton location which not only has a tea boutique and a tea lounge, but is home to Canada's only "Tea School".

Like those impassioned shoppers waiting at Best Buy at 5:00 am on "Black Friday", we were at The Tea Emporium's door when it opened on a Sunday afternoon. Once in, I couldn't get to the counter fast enough. Large black tins of tea line the shelves on the back wall and, though somewhat daunting, our enthusiastic salesperson navigated us through the greens, the blacks and the oolongs with detailed information about the teas' locale, history and preparation. He offered suggestions as we sniffed our way through a variety of samples and provided answers to our numerous questions.

For relaxing in the tea lounge, I wanted to try their Lapsang Souchong, and my husband, Chris, order the Brasil Yerba Mate. Chris found the Yerba Mate hearty, flavorful and refreshing and I savored the earthy taste of black tea from China's Fujian province in my cup. The lapsang souchong is like drinking in a campfire - but in a good way. It's a good drink to sip slowly and savor.

Although we had missed the bi-weekly Tea School class (held on Saturdays), we did get to peek in at the classroom. Attending one of their afternoon classes or the tea specialist course is also on my wish list. For the month of June, "Oolong and Pu-erh" and "The Fascinating World of Tea" are scheduled. For more information check out the Tea Emporium's School of Tea.

The Tea Emporium is a joy to visit for any tea enthusiast. We brought back a shopping bag's worth of tea and we plan to cross the border again very soon.

And, now, it seems like we just unpacked from Toronto and we're bringing out the suitcase for this week's out of town excursion: The World Tea Expo in Las Vegas. We'll be there with some of our fellow tea bloggers, too. Let us know if you will be there as well!

In the meantime, here's to all tea adventures whether international, across state borders or on your backyard deck.

Yours in TEA and friendship,

Barb