How Afternoon Tea Began

Afternoon Tea was introduced by Anna, the seventh Duchess of Bedford (1783-1857), one of Queen Victoria's ladies-in-waiting.

In her day, the aristocracy ate a huge breakfast, little lunch, and a very late dinner. Every afternoon, the duchess experienced a "sinking feeling." With breakfast served at nine or ten in the morning, if any, only a small lunch, the Duchess found the need for light refreshments around four in the afternoon.

In the beginning the Duchess would have her servants sneak her a pot of tea and some breads. Eventually she invited friends to join her for an additional afternoon meal at five o'clock in her rooms at Belvoir Castle. The menu included simple foods including small cakes, bread and butter sandwiches, assorted sweets, and tea. This practice became so popular the Duchess continued the tradition by sending her friends cards asking them to join her for "tea and a walk in the fields." The inviting of friends to afternoon tea became a popular practice by hostesses as a social gathering.

The original menu for tea was bread, butter and an assortment of cakes but over time has changed to include three specific courses served in a specific order, particularly if in a three-tiered tray:

Savories on the bottom - Tiny finger sandwiches and appetizers

Scones in the middle- Served with jam and clotted cream

Pastries on the top - Cakes, shortbread, cookies, and sweets

Afternoon tea, because it was usually taken in the late afternoon, is also called "low tea" because it was usually taken in a sitting room or withdrawing room where low tables (like a coffee table) were placed near sofas or chairs generally in a large withdrawing room.

There are three basic types of Afternoon, or Low Tea:

Cream Tea - Tea, scones, jam and cream

Light Tea - Tea, scones and sweets

Full Tea - Tea, savories, scones, sweets and dessert

Olivia Vidal
© 2009
Teaporia by Tea Time with Liv

Proper Steeping

Suggested ratio is one teaspoon of leaves per cup of water. However, the light and voluminous teas will taste best with twice that amount.

To steep your tea:

Use boiling water when preparing black, dark oolong and herbal teas.

Use cooler water (under the boiling point) when steeping green, light oolong and white teas.

Steeping time is:

3-5 minutes for most black teas

5-7 minutes for dark oolong, herbal, rooibos and white teas

3 minutes for green and light oolong teas

DO NOT over-steep or your tea will taste bitter.

Olivia Vidal
© 2009
Teaporia by Tea Time with Liv

More Uses for the Green Tea Soother

Use as a cooling, refreshing bath splash; can be used either at room temperature or chilled.

Perk up tired feet by splashing them with Green Tea Soother.

For an anti fungal foot bath, pour a quart (liter) of Green Tea Soother into a bucket or shallow pan. Soak your feet for about fifteen minutes. Blot off excess but do not rinse. Cover your feet with fresh white cotton socks (to "lock in" the antiseptic quality of the tea). This is excellent for toe fungus, athlete's foot, or minor irritations of the feet from running, jogging, or standing for long periods of time. It's an ideal way to treat your feet before bedtime, but can be done at any time during the day.

Use as a mouthwash.

For minor cuts, rashes and abrasions, saturate a pure cotton pad with Green Tea Soother and apply directly to injury for at least five minutes. Repeat. This can be done up to four times a day. Repeat the next day, if necessary, but you should see healing at the end of the first day.

To sooth minor sunburn, soak a piece of flannel or cotton cloth in the green tea solution and lay the cloth on the sunburned area. Keep the cloth on for about 15 minutes until the burned area begins to cool.

To freshen up straightened or tired eyes, soak cotton pads in green tea solution, squeeze out excess, and lay them gently on your eyelids. Let the pad rest on your lids for about ten minutes. Repeat if necessary. This helps to reduce puffiness, red eyes, and eyes fatigued from reading, computer work or other close work.

Use as a blemish remedy. Rinsing the face with tea has an astringent, healing effect on the skin. Green Tea Soother is great for pimples, but any concentrate extract of green tea will work. Splash on the face or dot on blemishes with cotton. Do not rinse; allow the tea to do its work undiluted.

Green Tea Soother

Green Tea Soother Recipe

This is a wonderful, all-purpose astringent and an antibacterial solution. It is important to use unflavored teas because perfumes, oils, or flavoring agents might be harsh on minor injuries. This recipe is for a concentrated strength, NON-DRINKABLE solution!

1 CUP GREEN TEA
(SUGGESTED GREEN TEAS
ARE SENCHA, GUNPOWDER,
OR LONG JING)
1 QUART SPRING WATER

Directions
Brew tea in spring water either by heating water to 185 F (85 C) and steeping for 20 minutes or pouring room temperature sprig water on the tea and steeping for about an hour.

Cool the liquid.

Pour into sterilized bottles and refrigerate. It's always best to prepare small quantities and
use promptly to assure strongest potency.

How to Brew Tea

Start with cold water, or use bottled water.

Measure into the teapot 1 tsp. of loose tea for every cup you plan to pour. Some tea drinkers, especially those who take milk with their tea, add an extra spoon for the pot. If you're using a mesh tea ball, don't fill it more than halfway, to allow for complete expansion of the tea leaves.

For black teas, bring the water to a full boil. Remove the tea kettle from the heat as soon as the water begins to boil. Boiling all the oxygen out of the water will flatten the tea's flavor.

For green teas, remove the tea kettle from the heat BEFORE the water begins boiling.

Fill the pot with the boiling water. Cover the teapot and leave the tea to brew. In general, black teas are best brewed for 4 to 5 minutes; green teas should brew for no more than 3 minutes.

When the tea is ready, pour and serve all the tea. Remove the infuser from the water so that it does not over brew. Tea tends to taste bitter if it gets overbrewed.

A good-quality tea can be infused three to five times. Just add more boiling water. Let it steep for a little more time with each brew.

Uses for Tea

Tea is not only a drink but also useful for us in many other ways. Take a look and see how tea can help you in everyday life.

1. Place your feet in strong tea concoction to get rid of the unpleasant odor


2. Soak a tea bag in cool water and place it over the site of injection to relieve the pain


3. Plunge a cotton ball in tea and wipe on the affected part due to ivy rash to relieve from the pain


4. Pour some cups of tea into the compost to accelerate the decomposition and create acid rich compost


5. Cool a sunburn. Apply a few wet tea bags to the affected skin. This works well for other types of minor burns (i.e., from a teapot or steam iron) too. If the is widespread, put some tea bags in your bathwater and soak your whole body in the tub.


6. Revitalize tired, achy, or puffy eyes. Soak two tea bags in warm water and place them over your closed eyes for 20 minutes. The tannins in the tea act to reduce puffiness and soothe tired eyes. Cold chamomile works well on puffy eyes too.
   


7. To soothe razor burn and relieve painful nicks and cuts, apply a wet tea bag to the affected area.
   


8. Make your own natural dye using brewed tea and herbs: Steep 3 tea bags in 1 cup boiling water. Add 1 tablespoon each of rosemary and sage (either fresh or dried) and let it stand overnight before straining. To use, shampoo as usual, and then pour or spray the mixture on your hair, making sure to saturate it thoroughly. Take care not to stain clothes. Blot with a towel and do not rinse. It may take several treatments to achieve desired results.
   


9. To give a natural shine to dry hair, use a quart (liter) of warm, unsweetened tea (freshly brewed or instant) as a final rinse after your regular shampoo.
   


10. Give pale skin a tan appearance without sun exposure. Brew 2 cups strong black tea, let it cool, and pour into a plastic spray bottle. Make sure your skin is clean and dry. Then spray the tea directly onto your skin and let it air-dry. Repeat as desired for a healthy-looking glowing tan. This will also work to give a man's face a more natural look after shaving off a beard.
    


11. Drain a boil with a boiled tea bag. Cover a boil with a wet tea bag overnight and the boil should drain without pain by the time you wake up next morning.
    


12. Breastfeeding a baby leaves your nipples sore, treat them to a cold bag of tea. Just brew a cup of tea, remove the bag, and place it in a cup of ice for about a minute. Then place the wet tea bag on the sore nipple and cover it with a nursing pad under your bra for several minutes while you enjoy a cup of tea. The tannic acid in the wet tea leaves will soothe and help heal the sore nipple.
    


13. Soothe bleeding gums with a tea bag. To stop the bleeding and soothe the pain from a lost or recently pulled tooth, wet a tea bag with cool water and press it directly onto the site.
    


14. To ease toothache or other mouth pain, rinse your mouth with a cup of hot peppermint tea mixed with a pinch or two of salt. Peppermint is an antiseptic and contains menthol, which alleviates pain on contact with skin surfaces. To make peppermint tea, boil 1 tablespoon fresh peppermint leaves in 1 cup water and steep for several minutes.
    


15. Tenderize tough meat. Place 4 tablespoons black tea leaves in a pot of warm (not boiling) water and steep for 5 minutes. Strain to remove the leaves and stir in 1/2 cup brown sugar until it dissolves. Set aside. Season up to 3 pounds (1.5 kilograms) meat with salt, pepper, onion, and garlic powder, and place it in a Dutch oven. Pour the liquid over the seasoned meat and cook in a preheated 325°F (165°C) oven until the meat is fork tender, about 90 minutes.
    


16. Clean wood furniture and floors. Just boil a couple of tea bags in a quart (liter) of water and let it cool. Dip a soft cloth in the tea, wring out the excess, and use it to wipe away dirt and grime. Buff dry with a clean, soft cloth.
    


17. Soak white lace or garments in a tea bath to create an antique beige, ecru, or ivory look. Use 3 tea bags for every 2 cups of boiling water and steep for 20 minutes. Let it cool for a few minutes before soaking the material for 10 minutes or more. The longer you let it soak, the darker the shade you will get.
    


18. Shine your mirrors. To make mirrors sparkle and shine, brew a pot of strong tea, let it cool, and then use it to clean the mirrors. Dampen a soft cloth in the tea and wipe it all over the surface of the mirrors. Then buff with a soft, dry cloth for a sparkly, streak-free shine.
    


19. Control dust from fireplace ash. Before you begin cleaning, sprinkle wet tea leaves over the area. The tea will keep the ashes from spreading all over as you lift them out.
    


20. Perfume a sachet. Just open a few used herbal tea bags and spread the wet tea on some old newspaper to dry. Then use the dry tea as stuffing for the sachet.
    


21. Feed your ferns with a little tea. Substitute brewed tea when watering the plants. Or work wet tea leaves into the soil around the plants to give them a lush, luxuriant look.
    


22. For healthier potted plants, place a few used tea bags on top of the drainage layer at the bottom of the planter before potting. The tea bags will retain water and leach nutrients to the soil.
    


23. Speed up the decomposition process and enrich your compost with few cups of strongly brewed tea into the heap. The liquid tea will hasten decomposition and draw acid-producing bacteria, creating desirable acid-rich compost.


24. The tannic acid that occurs naturally in black tea is also said to help eradicate warts.
    


25. If making glycerin melt and pour soap, add tea in nearly any form to a mold of soap before it cools. The tea will settle in the bottom of the mold, (top of the bar of soap) and makes an excellent cleansing soap.
    


26. Chamomile tea is a natural sleep aid. Have a hot cup of chamomile tea 30 minutes before bedtime.
    


27. Tea sachets made with plain old black tea will help keep food odors under control in your refrigerator.
    


28. Chamomile or peppermint tea makes a very soothing footbath.
    


29. Sprinkle dry tea directly onto carpeting, and allow to settle in for about ten to fifteen minutes as carpet freshener
    


30. Tea leaves sprinkled under your rose bushes will give them a new lease on life in mid-summer. Tea provides tannic acid, which roses love.
    


31. Take care of a messy shave. A wet tea bag is a soothing way to treat shaving nicks and cuts.
    


32. Freshen your breath. A cup of mint tea is a good-tasting breath freshener for after meals, especially if you can’t brush your teeth, or don’t like gum or candy mints. Carry a few mint tea bags with you so you’ll always be prepared.
    


33. Seed your lawn with a tea bag patch. Sow grass seed in small bare spots with a used tea bag. Make sure the bag is moist, and place it on the dirt where you want the grass. Sprinkle it with seed. The bag will hold moisture and gradually decompose.
    


34. Let chamomile tea steep, then place in a facial steamer. Your skin will appreciate it.
    


35. If you have a broken fingernail that is still hanging on, cut a small piece of tea bag and coat in clear nail polish. Place over the broken nail and it will adhere the nail together until it grows out. Cover in a colored coat.
    


36. Fill a small gift bag or organza bag with lavender tea and place under your car seat for a great air freshener. It also has a calming effect.
    


37. Place tea leaves in a smoker box when grilling to give your foods a unique flavor.
    


38. Freeze leftover tea in an ice cube tray. Use these tea ice cubes the next time you need to cool iced tea.
    


39. Use a large sachet bag or small lingerie bag and stuff the bath bag with your favorite teas and herbs. Add salts, oils or flowers to enhance your bath.
    


40. A strong foot bath of black tea will strengthen the pads of a dogs feet
    


41. To eliminate food odors on hands, especially fish odors, rinse hands with tea
    


42. Clean Persian and Oriental carpets by sprinkling nearly dry tea leaves on it and then sweeping them away
    


43. To heal plantar warts, place a hot wet teabag on it for 15 minutes a day
    


44. Hot teabags make an excellent compress for the eyes to soothe pinkeye
    


45. Place hot teabags on canker sores or fever blisters to draw out infections
    


46. Wash face with tea to cure acne
    


47. Cold, wet teabags will soothe bee stings and insect bites


48. Sip a warm cup of spearmint tea to soothe nausea or stomach. Great for pregnant women suffering from morning sickness


49. Take an old pair pantyhose, add used pieces of soap, and tea leaves for a great body scrub.


50. Tea dye paper for an antique look when making custom cards.

Only 12 Days Left!

Become a fan here at Tea Time with Liv and follow us for your chance to win a FREE gift pack of tea and scone mix from Teaporia in your choice of flavors!

Invite your friends and earn an extra entry for each friend. Tweet, Blog, Facebook us, and more and you can earn even more entries! (please note where you have shared us for verification to earn entries)


Want even more? I am giving away 5 sample packs of tea from Teaporia!

Tweet about us, comment, invite your friends, and learn about tea.

All entries will be accepted until October 31, 2009. All entries will be tallied the first week of November. All winners of the free gift pack and sample packs announced November 8, 2009.

Good luck! Here's to a teariffic day!

Mesh Pincer Spoon

Loose tea does not have to be intimidating. A simple infuser such as a mesh pincer spoon make tea brewing easy.

A mesh pincer spoon allows loose tea leaves to fully expand for a great cup of tea. Ideally suited for use in teapot, teacup, or pitcher.

Just add 1 tablespoon of loose tea and steep as directed. Works best for single cups but can brew up to 24oz of tea.

Save used tea leaves and use again. Because loose tea is higher quality tea you can brew more than once up to 3 times total. Black teas work best when infusing multiple times.

You can order a pincer spoon and other tea accessories at Teaporia

Tea Cookies

Tea Cookies

* 1 cup butter, softened
* 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
* 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
* 2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 pinch salt
* 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
* 3/4 cup chopped walnuts
* 1/3 cup confectioners' sugar for dusting

1. Beat together the butter and confectioners' sugar till creamy. Add vanilla.
2. Mix the dry ingredients, stir into creamy mixture. Blend well.
3. Add the nuts, mix well, roll the dough out into two balls. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour in the refrigerator.
4. Flatten dough out and cut into 15 or 20 equal size pieces, shape into balls. Place on an non-greased cookie sheet.
5. Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 10 to 12 minutes till firm but not brown. While still warm roll into confectioners' sugar, let cool and roll again.

The Buckingham Palace Garden Party tea from Teaporia is a great pairing with this delicate cookie

Dying with Tea

Tea dying is a great way to be creative. You can dye curtains, place mats, paper, colored lace, dolls, shoes, sheets, even eggs. Tea comes in a variety of colors giving you a wonderful array of colors to use.

Tea dying works best with white, beige or light colored items but try even dark colors. It will change the color in subtle ways. Experiment and see what you love.

Something fun is tie dying with tea in various colors. Black tea gives a beautiful beige, raspberry is a lovely pink/red, and green give a delicate pastel olive, chamomile can give hint of yellow.

Use masking tape on table cloths to create squares or stripes. Use single tea bags to stencil wording on walls, fabric, paper. Tea dye old lace and wrap handmade cards for a great gift.

Don't worry about using unused tea. Save those used tea leaves and tea bags. Its a great way to get more than just one use out of those tea leaves.

The best way to tea dye fabric is with boiling water. Use this tea dying time guide and adjust as needed:

10 minutes for light color
30 minutes for medium color
1 hour for darkest color

Stir fabric and water often to ensure more even color. About every 5 minutes. Do not boil on stove. Just use boiling water.

You may soak longer if needed. When finished dying, place in dyer to set the color or use an iron just before fully dry to set the color. If your fabric item is too dark, wash with laundry detergent before drying to lighten the color.

Have fun with it. Try different teas and see what colors you get.

Who Invented theTeabag?

Legend has it that Thomas Sullivan, a tea importer from New York City was angry at the high cost of tin boxes that he used to send samples to his customers. Around 1904 Thomas Sullivan switched to small cloth bags. It was intended for the recipient to remove the loose tea for brewing. One recipient that received the cloth bag, brewed a pot of tea by simply pouring hot water over the bag — and the rest is history.

The first tea bags were made of hand-sewn muslin. Modern tea bags are typically a paper fiber that is heat sealed. Heat sealing teabags was invented by William Hermanson. In its early years, teabags resembled small sacks. In 1944 the rectangular tea bag was invented.

Many tea lovers consider the tea bag one of the worst inventions of the 20th century since tea that is brewed loose, is generally much tastier than tea make from dunking teabags.

Many of today's tea bags contain fannings, the leftovers, after whole tea leaves have been sorted and selected for loose tea packaging. There are a few premium companies today, such as Teaporia, who use whole tea leaves in their tea bags providing a optimal flavor.

Caffeine

Many households drink caffeinated beverages on a regular basis without worry or awareness. Others are concerned for various reasons and because of this watch their caffeine intake regularly.

To help aid those concerned about the amount of caffeine consumed in daily beverages, here is a quick chart:

Caffeine Per 6-oz. cup in Milligrams

Espresso(2 oz)
60-90 mg

Drip coffee
60-180 mg

Black tea
25-110 mg

Oolong tea
12-55 mg

Green tea
8-16 mg

Herbal tea
0 mg

Spearmint Tea

A pungent cool fresh taste that takes your breath away. It is savored for its refreshingly light aroma and natural, caffeine-free flavor. Spearmint tea can be enjoyed hot or cold. Spearmint is similar to peppermint but less potent.

Best enjoyed after meals, spearmint tea has been told to help stop heartburn, as well as relieve pain due to gas and bloating. Spearmint tea is also a good nausea and stomach ache soother. This is great for moms to be that are suffering from morning sickness.

Spearmint tea has also been known to aid in the natural digestion of food. This mint tea is also relaxing and helps calm nerves. Spearmint has been used to relieve headaches and tension for years. Next time you are having a stressful day, have a cup of Spearmint Tea.

Shop Teaporia for Spearmint tea and all your favorite necessi-TEAS!

Pumpkin Pie Squares

Pumpkin Pie Squares

* 1/2 cup butter, softened
* 1/2 cup brown sugar
* 1 cup all-purpose flour
* 1/2 cup rolled oats
* 2 eggs
* 3/4 cup white sugar
* 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin
* 1 (12 fluid ounce) can evaporated milk
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
* 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a medium bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar. Mix in flour. Fold in oats. Press into a 9x13 inch baking dish.
3. Bake in preheated oven 15 minutes, until set.
4. In a large bowl, beat eggs with white sugar. Beat in pumpkin and evaporated milk. Mix in salt, cinnamon, ginger and cloves. Pour over baked crust.
5. Bake in preheated oven 20 minutes, until set. Let cool before cutting into squares.

Pair with your favorite Chai Tea from Teaporia

Paint Me

If you have a little girl in your life (daughter, niece, granddaughter, sister, godchild) this is a wonderful gift. Not only do you get to share in the childhood memories that last a lifetime, you share in the special time creating a tea set all her own. This will be her very special unique set that nobody else has. Nothing is more special than that.


When you are done with creating that special tea set, have a party! Brew some yummy bubble gum tea with REAL bubble gum. This tea combines a smooth caramel flavor with a strawberry and lemon character to create a taste sensation for the younger ones all their own. Please remember to REMOVE the gum BEFORE brewing.

Order a set for the holidays. What little girl doesn't love tea parties!

Shop Teaporia for all your necessi-TEAS!

Selecting a Teapot

A good teapot keeps brewing water hot for faster infusion, and it retains the heat so the steeped tea stays hot.

When choosing a teapot, pay special attention to the spout. The top of the spout should come up to the same level as the top of the pot so the pot can be filled without tea spilling out of the spout. Also look at the spout opening. More elongated ones are less likely to drip. Round pots are the easiest to clean out. When selecting one, run your fingers up the inside of the pot. Avoid pots with a prominent ridge on the inside as the wet leaves will catch there when you try to scoop them out.

Know the type of teapot you need. Are you wanting a teapot that sits on the stove or one to fill with boiling water. Not all teapots can be placed on direct heat and can damage the teapot and heating surface.

If you do not typically make tea for more than 1, opt for an all in one teapot. These are smaller giving you enough water for 2 cups of tea and includes a teacup w/ saucer.

Recycle your teapots and teacups!

Give away teapots you are no longer using provided they are in good condition. Use chipped teapots, ones that are missing lids, or teapots that you no longer use, as centerpieces. Fill them up with flowers, fruit or candy arrangements. They make excellent centerpieces since they are the perfect height for uninterrupted conversation at tea time or other meals! Old teacups are great for holding candles. Glue cups are saucers together, drill a hole in the bottom, and plant single flowers. These look great on the windowsill. Keep on your dresser to hold rings or collect the change that jingles in your pocket.

Have a tea break and treat yourself to a new teapot from Teaporia.

October Special

This month at Teaporia we are celebrating with 30% off ALL our TEAS and Children's Tea Sets. Just make sure to use code 3ANNIV at checkout!

Try our Vanilla Chai with a touch of pumpkin spice.

Shop Teaporia

Tea Giveaway!

Become a fan of Tea Time with Liv and you can win a FREE gift pack of tea and scone mix from Teaporia in your choice of flavors!

Invite your friends and earn an extra entry for each friend. Tweet, Blog, Facebook us, and more and you can earn even more entries! (please note where you have shared us for verification to earn entries)


Want even more? I am giving away 5 sample packs of tea from Teaporia!

Tweet about us, comment, invite your friends, and learn about tea.

All entries will be accepted until October 31, 2009. All entries will be tallied the first week of November. All winners of the free gift pack and sample packs announced November 8, 2009.

Here's to a teariffic day!

Gluten Free Killer Mudd Brownies

Who says a gluten free diet has to be without yummy goodies. Teaporia has a fabulous Gluten Free Brownie.

This 16oz mix will make you are your family a 9x13 pan of delicious brownies. Top with some of your favorites to make it extra special.

Come visit Teaporia and see what gluten free mixes we have for you. Don't forget to pick up a fabulous tea. Arctic Raspberry is a great pairing with this mix.

Shop with Teaporia for all your necessi-Teas!

Cranberry Orange Tea Bread

Cranberry Orange Tea Bread

2 cups flour
¾ cup dried cranberries
½ cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 cup Mott's Cinnamon Apple Sauce
¼ cup butter or margarine, melted
1 egg
2 tsp grated orange peel

Combine flour, dried cranberries, sugar and baking powder in large mixing bowl. In separate bowl, mix together remaining ingredients.

Blend apple sauce mixture into flour mixture until just combined. Spoon batter into greased loaf pan. Bake at 350F 45-50 minutes, until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.

Cool 10 minutes in pan before removing.

Apple Spice or traditional Earl Grey tea is a great pairing with this lovely bread at tea time.

Shop Teaporia for all your favorite tea flavors!

Become A Consultant

At Teaporia, there are no start up fees. In choosing to become a Consultant with Teaporia, you will receive:

25% commission of all your sales.

No MONTHLY quotas to meet....just ANY MINIMUM PURCHASE (no specific $$ amount) within 3 a month period, whether a personal sale or from a customer.

Your wholesale consultant discount will be 25% under sales of $150 but will be paid at the end of the month to assure you receive the highest commission possible. You will still receive 10% commission off anyone in your down line.

If a consultant in your down line (or yourself) makes $500 in sales during a single month, you will also receive a $25 gratuity check as a special bonus.


Why become a Teaporia Consultant?

Support: Teaporia Staff is here to help you. We are constantly learning about new teas, new products, and are dedicated to bringing you the best we can. We have our own online Yahoo Group that we encourage everyone to join where we can share our thoughts, concerns and even the other companies you may be representatives for.

Family Time and Flexibility: Work full time or part time to you and your family’s convenience. We have so many different types of “parties” that many times your children can even “party” with you!

Potential: Meet other people like yourself and share your enjoyment with others by having fun!

Recognition: Earn free products and cash bonuses for all your hard work!


What is the cost to become a Teaporia Consultant?

There is no specific cost to become a Consultant; however, we do encourage you to take advantage of a ONE TIME discount of 40% off your FIRST CONSULTANT ORDER OF $100 or more. The more samples you have to offer your customers, the better your sales will be.

Brewing Tips

Not all teas require the same preparation techniques, so it is essential to know the exact method to use for the type of tea you are preparing in order for your tea to taste right.

Green Tea and White Tea:
Bring water to a rolling boil. Allow the water to cool 30 to 60 seconds before pouring it over the leaves otherwise you can "cook" the leaves and destroy the tea and its flavor, creating a bitter tasting tea. It's suggested that the water be approximately 160 degrees for green teas and 185 degrees for white teas. Steep Green Tea for 1 to 2 minutes only. White Tea steeps from 4 to 15 minutes. This is all based on your personal preference as to taste.

Black Tea (fermented):
Bring water to a rapid boil for about 1 minute to bring it to the proper temperature. Rinse the cup or pot out with the hot water, allowing enough time for the entire pot/cup to heat. Pour boiling water over the leaves and allow them to steep for approximately 3 to 5 minutes, depending on the taste you desire. Be sure not to over steep since that will cause bitterness.

Oolong (partially fermented):
Steep oolong tea for 30 to 60 seconds or for as long as 9 minutes to create a more full-bodied cup. You can remove the tea leaves and reuse them for multiple infusions. Steep green/jade oolong for 30 seconds or longer (you can make many infusions with this tea, too) and amber oolong from 1 to 9 minutes.

Herbal Tisanes or Infusions:
Herbal infusions are prepared similarly to black teas. You will need to boil fresh water and steep the herbs for approximately 5 minutes or more. The longer herbs steep, the more intense their flavor. You may remove the herbs when they reach your desired taste, or leave them in to strengthen the flavors (a stronger brew makes a better iced tea). Some chunky teas may be infused more than once for another great cup.

Chai:
Is traditionally brewed tea/herbs, sweetener and milk. At steeping time you can add honey or maple syrup to sweeten. Steep herbal chai for approximately 9 minutes or overnight for iced herbal chai. Steep Mayan or vanilla chai in milk or water for 8 to 10 minutes. You will need to steep these teas a little longer if you are going to ice them. Pick a method that suits your taste. Let teas cool down before icing or refrigerating. Only make enough tea for 1 to 2 days and dispose of old teas.

Welcome!

Welcome to Tea Time with Liv! I am very excited to launch Tea Time with Liv and share great tea with you.

Tea Time with Liv will share with you great teas, our favorite scones, recipes, tea tips, and more!

Come back often and see what we have in store for YOU!