Tea Bar

Need new idea for your next afternoon get together? Create a tea bar.

Offer a variety of teas. I like to offer 6. I start with a simple black tea, green tea, and 4 wonderful herbal teas such as jasmine, spearmint, peach paradise, and very berry. Find a variety you are comfortable with or even create a theme. This allows guests to mix and match teas if they choose. Place each tea in an individual small bowl with a teaspoon. Keep a teapot with hot water available. I like to use the I-pots from Teaporia. These can be placed in the microwave allowing me to reheat the water if needed.I also have ice ready to go for any guest wishing to have iced tea instead hot tea. Offer a variety of condiments for tea such as simple syrup, candied lemon or orange peel, mint leaves, and cream.

Candied Lemon and Orange Peel:

2 lemons

1 large orange or 2 small oranges

2 cup simple syrup (recipe below)

Using a vegetable peeler cut the colored flesh part of the lemons and oranges from the stem end down to the navel end, forming long 3/4 to 1-inch strips. Bring a heavy small saucepan of water to a boil. Add the peels and cook for 1 minute. Drain and then rinse the peels under cold water. Repeat cooking the peels, 2 more times, in the saucepan with fresh boiling water and rinsing under cold water.

In the same pan combine the peels with 1 cup of simple syrup. Simmer over medium-low heat until the peels are soft, about 15 minutes. Using tongs, transfer the peels to parchment paper to dry slightly, about 1 hour. 

You can prepare the peels separately.

Simple Syrup:

1/2 cup water

1 cup sugar

In a saucepan combine water and sugar over medium heat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes, until the sugar has dissolved. Take pan off heat and cool the syrup. Any extra cooled syrup can be saved in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Shop with Teaporia for all your necessi-Teas!

Olivia Vidal
© 2009 - 2010
Teaporia by Tea Time with Liv

Good for your skin

German researchers believe that the polyphenols in black, green, white, and oolong tea neutralize the free radical in skin that cause redness and flakiness. They also believe these compounds promote the formation of skin-plumping collagen. It is also believed by many that these same polyphenols reduce the risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Enjoy 2 - 8 oz glasses of iced tea daily this summer for a more youthful glow.

Sun Tea:

Place 4 to 6 tea bags per 2 quarts into a glass container. Fill with water and cap. Place outside in the direct sunlight for about 3 to 5 hours. Move the container if necessary to keep it in the direct sun. When the tea has reached its desired strength, remove from sun and put it in the refrigerator. Serve over ice with lemon and mint. This is best when outside temperatures reach 95 degrees.

Tea Time with Liv recommends Orange Pekoe from Teaporia

Order yours!

Shop with Teaporia for all your necessi-Teas!

Olivia Vidal
© 2009 - 2010
Teaporia by Tea Time with Liv

Different Tea, Different plant?

Does green tea come from a different kind of plant then black tea? Surprisingly, even some botanists thought so during the 17th and 18th centuries. Tea traders were not allowed to travel inside China and see how tea was produced. Tea plants and seeds were first obtained from China in the early 19th century, along with the know-how for manufacturing tea. Soon after the British discovered tea plants growing wild in India. It wasn't until 1905 that the tea plant received its official Latin name, Camellia sinensis. This single plant can be processed to produce green tea, black tea, or something in between.

Only one the camellia sinensis gives us tea leaves. The difference in color and flavor simply depend on how the leaves are processed. For black tea the tea leaves are exposed to air, or allowed to oxidize. Green teas are less processed to preserve the green color and delicate flavor. Oolong tea is between black and green.

Camellia sinensis is native to mainland South and Southeast Asia but today is cultivated across the world in tropical and subtropical regions. It is an evergreen shrub or small tree that is usually trimmed to below six feet in height when cultivated for its leaves. It has a strong taproot. The flowers are yellow-white with 7 to 8 petals.

The seeds of camellia sinensis can be pressed into tea oil, a sweetish seasoning and cooking oil. This should not be confused with tea tree oil which originates from the leaves of a different plant.

The leaves of the camellia sinensis are 4–15 cm long and 2–5 cm broad. Fresh leaves contain about 4% caffeine. The young, light green leaves have short white hairs on the underside are preferably harvested for tea production. Older leaves are deeper green. Different leaf ages produce differing tea qualities, since their chemical compositions are different. Usually, the tip (bud) and the first two to three leaves are harvested for processing. This hand picking is repeated every one to two weeks.

Kukicha (twig tea) is also harvested from camellia sinensis, but uses twigs and stems rather than leaves. This tea is commonly sold as a green tea but can be found on more oxidized blends.

Herb teas are not made from camellia sinensis and therefore not actually tea. Because they are "brewed" in a similar fashion they have been adopted as a herb tea.

Olivia Vidal
© 2009
Teaporia by Tea Time with Liv

Tea Blossoms

These flowering tea blossoms will change the way you think about tea. Place a blossom into the teapot (preferably a CLEAR teapot to enjoy the visual effect), pour in boiling water and magically watch as this blossom transforms itself into a beautiful flower right before your eyes!

LONGING HEART (pictured at left) - the infusion on this blossom is a very light green and contains a premium green tea and chrysanthemums.

Chrysanthemums in tea has many medicinal uses, including an aid in recovery from influenza.

Green tea contains polyphenols which are thought to improve health.

Allow to steep for 3 minutes or to your desired strength. Do not leave the flower in the pot if you are not going to infuse again the same day. Each pod is reusable and makes 2-4 pots of tea...depending on how long you infuse each pot.

Order your Longing Heart Tea Blossom from Teaporia and watch the magic of the blossom infusion in your teapot.

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.