“I refuse to accept the view that mankind is so tragically bound
to the starless midnight of racism and war,
that the bright daybreak of peace and brotherhood can never become a reality….
I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word.”
~ Martin Luther King, Jr.

Image Courtesy of Awarenessdates.com

We are a nation of dreamers, fuelled by inspirational leaders like Martin Luther King Jr., who planted the seeds of Hope in our hearts and minds when he addressed all people – black, white and every shade in between – with his memorable “I have a dream” speech in 1963. We have come a long way since then.

Black History Month, commemorated in the United States and Canada each February, promotes awareness of the history of African Americans, honoring those outstanding men and women prominent in the areas of science, politics, education and the arts, as well as highlighting the socio-economic and racial issues still prevalent today.

Black History Month was first established in 1926 by historian Dr. Carter G. Woodson, a son of former slaves who spent his childhood working in Kentucky coal mines. At age 20, he enrolled in high school, later earning a PhD from Harvard.  Dr. Woodson dedicated his life to ensuring the incorporation of African Americans  into the nation’s history.  Black History Month became the extended version of Negro History Week, celebrating the recognition of a nationwide community of African American men and women.

Please join Bigelow Tea in celebrating Black History Month, 2010!

“Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave, I am the dream and the hope of the slave. I rise.  I rise.  I rise.”

~ Maya Angelou

(from Still I Rise)

Thanks to The Who for the image

Never mind the chips, salsa and beer. The refreshment of choice during Super Bowl XLIV should have been Bigelow Tea—at least during halftime!  That’s when The Who, one of the greatest rock groups ever, performed their dynamic live set in Miami, as part of the most-watched television program in history!

If you were one of the 106.5 million viewers who saw the New Orleans Saints defeat the Indianapolis Colts, you probably enjoyed seeing Pete Townshend & Roger Daltrey rock the arena with a medley of their classics, like “Pinball Wizard” and “Won’t Get Fooled Again.”  (And you might be doubly thrilled to know you can play their medley yourself on Rock Band right now!)

But for all their instantly-recognizable classics, The Who are still cranking out new tunes as well — including their recent song Tea & Theatre, which begins with the question, “Will you have some tea…with me?”

Yes we will!

Decide for yourself what the lyrics in Tea & Theatre are about (watch an acoustic version here), but featuring a tea reference in lyrics does follow a long tradition in music. Perhaps The Who’s legendary singer Roger Daltrey and songwriter/guitarist Pete Townshend, the two original members remaining in the iconic group, love tea because they’re from England, which enjoys the world’s highest per capita tea consumption.

The Who’s album Endless Wire, released in 2006, includes the poignant Tea & Theatre, which was often played as the final song of their concerts during the album tour:

The Who in London, 1965 (Thanks to The Who for the image)

Image Courtesy of Wikipedia

“Before we walk from the stage
Will you have some tea
Will you have some tea
At the Theatre with me?”

Inducted into the Rock n’ Roll Hall Of Fame in 1990, The Who continue a long list of blockbuster Super Bowl halftime performers, including Prince, the Rolling Stones and Paul McCartney.  And if they inspire a few football fans to warm up with a hot cup of tea, they’re our personal MVPs!

WEIGHT LOSS UPDATE: Ok to make matters worse with our weight loss contest, a wonderful woman I work with in Sales and Marketing just lost 10 lbs in 3 weeks using Jenny Craig. Meanwhile my friendly Vice Presidents (VP HR and VP S&M) have lost 2 and 5 pounds respectively in 14 weeks.

What is wrong with this picture?

I will tell you that by venting my frustration on our blog about the lack of progress, the VP Sales and Marketing seems to be much more serious about this endeavor. Maybe that is the piece of the puzzle I needed to better motivate them. He read what some people said on our facebook fan page and felt re-engerized, so thank you to you guys. You are obviously carrying more influence than I am, but it is all for the same good cause.

Keep up the comments…

Cindi Bigelow

Photo: National Heart Lung and Blood Institute

February is American Heart Month, a great time to remind ourselves and the ones we love about heart-healthy habits! During American Heart Month, thousands of American Heart Association volunteers visit their neighbors to raise funds for research and education, as well as to share information about heart disease and stroke.

Thanks to nhlbi.nih.gov/for image of the Red Dress Pin

In addition, Friday, February 5, 2010 is National Wear Red Day^®, where Americans nationwide will take womens’ health to heart by wearing red in support of fighting women’s heart disease. The Red Dress^® symbol was created by The Heart Truth^® in 2002 as a wakeup call to American women; heart disease is the number one killer of women, just as it is for men.

A healthy diet is one of the best weapons we have to fight cardiovascular disease – whether male or female. A diet rich in vegetables, fruits, whole-grain and high-fiber foods, fish, lean proteins, fat-free or low-fat dairy products – is important. And what is a more perfect complement to delicious and healthy food, than a great cup of Bigelow Tea!

Picture of Punxsutawney Phil Courtesy of Groundhog.org

As we begin to tire of winter (enough, already!) we also wait anxiously for the answer to a crucial question: “Will there be six more weeks of winter or will we soon be singing Spring Fever?” Well, we at Bigelow Tea can’t answer that question, so we’ll defer to the professionals – Punxsutawney Phil and his like-minded brethren.

Each year on February 2^nd, Phil (and his geographic network of groundhogs in the United States and Canada) ventures out of his burrow.  If he sees his shadow, he scurries back into hibernation for another six weeks; if however, the lovable four-legged muse fails to see his shadow, he will leave his burrow, indicating that spring will soon be sprung!

Groundhog Day is celebrated with gusto in many locations, especially in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania – which, fittingly, was the set location for the 1993 movie Groundhog Day, starring Bill Murray. Each year in Punxsutawney, crowds of people gather before sunrise to begin their annual all-day celebration featuring county fair themed events, food, libations and dancing.

Image Courtesy of Donnan.com

The Groundhog Day tradition dates back to 19^th century Pennsylvania and the influx of German immigrants, whose European weather lore and customs were adopted. The annual celebration is also reminiscent of the medieval Catholic holiday of Candlemas.

Today, communities across the country have named their official groundhogs. Sadly, in Bigelow Tea’s home state, Connecticut Chuckles VI (a.k.a. Arnie) died last year at the ripe old age of 12. However, the title has been passed on to Molly, heretofore known as Connecticut Chuckles VII.

Happy Groundhog Day! And be sure that that when you come in from the cold, that you put the kettle on and enjoy some tea!

Tired of devouring the same old game-day snacks, year after year? Bigelow Tea to the rescue!

Thanks to Boston.com for the image

Bigelow Tea has all sorts of tasty, fun, and unique recipes, including several appetizers and snacks for every occasion.  The recipes combine your favorite tea flavors with your favorite foods, to create what may become your favorite recipes! Who says football isn’t refined?

This year, while you cheer on the New Orleans Saints or the Indianapolis Colts in Super Bowl XLIV, why not try Bigelow Tea’s “I Love Lemon Asparagus Wrapped in Smoked Salmon” recipe! Enjoy the tastes of asparagus, salmon, and Bigelow® I Love Lemon^TM Herbal Tea in an easy finger food. ‘Wow’ your friends and your taste buds at the same time – everyone will love the food, no matter which team wins the game!

Bigelow Tea’s “I Love Lemon Asparagus Wrapped in Smoked Salmon”

Ingredients:

8 Bigelow® I Love Lemon^TM Herbal Tea Bags
4 cups water
1 lb fresh asparagus (approx. 30 stalks), peeled, and tough ends trimmed away
4 oz. light cream cheese, at room temperature
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh chives, chopped
2 teaspoons salt
8 oz. thinly sliced smoked salmon

Yield: Serves 10

This elegant hors d’oeuvre is surprisingly simple to prepare, and is as delicious as it is beautiful. By parboiling fresh asparagus in Bigelow® I Love Lemon^TM Herbal Tea, it becomes subtly infused with flavor and the perfect complement to smoked salmon. A touch of herbed cream cheese holds the wraps together for an impressive presentation.

Instructions:

In a medium saucepan, bring 4 cups of water to a gentle boil. Remove from heat, add tea bags and allow to steep for 5 minutes.

Remove tea bags, return saucepan to the heat and bring to a boil. Add asparagus and 1½ teaspoons of salt to the pan.

Parboil for 2-3 minutes, or until crisp-tender. Remove asparagus and immediately transfer to a bowl of ice water (to stop the cooking).
Drain and pat dry. Set aside.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the cream cheese, fresh herbs and remaining ½ teaspoon of salt. Stir to combine.

Spread a thin layer of the cream cheese mixture (about ½ teaspoon) on each slice of smoked salmon.

Roll up one stalk of asparagus in each piece of smoked salmon, leaving the tips of the asparagus exposed (making it easier to pick up).

Arrange on a platter and serve at room temperature.

At a time in many women’s lives (menopausal and  perimenopausal) when your bones may become compromised, there are many practical and organic ways to help prevent bone loss.

Image Courtesy of Thenakedscientists.com

Recent studies have measured the effect that the three major catechins found in green tea have on osteoblasts (bone-forming cells). The trio of catechins used for the study: gallocatechin, gallocatechin gallate and epigallocatechin (EGC).

The results, recorded in American Chemical Society’s Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry, were astounding. When the bone cell cultures were exposed to the green tea compounds, the bone strength and growth showed significant increase within the first 72 hours. Much of this improvement can be attributed to the EGC component.  So, there you have it…move your bones through daily exercise and nourish them with three or more cups of green tea each day.

The thing is, many studies show that the antioxidants in green tea are good for you – not only do they help with the prevention or treatment of bone diseases like osteoporosis, but they may also help prevent other serious diseases and may even help reduces stress!

We have always been health conscious at Bigelow Tea. Our selection of green tea runs the gamut from the pure and simple to green tea with fruits like peach, mango and pomegranate or with herbs and flowers like mint and jasmine. Whatever your pleasure, just sip and savor your green tea. Your bones will thank you!

Well you might have noticed it has been some time since I have updated you on our famous Vice Presidential weight loss challenge. There is a good reason for that….they are doing terribly! I am so bummed, we have been doing this for weeks and weeks and my VP S&M has lost just 3 lbs and my VP HR has lost only two….I cannot figure how to motivate them, I have tried cheerleading, scolding, humor, terror and nothing is working….help!

This challenge is over soon.

Oh well, I guess that means they will both be making me a nice meal (that was what they committed to if they lost, I was to donate money to charity of their choice). Who knows, maybe they will get aggressive and fool me (I hope so!)

Cindi Bigelow

(From L to R): Mary Ann Gurevich (Mansfield, MA) Terry Francona, Joanne Hack (Barrington, NH) Angelo Mazza (West Springfield, MA) Renee Gelinas (Dayville, CT) Kimberly Converse (Hampden, MA)

Despite cold weather across the United States it felt like Opening Day at Fenway Park a couple of weeks ago. That’s right, Bigelow Tea hosted five lucky winners and their guests from a Stop & Shop/Bigelow Tea contest to drink Bigelow tea and talk baseball with Boston Red Sox Manager, Terry Francona, at Fenway Park. And what an exciting event it was! Our friends from the Boston Red Sox were wonderful hosts, setting up a terrific gathering at the historic Absolute Club at Fenway Park. Winners came from as far as Springfield, MA and New Hampshire for the event.

As expected everyone was delighted and captivated when Terry arrived! The first thing we all did was brew up our favorite cup of Bigelow Tea and then settled into a great Round Table discussion and questions & answers on a variety of baseball topics with Terry.

After the round table discussion, Terry was gracious as always and took pictures and signed autographs for everyone! Our winners and their guests left Fenway Park feeling like they were in the dugout with Terry for the first pitch on Opening Day.

-Bob Kelly

“Take some more tea,” would be the best way to celebrate the anniversary of Lewis Carroll’s birthday, born January 27, 1832. After all, those were the famous words the March Hare spoke to Alice “very earnestly” in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland during what is probably the most famous, certainly the maddest tea party ever.

Image Courtesy of Alice Magazine

For more on that never-ending tea party, including clips of several movies that were made about the story, see here. The best-selling book about Alice launched the writing career of Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, who wrote under the pen name of Lewis Carroll. Prior to that, the tall, brilliant but quirky Englishman was an accomplished but relatively obscure instructor at Oxford University.

In addition to being a major literary figure of his day, Dodgson was one of the world’s first noted photographers, a master mathematician, an expert gamesman and a clever humorist.

Image of Lewis Carrol Courtesy of Wikipedia.org

Dodgson must have been powered by some strong tea!  He was an ordained deacon residing at Oxford until his death at the age of 65. People still read his works and research his life, many aspects of which remain mysteries. There are many Lewis Carroll Societies around the world.

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland has been translated and distributed to more than 80 countries, and Carroll is one of the most quoted authors in the English language. One reason he is so beloved is his association with one of the world’s most popular beverage: tea. Therefore, let’s end with one of his most famous tea quotations:

“Yes, that’s it! Said the Hatter with a sigh, it’s always tea time.”