28th September, 2007: What does Bigelow Tea do in Kentucky?
When you think of Louisville Kentucky you might know it as the 16th largest city in the United States, home to the; Kentucky Derby, UPS distribution center, KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken), Muhammad Ali, Louisville Slugger bats and Colonel Sanders. But did you also know that it is the home to a mighty Bigelow production facility?
Our plant, on Constant Comment Place, is a 120,000 square foot building which houses tea bagging equipment, finished goods storage, employs over 90 people year round, and last year produced over 550,000,000 tea bags. This humble plant started off just to help fill in some production needs but has taken over the roll as our flagship plant producing the most tea bags each year for the company. The staff at Louisville is responsible for providing our assorted product, 40 count products, and all the 20 count flavors to everyone east of the Mississippi.
In their spare time, Bigelow Tea employees have been known to support the Kentucky Derby Festival Great Bed race, the juvenile diabetes walk, breast cancer walk, local soccer teams, and have taken up donations for communities that have been devastated by Mother Nature. And contrary to many beliefs we all really do wear shoes here J!!!!
Dean
Posted by Dean at 6:00 am | Comment (1)
27th September, 2007: It’s Connecticut’s World Cup…or rather…The Tea Cup…Bigelow Tea Community Challenge
Super Bowl = Football
World Series = Baseball
World Cup = Soccer and Rugby
Tea Cup = Bigelow Tea Community Challenge
The Bigelow Tea Community Challenge is a running event sponsored each year by the makers of Constant Comment® and other fine teas.
Join us this weekend, Sunday, September 30th for a 5k Road Race plus a 2 mile Fitness walk plus a Kids’ Fund Run.
With the help of 40 financial and dozens more “in kind” sponsors, last year’s event raised $50K. The funds were distributed to thirteen Bridgeport and Fairfield based charitable organizations whose programs feed, clothe and shelter people of need in our community.
Let’s mark the 20th year of this event by record breaking participation!!!
Registration opens at 8 a.m. at Wakeman Boy’s and Girl’s Club, 385 Center street, Southport, CT.
See you at the finish line for fun and more…
Posted by Julie at 12:01 pm | Comment (1)
26th September, 2007: Tea does more than soothe…it also enhances brain function.
In a video titled Tea Time: New Research Touts Tea’s Benefits, the Associated Press recently reported, in addition to other benefits, tea enhances attention and improves focus. Researchers explain that tea changes brain activity through theanine. Theanine is an amino acid that has psychoactive properties because it can cross the blood-brain barrier. Tea may also help generate brain cells, increase cardiovascular health and assist with weight loss, according to the video.
Anywhere from two to four cups a day is all you need… and with at least 4000 years of tea drinking behind it…well, “the proof is in the pudding.”
Posted by Julie at 6:00 am | Comments (2)
25th September, 2007: New Tea and Valued Employees come together at Bigelow
Well our season has started off very strong (thank goodness). Lots of fun things going on, our new Chai ready-to-drink products have just been launched, Mocha Chai (my favorite) and Vanilla Chai (fabulous as well)…. We have partnered with the very best company, AriZona, to help us and what great (and fun) partners they are! This product is SO GOOD…..less calories than that Frappaccino drink but with tons of flavor. We also just launched this month three hot tea bags made with AriZona flavors…Green Tea with Ginseng and Honey, Green Tea with Ginseng, Honey-Jasmin, Mandarin Orange, and Green Tea with Pomegranate and Acai. I am telling you, not all tea bags are created equal…you have to try these to believe them!
Well I have to go, I have to get ready for our “Teapot” dinner-yes that is really the name of the event. It is for all of our employees who have been with our company 7 years or longer. Believe it or not, almost 70% of our company is in this club! Anyway, 10 new members are coming in this year from our Fairfield location and they really look forward to their induction. SO got to go…..
Cindi Bigelow
Posted by Cindi at 6:00 am | Comments (7)
24th September, 2007: Earl Grey Fans Include Celebrities
We recently learned that Oprah Winfrey drinks tea to curb her appetite. But when focused on taste, we’ve found that one of her tea favorites is Earl Grey. According to the New York Post’s web site, Oprah “enjoys Earl Grey or mint tea twice a day.” She’s not alone.
Earl Grey is one of the world’s most popular tea blends. So it’s no wonder that Lost World actress Jennifer O’dell starts her days with Earl Grey or Chai teas.
According to Blender.com, another celebrity, singer/songwriter Sheryl Crow, “orders hot tea like an English gentlewoman“ and “has been known to sip Earl Grey tea with milk.”
To learn more about Earl Grey tea, be sure to see this earlier posting.
Posted by Brenda at 7:06 am | Comment (1)
21st September, 2007: How Russia Was Introduced to Tea – Part 2
It’s been estimated that Russians were receiving over 600 pounds of tea per camel and over 600 camel loads every year by 1700. That’s 360,000 pounds of tea!
Who was drinking all of that dark, delicious expensive brew?
Tea was an expensive drink. By 1735, tea cost 15 rubles per pound − that would put the value of a camel load at 18,000 rubles, and the value of the annual tea imports at 5,400,000 rubles. At those prices, only aristocrats could afford to buy tea.
Czarina Elizabeth, one such aristocrat, valued the brew enough that she established a regular private caravan trade. No one knows whether her purpose was to stock up on the drink or to take advantage on it’s profit potential. The end result of her interest was that tea became a well-known drink throughout Russia.
Read more about How Russia Was Introduced to Tea at Teamuse.com.
Posted by Elizabeth at 6:00 am | Comment (1)
19th September, 2007: NASA Scientists Enjoy High Tea
Tea consumption is reaching new heights! Literally. Don Pettit, NASA’s ISS Expedition 6 Science Officer has filmed a series of afternoon tea demonstrations, viewable by the public at the Science@NASA’s web site. The movie clips show NASA personnel grasping and eating tea in low gravity. The large floating droplets of tea are described as “large enough to quench your thirst and tough enough to handle using chopsticks.”
The NASA site also speculates on the beverage’s future, noting that, “one day, perhaps, luxury space hotels will offer their guests afternoon tea 300 miles above Earth. No cups or plates. Just chopsticks and droplets.”
The short movies serve to educate viewers about basic fluid physics by showing how tea, honey and peanut butter behave in microgravity and by explaining potential benefits of this research.
Posted by Brenda at 6:00 am | Comment (1)
18th September, 2007: Loose Tea or Teabag?
The question of “did the chicken or egg come first” can always create discussion and a lively debate. At Bigelow Tea, you can ask “does the best cup of tea come from a bag or loose” and do you get the same results?
So just a little history on tea bags in case you want to enter into that debate. Tea Bags were first hand sewn and became available in 1903/1904 to the general public. There are many types of tea bags from the double chamber flow thru bag to those that are formed in the shape of a spoon. Today the most common types of tea bags are the single and double chamber bags. After that you get options like; string/string less, tag/tag less, round/rectangular, and now you even have pyramid types of tea bags. The tea bag material can be made from silk, paper or even nylon now days. The paper used for making the tea bag is a blend of wood and vegetable fibers so you can also vary how porous the paper is to the percent of ingredients used. And you ask how the bag is sealed? Well, they can be heat sealed shut or mechanically sealed.
No matter what tea bag type you use, the most important part of the finished product is having good quality tea inside the bag. So when you are brewing that perfect pot of tea, take a look at the simple tea bag and remember what has gone into making it and while you are at it, let us know your preference. We want to hear from you!
Dean
Posted by Dean at 6:00 am | Comments (4)
17th September, 2007: With Green Tea in the Ring: Rocky and Apollo Creed Can’t Even Win When it Comes to Fighting Cancer
Rocky Balboa and Apollo Creed have nothing on green tea when it comes to punching out cancer and jabbing at cancer producing enzymes. A recent clinical study has shown that green tea can actually stimulate production of cancer fighting enzymes. Scientists have noted that countries where green tea is consumed as part of a daily routine, such as Japan and China, tend to have a lower incidence of cancer. As a result, green tea antioxidants have become the focus of a vast amount of research in recent years. In fact, findings from a recent study at the University of Arizona suggest that green tea concentrate could enable some people to strengthen their metabolic defense against carcinogens. Don’t lose the fight…drink green tea!
Posted by Julie at 6:00 am | Comment (0)
14th September, 2007: Tea Party Etiquette
With tea parties making a comeback, who couldn’t benefit from a little refresher course in the niceties of this social occasion? E-how.com, a source for “HOW TOs” on just about every subject, has outlined seven steps that’ll quickly bring you up-to-speed.
First and foremost, follow proper etiquette simply by being a gracious host and a polite guest. Beyond that, you’ll also need to understand a table setting. Similar to utensil placement at an informal diner, the “dinner plate is always in the middle, with two forks to the left of it and a knife and two spoons to the right.” Simply work from the outside in as each course is presented.
For the tea itself, return your the tea cup to the top right of the plate, and dispose of tea bags properly. “If the tea is not already brewed in a pot and you are using a tea bag, never discard it on the table.”
For more entertaining advice from the pros, visit the online Emily Post Institute.
Posted by Brenda at 6:00 am | Comment (0)
