16th July, 2008: Like Popeye’s Spinach…Green Tea is “Power-Packed”
Perhaps Popeye should have turned to green tea instead of spinach for his super strength. As reported in AARP, tea (green and white) is considered a Superfood. What this means, according to Toni Bark, M.D., medical director at the Center for Disease Prevention and Reversal in Evanston, IL, is that it is “power-packed” with nutrients that will help your body ward off infections. He goes on to add “Your body will absorb vitamins better through food than through supplements.”
In addition to green and white tea, Dr. Bark’s list of Superfoods includes Asian mushrooms (shitake and maitake), dark chocolate, garlic, red meat, sweet potatoes, salmon, red and blue berries, and soybeans.
What would Olive Oyl say? More “super” news for tea fans…
Posted by Julie at 6:00 am | Comment (0)
15th July, 2008: Family Reunion Month
“Family reunions are occasions that renew the feelings of love, pride, and support that nurture our lives” ~ Source ~ Proclamation 5351 — Family Reunion Month, 1985.
June has rolled on by, school is finally out for the summer and Family Reunion Month is here. It’s time to re-connect, re-unite and re-discover one another. Perhaps you will be celebrating family with an old-fashioned potluck picnic or more formally to incorporate a milestone birthday or anniversary. Maybe this is your first reunion or another in a long tradition of reunions, but no matter what, you will want to have a good variety of food and beverages on hand to help keep the fun, conversation and “constant comments” going.
The cornerstone of Bigelow ® Tea is family and true pride is taken, not only in Constant Comment ® Tea but in all of the products and recipes offered. Make Bigelow part of your family reunion this year.
Posted by Ruth at 6:00 am | Comment (0)
14th July, 2008: Life Is Just a Tea Party for Chris Noth
Imagine having the opportunity to sit down and have a conversation with Chris Noth; for one maclean’s magazine interviewer no imagination was required. She was given the chance to meet Mr. Big himself on the Sunday following the premiere of the movie ‘Sex and the City.’
The interview took place in Windsor, Canada at the child-friendly tea house ‘Once Upon a Teacup’ that he co-owns with real-life partner Tara Wilson, her sister Stephanie Cence and Tina Pavicic.
Noth, with son baby Orion in tow, took the time to discuss his role as Mr. Big, his on-screen relationship with Carrie, shoes, purses and of course, ‘Once Upon a Teacup.’ A place where children can enjoy playing dress- up while sampling ‘Tutti Frutti Tea.’ A second location to be opened in Montreal, Canada is currently in the works; but if visiting Windsor or Montreal are not options for you, then check out the Bigelow 2008 Spring Catalog for a sweet selection of items to create the perfect child’s tea party at home.
If this leaves you wanting more Chris Noth and a peek into ‘Once Upon a Teacup,’ then the following video from ‘How Many Days’ just might be your cup of tea.
Posted by Ruth at 6:00 am | Comment (0)
11th July, 2008: Celebrate National Ice Cream Month the Bigelow Way
Ingredients:
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9th July, 2008: Black Tea a Defense Against Anthrax?
A reputable source for health-related information says that black tea may serve as an antidote to the biological threat of anthrax, a deadly disease that was largely eradicated over the course of the past century, only to re-emerge as a biological weapon in 2001.
A recent article in Science Daily goes as far as to speculate that a cup of the beverage “could be the next line of defense in the threat of bio-terrorism,” an assertion seemingly backed by emerging international research.
The recent study was conducted at Cardiff University (in Wales) in a joint venture with University of Maryland. At these institutions, scientists within the schools of pharmacy and medical biotechnology performed trials which found that the “widely-available English Breakfast tea has the potential to inhibit the activity of anthrax, as long as it is black tea.”
In the March issue of scientific journal Microbiologist, one of the study’s leaders, Professor Baillie, noted, “We found that special components in tea such as polyphenols have the ability to inhibit the activity of anthrax quite considerably.” But Science Daily went on to caution that there is a caveat. “The research also shows that the addition of whole milk to a standard cup of tea completely inhibited its antibacterial activity against anthrax.”
To review additional resources related to the study, click here to read the Cardiff University Media Release or here to access a summary of the research from the Society for Applied Microbiology.
Posted by Brenda at 6:00 am | Comment (0)
8th July, 2008: Bill Hall: A Tradition of Tea Tasting
Like wine, tea is a complex beverage full of scents, colors and tastes that are often hard to define. That’s where tea tasters come in. At the Charleston Tea Plantation, Bigelow is lucky enough to have a third-generation tea taster on hand, Bill Hall.
In describing the job of a tea taster, Bill explained that “tea is one of the few commodities in the world that is sold strictly on the basis of taste alone. In order to put a value on it, you have to taste it.” But here’s where tea differs from wine: the taste of tea can change every week.
“Unlike wine, which is grown and harvested once a year,” Bill says that “tea is harvested every 15 to 18 days.” During this time many factors can influence the flavor, including the temperature and humidity level. Bill notes that tea tasters can tell if something had gone wrong in the process, “if it’s burnt, musty, old or out of condition, a tea taster can tell you all that.”
How does one receive an education in tea tasting? Bill went through a four-year apprenticeship during which he tasted between 800 and 1,000 cups of tea a day! During this time he worked with the world’s largest tea packer (Brooke Bond Ltd.) and the world’s largest tea dealer (Van Reese).
Tea-tasting also runs in Bill’s blood. His grandfather and father were in the business as well.
But what is Bill’s favorite part of being in the tea business? He responds, “What is really exciting about this plantation is that we’re going from the ground right through to the cup. What we do here in Charleston is unique. It’s a one stop shop that is vertically integrated.”
Hear more from Bill Hall and get some tea tasting tips in our next featured post!
Posted by LizG at 7:15 am | Comment (1)
7th July, 2008: Reese Witherspoon’s Tokyo Tea Ceremony
The New Zealand Herald reports that Reese Witherspoon, Avon’s Honorary Chairman visited Japan last month to raise breast cancer awareness. She participated in a traditional tea ceremony held in Kochuan, Tokyo to honor a small group of breast cancer survivors. The “Japanese tea ceremony (chanoyu 茶の湯, lit.” tea hot-water”; also called chadō or sadō, 茶道, “the way of tea”) is a multifaceted traditional activity strongly influenced by Zen Buddhism, in which powdered green tea, or matcha (抹茶) is ceremonially prepared and served to others.” On this occasion it was used to create an open forum to discuss breast cancer issues and needs in Japan. In addition to the tea ceremony, Ms. Witherspoon met with Avon Representatives and introduced the region to Avon’s first-ever global fundraising product, the Women’s Empowerment Bracelet. More images of Reese in Japan can be viewed here.
Posted by Ruth at 6:00 am | Comment (0)
4th July, 2008: Celebrate the 4th With Refreshing Iced Tea
Whether you celebrate Independence Day, the commemoration of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, with fireworks, parades, backyard barbecues, carnivals, picnics, baseball games or something else, be sure to quench your thirst this 4th of July weekend with one of our refreshing iced tea recipes - - wherever you celebrate.
Speaking of history and tea, think about this interesting tea tidbit from one of our friends at gather.com:
“…there is an old joke in my village’s history book. When tea was first brought to Long Island in 1700, the locals didn’t know what to do with it, so they cooked it and ate it like spinach while others spread the leaves on bread like butter.” (quoted from Echoes From the Past, Elisabeth S. Lapham)
And why not? Yet, perhaps you’d rather stick to iced tea, like the one below, or try some of our other tea recipes.
Ingredients:
1½ cups cold water
3 Bigelow® Perfect Peach® Herbal Tea Bags
3 Bigelow® Spiced Chai Tea Bags
7 cups of cold water
Instructions:
Recipe created by Dorinda of Covington GA, 3rd place winner 2007 Iced Tea Recipe Contest
Place 1½ cups boiling water over tea bags in a 4-cup glass measuring cup. Let steep for 10 minutes. Squeeze and remove tea bags, let the concentrated tea cool.
Pour concentrate into a 3-quart pitcher. Add the cold water and stir. Pour into ice-filled glasses and serve.
For more tea recipes and entertaining ideas, go to http://www.bigelowtea.com/entertaining/recipes/
Posted by Julie at 6:00 am | Comment (0)
2nd July, 2008: Tea Shows Promise in Fighting Diabetes
Scottish scientists say that drinking tea might help combat diabetes. Pre-clinical research conducted at the University of Dundee indicates that ingredients in black tea “mimic insulin action.”
A team lead by Dr. Graham Rena of the university’s Neurosciences Institute has been working diligently to identify agents that might substitute for insulin in Type 2 diabetes. Thus far the group’s research has revealed that black tea ingredients known as theaflavins and thearubigins mimic insulin action.
Dr. Rena has been quoted in a Scottish news site as saying, “What we have found is that these constituents can mimic insulin action on proteins known as FOXOs … The task now is to see whether we can translate these findings into something useful for human health.” Rena added, “There is definitely something interesting in the way these naturally occurring components of black tea may have a beneficial effect, both in terms of diabetes and our wider health.”
Dr. Graham Rena notes that his team’s research into tea compounds is at an experimental phase and that further testing is needed. In the meantime, diabetics are advised to continue to take medications as directed by their doctors.
Posted by Brenda at 6:00 am | Comment (0)
1st July, 2008: Questions Answered about Charleston Tea Plantation
As the only location in North America where tea is grown today, the Charleston Tea Plantation holds a wealth of interest for tea lovers in the United States. And we’ve got some of the answers to the most Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ):
Q: How much tea is grown at the plantation and when is it harvested?
A: The Charleston Tea Plantation has hundreds of thousands of tea bushes in the fields. They stretch almost as far as the eye can see. The tea grows from May to October. During this time it is picked every 15-18 days on average. In spring we get the “First Flush,” the very first tea leaves of the year. Then by the end of October, the plant goes dormant and rests all winter long.
Q: What varieties of tea are grown at the plantation?
A: We produce “American Classic,” the only tea grown here in the U.S. American Classic is a fresh, smooth black tea picked from the plants that are descendants of those that were brought to America during colonial times.
Q: What Bigelow teas feature American Classic?
A: 2007 marked the introduction of four Loose Tea varieties of American Classic Tea — Charleston Breakfast, Rockville Raspberry, Plantation Peach and Governor Gray. Each is a very special tea, blended personally by our full-time tea taster, Bill Hall, to assure consistent taste and the highest quality. The best news for all tea lovers is that these teas are available throughout the year in the Gift Shoppe.
In upcoming posts, we’ll feature more about Bill Hall and the tradition of tea tasting, so we invite you to return to learn more!
Posted by Brenda at 6:00 am | Comment (0)
