Tea imports in the US are projected to climb 7 percent in 2009 — representing 17 million more pounds of tea than in the previous year. People are responding to numerous reports of the health benefits of tea, says the Tea Association of the U.S.A. “Tea enjoys positive imagery regarding its contributions to health, versus other beverages,” said association president Joe Simrany, reported Reuters. All the positive reports on tea — and we have seen them for years — continue to help grow sales. Of course, tea provides more than just health benefits; the buzz on tea grows because it’s the perfect beverage for any situation, and every day. People respond to Bigelow Tea because of its delicious simplicity.

Constant Comments, our Bigelow Tea Blog, has been sharing numerous reports about the growing appreciation for tea for years now. Comments range from the continuing rise of the popularity of tea, to the migration from coffee to tea reported on 60 Minutes, to tea used in health and beauty tips on the Today Show. So this new news release on U.S. tea imports rising in 2008 is not too surprising — even with 257 million pounds of tea being imported in 2008, up from 240 million pounds in 2007. This growth is expected to continue, and Bigelow Tea is right in at the forefront of the fastest-growing segment, specialty teas. Even the big coffee houses have all included a line of such teas. And it’s also true that Bigelow Tea is steeping sales all across the globe, with a significant presence in many countries for many years. It seems that the power of a great cup of tea cannot be stopped!

Thanks to poponthepop.blogspot.com for the image.

How does a Spice Girl make it through an 11-hour flight? By drinking tea, of course!

On a recent flight from Los Angeles to London, Victoria Beckham opted for an all-liquid menu. Forget about first class food or champagne, nothing could replace her peppermint tea. Maybe the key to looking “posh” is drinking some of Bigelow’s refreshing Peppermint Herbal Tea.  Posh isn’t the only celeb drinking peppermint tea. Check out past entries in our “Celebri-Tea” Interviews, as well as Joss Stone Sipping Super-Spiced Tea, to learn more about which celebs love their mint!

Easter is here already, with an early jump on the Calendar for April 12th. And along with Easter comes family fun, painted Easter Eggs, chocolate bunnies, and the traditional Egg Roll, including the famous White House Easter Egg Hunt. The White House Easter Egg Roll dates back to 1878, and is designed to encourage children and their families to come outdoors and celebrate the start of the spring season.

Bigelow Tea also wants you to enjoy the new spring season too, and if you are entertaining a large extended family gathering for this Easter, or just having a quiet dinner with your immediate family and friends, we have a couple great suggestions for a festive dinner. Make Bigelow Tea a part of the celebration feast with this outstanding recipe; pairing the traditional Rack of Lamb with our own Plantation Mint® Tea Sauce.

A delicious traditional meal with a striking Bigelow Tea twist. And once you look over this grand entrée, check out this equally grand dessert idea that everyone will love from Bigelow Tea — Constant Comment® Spice Cake. The best of the season to all from Bigelow Tea!

Rack of Lamb with Plantation Mint® Tea Sauce

Ingredients for the sauce:
1 cup canned beef broth
6 Bigelow Plantation Mint Tea bags
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon butter, unsalted, at room temperature
Ingredients for the racks of lamb
2 racks of lamb (about 1- ½ pounds each), frenched*
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/3 cup bread crumbs
1 tablespoon of finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 small clove garlic, minced
¼ teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted

Yield: 2 racks of lamb

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400ºF.
Brush racks of lamb with oil and place them meat-side down in a heavy, low baking dish.
Bake for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, combine the bread crumbs, parsley, garlic, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Turn the racks of lamb over, brush with mustard, and then apply the crumb mixture with a cupping motion. Drizzle the melted butter over the crumbs and return to the oven for another 10-12 minutes for medium-rare.
Prepare the Bigelow Plantation Mint Tea Sauce while waiting for the lamb to cook. –
Remove the rack of lamb from the oven, let stand for 3-4 minutes, then slice chops. —
Serve a generous spoonful of sauce over each chop.

Method for the sauce:
In a small saucepan, bring beef stock to a boil.
Turn off the heat. Add the teabags and steep for 10 minutes, making sure they are all submerged. Remove the teabags to a small strainer and using the back of a spoon, press as much liquid as possible back into the pan.
Stir in the honey and return to a boil, stirring until the honey is incorporated.
In a small custard cup, combine the flour and butter into a smooth paste, using a fork. –
Just before serving, bring the liquid to a boil.
Turn off heat, add the butter/flour mixture, bit by bit, and whisk until it is incorporated and the sauce thickened.

Constant Comment® Spice Cake

Ingredients:
½ cup milk
5 Bigelow “Constant Comment”® Tea Bags
½ cup unsalted butter (1 stick)
1 cup sugar
3 eggs, room temperature
1-2/3 cups flour
2-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
Confectioners sugar

Yield: Yields one 9” round cake.

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease and flour a 9″ round cake pan
Combine milk and tea bags in a small saucepan. Heat over medium/low heat until bubbles form around the edge, stirring occasionally. (DO NOT BOIL.)
Remove from heat and let cool (15-20 minutes); remove tea bags squeezing out liquid. — Set aside.
In large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until smooth.
Add the eggs and whisk to blend. Add the cooled milk; continue to whisk until thoroughly combined.
Add flour and baking powder; mix until a smooth batter forms.
Pour batter into pan. Bake approximately 35 minutes, or until center of cake springs back when touched. Cool on wire rack before removing from pan.
Let cool completely before serving. Dust top with confectioner’s sugar.

Photo courtesy of SEARO World Health Organization

“Everybody can be great…because anybody can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t have to make your subject and verb agree to serve.  You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.”
—Martin Luther King, Jr.

Yes, it does take a village. As natural disasters tax our resources, we — the global community — must be prepared to respond to emergency situations quickly, safely and compassionately. That’s why this year’s World Health Day focus is:  “Save Lives. Make hospitals safe in emergencies.” As public health arm for the United Nations, the World Health Organization passionately supports its goal to raise awareness of this global initiative. The goal is to ensure that healthcare facilities, services and personnel are trained and prepared to respond in emergencies and that communities around the world actively participate in this effort.

At Bigelow Tea, giving back to the community and contributing to worthy local and national causes is part of our corporate culture. At our core is the desire to make a difference, like forging alliances with tea gardens in Asia-Pacific regions with sustainable farming practices, who — like Bigelow Tea — treat workers and their families with dignity and respect. It’s by promoting environmental sustainability with a new selection of organic teas, and by utilizing biodegradable or recyclable tea packaging: Bigelow Tea is making a difference.

As citizens of the world, we face many challenges, natural and man-made. Still, there is great hope, and it doesn’t take much to put a smile on the face of a mother and her child. Just a little compassion and the willingness to help.

Photo Courtesy of Wikipedia.org

As members of the Jewish faith begin the festive, holy season of Pesach (Passover), they commence an eight-day period of religious observance in memory of the exodus and freedom of the Israelites from Egypt, after enduring 400 years of slavery. Families gather and large feasts, called Seders, are lovingly prepared and these lavish meals are the focal point of the Passover celebration. Dietary guidelines are strictly observed: leavened bread and other fermented wheat grain products, referred to as chametz, are strictly forbidden. All food consumed during this festival of freedom must be Kosher for Passover, in compliance with Jewish dietary laws or Kashrut.

Bigelow Tea is proud to have been awarded Kof-K Kosher for Passover certification on 41 of their popular tea flavors, from the Blended Black Tea, Herbal Tea and Green Tea selections, and this has not gone unnoticed.  Supermarkets (including the cyberspace variety) specializing in Kosher products are citing Bigelow Tea in their Exciting Passover Products category! After all the family and friends have gone home and all the dishes are put away, what better way to relax and reflect on the day’s events than to sit back and sip some soothing Cozy Chamomile® Herbal Tea?

This year, Passover begins at sunset on Wednesday, April 8th with the first Seder of this eight-day celebration, and ends on Thursday, April 16th. To the men, women and children (and pets) participating in the festivities of this season, the family and employees of Bigelow wish you much laughter and joy, peace and good health as you celebrate Passover.

A friend once told me this quote and I keep it on my desk and read it every day.  It means more today than ever…thought I would share it with you!

“Excellence is never an accident:
it is the result of high intention,
sincere effort, intelligent direction,
skillful execution and
the vision to see obstacles as opportunities”

Cindi Bigelow

“Women are like tea bags, they don’t know how strong they are until they get into hot water.”
—Eleanor Roosevelt (More quotes about tea)

The heroic actions of this female shopkeeper certainly would have made Mrs. Roosevelt proud.

On December 11th, Varsh Patel, 45, found herself in hot water when two knife-wielding men attempted to rob her store in Kensworth, England.

Patel, was about to take her first sip of [tea] when two men wearing balaclavas burst in to her village store armed with 10-inch blades and made a grab for the till.

Reacting swiftly, she hurled the steaming tea into the face of one assailant and then threw the empty mug at his companion’s head…The two shocked thieves fled the shop.

Police praised the decisive action of Mrs. Patel.

Jodi Picoult (The best-selling author who wrote five issues of Wonder Woman in 2007) could not have penned a better script.

The Robbery was thwarted, but the assailants escaped. Perhaps Tom the Tea Super Hero will bring them to justice.

The link between tea and acts of heroism is uncanny, and inspiring.

I’m so happy that I stumbled on the best tea I’ve tasted in many years. Your array of Bigelow herbal teas has me enjoying  several cupfuls every day. Since I like all of the flavors, I especially enjoy selecting the one to suit my mood for each serving. Until recently when I discovered these delicious teas, I drank coffee which became tiresome and difficult to brew for a fresh, tasty cup. Now the ease in using tea bags is so much quicker. The result is not only a tastier drink but also a healthier one. Thanks for this excellent product.

Helen from Fargo

You know it is funny, I can’t speak for everyone but some days feel so much more productive than others.  Yesterday had a nice pace to it, not too crazy but then I always ask myself did I drive the organization forward like I need to? Are we doing things today to be successful down the road? I think I can say yes to both but I do have to smile at how much I don’t always handle the “well managed” day as much as I enjoy the “over the top, running at full speed, if one more person comes to see me, my head will fall off” day.  I guess given my personality I will always have to learn to balance both worlds.  I am not sure I will ever be successful at the balance but maybe that is a good thing…..

Cindi Bigelow

Most people have a favorite beverage. Whether it’s tea or coffee or any number of soft drinks — many contain caffeine. As the health-conscious consumer, you want to ensure that you know just what your “caffeine routine” is. National Caffeine Awareness Month is the perfect opportunity to do just that. About 80% of Americans consume caffeine in at least one drink a day. When you drink Bigelow Tea, you’re consuming far less caffeine than with coffee. Look at it this way: one cup of coffee has about 100-120mg of caffeine in comparison to black or green teas, which have between 25–60mg.  That’s a big difference!  Especially if you enjoy your Bigelow Tea favorites often through the day, as many do.

The Caffeine Awareness Association works to educate people on the consumption of caffeine. Test your caffeine smarts and be proactive about your daily intake. Controlling your caffeine is just one more of the many great reasons to drink Bigelow tea, (a very tasty and calming experience in itself!). Of course you can always choose one of Bigelow Tea’s outstanding decaf tea varieties, all listed here…how about a delicious Green Tea with Lemon Decaf…?

…or a French Vanilla Decaf…

…or if you can’t decide, try the Bigelow Tea Decaffeinated Assortment Pack

And what if you’re favorite tea flavor doesn’t come in decaf?  You don’t need to switch — just check out this great video from Cindi Bigelow and learn how to decaffeinate your tea yourself!

Please enable Javascript and Flash to view this Blip.tv video.