11th November, 2008: Bigelow Tea Sponsors “smart fortwo Sweepstakes”
Bigelow Tea and grocery and pharmacy retailer Jewel-Osco, which operates 186 stores in Illinois, Iowa and Indiana, have joined together in their mutual commitment to being green. Allied in their belief that protecting the environment is paramount, Bigelow Tea and Jewel-Osco are sponsoring the smart fortwo Sweepstakes. The sweepstakes runs from September 1st through December 10th. What can you win? A smart fortwo car, of course. Cool! How do you enter?
- Consumers automatically enter to win with a purchase of Bigelow Tea and use of their Jewel-Osco Preferred Card.
- Consumers can also enter with no purchase necessary, by completing an official entry form found at participating Jewel-Osco Stores in Illinois or Indiana, using the tear pad found on the shippers or on a 3”x5” piece of paper mailed to the participating PO Box.
For more information about the ecological benefits of driving a smart fortwo go here. Support us and Jewel-Osco, enter now!
Posted by John at 6:00 am | Comments (3)
10th November, 2008: A BSB (Back Street Boy) and A Cup of Tea
Boy bands and tea are two things not often associated with one another, until now. A.J. McLean of The Backstreet Boys divulges one of his performance secrets: tea. The former “bad boy” has cleaned up his act and replaced his hard-partying lifestyle with a healthier one, enter tea.
“Fortunately for me I don’t drink or party anymore…I’m just trying to make sure I get plenty of rest and make sure I eat right. Drink lots and lots of tea,” McLean said.
The Backstreet Boys’ latest album, Unbreakable, was released on October 30, 2007, and has been climbing the charts ever since. With hits like “Inconsolable,” the boys have proven that comebacks can be a success!
McLean also revealed that he would be working on a solo album. Band-mate Howie Dorough told Billboard, “A.J.’s about done.”
With his busy schedule, A.J. McLean will certainly need to be stocking up on plenty of tea…
Posted by Linda at 6:00 am | Comment (0)
7th November, 2008: Bigelow Tea Supports National Wildlife Federation (NWF)
“Do the right thing and good things will follow,” says Cindi Bigelow, President. Bigelow Tea is proud to announce its support of National Wildlife Federation’s mission.
Bigelow ® Tea was started by my grandmother back in her kitchen over 60 years ago. Today it is still 100% family owned and operated. One thing that has never changed at Bigelow is the understanding of our corporate mission is more than just producing the finest tasting tea. It is also about caring for our employees and for the communities around us, both globally and locally.
I share a simple philosophy with all those around me… “Do the right thing and good things will follow”. And it doesn’t have to always be “big things” either. Yes, some of our programs are quite expansive, like our $1.5 million solar panel project recently installed on our rooftop, but many are individual in nature. For example, we now bring in our own tea mugs instead of using disposable cups each day in order to cut down on waste. Large or small, all of us at Bigelow believe that every step is important.
To that end Bigelow Tea is proud to announce our support of National Wildlife Federation’s mission. Bigelow recognizes the critical mission of this organization. The very significance of educating and inspiring Americans to connect with nature, combat global warming and protect and restore wildlife habitat cannot be overrated. It is through partnerships such as these that we will make this world a better place. Together… we can all make a difference.
Wishing you and your family much joy and warmth this holiday season,
Cynthia R. Bigelow. President
Join Bigelow Tea in protecting wildlife for our children’s future. For more on what else Bigelow Tea is doing to further conservation, check out our Environment News.
Posted by Julie at 6:00 am | Comment (0)
5th November, 2008: Green Tea Comes to the Rescue Again: Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
The University of Maryland Medical Center offers green tea as a possible remedy to alleviate the symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is an unpredictable disease of the nervous system, in which communication between the brain and other parts of the body is disrupted. Its effects can range from relatively mild, in most cases, to somewhat disabling to devastating. Amazingly, the symptoms can mysteriously occur and then disappear. Worst case, a person with MS may be unable to write, speak or walk. About 350,000 Americans have MS, with onset in most cases occurring between 20–45 years of age.
MS is accompanied by the following signs and symptoms:
- Weakness in motor skills and loss of muscle coordination
- Tingling, numbness, dizziness
- Blurred vision
- Pain
- Heat sensitivity
- Loss of bladder control
- Memory loss, problem-solving difficulties
- Mood disturbances
Among a few suggested natural remedies, Green Tea makes the list.
Posted by Julie at 6:00 am | Comment (1)
4th November, 2008: Election Day: Many Campaigns Have Celebrated Tea
Did you know George Washington was a tea fan? In fact, there is a tea book specifically written about Tea with Presidential Families. Be sure to make time for tea this Election Day!
Portrait by Gilbert Stuart. Photo Courtesy of Wikipedia
The country has spoken in one campaign already…
Bigelow Green Tea is a winner!
Posted by Julie at 6:00 am | Comment (1)
3rd November, 2008: Maggie Grace Sips Tea Toe to Toe with Blake Mycoskie
Maggie Grace, best known for her role as rich girl Shannon Rutherford on the television series Lost and for her part as Kim in the 2008 action film Taken, also starring Liam Neeson, Famke Janssen and Holly Valance, enjoys tea. While in London, Maggie Grace shares a companionable moment toe to toe with Blake Mycoskie, founder of TOMS Shoes. For more about Maggie Grace go here.
Photo courtesy of Daily Celebrity
Posted by Julie at 6:00 am | Comment (0)
31st October, 2008: Halloween: Are you brave enough to “dress like a tea bag” or eat Barmbrack?
How do you plan to spend Halloween? Carving pumpkins into Jack-o-lanterns, trick-or-treating, touring “haunted houses”…or maybe something else. For the most avid tea fans, there is always the option of dressing up like a tea bag. Or if that isn’t “your cup of tea”, perhaps hosting a children’s Halloween tea party for all those little ghosts and goblins out there. Another option is always just staying home with a nice warm celebratory cup of Pumpkin Spice tea. But will you be taking your tea with some equally seasonal Halloween brack on the side? What is Halloween brack you ask? It is an Irish Halloween tradition: a delicious fruit cake with tiny objects hidden inside. Boo! In case that scares you more than Halloween itself, you may just want to opt for some other desserts and tea treats instead.
Keep us in the loop if you partake in any of the above Halloween activities or if you’d like to share some ideas of your own. Happy Halloween!
Photo Courtesy of Donncha O Caoimh’s blog at ocaoimh.ie
Posted by Julie at 6:00 am | Comment (0)
29th October, 2008: October is National Caramel Month: It’s not just about Caramel Apples…Here’s a Caramel Tea Recipe
October is National Caramel Month. This time of year with Halloween just around the corner, when we think caramel,we envision smiling children with sticky faces biting into oversized apples covered in caramel. Try delving into this delicious caramel recipe the whole family is sure to enjoy:
Vanilla Caramel Bread Pudding
Ingredients:
14 Bigelow® Vanilla Caramel or Bigelow® Eggnogg’n Tea Bags
2 ¼ cups (560mL) whole milk
½ cup (125mL) unsalted butter
1 cup (250mL) sugar
5 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon (5mL) cinnamon
1 teaspoon (5mL) vanilla extract
½ cup (125mL) raisins
16 slices of Challah bread
Vanilla Caramel Sauce
¼ cup (60mL) unsalted butter
½ pound (224g) powder sugar
Reserve tea infused milk
Yield: Serves 12 - Prep Time: 30 minutes - Cook Time: 40 minutes
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºC).
Heat milk over medium heat, add Bigelow® Tea Bags (either Vanilla Caramel or Eggnogg’n) and raisins; remove from heat and let steep fo 5 minutes. Remove tea bags, squeezing all excess milk/tea. Strain tea infused milk; reserve raisins. Measure out 2 cups (500mL) and set aside the remaining tea infused milk for sauce.
In food processor, combine butter and sugar until well blended; add eggs, 2 cups (500mL) tea infused milk, cinnamon and vanilla. Continue processing until well blended.
Lightly butter a 9″ x 13″ baking dish. Break up the bread into 1″ cubes and layer in pan. Scatter the raisins over the top. Pour tea/milk mixture over the bread; soak for 5 to 10 minutes. Gently press down on the bread to make sure it is covered by the mixture.
Cover with foil and bake for 35-40 minutes. Remove foil and bake for additional 10 minutes to brown top. The pudding is ready when the custard is set, but still soft.
Make the Vanilla Caramel Sauce while bread pudding is baking, by melting butter over medium heat in a saucepan. Add powdered sugar to the melted butter and whisk to blend. Add reserved Vanilla Caramel or Eggnogg’n infused milk to taste.
Pour sauce over the baked bread pudding and allow to soak in 2-3 minutes. Serve warm.
For more recipe and entertaining ideas, go to http://www.bigelowtea.com/entertaining/recipes/.
Be sure to also check out these fall family fun ideas including making caramel apples.
Posted by Julie at 6:00 am | Comment (0)
28th October, 2008: Natural Expo East
Just came back from a trade show in Boston called Natural Expo East. Had a terrific opportunity to spend the week with my sales team, the marketing group and getting to meet old and new customers. I cannot tell you how valuable that show is for me. I always question if my team needs me to go and can I afford the time. Then I question how many customers I will really get to talk to….and after the show is over, I just say “thank heavens I went!”
Before the show starts, I so enjoy the day long meeting with my sales team listening to what they need, learning about what is happening in the marketplace and hearing about what I am doing that they think needs to be reexamined. I also cannot share with you how much I get from listening to my customers during the show… small, medium and large accounts all have great value. Hearing this feedback helps me formulate what I need to be doing to satisfy what they need to grow their business…I find the three show days to be so invigorating. I love the energy of the show and the people. I have to say one of my favorite parts is how much I get a chance to laugh with my team. It is so important to get out of the office in that kind of open environment, removed from the daily “issues” we each face so that we can just enjoy being with each other.
It was a great 4 days and I have to say, after listening and chatting with hundreds of people, I feel very good about our company and our direction. We recently just became the most popular green tea sold in this country. I am delighted that more and more consumers are finding Bigelow their tea of choice. I truly believe it is going to shows like Expo East and connecting to the people whom I had an opportunity to spend time with is helping drive us forward!!!
Cindi Bigelow
Posted by Cindi at 6:00 am | Comment (0)
27th October, 2008: Led Zeppelin and Robert Plant Require Tea
As we’ve mentioned before on this blog, former hard-partying rockers Led Zeppelin now prefer tea. This famous band has greatly altered its lifestyle over the years. On their most recent tour, the band “requested little more than a constant flow of caffeine-free herbal tea.”
Tea and Led Zeppelin may not be such an unlikely match. Lead vocalist Robert Plant is known for always having a mug of hot tea, usually with honey, on tour. Did you know Plant wrote the song “Tea for One” in 1976, on the album Presence? Over 30 years ago, Plant penned this song thinking about sitting alone in hotel rooms in New York City, drinking tea for one.
Another uncommon yet very successful pairing for Plant is one with Alison Krauss. The hard rocker and the Queen of bluegrass collaborated on the album Raising Sand, and like with tea, it’s another winning duo! If you’d like to see them live, check out Ticketmaster. Maybe they are performing nearby and you can let us know more about Plant’s latest tea habits while performing.
Special thanks for this photo from RobertPlant.com and Steve Gillet/Live Pix.
Posted by Linda at 6:00 am | Comment (1)
