I reviewed Jing Tea’s glass teacup/saucer set and one-cup teapot some time ago. (You can read the review here.) The video above is of me pontificating on why I like these items so much and why I think they make a great gift. (Really folks…these are fine pieces and look super-professional: Great gifts for that tea-drinking executive!) Since they ship from the UK, I strongly advise you to get your order in now to ensure that they arrive in time for Christmas. Affiliate Links in thi... Read Full Story

(This is the second post in my series on tea buying. The first post was about developing relationships with tea vendors. The next will be on evaluating and working with online tea vendors.  You can listen to a podcast version of this post by clicking here.) 1. Drink Before You Buy You should buy tea because you like the way it tastes. Patronize stores that offer you the opportunity to try a tea before you buy it, particularly if the tea is expensive. Many tea rooms sell their tea at retail: ... Read Full Story

If you are chamomile lover, or even if you aren’t, please check out my recent review of Ineeka’s “Balance” Chamomile tisane on Examiner.com. This stuff is delicious and light years better from a lot of the chamomile tisanes and blends out there. I swear, it tastes like melted butter! Plus, it comes in those cool Ineeka teabags, which are packed in those cool (and very sturdy) Ineeka tins. It makes a great Christmas gift/stocking stuffer, too! Read Full Story

(Note: This post begins a series on buying tea and teaware, based on my experiences over the last 18 months of serious tea consumption. If you care to listen to a podcast on the same topic, click here.) If we are going to be able to buy unique, fresh tea and authentic, quality teaware, serious tea drinkers need to work on our relationships with tea merchants.  When I use the word “relationship”, I mean it: Just as our relationships with friends and family depend on good communicat... Read Full Story

Henrietta Lovell, owner of UK-based Rare Tea Company, recently went on a tea buying trip to Malawi. Here is a video of her adventures.  Ms. Lovell was a recent guest on my podcast, Lainie Sips, and you can listen to our interview on Blog Talk Radio. Read Full Story

Name: Coconut Pouchong (Podcast review available at Blog Talk Radio) Brand: Golden Moon Type: Oolong, flavored Form: Loose leaf Cost: 2 ounce tin is $15.99 (quantity discounts available) Review: For those who are huffing and puffing about a tea company that flavors oolong, particularly a pouchong/bao zhong, you will just need to put a lid on your teapot and stew. I love this stuff. Flavored oolongs aren’t a bad thing, actually. To use a musical analogy, oolong is like a strong bass play... Read Full Story

First of all, please join me in welcoming Jason Witt as the new Minneapolis/St. Paul Tea Examiner. As most of you know, I am the Chicago Tea Examiner, and it is always great to have familiar faces join me at the Examiner. Secondly, please don’t forget to enter the Golden Moon Tea Giveaway. The contest ends tomorrow! Thirdly, if you are a tea company owner, work in the tea industry, have traveled to a tea-drinking country, or have something interesting to say about tea, I’d love t... Read Full Story

I just got word from my friends over at Adagio that they are offering free shipping on orders of $25 or more now through November 30th.  (Yes, you can schedule delivery for December!) Adagio has some great gift sets this season, so click on the banner above and start shopping! Read Full Story

A review of Chicago-based SenTeaMental Moods “Chicago Passion Tea” is now up on Examiner.com, along with information on how you can get up to three samples of SenTeaMental Moods tea for a small shipping and handling charge! Read Full Story

Name: Libre Tea Glass Brand: Libre Tea Listen to this review as a podcast on Blog Talk Radio! Type: Teaware, travel mug, infuser Review: The Libre Tea Glass is another invention in the quest for convenient loose-leaf tea, an quite a welcome one at that. The “tea glass” is actually an all-in-one infuser and travel mug that offers two different infusion options so that serious tea-drinkers can make their tea the way they like it. The design of this bit of teaware is a bit hard to ... Read Full Story