We aim to be as environmentally conscious in our day-to-day business dealings as possible.
Several ways we do this:

• We shop two times per week for groceries from local purveyors. This affords little to no waste and we can adjust as necessary depending on the season and needs of the tearoom.
• We compost everything we can. Ellen has been a lifetime recycler, so she knows the value of Reduce-Reuse-Recycle -and compost!  Garbage to Garden is our partner in this effort. And we now use compostable napkins and stainless steel bubble tea straws!
• We keep it local. Our suppliers are local and we aim to keep the trips to the grocery stores and that of our bakers to a minimum. Granted, tea (Camellia sinensis) comes from the other side of the planet, but we aim to buy our herbals, seaweed and mushroom teas as locally as much as possible.
• We support Bicycle Benefits and other non-profit organizations that support the environment through donations and promotion.
• We keep our paper use to a minimum. You’ll notice we don’t offer “To Go” menus as we do not want the extra waste. Nor do we offer food to go in containers. But you can bring your own container any time and we’ll gladly put a hummus plate in it.
• We evaluate tea drinks and products and aim to serve only those that tread lightly on our bodies and the planet.
• We offer organic food ingredients as much as possible. We strive to buy organic whether it be carrots or soy milk.

All in the name of treading lightly on the planet!

Curious how to properly brew green tea? Wondering why your home-brewed green tea always tastes bitter?

Unfortunately, we’ve been reduced to thinking green tea tastes awful and is always bitter. There’s a better way to brew it — no bags, only whole leaves for the best tasting brew!

Here’s the rundown to get you to better-tasting green tea, and the health benefits associated with it.

When it comes to brewing any tea, it’s all about tea, time and temperature!

Get yourself some good, whole leaf green tea. We sell green teas from Japan, Korea, China and Vietnam. We’ve found that several of these are excellent chilled.

Chilled brew

Try our Che Xanh or Sencha chilled for a refreshing, light alternative. Per 1 quart container, add 4 heaping tablespoons of whole leaf green tea. Use filtered, cold water. Steep for 2 hours in the refrigerator. I’ve steeped longer (overnight!) by accident and it still comes out fine, just stronger in flavor. Strain brew into another container. Add fresh garden mint leaves or a lemon slices if you like.

Hot water brewing

Remember it’s all about the type of tea, temperature, and not over steeping – tea, time and temperature.

Tools: Pot to boil water, 2 mugs and/or a Pyrex pitcher, tablespoon, small strainer

• Boil water in pot on stove (no microwave!) And it needs to boil before it’s usable.
• Let it cool in Pyrex pitcher or mug for 5 mins. Green teas vary and are usually between 60 – 85ºC/140ºF-185ºF. We put specific brew temperature and time for each tea on the bags when you buy them.
• Take 1 tablespoon of tea and put in 6-8 oz. brewing vessel/mug
• Pour cooled water from Pyrex/mug over tea and steep for 1-2 minutes (shorter for Japanese)
• Using a strainer, pour tea out of mug into other mug, straining out the leaves. Don’t let the leaves sit in water after brewing/straining, otherwise you’ll have bitter tea.
• Drink tea
• Brew a second and third cup by steeping the same leaves, for up to 2 minutes.

Keep the sweeteners away – when you get accustomed to the taste of green tea in its natural, healthy, un-adulterated state, you’ll wonder why you did add sweetener previously! Save the cooled, damp green tea leaves to use on your eyelids to reduce wrinkles.

The following is research and compiled reports on the benefits of green tea. Drink up!

Benefit of drinking green tea: The proof is in — drinking tea is healthy, says Harvard Women’s Health Watch

http://www.health.harvard.edu/press_releases/benefit_of_drinking_green_tea

10 Benefits of Green Tea

http://authoritynutrition.com/top-10-evidence-based-health-benefits-of-green-tea/

How to Boost Green Tea Benefits

http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/ART02914/How-to-Boost-Green-Tea-Benefits.html

11 Benefits of Green Tea That You Didn’t Know About

http://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifestyle/11-benefits-of-green-tea-that-you-didnt-know-about.html

From LifeHacker”

“Tea isn’t just a comforting and pleasant beverage, it also has remarkable healing properties—so much so that it’s deemed a sort of “wonder drink” that may be even healthier than drinking water. Here are all the ways drinking tea can lead to a healthier, longer life—and how to maximize both the enjoyment of the drink and its health benefits.”

Read more.

>> Purchase our Masala Spice and/or Assam CTC Black Tea

(1 ounce of masala spices and 1 ounce of Assam CTC makes approximately 12, 8 ounce cups of chai & a Box of Masala (which contains 1.75 ounces of Assam CTC and 1.75 ounces of Masala spices in separate packets) makes approximately 20 cups).

(This recipe makes about 3, 8 ounce cups – cut recipe in half for one large mug)

• Put 3 teaspoons of Masala spices in a medium saucepan
• Add 3 cups of water
• Bring to a boil
• Turn down to medium simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, then . . .
• Add 6 teaspoons of sugar (use more or less, adjust to taste)
• Add 4 teaspoons of Assam CTC, use Rooibos or Tulsi (if you do’t want caffeine)
• Bring back to a boil for about 30 seconds stirring to dissolve sugar
• Take saucepan off the heat, and let steep for 5 minutes
• Add 1 and-a-half cups of milk (cow’s milk or a milk alternative)
• Bring back to boil and whisk mixture to blend
• Strain mixture through a fine mesh strainer into 3 mugs or a medium size pitcher
• Adjust the amount of masala spices and sugar to your taste on your next attempt. The level of spices and sugar in this recipe are moderate.

Note: If you make chaga chai (as a substitute for Assam CTC, Rooibos, or Tulsi), you should boil the chaga for 30 minutes. In this case, combine the chaga along with the masala spices at a medium simmer for 30 minutes. And since chaga is so strong, use 3 teaspoons with 3 cups of water instead of 4 teaspoons. You might also need to add a bit more water at the end of the 30 minutes as some of the water will have evaporated during the extended boiling time.

Tulsi

Instead of getting a prescription for your stress, consider trying a natural and sacred plant: holy basil. Also called tulsi, holy basil (Ocimum sanctum) is a sacred plant in India with strong, clove-like aroma and taste. It demonstrates a lack of toxicity and a variety of benefits, including reducing inflammation, protecting the body and brain from harmful effects of stress, and exerting a positive influence on mood. It is safe to use with pharmaceutical antidepressants. Dr. Weil’s colleague Jim Nicolai, M.D., medical director of the Integrative Wellness Program at Miraval Resort and Spa in Tucson, has had great success with holy basil. For his patients with stress-related conditions, holy basil is at the top of his list of plant-based therapies. Use extracts standardized to two percent ursolic acid in 400 mg capsules. Dosage is two capsules, once or twice daily with food.

From Dr. Weil

Worldwide, tea is the second-most-popular drink, after water. But in this coffee-crazed nation, it’s long been a subordinate brew.

Until now.

Read more from USAToday…