Famous Tea Quotes August 21 2014

“Tea! Bless ordinary everyday afternoon tea!”
― Agatha Christie

“You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me.”
― C.S. Lewis

“I say let the world go to hell, but I should always have my tea.”
― Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Notes from Underground

“My hour for tea is half-past five, and my buttered toast waits for nobody.”
― Wilkie Collins, The Woman in White

“Take some more tea," the March Hare said to Alice, very earnestly.
"I've had nothing yet," Alice replied in an offended tone, "so I can't take more."
"You mean you can't take less," said the Hatter: "it's very easy to take more than nothing."
"Nobody asked your opinion," said Alice.”
― Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland

“In Ireland, you go to someone's house, and she asks you if you want a cup of tea. You say no, thank you, you're really just fine. She asks if you're sure. You say of course you're sure, really, you don't need a thing. Except they pronounce it ting. You don't need a ting. Well, she says then, I was going to get myself some anyway, so it would be no trouble. Ah, you say, well, if you were going to get yourself some, I wouldn't mind a spot of tea, at that, so long as it's no trouble and I can give you a hand in the kitchen. Then you go through the whole thing all over again until you both end up in the kitchen drinking tea and chatting. In America, someone asks you if you want a cup of tea, you say no, and then you don't get any damned tea.
I liked the Irish way better.”
― C.E. Murphy, Urban Shaman

“A cup of tea would restore my normality."
[Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Screenplay]”
― Douglas Adams

“Okay, this is the wisdom. First, time spent on reconnaissanse is never wasted. Second, almost anything can be improved with the addition of bacon. And finally, there is no problem on Earth that can't be ameliorated by a hot bath and a cup of tea.”
― Jasper Fforde, Shades of Grey

“When tea becomes ritual, it takes its place at the heart of our ability to see greatness in small things. Where is beauty to be found? In great things that, like everything else, are doomed to die, or in small things that aspire to nothing, yet know how to set a jewel of infinity in a single moment?”
― Muriel Barbery, The Elegance of the Hedgehog

“There are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea.”
― Henry James, The Portrait of a Lady

“If you are cold, tea will warm you;
if you are too heated, it will cool you;
If you are depressed, it will cheer you;
If you are excited, it will calm you.”
― William Ewart Gladstone

The Health Benefits of Tea August 21 2014

Health Benefits of Tea: Green, Black, and White Tea
WebMD

Tea is a name given to a lot of brews, but purists consider only green tea, black tea, white tea, oolong tea, and pu-erh tea the real thing. They are all derived from the Camellia sinensis plant, a shrub native to China and India, and contain unique antioxidants called flavonoids. The most potent of these, known as ECGC, may help against free radicals that can contribute to cancer, heart disease, and clogged arteries.

All these teas also have caffeine and theanine, which affect the brain and seem to heighten mental alertness.

The more processed the tea leaves, usually the less polyphenol content. Polyphenols include flavonoids. Oolong and black teas are oxidized or fermented, so they have lower concentrations of polyphenols than green tea; but their antioxidizing power is still high.

Here's what some studies have found about the potential health benefits of tea:

Green tea: Made with steamed tea leaves, it has a high concentration of EGCG and has been widely studied. Green tea’s antioxidants may interfere with the growth of bladder, breast, lung, stomach, pancreatic, and colorectal cancers; prevent clogging of the arteries, burn fat, counteract oxidative stress on the brain, reduce risk of neurological disorders like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, reduce risk of stroke, and improve cholesterol levels.

Black tea: Made with fermented tea leaves, black tea has the highest caffeine content and forms the basis for flavored teas like chai, along with some instant teas. Studies have shown that black tea may protect lungs from damage caused by exposure to cigarette smoke. It also may reduce the risk of stroke.

White tea: Uncured and unfermented. One study showed that white tea has the most potent anticancer properties compared to more processed teas.

Oolong tea: In an animal study, those given antioxidants from oolong tea were found to have lower bad cholesterol levels. One variety of oolong, Wuyi, is heavily marketed as a weight loss supplement, but science hasn’t backed the claims.

Pu-erh tea: Made from fermented and aged leaves. Considered a black tea, its leaves are pressed into cakes. One animal study showed that animals given pu-erh had less weight gain and reduced LDL cholesterol.

9 Amazing Beauty Benefits Of Tea August 21 2014

9 Amazing Beauty Benefits Of Tea
The Huffington Post  | By Dana Oliver

        
As the temps turn colder, we're exchanging our iced coffees for herbal teas. Sipping on the hot drink instantly brings a sense of calm to a hectic day. But did you know that you could brew a cup of tea for homemade beauty recipes?
Teas, including green, black and red, have been used to improve the overall health and appearance of skin and hair for centuries. Rich in antioxidants and anti-aging and anti-inflammatory properties, tea is one of the most powerful grocery store staples that can be used topically. Here are nine amazing beauty benefits of tea.

1. Adds shine to dull, lackluster hair. A hair rinse using green or black tea will boost brassy and blah strands. Simply steep tea bags in boiling water for 15 minutes and allow to cool for a few hours or overnight. Pour it onto freshly-washed hair and leave on for ten minutes. Be sure to shampoo and condition afterwards to seal in the shine.

2. Soothes sunburns. Missed a spot with the sunscreen and ended up with a sunburn? Cold compresses made out of tea bags can relieve pain and reduce redness. The girls over at The Beauty Department have this guide to using black tea bags and old T-shirts to treat sunburns.

3. Minimizes bug bites. We love laying out in the grass, but we sure hate mosquito bites. To take down the sting and bumps, apply a used cold chamomile tea bag directly to the area and relax.

4. Reduces puffy eyes and dark under-eye circles. Another reason not to toss out your used bags of Earl Grey. One of the many beauties we met on the streets of New York City swears by this cheap puffy eye treatment. The caffeine helps to shrink blood vessels underneath the skin and eliminate darkness around the eye area.

5. Rids smelly feet odor. Stanky feet and Chanel No. 5 just don't mix. Instead, strip off your shoes and socks and soak your feet in a cool solution made out of boiled tea. The tannic acid in tea is both antibacterial and antifungal, so it stops feet from sweating and smelling funky.

6. Tones and moisturizes dry skin. Spritz cool green tea onto your face (you can also apply it with a cotton ball) twice a day to draw out impurities, shrink large pores and get a healthy glow.

7. Calms skin after shaving. If your legs are itchy and red after shaving, try pressing a cool black tea bag onto your limbs. The tannins work to provide immediate relief from razor burns.

8. Enhances hair color. If you're looking for a chemical-free alternative to dyeing your hair, try using tea. Its staining properties add color to naturally blonde or brunette locks. Holistic Chick breaks down which teas have the best color payoff.

9. Helps to tan skin. Similar to "coloring" hair, rubbing your body with a sponge soaked in black tea or submerging yourself in a tub full of it will enhance tanned skin. Warning: This can get a little sticky and streaky.

English Tea Ceremony August 13 2014

English Tea Ceremony
by: CoffeeAM.com

In 1665 Queen Anne traded her regular breakfast beverage, ale, for tea imported from the Far East and soon began the tradition and ceremony of English tea. By 1700 there were more than 500 coffee houses selling tea in the city of London alone and tea had become an ingrained part of the British culture.

Although tea is the non-official preferred beverage of England, tea ceremonies sadly, have been on the decline. Most of the ceremonies are reserved for special occasions such as weddings or parties or for tourists at fancy hotels like the Ritz.  If you are going to England for a special ceremony, I certainly want you well prepared and educated or your first British ceremonial tea!

If you were invited to tea between 3-5pm, you would be invited to “afternoon tea.”   Although tea and a piece of cake in the late afternoon is still very common, due to work schedules of the modern day, afternoon tea is mostly reserved for special occasions. Afternoon tea began in the 1800’s when the Duchess of Bedford couldn’t wait until 8 or 9pm for dinner to be served without feeling overwhelmingly hungry. Tea and bread with butter was enough to tie her over and she enjoyed sharing it with her high society friends.  Soon enough, to be invited for Afternoon tea was the invite all the British ladies desired.

Sometimes called “Low tea” Afternoon tea was served on low coffee or side tables around couches or love seats and usually took place in a sitting room.

High tea is a phrase I think most Americans are familiar with but possibly for the wrong reason.  It isn’t because it is served at high noon, or because it is for high society, it is because they drank their tea on high tables!  Served between 5-6pm after workers return home, high tea is not a snack, but rather replaces dinner with hot meats, fish, eggs and cheese being served along side the tea. Also called the not so eloquent “meat tea” High tea is much more a man’s meal than a ladies social call, certainly not the way American’s picture high tea!

So, suppose you were invited to an afternoon tea, let’s talk about the do’s and don’t and the ins and out’s of tea etiquette.  Placing your thumb at the 6 o’clock position and your index and middle fingers at 12 o’clock should lift a cup without a handle.  Slowly lift and tilt using you extended curved pinkie finger for balance.  A cup with a handle is not for you to slide your index finger through!  Imagine the whole wasn’t there and hold the front and the back of the handle again, using the pinkie finger for balance.  Never wrap your hands around the cup or set the cup in the palm of your hand.

A spoon may be used to stir your tea and it should be done in a sweeping, circular wave like motion two or three times quietly without clinking the teacup. After you have stirred, place your spoon on the right side of the saucer.  Your cup should also remain on the saucer when not at your lips. The tea will almost always be a gourmet loose leaf black tea made by the host and will be served with options of milk, sugar and lemon slices.

Food placed on a tiered stand is to be eaten in a certain order, from top to bottom.  The top of the tier stand will have scones, in the middle tea sandwiches and on the bottom sweets. Start at the top and deliciously work you way down to the bottom tier.

Although it seems with schedules getting more and more hectic teatime isn’t what it used to be, but it is still a celebrated event and certainly time honored.  I hope, now that you are prepared, you are able to relish in a British tea ceremony soon as either a guest or as the hostess. And as Henry James once said, “There are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea.”

The History of Tea August 13 2014

Little did Chinese Emperor Shen Nung realize that in 2737 B.C., when dried leaves blew into his cup of hot water, the beverage he discovered would cause sensations around the world. The pleasant aroma and refreshing taste enchanted him and soon everyone in the realm was drinking tea.

Tea continued to travel throughout the Orient and it was during the time of the European explorers tea made its cultural broad jump. The East India Tea Company brought tea into Holland but its prohibitive cost of $100 per pound kept tea as a rich man's beverage.

In 1650, Peter Stuyvesant brought tea to the American colonists in New Amsterdam, later called New York. Soon the colonists were drinking more tea than all England. Today, Americans drink 180 million cups and glasses of tea per day.

In England, tea gardens, ornate outdoor events with fancy food and tea, fireworks and gambling, seemed to sprout up overnight as entertainment centers of the day and many British enjoyed the festivities offered there. To recover extensive expenses from the French and Indian War, England levied a huge tax on tea imported to the colonies, mistakenly believing the colonists were so hooked on it they'd pay anything to keep their supply coming in. One night, the men of Boston dressed as Indians, crept aboard the ships docked in the Boston harbor, and threw the expensive tea cargo overboard. England reacted by having a raging fit, closing Boston's port and sending Royal troops into occupation of Boston. Because of this, colonists met to discuss these events and declared a revolution. They say you want a revolution? Now that's what we call a Tea Party!

Linda McCartney Centre August 12 2014

A portion of your contribution from your splendid purchase goes to the Linda McCartney Breast Cancer Research Centre in Liverpool, U.K.

The Linda McCartney Centre began its life as a nursing college when the Royal Liverpool University Hospital was built in the 70s but, once nurse training was transferred to John Moores University, the centre became under-utilised.

The aim of the Linda McCartney Centre

Statistics show there will be an increasing number of people that will use the centre in future years. With the continued support it receives from individuals, businesses and other organisations, the aim is to maintain the centre’s position at the forefront of innovative treatment and care.