Monday, December 31, 2012

Happy New Year!


Fireworks at Ike-no-Hata, 1881, Kobayashi Kiyochika, woodblock print, Robert O. Muller Collection, S2003.8.1197

Wishing everyone a happy and healthy 2013! It's been a fabulous year. Thank you for being a part of Tea Happiness! I can't wait for our upcoming tea adventures. Cheers!!

Thursday, December 27, 2012

Brussels Breakfast Tea from Le Pain Quotidien

One of my favorite and easy lunch stops in NYC is Le Pain Quotidien. A Belgian transplant that has restaurants all over the globe, with many in New York. The food, bread, and pastries are tasty and made with organic ingredients. I knew they served tea but only recently did I discover that it was an in-house brand.

On a particularly exhausting day I ordered the Brussels Breakfast tea, and was pleasantly surprised by the flavor. I actually made a later trip just to pick up a box. It is a solid Ceylon tea that is bold and bright. It sparkles with sweetness like my favorite breakfast blends do. It is strong and invigorating, yet when I had it on recent weary afternoon, it was also quite soothing. This is one of my favorite characteristics of teas in general.

over steeped, but still tasty
This is an easy tea to over steep, so make sure you are watching the time. Adding milk and/or sugar would be just fine. I don't usually add them myself, but breakfast blends are usually made with milk and sugar in mind. This tea is perfect for the morning, but also lovely as an afternoon break either to unwind or revive.

With a nice selection to choose from, I'm happy to list Le Pain Quotidien as a NYC spot for a pot of tea, along with a pastry or baguette.

Monday, December 17, 2012

Le Palais des Thés- NYC

Popular Parisian tea house Le Palais des Thés has opened their first US location on the Upper West Side of NYC. They are a well respected tea purveyor, and have been selling tea and teaware for 25 years. Their teas can be found in various stores around the city, but this is the first brick and mortar where you can purchase loose tea by the ounce, gifts, teaware, and have a sample to taste. Until now, I hadn't tried many of their teas so I decided it was time to visit the new store and see what I was missing.

As I approached the store I noticed it was tiny, about the size of a shoebox. But walking in, I realized it was a jewel of a shoebox. Teas line the walls along with colorful canisters, teapots, and other tasteful tea gifts. It's a perfect place to pick up a last minute holiday gift. At the front of the store there is a tea to sample, which is quite welcome during this chilly weather. There was an English Breakfast blend to sample on the day I was there. It was basic, but bold and invigorating. A worthy competitor to my favorite breakfast blends.

There is a dizzying selection of teas from around the world, color coded by region. Teas on display had a small vessel in front with loose tea to smell. I sniffed a few of the blends on display, and I do admit that some of them were tempting. The woman behind the counter was friendly without being pushy, which I always appreciate. A store this size can be intimidating when you first walk in, especially when you're the only customer. But the salesperson was helpful, and easy to talk with.

I was given a couple of samples to take home with me, and I tried the popular The Du Hammam. It is a very pleasant brew that is gently floral and fruity. Not something I usually drink, but I can understand why it is so popular. I have two other tea bags to try, and I look forward to tasting them.

The shop's founder François-Xavier Delmas takes great care in sourcing teas and forming relationships with planters. He has a very interesting blog that is worth checking out http://www.discoveringtea.com/.

I will definitely be back to this little store soon, to try some of their pure teas. I heard a SoHo shop will also be opening soon. There are very few tea shops in Upper West Side area of Manhattan, so I'm sure this location will do quite well.

Le Palais des Thés- 194 Columbus Ave. NY, NY: Recommended. Highlights:large selection of tea for purchase, as well as gifts. Warm, low-key staff.

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Healing Tea


I've been sick for over a week now, and I've been drinking all kinds of tea non stop. My favorite 'tea' to drink when I'm under the weather is ginger with a large spoon of honey and a good squeeze of lemon. It tastes good, and all three ingredients help fight that cold or flu. The ginger and honey help boost the immune system, and the lemon has lots of vitamin C.

To make my ginger tea I take an inch or so of ginger, cut into small pieces, and boil it with water for 15-20 minutes. Or you can grate the ginger and pour boiling water over it and let it steep for about 20 minutes. After the tea has steeped, just add honey to taste, and squeeze in a large lemon wedge (or as much as you like). Through a bit of web searching, I discovered adding the zest of the lemon to the boiling water is also beneficial. You'll just want to strain the water after cooking. But don't add the lemon juice or honey until you turn the heat off. You don't want to cook out the nutrients.

What is your go-to tea when you are under the weather?