Greetings!

TGT Event 

"Music at the Fort" 

Concert Series in Highwood

On the evening of April 16^th The Green Teaist was proud to sponsor the spring flute recital of accomplished Flutist Hideko Amano. The event was held at the historic performance center of Midwest Young Artists in Fort Sheridan. The Attendees sampled Organic Sencha, Organic Genmaicha and Organic Hojicha accompanied by Belgian cookies and great a virtuoso performance by Ms. Amano.

 Joseph Stellner 

Whole Foods Market Event  

Mary Warren  

TGT Introducing "Kan-Fruit"   

TGT proudly unveils an especially light and refreshing addition to our accompaniments menu just in time for spring, "Kan-Fruit."  It is made from Kanten, a popular vegetarian gelatin substitute derived from refined seaweed  of Japan, and incorporated into a recipe that includes freshly steeped Gyokuro, no sugar, and a slice of poached fruit (in the form of pear or apple).    

TGT's new Poached Pear "Kan-Fruit".

"Kan-Fruit" makes for an extraordinary pairing with our pure green teas of Japan. Already in use in cutting edge professional kitchens around the world, Kanten is a most unique and versatile ingredient that TGT hopes to utilize in numerous recipes to come.  It also has dietetic attributes in terms of zero calories and carbohydrates, including its natural ability to limit excessive consumption of foods, thus contributing to a desirable and healthful weight loss program.

TGT's new Poached Apple "Kan-Fruit".

Perfect Gift for Mother's Day

The Mother's Day Gift Set

Show gratitude to the mothers in your life this Mother's Day with this  gift set that TGT specially created for the occassion. The Mother's Day gift set includes the Green Tea Collection Box of tea sachets, TGT's Mary Cassatt Note Card Set and 25 grams of Kukicha packaged in a TGT stainless steel tea caddy. The Green Tea Collection Box features ten (10) assorted TGT tea sachets (Gyokuro, Yamecha, TGT Blend, Sencha, Organic Hojicha, Kukicha, Hojicha, Organic Genmaicha, Genmaicha, and Organic Sencha). The Mary Cassatt Note Card Set features an image inspired by the artist titled "Afternoon Tea" on the front of each card leaving the inside open for a personal message or invitation (each packaged set includes ten (10) cards with envelopes). Gift box included.    

*TGT is promoting environmental sustainability.  As part of this effort, TGT Tea Sachets are made from a corn-based biodegradable material.

While our website is being revised to include the Mother's Day Gift Set and several new items, orders may be placed by calling (847) 735-0400 or by email, senglese@thegreenteaist.com

The Green Teaist Library

Book Review 

(The Green Teaist offers the most extensive collection of books on teas around the world, their history, provenance, practices and customs, with emphasis on the green teas of Japan.You may wish to browse  the more than 30 titles at TGT Lake Forest and a more limited collection at TGT Beverly Hills. We review each book in our expanding collection and, perhaps, interest you in increasing your understanding of teas.)

Lose Weight with Green Tea, Patricia Rouner, 157pp, Smith House Press: 2005, $14.95

Green tea used to be the world's best kept secret. However, with tea culture gaining a foothold in America and the increased interest in green tea health benefits, the secret is out. 'Lose Weight with Green Tea: A Safe Weight-Loss Method That Works' by Patricia Rouner is much more than just advice on how green tea can facilitate weight loss.  

Rouner makes no claims of being an expert or doctor, but her background in editing medical books and articles gives her a unique ability to communicate the extensive nutritional science hidden in our teacups. Rouner explains the chemistry behind tea, especially green, breaking down what makes tea good for the body and why it is beneficial to add to your diet.  

Green tea is rich with catechins which are made up of antioxidants. Antioxidants are the body's defense against the "free radicals"  that damage cells, causing them to weaken and die. "Free radicals" occur naturally when oxygen interacts with certain molecules in the body or environmentally from things like cigarette smoke, radiation, pesticides. "Catechins have antioxidant powers that are stronger than vitamins A, E, and according to the results of one test, almost 20 times stronger than vitamin C," (Rouner, 55).   

"By Western scientific measure, research on green tea is in its infancy," says Rouner (9). Green tea has been recorded for centuries by the Chinese as an aid to losing weight and health benefits, though western scientists hadn't seriously studied green tea until 1990. 'Lose Weight with Green Tea' focuses completely on how the addition of green tea can be beneficial, and does not boast any program to follow. Drinking green tea, with no change to diet or exercise, will on average burn an additional 80 calories per day according to one study.  

The book offers a comprehensive guide to green tea, answering all questions that might arise when thinking about trying something new,  as each chapter concludes with "Frequently Asked Questions". Rouner includes an insightful summary of the origins of tea, the growing and processing of tea, and how to be an educated consumer when buying, storing and steeping tea. While the focus of the book is weight loss, Rouner also explores the research being done with green tea's disease-prevention and disease-fighting benefits. Rouner's overview on these subjects are informative without being too lengthy, referring the reader to the book's appendix for additional books and research on specific topics.  

In short, this work is an excellent reference and  provides a wealth of information for anyone interested  in the complexities of green tea and how to relate that information to everyday life.

  Aubrey Konrath     

From the Corporate Office