| Tea & Health |
Use Tea for Health and Beauty
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Did you know....Peppermint tea is good for tummy aches? It has an anesthetic effect on the nerve endings of the stomach and can ease that nausea at the same time. A bonus is that drinking peppermint tea can ease those tough or lingering cases of body odor. Come in and tell your Tea Smithy, "Moroccan Mint, please!"
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Upcoming Events
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Hy Vee Total Health Experience
November 8th 12-6
Mid America Center, Council Bluffs
Black Friday Shoppers Respite
The Tea Smith stores will be offering a respite from the BIG MALLS. Stop in for snacks, special deals and a place to relax during this hectic day.
ONLINE SPECIALS AS WELL FOR OUR OUT OF TOWN FRIENDS
Complete details to follow. |
| Quick Links |
The Tea Smith Website
 The Tea Smith on Facebook
Tea Basics video - owner Tim Smith talks about tea processing
It's Just Tea - fun video about finding the perfect cup of tea
The Tea Smith Press - Opportunities for tea in the beverage industry |
| Our Locations |
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Shops of Legacy
168th & W. Center
Tower Plaza
78th & Dodge
Online
www.theteasmith.com |
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Greetings!
Bringing you information about the health benefits of tea and a balanced lifestyle is always exciting!
Each month, we'll bring you news on each of the following topics:
- Tea & Health - the latest on health and our favorite beverage
- Featured Teas - our newest and noteworthy teas
- World of Tea - tea information from around the globe
- Tea Recipes - cooking and baking with tea
If you have an idea for a topic or a question, just let us know. |
| Tea & Health |
To Reduce Stress During The Holidays, Turn to Tea!.
~ Greetings from the Loose Leaf!
Bah Humbug! It's that time of year again. Not that the holidays are something to dread. I love getting together, baking and all the fun of socializing. It's just the stress of trying to make it all FIT!!!! The  Christmas displays are out right after the back-to-school specials are over! Well, maybe not THAT early but before Halloween.
How do you cope with the stress? Do you pull out your hair racing from store to store to check out the early bird specials? Don't even mention Black Friday! A person could go crazy!!! But never fear. There is always tea. Tea can even out your frazzled disposition and make you human again. There is nothing better than a relaxing cup of your favorite tea to bring the world back on its axis.
I was reading an article from the UK Tea Council about stressing out. It is a scientifically proven fact that the act of making and drinking one cup of tea can bring down your anxiety level. Just ask the guinea pigs used in the experiment. The UK Tea Council gives us three good reasons to put the kettle on. Want to know what they are? Check out this Oct. 6th article for the answers.... Polly put the kettle on!
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| Featured Teas |
Seasonal Teas For Autumn and Winter Enjoyment.
The colder weather and bare trees remind us that Autumn is in full swing. What better way to celebrate than snuggling up with a warm cup of Sinfully Sweet Apple Pie. The marriage of artisan quality green and black tea are aptly complimented by bits of real apple pieces and sprinkled with just the perfect amount of cinnamon spice.. Smooth, naturally flavorful, it has become one of customers favorites.  We have a lot of fun with it in the stores as well. Our Tea Smithies came up with a Caramel Apple Pie Latte that is as good as it sounds. It just shows how versatile teas can be when you add a bit of imagination.
Apple is the taste of the season. Our newest selection, Almond Apple Delight combines the sweetness of apple with the warm taste of toasted almonds.  Warm up your days and nights with this spiced drink, Naturally sweet, this caffeine free selection is sure to please! Almond Apple Delight tisane is gaining a popular following, Hurry in before the season is over.
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World of Tea
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$10,000 per lb for Tea!!
October 23rd CNBC published an article entitled :The $1000 a Gram Tea. No, they did not find this at The Tea Smith. This covered the rise and fall of Puerh as an investment. So we thought a bit of information about this tea, what makes it special and why it can be so expensive.
Puerh, or dark tea, as the Chinese call it is produced in the  Yunnan province. It is thought have a number of health benefits, ease digestion, and is used as a cleansing tea. It is unique among tea processing, as this is the only tea that can be aged for decades, and is actually fermented to produce its unique earthy flavor profile.
Puerh is produced from large leaf varietals grown in the Yunnan province of China. There are two types of Puerh; Raw, and Cooked. The process for the Raw style begins as with other teas, picking, withering, then some heating to stop the oxidation process. It is then formed into cakes, or left loose and stored under controlled temperature and humidity to allow the tea to ferment, for a year or better. It is then compressed into a cake, or brick then allowed to mature. Over a period of years, even decades, the tea continues to age and develop a smooth more mellow flavor. It is these teas which, when they have aged for 30-40 years or more that fetch the astronomical prices.
In the 1970's the process for 'cooked' puerh was developed.  This was introduced as a response to consumers that wanted a puerh that could be consumed earlier. Once formed, the teas are set on racks in heated chambers with hot moist air circulated, which allows the tea to oxidize and darken quickly. This produces a tea that is affordable and easy to drink.
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| Tea Recipes |
TEXAS CHILI NILGIRI STYLE
5 c. boiling water
6 T. loose-leaf Nilgiri tea leaves, divided (or use Assam or low grown Ceylon)
3 1/2 lbs. beef chuck, trimmed and chopped into 1/2-inch cubes 
Kosher or sea salt to taste
Freshly ground black ground pepper to taste
2 T. vegetable oil
4 medium onions, chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 (6-oz.) cans tomato paste
3 T. dried oregano
1 T. dried basil
3 T. chili powder, or to taste
4 t. ground cinnamon
1 T. cayenne
1 T. sweet paprika
1 T. Sriracha or other chili sauce
1 t. ground cumin
Pour the boiling water over 3 T. of the tea in a medium bowl. Steep for 5 minutes, strain and set aside. Discard the leaves.
Grind the remaining 3 T. tea until very fine. There should be about 2 T. ground tea. Reserve.
Season the beef cubes with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large pot over high heat. Sear the beef in small batches. Add additional oil if needed. Transfer each batch to a plate as it is done. When all the meat is seared, lower heat to medium and add the onions and garlic. Cook until lightly browned, about 5 minutes, stirring up any remaining bits of meat from the bottom of the pan. Return the beef to the pot, stir in the tomato paste and continue to cook, stirring, another 10 minutes. Add reserved ground tea, oregano, basil, chili powder, cinnamon, cayenne, paprika, chili sauce and cumin. Stir for another 2 minutes then add the steeped tea. Stir, bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to low and simmer covered, over very low heat, stirring periodically, until meat is completely tender, about 2 hours. Serve with fresh cornbread and coleslaw or a good vinegary salad.
Serves 6-8.
(Recipes courtesy of Cynthia Gold, tea sommelier, Boston Park Plaza Hotel and Towers.)
Do you have a favorite tea recipe?
We would love to share it! Send in your favorite recipes, and if we use it we'll send you a token of our appreciation. Email us: listening@theteasmith.com. | |
All of us at The Tea Smith would like to sincerely thank you for supporting us. We appreciate your patronage. We love to hear from you about what you like best or what we can do to improve your experience. Please feel free to call or email me at chiefleaf@theteasmith.com
Sincerely,
Tim Smith, Chief Leaf
The Tea Smith, L.L.C. |
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