Is this July or October?

I don't know about you, but we've been having truly bizarre weather this July. Cold, dank, wet, rainy -- in a city that usually tops 90 degrees by June.

Well, this morning, I decided not to let the weather get me down. I took a cup of jasmine & rose tea outside and sat down on the front step, with a towel under me. At first my mind wouldn't let go, but eventually it yielded to the aromatic jasmine buds and thoughts of tropical warmth, color and sunshine. Ahhhhhhhhh!

It just goes to show -- summer is definitely a state of mind.

Happy sipping!
-Chai, Baby!

How does your garden grow, baby?

A tip from several of our green-thumbed customers: after you drink your tea, empty your tea bag into your house plants or garden plants. A natural -- and naturally fragrant -- nutritional boost for your greenery!

Some Like it Iced

Baby, it's hot outside! Though many people drink hot tea year round, some prefer only iced tea in the summer. Luckily, iced tea is surprisingly simple to make. An important tip to keep in mind: don't over-steep your tea! Some people steep their tea too long in order to produce a tea liqueur that stands up to melting ice. However, over-steeping simply produces bitter tea.

Try this technique for a wonderful summer iced tea:
1. Bring 2 cups of water to a boil, and then turn off the heat.
2. Add 3 or 4 tea sachets to the boiled water and allow to steep for 5 minutes only!
3. After this decoction cools, pour the it into a large pitcher and add 2 quarts water.
4. Refrigerate for 2-3 hours.

Or, for a quicker cup, steep 2 tea sachets in one cup of boiling water for 3-4 minutes. Then, pour the tea over a tall glass of ice. Stay cool, baby!