Tea Blog

ICED TEA & THE COLD BREW CONTINGENT

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Before ice was cool it was water

June is National Iced Tea month and in honor of this holiday we'll be offering some deep knowledge and deeper discounts to help keep you intellectually and actually insulated in the impending summer months. So, while your sipping on that sweaty beverage we offer you some fodder from the pages of history. We're going to unearth how tea went from hot to cold in two easy moves. The story behind iced tea's transformation from Midwest flare to world class fare.

The idea of icing this beverage is as old and celebrated as the union of this fair country.  However, the advent and origin are wildly debated. Cookbooks and confederacies touted the incorporation of cold cubes and crisp flavors as early as the 1840's. The Kentucky Housewife was one of the first periodicals to preach the gospel of this lovely libation calling it "Cold-Tea" and even articulating a recipe calling for "scalding" your kettle and then adding 2 teaspoons of green tea to it. Hard to believe given we see so much black tea these days, but then Chinese and Japanese green dominated the market prior to World War I & II.

However, the most widely distributed tout of truth brings us nearly half a century later at the St. Louis fair where, Richard Blechynden, director of the East India pavilion, became frustrated as he tried to offer samples of the hot stuff in the midst of the sweltering Midwest summer. His idea had not yet inoculated this beverage with sub-zero cubed delight; instead he channeled his brewed benevolence through a series of lead pipes immersed in ice resulting in a cool, refreshing beverage that tamed the tongues of fair goers alike.

Today, the newest of iterations have begun to emerge in the way of something known as "cold brewing". This is an idea that incorporates steeping the leaves of the tea for longer periods of time and at much lower temperatures to abide a full-strength non-ice necessitating refreshment. The resulting infusion lends itself to a softer, silkier palate and at full strength. Zhi Tea is proud to have been an early originator providing cold brew at zhitea.com since 2011 and we are overjoyed to see the trend taking off with a swift "can't stop won't stop" attitude.

As the summer season opens up and we find a revitalization in the newness of our own lives, perhaps cleansing the palate with the crisp and fervent flavors of an icy libation becomes necessary; something that reminds us of backyard barbeques, new beginnings and better times to come.

Pretty as a picture, Zhi’s new signature blend is a tea lover’s delight.

May we introduce you to our new hand blended original?

Please meet Violet Femme: a vanilla Earl Grey with notes of lavender.

Smooth, malty organic Assam tea is complimented with oil of bergamont, making this tea a ‘must’ for our Earl Grey fanatics.

Then, we compliment the citrus notes further with a floral blush of lavender. This makes the the tea even more aromatic without being overwhelming. To soften the bright notes common to bergamont and lavender, we round out the cup by adding vanilla. This creamy accent subdues the black tea blend and sweetens the cup by bringing in notes of carmalized brown sugar.

Balanced enough to be enjoyed on its own, Violet Femme is also great paired with cream and sugar. Bold, memorable, floral and flavorful, we hope you enjoy Zhi’s new signature blend.

Our ‘reviews’ feature on our website is open for your feedback and we’d love to hear your thoughts.  Please tell us what you think!

Yes, there are a million reasons to hate Valentine’s Day; we know. But, after the initial wave of cynicism passes, it’s almost impossible for us not to get excited about a day that celebrates Love. Don’t you agree? 

This year, don’t let the inevitable commercialism prevent you from getting excited about connecting with those you care about. As you know, the smallest gestures, the quickest glances, and the softest touches are often the most meaningful. Naturally, all of these qualities are present in Zhi’s true love: tea. 

What do you love about tea? Which special someone will enjoy a cuppa with you this Valentine’s Day? 

Consider sending your favorite rose tea to a far away friend so you can share a cup long-distance. Find a fun Valentine’s recipe to make and share with the office. Or, craft a handmade card to share with your sweetheart (while drinking tea, of course). Host a pretty pink Valentine’s Tea Party with your favorite gal pals.

No matter how you surrender to Cupid’s arrow, we know it will be remembered fondly.

This week’s Monday Mashup was an utter success. We blended 2 parts Vanilla Honeybush herbal tea to one part Fredericksburg Peach black tea to make a smooth, almost creamy concoction that felt like a warm and decadent peach pie.

The softness of the vanilla in the herbal tea perfectly subdued the harsher qualities of the black tea, leaving you with just the flavors of peach, honey, and vanilla — a combination you can’t help but adore.

As we’ve found ourselves in the winter months, we tasted this tea blend piping hot, but we’ve got a sneaking suspicion it will be just as good — if not better — as a chilly iced beverage to cool you off next summer. Ah, the versatility of tea…just another reason to love Zhi Tea all year long.

What winter mixture should we try next? Thinking up something spicy for Christmas…

Pu-erh is one of the oldest types of tea in China with a history of over 1700 years, tracing back to the Eastern Han Dynasty. During its height of popularity, the tea was freely traded even used as money for the bartering of goods. Pu-erh gets its name from the city of Pu-erh in south-western China where the trade for Pu-erh was conducted. Not far from Pu-erh are the areas of Xishuangbanna and Simou, where cultivation and processing of the tea is carried out today.

Unlike other teas, the processing of pu-erh is carefully guarded. In the past, trespassers mistaken as spies on pu-erh tea farms were known to be killed. To this day, the secrets of processing pu-erh remains ruthlessly guarded and it is only in China where genuine Pu-erh tea can be produced. The most basic processing methods include roasting the leaves right after they’re picked. After being roasted, theleaves are sun-dried before being steamed slightly and allowed to ferment. Some pu-erh manufacturers ferment the tea twice, making the flavor more intense.

Pu-Erh tea is known for being a great tea to drink for digestion, especially after a heavy meal. It also helps lower cholesterol which has been confirmed by several customers who drink a lot of it. Dr. Oz likes this tea for it’s fat shrinking ability.

Pu-erh’s post-fermentation process is similar to wine, cheese and saurkraut. The aging process allows the tea to develop added complexity in character. Some would say the tea has an earthy, moss like character. With active microbes living within the tea, pu-erh evolves with each passing year.

Pu-erh is traditionally compressed and packed into tea cakes or bricks to age. This originated from the natural aging process that happened in the storerooms of tea drinkers and merchants, as well as on horseback caravans on the Silk Road. This method made it easy to transport the tea by horseback and reduced the damage to the tea during travel.

Two antioxidant compounds, theabrownin and gallic acid, activate enzymes in our body responsible for fat metabolism. These antioxidants shrink fat tissue and help the body keep fat off weeks after ingestion. Plus, the caffeine in pu-erh helps speed metabolism, making the body more efficient at digesting a meal. Enjoy some today!