fresh thoughts, meditations and ramblings re. tea
at urbàna, we think it’s important to make ethical decisions about how our consumption relates to the environment. for that reason, we are dedicated to bringing you quality organic and biodynamic teas. our organic teas are certified, which means they are grown and processed without any unnatural pesticides, fertilizers or other additives on land that has been tested for pesticide/fertilizer residue. we also carry two biodynamic teas, which are like a step beyond organic. rather than just not harming the earth, they give back to it with practices like keeping surrounding areas healthy with natural, local flora and fauna and nourishing topsoil with natural, healthy ferments.
half of our premium, looseleaf teas and tisanes are certified organic. check out our organic tea collection and our biodynamic darjeeling makaibari estate and biodynamic makaibari 2nd flush muscatel.
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we all love to be healthy, but sometimes we love our sugar, too! a recent article on world tea news was about the trend of sweet teas in the u.s. (southern and otherwise). here’s a taste:
traditional sweet teas are surging in popularity, but sweet tea is also getting reinvented as arnold palmers, tea lattes, tea cocktails and frozen tea treats to appeal to varied market segments.
arnold palmers are half-lemonade, half-iced tea drinks that were named after the golfer and are sometimes known as a “half-and-halves.” lately, they’ve popped up in bottles, tearooms and even starbucks.
tea lattes are a variation on italian caffe lattes, which were successfully adapted by the coffee industry before moving into the tea world. many consider them to be a good introductory tea for coffee drinkers.
as a charlotte, nc tearoom, we often serve sweet iced tea. (we sweeten ours with honey.) still, we love our tea lattes, especially with matcha for lattes or cha cha chai. after reading this, we decided to experiment with arnold palmers. if you’re in the area, stop by the teabar before the weather gets cold and try one! the article goes on to talk about tea cocktails, which we also love. you can read more about why tea is sweet here.
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lately, more and more men are realizing that tea doesn’t have to be a “pinkies up” affair. maybe it’s because of eastern influences or awareness about tea’s benefits. whatever the reason, we’re glad to be a part of it by offering a male-friendly environment and a range of teas men love! here are a few of our more macho teas:
assam mangalam estate: robust, assertive and full-bodied
ceremonial matcha: this high-caffeine tea was traditionally only made by men
fire ginseng: all the energy, none of the caffeine
ginseng oolong: another popular ginseng blend
gunpowder green: this strong green is used by moroccan men to make mint tea
lapsang souchong: dark, smoky, strong and rich
pu-erh: dark, rich, earthy teas that are fermented like wine
yerba mates: traditional south american “cowboy teas” with powerful caffeine kicks
what are your favorite macho teas?
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summer is the perfect time for healthy, local, delicious fruit. what better way to consume it than with tea?! here are two of our favorite recipes that combine two of our favorite things, fresh summer fruit and delicious, premium loose-leaf tea.
summer fruit smoothie
1-2 bananas
2 c. assorted rinsed, chopped summer fruit (preferably local)
2 c. milk, soy or other “milk”
a dash of vanilla, orange zest or cardamom, if desired
2 tbsp. matcha latte mix
blend until smooth and serve.
tea-poached summer fruit (adapted from tea: aromas and flavors around the world)
1 lb. superfine sugar
2 fresh peaches
4 fresh apricots
4 tsp. darjeeling makaibari estate (organic and fair trade)
1/2 lemon’s juice
1/2 vanilla bean, lightly grated
infuse the tea in two cups of 200 degree water (below boiling) for four minutes. remove and reserve the leaves.
make a simple syrup from the sugar and the tea. (boil on low heat until thick, about 20 minutes.)
poach the peaches for 10 minutes and remove.
separately poach the apricots for 5 minutes and remove.
carefully peel the fruits and split them in half with a knife.
arrange the fruits in four small bowls and top with syrup, tea leaves, lemon juice and vanilla bean.
place in the refrigerator until cool.
serve with brewed darjeeling makaibari estate tea.
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