teas for the holidaysNovember 30th, 2010No Comments »

the holidays are a time of warmth and connection. at urbana, we find that there’s no better way to connect with friends and family than over a pot of tea. with that in mind, we’ve recently added some fantastic holiday teas to our menu. they’re available online and in our spa, so you can shop for holiday teas now or stop in to our spa for a pot of tea with friends.

here are some (old and new) urbana favorites that we think you’ll love sipping over the holidays:

want a sweet flavor profile that’s great for pairing with desserts? try our caramelized pear and pumpkin spice blends.

worried about weight gain during the holidays? cut calories without skimping on flavor. try our decadent apple pie, pumpkin pie, macaroon oolong and gingerbread cookies blends in lieu of their namesake desserts.

looking for a classic urbana tea (or a soon-to-be hit)? almond cookies is such a popular tea during the holidays and beyond that we’ve added a richer, darker variation on it to our menu: almondine.

love sweet, warming spices? spicy chai blends like our organic cha cha chai and our caffeine-free rooibos chai are always welcome additions to holiday feasts. we also recommend spiced blends like our cinnamon stix, tangerine spice and organic ginger pu-erh.

want a tea that’s as festive as your holiday celebrations? check out our colorful berry green and our tingly, mint-spiked organic moroccan mint.

craving comforting vanilla? the soothing flavor of vanilla abounds in our vanilla cream black tea and our organic silk oolong.

what are your favorite urbana teas for the holidays?

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cast-iron teapotsNovember 6th, 2010No Comments »

looking for an elegant tea gift for the holidays? you’re in luck – our tea and our cast iron teapots are on sale. use the coupon code “urb1115” for online orders or mention the urbana blog during in-store checkout for a 15% discount through 11-30-10.
 
cast iron teapots (or tetsubin) originated in japan around the 17th century. they were based on a design for a water kettle used to make ceremonial matcha, but came to be an iconic and prestigious symbol of brewed tea in japan.
 
many traditional tetsubin have a rough iron interior that requires careful upkeep. however, all of our tetsubin have an enamel finish on the interior, so they are easy to care for. (some people also call them “iron kyusu” – or iron versions of simplified japanese teapots – for this reason.)
 
we love using cast iron teapots to brew green teas, like our everyday organic bancha, our flavorful organic kukicha, our roasty houjicha 1st flush, our beguiling geisha green and our classic organic sencha. these teas are a natural way to complete a gift of a stylish cast iron teapot; simply pick a few teas that suit the recipient’s tastes and your gift turns into a complete tea experience that can be enjoyed again and again.
 
we offer green, black, copper-colored and silver-colored cast iron teapots on our website. we also have additional styles in our spa shop. you can find out more about additional tetsubin styles by stopping in or by calling us toll-free at 866-587-2262. be sure to use the “urb1115” discount code or to mention the urbana blog during checkout for a 15% discount on cast iron teapots and tea through november 30.

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