A while after writing that second article, I noticed a note on Teas Etc about direct trade tea. Until then, I hadn’t heard of this concept; intrigued, I asked Beth Johnston, Teas Etc’s tea purveyor, if she would mind sharing a bit more about what direct trade tea is, how it compares to fair trade, and her thoughts on fair trade tea in general. I hope you find her responses as interesting as I did!

Beth Johnston from Teas Etc

What is direct trade tea?

Direct trade is a term that refers to the sourcing and buying relationship of a supplier who works directly with the farmer or processor. While many tea sellers believe that they are going ?direct?, true direct trade is not a trading company or broker which is the case in many instances.

In what ways is direct trade different from fair trade tea? How is it similar?

Direct trade is different from Fair Trade because of the transparency for us as a buyer. It allows me the peace of mind to know exactly where my tea purchasing dollars are going and that any premium I am paying (which is often the case) is going to the grower and processor not to run an organization. Conceptually they are similar in that there is a desire to pay a fair price to those responsible for the tea in our cup. I believe that direct trade is more substance over form.

Why do you believe direct trade is important?

Direct trade is important to us for a number of reasons. One important distinction is my insider knowledge of the authenticity of the tea and its origin. For example you can buy Bi Lo Chun from a variety of different growing areas in China and now even in Taiwan. True origin authentic Bi Lo Chun comes only from East West Mountain, outside of Suzhoug. So while you may be buying a Bi Lo Chun (Pi Lo Chun or Green Spring Snail) it is only going to represent a varietal that is truly authentic if it comes from the area that it originates from.

Direct trade is also about building relationships with my growers. This gives me a better overall understanding of my teas, the culture and people who produce them. It provides a sense of intimacy with my teas and positive well being knowing that we (Teas Etc) are paying a fair price for the hard work and effort that is put in to the teas we buy and sell.

Lastly, that intimacy absolutely helps me sell more tea! I would like to sit here and tell you it is all because I am a nice person but that really wouldn’t be honest. Consumers want a more global connection to the products that they purchase and as a supplier of direct trade teas it allows me to truly supply that experience. As specialty tea grows in popularity we are finding that wholesale clients are beginning to recognize the value of that direct trade relationship and are requesting more and more information and images of the teas. They want the ?story? and that gives us a competitive edge.

Should tea drinkers sacrifice quality in favor of fair trade?

I wouldn’t sacrifice quality in the cup for Fair Trade or any other certification on the label! Just because a tea does not carry the FT logo does not mean that it is produced under deplorable circumstances. I have traveled extensively and I have yet to see any indication of slavery or the exploitation of children in relationship to the production of tea.

The other part of the story that is often overlooked is how opinionated we are about how other people live around the world. Just because we (the US and other developed nations) believe that circumstances should be changed in a way that fits our lifestyle or ideals we fail to recognize that people may be quite content with the way they live despite our thoughts or lack of understanding. They are likely to be happy to have a job and given the choice may not wish to live the way we do.

I believe that while the intentions are good and may have been born out of kindness it is unconsciously a bit arrogant. Our way is not necessarily the right way.

What does 2010 hold in store for Teas Etc?

2010 is going to be an exciting year for Teas Etc. We have some new products on the horizon that I am personally very enthusiastic about and frankly are long overdue! While I had hoped to be announcing many of these in the beginning of the 2nd quarter we need a bit more research and development to get things right before launching. I wish I could reveal more but at this point that would be premature.

I can tell you that our new Tea Traveler, due out the last week of April, is 100% BPA free, has a newly designed finer mesh to accommodate even the smallest cut leaf and will be available in 3 new designs. This remains our number 1 selling accessory and we believe these changes will make it even more popular.

***

Thank you Beth for taking the time to share about direct trade tea and your perspective on fair trade.

On a final note, I wanted to mention an article I read earlier today on the T Ching blog: Behind the curtain of tea wholesale. I think it exposes some of the major flaws with tea businesses that don’t source their tea directly, but instead just order from wholesalers in the US (and often without trying the tea first). It further shows just how valuable direct trade can be in providing consumers with tea that is of a higher quality, while also offering greater benefits for the growers themselves.

© Eric for Tea Finely Brewed, 2010. | Direct Trade Tea: Interview with Beth Johnston from Teas Etc | One comment |
Post categories: Fair Trade tea, Interviews
Post tags: Beth Johnston, direct trade, fair trade, Teas Etc

One of the wiser voices in the tea blogging world is Jason Walker, who discovered tea while living in China. After returning home, Jason started Walker Tea Review, a website designed to help tea drinkers find good teas available online. He regularly posts video reviews of teas, which are a great learning tool because they show you how an experienced tea drinker prepares his tea.

I thought I’d catch up with Jason ? digitally, of course ? to learn more about his blog, the tea industry and more.

What are you drinking at the moment?

I’ve been trying more Korean greens lately. 

You originally got into tea while living in China. I don’t think there could be a better place to discover tea! What was it about tea that you fell in love with in China?

The taste. I was drinking teas of such rich flavor. The freshness and variety opened a new world to me.

Do you still have a soft spot for Chinese teas?

Yes, a warm, deeply-infused one. But I do appreciate teas from all over the world.

When did you start the Walker Tea Review?

WTR published its first video tea reviews at the end of 2008. In August 09, I moved on to create an online tea tasting program and reached over 100 tasting reviews.

Who or what inspired you to start the blog?

After returning to the US, I would visit tea shops and order teas, looking to find teas as good as those I had left in China. In the process, I found other people who wanted advice on choosing good teas and preparing them. The tea market was/is growing in the US, but I realized it could grow faster if people know how to properly appreciate tea. There are many who don’t like tea because they haven’t found the right mix of quality, taste, and successful preparation. 

Over the past few months I’ve seen a few articles suggesting that tea is the new coffee ? implying that it’s starting to develop a similarly fanatical base of followers who take their drink very seriously. Do you think we’re seeing a cultural shift in the West where drinking fine tea is becoming a trendy thing to do?

More like a cultural renaissance. From the early 1600′s tea was a dominant business and cultural force in the West. For Buddhist monks in Asia, tea was spiritual. From tea houses to our teapots at home, tea is communal. The only thing tea is waiting for in reaching its zenith is a cheap, quick, and hassle-free way to make delicious tea at work.

If you were to make one recommendation to a new tea drinker, what would it be?

Try lots of good tea. There are so many good teas out there that don’t need sugar or flavoring. Move past the teabag and savor the aromas of loose leaf tea. A good loose leaf (when properly served and re-steeped) can deliver more cups of delightful tea, usually for the same or lower cost per cup. And don’t try to cut corners by trying the cheapest loose leaf you can find. Too many people have already been put off of tea because they tried a lower quality (i.e. weak flavor and bitter) tea at a cheaper price. On my FAQ page, I’ve recommended 10 teas that I believe every person should try.

© eric for Tea Finely Brewed, 2009. | Tea Bloggers: Interview with Jason Walker | One comment |
Post categories: Interviews
Post tags: Jason Walker, tea blogs

Reminder: For a chance to win some free tea, leave a comment on this post with some ideas for what you’d like to see more of on Tea Finely Brewed.

A few weeks ago I wrote about Kilinoe Green Tea, a Hawaiian-grown tea sold by Narien Teas. Today, I’m really pleased to publish an interview with Eliah Halpenny, the tea farmer running Big Island Tea, the small eco-organic tea farm producing Kilinoe and other tea varieties. Eliah has a busy life ? as you’ll gather from reading the interview ? so I’m very thankful she took the time out to share about her personal journey towards becoming a tea farmer, and her thoughts on the future of the Hawaiian tea industry.

When did you start drinking tea?

My ?rst memory of drinking tea was at my Scottish grandmother?s. She served us tea and toast for breakfast. The toast was slathered in butter and dunked into black tea sweetened heavily, white with milk. Mmmmm–such a treat.

During my late teens I found herbal teas and still sip peppermint and other herbal infusions for late in the day.

?Tea…is the drink of Gods!?

But my ?rst really delicious cup of tea was tasted in Holland.

When I spent time in Holland in my early twenties, (my children?s father is Dutch) my father-in-law introduced me to ?ne whole leaf tea. I remember him standing poised with his bone china teacup, having just ceremoniously savoured a sip of tea declaring, ?Tea…is the drink of Gods!?

What did you do before you grew tea?

I was a single mother for 11 years. In that time frame, I sold advertising for a newspaper in Vancouver, Canada. That career was 100 % commission based! With good instincts for demographic trends, a love of the visual/graphic arts, a gregarious personality and a keen desire to offer my daughters a role model for developing healthy social skills, I found a successful niche in marketing and advertising.

During my 11 year stint at the newspaper I imagined myself eventually having my own product to sell. I knew who my market was even before I knew that I wanted to grow tea. The Baby Boomers.

I knew that tea was the plant for me ? a plant that does not need pesticides ? a sustainable commercial crop!

I know a fair bit about this demographic bulge in our population ? I am a Baby Boomer. (One who does not take myself too seriously?enough of the navel gazing already! ) I knew that if I could ?nd a product that captured the whim of this group, it would be a guaranteed success. I had witnessed the rise of so many ?health food products?. What kind of product could I produce to ?ll the need of this aging demographic group?

I ?oated with this fantasy for 10 years while I worked the trenches of print advertising. I should mention that I have been an avid backyard horticulturist most of my adult life. I studied landscape architecture, geography, soil and plant science at university. Before having children, I also worked as a commercial gardener and did a summer stint as a soil surveyor for Agriculture Canada.

When my new found love/ husband was offered a job at the University of Hawaii-Hilo in 1999, I realized it was time to start my own business. My husband, Dr. Cam Muir, is my partner in Big Island Tea as well as a geneticist/professor in the Biology department at UHH.

In the fall of 2001 (I had just moved to Hawaii to join Cam) I read an article in a local newspaper pro?ling a Hilo-based USDA researcher who was announcing his ?ndings about a 5 year project studying the viability of growing tea in Hawaii. I practically jumped off my seat knowing that I had found my muse.

What inspired you to grow tea in Hawai`i?

When I ?rst arrived in Hawai`i I could not work, as I am a Canadian citizen. I had decided that I wanted to start a ?ower farm and then ship ?owers to Vancouver. I did an orchid growing course. I learned quickly that I was unwilling to spray neuro-toxin pesticides on the ?owers, nor did I want pay another to do the deed.

Long ago I became an organic farmer because I witnessed the direct effects of an application of chemical fertilizer on our vegetable garden and the immediate reaction to the worms, our friendly soil builders. I chose the worms over chemicals. You can observe, healthy soil is alive with microorganisms and a healthy soil grows healthy plants, a basic green thumb fact.

When I read that article about tea?s viability in Hawai`i, the researcher mentioned that Camellia sinensis? had a resiliency to known pests in Hawai`i, that it thrives on Hawai`i?s acidic volcanic soil and crazy amount of rainfall on the east side of Big Island. I lived near Volcano where one of the research stations was having success with tea. I knew that tea was the plant for me ? a plant that does not need pesticides ? a sustainable commercial crop!

I called the researcher, he sent me 9 seeds, they all germinated and I knew that I could grow the plant. I now have ~6000 plants.

Over 8 years, we have selected plants that are best suited to the 3000 feet slope of Mauna Loa volcano. It is an on-going project, how to grow healthy tea plants and process the most delicious tea possible.

I am inspired by my love of the tea plant. It is beautiful to look at, so hardy, yet requiring many hours of care and attention. Everyday I get to work outside on the tea, I cannot believe my luck at ?nding myself creating such a ful?lling project!

When I ?nish hand-picking, hand-rolling each batch of tea, I know that drinkers will taste the amazing taste of this upland tropical paradise. My hands smell like tea after each processing, I am intoxicated by the smell without even drinking it. I recently brought a sample of our green tea to Canada to share, the comment made was it smells like your farm, sweet, light and citrussy.

Hawaiian tea.

What would you compare your tea to?

I cannot compare our tea although a few years back a group of Big Island Tea farmers had a tea party to share our brews. Although each had their own ?nished taste and look, there was an underlying taste throughout everyone?s sample. I think it is the soil, sunshine, rain and air ? the light, citrussy taste of paradise.

What have been the biggest challenges setting up our tea farm?

The biggest challenge getting our farm going has been acquiring plant material. Initially it took many months sur?ng the web until I found a source for excellent viable tea seed. I met a contact from Darjeeling, India; these seedlings are my best plants. We were given and sold cuttings from the USDA/Hawaii. Our wish is to grow tea sustainably, we veto the idea of solely a clonal crop.

Another challenge was learning how to grow plants organically that can survive within our micro-environment. Apart from a small pamphlet documenting the limited tea research done on the Big Island, we have had to re-invent the wheel. I have used the internet and books to educate but I think our on-going learning curve has slowed down the whole process.

Being a 56 year old woman (with no working capital) starting up such an ambitious tea project has been a stretch. My husband?s work load at the university is minimally 60hrs/ week. He helps on weekends and for the ?rst time this summer, he worked full time on the farm.

So, I have had to work like an ox to get all of the tea in the ground. We now harvest and process –another dimension of our goal. I have had to get our accounting and marketing in place…wheww! I de?nitely wear too many hats. I wish that I had started this when I were younger or that I had an army of children to enlist on our farm!

Are there many other tea farms in Hawai`i?

There are approximately 6 farms that are now processing tea. There are new farmers joining the ranks but everyone has the same obstacle, acquiring plant material. The agricultural outreach centre and the Hawai`i Tea Society offer clones to those who can wait as they are distributed in a limited fashion. There are also now farms on the other Hawaiian islands starting up. This is a pioneer industry.

What sets your tea farm apart from the other tea farms?

In truth, I have a vague idea but do not know what the others are doing on their farm. I do believe we are the only farm that is re-foresting our land with native trees. We are farming on 16 feet of volcanic soil in an area which was forested in the 1960?s for pastureland. Endemic koa trees are nitrogen ?xing and cast just the right amount of shade for our tea. We are planting these trees and many other native varieties to enrich the soil and to recreate a mid-elevation rainforest canopy.

As well, we have a 100,000 gallon pond which are teeming with koi and Asian cat?sh ? we use this nutrient rich water to irrigate our crop. I do not believe anyone else has this fertilization system.

My husband?s knowledge is paramount in expanding our vision for sustainable agriculture. We are researching new farming practices, meshed with aquaculture for local farmers to utilize. The gap left on this island when the cane industry died can be ?lled with a new crop, Camellia sinensis.

Lastly, we have satellite growers. These farmers are growing tea that we have supplied them and we are mentoring them with their projects. We have learned a bit about growing tea in Hawaii over the past 8 years and share our expertise freely. We love to help other tea farmers get started because we know there is a great opportunity for many.

How do you hope to see the Hawaiian tea industry develop over the next decade? Is there a lot of room for growth?

There is sooooo much room for growth that it is giddy-making. Think of it, tea is the most consumed liquid in the world next to water and right here in North America, there are only a handful of growers!!! How much more opportunity could one need?

Cam and I talk to people all the time, encouraging them to get on-board, to get some tea growing. More farmers growing tea will help launch the Hawai`i tea industry. Tea is a crop that is a good ?t for Hawai`i. The market is perfect for the introduction of a new specialty tea; the growing conditions are perfect in Hawai`i; everybody worldwide loves Hawai`i; we are producing a unique taste; the media educates everyone with the health bene?ts of tea; and there are only a few small farms in North America.

I see the Hawaii tea industry as a success story in the making. It is important for Hawai`i that diversi?ed agriculture ?lls the gap left by the ending of the

sugar cane, pineapple, macademia nut industries. The tea we are planting today can be harvested over the next multitude of generations if grown with healthy farming practices. The current marketing opportunity to produce a specialty tea is one that we encourage all farmers to embrace.

The burgeoning Hawai`i tea industy is wide open for development, investors and entrepreneurs.

You can buy Big Island Tea through Narien Teas

© eric for Tea Finely Brewed, 2009. | Big Island Tea: Interview with Eliah Halpenny, a Hawaiian Tea Farmer | 3 comments |
Post categories: Interviews
Post tags: Hawaiian tea, tea farmer

Today, I’m really pleased to publish an interview with Mary Lou Heiss. I have a small but growing collection of books about tea, and The Story of Tea: A Cultural History and Drinking Guide, which Mary Lou penned with her husband Bob, is by far the most comprehensive resource on the subject. The Story of Tea takes an in-depth look at the world of tea, covering the various types of tea, major tea producing countries and regions, tea culture and its history – among other things. Seriously, if there’s one book about tea you should have, it’s this one.

I was excited to have the opportunity to ask Mary Lou a few questions about her personal tea journey, what led her to write The Story of Tea and how she sees the economic crisis affecting the tea industry.

What are you drinking at the moment?

Right now I am dipping into all of the Pre-Qing Ming and Before the Rains green teas (Du Yun Mao Jian, Gu Zhu Zi Sun, Jing Shan Hao Ya, Jiu Hua Shan Fo Cha) that we have received over the last few weeks. Most of these teas are from eastern China, from Zhejiang, Anhui and Jiangxi Provinces, the places that we visited on our very first tea sourcing trip to China. The tastes of these teas are near and dear to me.

When did you first grow interested in tea?

We have been selling tea for 35 years, and I have always found it interesting.

Over the years I learned all that I could from our tea suppliers and from books, etc., until I finally reached the end-point of tea information in the USA ( in English). For example, I, like most everyone else in the tea trade, read William Ukers book on tea ? All About Tea ? which is wonderful but rather dated. I found it frustrating that there was not a more current book that brought the conversation about tea cultivation and production into the 21 century. I realized that in order to learn the details that we wanted to know, we needed to go ?to the source? to observe and learn for ourselves.

So when we took our first trip to China in spring 2000 we were finally able to see artisan tea made in different regions of China and how the influences of terroir (place) affect the flavor of each tea. Tea is important in tea producing countries, not just as a crop but also as the national drink. In each tea producing region , tea production is influenced by national culture as well as by local culture and how it is that the locals have always processed their tea. Nearly everyone in the tea villages is (or was when they were younger) involved with tea and contributes their efforts to get the tea harvested, made, and sent to market. It is an old-fashioned agrarian way of life that is fascinating to observe. The importance of culture and the combined efforts of many is something that older tea books never really addressed.

Why did you decide to write The Story of Tea?

Matcha, bowl and whisk. Photo by stephcarter.

We had traveled to China on three separate occasions to different tea producing areas and had observed the manufacture of many different regional teas. I had taken close to 2,000 photographs because I love to photograph people, process and food. Back home, we gave talks and made slide show presentations for our local audience, but it did not occur to us that perhaps there was a larger market interested in what we had to say. We did all of that exploring because we had become a bit obsessed about tea and wanted to learn as much as we could about it.

Long story short, we both attended an international culinary conference and each spoke separately about tea. The acquisitions editor of Ten Speed Press heard one of us speak and tracked us down. He asked us if we would be interesting in writing a book about tea, and we said ?YES.? It was to be a small book but it ended up being a very large book because there is just so much to say about tea.

One of the things I appreciate about you book is that you’ve been to tea growing regions and you’re obviously writing from first-hand experience. How much of your personal education about tea has come from these visits?

Prior to visiting tea producing countries I knew about the basic steps of tea manufacture, etc, from the books that I had read. But, as I discovered, there is so much to be learned from immersing oneself in the frenzy of activity during the spring tea harvest and watching how everyone from the tea pluckers to the tea masters processing the leaf in the tea factory work together to get the job done and done well. All tea making has exceptions to the ?written rule? such as the little extra steps that the workers do or don?t do in the processing of their tea that make it unique.

The best tea makers work with the fresh leaf to make the best tea that their experience tells them they can make from that leaf; they do not force the leaf to be something that it does not want to be. Or to make their tea taste like something their tea is not meant to taste like. They do not try to re-invent the wheel but instead try to perfect the tradition because that is what gives their tea its distinctive qualities. Local traditions are a big part of terroir and they know that, even if they don?t use that word for it. It?s a bit like cooking: one can read all the cookbooks in the world about what to do and what order to do it in, but the actual act of cooking always throws situations at one both sideways and crossways and almost never in that straightforward manner that the book suggested.

I would say my personal tea education has given me insight and perspective. I have come to learn that tea making is not just a homogenous process but that the intangibles of terroir, custom and culture are crucial elements to the taste of a unique tea. The detail and specificity required to produce great tea is astonishing and to be respected.

For me personally, one of the cool things about tea is the diversity and range of teas available. In some ways, I feel like I’m just discovering the tip of the iceberg. After years of drinking and selling tea, does tea still throw some surprises your way?

Sure, but most of the surprises are good ones, such as uncovering teas that have not been sold here before. Fortunately, we live in a time when great tea is available in both of our respective countries. Prior to the relaxing of export laws in China, the great teas were not being sent to the West, and most of us in the tea business did not have access to the diversity of China?s tea. Now that trade with China has opened up, and tea has become a very hot commodity, the floodgates of great tea have re-opened. This is allowing many of China?s premium teas to come our way, and that is thrilling. Recently, we were offered some Zhu Hai Jin Ming, a black tea from Jiangsu Province, China. We did not know the tea and tasted a sample. We loved it and snapped it up. For us it is fun to find new teas with new tastes and characteristics that we can charm our customers with, such as the glorious hand-rolled Nepal tea that is on the way to us now.

So yes, access is changing. But with modernity and access come situations like counterfeit tea and the need to protect the great teas, such as Darjeeling and Longjing, from mis-labeling and mis-use.

How do you expect the economic crisis to affect the tea industry?

I don?t think that the current economic crisis will have much effect on the tea industry per se, but I think that there are changes afoot that will impact the tea industry as a whole.

I think that there are two different tea markets and two different situations occurring. First, the premium tea market seems to be holding strong because these amazing teas have such a strong appeal to young people, who are a very dominant force driving the premium tea market. Also, cafes, restaurants, etc are upgrading their tea selection, which provides exposure to good tea to a large number of people of all ages. And, more than before, older adults are taking leisure travel holidays to countries where tea is produced and the tea drinking culture is strong, such as India, China, Vietnam, etc. This is increasing exposure to distinctive, premium tea for that age group as well.

Sadly, I think that the countries that produce commercial grade CTC teas for large tea blenders and tea packers to use in tea blends and RTD beverages are suffering from a world-wide over-supply of such tea. It is difficult for many of these countries to command any kind of equitable price for their tea, so the prices drop and the workers get paid less for their fresh leaf. Hopefully, some of these tea industries will realize that the future is not in cheap tea and learn to craft teas that are special and unique to their region and country. In a perfect world, everyone would encourage the terroir in their leaf rather than force it out, which would upgrade the quality of everyday drinking tea and RDT might actually contain some measure of tea in the bottle.

You mentioned that you have a new book in the works. What will be the focus of this one?

This book is a great companion book to The Story of Tea: A Cultural History and Drinking Guide
as it covers different aspects of the tea experience. The working title right now is: The Tea Enthusiast?s Handbook: A Guide to Enjoying the World?s Best Tea. It is a tutorial on learning what one needs to know about tea in order to feel confident when faced with the choices on a tea menu and how to be discerning when purchasing loose-leaf tea. There are many discussions about all manner of topics regarding tea and a lengthy tea pictorial and tasting guide.

Is there anything that you would change about the tea around today if you could?

Yes. It saddens me to see such an emphasis placed on flavored teas and RTD bottled tea beverages. To me, flavored teas are the ?sangria? of the tea world and while there are many delicious ones available, it seems in some corners of the tea market that these are becoming dominant. To me, flavored tea is ?sugar-coating? the taste of tea with fruits and spices. The wine industry managed to move people away from fruit wines a long time ago; I pray that a better appreciation of pure leaf tea leaf and all of its origin specific uniqueness will ultimately come to pass.

RTD bottled beverages have little to do with tea ? they are simply a way for the manufacturers to grab a share of bottled water sales. It is unfortunate that some people equate these beverages with ?drinking tea? or being a healthier alternative to soda: that is not the case at all.

Bob and Mary Lou’s specialty tea shop is Tea Trekker; it boasts a wonderful collection of teas you may never have heard of. I also suggest checking out their blog and, of course, their book.

© eric for Tea Finely Brewed, 2009. | Interview with Mary Lou Heiss, author of "The Story of Tea" | 4 comments |
Post categories: Interviews
Post tags: Mary Lou Heiss, tea books, The Story of Tea

When I first started blogging about tea, I was surprised to discover how many other people are out there doing the same thing. Seems I’m not the only one who’s overly obsessed with tea!

Today, I’m posting an interview I did with Lainie Petersen, who posts tea reviews, articles and other tea-related tidbits on her blog, Lainie Sips.

First of all, thanks for taking the time to do the interview! What led you to start blogging about tea?

In March of 2008 I discovered the book “The Ultimate Tea Diet” by Dr Mark Ukra, and as I needed to lose weight, swapped out other beverages for tea, and began using flavored teas to curb cravings.

I was drinking so much tea, and so many different varieties, that I began updating my social media statuses with the name of whatever tea I was drinking. Folks on Twitter and Facebook became interested in my tea-drinking, and started to ask questions about the teas. In self -defense, I began a blog and started to review tea.

Besides blogging about tea, what else do you do?

I am a bivocational priest (a bishop-elect, actually) in the American Apostolic Church (a tiny, independent denomination), and that keeps me pretty busy. (Bivocational means that I need to work a “secular” job to support myself, and I am, in fact, looking for a new job now.) I also love to read, cook, and take very long walks!

When did you first discover how much you like tea? Or did you grow up drinking it?

I liked tea as a kid, but like most Americans, thought of it as something you got when you were sick. I started drinking iced tea (unsweetened) when I got older, but didn’t really get into serious tea drinking until last year.

It’s interesting you mention how you started drinking unsweetened iced tea when you were older. Sweetened bottled iced tea is very popular these days. On the one hand, I guess it promotes tea; but it certainly doesn’t promote a healthy cup of tea. What do you think of the rise of bottled iced tea?

I think it is unfortunate: I don’t have objections to it as an occasional treat, but I do think that it reflects the sweetening of the national palate, which is a very bad thing. We eat, and drink, too much sugar as it is (and in the United States, we drink 20% of our daily calories).

The thing is, good tea often has its own sweetness, but because we are so used to oversweetened foods and drinks, we can’t appreciate it.

You review a pretty big variety of teas on Lainie Sips, from oolongs to black teas to bottle iced tea. Do you have any personal favourites?

I try to vary the teas I review because everyone has different tastes and budgets, though my personal favorites are oolongs, specifically Ti Kuan Yin. Also very fond of Yunnan Golds!

Are there any varieties of tea you just haven’t been able to get used to?

I just can’t get into Long Jing (Dragon Well). I’ve tried, and failed. Just not my thing.

I always love discovering new teas. There’s such an immense variety of teas out there. What’s a great new type of tea you’ve discovered recently?

Dream About Tea, a great Chinese tea shop and importer here where I live, just got an incredible Bao Zhong (aka pouchong) in: Sweet, nutty dry nose that develops into a gorgeous floral tea. Remarkable.

Sounds great! Do you get most of your tea from shops near you, or do you buy a lot of tea online?

I do a bit of shopping at local tea shops, plus many great companies send me samples to review. Sometimes I buy tea online, as well, if they have something I really like/want.

Now, confession time: Do you drink coffee?

I do, and I love the stuff. Unfortunately, I don’t deal with caffeine well, so it is really more of an occasional treat for me.

© eric for Tea Finely Brewed, 2009. | Tea Bloggers: Interview with Lainie Petersen | 4 comments |
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