It’s the silly season, as they say. That time of year where you burn cash like it’s firewood. As my token gesture of seasonal anticipation, I have put together a list of gift ideas for tea lovers. Send this to your family and friends to give them some ideas on what to get you, or use this as a starting point if you’re buying a gift for someone who loves tea.

Tea Sample Packs

Pretty much every tea shop out there offers sample packs, which can be a great way to introduce someone to the world of tea. Adagio, for example, offer a whole range of sampler packs, including ones for black tea, oolong, white tea, green tea and herbal tea. Mighty Leaf also have a number of samplers, among them a Japanese green tea collection and a private reserve mini loose tea collection.

Also check out samplers from Teas Etc, Art of Tea and The Teaspot.

Tea of the Month Club Membership

The gift that keeps on giving. Instead of giving your loved one a handful of tea, why not give them a year’s supply? Art of Tea have 3-month, 6-month and 12-month memberships, with one seasonally selected tea going out every month. Mighty Leaf have a similar deal, with 3-month, 4-month and 6-month clubs. One bonus with the Mighty Leaf program is that you can find out exactly which teas you’ll get ahead of time. Alternatively, you might prefer O-Cha’s membership if you love Japanese green tea. Those are just three of the merchants with club memberships ? I’m sure you can dig up a few more!

Flowering Tea Sets

I confess I’m not a huge fan of flowering teas, since the quality of the tea can be sub-par, but I know plenty of people love to watch these unfold. Numi Tea have a bamboo flowering tea gift set and Teas Etc have a flowering tea set that comes with a glass mug.

Matcha Starter Kit

Photo copyright O-Cha

I bought this for Bec last year for her birthday (which falls a week before Christmas). If you want to introduce someone to the wonderful world of matcha, O-Cha’s matcha starter kit is the perfect introduction. You’ll get a tin of the matcha of your choosing, an authentic Japanese bamboo tea whisk and a bamboo matcha spoon. You can also add on other matcha accessories (chawan, water cooler, whisk holder) with a 10% discount.

Art of Tea also have a matcha set that comes with a tin of their ceremonial matcha, a whisk, whisk holder, matcha spoon and matcha bowl (chawan).

Tea Travel Mug

This is what I’ll be asking for this Christmas! As I found a couple of months ago when I wrote about travel mugs, there are plenty of options out there for the tea lover.

Matcha Bowls / Chawans

If you know someone who loves matcha, check out O-Cha’s collection of matcha bowls (chawans). I found myself drooling over these last week! They’re not cheap, but they’re handcrafted in Japan and they’re absolutely beautiful. A great gift for the matcha lover.

IngenuiTEA

The IngenuiTea is a smart little device. Just put the tea leaves and water in it, allow it to steep, and then place it on top of your cup, which forces the tea to drain down.

My mom bought one of these for me years ago, and it’s been one of my favourite devices for brewing tea ever since. Easy to use and easy to clean. You can pick one up from Adagio or Teavana.

Tetsubin Tea Gift Set

A tetsubin is a cast-iron Japanese teapot. Art of Tea’s Tetsubin Tea Gift Set comes with a tetsubin, a trivet and a pair of teacups.

Stain Teacups

If you’ve been with me since the very start of this blog, you might remember these nifty teacups I wrote about back then. The cups start out white, but as you use them the natural staining that comes from tea reveals an underlying pattern. Very cool. They’re available from designer Bethan Laura Wood.

Story of Tea: A Cultural History and Drinking Guide

I’ve been raving about Mary Lou and Robert Heiss’ The Story of Tea ever since I started this blog! It’s been an indispensable guide to the world of tea and I heartily recommend it. A well-designed, easy to read guide to tea, covering everything from tea production methods to the health benefits of tea. Read my interview with Mary Lou Heiss or pick yourself up a copy of The Story of Tea from Amazon .

The Harney & Sons Guide to Tea

I actually just received this in the mail today. Michael Harney’s Guide to Tea is a lovely book providing a valuable reference point for learning more about the huge variety of teas available out there. You’ll feel like a smarter tea drinker within five minutes of picking it up! Available from Amazon .

Liquid Jade: The Story of Tea from East to West

This one is mostly about the history and culture of tea ? a fascinating story. I reviewed Liquid Jade earlier this year, so be sure to read my review to see whether it sounds like something you’d enjoy. It’s available from Amazon .

Tea Shirts

Eh, you’ll have to pardon the pun! CafePress has some great t-shirt designs with a tea theme. Personal favourites? Make Tea Not War, Tea is the New Black and Instant Human. Just Add Tea….

Sigg Bottle

While you’re on CafePress, check out the tea sigg bottle designs. A lot of political stuff on that page, but there’s a few nice tea-related ones. My pick of the bunch is the Make Tea Not War bottle.

Tea Posters

I assembled a little gallery of tea posters earlier this year, but there are countless other tea posters at AllPosters.com.

© Eric for Tea Finely Brewed, 2009. | 15 Gift Ideas for Tea Lovers | 3 comments |
Post categories: Miscellaneous
Post tags: chawan, ingenuitea, matcha, tea books, tea club memberships, tea gifts, tea samplers, tetsubin, travel mugs

Three varieties of green tea: Gen mai cha (top left), citron green (top right) and cocomint green tea (bottom). Photo by tim7423.

What is green tea, exactly?

Green tea is tea produced from Camellia Sinensis that hasn’t been oxidized. The lack of oxidation ensures that the tea leaf retains more of its original flavour, colour and health benefits.

Despite the name, infused green tea isn’t necessarily green. Often, it appears yellow or golden, with only a faint hint of green. The “green” in green tea refers primarily to the colour of the leaf.

Where is green tea grown?

The world’s foremost green tea producers are China and Japan, though green tea is also grown on a smaller scale in Taiwan (Formosa), Korea, India, Ceylon (Sri Lanka) and Kenya.

What are some of the most famous types of green tea?

There are hundreds – if not thousands – of types of green tea, categorized according to the where they come from and how they are dried.

Gunpowder green tea, from China, is so named for the way it is shaped into pellet form. Jasmine tea, also from China, is green tea that’s been infused with jasmine blossoms, giving it an aromatic flowery aspect. One of China’s most well-respected teas is Dragon Well (or Longjing), which has a toasty flavour.

In Japan, a country where practically all the tea grown is turned into green tea, Sencha is the brew of choice for many. Matcha is a unique powdered tea which forms a rich green brew with a striking flavour. It is also the type of green tea Starbucks uses in its green tea creme frappuccino, but don’t hold that against it. Two other Japanese green teas deserve a mention: Gen mai cha is green tea blended with roasted rice (and sometimes popped corn); Gyokuro is a premium Japanese green tea with a distinctive aroma, due to the extra shading it receives before harvest.

What’s the best way to brew green tea?

The number one rule when brewing green tea is to allow your water to cool a little before pouring it over your tea leaves. Water that has just boiled will ruin the tea and make it overly bitter. If you’ve had green tea before and thought it was too bitter, that’s probably why. Ideally, the water should be between 77-82°C (170-180°F).

Another key factor in brewing the perfect cup of green tea is how long you allow it to steep. 2-3 minutes is just right, while longer steeping times detract from the tea’s delicate flavour. You can steep the tea several times.

What are the health benefits of drinking green tea?

Extensive research has gone into green tea, which has found that it is generally low in caffeine and high in antioxidants, fluoride, potassium and vitamins A, C and E.

Studies have shown that green tea can, among other things, fight cancer, lower cholesterol levels, improve mental focus, boost the immune system, aid weight loss and help those suffering from arthritis. The extent to which it helps these things is dependent on how much green tea you drink, and of course how healthy the rest of your diet and lifestyle is.

Does green tea contain caffeine?

Yes, it does. All green tea contains caffeine, but how much it contains varies quite substantially depending on the type of green tea you’re drinking, how you brewed it, or whether it’s your first infusion of the tea. In general, green tea contains between 10 and 50 milligrams of caffeine.

See more: How much caffeine does green tea contain?

Where can I buy green tea online?

A good place to start is the Tea Finely Brewed marketplace, where you can browse and compare green tea from different tea merchants.

• O-Cha specialize in Japanese green teas. I can personally recommend them, as I have bought excellent matcha tea from them.
• Generation Tea has a great range of Japanese and Chinese green teas.
• Mellow Monk’s Green Teas
• Green teas from Adagio Teas
• Green teas from Mighty Leaf Tea

Other posts in this series:

• Oolong Tea
• White Tea
• Black Tea
• Pu-erh Tea

© eric for Tea Finely Brewed, 2009. | 7 Common Questions About Green Tea | 3 comments |
Post categories: Green tea
Post tags: Beginner's Guide to Tea, camellia sinensis, chinese teas, dragon well, gen mai cha, Green tea, gunpowder green, Gyokuro, Japanese teas, jasmine tea, longjing, matcha, Sencha, tea health