Portsmouth Tea Blogger

...Drum Roll Please

2007-11-02T14:40:00.000-04:00

...and the winner of the Fall Y'all Giveaway is Tom Kane of New Hampshire. Congratulations Tom, you have been added to the Tea Circle and will receive one large tin at the beginning of each month for a year. This month's tea is Sweet Almond.

Maybe we should do this again y'all. If you think so, email us at info@portsmouthtea.com.

It's Fall Y'all Giveaway

2007-11-01T16:58:00.000-04:00

The Fall Y'all Bloggy Give-a-Way is here and it is exciting. Click on the link to see what why we are participating.

We will be giving away a 1-year subscription to the The Tea Circle, a monthly delivery of teas from our collection. To enter, email us at info@portsmouthtea.com - subject line "Fall Giveaway." The contest ends this Friday, November 2nd and we will choose the winner using the a Random Number generator, just like our good friend The PalmTree Pundit,who is giving away a 1-year subscription to Southern Living Magazine.

If you are new to the Portsmouth Tea Website feel free to browse awhile. We guarantee you will love it.

Flee to Christ

2007-08-20T08:03:00.000-04:00

I woke at 2am with one thought on my brain; sermon prep. The doctrine statement for Heb 12:1-3, I believe is "Flee to Christ."

Relaxation Day

2007-08-15T15:46:00.000-04:00

They say today is National Relaxation Day, a holiday most likely created by the Spa industry. This morning, Deepok Chopra was on Fox News telling everyone to get a massage every week. Great news for those who can afford it.

Rather than telling your boss that Deepok gave you a hall pass, how bout wrapping your hands around a nice cup from a collection of the finest teas in the world. Only pennies per cup, there is little this world can offer more simple, healthy, affordable and relaxing than a cup of common elegance. Tea!

Daily Candy

2007-01-17T08:43:00.000-05:00

What a delight to wake up to This Post from Daily Candy. Noted on The Wall Street Journal for being the "it" place to learn about great products, their newsletter is famous for noticing and spreading the news about good things.

Thank you for noticing our good thing.

Red Hat Gent

2006-12-19T10:07:00.000-05:00

As much as I have learned about tea, I have learned more about living the life of a tea man. Never in a million years did I picture this image, which is iconic of the new life adopted by my family and I. It is the reason Portsmouth Tea remains a private company; I'd rather cater to my customers than Wall Street.

In the past year, I have met with schools, churches, countless red hatters and women's groups. They all thirst for the enjoyment of learning and experiencing this new take on an old idea. Though I come to tell them our story, I have learned many of theirs. Like the woman raised next door to the house in this photo - she spent her childhood summers shoveling chicken droppings in the barn. She and her husband gave birth to their 4 children while they built their house, one brick at a time.

They all have stories upon stories to tell and I love hearing them. The more popular we become, the more these stories remind me how small I am and who it is that drinks my tea. They aren't just my customers - they are my neigbors.

Letter to Mom

2006-11-20T11:04:00.000-05:00

One of our customers sent us a note from their daughter, who enjoyed Portsmouth Tea after returning home from China. Her parents had watched the children and left some tea on the counter on their way out.

"Dear Mom J and Dad J,
Almost every single day since we've been back from China, I've enjoyed a wonderful cup of tea. Thank you for leaving it here for us to try. I never knew tea could taste and smell so good! Tea time is a little oasis, a little time out for me to feel pampered on these otherwise busy homeschool mornings."

Thank you Mom and Dad J for sharing the wealth.

It's 120 outside - Tea anyone?

2006-11-09T11:47:00.000-05:00

Our neighbor was kind enough to think about us during his stay in Iraq. En route, he took this photo in Kuwait. I'm speechless.

Upon arriving, he received a pamphlet that read, "Soldiers are from Mars, Iraqis are from Venus," a primer on the difference between the two cultures. He says they pray alot and fight alot...sounds like Congress to me. Wait - they prey alot and fight alot.

Thank you Master Seargeant for the photo of our tea in extreme conditions. Perhaps we should copy Extreme Ironing and have people send photos of Portsmouth Tea in various unpredictable and exotic places.

Where do you drink Portsmouth Tea?

...and the winner is

2006-11-03T09:13:00.000-05:00

We left the Attrezzi kitchen late in the eveing with bloated tummies and a new respect for those who prepared a host of creative dishes made from tea. Though I had the benefit of reading the recipes beforehand, I was pleasantly surprised at skill displayed by this combination of cooking professionals and hobbyists. All the recipes were clever and well done. Our judges, certified foodees, were equally skilled in their examination of the final product. They knocked off points in places I never would have guessed. Points were given from 1-20 on creativity, taste and presentation. Presentation, I learned in this event, was the killer.

Our insightful judges gave constructive points on how to fan a pear properly, when to use starch instead of flour, adding new dimensions in flavor with the acidity from wine and how to serve tuna properly and so on.

The Tantatlizing Tea Eggrolls were cleverly prepared using candied almonds cooked in our New England Maple Tea (I could eat those in a box). The dipping sauce was marve, but the generous portion of chicken filling soaked the oil like a sponge. In the end, it was Poached Pears in Paradise that won the day. Jack Park, who cooks at Phillips Exeter Academy, triumphed with simplicity. Though his presentation was no Apricot-Peach Chicken Roulade or did not contain the debth of the stuffed tenderloin, using Kenya Black and chamomile, the taste of the pear was unique and delightful. Congratulations Jack for taking home the prize of $500 and a year supply of tea.

Thanks go to the judges: The award winning Executive Chef, Pat Brideau, and Maggie Smith, the fromage queen from the Butlers Pantry in Dover. You guys know food.

Three Cups of Tea

2006-10-31T16:51:00.000-05:00

I have always been a bit hawkish in my view on the war on terror, but I have modified my perspective after reading "Three Cups of Tea," by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin.

I admit, the title intrigued me. This well written book about Mortenson's passion for education in the remote areas of Pakistan and Afganistan has given me a better understanding of the problems we face in the war on terror. It explains the life-investment one man is making as he competes for the minds of the illiterate against those who would rather teach radical fundamentalist Islamic teaching, known as Wahhabism. These are the inventors of the "University of Jihad," and their schools, or Madrassas, are growing in numbers as are their followers.

One quote from page 244: "The work Mortenson is doing building schools is giving thousands of students what they need [and cherish] most- a balanced education and the tools to pull themselves out of poverty." The need is severe and the state cannot fill it.

I would tell you more, but I have yet to finish. I'll keep you posted - or I can recommend that you get a copy and enjoy it yourself. Hope for a happy ending.

Holiday Recipes

2006-10-31T16:48:00.000-05:00

Poached Pear with Avalanche Rooibos

Last week I had success with AvalancheRooibos and Chicken, so I thought I would do something different with pears? The results were marvelous:

In a sauce pan, mix 1 part wine or grape juice to 1 part Avalanche Rooibos. Be sure to use enough liquid to cover your pears completely. Then add 5 cloves and 2 tsp cinnamon.

Remove skin from the pear with a potato peeler. You can either half and core the pears or place the entire pear in the pot. Lower the temperature of to a very light boil and cook the pears for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, test the pear with a fork to make sure it is soft.

Using a slotted spoon, place the pears on the plate and allowed them to cool a bit. Meanwhile, reduce the poaching liquid by allowing to to boil lightly for another 10 minutes.

Serve with French Vanilla ice cream, pouring the reduction sauce overthe entire plate. Delicious!

Note: To decorate better, cook the skinned pear as a whole with the stem. Using a sharp knife, make 5 clean slices from the bottom to so that each slice is halfway to the top of the pear. This will allow you to fan the bottom of the pear onto the plate. Pour the reduction sauce on one-half of the plate, spread the pear out in the center and dust with powdered
sugar. Then serve ice cream on the side.

Stuffed Bird

Consider this: While stuffing your turkey, try adding Lapsang Souchong, the cedar smoked tea from the Fujian province. It will add a complexity of flavor that you will want to repeat again and again. The drippings will make a unique gravy and the smokiness will add curiosity
without overwhelming your food.

Spiced Cider

Instead of your usual mulled cider, try blending one part CranberryFruit Tea with one part apple juice and serve hot. It will add a healthy twist to this beverage.

Poached Pears

2006-10-19T12:44:00.000-04:00

My son approached me yesterday with a mysterious question: "Can we have poached pears for dinner?"

Huh?

Let me see...mom's out of town, I have pears, why not.

My solution was as out of the blue as the question. Last week I had success with Avalanche Rooibos and Chicken - why not pears?

I mixed 1 part grape juice (left over from the concord grapes in the backyard), 1 part Avalanche Rooibos. I then added 5 cloves and 2 tsp cinnamon. We then halved and cored the pears and placed them in the pan for 30 minutes.

Using a slotted spoon, we placed the pears on the plate and allowed them to cool a bit. Meanwhile, we reduced the poaching liquid to make a sauce (10 minutes on Med-Hi).

Serve with ice cream. Delicous!

Kandyan Bliss

2006-10-18T10:18:00.000-04:00

I just located a tea recipe named after Kandy, the town that first produced tea in Sri Lanka. Be careful - this isn't your grandmother's tea (unless your grandmother is from Kandy).

Prepare a good brew of iced tea. Ceylon tea clouds when iced and is not considered good for making American iced tea for that reason. For fun and authenticity, let's stick with it.

Add 1 part gin for every three parts tea.

Squeeze lemon juice and sugar (or sugar syrup) to taste.

Drink it responsibly.

Stress Relief with out Herbal Tea

2006-10-09T08:53:00.000-04:00

Relax with this from Cosmos Magazine by way of the Paraghraph Farmer.

Cosmos reports the following:

"SYDNEY: Daily cups of tea can help you recover more quickly from the stresses of everyday life by affecting levels of the stress hormone cortisol, a new British study shows."

Tea is not just for Adults - Just ask FAO Schwarz

2006-10-06T08:51:00.000-04:00

We mailed our first shipment to FAO Shwarz today. I met the CEO in New York at the Fancy Food Show and our packaging and quality received praise and attention. After many conversations, they decided to add our teas to their in-store cafe. What an honor to be chosen in this long standing establishment, made doubly famous by Tom Hanks in the movie "Big."

Though their customers flock from all over the world to their New York and Las Vegas locations, adults and children alike, I am imagining a line of Prepubescents with their teddy bears and lego robots lining up to order a tall Apricot Peach Fruit Tisane. Let the tea stained pleasure and chaos begin.

Delightful!

New Rooibos experience

2006-10-04T20:49:00.000-04:00

I came home this evening ready to make dinner, the chicken already defrosted. Wanting to come up with something new, I decided to cook it on the stove. I melted butter, added a bit of grapeseed oil, white wine, tarragon and rosemary. It needed something. I caught my stump pot in the corner of my eye and grinned, remembering a delicous lemon-pepper recipe I had a while back. Avalanche Rooibos might add the complexity I was looking for. Sure nuff. I cooked both sides in a covered iron skillet and served with rice and peas. It was a crowd pleasure.

This cooking with tea stuff is fun.

Tea and Preps

2006-09-28T20:01:00.000-04:00

I was invited to do a tea tasting at Phillips Exeter Academy in their new grill. An impressive facility, I marveled at the resources that are available to these very fortunate young adults. I was equally impressed by their manners. They surrounded me so that I had little breathing room, but the tea flowed and my new young friends ooo'd and awed with ever drop...and they never forgot to say please.

Red Hat Ladies Love the Bean

2006-09-25T11:34:00.000-04:00

We opened our doors to the Red Hats this weekend, a collection of mature, albeit silly gigglers, adourned in purple and red frivolity. It is our custom to take on large groups and talk about tea, but there was something special about these ladies. Besides the fact that they came to spend, they also camed to savor...and savor they did. They drank as much tea as I could make for them. Surprised at the subtlety of white tea, the smooth richness of oolong and the debth of our blacks, I could tell they were still waiting for something different - something that kept them on the edge of their caffeine buzzed seats.

Oh! Yes! They wanted Chocolate! And they didn't want to wait much longer.

I enjoyed their anticipation, so I thought I would stretch it out a wee bit longer. I passed around an opened tin, filled with our Chocolate Rasberry, which is filled with black tea, rasberries and diced Lindt Dark Chocolate (another local favorite). They had heard about this tea, which can only be found in our office (it doesn't ship well) and I was a bit nervous that it wouldn't hold up to their expecations. But finally, I brewed it up and served.

I was unprepared for the expolosion of giggles that shook the rafters of our old mill building. It was the highlight of my day and certainly something I won't forget for a long time. As I get older and they get younger, I hope we one day meet somewhere at the same age holding our chocolate bars and giggling all the way.

Harvest Fest at UNH

2006-09-22T09:06:00.000-04:00

The UNH office of substainability hosted a "Local Harvest Dinner" last night, serving almost 2000 visitors and students. We were amazed at their commitment to local foods and the many varieties that were offered. Among our teas, they served Apricot Peach, Sencha Berry Melon, and Antarctica. It was a great honor to participate and meet the people who have been enjoying our tea on campus. Though there were many local food producers (I ate the most delicous apple I ever tasted), the smells from our display table attracted many students and facilty alike.

One observation: this wasn't my cafeteria growing up. University campuses are catering to students as royalty. The event was held at the "older" Stillings dining hall, which is a step below Holloway Commons. Both are quite posh and are more likened to an international self serve buffet. Fresh foods, stir fry, brick oven pizza, made to order crepes and omelettes all made to order by chefs. Amazingly, this is becoming the trend in food service on campuses across the country. One unconfirmed report was that UVM's dining hall will flash freeze food on the spot for takeaways. Phillips Exeter Academy's dining service ( a high school, mind you ) is equally remarkable, worthy of taking a romantic dinner with your spouse (if you don't mind being surrounded by a very young and international clientele). Is it character they are building or consumerism? We can debate that over a brisk Gazpacho.

Mi Hemelo (my twin)

2006-09-21T08:18:00.000-04:00

My twin (AKA Palm Pilot) is more famous for being the husband of the PalmTree Pundit. A P-3 pilot by trade (that is a big navy plane that does cool stuff), his wife dedicates this video to him. Now relegated to a cubicle, the Palm Pilot doesn't have the view he used to.

What does this have to do with tea, you ask? Let me get back to you on that one.

Imperial Mist - Oooolong

2006-09-20T20:56:00.000-04:00

Just off the boat; we have purchased a limited quantity of Imperial Mist. I think it is the finest tea we carry. High harvest altitude produces a tea that is exceptionally sweet, with a persistent floral aroma and a striking floral scent reminiscent of honeysuckle and gardenia. But really - It kinda tastes like silver queen corn to me.

Must See TV

2006-09-20T20:22:00.000-04:00

New Hampshire Public Television was here a bit ago- eager to tell our story. Who are we to say no? Though we don't have an air date, keep an eye out for NHPTV.

We hope you enjoy the show.

Thank you chef Grillo

2006-09-20T18:03:00.000-04:00

Chef Michael Grillo from the Country View Restaraunt in Greenland, NH offers these recipes for you - courtesy of Portsmouth Teas:

Fall Salad, with a Cranberry Fruit Tea Vinaigrette
1 Cup prepared Cranberry Fruit Tea (chilled)
½ Cup Salad Oil
2 ½ teaspoons Apple cider vinegar
2 Tablespoons white sugar
½ teaspoon salt
Dash black cracked pepper
Teaspoon toasted pecans per salad
1 oz crumbled gorgonzola cheese per salad

Mix tea, sugar, salt, and black pepper together
Add vinegar and oil slowly while whisking.
Chill

Once chilled garnish salad with pecans and cheese, then drizzle over salad
Serve immediately

BREAKING NEWS from the US Tea Association

2006-09-20T17:37:00.000-04:00

A Study Published in September 13 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association Shows Lower Mortality Among Green Tea Drinkers.

The news media will be reporting on the Journal of the American Medical Association research study, "Green Tea Consumption and Mortality Due to Cardiovascular Disease, Cancer, and All Causes in Japan."

Summary of JAMA Study

"A study published in the September 13 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association shows that adults who consumed three or more cups of green tea per day had a lower risk of death due to cardiovascular disease. The study, conducted by the Tohoku University School of Public Policy in Japan, followed 40,530 Japanese adults, ages 40 to 79 years, with no history of stroke, coronary heart disease or cancer at baseline beginning in 1994. The study followed all participants for up to 11 years for death from all causes and for up to 7 years for death from a specific cause. Participants who consumed 5 or more cups of tea per day had a 16 percent lower risk of all-cause mortality and a 26 percent lower risk of cardiovascular disease than participants who consumed less than 1 cup of tea per day."

The study also states, "If green tea does protect humans against CVD or cancer, it is expected that consumption of this beverage would substantially contribute to the prolonging of life expectancy, given that CVD and cancer are the two leading causes of death worldwide."