Second Cuppa

Introvert’s Travelogue, Part One – The Journey Begins

For the first time since I began dating the great woman who would become my wife, I have ten days all to myself. It’s been over 12 or 13 years since I’ve experienced this much solitude. There is, of course, the time I have to devote to work, but the rest is all mine.

In addition to clearing my head and recharging my batteries at home, I decided to visit my former hometown of Austin. I probably make 2-3 trips to Austin per year, but those I make with my wife and 4-year-old son. Continue reading “Introvert’s Travelogue, Part One – The Journey Begins”

Reviewed: Tetley Black & Green

Tetley Black & Green is the US counterpart to the UK’s Tetley Blend of Both. It comes with 72 round tea bags per package.

Black & Green is an easy tea to enjoy hot, and it makes an exceptional iced tea. Disappointingly, it doesn’t play as well with milk (for those who like their tea English style) as does the fuller bodied Blend of Both, which you can now find on Amazon.com. Continue reading “Reviewed: Tetley Black & Green”

Genmaicha Green Tea from The Persimmon Tree

This is my first attempt at Genmaicha, also know as the “people’s tea’ or “poor man’s” tea, which is a blend of roasted rice kernels and (in this case) sencha green tea. The tea was provided by The Persimmon Tree, an online tea purveyor based in Irvine, California.

I let boiling water cool for a minute and brewed the loose leaves for about two minutes. You can be a little looser with brewing time and temperature with Genmaicha because of the high rice content.

Much heavier in rice kernels than green tea, this enjoyable blend smells and tastes like Japanese toasted rice crackers with a hint of grassy sencha tea. Who new tea could be this savory? I found myself nibbling on the wet rice kernels after brewing, and I even grazed on a few dry ones too.

Aroma:	Toasted rice, seaweed, grass, earthy
Body:	Light
Flavor:	Smooth, buttery, savory
Color:	Light yellow

Disclaimer: The Persimmon Tree asked if I would be interested in reviewing a couple of their teas, to which I responded affirmatively. The opinions expressed in this blog post, however, are my own.

Tazo Chun Mee Green Tea Review

This organic green tea, also marketed by Tazo as Pan-Fired Green, is a very easy green tea to enjoy for the uninitiated. I’ve gotten good results by bringing water to a boil, letting it cool for one minute, poring it over the tea bag, and allowing it to steep for three minutes.

The tea gives off a sweet seaweed and roasted aroma. Its body is heavier than most green teas I’ve had, but it goes down easy — never bitter when I follow the above method.

The tasted is smooth and slightly buttery with mild acidity. This is going to be my go-to green tea for work and travel.

Aroma:	Vegetal, seaweed, roasted
Body:	Medium
Flavor:	Smoother, buttery, mildly acidic
Color:	Yellowish green

Tata Trouble: The Tea Workers who Bring You Tetley Tea

Tea is an experience. It’s part aroma, part flavor and part feeling. Imaging the feeling you’d get while sipping your morning or afternoon cuppa knowing the plantation workers who brought you your tea were underpaid, exploited, living in squalor, and even plucked by slave traders.

These are the allegations that have been brought upon Tata Global Beverages, the parent company of Tetley. I’ve reviewed a few Tetley varieties for this blog — my favorite being Blend of Both — and I have one more in the works.

This news has me questioning not only Tetley’s integrity but the integrity of many other name-brand tea companies that use Assam in their blends. This is nothing new, just something many of us tea drinkers have long ignored. Do some Internet research, and you’ll easily find information regarding the long history of poor working conditions and exploitation in the Assam region.

Somehow I missed the story when it broke earlier this year, but it has been reported that plantation workers face abuse and poor living conditions on the Nahorani estate — owned in part by Tetley’s parent company, Tata Global Beverages — in the Indian state of Assam. More information can be found in recent articles by The Guardian and The Telegraph, and the following video produced by The Guardian:

In response to the allegations dated March 7, 2014, Tata Global Beverages declared its commitment to the ethical treatment of people throughout its supply chain and promised an investigation into existing labor practices and working conditions of the tea gardens in question. Once the investigation is complete, Tata promises to take action based on recommendations by its legal team.

So what can you do to put your conscious at ease? If you feel strongly about the proper treatment of workers who helped produce your tea, one thing you can do is purchase Fair Trade Certified products. The Fair Trade designation indicates the manufacturers commitment to fair labor and environmental sustainability. Though it may cost a buck or two more, Fair Trade tea will provide a level of certainty, allowing you to experience the peace and tranquility you want from each sip.