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瑞典, 网络游戏,和茶 Sverige, Online Bingo och Te! - http://enkoppzen.blogspot.com/feeds/8382478875378880773/comments/default

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So classes start today, and I hope now that I develop a routine. As I am writing this Thursday before I think the fact that I am moved in with no real routine, has been somewhat detrimental to my tea drinking habits. It does not really make much sense but it seems with so much time available to me to have tea, I find myself always putting it off for later. So my tea drinking habits have been pushed further and further into the evening.

Yuuki-cha OkuYutaka - http://www.thesiptip.com/feeds/9194063109169667216/comments/default

[-] School is now in session for the kids.  Dino boy had minor stomach cramps last night; not sure if it was nerves, excitement or both.  I think it was the latter. You see, he started Jr High today.  Grade 7.  Wow.  Not only is he only one inch shorter than I am (YIKES HE IS ONLY 12), he is now at a combined jr/sr high.  He gets up with his father and goes out the door at almost the same time.  He will be home before anybody else in the afternoons.  He is growing up (literally!).  He is maturing in so many ways but still believes in embracing his inner child.  He still wants a toy for Christmas, even if it is a small one.  Just because it is Christmas and that needs a toy.  I think that this change needs a new name.  Dino Boy who used to grab his little dino toys and leave them in my bathtub or shower is no more.  In his place?  RUGBY GUY.  This is more appropriate now.  His new self confidence and height has earned him the new moniker, I think.

Monkey Girl is about to head off to school as well.  This is her first year without Rugby Guy at the same school.  She will be going alone now.  What that means is that I won't let her leave quite so early as there is no early supervision at the school without big brother along.  She is turning into a bit of a girlie girl, with her talk of clothes, earrings and her new summer obsession - nail polish. I like seeing these glimpses young woman she has the potential of becomming.  Monkey Girl will need to change soon, too, I think.  But not yet.  I am not quite ready for that.  Let me have my little girl for a little bit longer ... even if she is as proportionally as tall as her brother!

changes ... - http://newmansneedle.blogspot.com/feeds/1094820847329979910/comments/default

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The King of Siam may not have been thinking about afternoon tea when he said to Anna, “Tis a puzzlement,” but his words are apt nonetheless.  Why do so many places that serve afternoon tea seem to forget about the quality of the tea itself?  Yes, the tea sandwiches, scones and sweets, clotted cream, and passable jam and curd are all there, but when it comes time to taste the tea, it is sorely lacking.  Underbrewed, overextracted, and cool are just a few of the adjectives in a long laundry list of no-nos that spoil the overall afternoon experience.  Often the tea menus are sorely lacking in description, a situation compounded by the fact that the server cannot offer the imbiber any help in making a decision about which tea to choose in relation to the flavor profiles of the foods being served to accompany it.  I, for one, do not wish to recall how many afternoon teas around the country I have experienced (in hotels, restaurants, and tea rooms) in which the tea was of indifferent quality - either stale, improperly stored (in the warmest part of the kitchen perhaps), or brewed with no finesse whatsoever.

Who’s at fault?  I contend it is all of us in the tea world, from those who sell, import, process, and package tea to those who regularly drink and write about tea (certainly the audience of this blog).  It’s time to pay attention to what is being served in the cup as well as on the plate at afternoon teas everywhere.  And it’s all about education - education disseminated to the buyer and to the end user.  What tea company wishes to find its teas on an afternoon tea menu shown in an unflattering light?

We all know that - with proper storage, in a cool place and tightly sealed - most teas retain much of their character and flavor for long enough for any self-respecting tea room to use them before the teas go downhill.  But educating the servers and sales clerks in tea shops, ah, that’s another issue.  Professional attitudes and career track aspirations for those working in the retail world are in short supply, even in an economic climate of double-digit unemployment.  Perhaps passion for the field might be fueled if tea room owners took more time with their staff, unfurling the history and mystery of this large story that we call tea.  And the consumers would benefit.

I cannot count how many times a server knew little or nothing about the teas being served and couldn’t romance them or give details about their origin, history, or optimal temperatures and times for infusion if their lives or tips depended upon it.  How about a view of the leaves before being brewed and then even after?  Is that too much to ask?  As tea enthusiasts - and, dare I say, experts - we need to be sure that all levels of the tea distribution chain are remedying this information gap.  Accurate information, history, tips on brewing, vivid and evocative descriptors of the tea and the landscape in which it is grown, and recommendations for proper storage and shelf life must all flow seamlessly from the tea company owner who procures or processes the tea, to the sales reps who peddle it, and to the buyer, owner, or manager of the venue where afternoon tea is served.  Whether printed or verbally communicated, this information should help to ensure that the second word of “afternoon tea” is taken seriously.

The pleasures of a pause in a busy day rest not only on the social interactions between or among those at the tea table, but should also derive from the liquid refreshment served at its peak, regardless of the level of quality of the teas being used.  Just a bit more attention to what is served in the cup - and what’s on the plate - can go a long way toward improving the overall experience.  Even a modest everyday kind of tea can be enjoyed, when brewed at proper strength, served at the correct temperature, and refreshed or replaced for second or third infusions, if appropriate.  We’re not talking tribute tea or rarities here.  The next time you are out for an afternoon tea, take note of the tea that is served and be sure to register your pleasure or dissatisfaction, as the case may be.  It’s the only way things will improve and in my view, nothing less than the growth of the tea market beyond ready-to-drink is at stake.

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Romancing the scone - and the tea too - http://www.tching.com/2010/09/romancing-the-scone-and-the-tea-too/

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Teachums and the 2009 HK Henry "Mahei" - http://half-dipper.blogspot.com/feeds/1363273692689010620/comments/default

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Until September 30th, Sanctuary T will be hosting a tea-inspired recipe contest. The winner will receive a $50 gift certificate to Sanctuary T Shop and have their winning recipe featured on the Shop's site. The runner up will win a free bottle of T-Dust Seasoning and a 2oz tin of tea of their choice.

Details

Tea Guy Speaks Amazon Store

Sanctuary T's Tea-Recipe Contest - http://www.teaguyspeaks.com/feeds/2488470363977836872/comments/default

[-] "Le temps du goût" est le livre d'une neurologue, Régine Zekri-Hurstel, et d'un oenologue, Jacques Puisais. Il explore les liens entre le cerveau et le goût. Il montre aussi, et c'est quelque chose que je n'ai de cesse d'écrire dans ce blog, que le goût est 'polysensoriel' : il associe tous les sens.

Il va même plus loin en associant le mouvement, la posture, les saisons, la culture... C'est la richesse du goût de pouvoir s'apprécier à tant de niveaux. Que ce soit le vin, le thé, une pomme..., il y a tellement de paramètres qui entrent en compte dans leur goût. Pour pouvoir les apprécier, il est indispensable de se concentrer et de porter son attention sur ce qu'on mange.

L'éducation du goût est plus importante que jamais. Alors que l'obésité touche un nombre de plus en plus grand de personnes, retrouver le bon goût peut permettre de passer de gourmand à gourmet. Manger moins mais mieux et boire moins sucré. C'est non seulement bon pour la santé, mais c'est aussi du bonheur quotidien.

Références: ISBN: 978-2-7089-3667-6 (Prix: 14,5 Euros).
(Merci Hélène, lectrice fidèle et serviable, de m'avoir offert cet ouvrage!)

Le temps du goût - http://teamasters.blogspot.com/feeds/8981105794057256383/comments/default

[-] A couple of weeks ago I received some information from my local council regarding the requirements for a home based food business. On the basis of this information, after doing some investigating and calculating and careful thinking, I have come to the conclusion that Joie de Tea 'the shop' is not currently viable. I can't meet the council's requirements at this point because to do so would require a substantial financial investment and on top of that the amount of time I would need to put into the business to make the financial investment worthwhile would substantially detract from my ability to care for ten month old Pippin.

So it is with mixed feelings that I declare my shop closed for an unspecified duration. I am hoping to use the spare time that I have to improve my knowledge of both tea and business so that in a year or two I will be better placed to start up the shop again with a bang!

A huge thank you to all my customers who have supported the shop and enjoyed my teas over the last 12 months or so. I appreciate it greatly!

Oh, and the blog will still be going strong with reviews and musings and snippets about tea, so please do keep reading.

A Hard Decision - http://joiedetea.blogspot.com/feeds/4636619163057461120/comments/default

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2010 Essence of Tea Man Mai - http://mattchasblog.blogspot.com/feeds/5491214467298302566/comments/default

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Teapot Pins - http://www.friendshiptea.net/feeds/3814601546439995624/comments/default