Sereni-Tea: Sipping Self Success
by Dharlene Marie Fahl
Certified tea specialist, Dharlene Marie Fahl, guides you on an inner journey of self-discovery through the simple practice of sipping tea. Quiet your mind, open your heart and nurture your being as you drink in the peace of self success. Anywhere anytime, your cup of Sereni-Tea awaits you.
"Sereni-Tea is not a typical book about tea. Yes, it contains all the necessary information to help both novices and experts alike to better appreciate this near-miraculous beverage, but then it uses tea as a means for discovering who we are and what we could become..." Joe Simrany, President, Tea Association of the USA Read more link
ISBN: 978-0-9844600-3-8
Retail List Prices: $15.95 USD, $17.00 CAD, £ 12.95 GBP
6” x 9” 244 pages
Cheers for Sereni-Tea
About the Author
The Tea Trilogy
Lean Teen Self-Esteem
Preparing the Perfect Pot of Tea
Glossary of Tea Terms
Recommended Tea Resources
MARK “dr. tea” UKRA
Cheers for Sereni-Tea: Sipping Self Success
“Sereni-Tea is a leading-edge concept whose time has come! At a time when the world is making it harder to find a 'spot' of serenity, Dharlene Marie guides us towards inner peace and self love, with a 'spot' of tea. Her gift is in making us pause to reflect upon and appreciate the richness of the tapestry we have inside our hearts. This book is one fabulous gift that you should give to yourself and to those you love!” Carole Lieberman, M.D. -- Beverly Hills Psychiatrist, Bestselling Author and Talk Show Host
"The quest for success seems to be an ongoing struggle throughout our society. Dharlene Marie Fahl touches on the core issues of why success seems to elude so many people, and what simple and effective steps can to be taken to ensure it. Sereni-Tea is a "must read" in order to find out. It's well worth your time." Michael Peak -- Emmy Award Winning Television Journalist, Speaker and Seminar Producer.
"During times that are perceived as troubled or difficult, the greatest defense we have for a recession is going within. In, Sereni-Tea Dharlene Marie shows you how the recesses of your heart and mind will reward you with the purest and richest sense of inner peace and security; for therein lay all your true and infinite resources. Isn’t it worth taking a sip or two to find out? You will enjoy this book – the answers you seek are within.” September Dohrmann -- Vice President & Treasurer of CEO Space
“The power of our every thought determines our choices and shapes our lives. Sereni-Tea, takes you through a gentle process to center your life while simply sipping a daily cup of tea. This book is a catalyst for positive change and an inspirational guide to having more peace with your mind, body, and soul. You will be touched by Dharlene Marie’s gift of words as you journey into your own heart. Profoundly rich! Read this book to nurture your heart – and gift it to those whom you love!” Sheryl Roush -- Author of Heart of a Woman, Sparkle-Tudes!™
“Sereni-Tea teaches you a practical, quick and easy way to build wellness through self-love, a concept I know professionally to be true. What a fantastic way to do this while sipping tea. If you’re not a tea lover already, you will be soon! Go ahead and try this for yourself - your happier, healthier self.” “The Go Doctor,” Dr. Karen Lee Paquette -- Naturopathic Doctor, Wellness Coach and Author
“Dharlene Marie Fahl embodies the true meaning of self-love. The practice of tea drinking that she purposefully commits to and shares with us in Sereni-Tea is a simple (yet powerful) step we can all take towards filling ourselves up with our own essence of success! You will enjoy this book. Thank you, Dharlene Marie for walking your talk!” Tami Walsh, M.A. -- President, TEEN WISDOM INC.
“REMEMBERING who we are - and realizing that we ARE NOT our credit scores, our cars, our homes, our jobs, etc., IS surely and safely a path to be taken - with slow easy breaths and with one sip at a time. Dharlene Marie helps us to return to ourselves with those breaths of surrender and with the simplicity of TEA. Sereni-Tea is A MUST READ! A MUST DO! A MUST REMEMBER!” Ron L. Berry C.E.O. -- Author, Public Speaker
"It is so critical and vital to the development of our youth that we empower our future generation(s). I fully support Dharlene Marie's ultimate mission when it comes to teens and tweens. Sereni-Tea will help to partially fund her non-profit program that positively addresses childhood obesity. You now have twice as many reasons for enjoying this book." Justin Sachs -- Best-Selling Author, Founder of the Peak Performance Lifestyles Foundation
“In all my years of drinking and sharing tea, I have seen it put to use in so many wonderful ways. In Sereni-Tea, Dharlene Marie takes you on a journey beyond simply enjoying the beverage, teaching you how tea can help you discover yourself. Each sip does indeed have the power to take you on a voyage of self-reflection and helps to nurture self-love and spiritual growth. Success and love will be different for each and every one of us - but ALL of us deserve both. Take your time and enjoy this book." Jane Pettigrew -- Author, Tea Consultant and Trainer.
“Dharlene Marie is motivational in promoting health and well being. Her advocacy for teens and their long term health goes unmatched. Her writings here in Sereni-Tea, will inspire your soul, warm your heart and stimulate your mind. Enjoy your moments of peace, your moments of reflection, and above all, the golden delight, we call tea.” Kristina Wiley, DDS -- Linde Lane Teas, LLC
"Stress is a major culprit in our current society which is leading us to some serious health challenges. In Sereni-Tea, Dharlene Marie shows us some very simple techniques that indeed help to reduce and relieve our modern stress levels. You will certainly feel better for having read this book - buy a copy for someone you love who needs it!" Roy John Robinson D.C., M.D. -- Weight Loss Specialist
“The childhood obesity crisis and future health of our children is at risk every day as they grab for fast food choices and park themselves in front of the TV. I am proud to support Dharlene Marie's book, Sereni-Tea and the program she has created for overweight teens and tweens.” Dr. Christine Wood -- Pediatrician, Author.
Dharlene Marie Fahl is a certified tea specialist through The Specialty Tea Institute of America, and a supporting and active member. She has walked the tea fields in China and sipped tea in some of the finest tea shops in Beijing and Shanghai, as well as tea shops across America and Canada. Dharlene Marie has also visited The Charleston Tea Plantation in South Carolina, the first American tea plantation. She was in the inaugurating class (2008) of the American Tea Masters of America program in San Diego.
Dharlene Marie was born in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. She has lived in San Diego since 1990 where she currently resides with her two teenage children.
Ms. Fahl is an entrepreneur and approaches everything she does with a universal, collaborative, and cooperative spirit. She is a CEO Space graduate and lifetime member. She has been a member of Mark Victor Hansen’s Inner Circle and trained and travelled with Mark for two years.
Dharlene Marie is currently the CEO (Chief Empowerment Officer) of Lean Teen Self-Esteem, a FREE self-empowerment program for overweight teens and tweens. She is also creating the SELF SUCCESS Foundation to bring together people of like minds and similar missions.
As an inspirational speaker, Ms. Fahl has a message for everyone. She will customize her presentations for all groups, organizations, churches, societies and non-profit organizations.
Romantic and spiritual poetry is also Dharlene’s passion. She features it daily on Facebook, and will publish Shades of RED—“Poetry for the Everyday Lover” in 2011.
Enjoy three inspirational books that will take you on a three-step process to finding your inner joy, and living with the inner peace SELF SUCCESS will provide.
A TEA TRILOGY that takes you on a journey from the head, to the heart, to the Divine; while sipping tea. In the time it takes to sip a cup of tea you can change your life; little by little, sip by sip, day after day, one thought at a time.
Yes, we are a society that wants everything right now but there is great wisdom in slowing things down, praying, meditating, releasing and forgiving, loving yourself, and of course, for sipping tea. This is the ultimate intention of the Tea Trilogy—to take the time to love YOURSELF.
The book you are holding right now, Sereni-Tea: Sipping SELF SUCCESS, will guide you to be at peace with your thoughts, to see life as the celebration it truly is through prayer, meditation, forgiveness, loving, and making empowered choices for your own well-being and serenity. Included are 36 healing and spiritual tea prayers.
Sancti-Tea: Sacred SELF SUCCESS—book two of the trilogy bridges the gap between the head and the heart. Once you are at peace with your thoughts the next growing step is to open your heart. It is said that the journey from the head to the heart is often the longest—it need not be. A peaceful mind will automatically make it easier to open the heart to heal and to love and be loved. This fiction, non-fiction combination adds an unusual twist to the world of tea and inner healing by taking the reader on 13 fictional journeys. It includes 60 healing and uplifting tea prayers.
Divini-Tea: Supreme SELF SUCCESS—the final step and the book that completes the journey of inner healing and self-discovery. What is next after you have made peace with your thoughts and healed your heart?—A relationship of your own with the Divine. A workbook of sorts that helps you analyze your previous relationship with what you believed God to be, what type of relationship you truly desire, and the space to make note of it. The same is done for praying and what past, current and desired results you hope for from praying. It includes 101 uplifting tea prayers to assist you on the journey of opening up to prayer and praying from a place of wholeness and oneness with the Divine.
Please enjoy them all with my best wishes and intentions for your serenity, peace of mind, and God connection.
Dharlene Marie Fahl
www.dharlene-marie.com
www.selfsuccessbooks.com
Have you heard that there is an obesity “crisis” in our part of the world? Have you looked around at all? Have you looked in the mirror lately? Please do not do so with the eyes of judgment but rather with the eyes of compassion.
Obesity is not just about body mass index, diet, exercise, or nutrition awareness. Nor is it about an ever-growing bunch of overindulged, spoiled, fat and lazy individuals.
Obesity is about self-esteem, self-empowerment, self-worth and self-love, or better put—the lack thereof. Only when an individual is empowered from within will he, or she, make life-long decisions for the betterment of both physical and mental health.
I was an overweight child who became a diet-crazed teen that lost and gained 20 to 40 pounds almost every year in a futile attempt to look and feel better. That mentality and self-destructive pattern stayed with me most of my adult life which greatly impacted my body’s natural metabolism.
Eventually, I was clinically labeled, “morbidly obese,” thus, proving that diets alone don’t address the core issue.
Ultimately, I was forced to take a long look in the mirror and an even longer look at my soul. I have now walked this journey of self-discovery and self-love for more than 40 years, and I am still learning.
Our current statistics show that one third of our youth population is considered overweight—75 percent of those youth will grow up to be overweight or obese adults.
As a whole, youth only account for 26 percent of the total population—but they are 100 percent of the future!
For overweight kids in pain, I have created the Lean Teen Self-Esteem program.
It is a FREE program for all the kids eating to fill a hole, eating to stuff a void, eating to comfort aches, eating in a trance, eating out of revenge, eating in frustration, eating in anger, and for those young people who haven’t a clue as to why they are overeating and why they are unfulfilled.
Lean Teen Self-Esteem is designed to awaken teens from the slumber of hunger for the self; it is self-empowerment, self-reflection, self-awareness and self-acceptance. Only then can there be positive changes made in current behaviors.
I am taking my pain and turning it into my passion and purpose; and I intend to help thousands of young people on this personal mission. The number of obese youth has been rising for almost 15 years now. This indicates to me that the core issues are not being fully addressed. An overweight person will not be motivated by simply offering them a diet and exercise plan—you must first touch their heart and allow them to know that they were born valuable. You must give these children a voice, a place to express this voice, and a place to be loved—this is the goal of the Lean Teen Self-Esteem program.
Please feel free to contact me with any joint venture ideas. If you have a passion for teens, a product for teens, or see obesity for what it truly is—then I would love to hear from you.
You are welcome to visit: www.LeanTeenSelfEsteem.org and www.dharlene-marie.com
Advisory Board Members for Lean Teen Self-Esteem
These caring and concerned individuals and professionals have volunteered their time and offer their experience and expertise to this non-profit program for the betterment of our next generation. I gratefully acknowledge and appreciate:
Dr. Carole Liebermann: “If we fill ourselves up with the comfort of self-love, we will not need to resort to comfort foods. And if we take sips of tea, we'll feel warm inside.” Dr. Lieberman is the psychiatrist the world turns to for help coping with terrorism, relationships, fear of flying and all of the other challenges we face in the 21st century. http://www.drcarole.com
Reverend Duchess Dale: is an author, teacher, speaker and compassion advocate for all sentient beings. Reverend Dale is currently serving as the Spiritual Director for the Chico New Thought Center for Spiritual Living in Chico, California and is an ordained minister of Religious Science. She is currently working on the follow-up to her recent book, "How May I Love You Today?" She is a frequent contributor to the InnerVisions magazine for the Agape International Center of Truth, as well as to her blog site: http://breathspace.blogspot.com
Dr. Karen Paquette: is “The Go Doctor,” A Naturopathic Doctor, Physical Therapist and Professor turned Author, Speaker, and Wellness Coach, www.TheGoDoctor.com, is tackling the obesity epidemic head on by helping people identify and remove obstacles to the healthier, sexier version of themselves.
Tami Walsh, M.A.: is the President of Teen Wisdom Inc. a San Diego based teen and parent empowerment life coaching company, committed to raising the self-esteem of teen girls. Their mission is to empower 2 million teen girls by 2012 and train 1,000 women to become Teen Wisdom™ Certified Life Coaches. http://www.TeenWisdom.com
Justin Sachs: is a best-selling author of The Power of Persistence and Your Mailbox Is Full. Justin works with the world’s top entrepreneurs, corporate executives, coaches, and speakers in creating breakthrough results in their businesses and throughout their lives. Justin has been featured in media outlets throughout the world, and his radio show has changed thousands of lives. Justin is also the founder of the Peak Performance Lifestyles Foundation which serves youth with leadership principles and a means to contribute back to the world.
Dr. Roy Robinson: is a Medical Physician, Surgeon, and a Board Qualified Chiropractor Orthopedist located in San Diego. He has been teaching and promoting nutrition for more than 25 years. With his years of knowledge and experience, he has been helping numerous individuals to reduce weight and live a healthy lifestyle.
Dr. Christine (Ito) Wood: is a practicing Pediatrician and Certified Lactation educator in San Diego with interests in healthy nutrition for children, and the environmental and nutritional impact on health and disease. She is a compelling voice on this subject. She is also the author of How to Get Kids to Eat Great & Love It!
Ron L. Berry: is a Corporate Accountant, Clinical Hypno-Therapist, Public Speaker, and Author. Ron’s joy in life is breaking people OUT of Mental and Spiritual Prisons. He helps people find their light—their love—their joy—and the power that they have inside of themselves.
Preparing the Perfect Pot of Tea
Begin by preheating the teapot with boiling water.
For the actual tea, use good-quality water. If tap water is undesirable, use filtered or bottled water. Boil, but do not over boil the water; water with plenty of oxygen best releases the flavors of the tea leaves.
Fully boiled water is best for black and oolong teas. For white or green tea leaves, allow the water to sit for a few minutes after boiling or remove from heat just before it reaches the boiling point.
Pour out the water from teapot that was used to warm the pot. Measure one teaspoon of leaves per cup (hence the name “teaspoon”) and add them to the pot. Pour the boiled water on top of the leaves. Allow to steep anywhere from 1 minute to 5 minutes, depending on the tea variety. In general, 2—3 minutes is fine for most varieties of tea. (Note: If you choose to use teabags, steep for even less time, since the leaves used in most bags are very fine.)
Remove the leaves immediately if using an infuser, or catch the leaves with a strainer, or you can decant into another vessel before pouring the tea into the cups. Cover the pot with a tea cozy or use a tea-light stand with a lighted candle to keep hot for future cups.
White, green and oolong teas are best drunk clear. For black or flavored teas, you may want to add lemon, milk, sugar, honey or other sweetener to taste. Sip slowly and enjoy completely.
Some leaves, such as oolongs and many green teas, can be used again—the same day. Black teas are best used only once, although that is up to the individual.
Experiment with leaf amounts and steeping times. Drink tea the way you like it! Share a pot with a friend, neighbor or co-worker.
Chill remaining tea to use for iced tea, pour it into ice-cube trays to add to chilled tea, or sweeten and pour into molds with wooden sticks to create a fun and healthy frozen treat.
Agony of the leaves—in observing the leaf’s “agony” (the process of the leaves unfurling) the quality of the tea’s liquor can be predicted. This process reveals whether or not proper procedures were followed in the preparation of the leaves.
Afternoon Tea—a full service, mid-afternoon light meal, offering a variety of teas, small sandwiches and several fancy sweets.
Anhui—one of the major tea producing provinces in China.
Antioxidants—nutrients derived from certain plants, foods, vitamins, minerals and enzymes that help neutralize the effects of the oxidants or “free radicals.” White and green teas are rich in antioxidants, but they are present in all teas.
Aroma—the characteristics of the fragrance of a fully steeped tea, derived from the natural essential oils in the leaves.
Artisan Teas—hand-sewn tea leaves that start as a ball or in other shapes and open in hot water to “blossom” or “flower.” Can be full-leaf white, green or black tea leaves wrapped around a flower or group of flowers. These are very showy and appealing.
Assam—high-grade black teas grown in the state of Assam in northeast India, with a rich, strong, malty flavor, deep red color, and great with milk.
Astringent—the dry taste left in the mouth after drinking teas.
Autumnal—tea produced and harvested late in the growing season.
Bergamot—an essential oil from the bergamot orange rind originally added to black teas, Earl Grey being the most famous, and is now blended in other tea varieties as well.
Black Tea—tea leaves that have been withered, spread to dry, crushed and oxidized fully to a brown color, and sorted into grades. Most of the tea drunk in Europe and North America today is black tea.
Blend—teas of several types, or separate batches of tea combined for consistency of flavor, or for new flavors.
Bloom—a tea tasters’ expression to describe sheen or luster present to the finished leaf.
Body—the fullness of properly grown, processed, stored and steeped tea.
Brick Tea—steamed and fully compressed tea leaves shaped into bricks for ease of transport and preservation. At one time, tea bricks were used as currency; today they are still available in very creative designs.
Broken—leaves that are processed through a cutter, or broken during handling thereby, reducing their size.
Caffeine—the stimulating compound found naturally in tea and originally called “theine.” Amounts can be controlled by the steeping time—less steeping, less caffeine. Additionally, the more oxidized teas have more caffeine.
Catechins—a class of powerful, water-soluble polyphenols or antioxidants that are easily oxidized by the body, thus enhancing the immune system. Catechins are found in all teas.
Camellia sinensis—the botanical name for the subtropical evergreen plant from which all teas come.
Ceylon—the former name of Sri Lanka that now refers to the teas from that country.
Cha—the word for tea in Japanese.
Chai—a strong, spiced black tea usually mixed with milk and sugar, originating in India and known there as Masala.
Chamomile “tea”—one of the most popular herbal infusions, reputed to relieve stress, anxiety and indigestion.
Chest—a wooden container with an aluminum lining used for shipping tea.
Cream Tea—a term ordinarily used in tea rooms to refer to a small sampling of fruit and/or sweets served with tea.
CTC—a manufacturing term, short for “crush, tear and curl,” for the process used with certain leaves to create stronger infusions.
Darjeeling—a region in the Himalayan foothills in northeast India famous for teas of exquisite bouquet, complex flavor and high astringency—commonly referred to as the “Champagne of Teas.”
Dragon Well—a fine green tea grown in China with an herbal aroma and toasty flavor.
Dust—the smallest broken leaves left after processing, usually used in teabags for quick infusions.
Earl Grey—a black tea flavored with bergamot oil and named for the British Prime Minister, Earl Grey, who was awarded the recipe from a Chinese diplomat in the early 19th century.
EGCG—(Epigallacatechin gallate) is the most powerful and most abundant of the four major catechins found in green tea. Antioxidants found in EGCG work to destroy free-radicals.
English Breakfast—a blend of several black teas, usually served at breakfast with milk and sugar for a gentle caffeine lift.
Estate—the property on which tea is grown; also known as a plantation.
Fair Trade—a certification qualification for the estate growing and processing the tea leaves; it ensures good quality-of-life standards for the workers.
Fannings—the tiniest particles sifted from good-quality grades primarily used in teabags.
Fermentation—the process of oxidation that takes place in the green tea leaves to create oolong or black teas.
Firing—rapidly heating the leaves to stop the oxidation process.
Flavonoids—a part of a group supplying the polyphenols (the antioxidants) found in teas. The most commonly referred to of this group are catechins.
Flavoured Teas—are any teas that have been scented and accented with spices, flavourings, and/or oils.
Flush—usually referring to the times of harvesting the young leaves, the first flush being in the early spring, and the second flush in late spring/early summer, with later flushes having stronger flavors.
Formosa—the island known today as Taiwan where many oolong teas are produced.
Full—description of a strong, vibrant tea infusion.
Gaiwan Cup—a Chinese saucer, bowl and lid made of porcelain.
Gaiwan Service—with one hand all three pieces are held securely while the lid is adjusted enough to pour out the infusion leaving the tea leaves in the bowl.
Genmaicha—is Japanese green tea with toasted rice.
Gong Fu—(Gungfu) a style of steeping tea in China that involves short infusions repeated many times in a small pot.
Green Tea—lightly fermented or oxidized young leaves that are heated or steamed to halt the enzymes from breaking down, then rolled and dried; low in caffeine, light green in colour, bold vegetal taste, usually from China or Japan.
Gunpowder—young green tea leaves rolled tightly into small pellets that look like gunpowder and unfurl as they steep.
Gyokuro –a high-grade Japanese green tea grown in the shade; translates to “pearl dew.”
High Tea—a late-afternoon meal traditionally served with meat and other dishes, commonly confused with “afternoon tea” but much less fancy.
Hojicha—a roasted Japanese green tea.
Jasmine—tea, usually green, scented with jasmine flowers. Higher-quality teas are rolled by hand into pearl-shaped balls usually referred to as “jasmine pearls.”
Keemun—a fine grade of black tea from China with hand-rolled and twisted leaves. Highly aromatic and can usually be detected when blended with other teas.
Kenya Teas—a growing and expanding tea producing area of Africa that is a large exporter of black teas and uses no chemicals in the growing process.
Lapsang Souchong—a smoky-tasting black tea from China, where the leaves are placed over a fire of pinewood or pine needles.
Liquor—the term used to describe the water after the tea has steeped, referring to the colour and clarity. Sometimes is called the “cup” or the “infusion” also.
Matcha—a finely powdered green tea from Japan, used in their tea ceremonies, with a bright green liquor, slightly bitter taste and high in antioxidants.
Nilgiri—a black tea from southern India that flavors and blends well. The name refers to the mountain region of that area and the color blue.
Nose—the aroma of the tea.
Oolong—a semi-oxidized, larger-leaf tea in-between green and black—stronger than green, smoother than black—extremely flavorful, highly aromatic, and may be rolled or twisted; directly translated means “Black Dragon.”
Orange Pekoe—(pronounced “peck-oh”) a grade of large, whole-leaf black tea specifying only size and has nothing to do with the flavor of orange.
Pan-Fired—leaves that have been steamed then rolled in iron pans or woks over a fire.
Pekoe—(peck-oh) a smaller, whole-leaf tea made from the youngest leaves and buds, which often have white hairs or a downy appearance.
Plucking—the process of harvesting by cutting the leaf from the growing bush, usually done by hand.
Polyphenols—the astringent compounds found in teas. They are a group of vegetable chemical substances shown to be strong antioxidants with potential health benefits. Higher amounts are found in white and green teas.
Pouchong—a scented, large-leaf tea, very light and floral, usually from Taiwan
Pu-erh—(poo-air) usually from the Yunnan province of southwest China. Damp green tea leaves that ferment microbiologically to a black leaf resulting in a very earthy and musty, but smooth-tasting tea. Usually aged and pressed into cakes.
Rolling—the crushing of the tea leaves to activate the enzymes to begin the oxidation process, after which the leaves appear to be curled when dry.
Rooibos—(roy-bus) a plant from the legume family which means “red bush” that is from South Africa; caffeine free, usually red but can be green, (when not roasted) very mellow, and can be blended with teas or other herbs, or flavored.
Scented Tea—is any tea that is flavored by the addition of essential oils, fruits and/or flowers.
Sencha—is Japan’s most popular and widely drunk green tea.
Souchong—large-leaf teas plucked from the third and fourth leaves of the tea plant.
Tannin—an astringent substance that occurs naturally in some plants. Tea leaves provide a particularly high source. Because of their tannins, tea leaves steeped for long periods can result in a bitter taste unrelated to tannic acid polyphenols of other plants.
Theaflavins—the polyphenols from well-oxidized black teas that provide high antioxidant health benefits.
Theanine—an amino acid, unique to tea.
Theine—is a synonym for caffeine.
THÉ—the French term for tea.
TÉ—another term for tea.
Ti Kuan Yin—a very good quality, highly desirable and fragrant oolong tea from China, which varies in color, has a strong and rich flavor, and translates to “Iron Goddess of Mercy.”
Tippy—a term added to the grade of tea if, during harvesting, some of the top two leaves have a golden or white tip.
Tisane—(tea-zan) refers to an infusion made from the leaves, fruits or flowers of various plants.
White Tea—true white tea is an expensive tea that originally came from a rare variety of the Camillia sinensis. Now it refers to any young tea leaves or buds that are only withered (air dried.) When steeped, white tea has a very smooth and light, almost floral taste and is always delicate. White tea is believed to contain more antioxidants than any other tea. It has a soft, white downy appearance.
Withering—a process by which, after the fresh leaves are picked, sorted and weighed, the leaves are left to air dry, allowing the moisture content to be controlled before rolling and processing, thus preventing the breakage of the leaves.
Yixing—(ee-shing) the name of the Chinese pottery derived from a natural purple clay, from which unglazed and highly prized teapots are crafted. The teapots are excellent for black and oolong teas because they hold the heat for long periods of time. They are not recommended for white and green teas.
Yerba Maté—the Spanish name of a holly tree that grows in the forests of South America. Its leaves are made into a hot or cold beverage. Extracts of the plant are now being used in many dietary supplements for weight loss. It is a stimulant but often referred to as an herb. It is usually drunk from a hollowed-out gourd in trendy shops.
Yunnan—a province in southwest China that produces the majority of Chinese black tea and that is believed to be where the original wild tea plants grew.
Most of the tea information used in this book has come from two reliable and highly reputable organizations; they are:
The Tea Association of the USA
Suite 825 - 420 Lexington Avenue
New York, NY 10170
Website address: www.teausa.org
E-Mail address: info@teausa.com
Mr. Joseph Simrany, President
The Tea Association of Canada
885 Don Mills Road, Suite 301
Toronto, Ontario M3C 1V9
Canada
Website address: www.tea.ca
E-Mail address: info@tea.ca
Ms. Louise Roberge, President
The World Tea Expo annually hosts a convention that brings the tea world together; i.e. tea vendors, tea blenders, tea shop owners, publishers, etc.
Contact: www.worldteaexpo.com.
For in-depth tea research and information the following books are highly recommended:
James Norwood Pratt—New Tea Lover’s Treasury: The Classic True Story of Tea, The Tea Lover’s Companion: The Ultimate Connoisseur’s Guide to Buying, Brewing and Enjoying Tea, Tea Dictionary.
Beatrice Hohenegger—Liquid Jade: The Story of Tea
Bruce Richardson—Tea & Etiquette: Taking Tea for Business and Pleasure, The Tea Table.
Shelley Richardson—Looking Deeply into Tea
Michael Harney—The Harney & Sons Guide to Tea
Jane Pettigrew—Tea Classified, The Social History of Tea
Lydia Gautier—TEA
Jason Witt—Spirituality of Tea
Most of your favourite brands of tea supply a website address on their packaging; their sites are usually packed with good information. Do check them out.
It’s amazing how life goes around in circles. My family has been in the tea business for well over 200 years. My grandfather was a wholesaler of teas in the Middle East and although he dealt with many other commodities, his passion was for tea. As it was in most of the Middle East, social life centered around tea. In the 1950’s, my grandfather, sensing that it was time to leave, moved his sons out of the Middle East and by the time of the first war in the early 90’s our tea business was closed.
I grew up neither interested nor uninterested in tea. It was a part of my history, but nothing more.
However, as I grew up, I discovered that I was a man of nose and palate—which means I love all things related to the senses. I have always loved food and the intricacies of cooking. I became a connoisseur of find foods, wines, spirits, beers, and tobacco. I’m one of those people who get’s passionate about things. I can’t help it: it’s who I am.
When I started to make changes in my life, when I gave up coffee and started drinking tea, it became not only my passion but my life. Now my father laughs at how life has come full circle from his father to his son.
After owning and running dr. tea’s in L.A., I have come to realize that tea has a long way to go in our country until it reaches the understanding and acceptability it has worldwide. It is with books, like the pages of the one herein, that we as a country will take our first steps to becoming a Tea Culture!
So, start your journey towards good health, “ONE CUP OF TEA AT A TIME!”
Mark “dr. tea" Ukra
You will find “dr. tea” on my website.
www.dharlene-marie.com
