According to the “about you” page, the blogger, Alex from Fort Worth, Texas, blogs about tea because: “I like tea, thought I’d write about it like all the cool kids do.”  He makes a reference to those cool kids within various posts, but also within a list on the right sidebar of other blogs worthy of a visit.  His list of tea blogs diverges from the main-stream, it includes several interesting sources of commentary, reviews and experiences that this editor has not come across previously.  Another big plus of Alex’s Another Tea Blog is the very well thought out vendor list. For those interested in the ever growing world of tea, this is a great spot to explore the various vendors.

One sad note… According to a recent post on his blog, Alex might be stepping away from posting for a while.  But, there is still good news for those who have only just discovered him… there are plenty of archives to read!

Image property of Another Tea Blog

The internet offers easy access to a wealth of information on virtually any topic. It also offers the ability to interact with like-minded people on topics of interest.

Tribe.net is a great online network, not unlike the now ubiquitous Craigs List. Within Tribe you can post and search for jobs, housing and restaurant reviews and… create or join tribes on virtually any subject. Tribes are individual online communities whose members, located across the globe, socially networking on range of subjects. For the coffee and tea enthusiasts there are a plethora of tribes that might be of interest.

Keep an eye out for them at a local grocery, retailer or drugstore, for the moment they are not being stocked in Starbucks stores. Starbucks Chocolates have a suggested retail of $2.99.

Proctor and Gamble has been developing technologies to purify water since 1995. Their efforts have resulted in the Pur Water Purifier, a powerful packet of powder that when added to water kills waterborne pathogens, thereby reducing the risk of diarrhea and diseases such as typhoid, cholera, dysentery. A single packet of Pur Water Purifier can yield 2.5 gallons of safe water and to date there have been more than 132 million gallons of water purified, 53 million gallons of which have been for emergency initiatives in developing countries such as Kenya and Haiti. The results of this purifier are pretty amazing, see for yourself at Proctor and Gamble’s Health Sciences Institute. They provide a summary of their technology and progress and provide a library of videos so people may see first hand the technology and its benefits at work.

There are two ways to support this initiative:

1. Make a financial contribution to PSI, one of Proctor and Gambles allies in the Children’s Safe Drinking Water Program. PSI is a nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C. that “harnesses the vitality of the private sector to address the health problems of low-income and vulnerable populations in more than 60 developing countries” (as stated on the PSI website).

2. Purchase a Pur water filtration product and Proctor and Gamble will donate a percentage of the proceeds to the Children’s Safe Drinking Water Program. Keep in mind, Proctor and Gamble’s donation will be capped at $100,000.

UPDATE 3/6/08… there is 3rd way to support this initiative!  Roberta, A Nice Cuppa reader just brought it to our attention (see her comment below).  Thanks Roberta! Proctor & Gamble is donating a liter of PUR water for every friend you “splash” with an email through their special web-page. Go ahead and send a splash, it costs nothing, takes a few moments of time and helps education others about this very important program.

Target is known by many as a hip, one-stop shop. As a brand they have done an incredible job of becoming a mainstay for hip and functional furniture, clothing, home accessories and more. Now, fun and exotic blooming teas can be found among their inventory too!

Teaposy is a blooming tea company targeting the gift industry. Their display teas are designed with impressions in mind. Target is offering more than a dozen Teaposy options as well as the glass teapots and accessories to brew them in. Prices start at $8.99. To view their selection, go to Target and search Teaposy.

Images property of Target.com

When craving a cup of Mariage Freres’ Marco Polo tea, there are a few places avid drinkers can turn stateside, one source is Williams Sonoma. But, while the item can in most cases be found at a Williams Sonoma storefront, it isn’t always possible to find it online. For those due for a fix, a recent check to their website shows it is once again available at www.williams-sonoma.com. A 3.5 ounce signature black tin of this beloved tea (shown above) is available For $17.

Alongside this delicious blend are two fun herbal teas for children (and for adults who prefer an herbal option). Let this spring be tea time for the big and little kids in your world! The inventive line is called Cuteas and was developed by a family-owned, California based company known as Teaspots. Still very new, the line offers five flavors, two of which Williams Sonoma offers: Chamorange Herbal Tea ($9.95) combines orange chamomile, orange peel and natural orange flavor, while Fru-Fru Fruit Tea ($10.95, shown right) contains peach, apple, orange peel, rose hips, hibiscus, natural raspberry and passionberry flavors. Both are blended from natural, organic ingredients and are suitable for children age three and older. Both are loose leaf blends, perfect for brewing with the tea flower infuser Fumiko Sasaki introduced a few days back!

For the coffee lovers, Williams Sonoma is offering Martinez Blue Mountain Coffee. This incredible medium-roast estate coffee is grown on the Grand Ridge of Jamaica’s Blue Mountains. It is hand harvested, processed at a historic mill from only the highest grade beans. Coffee connoisseurs splurge on this blend when craving a rich and perfectly balanced coffee with moderate acidity. 8-oz. bag. $29.50

Images are property of Williams Sonoma

Purchase a tin of Panda Berry Tea today directly from The Republic of Tea.

Image property and courtesy of Republic of Tea.

The February 2008 issue featured the story of a Taiwanese family living in South Africa and the ways they work to keep their heritage alive. Together they practice the Tawainese tea ceremony and cook up delicious accompanying fare. Within this article I found a very fun recipe for Tea Eggs. These Tea Eggs are delicious and unique. Best yet, they take little effort to make.

While the recipe below is for a dozen eggs, I split the ingredients by about half to make just six. I’ve supplied approximate American conversions in parentheses for the metric quantities the recipe calls for.

Recipe for Tea Eggs:

Ingredients:

• 12 Eggs
• 2 Liters Water (approx. 8 cups)
• 10 Chinese Oolong Tea Leaves
• 3 Star Anise
• 35ml Soy Sauce (2 TBSP & 1 TSP)
• 10gram Salt (approx 2 TSP)

Mix all the ingredients together and bring to a boil for 15 minutes. Next use a teaspoon to crack the eggs, leaving th shell in place. Place eggs back to simmer for another 45 minutes. The flavor enters the eggs through the cracks. Serve hot or cold.

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Those who love the coffee have taken to enjoying it everywhere — at the airport, hotel, office, home, etc. The word ‘coffee’ is even being replaced with Starbucks altogether. Walking along the streets of New York and at the office, it isn’t uncommon to hear people say “Let’s grab a cup of Starbucks” or “I need my morning Starbucks”. A visit to the local grocery store, gas station or even office supply chains often produces a selection of Starbucks coffees nearly as robust as the selection of bottled waters. As a brand, Starbucks has gained a stronghold in the everyday moments of life.

Those who hate the coffee also talk about it everywhere. The internet being one very popular stop. Starbucks is known as the company that re-designed how Americans drink (and order) coffee. The vast and sometimes complicated menu choices have provided fodder for comedians worldwide, movies (remember the Meg Ryan scene in You’ve Got Mail?), various critics and even amateur psychologists who believe personality types can be determined by drink selection. The chain knocked out a number of local coffee shops and inspired a slow, yet distinguishable surge in price increases of the everyday ‘cuppa Joe’ at local stops worldwide. Even those who adore Starbucks find it easy to understand why so many view the brand with distaste.

To read about all the good and bad news related to Starbucks, visit Jim Romenesko’s Starbucks Gossip site. Not affiliated with Starbucks, Romenesko publishes a vast amount of news related to the coffee behemoth within his blog. The tagline of his site is “Monitoring America’s favorite drug dealer’, his posts are drawn from reliable International and domestic news sources.