TeaMoka

Kansas City Food Artisans

2010-11-11T13:35:00.010-06:00

TeaMoka Joins Kansas City Foods Artisans

The Kansas City Food Artisans (KCFA) association is comprised of small-batch food entrepreneurs, including shelf-stable, refrigerated and frozen products, baked goods, and packaged farm, ranch and dairy products, all from the Kansas City area.

Some of the artisan members include Tall Grass Toffee Company, Dodge City Beef, Valomilk Candy Company and many other great companies. Several of the members will be doing product samplings in this month and on into December. Check out the website http://www.kcfoodartisans.com/ for dates and locations of the events and support your local food artisans!

TeaMoka Local Sampling Event!

2010-10-14T11:56:00.007-05:00

Happy Fall!

TeaMoka will be sampling teas at a local craft show on November 19th and 20th at Ascension Catholic Church. Feel free to stop by to sip some new teas and do some early holiday shopping! There will be a lot of unique vendors participating in this event, so you will have the opportunity to find some great gifts (or just shop for yourself!).

Ascension Catholic Church is located at 9510 West 127th St. in Overland Park, KS (127th and Antioch).

Ascension Marketplace
Ladies Night on Friday, November 19th from 7:00pm-10:00pm
Saturday, November 20th from 8:00am-3:00pm

Hope to see you there!

How to Make Great Iced Tea

2009-08-06T19:14:00.013-05:00

Summer time is a great opportunity to get the recommended daily healthy intake of 3-4 cups of tea per day, by making refreshing iced tea at home. Any category of loose tea can be made into iced tea, whether it is a black Indian Assam, to a Chinese green or white tea--and of course herbal tea (tisanes) also make great iced teas. Personal flavor choice and preference should be the driver of what type of tea you choose to use for preparing your iced tea.

Some tea friends I know love to make iced tea with TeaMoka's British Blue Mountain Earl Grey, whereas I typically prefer to use a green or white tea. "To each his own"--especially when it comes to tea! As far as how much loose tea to use when making iced tea actually depends on the process you are using to steep your tea. In general, you want to use enough tea to make it concentrated (i.e. more than what you would use when steeping hot tea), because you will then add ice which will dilute the liquid. If you are steeping tea on the stove, you can bring a little bit of fresh cold water(about a cup) to a boil (for a black tea), add 2-3 teaspoons of loose tea, and then steep for about 5 minutes. Once this liquid cools, add fresh cold water, and then pour over ice to make several glasses of fresh tea.

If, on the other hand, you use an automatic tea brewer like I'm currently using, then you simply fill the inner container with fresh cold water, add ice to the pitcher, then add about 2 tablespoons of loose tea in the top of the brewer and press start. Tea brewers make it so fast and easy to prepare iced tea and then you can just place the pitcher in the refrigerator and enjoy tea all day long.

The way I grew up of making "sun tea", where you place a jar of tap water and tea bags out on your deck and let the summer sun heat the tea, is now being frowned upon as a way of making iced tea due to the chance of bacteria growing in the jar (because the water is never brought up to a boil or near boil). Somehow I survived childhood enjoying tea this way, but I have to admit that making tea in an automatic brewer is so much easier and faster...and I guess there is extra piece of mind knowing that it's bacteria-free!

To me, iced tea is just one of those few simple little pleasures of life that I enjoy so much. So the most important thing to remember is to just savor your tea this summer--any way you like it!

Upcoming Event

2009-07-09T10:19:00.004-05:00

You're invited to join TeaMoka Specialty Tea at the women-only shopping event of the year!

Haute Market Shopping Party
DATE: Thursday, July 16th
TIME: 4:30pm-9:00pm
LOCATION: Ritz Charles, Overland Park, KS
EVENT: Shop from over 30 trendy boutiques and enter for a chance to win a trip to New York City during fashion week!

Tickets for this event are $10 in advance available at www.HauteMarket.com. The first 4 women to respond to this post can purchase tickets directly from TeaMoka for
$5 each! Plus, for anyone that attends this event you'll receive 25% off any one TeaMoka tea or teaware item!

White Tea

2009-05-15T20:10:00.013-05:00

One tea category that was all a buzz at this year's World Tea Expo was White Tea. Alot of conflicting information abounds about the differences in green tea vs. white tea, how white tea is produced, and whether a tea can technically be categorized as white or not.

I started drinking white tea many years ago and have always enjoyed the subtle elegance of this type of tea. If you've never tried it, give it a chance and you might find it to be a truly sensory experience. In the meantime, here's a bit of basic information to get you started on understanding white tea.

Production: White teas are generally harvested in early spring and are carefully sun-dried for several days to remove moisture. White tea is the least processed of all teas, in that it does not undergo much processing like black teas and even some green teas. The buds (or tender shoots) of the Camellia sinesis plant are plucked from the top of the tea plant and these buds often display a downy white fuzz, thus giving the tea its name of White Tea.

Infusion: The infused liquor is very pale in color and is often very mellow, fragrant, and slightly sweet. Most white teas are often steeped best at water that is just steaming (not boiling) as the leaves are tender and you should avoid scorching them. I've found that usually 2-3 minutes is the optimal steeping time for most white teas, but always steep to your personal preference.

Caffeine: Most information available usually states that white tea is lower in caffeine than even green tea; however the latest scientific esearch indicates that white tea can actually have slightly more caffeine than green tea. This is due to the younger tea shoots from which white tea is plucked containing more caffeine in the leaves than older, "more mature" leaves. Caffeine in the tea plant is nature's self-defense against plant disease and insects. Isn't nature amazing? So unless your body is sensitive to caffeine, don't use caffeine as an indicator of whether to choose green or white tea.

Just drink what you enjoy!

What Happens in Vegas...

2009-04-30T19:39:00.002-05:00

What happens in Vegas......benefits you!

We are heading off to the 2009 World Tea Expo in Vegas to meet with tea growers from around the globe and bring new knowledge all about the world of tea back to you! It's going to be a great convention and we look forward to telling you all about it soon.

Stop By and Visit TeaMoka on April 18th!

2009-04-02T13:33:00.002-05:00

TeaMoka will be participating at the Spring Vendor Fair on Saturday, April 18th!

Stop by to try samples of some of our newest fresh teas and check out our latest "ipot" teapots in new spring colors!

Event: Spring Vendor Fair

Date: April 18, 2009 9 am - 4 pm

Location: First Christian Church of North Kansas City
2018 N. Gentry, North Kansas City, MO 64116

10 Heathly Reasons to Drink Tea

2009-02-19T13:06:00.002-06:00

Other than "because it tastes good", here are 10 smart reasons to drink tea!

Tea contains antioxidants. Antioxidants can help slow down the aging process, and help cells regenerate and repair. Many studies suggest antioxidants also assist our bodies in preventing cancer.
Tea can lower stress hormone levels. Black tea can reduce the effects of stressful events by lowering the amount of the stress hormone cortisol in the body.
Tea fights cavities and reduces plaque. Compounds in tea are capable of killing or suppressing growth and acid production of cavity causing bacteria in our mouths.
Tea keeps you hydrated. Every cup of tea you drink, especially low or no caffeine varieties, counts as a cup of water with the added bonus of providing antioxidants as well.
Tea may reduce the risk of stroke and heart attack. Tea can help prevent formation of dangerous blood clots which are often the cause of strokes and heart attacks.
Tea can help lower blood pressure. Drinking green tea daily can reduce your risk of hypertension by up to 50%.
Tea aids your body in digestion. Tea has been used for thousands of years as an after-meal digestive aid. It can also help relieve stomach cramps.
Tea may help prevent diabetes. There is some evidence to suggest that green tea might help to lower the risk of getting Type 2 Diabetes.
Tea can help beat bacteria. An Egyptian study testing the effects of green tea on antibiotics found the tea to enhance the bacteria killing effects of the drugs.
Tea aids your immune defenses. A study comparing the immune activity levels of coffee drinkers vs. tea drinkers found the tea drinkers to have levels up to five times higher.

Study Finds Tea May Decrease Breast Cancer Risk

2009-02-01T09:45:00.003-06:00

In case you need another reason to drink up...

A study led by a researcher at the Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Fla., has indicated that drinking tea may help women under 50 stave off breast cancer. Published in the January issue of the medical journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, the study looked at potential links between regular tea consumption and the risk of breast cancer.

More than 9,500 women ages 20 to 74 were surveyed, some with cancer and others without. According to an abstract, the results indicated that "tea consumption was not related to breast cancer risk overall." However, when looking at results only for participants 50 years of age or younger, "those consuming three or more cups per day had a 37 percent reduced breast cancer risk when compared with women reporting no tea consumption."

While conceding that further work is needed to confirm their conclusion, the research team stated: "We observed evidence to support a potential beneficial influence for breast cancer associated with moderate levels of tea consumption (three or more cups per day) among younger women."

Happy New Year!

2009-01-04T21:09:00.002-06:00

Happy New Year!

As never before, it's time to reflect on all that we have and we all have a lot to be thankful for. Family, friends, jobs, and homes among a myriad of other "things". Usually my type-A personality usually comes up with a list of things that I want to accomplish in the new year; however, this year is different. My resolution is a simple one. To stress less and enjoy more.

As I've recently been reflecing on things in life that bring me true pleasure, I realize that they have two things in common --they relieve stress and open my eyes to being in and enjoying the moment. Luckily for me, one of my life's little pleasures happens to be settling down with a hot cup of tea. Nothing destresses me more and puts things into perspective. Have you ever noticed that it's nearly impossible to feel stressed or to worry about something that may or may not happen tomorrow while wrapping your hands around a steaming cup of tea? I think by design it may be impossible. So I'm adding tea (yes, tea) to the long list of things that I'm thankful for. I'm truly thankful for this simple beverage.

Here's to the New Year and new beginnings! I wish for you all less stress, more enjoyment of being in the moment, and living life by the cup.

Simply stated...

2008-11-30T11:08:00.003-06:00

On a recent trip to Italy we didn't find much tea in the land of espresso, but we did find a hopeful sign.

Join us at the Jared Coones Pumpkin Run!

2008-10-10T13:08:00.002-05:00

The 10th anniversary of the Jared Coones Pumpkin Run and Walk is this Saturday, October 11th! The race starts at BlackBob Elementary School,14701 S Brougham Drive in Olathe, KS. Come on out for a fun run that supports and raises funds for research and organizations that support cancer patients and their families.

TeaMoka will be there before and after the race to serve hot tea samples to all the race participants, so come on out and visit us. It's going to be a beautiful race day this year!

Rooibos' ("Red Tea") Heart Health Benefits

2008-09-11T18:44:00.002-05:00

Clinical Trial Shows Cardiovascular Benefits of Rooibos, Popular Antioxidant Herbal Tea from South Africa

A new study shows that rooibos (also known as "red tea") has cardiovascular benefits in addition to its ability to soothe a stomach and provide a good source of vitamins and minerals. Click here to read more!

How Much Loose Tea Do I Use?

2008-09-04T10:54:00.006-05:00

One question that I often get asked is "how much loose leaf tea should I use to make a cup or a pot of tea?". The general rule of thumb is 1 teaspoon for an average 6-8 oz size cup. Most loose teas will "swell up" once they are infused, especially green and oolong teas. They become voluminous in an infuser once hot water is added....which remember to always use an infuser that gives your leaves plenty of room to expand and release their full flavor potential.

Try starting out with the smallest quantity of tea first and then you can always add more tea leaves if needed.

So how much do I use to make a cup of tea? About a "TEA"spoon ful...

Free Tea? Oh Yes! It's FREE...

2008-08-02T18:31:00.007-05:00

Looking for a new tea to try? If so, we invite you to peruse some of our new summer teas at TeaMoka. Until the end of this month we are offering FREE TEA SAMPLES. Simply send us an email at Tea.Moka@yahoo.com with your name and address (U.S. addresses only please), along with the name of a tea you would like to try.

What's the catch you ask? We would like to know what you think about the tea you sampled. All we ask is that you write a response to this blog and let everyone know which tea you sampled and what you thought of the tea!

How to Steep Tea

2008-07-17T10:06:00.010-05:00

How long should I steep my tea?

This is a question that I get asked very often. Tea is really very simple to prepare. If you do not like your tea the first time you try it, try changing the way you steep it. If when you prepare it, you find that it is too strong or bitter, add more water, or better yet, next time, don't allow it to steep so long. If you find that the tea is too weak for your taste, try using more tea leaves the next time. You can experiment with different varieties of teas, sweeteners (such as honey or sugar), and temperatures - hot or iced. It's really all about your personal taste, so enjoy exploring to find what you like the best!

The following info will help you to prepare the best cup of tea possible:
1. Heat fresh, cold water (if available filtered water is best) to the appropriate temperature.
2. Add the loose tea leaves into your infuser (use approximately one full teaspoon of loose tea leaves per 6-8 oz. cup) and add water.
3. Infuse (steep) for the recommended amount of time or to suit your personal taste preference.

Type of Tea ~ Water Temp ~ Steep Time in Minutes

Green Tea~175°-180° (steaming)~1-3 minutes

White~175°-180°(steaming)~1-3

Oolong~180°-190°(steaming)~2-3

Black~208°-212°(boiling)~3-5

Pu-Erh~208°-212°(boiling)~3-5

Rooibos~208°-212° (boiling)~5-10

Herbal~208°-212°(boiling)~5-10

Red Tea

2008-07-07T10:11:00.003-05:00

Although Rooibos or "red tea" is gaining in popularity--mostly through the ready-to-drink, bottled varieties, it is still relatively new to most people. Rooibos is actually an herb that grows in South Africa and not really "tea" at all. It is from the plant "Aspalathus linearis" (not Camellia sinensis, which is true tea) and produces fine, needle-like leaves.

Reasons to drink:

*naturally caffeine-free
*anti-spasmodic properties relieve stomach and digestive discomfort
*contains no additives, preservatives, or colors
*helps to relieve allergies
*promotes healthy skin, teeth, and bones
*contains antioxidants
*increases iron absorption
*contains essentials minerals, such as iron, potassium, calcium, copper, zinc, magnesium, fluoride, and manganese and
* it produces a gorgeous red cup with fantastic flavor! (good ones to try: Cape Town Chai, RubyMint Falls, and Lemon Grove Rooibos)

DIY: Decaffeinate Your Tea

2008-06-20T08:32:00.004-05:00

Worried about your caffeine intake?

If you are, you don't have to limit yourself to only purchasing teas labeled as "Decaf". Any tea can be decaffeinated easily.

Here's how: Take any of your favorite loose teas and steep for about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Then pour out the brewed tea, add more water, and steep again for the full recommended steep time for that particular tea.

Caffeine is very water-soluble and by pouring off the first brewed tea most (anywhere from 85-90%) of the caffeine is removed. An easy way to decaffeinate your favorite tea!

Iced Tea Maker

2008-06-12T10:23:00.007-05:00

With the heat and humidity setting in here in the Midwest, it was time for me to purchase a new iced tea maker. Since I'm not a "fan of the fannings" of tea bags, my main criteria was to find an iced tea maker that allowed for using fresh loose leaf tea....the real, good stuff!

After researching different brands and reading many reviews on Amazon, I finally settled on the Hamilton Beach 40911 2-Quart Electric Iced Tea Maker. It arrived last week and I LOVE it! It has a more updated design to it than the typical iced tea maker, so you don't have to be embarrased to leave it out on your kitchen counter!

I love "sun tea", but don't really want to wait hours for my tea. This new iced tea maker makes fresh iced tea in about 10 minutes. You just add water, ice, and then fresh loose tea. The instructions recommending 3-4 teaspoons of loose tea for 2 quarts of tea, but I prefer to use a lot less tea and am finding that about 2 teaspoons is about right for my taste.

For anyone looking for a new iced tea maker, I give this one a big thumbs up!

Oolong Teas

2008-03-16T13:47:00.000-05:00

In between the category of black and green teas, you will find Oolongs. And that is where the simplicity ends. Oolongs are a complex category of tea that range from "very oxidized" (sometimes known as dark oolongs) to jade oolongs which have very little oxidation. Normally you'll find oxidation levels anywhere from about 10-80%. The levels of oxidation determine flavor ranges from delicate, orchid-like flavor to dark, rich honey-like flavors.

Whereas green teas might take just a few hours to process and black teas could take up to a full day, oolongs can take over 36 hours to achieve partial oxidation. The leaves are first bruised, rolled, heated and then allowed to "rest" and cool in a repetitive process until just the right amount of oxidation is achieved.

Most oolongs come from either Taiwan or China and combined with the specific processing, as well as the climate and soil can create a wide array of aromas and complex flavors. Often with most oolongs you'll want to try multiple infusions. The first infusion will often lend itself to an initial flavor profile, but with a second or even third infusion you'll discover a new layer of flavor subtleties.

Have fun experimenting with this category of tea!

Decaf can be delightful...

2008-01-18T17:59:00.002-06:00

As the owner of TeaMoka, I'm constantly searching for new teas to delight my customers. Several customers had recently been asking me whether we carried any decaf teas (which we do), but I thought it made sense to search out new decafs to expand this area of our line. What I found is something wonderful.....a decaffeinated tea with organic lemongrass, lemon myrtle, and lots of glorious lavender blended with Indian black tea. The aromatic scent of this tea is so wonderful and the flavor so soothing that I think it's going to be a big hit with my "Decaf Customers"!!!

Tell Me...

2008-01-11T10:50:00.000-06:00

Find yourself a cup; the teapot is behind you. Now tell me about hundreds of things.
~Saki

Hi Friends,
Through this new TeaMoka blog, I hope to share with you the latest news on "all things tea". In return, I hope you'll join in the conversation and let me know what's on your mind.

Looking forward to hearing from you!
Jenn
http://www.teamoka.com/