Drinkable Desserts (Teas as Good as Dessert)

Looking for a way to satisfy your sweet tooth while keeping your waistline under control? I turn to tea. There are a number of teas that taste so wonderful, either plain or with milk and sweetener, that you can drink them as dessert. Get the details on The Taste of English Tea Blog.

Another Online Tea Vendor: Teaflection

Everyone is jumping on the tea bandwagon, it seems. New online tea vendors sprout like mushrooms. Some, like Shui Tea, Mad Pots of Tea!, and Chicago Tea Garden, are small operations focused on unique, high quality teas and herbals. Others are part of a group of online stores run by one company, such as The English Tea Store which is part of Online Stores, Inc.

A big media campaign is being waged to promote a relative newcomer in this online tea sales arena: Teaflection.com. The site was launched in September 2009 and falls into the category of one store as part of a group. Media Relations contact Heather Johnston has made sure the word has gotten out through such networking sites as Facebook and Twitter and by offering free samples to review.

My sample (Chinese Hyson Green Tea) arrived recently, and was reviewed on Little Yellow Teapot Tea Reviews.

With so many new online tea vendors popping up, and with no information on this company arriving with the tea sample, I decided to see what I could find out. I must confess the search turned up both some puzzling items and some interesting ones.

Little Yellow Teapot Listed with Other Top Tea Blogs

I removed this post earlier today when someone said it was a scam. I have since determined that these two lists are just a nice way of them recognizing tea blogs they have enjoyed. Little Yellow Teapot and I are still honored that they enjoy reading us. We hope you do, too.

The original post (with a minor edit or two):

Little Yellow Teapot was recently blushing profusely when he learned that his blog was added to a list of top tea blogs by two different sites. These lists included such tea heavy-weights as Gongfu Girl, Lainie Sips, Tea Guy Speaks, and Life In Teacup. Check out 'em out. A great tea bunch!

CulinaryArtsCollege.org
50 Awesome Blogs for True Tea Aficionados Blogs 2010

Per their site:

Culinary Arts College is a non-profit site dedicated to elevating American cuisine by encouraging a new generation of chefs to attend a culinary arts college. As a formally trained chef, it is my belief that many potentially great chefs, limit their opportunities by not obtaining a formal education, so it is the goal of this website to inform students about the educational process, their degree options, some pitfalls to watch out for, and what to expect when attending a culinary arts college.

I recognize tea as an important part of every tea lover’s life and a companion to the food we eat, sometimes even an ingredient in that food. I’m happy, therefore, on behalf of that blushing little teapot, to say “Thanks.”

Online University
Top Tea Blogs 2010

Their statement about tea and this list:

Believe it or not, tea is the most commonly consumed beverage in the world after water. …the top tea blogs to educate us from the basics to the complicated of all of the different kinds of tea out there. Sip your tea, relax, and learn.

About the list.

As someone who never stops learning, I am very grateful to be included on a site that recognizes the value of such blogs to continue educating others. Having learned a lot by doing these blogs, I hope you’ve learned a bit, too, by reading them.

Again, thanks for reading. And the Little Yellow Teapot wishes you a pleasant tea day!

Tea Moments — Finding a Shady Spot

Ah, Summer! Time for that most cliché of Summertime activities: sitting in a shady spot and sipping on some tasty chilled tea. Of course, that means a bit of preparation, starting with finding a shady spot. See how it all works out on The Taste of English Tea Blog.

Scones — The Ideal Teatime Treat

Scones and teatime go together as naturally as baseball games and hotdogs. Baking some up fresh to go with your pot of tea is not a difficult task, especially since you can steep the tea while they bake. See how it all shapes up on The Taste of English Tea Blog.

Tea Kettle Philosophy — Loud vs. Soft

Ever see the movie “My Big Fat Greek Wedding”? Then you know that the Greek family lived their lives loudly while the family of the groom lived theirs softly. Live your life “loud” or “soft” as you choose. And pick a suitable tea to fit that lifestyle. See what I mean on The Taste of English Tea Blog.

A Word About Tea Review Sites, Pt. II

Part II of my look at the whole mess of tea review sites out there. Seems like anyone who has ever dunked a teabag is writing about or doing a video of the experience. See what I mean on The Taste of English Tea Blog.

Tea Kettles Galore, Part II

Finding the right tea kettle to heat your water can make the difference between so-so tea and great tea. Choose your kettle with care. I’ve digested a ton of info available online and pared it down to 5 key items. Part II covers 3, 4, and 5 on The Taste of English Tea Blog.

Tea Kettles Galore, Part I

Finding the right tea kettle to heat your water can make the difference between so-so tea and great tea. Choose your kettle with care. I’ve digested a ton of info available online and pared it down to 5 key items. Part I covers 1 and 2 on The Taste of English Tea Blog.

A Word About Tea Review Sites, Pt. I

Teas can run up quite a bill in your budget. Are you getting your money’s worth? One way to tell if a tea is one to try is a review by someone else who has tried it. Thus, lots of tea reviews are popping up across the Internet. See what I mean on The Taste of English Tea Blog.

Teas from Africa

Tea has come a long way, literally, since the days when it was only grown in China. A continent away, in Africa, tea is a bright spot in the economies of several nations. It is also becoming increasingly important in blended teas, adding beautiful color and unique flavors. My favorite bagged tea (yes, I occasionally use bagged tea, but it has to be very special) is Devonshire Tea, made from all Kenyan tea (a blend of teas from four estates in the mountains there). Check out my rundown of some other great teas from Africa on The Taste of English Tea Blog.

Tea Station Interlopers

Love tea? Simplify preparation with a tea station. You’ll have everything you need close at hand, saving you time and frustration. But watch out for those tea station interlopers. See what I mean on The Taste of English Tea Blog.

Those Wonderful Amsterdam Teapots

You can set your fine porcelain and bone china teapots on the shelf and use attractive yet inexpensive Amsterdam teapots. No idea what the company is like. They don’t have a Website. But the teapots are well-reknowned for their sturdiness, colorful appearance, and ability to steep the perfect pot of tea (don’t miss the video showing one tea lover’s version of steeping the perfect pot of tea). Get the details on The Taste of English Tea Blog.

Teatime Jam Session

Jamming up your teatime is a lot easier than you think and doesn’t involve any musical instruments. There’s a host of choices out there, so the only hard thing for you is deciding which jam to have. See your options on The Taste of English Tea Store.

No Strings Attached (to My Teabag)

Getting all tangled up at teatime? It’s probably those strings and tags dangling from your teabag. It doesn’t have to be that way, though. You can break free. See how on The Taste of English Tea Blog.

Ranking Your Oolongs

A few more thoughts on this whole idea of ranking Oolongs based on how much oxidation has been allowed to occur are on The Taste of English Tea Blog.

This is an Oolong:

And this is an Oolong:

And this is an Oolong:

Get the picture?

Time to Time Your Tea

The water’s hot. The tea’s in the pot. Time to time your tea. How long? Do you need a special timer? Get some guidelines on The Taste of English Tea Blog.

Topping Your Tea with Whipped Cream

Ever steep up a pot of tea that you usually drink with milk only to discover that you have no milk? No problem as long as you have a bit of whipped cream on hand. Sceptical? Get convinced on The Taste of English Tea Blog.

(Note: There have been some comments about me using canned whipped cream. I tried whipping cream once but they were able to grab the whip out of my hand and, well...it wasn't pretty!)

Items That Can Make Great Teabag Holders

Teabags are still in wide use among tea drinkers (for example, in the UK 95% of tea consumed is in bags). To each his own. But what do you do with that teabag when the steeping is done? I jotted down a few ideas on The Taste of English Tea Blog.

White Tea Roundup

Add a bit of the exotic to your tea pantry with some white teas. Not sure what they are or which ones to choose? Don’t fret. I’ve laid out some info and a few choices to get you started on The Taste of English Tea Blog.

Don’t miss my reviews of white teas on Little Yellow Teapot Tea Reviews.

Tea Moments — Enjoying a Cloudy Summer Day

Cloudy Summer days bring a bit of relief from bright sun. If you’re lucky, they also bring much-needed rain that saves you from watering the lawn, garden, flower beds, etc., around your house. But what does all this have to do with your teatime? Find out on The Taste of English Tea Blog.

The Difference a Teacup Makes

There are “sipper” teas and “gulper” teas. So, too, there are “sipper” teacups/mugs and “gulper” teacups/mugs. Find out what the difference is on The Taste of English Tea Blog.

“Gulper” Teas

In a hurry? Go ahead, gulp your tea. If it is a good, strong-tasting tea, you won’t miss out on the flavor. See what I mean on The Taste of English Tea Blog.

“Sipper” Teas

There’s a saying that “slow and steady wins the race”. I say “slow and steady wins the tea taste” or something like that. Anyway, sipping teas that have delicate and/or complex flavors certainly wins my taste award. See what I mean on The Taste of English Tea Blog.

Too Much Tea Info?

The Internet is exploding with information about every topic under the sun, including tea. The question for people like me, i.e., tea drinkers who want to learn more and therefore enjoy this versatile beverage more, is:


“Which of this info, if any, is legitimate?”

A lot of articles are being written by people who have read a book and — like some high school essay assignment — pepper their own text with an item or two from what they’ve read (not to be confused with a legitimate book review). Some writers saw something written on another site and have just spit it back out on their own site without knowing if that source site info was legitimate. Still other articles are just the author’s opinion — no problem there as long as the author is clear about this and the reader also knows he is reading opinion, not fact.

Store blogs to the rescue.

Sites that sell teas often have affiliated blogs. These blogs can be the best source of tea information, since the store sites are concerned about being truthful and gaining new customers through that information. Some people pooh-pooh these blogs, claiming that they exist solely to promote the store’s products. I, however, consider these blogs to be highly reliable. Considering how easy it is for disgruntled customers to post negative feedback online, these stores wouldn’t risk posting misinformation or items that were strictly self-serving. Word would get around quickly.

Some sites set themselves up as repositories of tea info. Are they? Lacking any in-depth and verifiable information on the site owners and authors, and often not even having a byline for articles, readers are on their own in terms of knowing whether to trust what they read. The best option then is to look at other sites to see if a verifiable source/author says the same thing. The more verifiable and reliable sources there are, the more reliable the information will be.

Bottom Line

In the firm belief that the majority of people are basically honest, I would say that most of the information about tea to be found on the Internet is legitimate, i.e., factual to the best of the author’s ability. Readers should, however, check a variety of sources. An article on the popular site Learn-about-tea.com could be (and often is) contradicted by an article on another site devoted to tea. Which do you believe? As Shakespeare said, “Ah, there’s the rub.”

Happy reading!