3T Blog :)

Matcha Mix-in: Oatmeal

2012-02-09T19:50:00.000-08:00

This recipe comes via Pig Pig's Corner, their version coming from Burp & Slurp. It's a simple take on oatmeal, adding a teaspoon of matcha.

Oatmeal is among the healthiest of foods, and it only gets better when you mix in some matcha. I would add a handful of blueberries on top, or perhaps even some mango. Of course, the less exotic stand-in, the banana, will do just fine here as well.

Check out the recipe here.

Tea Latte Variety Pack now available

2011-12-15T08:27:00.000-08:00

Ninja Black Tea Latte Powder, Organic Caffeine-free Red Ninja Rooibos Latte Powder, the original Ippuku Matcha Latte Powder - which one to choose?

We now offer these three distinct and delicious blends for a special low price so that you can try them all.They can be served hot, iced or blended with any kind of milk.

Ippuku Matcha Latte Powder is our most popular blend used in coffee and tea shops across the U.S. Artisan stone-ground Japanese Matcha is blended with pure cane sugar and offers the true, traditional matcha latte flavor that cannot be found in mainstream chain coffee shops.

Black Ninja Tea Latte Powder is our powdered black tea + sugar blend. No steeping is needed since the tea dissolves instantly. A stealthy way to make a strong cup of sweet black milk tea.

Red Ninja Tea Latte Powder is strong, yet mellow and sweet. This caffeine-free African Red Bush(Rooibos) + pure cane sugar blend dissolves instantly. Rooibos, a cherished herb in South Africa, is said to help relieve insomnia, nervous tension, indigestion and allergic symptoms. Research shows that it also contains the highest known levels of antioxidants of any plant on earth.

So there you go. Try the Tea Latte Variety Pack for delicious tea lattes at home. And if you are interested in any of these teas but don't need the sugar, please contact us for pricing. Cheers!

Chai weather is definitely here!

2011-09-27T07:04:00.000-07:00

Here in the Northwest, though the rain was scarce I would have to say the sun was as well. The last three weeks or so of summer were just starting to settle in me, and then BAM! The rain and darkness appears to have set in for good.

During this time of year it's fun to just nest at home and make everything as cozy as possible. If you want to fill the house with wonderful, spicy aromas, you could burn a candle...or you could percolate some Cha i. It takes a bit more time than pouring out a cup of chai concentrate. But it will fill your house with incredible smells, it will cost pennies and you will have a piping hot, spicy pot of Chai to sip from all day long.

We've got a recipe for iced Chai on the Chai page of our website. If you want it hot, don't let the pot cool off. If you can't finish the hot chai, keep it iced in the refrigerator for next time.

Happy Fall!

Matcha Frozen Greek Yogurt Pops

2011-08-01T06:41:00.000-07:00

From the blog "All Day I Dream About Food" comes a delicious looking recipe for Matcha Frozen Greek Yogurt Pops. It looks like she's got other great yogurt recipes on there as well. The recipe is low-carb and gluten free. I can't wait to try it!

Go to recipe:
http://dreamaboutfood.blogspot.com/2011/07/matcha-frozen-yogurt-pops-low-carb-and.html

From Japan Times: The Nostalgic and Sweet Life of Kyoto

2011-07-23T07:18:00.000-07:00

Reading this article on sweets and tea culture in Kyoto really brought me back, and it made me long to go there again. Well, hopefully next year. I've been a fan of the article's author, Mariko Itoh's Just Bento and Just Hungry food blogs for quite some time; JustHungry.com holds a coveted spot on my menu bar.

Here, Mariko offers an intro to the different varieties of wagashi, or Japanese sweets, intertwined with notes on its cultural and historical significance, as well as its ties with Buddhism. As she mentions in the article, it's nice to see wagashi making a comeback in the areas of Japan outside of Kyoto. It's one delicious tradition that will hopefully never fall out of fashion.

Read the article: The Nostalgic and Sweet Life of Kyoto

FitSugar article: Foods That Help Your Skin

2011-07-08T07:35:00.000-07:00

Check out today's FitSugar article on foods that are good for your skin. Tea is included as an excellent beverage choice, not only for hydration but also for its antioxidant properties.

I've been working out lately(any other P90x'ers out there), and need LOTS of water to stay hydrated. We just recently started offering pure instant powder teas, which we market for cooking and baking. They are also great for making iced tea. My husband has been making me the Organic Rooibos iced tea using old apple juice bottles, which are 64 ounces.

With the powdered teas, it's so convenient because it's instant - just add the tea to water and shake the bottle. Also, drinking the ground leaves just puts more of the antioxidant rich tea into your system, as opposed to drinking steeped tea. Give it a try sometime!

Read the article: http://www.fitsugar.com/Foods-Help-Your-Skin-18076021#commentform

From Saga.com: How Tea Fights Cancer

2011-06-29T07:15:00.000-07:00

According to this article, new research out of Rutgers University suggests that an extract of theaflavin-2 not only shrank cancer cells in as little as 3 hours, but also suppressed inflammation.

It also went on to state that the polyphenols present in tea reduced tumors in mice by 77% for black tea and 92% for green tea respectively.

Now, I am not making any health claims here. I am simply being the messenger...of course more research and more studies are needed, though if it holds true we will certainly be hearing more about it.

Read the article:

http://www.saga.co.uk/health/news/how-tea-fights-cancer.asp

Livestrong article: Black Tea Effect on Weight Loss

2011-06-23T07:06:00.000-07:00

I love all of these articles that support the health benefits of tea. There aren't many out there that state the opposite, that's for sure.

Here's another Livestrong article about Black tea and weight loss. Although continued research is needed, the article states that " Drinking black tea without added calories could help you achieve a calorie deficit for weight loss. If you consume alcohol or sweetened beverages regularly, substituting plain black tea could amount to a significant saving in calories to promote healthy weight loss."

That part can't be said enough. It also goes on to say that fruit flavored teas can help curb cravings for sweets. Hmm, I'll have to try that...

Breakaway Cook's Matcha article, plus a delish recipe

2011-06-20T07:05:00.000-07:00

A new article in the San Francisco Chronicle by Breakaway Cook's Eric Gower talks all about matcha. It's an easy read, and those delicious-looking carrot cake & matcha cookies that are pictured? Yes, there is a recipe for those as well. They look fabulous!

Read the article:

Matcha An Acquired Taste, Works Wonders With Dairy

Black Tea and Cancer - New Study

2011-06-20T06:59:00.000-07:00

The Times of India has published an article regarding a study which states that a daily cup of black tea can cut cancer risk: "(The) two studies have demonstrated that components of black tea can help shrink and kill cancer cells and/or result in helping to reduce the number of tumours," the Daily Express quoted Dr Tim Bond, of the Tea Advisory Panel, as saying."

Read the article:

Daily cup of black tea cuts cancer risk

3 reasons why we should opt for bulk over convenience packaging

2011-06-09T13:32:00.000-07:00

When life gets hectic, it’s just easier to reach for products that are packaged for convenience. Convenience foods are a huge driving force in the food industry, and it must be because many of us are relying on these foods in our day to day lives.

I have found, however, that with rare exceptions(Kraft Macaroni & Cheese unless you can put away a whole box!) choosing bulk over convenience is the better option, for these reasons.

1. Bulk products cost less than convenience products. Yes, this is a blatantly obvious statement. But how much more expensive is that easy-to-open, portion controlled pack of (insert food item here)? Single serving and convenience foods that cost approximately twice as much per serving as their bulk counterparts include oatmeal, tea, lunchmeat, tuna, milk, juice, etc. Is it worth the cost, especially if it’s for something you eat often?

2. Convenience products often contain more sugar, salt and other unhealthy ingredients. Going back to the oatmeal example, when you scoop out your own oats from that tub of oatmeal, you can control how much(if any) sugar, salt and other ingredients you put in it. My husband eats oatmeal with Japanese pickles and fish broth! That wouldn’t taste very good using the sugary instant stuff.

3. Less packaging is utilized with bulk products, meaning it costs less energy to produce and dispose of the packaging. You’ve got your bag or box, and then you have 6, 10,12 or more teeny tiny packaged items inside that package – raisins, juice boxes, nuts, chips, any snack food you can think of is offered in single serve packages. Even prunes come individually wrapped.

How do we gradually decrease our use of convenience packaging? I also have a ways to go in this area. I still pack juice boxes in my son’s lunch because I have yet to find a reusable bottle that doesn’t dribble or get moldy in crevices despite frequent washings. It helps to keep an assortment of measuring spoons, cups and reusable containers on hand. If you buy a large size of a product and then separate it into single-serving baggies, you're saving money on the food item but may be spending more on the plastic bags, and there is no reduction in waste.

One thing that has become more popular and appealing is the drink stick. It’s measured so that you can empty one stick into a 16.9 fluid ounce bottle of water.

I have found that the tea in those little sticks amounts to ½ teaspoon. In regards to other water enhancement drinks, 1 teaspoon seems to be an appropriate amount. I have found that if I use a whole stick of, say, Crystal Light in one bottle of water, it ends up being too sweet so I only use half a stick. At that point, why buy sticks at all? I’d rather have a bulk container than half-used sticks lying around. And we could save both money and the earth at the same time.

Powdered Green Tea vs. Matcha – What’s the Difference?

2011-06-07T09:58:00.000-07:00

Not all green teas are alike. While all matcha is indeed powdered green tea, the reverse is not necessarily true.

Green tea comes from the leaves of the Camellia Sinensis. Generally speaking, green tea undergoes the least amount of oxidation and/or fermentation, and is either steamed (typical of Japanese green tea) or pan-fired (typical of Chinese green tea), or sometimes roasted. There are varying types and grades of teas depending on the time of harvest, the quality and parts of the plant used, and whether the tea is shade grown or exposed to sunlight.

Powdered tea, or powdered green tea, could be any kind of green tea. It could come from any part of the tea plant; the leaves and twigs can be ground or cut to a dust for use in tea bags. It undergoes a different grinding process that incorporates air and causes friction as it grinds, producing a tea that is darker and more ‘cooked’. These teas tend to be among the least expensive of green teas. While it is possible to make desserts and beverages from this kind of tea, the end product will be completely different than those made from matcha.

Matcha, which is steamed, ground Japanese green tea, has been in the spotlight because of its purported health benefits. Matcha is a treasured tea in Japan; it is used in the Japanese tea ceremony, and is a prized ingredient in sweets because of its brilliant green color and sweet flavor.

Its flavor and color profile is due to how it is grown, cultivated and processed. It is shade grown in order to slow down growth and increase production of amino acids, which produces a sweeter tea. The darkest, finest buds are hand picked, laid out flat to dry to make Tencha, and then ground in a stone mortar by a certified tea artisan to make an extremely fine powder that dissolves in liquid. As the nutrients flow to the growing and developing leaves of the plant, this is where you would find the highest grade of leaves.

If you wish to replicate the beautiful, brilliant and flavorful green beverages and dessert items that are more and more popular today, you will want to reach for the Matcha. Want to drink green tea powder straight? You can go for the highest grade ‘usucha’ (thin) or ‘koicha’ (thick) matcha, and whisk it the traditional way. You can also add it to soy milk or orange juice to make a matcha ‘shot’. Want to make a matcha latte, smoothie or perhaps some matcha ice cream or cake? Go with a less expensive bag of cooking grade matcha. This matcha is made from the slightly older tencha leaves, and as a result it has the stronger flavor to hold up to other ingredients.

It seems that as of late the words ‘green tea powder’ and ‘matcha’ are starting to become synonymous. So it’s important to be aware of the difference when you are ready to choose a tea.

Three Tree Tea Company is proud to be leading the way in creating superb and unique tea beverages that are perfect for foodservice use. Three Tree Tea Company is located in Burien, Washington. For more information on the company visit www.threetreetea.com.

4 Easy Ways to Add Tea To Your Life

2011-06-01T07:47:00.000-07:00

As I was perusing the November 2007 issue of Realtor Magazine, I was shocked and pleasantly surprised to find an interview with James Norwood Pratt, founder of the Tea Society networking group, on the last page.("Serving Up Real Tea", Realtor Magazine pg 56). In the interview Pratt discusses the growing popularity of tea, and how it can fit into various business situations.

While I will never say 'no' to a good cup of coffee(black!), my husband and I drink several cups of tea every day. There are so many health benefits to drinking tea; studies have shown that its antioxidant properties help with everything from lowering cholesterol to fighting tooth decay and cancer. Caffeine-free herbal "teas" such as Rooibos (African Red Bush) tea helps reduce inflammation and insomnia, and soothes colicky babies, among other things.

So we've all heard about the benefits of tea for a long time, but how do we get more tea in our life?

Here are some easy ways-any one of these will make it easier to incorporate tea into your day:

1. Buy a hot water dispensing pot. As for me, I can be such a space cadet sometimes that I won't dare turn on the stove in the morning to heat up water, for fear that I'll leave the thing on when I go to work. A hot water dispenser is on all the time, and getting hot water is a easy as pushing a button. Works for instant soups, noodles and hot chocolate too!

2. Get a teapot with a removable strainer. I recommend "Bee House" brand teapots. They are very functional and stylish. Though people tend to gravitate toward larger size teapots, I suggest buying a smaller size (15-26 oz) because that way you can drink your tea before it gets cold! And most loose-leaf teas are good for two or three steepings, unlike tea bags, which contain inferior tea.

3. Use disposbale tea filters. At the beginning of the week you can fill several of these with 2 teaspoons of your favorite loose tea and keep them handy. Remember to steep black, roasted or pan-fired green, white and oolong teas for about 3 minutes, herbal 'teas' for 5 minutes, and steamed green teas for less than 1 minute. Then you can re-steep your teas! How economical is that?

4. Use an airpot for your tea. Every day my husband and I drink an entire airpot full of black tea(Organic Breakfast in China is our blend). What we do is take a 64 oz container(1/2 gallon), put about 4-5 teaspoons of loose-leaf tea, add hot water from the hot water dispenser, and let it steep for about 20 minutes. Then we strain the hot tea and pour it into the airpot, and voila! We have hot tea available all day. Not only is it convenient, but it costs only pennies a day.

I hope I've been able to give you some good ideas for incorporating more GOOD tea in your life. Thanks for reading!

*Originally posted on Active Rain on 11/2/2007

14 Modern and Stylish Tea Infuser and Tea Strainer – DesignSwan.com

2011-05-28T22:23:00.000-07:00

14 Modern and Stylish Tea Infuser and Tea Strainer – DesignSwan.com

Looks like lots of creativity going on as of late in the world of tea strainers. You've got to see these for yourself. My favorite is the Jaws tea strainer. If I had that strainer I would only drink Hibiscus tea exclusively.

Check 'em out!

Whole Wheat Matcha Granola Flaxseed Scones with Matcha Icing

2011-05-27T06:26:00.000-07:00

This is a quick and easy recipe that you can pull together in minutes(assuming you have all of the right ingredients). It's a very flexible recipe, so if you don't have matcha you can leave it out; you can add apples, raisins, cinnamon, etc. But adding matcha is a fun twist to a great recipe. It's so easy I pulled it together while getting my son ready for school!

Ingredients:
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup white sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp matcha powder(a culinary grade matcha works best here, though you can use your ceremonial matcha as well)
1/4 c granola, crumbled
1 tsp flax seed
1 Tbsp old fashioned oats(optional)
1/4 c butter, chilled
1/2 c milk

Glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp matcha
2 drops almond extract
1-2 Tbsp milk
Almond slivers or oats for garnish

Measure flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, matcha and salt into large bowl.

You will notice that when you add the matcha, the color of the mixture will be a very light, pale green. Once you add the liquid ingredients, the color will change to a deeper, darker green.

Incorporate butter. It helps to cut into very small pieces; I use my hands to work butter into the dry ingredients until it is crumbly.

Add the granola, flaxseed and oats.

Add milk, and stir mixture with a fork until it forms a soft dough. The less you work the dough after this point, the more moist your scones will be. (That's a good thing!).

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Pat into two 6-inch circles for small scones, or one 6-inch circle for cafe-sized scones. Place on a baking sheet sprinkled with flour.

At this point, if you don't want to make or add icing to the scones after baking, you can brush the tops with a little milk and sprinkle some Sugar In The Raw on them.

Cut each dome into 6 wedges, and separate them so that they will cook evenly. Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes(small scones) or 20 - 25 minutes(large scones).

Mix all icing ingredients together. After the scones have cooled, drizzle icing on top with a spoon, and garnish with oats or almond slivers.

Enjoy!

From the Seattle Weekly blog: Seattle's 5 Best Baked Goods With Green Tea

2011-05-25T17:12:00.000-07:00

We love desserts made with matcha(ground green tea)! I was happy to see these excellent bakers get some love from the (somewhat) mainstream publication, the Seattle Weekly.

In Eve Tai's blog post "Seattle's 5 Best Baked Goods With Green Tea", she says that green tea pastries "offer a novel twist from the East without giving up much of the West." Bakers can utilize culinary grade Matcha because it can easily incorporate into dough and batter. The challenge is to find a recipe where matcha's brilliant color and mild yet slightly grassy flavor can take center stage.

Check out her blog and pictures - the last picture of the matcha roll brings back so many memories of when my husband would make these for our store, they were indeed a hit. Maybe he'll make me one!

http://blogs.seattleweekly.com/voracious/2011/05/seattles_top_5_baked_goods_with_green_tea.php

Great article on how to grow tea(Camellia Sinensis)

2011-05-23T13:46:00.000-07:00

This year we have put a lot of work in to improve our garden and make it to where it's in a position to thrive. We've got chickens and bunnies providing lots of fertilizer and, being the diggers that they are, soil aeration. We've also got compost bins and worm farms working their magic to produce rich soil and worm tea.

I started to wonder if it was possible to grow tea here. Having worked in the tea business, we order most of our tea from Asia, where the climate is typically a bit hotter than in my region, the Pacific Northwest. I did a search, and found a great article on how to grow tea and where to get plants and seeds.

Tea comes from the plant Camellia Sinensis. According to Melinda, the author of this article, c. sinensis is best grown in climate zones 7 and 8. Fortunately for me I am in zone 7. She says if the lovely Camellia grows in your area, then so will camellia sinensis. Since it is a bit cold here, if I decide to grow tea I will most likely get a portable, plastic greenhouse just to be safe.

(a Camellia flower)

As for processing the tea bush once it is ready, that is a bit more involved. But given the time it takes for camellia sinensis to mature(up to 3 years from seed to harvest), you'll have plenty of time to learn the intricacies of harvesting and processing.

Please read the article for all the details! http://1greengeneration.elementsintime.com/?p=1053

Three Tree Tea Company Introduces Red Ninja Organic Rooibos Latte Powder

2011-05-17T20:49:00.000-07:00

(New product Press release)

May 17, 2011

Three Tree Tea Company is pleased to introduce the newest addition to its tea line, Red Ninja Organic Rooibos Latte Powder. Three Tree Tea Company has been a leader in providing unique latte powder blends, incorporating only the highest quality tea with sugar to make simple, delicious tea latte blends that satisfy the need of customers looking for specialty coffee alternatives. It all started in 2002 when Ippuku Matcha Latte Powder was created. Today, Ippuku Matcha Latte Powder is sold in coffee shops, tea shops and Asian groceries across the U.S. A.

Rooibos, or red bush tea, is a cherished herb in South Africa. It is said to help relieve insomnia, nervous tension, indigestion and allergic symptoms. Research shows that it also contains the highest known levels of antioxidants of any plant on earth. Rooibos is quite beneficial to pregnant women and infants because of its anti-allergic properties. Rooibos has a deep, smooth and soothing flavor. It contains no caffeine.

Red Ninja Organic Rooibos Latte Powder is the most recent addition to Three Tree Tea Company’s distinct tea latte powder lineup. Other blends include Black Ninja Tea Latte Powder, Ippuku Matcha Latte Powder, Dosukoi Houji(Roasted Green Tea) Latte Powder and Ippuku Ginger Matcha Latte Powder.

All of Three Tree Tea’s blends feature 100% stone ground tea powder blended with sugar. They contain no preservatives or fillers, and are non-dairy. They easily blend with any kind of dairy, rice, almond or soy milk. They can be served hot, iced or blended as a frappe. All of Three Tree Tea’s shelf-stable powders are packaged in foil pouches and are recloseable.

Three Tree Tea Company is proud to be leading the way in creating superb and unique tea beverages that are perfect for foodservice use. Three Tree Tea Company is located in Burien, Washington. For more information on the company visit www.threetreetea.com.

Sakura no shiozuke

2011-05-16T15:10:00.000-07:00

The cherry blossom trees are in full bloom here, and the petals are now starting to drift off of the trees like pink snowflakes. We have several different varieties on our block, with petals of different sizes and shades of pink. As I walked my son to school today, I noticed that the wind had gently blown the petals into several small mounds along the edge of the sidewalk. Given our historically cold and wet Spring, the long-awaited sight of flowers cheered me up a bit.

I think that I will help myself to some not-yet matured petals from my neighbor's tree(of course I'll ask first!) and attempt to make some sakura shiozuke(salted cherry blossoms). Sakura shiozuke is used to flavor cherry blossom tea, and in food presentation as a garnish. You can also use your shiozuke to make sakura rice. It's a nice way to preserve the otherwise fleeting beauty of the sakura.

I found a recipe from Tsukublog that I will try and report back to you as to the results:

Cherry blossoms must be picked before full bloom. It's best to use Yaezakura - more than 5 blossoms per bud.

Ingredients:

12 ounces of cherry blossoms
3 tablespoons of salt
3 tablespoons of plum vinegar

Directions:

Wash the blossoms squeeze out excess water.
Cover thoroughly with salt.
Place heavy item to cover the top of the blossoms, such as a drop lid, and let rest in refrigerator for 3 days.
Drain excess liquid.
Add plum vinegar, and refrigerate for 3 days.
Again, drain excess liquid.
Spread out cherry blossoms on a plate and let air dry for 3 days.
Store in a glass jar, and add more salt.
Enjoy!

Something different...a savory Matcha recipe

2011-04-27T12:05:00.000-07:00

About.com has a wealth of information on every subject. The tea and coffee page runs a monthly recipe contest.

January's winner was a recipe for Matcha Salad Dressing. Though you can use ceremonial matcha, you can also substitute a cooking grade matcha which will also work nicely, as the matcha flavor has to be strong enough to hold up to the other flavors in the salad.

Here's the link: http://coffeetea.about.com/od/coffeeteafoods/r/Mixed-Green-Salad-With-Goat-Cheese-Orange-Slices-And-Matcha-Dressing.htm

I know I will be giving this recipe a try sometime soon!

Matcha in the mainstream

2011-04-18T11:46:00.000-07:00

I was vacationing in sunny CA last week, hanging out at a 55+ mobile home community by the beach with my family. I picked up a copy of Woman's World magazine in the community reading room, and was surprised to find an article on Matcha in between the Coconut Easter Bunny Cupcake recipes and the obligatory new weekly diet plan. (Another random thing I noticed about this magazine is the very generous use of exclamation points - every single sentence has one - but I digress, it's still a leisurely read).

Anyway, I was pleasantly surprised to see the following in the 4/25 issue:

"Enjoy more energy every day! Sip matcha green tea!"

It went on to say that according to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, "drinking four cups daily can increase your endurance by 24% after just 10 weeks". Because you are drinking the entire ground tea leaf by consuming matcha, you are also ingesting approximately 10 times more nutrients than with regular green tea. It's no surprise that you would get an extra boost from that.

You don't have to do the whole ceremonial ritual in order to get your matcha. You can add a cooking grade matcha to your smoothies, or to a shot of OJ or soy milk. There are so many possibilities for enjoying a delicious and nutritious serving of matcha. It's nice to see it in the spotlight more and more.

Kids and sugary drinks - tea to the rescue

2011-04-09T07:51:00.000-07:00

It seems that kids are just naturally drawn to sugary, often nutrition-less drinks. I know that when I am with my son at the supermarket, when he sees all of the different, colorful and fun looking drinks he is immediately intrigued. Problem is, they are full of sugar and not much else; even juice often falls into this category. According to KidsHealth.org, "what a child drinks can drastically affect the amount of calories consumed, as well as the amount of calcium needed to build strong bones."

Herbal tea can be a fun, tasty and refreshing beverage for kids as long as it contains little to no sugar. A small amount of honey or other natural sweetener can add just the right amount of sweetness. Here are some suggestions for kid-friendly herbal "tea" drinks(most kids like it chilled):

Rooibos comes from the aspalanthus plant and is primarily grown in South Africa. It is prized for its high level of antioxidants, nutty and slightly sweet flavor, and low tannins. It has a myriad of health benefits and is used around the world for alleviating infant colic, nervous tension and allergy symptoms. Honeybush is of a similar plant variety only found in South Africa, and has a slightly sweeter flavor and darker brew than Rooibos.

Peppermint is a flavor that we all know, and in addition to its delicious taste it is also believed to assist with memory recall. It is delicious and refreshing on its own, or blended with other herbs such as chamomile.

Hibiscus produces a brilliant reddish blue color and tastes like berries. It may have antibacterial properties. It is delicious when blended with other herbs such as Rooibos.

Lavender has been used as a flavoring for centuries, and is even used in candy, so kids must like it, right? A lovely herb with a pleasant aroma, this one also blends well with the healthy Rooibos herb.

Passionfruit in my opinion really needs no sweetener. The easiest way to get this is to order one at Starbucks without any sweeteners, syrups or flavors - they have it and they charge you less if you leave that stuff out.

Osthmanthus (or tea olive) is a very fragrant flower with a sweet flavor, and also tastes great blended with either rooibos or green tea(which contains caffeine).

And if you are not afraid to give your kid a little caffeine, put a 1/2 teaspoon or so of Matcha(ground green tea) into their banana smoothie for an extra health kick. The bright green color is intriguing to most kids and it gets them used to the concept of tea.

Recipe: Herbal Rooibos Iced Tea with Lavender Flower

Strainer(preferably stainless steel mesh or disposable tea bag)

For 1 - 2 servings:

2 - 3 tsp Hana-cha Rooibos Tea with Lavender Flower
1/2 to 1 tsp honey(optional)

Boil water. Steep tea in water for 5 - 6 minutes, brew should be a dark reddish color. Remove strainer or disposable tea bag and add honey if desired. Pour over ice.

For a 64 ounce pitcher of tea:

Use 5-6 rounded teaspoons of tea, put in a disposable tea bag and steep in just-boiled water for at least 10 minutes, until the brew is somewhat dark in color. Add honey to taste if desired, and cool for a couple of hours. Refrigerate and serve chilled over ice.

Black Tea Shortbread Cookies

2011-03-26T08:28:00.000-07:00

Hiroki Specialty Desserts in Seattle gave our Ninja Black Tea Powder for Cooking a whirl. He made the delicious-looking cookie in the picture. He gave me some to try, and they were indeed delicious. The black tea adds a smooth, rich flavor that is challenging to get when you use a steeping method.

Black Ninja Tea Powder for Baking is finely ground 100% Darjeeling tea powder. It's great for use in beverage and baking recipes because the powder is very flavorful and dissolves easily, so that instead of steeping the tea leaves you are consuming them. It will be available online at a very competitive price soon!

Praying for the people of Japan; Three Tree Tea Products & upcoming harvest unaffected by radiation contamination

2011-03-25T05:52:00.000-07:00

Our hearts ache as we continue to learn of the scope of the devastation and catastrophic loss of life in Northern Japan. We are praying for those affected by the earthquake and tsunami. We will continue to keep the people in Japan in our thoughts as those who are displaced find warmth, food and comfort and as that region rebuilds in the days, months and years to come.

As Japan continues to deal with the devastation caused by the massive earthquake, tsunami and subsequent damage to the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant, concerns have risen among individuals across the globe regarding the contamination of tea products in Japan.

The region affected by the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear power plant is far away from the tea fields from which we buy exclusively. The tea fields and production area are located in the Nishio area, roughly 500 kilometers (310 miles) from the damaged Fukushima power plant. (More below...)

Each prefecture is closely monitoring their own radiation levels. At this point there are no unusual levels of radiation detected in the Nishio area to warrant any radiation testing. Also, our current tea and tencha is from last year’s harvest and is stored in a refrigerated warehouse. In addition, all of our tea is processed and shipped from Nagoya port in the same region.

For the latest information regarding the Fukushima Nuclear issue visit the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) website at www.iaea.org.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to those individuals who lost their lives or loved ones in this unspeakable tragedy.

As always, please feel free to contact us with any questions you may have, by phone at 206-595-5866 in English, 206-799-9453 in Japanese, or e-mail: info@threetreetea.com.

Praying for Japan and for those with loved ones there

2011-03-12T08:51:00.000-08:00

Our household was one of many with loved ones in Japan. It was hard to break away from the news all day, and the images of the devastation will be with us for a long time. Luckily our family is all right, but we know of some who as of yet cannot make contact with their loved ones.

We are praying for those affected by the earthquake and tsunami and hope that people will be able to make contact with their families soon, and that Japan will be able to make a quick recovery from this.

Sowing the seeds for a summer bounty

2011-03-09T20:40:00.000-08:00

We have been wanting to start a garden for a long time. For one reason or another we've never quite been able to pull it off. Our soil has too much of a clay consistency, and our backyard doesn't get much sunlight.

Last year my husband built some raised beds as my son picked as many stones as possible from the dirt. We have been composting for a couple of years; we also added chickens and bunnies to the family, and they have been making their "contributions" which is helping to produce some very rich soil.

We are finally ready. We've got all of the seeds, the raised beds are built in the front yard and the back yard, and we are only waiting for the rest of the garden mix to be delivered on Friday. We've got a diagram of which vegetable goes where, and a timeline for when to plant each one. The stepping stones are ready to be placed strategically so as not to disturb the seedlings. Then comes the watering, the watching, the waiting. And with hard work, luck and hopefully some sunlight, we will at some point be able to enjoy the fruits(or vegetables!) of our labor.

It's no wonder that the act of gardening has always been the inspiration for some of life's most relatable metaphors. The cycle of life is played out before us in fast-forward, in one season. But it's the work that takes place behind the scenes that gets us to this point, with a family pulling together, each giving a piece of him or herself to the cause.

Like our garden, in other areas of our lives we will prepare the land and sow the seeds in anticipation of a future bounty.   As with the garden, we'll cast the stones and other barriers of growth aside, pull out the poison weeds and let our inspiration and motivation keep moving us toward our goals.

My family and I are ready to begin.

Espresso biscotti & black tea biscotti

2011-01-30T11:55:00.000-08:00

Biscotti is such a delicious cookie and the perfect light accompaniment to a cup of coffee or tea. Making biscotti with coffee flavoring has always been pretty simple because of the availability of instant coffee that you can mix right in with the cookie dough to give it a stronger coffee flavor. Brewing a cup of coffee and using the liquid a) does not provide the same flavor and b)adds liquid to the dough that you have to compensate for by altering the recipe usually.

Making biscotti with tea has had this type of challenge as well, until now. The biscotti pictured on the bottom is made from instant ground black tea. This tea dissolves instantly and evenly in liquids as well as in cake/cookie dough and is great for baking. It is so flavorful, like milk tea in a biscuit form.

We will soon be offering Black Ninja Powdered Black Tea for Cooking. It is an extremely fine ground, delicious tea that bakers can now utilize for desserts, ice cream and baked goods.

No longer is it necessary to steep black tea for long periods of time in milk or water. Just a couple of teaspoons will add more tea flavor to your product than steeped tea could ever do - simply use it just like you use cocoa powder or our Matcha For Cooking.

Be on the lookout for it!

Happy New Year!

2010-12-26T16:20:00.000-08:00

Here's hoping that everyone is having a wonderful Holiday season!

2011 is almost upon us. Whether you're attending a New Year's Party or just sitting in the corner clutching a bottle of cheap sake at midnight like I will be, we wish you all the best for the coming year. Hopefully this will be a year of recovery, growth and contentment for all.

Pictured drink: Matcha cocktail. 2 level tsp Ippuku Matcha Latte Powder with aforementioned cheap sake(Gekkeikan, etc); shake + pour.

Happy New Year from us to you!

Fun with lavender buds

2010-11-29T19:21:00.000-08:00

Lavender is such a beautiful and fragrant herb. For those of us who get the crafty bug during the holidays, lavender is an inexpensive and versatile choice for various projects. Here are a couple of interesting things that can be made with lavender:

Here's a delicious-looking recipe for lavender tea cookies. As a healthier alternative I would also try the frosting recipe and add lavender to this oat-based recipe.
Make a Lavender Eye Pillow using two pieces of fabric (see Easy Eye Pillow Pattern), 3 cups flax seed or uncooked rice
(not instant), 2-3 tbsp. lavender flowers and lavender essential oil. I don't know about you, but this is one homemade gift I would love to receive!
This is an interesting one - you can make a light lavender water cologne using 1 cup lavender flower buds, 1 cup distilled water and 4 tablespoons vodka. Combine, shake well and let infuse for a couple of weeks, making sure to shake the mixture daily. Strain liquid into a container and add a little lavender essential oil if the perfume is not strong enough to your liking.

If you need fresh, fragrant, culinary grade lavender we offer it in an 8 oz jar size, straight from Sequim, the lavendar capital of the U.S. Have fun!

Mmm...

2010-11-25T11:52:00.000-08:00

Are you in the mood for a nice, hot, rich Green Tea Latte but your local coffee shop doesn't serve them? Or maybe they only serve a drink with very little or no matcha(stone ground Japanese green tea), or one with a strong melon or soy protein aftertaste?

If you feel that your local coffee shop would be open to serving authentic Green Tea Lattes, please send them our way! And of course if you don't wish to wait for your local coffee shop to start serving them you can always make them yourself at home.

Matcha for the holidays

2010-11-22T05:53:00.000-08:00

The holidays are upon us. For many it's a time of eating and sometimes overindulgence. I know I'm looking forward to some good food!

Matcha, with its extremely high concentrations of anti-aging components and catechins, sounds like a nice antidote to have on hand when we've partaken a bit too much of the rich foods and sweets that are all around us at this time of year.

Also, the calming effect of L-Theanine may be just what's needed when the stress of the holidays starts to mount.

Perhaps you've been telling your friends and family about the benefits of Matcha. Now would be a great time to introduce matcha to others by making a Matcha-Banana Smoothie for an energizing breakfast treat. 2 tsp matcha, a banana, some milk and some ice(and a little sweetener), delicious!

Of course, a traditionally made cup of matcha enjoyed with a rich treat is also something I'm looking forward to. Or I may just get out my bag of Culinary Matcha and make a tray of Matcha shortbread cookies. So much for overindulgence!

Some recent articles on matcha:

http://www.brainready.com/blog/thetop5brainhealthfoods.html

http://www.gayot.com/lifestyle/health/features/matcha-green-tea-health-benefits.html

The new ThreeTreeTea.com website is here!

2010-11-14T18:56:00.000-08:00

The new ThreeTreeTea.com is finally here! A brand new website with all of the old favorites and some new ones as well. We now offer payment through PayPal's secure site. However! If you don't have (or don't like/want to use) PayPal you of course have the option to pay by credit card as well and bypass PayPal altogether.

Though our previous site was security encrypted through Yahoo!, it was difficult to tell because our site was built in frames; that is, no matter what web page you were on within our site, the search bar always showed the address of the first page because the frame around the site was always part of the home page. Now you can clearly see the https:// and the lock, so no more worries!

We've got great new products including our Matcha Set, which would make a nice gift for someone who likes matcha. We've also got our new line of floral teas, Hana-cha.

We hope you like the new site, and we hope that we've made it easy to navigate and find what you need. Enjoy the new site!

Operating an Espresso Stand? Tea Is Still Important...

2010-07-23T07:30:00.000-07:00

Here in the Pacific Northwest we have a plethora of espresso stands. Some are chains, some are independent...it's even getting to the point where some are adopting themes or gimmicks, such as the "sexspresso" stands we are seeing pop up all over the place as of late.

But just because it's primarily espresso that's being served or there's a theme going on, attention still needs to be paid to the quality of beverages that is being provided. The goal is to keep customers coming back, and to do that the customer should not be inclined to go somewhere else.

Being in the tea business, I've spoken with many coffee shop owners and managers. The number one concern for them is ease of operation and getting the product out as fast as possible. That is understandable.

But with tea, there really is not much of a reason to cut corners. When I drive up to an espresso stand(or enter a coffee shop for that matter) and I see tea offerings that consist of the lowest grade tea bags that one can find at Cash and Carry, it makes me wonder why. At a couple bucks a box and 20 tea bags, maybe, per box, that comes out to about $ .10 per serving. Anyone who really appreciates a good cup of tea probably does not like the fact that they can't order anything better than what amounts to tea dust when they are in a coffee/beverage establishment.

I think that we tea drinkers out there would be happy to see either a higher grade level of tea bags(loose-leaf teas in pyramid bags would be best), or step outside the box and offer loose leaf teas. Their per-serving costs are almost equivalent to tea bags if there is consistency with proper serving size. And you can offer a product with better health benefits, flavor and visual appeal.

Offering a proper tea selection will elevate your business in the eyes of the customer, and, in contrast to cheap tea bags, it will project the message that the business really cares about serving teas with quality and flavor. It's easy, it can be done, and if anyone has questions about it please contact me, I'd love to help walk you through the process!

Chilled Matcha

2010-07-04T17:54:00.000-07:00

Here's a refreshing twist on the traditional preparation of ceremonial matcha. The picture captures its gorgeous green color, and the ice cubes poking up from the luscious layer of froth.

Preparation:

In a matcha bowl, use two heaping chashaku or 1 1/2 teaspoons of ceremonial matcha.

Pour water that's just off of the boil into a separate cup, then transfer it to the matcha bowl. The transferring of water from one vessel to another cools it down by a few degrees. Normally, you'd fill the matcha bowl to 30% of capacity with the hot water. For this iced drink, we are only going to put enough water to make the matcha dissolve, or about 10-15% capacity. Stir gently until matcha dissolves.

Then add cold water to the matcha and fill to 30% capacity. Using a matcha whisk, stir briskly until completely blended and a nice froth forms. Add a couple of ice cubes, and enjoy!

Iced Houjicha(Roasted Green Tea)

2010-06-27T21:01:00.000-07:00

Houjicha is green tea from the last harvest of the season that has been roasted at high heat. Kukicha(twig tea) and sencha(steamed green tea) can also be roasted to make houjicha. The result is a very aromatic tea with a mild toasty flavor. The roasting process decreases the amount of caffeine, so this tea is perfect as an evening beverage.

Houjicha is especially refreshing as an iced summer drink. Usually sugar is not added to it. We make it by using about 5-6 teaspoons of the roasted houji tea with 64 oz hot water. Steep for 10-15 minutes, cool and refrigerate. Serve with ice. Give it a try this summer!

Breakfast - Granola with bananas and Greek yogurt with Matcha

2010-06-27T09:43:00.000-07:00

...with a dab of whipped cream for extra sweetness. The Greek yogurt is a bit tart, but it goes quite well with the sweet bananas and granola. There are more banana slices buried under the yogurt.

You can use any type of yogurt, vanilla or plain, and add matcha to it for extra nutrition and color. I'm not a fan of non-fat yogurt(maybe I should be!) but I just can't get past the artificial taste. Next time I'm going to try the vanilla flavored Activia yogurt with this. Activia is the yogurt that in my opinion comes closest to wonderful, full-fat Japanese yogurt(well, besides Brown Cow organic yogurt but that's not so easy to find).

You can use either Ippuku Matcha Latte Powder for both the matcha and sugar, or the straight Matcha for Cooking and add your own sweetener if the yogurt doesn't contain any. I think this would be great topped off with a little bit of drizzled honey.:)

Summer's here! Shaken Iced Matcha(Green Tea) Americano Recipe

2010-06-21T09:24:00.000-07:00

Here's a simple recipe to ring in summer:

Ingredients:

1 cup water

2 tsp Ippuku Matcha Latte Powder*

Ice

Martini shaker

Add all ingredients to martini shaker; shake well until matcha latte powder dissolves. Pour into tall serving glass and enjoy. NOTE: Our Ippuku Matcha Latte Powder contains no dairy or filler ingredients, just 100% Japanese stone ground matcha and sugar.

*If you prefer no sweetener, then you can use Ippuku Matcha For Cooking instead, and leave out the sweetener or add Splenda, stevia, honey, etc to taste.

Cheers!

Just Add Matcha: Rice Pudding

2010-06-21T08:10:00.000-07:00

I recently purchased some Kozy Shack rice pudding because I had been hearing about how delicious it is. So I tried it, and it was indeed pretty tasty. As is the case with manythings that I eat, I wondered what it would taste like with matcha added to it.

So I pulled my little tin of stone ground Japanese green matcha tea from the freezer and added about 1/2 a teaspoon of it to the rice pudding. It tasted amazing! I added fresh raspberries and if the matcha hadn't put it over the top the raspberries sure did. I suggest you try it!

"MisDo Matcha Festival" - or, What I Wouldn't Give To Be At Mr. Donut Right Now

2010-06-13T22:45:00.000-07:00

Anyone who has spent any time in Japan will know about the fun and innovative donut shop chain, Mr. Donut. The last time we were in Japan, we were obsessed with a donut called "pon de ring" - a deliciously chewy, glazed flower or lion mane-shaped glob from heaven.

Then I discover that MisDo is having a Matcha(steamed, ground Japanese green tea) Festival and...it looks like my favorite donut in the world now comes dipped in matcha chocolate! That alone is worth an immediate flight booking.

Their custard cream donut has been reincarnated as a matcha-chocolate covered donut with azuki beans and cream filling. The French Crueller is now dunked in Japanese matcha too.

They have new matcha drinks as well - iced matcha latte with either azuki-flavored soft gelatin or custard gelatin.

Isn't matcha just amazing and wonderfully versatile? For those who have yet to try matcha - we can hook you up. You'll love it!

Disclosure: No compensation was paid to me by Mr. Donut for writing this post. However, I would like to let them know that I'd be more than happy to wear a MisDo uniform and dredge myself in matcha on live Japanese TV in exchange for a Matcha Pon De Ring!:)

Like drinking matcha? Now you can wear it!

2010-06-02T09:09:00.000-07:00

I just spotted this page on Etsy called SouZou Creations. SouZou means "creation through imagination". Artist Sofia offers handmade "kawaii" (cute) Japanese food and sweet accessories.

The piece that I'm particularly fond of is the "Matcha Ceremony" ring:

http://www.etsy.com/listing/47074453/kawaii-cute-japanese-ring-matcha-green

If you like matcha, or totally cute Japanese stuff, and would like a wearable version of your favorite Japanese food, be sure to check out her page on Etsy.

Adding flavors to your matcha latte(if you must...)

2010-05-24T20:03:00.000-07:00

Matcha's complex flavor is as beautiful as its color. In regards to matcha lattes I love the bitterness of the tea that complements the sweetness of the milk and sugar.

If you want to drink matcha lattes but find that you need something to take off the bitter edge, or are just looking for a unique twist to your drink, these flavors combine well with the flavor of matcha:

-vanilla(either extract or ice cream if you're making a frappe)
-melon syrup(this is what's typically added to some of the coffee shop green tea lattes)
-banana(for frappes; makes an awesome breakfast shake!)
-white chocolate
-ginger

Also, I recently saw this post about Black Sesame Matcha Lattes being served at Starbucks in Hong Kong. It looks like I will be trying to make that in the near future; I will let you know how it tastes.

What, if anything, do you like to add to your matcha latte?

Welcome!

2010-05-24T18:27:00.000-07:00

Welcome to our newly designed website. We've created a site that we believe is easier to navigate, which means you'll find what you're looking for more quickly. While you're browsing our site, check out our new line of floral-inspired teas, Hana-cha. More on that in another post!

You might also notice that we have switched from Yahoo! Checkout to PayPal. But don't worry - you do NOT need to establish a PayPal account to order from our store. All major credit cards are accepted.

As always, our phone number and e-mail are easily accessible on the website, so please feel free to contact me anytime if you have any questions about our teas or the ordering process, or if you have a comment or suggestion.

"There is no trouble so great or grave that cannot be much diminished by a nice cup of tea." ~Bernard-Paul Heroux