The Cup is Half Full for Indian Tea

20Nov07

The Champagne of Tea. This catchy moniker has long been used to describe Darjeeling’s cachet in the tea world. However, it is becoming abundantly clear that a lot more than an attractive slogan is required if Indian tea is to remain viable in what has become an ultra-competitive global tea industry. Tea in India has […]

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Finally – Good Tea In India?

04Jun07

I’ve lamented the fact that it’s remarkably difficult to find high quality teas on the Indian market since the bulk of the good stuff ends up being exported. Aside from a handful of specialty tea shops, high quality teas are just not as ubiquitous as coffee (in India’s urban centers). There’s nothing necessarily wrong with […]

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Napa Weekend

29May07

Spent a lovely day in the Napa Valley this weekend with the family. Brilliant weather, and lots (lots) of wine and cheese. My favorite vineyard: Chateau Montelena, the place that took the French by surprise and started California’s wine revolution. At every vineyard we visited, I couldn’t help but think about the potential of Darjeeling […]

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Calm-A-Sutra

05May07

Sexually suggestive moniker aside, the Calm-A-Sutra of Tea is a “nationwide search for the most unique and creative way to drink tea and to further educate the public on the health benefits of drinking tea, specifically black, green, white and oolong tea, which are all from the Camellia sinensis plant” [details of the contest on […]

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The Real Makoya

17Apr07

It’s not just rooibos anymore. South Africa is planning to create black tea with a uniquely South African taste. South Africans drink tea that is derived from Malawi, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Cameroon and a bit from Kenya. This has created havoc on South African consumers’ taste buds….I have been assured by the Limpopo province and its […]

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