The Bailout and Tea?

Im not really a political person but recent events have me wondering…. Was tea served during the weekend pow-wow to figure out how to bailout our current financial situation? (Because Im “tea-centric” I think like this and tend to bring things back to how it relates to tea.) I think a pot of Sencha to create a zen-like atmosphere as they contemplated a decision that could send the country into a major recession if not a depression might have helped. (Not really but I can dream.)

Im thinking… probably not. Im thinking… barrels of coffee were wheeled in (along with Red Bull, Gin and carry-out from Old Ebbitt Grill). Maybe… an old box of Lipton made it into the room, who knows.

Im wondering… could tea make a difference in the world? Affect our decision-making abilities by making us more relaxed, centered and just plain happy? I want to yell out: “YES!” because Im a Pollyanna Tea Girl…. watching her 401k shrink by the minute…

Anyway…. Im sipping and reading…

The Wall Street Journal: “Bloggers React: The Bailout”

Stop the Housing Bailout

Portfolio

Los Angeles Times / Blogs

Cynthia Gold, Blending and Tea Cocktails

Hawaii and the Tea Market

I was really excited earlier this year when I found out that there was a Hawaiian Tea Tasting at the World Tea Expo back in May. Having lived in Hawaii for 5 years, I consider it a second home and I’m always interested and eager to “talk story” with anyone from the islands.  I was eager to meet the couple who started the plantation and trying to make an entrance into the tea world.

I sat among many professionals and well respected tea peeps in the industry, and I tried not to let their comments sway me while sampling the first batch of teas from the Big Island. I found many of the flavors of the teas sampled young, not as complex as I would like but not bad at all. I think there is tremendous potential. I think that with time, Hawaii will be able to make a statement.

I feel strongly that as a someone in the tea world its important to support new ventures. The husband and wife team out of Honolulu will get mine.

Discount Tea

The other day I found myself wandering around in one of those well-known discount stores. You know the kind: Designer names for less. Anyway, I was browsing the home goods section and came upon a few shelves dedicated to Tea, Tea Foods and other treats. This got me thinking about  how certain brands of tea end up in places like this and how people end up buying them BECAUSE they end up in places like this. The “discount” isnt significant but the fact that its priced lower does tend to bring out the desire to buy.

Some of the brands I did not recognize and some were well known. The one that caught my eye and prompting this blog was none other than NUMI. Yes. NUMI flowering teas were being sold… at a discount. Im curious to know how Numi would feel about this if they knew thats where their tea ended up.

As a new tea merchant, I was disheartened by the fact that tea was cast aside as an item to be discounted and that those who would buy were going to taste some very old, lifeless leaves. Of course, one could argue that perhaps someone who doesnt know anything about tea would be exposed to it via this venue thereby creating an opportunity for a person to try something new.

Perhaps. But most of us know that many teas have a shelf life and there is NOTHING better than STEEPING a lusicious cup of fresh tea leaves.

One of my missions at Pearl, is to try to educate anyone that will listen to me wax on and on about the virtues of tea. To try to open their minds and expand their palates and try new flavors. I almost love trying to figure out what someone might like as much as sipping tea myself.

So I dont know. Discount Tea: A good thing or a bad thing?

Curious if anyone has a thought on this.