The World of Fine Teas

The Year of the Dragon

2012-01-23T14:12:00.000-05:00

With many of our teas imported from China, it was hard to overlook today's beginning of the Chinese New Year. I decided to start my day off with a tea that reminded me of the upcoming Year of the Dragon. So naturally, I settled on a nice cup of Dragonwell green tea. It has always been a favorite of mine and I figured that it was a fitting tea to enjoy during the morning hours.

So many of our teas from China seem to have a great history and lore behind them. In many ways, this is what entices tea enthusiasts to try a new tea. The story can almost be as powerful as the aroma or taste.

There are hundreds of different types and grades of Chinese green teas, but only one has earned the accolades of tea drinkers worldwide, earning its reputation as the most prized and best known green tea. This highly sought after green tea is known as Longjing and is more commonly known today as Dragonwell. The story of this type of tea is one that I have always found to be most interesting.

Green teas are all processed in a similar manner, but taste and leaf appearance differ from tea to tea, depending upon the growing regions in which they originate. Longjing is cultivated in the Hangzhou region, which was at one time the ancient capital of the Song Dynasty. This region’s numerous lakes have helped in creating this tea’s special taste, as well as its modern name, Dragonwell. A centuries old myth tells the tale of a large Dragon which inhabited the lake region and lived in the caves and wells of the Tiger Run Spring. At this spring, the Qing dynasty Emperor K’ang-his came to drink tea which was made using the spring water and the year’s first leaves from the tea plants which grew around the spring. He found the liquor of his drink to be sweet and delicious. He then decreed that the eighteen oldest tea plants were thence forth reserved to provide Tribute Tea exclusively for the Emperor’s pleasure.

In modern times, Dragonwell lives up to its legend. In China it is praised for its “four uniques”: jade color, vegetative aroma, mellow chestnut flavor and singular flat leaf shape. We are proud to import the highest quality Dragonwell available. Each pound of this tea consists of thirty thousand hand-plucked young shoots, grown near the ancient Tiger Run Spring. Once the leaves are allowed to wither, they are then fired in a hot wok. The tea maker then uses his hands to flatten the leaf for about fifteen minutes. After cooling off for an hour, the leaf is returned to the wok for a shorter period at a lower temperature and is then packed by hand. Once you try this special green tea, you will see why the legend of Dragonwell has lasted for centuries.

Historical information was researched from James Norwood Pratt's, The New Tea Lover’s Treasury, 1999.

The Giants of the Tea Industry

2011-10-20T11:58:00.004-04:00

As the owner of two small tea importing companies, striving to grow and thrive each year can be a monumental task. As is the case with all segments of the business world, there is a distinct hierarchy. Some companies are huge. They span the globe and seem to have unlimited resources. Other companies work hard at putting out a great product, but are limited by real world logistics. We definitely fit into the latter category. With this in mind, it is always interesting to hear about those global tea companies who are working to spread the word about high quality teas. The emergence of Teavana in numerous mall locations over the years and their status as a publicly traded company indicates that there is a definite potential for the success of the upscale tea shop concept. The Teavana model is unique and although it is not a personal favorite of mine, it does show that there is a real interest in fine teas all over our country. With this in mind, several larger tea importing firms (Adagio, Argo Tea Cafe, Harney & Sons, David's Tea, Teavalon) have opened their own stand alone shops in various locations in the US.

With these tea shop expansions on their mind, it was no surprise that Starbuck's has recently made a big push to reposition it's Tazo Tea brand for extensive growth over the next few years. Recent moves inside the Starbucks corporate offices and the accelerating growth of highly profitable tea retail chains such as Teavana Holdings, suggests Starbucks executives believe the time is right to boost their investment in Tazo. This became evident last week, when they hired tea retail expert Charles Cain as Vice President, Tazo Merchant and Operations. Cain, the former business development director at Adagio Teas, has opened two brick and mortar showcases in Naperville and Skokie, Ill. with a third Adagio store to open in downtown Chicago later this month.

Tea is currently only the 7th most consumed beverage in the U.S. but it’s the most consumed in the world. As the U.S. is the leading consuming nation in the world, these market forces are converging and it won’t be long before tea overtakes coffee as America’s hot drink of choice. Starbucks and Tazo definitely have this goal in their sites and we can only imagine the endless possibilities that lay ahead of them.

Now a company as large as Starbucks can reach out to vendors, suppliers and customers in a way that so many companies could not even imagine. At a recent seminar about Retail Tea Trends we attended at the World Tea Expo East, the effect of these large tea chains on the consumer and the smaller neighborhood tea room or specialty food store was touched upon. Many small business owners saw the "fast food" tea location as a large competitor that they could never touch and one that would ultimately take away their customer base. This does sound like a logical explanation, but many in the room also saw the "Teavana" model as a distinct advantage for independents. Just think about it. A local tea rooms prices will be lower since you are not paying the huge mall rent. Their tea stocks will be fresher since they can control inventory much better than a huge company can, especially one that is expanding so quickly. Then there is the most important factor of all, the overall customer experience. There is a greater chance that a customer who had a positive experience when buying their teas will return. It is the overall customer experience at Teavana that has soured many emerging tea consumers. One person at the seminar put it best when they said "let your customers visit that new flashy tea store in the mall. One visit and they will be right back to your location and even more thankful that you are there!"

It will be interesting to see how Starbucks handles the Tazo expansion. Given their diligent approach to customer service over the years and the addition of Charles Cain to the mix, I am sure they will be marketing something very special.

Information sourced from World Tea News, October 10, 2011

The missing tea classification

2011-08-03T14:11:00.003-04:00

Most avid tea drinkers know that there are several main tea categories that their favorite teas would fall under. Varying tea leaves are grouped into these categories, based on overall leaf oxidation levels and methods of manufacture. These tea categories consist of: black, green, white, oolong and pu-erh. These tea categories, or classes as they are oftentimes referred to, are highly represented in all tea merchants’ tea offerings. Unknown to many, there is actually one more category and it is one that is oftentimes overlooked due to its similarity to green tea. This final tea category is the rare yellow tea.

Yellow teas are unique to the high mountain regions of the Chinese provinces of Anhui, Hunan and Sichuan. Yellow tea’s specialized leaf manufacture is what helps give it its own classification. Here are some of the unique yellow tea properties and production methods that make it a tea in a class all by itself.

• Yellow tea is only manufactured during the early spring harvest; therefore, each pluck needs to be perfect to ensure a bountiful crop. The skillful tea pickers use the spring buds because they are the juiciest and most tender part of the tea bush.

• Yellow tea is manufactured by plucking, basket-firing or pan-firing, smothering and then finish-firing the leaf. It is the smothering step that is unique to this tea, allowing a special flavor to develop. During this step, the lightly steamed leaf is removed from the heat source and covered with a cloth, encouraging the leaf to reabsorb its own aromatics. This is known as "sealing yellow". This process introduces a sweetness and fragrance to the leaf.

• As with most hand crafted teas, this type of tea cannot be made by simply timing the process out. An experienced tea master creates this tea by constantly checking the tea’s smell, look and feel until it is just right. This type of experience is learned over decades of preparation. This craft is often passed down from generation to generation. Unfortunately, this type of tradition has been lost over the years, leading to lower product yield, essentially making this type of tea truly rare.

A recent visit to the 2011 World Tea Expo in June allowed us to visit a few Chinese tea importers that have personal relationships with yellow tea manufacturers in China. I am pleased to report that we will soon be cupping some Huo Shan Huang Ya or "Yellow Sprouting" teas and am hopeful that we can add this unique tea to the Mark T. Wendell line of products this Fall/Winter.

Our Recent Tea Tour

2011-05-20T12:49:00.000-04:00

A few months ago we were approached by the International Studies Program at Harding University to see if we would be interested in discussing our knowledge of the tea world with their summer program, Tea in Postcolonial Literature.

Harding's program takes a select number of students on a global trip to "introduce them to postcolonial literature and theory while using tea as a focal point through which to understand literature, history and culture." They also emphasized "the power of tea to bring people together in a spiritual community."

Our visit took place a few days ago and was their first stop on an impressive global tea tour. After leaving Searcy, Arkansas and touring Boston (steeped in tea history with the patriotic Boston Tea Party), they visited historic Concord and spent a few hours at our offices in Acton. After leaving us, they were off to visit Darjeeling, India, London and Morocco. What an amazing adventure for these students. We all wanted to accompany them around the world with tea as their guide!

We were honored to have been asked to speak about our tea firms background , our knowledge of specialty teas and our daily operations here at our Acton warehouse and offices. Starting with a viewing of 12 varying types and styles of teas, we had great discussions about all our tea selections, how we have navigated the global commerce of tea for over 107 years and how tea really and truly transcends cultures across the globe. It was noted that they were essentially travelling their "tea tour" backwards. We showed them the packaged tin of tea about to be mailed to one of our mail-order customers and remarked that they now had the great opportunity to travel to the source in Darjeeling where it was first planted, nurtured and picked from the ground.

Sri Lanka's "ozone-friendly" tea branding

2011-05-09T14:19:00.000-04:00

We recently discovered an article outlining a marketing tool to be put in place by the Ceylon tea industry. Beginning soon, teas grown at select Sri Lankan tea estates will be stamped with an "ozone friendly" logo on them.

The 1.5 billion US dollar Ceylon tea industry aims to use the new logos to market the tea as a premium product just like French champagne, Scotch whisky and Basmathi rice and use certification to prevent its misuse.

"Due to the premium price received regularly for Ceylon tea, overseas packers frequently misuse the name by packaging other origin teas as Ceylon tea," the Sri Lanka Tea Board said in a statement. Hasitha De Alwis, Tea Board director of promotion, said "Sri Lanka is the only country qualified to use the 'ozone friendly' logo for tea after it gave up using Methyl Bromide, an ozone depleting substance in tea production".

The ozone friendly tea label along with the names and logos of seven tea growing regions under Geographical Indicators would help to protect and add value to Ceylon tea, he told the official launch ceremony Wednesday.

The new GI logos will denote seven specific agro-climatic regions where tea is grown; Nuwara Eliya, Dimbula, Uva, Udapussella, Kandy, Ruhuna and Sabaragamuwa in the central hills and southern region.

This an interesting way to promote the global responsibility of the Sri Lankan Tea Board and a way to prevent foreign tea vendors who may be branding teas as "Ceylon teas" when they originate form other sources.

To view the original article visit the following link.

Darjeeling Tea Blockade Has Ended

2011-04-07T10:58:00.000-04:00

We were pleased to have seen on the international newswires that the three-week long blockade of exports of prized Darjeeling tea has ended with the resolution of a deadlock between plantation workers and the estate owners over wage hike demand.

The Darjeeling Terai Dooars Plantation Labour Union, owing allegiance to Gorkha Janmukti Morcha, a political outfit demanding separate Statehood for Gorkhaland, recently lifted their blockade of 85 tea gardens in the hills of North Bengal since March 6, which prevented dispatch of the freshly-plucked first tea leaves of the season from the gardens to various export destinations.

The wage pact came at a heavy price for the planters, who were forced to agree to it in a desperate move to prevent the rotting of the season’s first tea crop, the most premium of all teas produced during a year and fully exported to Europe, United States and Japan.

We look forward to our First Flush Darjeeling offerings to be in place in the next month!

Are Darjeeling's First Flush Teas in Trouble?

2011-03-11T16:07:00.000-05:00

Did you know that the Darjeeling region of India is currently experiencing a political stalemate that may severely disrupt its production of first flush tea? It seems that a political party seeking a separate Darjeeling state has introduced a plucking ban as a sign of protest. It is an attempt to drain local government's coffers, which rely heavily on foreign trade of Darjeeling tea. First flush teas, highly prized in export markets, attract highest prices for their lighter liquor and muscatel flavor. Almost 70% of Darjeeling's output is destined for export and the first flush represents a sizable portion of annual income. Darjeeling is home to 85 gardens spread over 18,000 hectares, with an annual production of around 7 million kilograms.

To learn more about this political event and its ultimate effect on the prized first flush teas of Darjeeling, click this link: http://www.deccanherald.com/content/141651/storm-brewing-tea-cups-darjeeling.html

Drinking tea helps to improve brain power and health

2011-03-04T14:16:00.000-05:00

Over the past few years, many of you have probably read about correlations being made between tea and its ability to help promote a healthy body. I was looking over some newer research recently and discovered this interesting article on various news feeds that I thought might be of interest to our customers.

Tea has been integral part of our life for ages especially as a routine drink. Off late there have been researches suggesting benefits of taking tea for heart, cancer and Parkinson’s disease. Recently in a new study it has been found that tea has positive impact on our brain power too. The benefit works on 2 ways. It reduces tiredness and increases alertness and focus. The findings have been reported by Dutch researchers the journal Nutritional Neuroscience.

The study on benefits of drinking tea was conducted on group of 44 volunteers. Tea contains amino acid called L-theanine present in green tea and caffeine which brings alertness and focus in our mind. Among the people of age less than 40 years, tea also reduces tiredness. This also indirectly helps to improve our focus.

It was also found in the research that drinking tea after break of 20-70 minutes improves our accuracy when we switch from one task to another. The researchers noted, "The results suggest the combination helps to focus attention during a demanding cognitive task."

Based on the current finding and previous study it's found that drinking 4 cup of tea is good for mental and physical health. Dr Tim Bond, of the industry-backed Tea Advisory Panel said, "As a result, all this new data adds to the growing science that drinking tea, preferably four cups of tea a day, is good for our health and well being."

The finding also revealed that adding milk doesn’t affect the positive benefits of tea.

Original Source: http://ic-technews.com/health/3836-drinking-tea-helps-to-improve-brain-power-and-health

A primer on Grace's Dragonwell green tea selection

2011-01-11T15:28:00.000-05:00

Our newest Grace Rare Tea offering
Dragonwell Green Premium Grade Long Jing

I was just reviewing our various blogs from the past year and realized that it has been a long time since I have had an opportunity to sit down and write! We are thankful for all the opportunities we had over the past few months to serve an increased volume of our loyal customers with the finest teas. It seems that a tin of loose tea made the perfect gift over the holidays. With another large snow storm on its way to this part of the country, our offices were fairly slow paced today. I figured it was the perfect time to sit down with a cup of afternoon tea and write a bit.

When we print our annual catalogs, I am amazed how much of the descriptive text I need to remove from several of our tea listings to get everything to fit in the catalog. Whether it is the teas origin, shape, taste or color, many of the teas we source have a distinct story behind them. In addition to cupping these great teas when they are presented to me by my sources, I also look deep into the story behind them. Grace's new Dragonwell green tea has been a big hit with our traditional tea drinking customers who were looking to expand their palette a bit.

There are hundreds of different types and grades of Chinese green teas, but only one has earned the accolades of tea drinkers worldwide to be labeled as the most prized and best know green tea. This highly sought after green tea is know as Longjing and is more commonly known as Dragonwell.

Green teas are all processed in a similar manner, but taste and leaf appearance differ from tea to tea due to the varying sections of China in which they are grown. Longjing is cultivated in the Hangzhou region, which was at one time the ancient capital of the Song Dynasty. This region’s numerous lakes have helped in creating this teas special taste, as well as its modern name, Dragon Well. A centuries old myth tells the tale of a large Dragon who inhabited the lake region and lived in the caves and wells of the Tiger Run Spring. At this spring, the Qing dynasty Emperor K’ang-his came to drink tea made using the spring water and the year’s first leaves from the tea plant’s growing around it. He found the liquor of his drink to be sweet and delicious. He then decreed that the eighteen oldest tea plants were thence forth reserved to provide Tribute Tea exclusively for the Emperor’s pleasure.

In modern times, Dragonwell lives up to its legend. In China it is praised for its “four uniques”: jade color, vegetative aroma, mellow chest nutty flavor and singular flat leaf shape. We are proud to import the highest quality Dragonwell available. Each pound of this tea consists of thirty thousand hand-plucked young shoots, grown near the ancient Tiger Run Spring. Once the leaves are allowed to wither, they are then fired in a hot wok. The tea maker then uses his hands to flatten the leaf for about fifteen minutes. After cooling off for an hour, the leaf is returned to the wok for a shorter period at a lower temperature and is then packed by hand. Once you try this special green tea, you will see why the legend of Dragonwell has lasted for centuries and beyond.

Information was researched from the book The New Tea Lover’s Treasury, by James Norwood Pratt, PTA Publishing, San Francisco, CA; 1999.

The Meaning of Tea

2010-11-16T21:57:00.000-05:00

As the title suggests, The Meaning of Tea, is a documentary film with a simple focus. Or is it something a bit more complex? I have to admit that I have had this DVD in my office for a while now, but the hustle and bustle of daily business and personal life has left it collecting dust.

Well, I finally had a quiet moment to view it on my laptop yesterday. I found it to be a truly unique perspective of this remarkable plant. Beautifully photographed in the tea gardens of Darjeeling and Taiwan, this film by Scott Chamberlin Hoyt received rave reviews when it was screened during the 2008 World Tea Expo in Las Vegas. The film shows how tea is cultivated and entwined in several varying cultures around the world, including India, Japan, Taiwan, Morocco, England, France, Ireland and the town of Tea, South Dakota.

With an exciting mix of interviews, archival footage and music, the film sheds light on tea’s many varieties, whose value, use, practices, and traditions are threatened by today’s marketplace.

This beautiful film unveils tea's mysterious appeal and considers the question of whether any inherent meaning is to be found in tea, particularly in this modern era of consumption. The film reveals the positive role tea may play in the renewal of our world and is an incredible insight into this ancient leaf and beverage. The story does a great job of showing how the varying regions of the world embrace this simple plant differently, yet the meaning of tea is remarkably similar. It is a healthy plant that when brewed, creates a beverage that transcends all the differences between cultures and helps friends and family unite in harmony.

If you have an interest in viewing this great film, I highly recommend it. Brew up your favorite cup of tea, relax and take in the scenes of tea consumption around the globe. You will not be disappointed!

The ecological importance of organic teas

2010-11-01T12:49:00.000-04:00

As a modest sized tea importer and distributor, we have access to a wealth of information published in various coffee and tea trade journals. The Tea & Coffee Trade Journal is one of the main publications covering all modern aspects of both these specialty industries.

We recently received the October issue and there is a great article written by Pearl Dexter (founder and editor of Tea, A Magazine) about the organic tea gardens of southern India.

This article gives great insight into how these small scale tea estates help contribute to the ecological environments of the tea-growing regions of the world. Her tour of the region by the estates owners gives a great snap shot of how the cultivation of tea in this region has shifted to be more socially and ecologically responsible.

To view this article, please visit this magazines on-line edition at the following link:

http://catalog.proemags.com/publication/84af8bfc#/84af8bfc/16

Our Newest China Teas

2010-10-25T11:02:00.001-04:00

Over the past few months we had the opportunity to obtain several varying samples of China teas from our primary suppliers. We were looking to expand upon our green and pu-erh tea selections this fall, just in time to be featured in our latest catalog. As we all know, prices can fluctuate amongst various teas. Those that have greater production volume tend to be priced less than those that are cultivated in a small region or estate. My supplier always sends me samples with a simple code on them, omitting the price on the sample envelope. He asks me to taste it blindly, with no thought to the driving cost. I sometimes find that the teas that I like the most, actually do not cost that much and are easily obtainable. This is a good thing! It is tough as a supplier to get used to being able to easily obtain a certain style of tea and then loose the availability at a moments notice. We hate to disappoint our customers, so I try to find products that will be of the highest quality, taste great, appeal visually and be easily obtainable. I believe we may have gotten these all in check with our latest offerings!

Now featured on the new product offerings section of the Mark T. Wendell Tea Company's website, these three items are the results of our repetitive cupping and sipping! Our newest teas include:

Cloud & Mist Green This tea is a unique find, deriving its name from the high altitude growing areas of the Wu Lu Mountains in the Jiangxi province of China. Grown in the gentle mountain clouds and prevalent mist, this tea consists of single bud and leaf sets that unfurl magnificently when brewed. The brewed liquor has a herbaceous aroma, a smooth and sweet taste and appears a modest yellow-green in the cup.

Organic Bold Leaf Pu-erh Our newest offering is an organically grown, full leaf version of Pu-erh. They dry leaf of this selection is dark and rich in appearance. Upon brewing, you will notice the unique damp, earthy scent characteristic of a fine black Pu-erh. Our Organic Bold Leaf Pu-erh has a smooth, deeply fermented flavor that puts this selection in a class all its own.

Triple Cup Green This rich, green tea is grown in the mountains of China’s famous Zhejiang tea region. The small and tender curled leaves brew a golden colored cup that is full of classic green tea flavor. Due to its unique character, our Triple Cup green tea can be infused several times before the flavor fades.

Make sure to add some of these great new teas to your next order. They will not disappoint!

Our newest tea education endeavor

2010-09-16T10:51:00.001-04:00

While re-editing and designing our newest consumer catalogs, I realized that I could realistically fill dozens of pages with information about tea. I try to put a lot of background information about tea in each catalog since our customer base has been expanding to more and more tea novices over the years. I am a big believer that an educated customer will appreciate their fine teas greater by knowing the background and proper brewing technique of each item they are brewing. I must admit that even to someone who works with tea for a living, sometimes an abundance of information can get a bit overwhelming and there are constraints to what we can print in each catalog. We love to talk and e-mail with our customers when they have questions about specific teas origins, seasonal variations, brewing times or even proper storage of their favorite teas. They are thankful when we are able to provide them with the information they are looking for. Of course, it is impossible to have a one on one conversation with everyone who places an order with us. So how can we get all this information about tea out to all our customers?

In 2010, many people now turn immediately to the Internet for information about just about everything. Tea is no exception. Just google the word "tea" and you will get millions of hits. Overall, there are only a few really great websites dedicated to true tea education.

With this in mind, we set out to create a website that hopefully will emerge as a true educational tool for those who wish to learn more about "everything" tea-related.

The final product is the recently launched "Great Teas" website. It can be viewed at the following link: http://www.greatteas.com/

This website features information about tea, tea history, tea suppliers, tea educational references; including books, magazines, blogs and tea review sites. When you have a moment, please take some time to visit this site today. Perhaps there is some information about your favorite beverage that you did not know?

Looking forward amongst the tea leaves

2010-08-04T13:27:00.010-04:00

While the month of August is traditionally a slow month, we are seizing this as an opportunity to plan for the rest of the year. We are excited about several new product introductions and promotions that are currently in the works. We think you will also be excited about some of the things that lie ahead in the months to come:

The Grace Tea Company will be introducing two new teas to the Grace Rare Tea range, a special grade Lung Ching Green (or Dragonwell as it is more commonly known) and the South African herb, Rooibos. Both will make fine additions to this award winning range of traditional estate grown teas and blends. Both of these new teas will be available in late-October.

Grace will also have a sale on their Darjeeling Superb 6000, Gunpowder Pearl Delicate Pinhead Green, Mountain Grown Fancy Ceylon and Pure Assam Irish Breakfast for the entire month of September.

In October, will be adding a new organically grown herbal product under the Mark T. Wendell Tea Company's selection of imported tea brands. Grown in the Amazon, Guayusa (why-you-suh) is a unique herbal tea that has a distinct tradition in the lives of those in this area of the world. For thousands of years communities throughout the Amazon have cultivated the guayusa holly leaf for a natural, delicious source of energy and nutrition. Treasured for its unique balance of caffeine, antioxidants, vitamins and amino acids, guayusa continues to be the center of morning rituals throughout the Amazon. We will be offering 4 distinct flavors in pyramid tea bags in our upcoming catalog, Guayusa Original, Amazon Spice, Rainforest Mint and Tropical Ginger Citrus. We sampled this at the New York Fancy Food show, and we are confident you will be pleased.

We are always looking for fabulous new accessories to help our customers prepare their favorite tea. We have just selected a new iced tea maker to add to Mark T. Wendell's range of brewing accessories this October. The Steep & Chill Iced Tea Maker is a new product that contains a removable, freezable center core. Once your iced tea has been brewed and chilled, this core can be inserted to keep the tea cool outside of the refrigerator.

Make sure to keep an eye out for these items as they become available for purchase over the next few months. They will be prominently featured on our websites and in our upcoming catalogs. If you are not already on our catalog and promotion lists, please click the links below to visit the respective sign up pages.

As you may know, Elliot and Hartley Johnson own and operate both Mark T. Wendell Tea Company and Grace Tea Company, two unique tea companies. Both companies focus on providing the finest tea leaves to connoisseurs around the globe, though they carry distinctively varied product lines With this in mind, we modified our blog based on feedback from our many customers who were interested in information and promotions from the full-range of products. I hope you find this helpful, and perhaps you may even find a new favorite!

Mark T. Wendell Tea Company Catalog:

https://marktwendell.com/request.htm

Grace Tea Company Catalog:

https://gracetea.com/request.htm

Tea Tales from the Trenches

2010-07-28T12:32:00.000-04:00

When people think of "drinking tea", many different thoughts and visual representations may come to mind, as tea means many different things to many different people... Some may think of iconic images from traditional tea-cultivating cultures, whereas others may envision proper ladies drinking tea at the Plaza in New York City; others may envision a Chinese family enjoying the finest green offerings from the regions tea estate, or perhaps a young woman carrying her homemade brew out her front door on her may to work. Whatever role tea plays in your life, and however you visualize it, tea is a constant part in all walks of life.

I often marvel at how universal and global a tiny, brewed leaf can be. It transcends culture, ethnicity, and social classes. From "the haves" to "the have not's," drinking a simple cup of tea is an enjoyable event for all.

Over the past week, I had the pleasure of chatting with several customers on the phone. I usually don't get too many back-stories on their purchases, but for some reason, this week was an exception, and I would like to share some of their stories with you

I had one customer who usually has his orders shipped to a military postal address in Alaska, who called and asked if he could stop by to pick up his order as he found himself in Massachusetts, right around the corner from us. When he stopped in, he told us that our Dragonwell green tea keeps him refreshed and soothes his nerves while he pilots cargo planes during relief efforts for civilians in Afghanistan. He was stopping by to replenish his supply as his plane was shot down on his last mission and he lost his entire inventory! It was great to talk to him and to learn about how our teas give him a boost while he’s giving back to people in need.

My second unique story comes from a play-writer whose play, Etty, is currently in production in New York City. She informed me that she could not have written her play without Grace Tea Company teas as she drinks our signature Owner's Blend Premium Congou every morning while preparing for that day's performance. She was also glad to have Grace's Russian Caravan along for the trip when she traveled to Holland to research the play about Etty Hillesum, a young, Jewish woman trying to escape tyranny in Holland during World War II. This strong, robust tea was the staple she needed to get this play off the ground!

The last story happened to me this morning. I got a call from the owner of a T-Shirt company who was looking for some tea to stain his next run of shirts. He had been using some junky old tea bags and decided that some high quality loose-leaf teas would get the job done better. So, he will now be creating the perfect "tea shirt" with the help of some of our black teas!

I am sure some of our readers may have some similar stories about how Mark T. Wendell and Grace Teas are incorporated into their daily lives. Please feel free to share your stories on how our tea has touched your life! With our involvement in the specialty tea industry for decades, it may seem like we have heard it all… but you never know, sipping green tea over a war zone was indeed a new one for me!

The art of tea blending

2010-07-13T10:51:00.000-04:00

I was recently approached by the editor of the Tea & Coffee Trade Journal to write an article about types of tea blends and the science involved in achieving a great tasting blend of teas. Even though I have been involved with this aspect of our business for over a decade, it actually took me a while to sit down and write out all the steps involved in the tea blending process. It has become a task so automatic for me that I really don't give it much thought these days!

With the increased number of singe estate grown teas available to the tea consumer over the past decade, the pairing of differing teas with one another can increase the spectrum of tea tastes, appearances and overall character infinitely.

At Mark T. Wendell Tea Company and Grace Tea Company, we have several blends that we have been mixing for decades. We have found the right combination of varying teas and carefully blended them to achieve that perfect taste year after year. To create these blends, we of course had to partake in some significant experimentation. The process can be lengthy, with more thrown out concoctions then one would expect. But the end result is always enjoyable for our customers time and time again.

Please visit the link below to read the full article about tea blends, the basic steps that we take to create our tea blends and the differences between our popular breakfast and afternoon tea blends. Enjoy!

https://marktwendell.com/PDF/TeaCoffeeTradeJournal_BlendingArticle.pdf

Our July Tea Sale is Now Underway

2010-06-28T14:08:00.000-04:00

The weather has turned extremely warm, so it is time to put the kettle on and have some tea! Actually on a day like today, I will take mine with lots of ice. With July just around the corner, it is time to enjoy significant savings on some of our most popular green and black loose leaf teas.

Tea, while stored properly, will last for well over a year with out loosing its great taste and aroma. With this in mind, our July sale has become an event that most of our customers take advantage of by stocking up on their favorite Mark T. Wendell teas.

Make sure to visit our web site's sale page today to take advantage of select savings on one pound refill bags of Cheericup Ceylon, Darjeeling, Earl Grey, English Breakfast, Gunpowder Green, Irish Breakfast, Mountain Kenya and Young Hyson Green.

This summer season, we are also pleased to offer our newest custom iced tea blend; certified USDA Organic, our Green Mint Iced Tea Blend is a refreshing blend of smooth China gunpowder green tea and fresh cut peppermint leaves. This style of mint tea has a refreshingly bold aroma and a sweet flavor that drinks well any time of the day. Make sure to add some to your next order as it will not disappoint!

Tea at the Crown and Three Loaves

2010-06-16T13:08:00.001-04:00

For decades now we have been importing the world famous Boston Harbour Tea. Thought by many to be just a Boston souvenir shop trinket, customers are quickly realizing that it happens to be a very tasty tea blend! We get so many calls from customers with the same stories. They grabbed a pack of Boston Harbour Teabags as they were bolting for their plane back home or were looking for that perfect memento to remember their trip to Beantown! When they got home and brewed some up, they realized that the custom Darjeeling and Ceylon tea blend is out of this world! So they had to call us and get some more for everyday use. So, what started as a tea brand that we primarily sold to places like the Old North Church, USS Constitution Museum, Old South Meeting House and the push carts at Quincy Market, has quickly become one of our most popular teas.

One of the products in the Boston Harbour Tea range is a "tea chest" with teabags inside. We are in the process of creating a more attractive presentation for this "tea chest" and in the process, have had to re-create the trademark logo and images, which is depicted at the top of this page. When our graphic designer was drawing the image, he reached out and asked "what exactly are these items in the logo? They appear to be a crown surrounded by three hanging objects" Well, we were unsure of the exact nature of these items on this end, so he took to the Internet to try and get some clarity. Here is what he discovered:

"Established in 1650, the 'Tea House' on Church Street, London is recognizable by the sign of 'The Crown and Three Sugar Loaves' which hangs over its door. This store was the first retail shop to sell tea in London in the 17th Century and sent the tea to America that disguised rebels threw into the harbor during the famous 'Boston Tea Party' of 1774. The three metal sugar loaves surmounted by a crown which hang outside the shop at upper left was the original 'logo' which informed consumers that tea was sold inside."

But what is a "sugar loaf?"

"A Sugar Loaf is a conical block of refined sugar, the form in which it was traditionally exported from the Caribbean and Brazil from the 17th century to the 19th century."

So it appears that the symbol is of a royal crown and three sugar loaves. We were unaware of the packaging of sugar in this type of shape, but it turns out that this is the way it was exported years ago. The company that owned the "Tea House" was Davison Newman & Company. Besides tea, they imported various other commodities and had stakes in the West Indies Sugar Trade. We have listed some links to the original street shop sign as well as some information about sugar. This is very interesting history indeed! We are glad to be able to continue the tradition of the Crown and Three Loaves today with our Boston Harbour Tea products.

http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/HN5202-001/Hulton-Archive

http://www.oldandinteresting.com/sugar-nippers.aspx

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sugarloaf

Tea A Magazine article all about us

2010-05-27T12:59:00.004-04:00

We were recently approached by the publisher of Tea A Magazine, Pearl Dexter, about the possibility of running a feature article about us in the upcoming edition of her magazine. Of course we were excited about the prospect of being in this prominent magazine adored by tea lover's around the globe. We have been featured in the magazine a few times in the past (back in 1998 and on our 100th Anniversary in 2004), but a lot has changed in the tea industry (and with us) since then!

The article discusses all the big ticket events that have gone on in the past 6 months, while incorporating some great pictures. Here is the link to the article that we have recently posted to our website. Enjoy!

https://marktwendell.com/PDF/2010TeaMagArticle.pdf

Our First Flush Darjeeling has arrived

2010-05-13T14:09:00.011-04:00

Last week I cupped this seasons First Flush Darjeeling samples sent to us from the Puttabong Estate and yes, we found a winner right away! My personal tea tastes trend toward oolong and black teas, but I admit that there is something special about Darjeeling's first pickings of the spring season. The fresh leaves have a sweet smell that brew up into a nice golden cup.

We are fortunate to have gotten our supply a bit on the early side this year. Favorable weather conditions in Darjeeling led to a decent and abundant crop. Over the past few years, the offerings have been decent, but fetched a pretty penny due to short supply. Our choices were also limited due to a majority of the crop being sold to the "highest bidder"-the European market.

Comprised of the first tender shoots of the newly grown tea plant, First Flush Darjeeling tea is a unique tea that is found in limited quantities from US tea purveyors each spring. Planted in 1852, the Puttabong estate was the very first tea estate located in the Darjeeling district. Over the centuries, it has established a reputation for growing the highest quality teas.

The 2010 Puttabong Estate Clonal Queen is an attractive mix of green and black leaves with many silver buds; yielding a full gold infusion. It has a lovely muscatel perfume and leaves a lingering sweetness on the palate when sipped. It finishes with a floral and herbaceous nuance that is characteristic of a stand out First Flush Darjeeling.

Make sure to visit the new items page on our website to place your order today. We are only able to procure a limited quantity of this tea each season, so once it is gone, that is it until next year!

Everything you ever wanted to know about tea

2010-05-10T13:07:00.007-04:00

Every once in a while, our customers ask me how they can obtain more information about their favorite beverage. These days, there are hundreds of titles exploring the origin of the tea leaf, its place in world history and all the science involved in making that simple cup of tea.

I checked this morning and in our bookcase, we have about 70 titles relating to tea! Several times a week, I find myself reaching for the bookcase to look up detailed information about a tea related topic. I have found some books to be more educational and user friendly than others. There are really only three three books written in the fast few decades that I find to be the best out there.

The first book is James Norwood Pratt's, New Tea Lover's Treasury, published by Publishing Technology Associates, 1999. This is an expanded and updated version of his original 1982 publication. For me, this was my introduction to the world of tea. I of course had grown up with tea in my blood, but this book was published right around when I started to work with my family's business. My father spoke highly of Norwood, so I knew that this would be a first rate book. I read it from cover to cover and then quickly realized that the tea we sell was not just a pile of dried leaves, but it was a unique cultural lifestyle. As Norwood would say, "No pleasure is simpler, no luxury cheaper, no consciousness-altering substance more benign." It was at this point that I began to really dig into our business and slowly expand our company to the newly expanding US tea culture.

The second book that I find invaluable is also authored by one of this world's leading tea experts, Jane Pettigrew. Her book, The New Tea Companion, A Guide To Teas Throughout The World, was published by Benjamin Press in 2008. She has authored 13 books on tea, acts as a tea consultant to hotels and tea rooms as well as appearing on television and radio discussing tea. This book discusses the history of tea, tea production, tea brewing and then outlines all the varying teas from around the world. It is done in a detailed, yet concise manner. The section outlining the teas from around the world is done very well. Each country is represented and their more popular teas are featured with descriptions, brewing tips, pictures of the brewed cup and the tea leaves (both dry and wet appearances).

The most detailed book on my shelf is Bob and Mary Lou Heisses, The Story of Tea, A Cultural History and Drinking Guide. It was published in 2007 by Ten Speed Press. Bob and Mary Lou own a specialty tea and food store in Northampton, Massachusetts call Cook's Shop Here. We have known them in the tea world for decades and were excited to read this great tea anthology. This book is an insider's view into all aspects of the tea trade. From the always intriguing history of tea, the culture of tea, to an examination of the tea bush and how it varies from country to country. They profile over 30 essential tea varieties and share the latest research on the healthy benefits of tea. The most unique part of the Heisses book is the incorporation of their own personal travels to tea estates and plantations into the discussions. They are able to mix fact with several personal stories. Whether it is a visit to a tea grower in Uji, Japan who is cutting the latest crop of Gyokuro green tea or a trip to one of Fujian's premier Jasmine tea factories, they are able to add a personal note to the various tea producing regions of the world.

As a follow up to this detailed book, they recently published The Tea Enthusiast's Handbook, a pocket guide of tea information that provides a great deal of information on how to buy, discern and enjoy the six classes of tea.

If you have not read these great books on everything tea, I would highly recommend it on your next trip to the library or your book retailer.

A Bit of Restored Tea History

2010-04-27T17:41:00.019-04:00

A few of our followers may remember my mention of the "un-earthing" of an antique tea tasting table from our old warehouse when we moved last fall. We recently got it back from the furniture restoration company and are now putting it to good use.

The fully restored table is pictured here in this entry. It is a very unique piece of furniture with a great story behind it. It's exact origins are unknown, but before spending a decade collecting "tea dust" in our warehouse, it was put to good use at a few establishments in New York City. We acquired it a few years back from our friends at Grace Tea Company, when they combined their warehouse operations with ours. It was used for decades by Grace's founder, Frank Cho. Prior to Mr. Cho's use, it is believed to have been used in some capacity by the tea tasters of New York City's seaports. Many decades ago, the major seaports employed tea tasters to taste the imported teas entering the United States. They tasted every chest that was imported to us and ultimately determined what was good and what was sub-par.

This old table had fallen into disrepair over the years and we really had no space for it in West Concord. Our new facility is a unique blend of old style equipment and new construction, so this item fits right in.

Made of solid white oak, this table is designed to allow the tea taster to cup numerous tea samples without great effort. The table top is positioned on top of a base that can rotate when turned. The tea taster can line up all the loose tea samples, cups of brewed tea, water glasses and spittoon all around the table. When standing in one place, the table can be rotated accordingly till all teas are sampled.

I have only had limited opportunities to try the newly refurbished table out. However, this years First Flush Darjeeling samples are en-route from our supplier, so I will have the opportunity to use it again soon. It is very cool to think of the tea experts that have used it before us.

Our latest arrivals: Wu Yi Oolongs and Lifeboat Tea

2010-03-29T14:26:00.035-04:00

Many of our teas are available from our suppliers year round and at a moments notice. We do have a few green and oolong teas grown in limited amounts that are specially imported for us each season. These teas most often are cultivated for a short growing period and produced in only a few select regions of China.

Some great examples are our highly oxidized oolong teas from the Wu Yi Mountains, Fujian Province, China. Our Royal Red Robe Oolong and Min-Pei Fancy Oolong are some of my favorite teas and they have just arrived from our suppliers abroad. They are oftentimes referred to as "rock teas" due to the tea plants ability to grow and flourish along the mountainous and rocky ledges of this region.

If you are unfamiliar with these styles of oolongs, here are some great descriptions:

Min-Pei Fancy Oolong Grown in the rocky ledges of the Wu Yi Mountains, this oolong is a unique find. Its leaves are robust and twisted with a high aroma, typical for this special grade of tea. Min-Pei is light in character with a natural orchid-like flavor.

Royal Red Robe Oolong Perhaps the best known rock tea, this tea is a rare find. It is a highly oxidized oolong whose large, twisted leaves have a unique black appearance. It brews an amber cup that almost startles with its dramatic aroma and smooth finish.

If you love the subtle nuances in the varying oolong teas produced today, these teas will not disappoint. Click here to view these teas as well as our other oolong tea offerings.

For several decades now, we have been importing Lifeboat Tea from Great Britain. Lifeboat Tea is a hearty English Breakfast style blend of Kenyan Teas packaged by Williamson Fine Teas, one of England's oldest tea suppliers. Over the years, it has quickly become one of our most popular imported brands. For each pack of tea sold, 7 pence will be given to the Royal National Lifeboat Institute (the equivalent of our Coast Guard) by the manufacturer.

Our latest shipment just arrived from England and there are some changes to the brand that are worth noting. For starters, they have jump started the brand with a newly designed and brightly colored box. While the great taste of Lifeboat tea remains the same, the teas used in the blend are now Fair trade certified and approved by the Rain Forest Alliance. All of the tea in each box is entirely grown using sustainable farming methods. Williamson makes sure that the workers who pick the tea do so in good working conditions and earn a decent living. This brand is taking a great approach towards making a difference sip by sip. To visit the Lifeboat Tea page on our website, click here.

Mark T. Wendell Tea Company acquires New York City's Grace Tea Company

2010-03-09T09:59:00.012-05:00

To some of our readers this may be "old news", but with an informative press release spreading on the Internet and our business models in full swing, we are pleased to officially announce our acquisition of the Grace Tea Company, a New York City institution since 1959. Grace will continue to operate as an independent corporation to ensure continuity in product and service.

As detailed in our press release (click here to view the full release), we have been managing the tea purchasing, blending, packaging and shipping for Grace since 1992. Our familiarity of the brand and customer base made our acquisition a logical step to preserve Grace's unique heritage, ensuring that the famous Grace Rare Teas and associated brands continue to thrive. Our focus will be to carry on the Grace tradition of providing the finest teas, classic product elegance, and superior customer service. We will soon be adding a modern version of "Rare Teas", with the addition of varieties of White, Green and Oolong teas to the already popular traditional black tea blends that Grace has become known for.

For those of you that may not know about Grace Rare Teas, it is a great story. Originally founded in 1959 by Frank Cho, an expert tea taster during his time, who had the ability to taste the nuances of various combinations of tea leaves. His blends of various Keemun, Yunnan, Lapsang, Assam, Darjeeling, Oolong and Jasmine teas are still available today in their original formulations. By concentrating on offering only the finest large, unbroken tea leave in their blends, Grace Tea Company has been able to assure uniformity and unsurpassed cup quality year after year. To many this might not seem that adventurous, but during the 1950's all the way up to the 1980's, importing teas of this quality and selling them to the general public was almost unheard of. Americans during these decades only knew of tea from the teabags and luke warm water being served to them at their favorite restaurants. His great tasting teas have not gone unnoticed as they have won six awards at the International Fancy Food Shows over the decades.

Over the years, these teas have adorned the specialty food department shelves of Bloomingdale's, Bergdorf Goodman and William Sonoma. More recently, they can be found at New York City's famous Dean & Deluca Market, Zabar's, Four Season's Restaurant, Grace's Marketplace and McNulty's Coffee & Tea; New Orleans Windsor Court Hotel; Olympia, Washington's Tea Lady; Chapel Hill, North Carolina's A Southern Season; and Ellsworth, Maine's Rooster Brother Coffee.

Click here for a more detailed account of Grace Tea Company's award winning and great tasting teas and tea blends. If you want to give them a try, give us a call today. These teas are unique and vary from all other products that we carry under the Mark T. Wendell label, so it is a great way to expand your love of tea even further.

Our new Acton, MA facility and yes, it still smells good

2010-02-10T20:01:00.022-05:00

Time has been passing by quickly since we moved into our office and warehouse location on Craig Road in Acton, MA. It took a huge amount of hard work, during a busy time of year, but I am pleased to say that we are finally all moved in. Our move allowed us to make significant changes to the way our daily operations flow. It also has allowed us to have greater control over inventory. Both are ways that have helped our overall business plan improve during tough economic times.

Our old facility allowed our walk in customers to get a first hand look at our warehouse. They could see the teas being packaged and shipped while their orders were picked. Due to our new layout and insurance regulations, our product display is situated in our main office area and customers now visit us away from the "action". Many customers have asked about our new warehouse and generally miss seeing the sights and sounds associated with the tea blending and packing process. I decided to post a few pictures below of our new place for all those that are curious.

The most frequent comment from our customers is "thank goodness it still smells like tea in here!" I recently realized that the heating system is to thank for that. It takes the tea odors from the blending room and pushes it out into the main reception area. We have only been on Craig Road for a few months, but our new space has quickly become seasoned with the smells of all our great teas.

View from the front walk

Old tea chests in lobby entrance

Assortment of loose leaf teas

Customer product display area

Warehouse packaged product area

Bulk teas in warehouse

Our latest teas have just arrived

2010-01-15T14:47:00.009-05:00

One of the best parts of my job is testing the latest tea offerings from our tea sources. With the hustle and general mayhem associated with the holidays, school vacations and an increased workload here last month, this was a welcome chance to relax and cup the latest tea offerings.

Before ordering our usual standards, our suppliers sent me tea samples to cup. I was more than pleased with the new crops and made our purchases accordingly. I try to rotate our inventory as fast as possible, so our customers only receive the freshest teas available.

My most recent order from China via San Francisco includes the following:

Dragon Well, 1st Grade- In my opinion, the finest green tea produced in China. Grown in the Zhejiang region, this batch did not disappoint. Resembling the green, spear shaped leafs above, it produced a mellow and sweet brew when brewed.

China Sechung Oolong (Ti Kwan Yin)- I have always been a fan of Oolong teas and this recent shipment from mainland China continues to be my favorite. Our Sechung Oolong has a heavy, curled, amber and green flecked leaf. It yields a light amber liquor and soft, sweet cup. Ti Kwan Yin is a term for most China Oolong teas. They can very significantly due to varying oxidation levels. This tea is moderately oxidized, producing a traditional "brown tea" taste.

China Yunnan- Another traditional black tea produced in the Yunnan region of China. This tea is cultivated along the Indian border, in the region considered the birthplace of the tea plant. We have carried this offering for decades now and over time, has become one of our customers favorites. A few years back, teas from this region were scare due to the crops being damaged by abundant rain falls, but now they are back and better than ever. This crop produced a strong cup of tea, with the traditional black leaf with gold tips and a spicy, almost woodsy overtone.

More teas are en route this winter season, with many arriving this spring. I will make sure to bring these varieties to light in future blogs. If you have often wondered about some of these offering listed above, give them a try next time you order. They will not disappoint.

Moving onwards and upwards

2009-10-23T21:26:00.007-04:00

I can't believe how long it has been since I last sat down and blogged! It has been a busy few months, as we are in the process of relocating our office and warehouse to a more modern and properly suited facility.

After careful searching, planning and lots of days and nights of hard work, we are making our final push towards the big day. On October 27th, we will be moving from our home of 32 years to 14-A Craig Road, Acton, MA. Many of our local customers will note that this move is only a few miles down the road from our current location. So we may be changing zip codes, but we haven't gone too far.

Many people have naturally asked us why we were making our move. Well, to be blunt, our lease was up, our landlord has visions of luxury condos where our office is and we need to run our business with out the day to day hassles of "patching up" our old building. We welcome our new space with great excitement and can't wait to be up and running soon. We were able to find a location that was designed for our operating needs. Over the past few months we have been creating a tea blending and packing room, building new warehouse racking and shelving, creating more efficient office space and developing a product display area for visiting customers.

Over the years I have heard people complain about moving out of their house or having to clean out their parents house when they decided to "downsize". I really didn't give it much thought until now. Our company is 105 years old and we have been out our current facility for over 3 decades. So, you can imagine some of the artifacts we have found along the way! I take great pride in our history and have a detailed collection of old MTW tea tins, letters and catalogs, as well as antique printing devices and equipment. During our "deconstruction" of our Beharrell Street location, I found several fairly cool items to add to our archives. Here is a list of some of the items:

An old wooden tea chest that has "IT PAYS TO BUY GOOD TEA" stamped on one side.
A hand crafted oak table that was used by the Tea Tasters that sampled all tea entering New York City during the early-mid 1900's. It is very unique. This large table spins on it's base allowing the tea taster to stand in one spot, sipping the brewed tea cups as they turn by.
Several of Mr. Wendell's press plates for catalogs and letters printed in the 1920's - 1950's.
A tea tin from an upstart Seattle based coffee and tea company (circa. 1970's) called Starbucks. This one is my favorite. It has the old school Starbucks mermaid logo on the front and just looks like your everyday run of the mill tin of tea. It is hard to believe what they have turned into over the decades!

After we settle in, I will post some new pictures of our great new space. The modernization of the Mark T. Wendell Tea Company will allow us to continue providing our customers with the finest teas available for many years to follow.

Our Big Screen Product Placement

2009-08-10T14:24:00.006-04:00

I wanted to let all our blog followers know that our classic tea tins have made it to the big screen in the new movie, "Julie and Julia"! I blogged about the props department for this movie calling us to try to get some of our tins last summer. Time flies.

As some of you may know, Julia Child was a dear customer of ours and loved her Mark T. Wendell teas. She would call and personally order her teas when my family started running this company back in the 1970's. My father jokes that she was unmistakable on the other end of the telephone! Everyone always asks us what her favorite teas were. She and her husband would always order China Keemun, China Jasmine, China Lapsang Souchong, Cheericup Ceylon and of course, Hu-Kwa from us.

In her kitchen she had a collection of our vintage pale blue, black and gold tins on her counter. They are visable briefly in her Cambridge kitchen set in the movie.

It is interesting to point out that the actual kitchen that Julia used in her Cambridge, MA home was donated in 2001 to the Smithsonian National Museum of American History. It has been re-built there in its entirety. I have not seen it personally, but have heard that it is an interesting exhibit. There is a great interactive website that allows you to view the kitchen and to learn more about the cooking and personal items that are displayed. At this site, you can see the original tins that she bought from us.

To visit this website, click the following link: http://americanhistory.si.edu/juliachild/default.asp

Once on the homepage, click Enter. To locate our tea tins, go to the top of the page and click the “view selected objects” link. The MTW aqua and gold tea tins are located as item #46 of 66. They are also classified under “personal objects” in the ‘sort objects by” pull-down menu. Enjoy!

Our newest custom tea blend is now available!

2009-06-22T21:56:00.015-04:00

This summer, we are pleased to introduce our latest custom tea blend to our customers. We have carefully blended this tea in memory of a dear friend of ours. He liked his tea strong in character, yet smooth enough to enjoy after that perfect meal. Our Manhattan Tribute Blend is the perfect combination of Indian, Formosan and Ceylon teas, devised for late day and after dinner consumption when the palate is satiated. When brewed, it produces a bold cup with a slightly floral note.

In the ongoing fight to conquer cancer, 10% of proceeds from the sale of this item will be donated to the Cancer Research Institute.

To learn more about the Cancer Research Institute and its groundbreaking work, please visit online at: http://www.cancerresearch.org

To visit this tea on our website, click here: http://marktwendell.com/ManhattanTribute.htm

We invite you to enjoy a great cup of tea and help out a worthy cause in the process!

The Continued Health Benefits of the Tea Leaf

2009-06-10T13:30:00.009-04:00

For many years now scientific researchers have been finding a positive correlation between tea and the body's overall health. Although, it has not been listed as scientific fact, the determination of numerous studies is that tea is good for you! I recently saw a few interesting articles on the Internet that further outlined these healthy benefits of tea. I have listed key excerpts and direct links to the original Internet postings below. So, reach for another cup of tea today and drink to your health.

The first article discusses how a chemical found in green tea may shrink lymph nodes and reduce white blood cell counts in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), a new study in the Journal of Clinical Oncology shows.

Click the link below to view this article:

http://www.cancerpage.com/news/article.asp?id=13472

The second article discusses how tea could prevent heart attacks, due to the naturally occurring compounds in tea known as flavonoids. It is believed that these tea components may control inflammation in the heart.

Click the link below to view this article:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1186073/Three-cups-tea-day-cut-heart-attack-risk-70.html

PG Tips embarking on higher sustainability standards

2009-05-13T13:39:00.006-04:00

For close to two decades now, we have been importing PG Tips from England. It has always been a hot seller for us, primarily sourced by ex-pats looking for that famous cuppa that they grew up with in the UK. Established as a tea brand in the 1930's, Arthur Brooke launched his tea in the UK market under the name of 'Pre-Gest-Tee'' - suggesting that the tea could be drunk before food was digested. Grocers quickly abbreviated it to PG, and the company adds 'tips' to highlight the fact that PG uses the top two leaves and a bud to make its tea, hence the name that is still in use today.

Over the decades, PG Tips has been at the forefront of forward thinking regarding their products. In the 1950's, they introduced "The Tipps Family", a creative ad campaign that focused on a family of chimps taking tea! Since 1956, it has become the longest running advertisement campaign in the UK. In the 1960's they introduced the teabag to what they refer to as "the stunned British tea drinker" and in 1996, they revolutionized the simple teabag by creating a pyramid bag. This style teabag, with more room inside it, acts like a miniature teapot and gives the leaves more room to move when brewing. This has allowed for an overall better cup of tea.

But perhaps their biggest accomplishment in the tea community was started in 2007. At that time, they began a revolutionary partnership with the Rainforest Alliance to make sure that by 2010 all PG tips tea suppliers meet a new high sustainability standard. The core of this program is to ensure that the thousands of farmers who grow their tea must make sure that their hard-working staff are getting a decent wage as well as access to housing, education and health care. They also have to commit to protecting the environment from which they make their living, by introducing environmentally-sound farming techniques.

By 2010, all the tea plantations where PG tips buy their tea will be Rainforest Alliance Certified™, which means the tea inside every single PG tips tea bag will be sustainably harvested. By choosing PG tips, you and I will be supporting them in improving the incomes and livelihoods of tea farmers and their families.

This is an amazing undertaking by a large company and one that should act as a blueprint for all other tea manufactures around the world. It is an undertaking that would not be feasible financially for many, but it is a goal that all others should strive to meet.

Tea Memories

2009-05-04T14:51:00.006-04:00

One of my favorite tea blogs is by one of our customers, Katrina. She writes a great blog called Tea Pages, where she reviews all sorts of teas from every vendor and local tea purveyor she can find. It is fascinating to see the varying teas above and beyond what we carry. She wrote a great article about our company last year and I have been viewing her work on-line ever since.

I recently noticed that she was undertaking a new venture that seems very interesting. Katrina is writing a new anthology, "Tea Memories: Living Life One Cup at a Time," and is in need of original, non-fiction essays to add to her anthology. If you are interested in contributing, here are the specifics:

"Have you "taken tea" in a unique place or under unusual circumstances? Do you have a story about sharing tea with someone special in your life? Have you made an important decision over a cup of tea? Whether humorous or touching, serious or inspiring, your stories of events, experiences, and transformational moments are welcomed. The most important criteria is that the stories be true and that tea plays a role in your essay.

Our intent is to show that tea is far more than something that quenches your thirst. Tea provides comfort, a time for reflection, and a starting point for conversation. Tea plays a supporting role in the stories of our lives. "Tea Memories" aims to share the ways that tea has changed our lives, one cup at a time."

Published and unpublished authors of all ages are encouraged to submit essays for consideration. The best essays will be selected for inclusion in the "Tea Memories" anthology.

Please visit http://teamemoriesbook.googlepages.com/ to learn about the submission process.

A glimpse of the Mark T. Wendell Tea Company warehouse operations

2009-03-25T11:01:00.029-04:00

With so many of our customers located all over the country, a small portion of our fan base is actually located near our warehouse and offices in West Concord, Massachusetts. Those that live near by tend to stop by and purchase their tea requirements directly from us. Unfortunately, our current office space does not allow for a stand alone tea shop dedicated to walk in customer traffic. Since we sell our packaged products right from the shipping departments main room, those that come in for their tea fix get to see our operations up close and personal. For all our other customers, here is a glimpse of our facility.

Our offices and warehouse are carved out of part of what used to be a large lumber mill that chiefly manufactured split rail fences back in the early to mid 1900's. We moved here from the Boston waterfront in 1977 and have been packing our fine teas in this historical community ever since. The images above show one of the main bulk tea storage areas that dot the old, wooden planked warehouse floors. Almost all of our loose teas come in a sturdy packaged corrugated box, bag or sack of some kind. They can range from a kilo (2.2 lbs) all the way up to the big 120 lb bags! Many of the green, scented and white teas come to us in a vacuum sealed foil bag placed inside a corrugated tea chest. Long gone are the days of bulky wooden chests with metal edges, steel strapping and lots of sharp nails holding it all together! While these types of tea chests may be romantic and make a great conversation piece, they were very tough to ship and dispose of. Once our loose teas are opened, we store them in the large gray food storage buckets shown above and then pack the tea into our specialty tins as needed. This allows us to manage our inventory very carefully so our customers receive only the freshest teas available.

The rest of our warehouse is filled with shipping boxes, tea tins, all our pre-packaged imported teas, teapots, tea brewing accessories, sugars and some great old tea packing equipment. You can also see above the stocked shelves from where we fill our daily orders. Always filled with the great smells of whatever tea is being packaged that day, our warehouse is an aged commerce center that has been thriving for decades.

The Elegance Of The Tea Tin

2009-02-13T13:12:00.007-05:00

As our need for more usable work space in our warehouse keeps growing, I was recently forced to make an effort to clean out some old files and boxes of antiques that have been tucked away for years in the back of the warehouse. I was pleasantly surprised to find some unique looking tea tins that we had lost track of over time. They have made a great addition to our ever expanding tea tin archives.

Our longevity has allowed us to really create a modest collection of tins from varying tea blenders and merchants. Some of these tea merchants are still in business and some have been gone for decades. We have tins from Lipton, Ridgway's Jackson's of Picadilly, Twinnings, Monarch, White Rose, Melrose's, Tetley, Chase & Sanborn's and one from a small Seattle tea company called Starbucks! Yes, that Starbucks. Before it became a coffee giant, it was a small company called Starbucks Coffee and Tea. During an era where tea was a luxury, the tins used for packaging were very colorful and very elaborate. Many of them had hinged lids and were available in unique sizes. Today, it is rare to find such hand crafted details on tea packaging's. The cost is simply to great.

Since our company has been packing tea for over 105 years, the style in which we have presented our teas has changed significantly. What was once packed in carefully hand crafted wooden boxes with ornate decorative painting on all sides has evolved to decorative tins with sealed lids for ultimate freshness. A common theme on all of our company's tea tins and containers over time is our simple black, gold and red color scheme and depiction of Chinese fauna and birds. If you look carefully at one of the first Mark T. Wendell wooden Hu-Kwa tea containers from the early 1900's and we find the same logos we use today on them. It is a great continuity for such an old, luxurious product. We have tins in all varying sizes for each decade we have been importing teas. We are thankful to those before us for the foresight to save these simple Mark T. Wendell Tea containers for future generations of employees and tea drinkers. So, whenever I see a great looking tea tin, I put it on display or stash it away. Who knows what it may represent in another 105 years?

The Boston Tea Party, a first hand account

2008-12-16T15:33:00.010-05:00

December 16, 2008 marks the 235th anniversary of the Boston Tea Party. With our business roots dating back to the Boston waterfront of decades past, this event and it's local lore have been a common talking point for us here at Mark T. Wendell Tea. Interestingly, our offices for many years were located in view of the waterfront docks where the Boston Tea Party took place. These connections have always given us a unique historical perspective of the history of tea, Boston and our nation.

The other day I was able to locate a first had account of that fateful night, recalled by George Hewes, a Boston shoemaker, who was among those who boarded one of the ships dressed as an Indian. Sixty years after the Tea Party, as one of the last surviving members, he recalled the events of that night and his participation in that historic moment. Author Alfred Young in his book "The Shoemaker and the Tea Party" described Hewes as "a nobody who briefly became a somebody in the Revolution and, for a moment near the end of his life, a hero." As a participant in the Boston Tea Party, here is George Hewes' eyewitness account of that milestone event in Early America.

"The tea destroyed was contained in three ships, lying near each other at what was called at that time Griffin's wharf, and were surrounded by armed ships of war, the commanders of which had publicly declared that if the rebels, as they were pleased to style the Bostonians, should not withdraw their opposition to the landing of the tea before a certain day, the 17th day of December, 1773, they should on that day force it on shore, under the cover of their cannon's mouth.

"On the day preceding the seventeenth, there was a meeting of the citizens of the county of Suffolk, convened at one of the churches in Boston, for the purpose of consulting on what measures might be considered expedient to prevent the landing of the tea, or secure the people from the collection of the duty. At that meeting a committee was appointed to wait on Governor Hutchinson, and request him to inform them whether he would take any measures to satisfy the people on the object of the meeting.

"To the first application of this committee, the Governor told them he would give them a definite answer by five o'clock in the afternoon. At the hour appointed, the committee again repaired to the Governor's house, and on inquiry found he had gone to his country seat at Milton, a distance of about six miles. When the committee returned and informed the meeting of the absence of the Governor, there was a confused murmur among the members, and the meeting was immediately dissolved, many of them crying out, "Let every man do his duty, and be true to his country"; and there was a general huzza for Griffin's wharf.

"It was now evening, and I immediately dressed myself in the costume of an Indian, equipped with a small hatchet, which I and my associates denominated the tomahawk, with which, and a club, after having painted my face and hands with coal dust in the shop of a blacksmith, I repaired to Griffin's wharf, where the ships lay that contained the tea. When I first appeared in the street after being thus disguised, I fell in with many who were dressed, equipped and painted as I was, and who fell in with me and marched in order to the place of our destination.

"When we arrived at the wharf, there were three of our number who assumed an authority to direct our operations, to which we readily submitted. They divided us into three parties, for the purpose of boarding the three ships which contained the tea at the same time. The name of him who commanded the division to which I was assigned was Leonard Pitt. The names of the other commanders I never knew.

"We were immediately ordered by the respective commanders to board all the ships at the same time, which we promptly obeyed. The commander of the division to which I belonged, as soon as we were on board the ship appointed me boatswain, and ordered me to go to the captain and demand of him the keys to the hatches and a dozen candles. I made the demand accordingly, and the captain promptly replied, and delivered the articles; but requested me at the same time to do no damage to the ship or rigging.

"We then were ordered by our commander to open the hatches and take out all the chests of tea and throw them overboard, and we immediately proceeded to execute his orders, first cutting and splitting the chests with our tomahawks, so as thoroughly to expose them to the effects of the water. In about three hours from the time we went on board, we had thus broken and thrown overboard every tea chest to be found in the ship, while those in the other ships were disposing of the tea in the same way, at the same time. We were surrounded by British armed ships, but no attempt was made to resist us.

"We then quietly retired to our several places of residence, without having any conversation with each other, or taking any measures to discover who were our associates; nor do I recollect of our having had the knowledge of the name of a single individual concerned in that affair, except that of Leonard Pitt, the commander of my division, whom I have mentioned. There appeared to be an understanding that each individual should volunteer his services, keep his own secret, and risk the consequence for himself. No disorder took place during that transaction, and it was observed at that time that the stillest night ensued that Boston had enjoyed for many months.

"During the time we were throwing the tea overboard, there were several attempts made by some of the citizens of Boston and its vicinity to carry off small quantities of it for their family use. To effect that object, they would watch their opportunity to snatch up a handful from the deck, where it became plentifully scattered, and put it into their pockets.

"One Captain O'Connor, whom I well knew, came on board for that purpose, and when he supposed he was not noticed, filled his pockets, and also the lining of his coat. But I had detected him and gave information to the captain of what he was doing. We were ordered to take him into custody, and just as he was stepping from the vessel, I seized him by the skirt of his coat, and in attempting to pull him back, I tore it off; but, springing forward, by a rapid effort he made his escape. He had, however, to run a gauntlet through the crowd upon the wharf nine each one, as he passed, giving him a kick or a stroke.

"Another attempt was made to save a little tea from the ruins of the cargo by a tall, aged man who wore a large cocked hat and white wig, which was fashionable at that time. He had sleightly slipped a little into his pocket, but being detected, they seized him and, taking his hat and wig from his head, threw them, together with the tea, of which they had emptied his pockets, into the water. In consideration of his advanced age, he was permitted to escape, with now and then a slight kick.

"The next morning, after we had cleared the ships of the tea, it was discovered that very considerable quantities of it were floating upon the surface of the water; and to prevent the possibility of any of its being saved for use, a number of small boats were manned by sailors and citizens, who rowed them into those parts of the harbor wherever the tea was visible, and by beating it with oars and paddles so thoroughly drenched it as to render its entire destruction inevitable."

---- George Hewes

Tea and the United States Presidency

2008-11-06T10:49:00.019-05:00

With the buzz of the presidential elections still fresh in my mind, I began thinking about how unique it must have been to live in the White House. The residence of the president, first lady and their children is a grand building, one that has been constantly evolving over the decades and centuries. During this great expanse of time, so much of the world has changed. However, there are a few items and traditions that can be linked to all of the US Presidents. One of the most prominent is tea! When foreign dignitaries were invited to Washington, they would often have tea at the White House. Many important presidential decisions were no doubt made over a nice soothing cup of tea.

Our library of tea books and literature contains an interesting book, Tea with Presidential Families, written by Pearl Dexter and Beulah Sommer. I began reviewing this book this morning and would like to share some interesting information about tea and the President. Did you know that:

Almost every President and First Lady had a commissioned tea service or favorite teapot that they used to entertain. Many can now be seen in their respective Presidential libraries.
Over the years, many unique and elegant tea sets have been given to US Presidents as gifts from international heads of state. Some of the most unique include: an Art Deco tea set presented to Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt by HRH Prince Olav and HRH Martha of Norway, a Rose Medallion tea set was sent as a gift to Woodrow Wilson and Edith Bolling Galt from the Emperor of China. John and Jackie Kennedy were presented with a Cloisonne tea service from the Khruschevs at the beginning of the Kennedy presidency and finally, Richard and Pat Nixon were given tea sets from France, China and Russia during their time in Washington
Eleanor Roosevelt entertained so often that 8 teas a week was not unusual. In 1939, 9,211 people had been to tea at the White House!
During Woodrow Wilson's administration, the official White House set of china was first purchased from an American manufacturer, Lenox.
One of the gifts given to attendees of President and Mrs. Taft's silver wedding anniversary was an elegant silver teapot.
In 1897, President McKinley was depicted "taking tea" with Queen Victoria on the back page of the Ladies Home Journal. This was one of the first attempts of the tea industry to advertise their product.
Every day, Andrew Johnson brewed tea in a teapot shaped like a locomotive. The boiler received the tea and brewed it, then discharged it through a spigot. A miniature steam-whistle and a little bell indicated when the beverage was ready.
James and Elizabeth Monroe's daughters had a lovely, hand painted porcelain tea set that they used for children's tea parties at the White House.
John Jacob Astor would frequently give James and Dolley Madison packages of rare teas that he brought back from China.
Thomas Jefferson regularly purchased tea all his adult live. He would usually obtain 20 pounds of the finest Hyson, Souchong and Congou (tea grades, during this era) teas each year. It is fascinating to think that on the small lap desk in his Tea Room, he wrote and edited the Declaration of Independence in 1776.
The White Houses first First Lady, Abigail Adams, used her own tea recipe blend called Rose Petal Tea to serve at the first social tea gatherings.

One of my favorite Presidential tea stories involves our 19th President, Rutherford B. Hayes. During his term his commissioner of agriculture, William LeDuc, learned of experimental tea plants being grown luxuriantly in the south. He was so impressed that he applied for appropriations to carry on further tea experiments in the southern US. LeDuc took tea samples from these plants to the A.A. Low Bros. Company, a leading New York tea firm, to try to ascertain the best southern locality to grow tea. At the time, the firm had a fleet of 16 clipper ships. The most famous was the fast and unparalleled ship, Houqua. Now this ship has important meaning to our company. It was from this ships tea runs that the origins of our company was founded. Our company's roots began with Mr. Wendell's uncle, Richard Devens. Mr. Devens began importing tea and other goods from China during the Clipper Ship era. Many of these items were sailed across the ocean to Boston on the Houqua. For us, this is a unique connection to a long distant era.

Our Coming Attractions

2008-10-15T13:55:00.008-04:00

As another summer season draws to a close, it is time to focus on the upcoming months and prepare for the winter holidays. Each fall, I like to add a few new teas and tea accessories to our ever expanding line up of products. This year is no exception as we will be offering our customers 9 new teapots and 4 new loose teas selections.

I am pleased to introduce several styles and colors of the popular Japanese Bee House Tea Pots. Each handcrafted ceramic teapot has smooth, polished glazing that will look good in any décor. These tea pots have a removable stainless steel flip top lid as well as a removable brewing strainer which nests in the rim. We will be offering three uniquly shaped teapots (see picture above). In addition, the 4 cup traditional round teapot will be available in 6 eye catching colors. Our Bee House teapots have just arrived and are available for purchase on our website.

To try to keep our tea offerings fresh and keeping with the ever changing world of tea, I like to add a few new loose teas each season. This fall we will be introducing our newly sourced Gyokuro Jade Dew Green and Decaffeinated English Breakfast teas. Our current suppliers of these two teas are no longer able to offer them to us, so we have found new sources that will be providing us with improved standards. Gyokuro is one of Japan’s rarest and most prized teas. Consisting of only the tender leaf tips, we are offering this season’s recent picking from the historic Uji tea gardens near Kyoto . Also referred to as Gyokuro Asahina, it yields a greenish-gold color with a mild flavor and incomparable natural flowery aroma when brewed. Our Decaffeinated English Breakfast will now be comprised of Ceylon's finest long leaf teas. This naturally decaffeinated tea has a robust and full-flavored taste without the caffeine of regular black tea.

We will also begin offering an Organic Chun Mee Green to round out our organic offerings. A very popular Chinese green tea, Chun Mee, has a remarkable, distinctive plum-like flavor. Our Organic Chun Mee combines this plum-like flavor with a smooth, sweet aroma that makes a satisfying cup of tea. We have also learned that our standard Flowery Silver Needle White is now certified organic. We should have all of these new teas available for purchase in a few weeks. Check our website over the next month for details!

The wide world of tea

2008-09-08T14:06:00.009-04:00

For myself, tea is part of my daily life. I come to work and I am surrounded by all types of loose tea leaves. In my warehouse, I can seek out various teas from almost every tea producing nation in the world. I can smell their aromas in our office and even on my clothes when I arrive home each night. I tend to start each day at the office with a nice cup of Fancy Oolong and might end it with some calming peppermint or spiced Chai.

Over the last few years, the infusion of tea and tea based products into the American consumer marketplace has been occurring at a rapid pace. Years ago, the mere thought of tea as an ingredient in a larger product was almost unheard of. Tea was a beverage. It could be consumed hot or cold. It could be left plain or flavored with sugar and milk. It came in loose form or in teabags. Well, in 2008, times have certainly changed for the Camellia Senensis plant. It is possible to find tea in products ranging from bottled beverages to cleaning agents. You can find tea in lotions, bath products and lip balms. Green tea ice cream is always on the menu at your local Chinese restaurant and next time you stop by your local specialty food store, you will certainly have no problem finding chocolates infused with tea. One of my favorite incarnations of tea is the recent focus on cooking with tea. All the most recent tea trade publications, books and magazines seem to contain food recipes that include various types of tea leaves on the ingredient list. I have listed two of my favorites from Mary Lou Heiss's book, Green Tea, below. Next time you reach for your cooking utensils or blender, why not give one of these a try? Enjoy!

Toasted Coconut Iced Green Tea

About: This sophisticated iced tea has an elegant white color, lightly creamy texture and a subtle tropical flavor. Genmaicha is a specialty Japanese tea that has tiny kernels of toasted rice mixed in with the green tea leaf. The delicate and subtle flavor of the toasted rice underscores the richness of the coconut, creating an intriguing and delicious iced tea.

Ingredients: One 10-ounce can of frozen, non-alcoholic pina colada cocktail mix, 4 cups of chilled Genmaicha tea, ice cubes, fresh Pineapple wedges for garnish.

To Make: Put the pina colada mix into a medium-size pitcher and add the tea. Stir until thawed and blended. Pour the tea mixture into old-fashioned glasses filled with ice. Garnish each glass with fresh pineapple wedges and serve.

Crunchy Sesame Seed-Crusted Pork

About: Use small Pork tenderloins for this recipe and roast them quickly at a high temperature to keep them tender. The pork is rolled in a tea and spice mixture upon removal fro the oven to ensure a nice, crispy coating.

Ingredients: 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 2 tablespoons rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil, Two 12-ounce pork tenderloins, 1 teaspoon Szechuan peppercorns, 1 tablespoon (4 grams) loose leaf green tea, 1 tablespoon brown sesame seeds, 1 tablespoon black sesame seeds, 1 tablespoon coarse sea salt, 1 1/2 tea spoons Chinese five-spice powder, 2 tablespoons light brown sugar.

To Make: Preheat the oven to 450 degrees
Mix the soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil in an 11 x 9-inch baking dish.
Add the pork and turn to coat all sides.
Roast the pork for about 20 minutes, turning once, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the roast registers 150 degrees F. Remove the pork from the oven and transfer to a platter to rest for 5 minutes.
While the pork is roasting, lightly crush the peppercorns and green tea using a mortar and pestle. Add the sesame seeds, salt, five-spice powder, and brown sugar and stir to blend well. Spread the spice mixture on a large plate.
Using tongs, roll the pork in the spice mixture to cover completely. Return to the platter, slice and serve immediately.

Who was Houqua and why is our trademark tea named after him?

2008-07-29T14:09:00.014-04:00

One of our company's first imported teas was a unique tea from China, known by locals as "la" (pine) "sang" (wood) or Lapsang Souchong. The term Souchong refers to the larger leaf size. Unlike other Chinese teas, this black, full leaf tea was allowed to oxidize over burning pine fires in specially constructed sheds. The end result was a superb tea that had a taste all its own. It's mellow smoky overtones with a hint of caramel yield a great cup anytime of the day. Like most types of teas, there is a great story to be told. It is a story that is as old as our company and one that is rooted in an era that is long gone.

From the late 1700's to about the mid 1800's the Chinese seaport of Canton was the center of the China tea trade. Any foreign traders arriving to this area to conduct business were required to sail up the Pearl River to an anchorage in Whampoa. At this point, they were assigned a Hong merchant. Assigned by the Emperor, Hong merchants were responsible for overseeing the unloading of the western goods arriving in China and then re-loading the ships with the Chinese goods (tea, silk, porcelain) for delivery to the West. But most importantly, the Hong merchants needed to make sure that the "foreign devils" did not stray from the port and into China. History records that the most famous of these Hong merchants was Wu Ping-Chien, whom the Western traders called Houqua (pronounced who-kwaa). He was an intelligent and powerful Hong merchant whose business sense and understanding of foreigners allowed him to create a considerable fortune. During this era, his wealth was only rivaled by a handful worldwide. During the initial dealings with foreigners, the Chinese were uneasy and treated their trading partners with disdain. Houqua saw this as an unfair and unprofitable practice and quickly developed a reputation as true and gracious. Over time his name was know by all American importers. Goods bearing his stamp commanded higher prices because the quality was indisputable.

Our company's roots originally date back to the height of the China trade during the 1850's. It was at this time that Mark T. Wendell's uncle, Richard Devens, established an importing company in Boston. His imported products included port, sherry, coffee, olive oil, porcelain, snuff and Chinese teas. He had the means to own and maintain several sailing ships. These Clipper ships made frequent trips to China each year. Upon returning to Boston, they were loaded with the finest China tea, a true luxury for the upper class Bostonians. It is written that Mr. Devens met with and personally purchased his tea directly from Houqua. He noted that Houqua was "a warm friend of Americans and his barter with them is characterized by an ingenuous confidence and an unbusiness-like generosity." In all his dealings, written agreements were unknown. He was a man of honor and distinction.

For many years, the smoky black tea that was imported by Clipper ship from China was simply labelled as "XXX". This was a common symbol of excellence and high quality from this era. In the 1910's, Mark T. Wendell changed the name of his unusual tea, as the old name "did not seem to carry with it the atmosphere and distinction merited by so rare a tea as ours." He appropriately began calling it Hu-Kwa (a more Americanized version of Houqua) as a tribute to the famous Hong merchant with whom his uncle had traded. During this time, many Americans were still familiar with Houqua and his famous reputation. By re-naming his tea after Houqua, he was telling his customers that he too was willing to guarantee the integrity of his tea and that he felt it was the finest available.

Troubled times in Darjeeling

2008-07-21T11:16:00.010-04:00

Darjeeling is home to acre upon acre of fabulous tea gardens. It is a unique part of the world that produces some of the best teas on the market today. However, life in this area has been beset with numerous issues over this year and it looks like it is only going to get worse. The ethnic Gurkhas in this part of the state of West Bengal have relaunched a campaign to create their own state, Gorkhaland, within the India border. At the heart of the dispute is the tea industry, which supports half of Darjeeling's 1.6 million people and generates millions of pounds in tax revenues. Darjeeling produces 9.5 million kilograms of tea annually.

Tea gardens have been exempt from recent strikes in the region, but found their businesses effected by the cutting of essential food and fuel supply routes. In many instances, the distribution of the second flush tea pickings to market was also disrupted. In recent developments, the Gurkhas movement has called for the removal of the Indian plantation owners who replaced the British proprietors after Indian Independence in 1947. The over 1 million Gurkhas of Darjeeling have long questioned how their government can deny them education and jobs while plundering their natural resources. It is important to note that of the 87 Darjeeling tea gardens, not one is Gurkha owned. The Darjeeling tea region as a whole has had stagnant output for decades because of poor management and outdated labor laws. The Gurkhas have proposed a solution to this stagnation would be to evict negligent plantation owners by revoking their leases, thus giving the Gurkhas a chance to buy the estates. Recent strikes in the region have caused the shutting of roads and businesses and have driven away the tea estate visiting tourists. So far, the situation has been peaceful. The Gurkha hope to continue on this path and have indicated that they will do so until their demands are fulfilled.

Unfortunately, the recent bad weather in the region has dramatically effected tea production in the hills. The local tea association has dropped it's production estimates this season by 30%. It is no wonder that life on the tea estates as a worker and as management have been tough. If a more escalated Gurkha strike ensues in the area, expect complete shut downs of important tea producing estates at a most critical time of the growing season. This will further complicate a volatile region nestled among the tea leaves and have a direct effect on the availability and cost of your favorite Darjeeling teas.

New research shows green tea in a favorable light

2008-07-07T13:15:00.003-04:00

Over the last few days, I have seen many new articles on the latest research involving green tea and your health. Researchers have found evidence that suggests that drinking green tea rapidly improves the health of the delicate cells lining the blood vessels and helps lower the risk of heart disease. More specifically, the consumption of green tea can protect heart arteries by keeping them flexible and relaxed, and therefore better able to withstand the ups and downs of constant changes in blood pressure. The study was conducted by Dr. Nikolaos Alexopoulos of Athens Medical School, Greece. They found that among 14 subjects, those who drank green tea showed greater dilation of the heart arteries on ultrasound 30 minutes later than those drinking diluted caffeine or hot water. Also, when the doctors measured the green tea drinkers' arteries two weeks after daily consumption of the beverage, they found that their vessels were more dilated then they had been at the beginning of the study. It appears that the flavonoids in the tea, which work as antioxidants and help prevent inflammation in body tissue, keep the vessels pliable. Researchers also believe that they may also protect against the formation of clots, which are the primary causes of heart attacks. The American Heart Association does not yet include green tea in its dietary recommendations, but they do acknowledge that green tea may be a good addition to a heart-healthy diet. They also believe that more positive studies involving green tea may propel the beverage onto this recommended consumption list. So try some green tea today as part of a heart-healthy diet. We offer many unique green teas from China and Japan, from our special grade Dragonwell, to the unique Japanese Genmaicha. We are now offering a new Pomegranate Flavored Green Tea that is sure to please.

Our classic tea tins will be featured in the motion picture Julie & Julia

2008-06-24T10:11:00.011-04:00

A few months ago, I received an interesting phone call from a props department representative at Columbia Pictures. She explained that the motion picture Julie & Julia was currently in production and filming in Long Island, NY. She let me know that for the movie, they were re-creating the kitchen that Julia Child made famous on her cooking television shows from decades past. As some of you may know, Julia Child was a long time customer of ours and loved her Mark T. Wendell teas. In her kitchen she had a collection of our vintage pale blue, black and gold tins lined neatly on a counter. Now we have not carried this style of tins for 20-25 years, but we had several in our archives and displayed in our office. We even had some that happened to be labeled with the correct teas that she and her husband had bought from us. Their favorites were: China Keemun, China Jasmine, China Lapsang Souchong, Cheericup Ceylon and of course, Hu-Kwa. So we sent them off to be used in the film. When I spoke with the props department, I asked them about the movie. Here is what they had to say!

The film follows Julie Powell (portrayed by Amy Adams), a government employee who decides to cook her way through legendary cook Julia Child's classic cook book, Mastering the Art of French Cooking. She tries to accomplish this grand task in one year's time out of her small Queens apartment kitchen. Powell blogs her daily experiences, gaining a loyal following along the way. The film also follows Julia (portrayed by Meryl Streep)and Paul Child (portrayed by Stanley Tucci) through Julia Child's memoir, My Life in France, which she wrote with her grand nephew Alex Prud'homme. It is to be released in 2009. Once I have more information, I will post specifics.

It is interesting to point out that the actual kitchen that Julia used in her Cambridge, MA home was donated in 2001 to the Smithsonian National Museum of American History. It has been re-built there in its entirety. I have not seen it personally, but have heard that it is an interesting exhibit. There is a great interactive website that allows you to view the kitchen and to learn more about the cooking and personal items that are displayed. At this site, you can see the original tins that she bought from us.

To visit this website, click the following link: http://americanhistory.si.edu/juliachild/default.asp
Once on the homepage, click Enter. To locate our tea tins, go to the top of the page and click the “view selected objects” link. The MTW aqua and gold tea tins are located as item #46 of 66. They are also classified under “personal objects” in the ‘sort objects by” pull-down menu. Enjoy!

All about our latest Darjeeling offering

2008-06-17T12:21:00.011-04:00

Over the years, I have tried to keep our tea offerings fresh and exciting. This oftentimes proves to be difficult with so many new "tea trends" out there. Many of these types of teas are "here today" and "gone tomorrow." We try to add teas that have a great story, both in origin and taste, and ones that will continue to be available to us for many years to come. With this being said, I am pleased to tell you about our new Organic Darjeeling. This tea is grown at the Ambootia Tea Garden, a 100% organic and bio dynamic tea estate, whose initial efforts in 1992 pioneered the ever expanding Fair Trade movement. It is a great tasting second-flush Darjeeling with a classic taste and clean, sweet overtones.

I have been aware of the Fair Trade movement in the tea and coffee industries for several years now. Taken from the Trans Fair USA website, "Fair Trade certification is a market-based model of international trade that benefits over one million farmers and farm workers in 58 developing countries across Africa, Asia and Latin America. Fair Trade certification enables consumers to vote for a better world with their dollars, simply by looking for the Fair Trade Certified label on the products they buy. "

Fair Trade Certified agricultural products including coffee, tea and herbs, cocoa and chocolate, fresh fruit, sugar, rice, flowers, honey and spices (vanilla) are currently available at over 35,000 retail establishments in this country. Fair Trade empowers farmers and farm workers to lift themselves out of poverty by developing the business skills necessary to compete in the global marketplace. By guaranteeing minimum floor prices and social premiums, Fair Trade enables producers to invest in their farms and communities and protect the environment. But Fair Trade is much more than a fair price, it is a model for fair labor, community development and environmental sustainability. For example, Ambootia workers have initiated a reforestation program that includes planting thousands of shade trees each year to reduce soil erosion. They also have created a unique garbage collection system, built numerous on site schools and provided scholarships for higher education.

Until recently, small quantities of certified Fair Trade teas were hard to come by in this country. Thankfully, this practice is becoming more embraced by tea garden owners and the general public, in turn expanding the export of various masterful tea offerings. We are proud to offer this tea from Ambootia and hope to slowly add other Fair Trade offerings in 2008 and beyond.

June is National Iced Tea Month

2008-06-13T10:38:00.007-04:00

It has recently come to my attention that June is National Iced Tea Month. I love a nice cup of hot Oolong tea each morning, but as the summer heats up, I tend to reach for a nice glass of iced tea. Over the years, I have read about the "invention" of iced tea and I thought I would share some of this research with you.

The invention of iced tea is generally believed to have occurred in the southern United States in 1904, although there is some evidence that it may have been drunk by southerners several years prior to this date. Like many great inventions of our time, iced tea was created by accident at the World’s Fair in St. Louis, Missouri. Trade exhibitors from around the world brought their products to America's first World's Fair. One such merchant was Richard Blechynden, a tea plantation owner. Originally, he had planned to give away free samples of hot tea to fair visitors. But when a heat wave hit, no one was interested. To save his investment of time and travel, he dumped a load of ice into the brewed tea and served the first "iced tea".

Iced teas have come along way in 101 years. In addition to brewing loose leaf teas at home and serving them over ice, today you can get bottled, ready to drink iced teas infused with a variety of flavors from any grocery stores shelf. According to the Tea Association of the USA, Americans consumed well over 55 billion servings of tea (over 2.50 billion gallons) in 2007 with approximately 85% of the tea consumed as iced, making it one of the most popular beverages in our country. While any tea that you enjoy hot can be poured over ice for a refreshing change, some teas are naturals for the process due to their chemical make up. Some teas actually taste funny cold, while others turn out cloudy. The cloudiness won't hurt you and it doesn't affect the taste, only the appearance. Since you want your iced tea to look as great as it tastes, you should try to find the right tea for the job.

For best results, use a whole leaf loose tea that has been specially blended for iced tea. Our Mark T. Wendell Iced Tea Blend is a unique blend of Ceylon, China and Java teas that are low in tannins. When brewed and iced, it yields a glass of iced tea with a full, rich flavor and superior visual clarity.

Welcome

2008-06-11T13:28:00.004-04:00

As I sit and think about our company's long history, I can't help but marvel at how much has changed in 104 years. Our company was founded in 1904 during an era when tea was brought to our country by Clipper ships and the travel time took months to get from the fields to the docks in US port cities. Now, our customers can visit our website any time of the day, place an order and have their tea in a matter of days! It is truly amazing. We have a great story here at Mark T. Wendell. As one of the oldest tea importers in this country, we take pride in our tradition and try to carry our decades of expertise into providing the highest quality teas to our customers. I hope to be able to bring my knowledge of various teas as well as information about our company to you each week in this blog. So please visit when you can!