Tea Time!

I love, love, love to go to tea parties. My best friend Taylor and I would do this all of the time in high school, and we soon became obsessed. I remember the first time I went to tea when I was a little girl. My grandmother took all my girl cousins, my aunts, and me to the Windsor Court in New Orleans. I loved how exquisite and beautiful the tea cups and the food all were. Today, I still drink tea a lot and now know that there is more to it then just a fun tea party...it's great for your health, especially green tea. Here's some information about different kinds of teas that I got from Vianne's Tea House, one of my favorite tea places back home.

White teas are named for the silvery white down that is on the small young leaves when they are plucked not for the cup color. White tea has the least amount of processing and contains the most antioxidants.

Green tea is usually steamed and does not go through a full oxidation process. Green tea is known for its healthful benefits and antioxidant properties.

Oolong Teas are “brown” teas semi-fermented between a green tea and black tea and hence the most complex of teas to produce.

Black tea goes through four stages of production – withering, rolling, oxidation and drying/firing. The hearty, rich flavor comes from the fermentation or oxidation and firing. Black tea has the most caffeine, but half the amount of a cup of coffee.

Rooibos – pronounced “Roy-boss” commonly called “red tea” or “red bush tea” is from the “Aspalathus Linearis” plant. It makes an aromatic tea. Rooibos is grown successfully only in Cedarburg, just north of Capetown in South Africa. Naturally NO CAFFEINE!

Fruit Blends are the equivalent of botanicals. They consist of dried fruits, herbs and dried flowers. They contain no caffeine or tea.