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Teaology

Matcha Buzz

What is Matcha?

Matcha is a green tea typically grown in Japan. It is gradually covered to block sunlight, resulting in increased chlorophyll that is responsible for its bright green color. Matcha is then picked, processed, and ground using granite into a fine powder. Matcha is so concentrated it’s said to be the equivalent to 10 cups of green tea.

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Pu'erh Tea

The Origins of Pu’erh

Today, Pu’erh is a staple and revered tea all over the world, but the creation of this highly sought after tea was a sort of fluke. Pu’erh’s accidental existence emerged during the Tang Dynasty (618-907 A.D.).

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Rooibos Tea

Rooibos Tea Origins

Rooibos tea’s origin takes place in the Cederberg region of South Africa. The Khoisans, indigenous Bushmen of the region, harvested rooibos leaves from the Aspalathus Linearis plant for many centuries, using them as herbal remedies. In Africa, rooibos would become a popular substitute for tea due to its affordability.

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Tea Spotlight: White Rose

Today on Tea Spotlight I’ll be talking about our White Rose Tea. This is without a doubt my favorite blended tea. There is just something magical about the light floral brew that brightens my day. I drink a least one cup a day. My favorite time to drink this tea is in the evening after the kids are finally in bed.

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Climate Change and Darjeeling Tea

Today I am talking about one of my favorite teas, Darjeeling. Darjeeling hails from the Darjeeling Region of India. Darjeeling is interesting because instead of using the assamica varietal of the tea plant (that hails from India), Darjeeling tea typically comes from a smaller leaf Chinese varietal. It's essentially a Chinese tea that grows in India with flavors of French grapes and Himalayan mountain air. The ‘champagne’ of teas is celebrated for its wine-like profile.

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Ampersand Woman: Talia Halliday

It’s not every day you meet a businesswoman who’s simultaneously running 3 businesses. That’s why we’re thrilled to introduce our very first Ampersand Woman, Talia Halliday. Talia is the Shop keep at Gather Handmade, Organizer of the Bloomington Handmade Market, and Owner and designer of Conduit Press. Talia is the glue that holds our downtown together.

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Jessica Messmer
Monday Muses: The Immortalist

For this months book club we read The Immortalists by Chloe Benjamin. I have to admit I really struggled with this book. There is something about the writing style that just doesn’t jive with me. The story was broken up into points of view of each of the characters, and as a whole depicted how each character’s actions affected the other. For me, there was no real climax or real closure for the final character. We can only speculate what happens. That being said, I think there was a real good lesson on living life with earnest. Seeing life as a gift to experience at its fullest.

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Designing Your Work Day Around Your Sleep Patterns

Today on Wellness Wednesday I am discussing how to design your workday around your sleep patterns. Instead of trying to force a sleep schedule, that you and I will ultimately abandon. I’m in the process of setting goals for the New Year. One of those goals is self-love. I want to stop mentally punishing myself for not living up to my own expectations. I have a lot of new goals that require adjusting my daily routine. So, I was looking for ways I could accomplish those goals, while still being kind to myself

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Tea Tuesdays: Peach Blossom

Today on Tea Tuesday we are highlighting Peach Blossom. Peach blossom is our most popular tea for summer. Peach Blossom was one of my very first tea blends, is my husband’s favorite tea for making sun tea. Peach Blossom iced is all at once calming, cooling, and refreshing. I prefer it hot when I can reminisce about summer on a cold winter day.

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Tea News: GABA Tea

One examined the effect of GABA on brain waves and the other put the GABA recipients in stressful situations and monitored their immunoglobulin A levels. Together the studies showed that GABA can have a positive impact on reducing anxiety and encouraging relaxation…

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TeaologyJessica Messmer