Tis the Season for Events

Greetings Fellow Tea Sippers,

We are busy preparing for the new season of events. We are all anxiously awaiting Spring and the freshness that comes with.
We are awaiting paperwork, arranging the new tea display and organizing our booth.
We have a great 10 foot by 10 foot Undercover canopy. We are as excited to be creating a new look for our product as we are when making new tea blends...
Don't forget to visit our website and send us a comment about your favorite tea.. THANKS

The Brighton Tea Company LLC


Melissa

I get asked what my favorite tea blend is all the time. I typically say that all of my teas are because I blend them how I like them. No additives, and high quality organic products makes it easy to have many favorite blends. But as I worked on a new breakfast blend for my tea line, I found myself thinking about the English Breakfast tea I have drank throughout my life. I wanted to blend something that would hold up to milk and sugar like the English blends and I wanted something that would leave a nice after taste. I now have a breakfast blend that does both of these things! Brighton Breakfast Tea is a nice blend of OP Ceylon and Assam teas with a little something special added. I now have a new favorite morning, all day or after dinner drink!

There are varying amounts of caffeine in tea. This can create some confusion when I am asked about caffeine content in my teas. Basically what it comes down to, is the more processed the tea is, the more caffeine in the tea. White and green tea, have a minimal amount of caffeine in them because they are not allowed to oxidize or ferment. They are quickly processed after they are picked. Black and oolong teas have a little more caffeine in them because they are processed more. When compared to coffee, tea typically has less then half the caffeine. White Tea 30-55mg Green Tea 35-70mg Oolong Tea 50-75 mg Black Tea 60-90mg Coffee 150-200mg

I have been growing herbs for over 20 years. Thinking about and planning my herb gardens have gotten me through many a long winter here in Michigan. These fragrant plants have never disappointed me. Blending herbs is just a natural progression in the process of growing them. From blending herbs to blending them with tea is another step in my journey with herbs.

The flavors of my teas are delicate compared to most commercial teas. I don’t add natural or artificial flavorings. A mint tea has mint in it. A green ginger tea has green tea and ginger in it. I know this sounds simple, but there are a lot of things to take into consideration. My teas need a little time to “bloom”. I use the word bloom because like a flower, the tea and natural herbs or spices, need a little time for their leaves to open up and release their full flavors. That is why often the second cup of tea is better than the first.

I was watching Downton Abby the other night. I was thinking about the grandmother that is played by Maggie Smith. I have watched the show since the first season and something about her character was familiar. I could not put a finger on it until this week. She reminds me of my Aunty May. My Aunty May came from Brighton England around 1909. She lived to be a 107 years old and was about 16 when she immigrated to the United States with her parents and siblings. I didn't know my grandparents, they passed on many years before I was born, But my Aunty May was like a grandparent to me. She was VERY English. Very proper and stuffy in some ways and always called me "Ducky". Really she did. But she was also wise and kind beyond words and took on the roll of parent and grandparent when her brother was gone. My Aunty May lived until I was in my thirties. she was born around 1893. When I think about it, the history she was a witness to is astounding. From horse and carriage to men on the moon and beyond. I guess starting a little tea company has a bit of nostalgia for me. I learned how to make a proper pot of tea from her and I think the sharing of that knowledge is as much a pleasure and the drinking of tea is itself.

The sun is out today and the temps are going to warm up to the 20's today. I never thought that 20 degrees would look good to me. But it does! Today I am drinking Winter Spice Tea. It is a blend made with Assam and Ceylon whole leaf tea and 5 different spices. This tea is one of my favorites, it reminds me of sitting in from of a fire and soaking up the warmth. There is a nice peppery finish to this tea that makes that warmth a reality.