Terrifying Teas 10% off!

Happy Halloween, Tea Lover!

We are dead excited about the magical properties of our hauntingly delicious teas, so we're offering you 10% off to try them until Midnight on Halloween at www.partnerstea.com! Just enter BOO when you checkout!

Did you know that black tea is good for your bones? Research shows it fights osteoperosis and builds a healthy skeletal system.  It also fights Parkinsons disease.  Green tea cleans your blood, fighting cancer and other frightening ghoulies.  If that doesn't lift your spirits, then maybe the fact that tea helps break down fats in your body will.  Asian women have known for generations what we are only now discovering in the West-- tea makes you look and feel great, from the inside out!  Tea is even good for your teeth and your skin!

 

The horrifying truth is that coffee ravages your adrenaline system and often also your gut and makes you feel batty and act scary. 

Try tea instead.  Relax with a hot tea toddy, take a load off and have a Wicked Good Halloween!

PS- We've re-Vamped our website...it is bloody easy to use now and if you want to see all the stores in your area where you can find our teas, check here.  Also, tea toddy and tea recipes are downloadable on the home page.  You can even like us on facebook.

JOIN US in Atlanta and Nashville at West Elm stores...

At long last!

You can now find our teas at your local West Elm store!

We are proud to be the first food product EVER offered at one of our favorite places for smart, modern and increasingly sustainable home decor--West Elm!

This Fall and Holiday Season, think about picking up a canister of Partners Tea Company teas with one of the cute mugs, tea cups, or coasters sold at West Elm.  We are hoping to make a great contribution this year to the tea growers association in Sri Lanka that we donate 1% of our sales to, so please help us do that and know that every tin you buy helps us towards our goal of empowering women through education and opportunity.

If you are in the Atlanta or Nashville areas, please JOIN US:

ATLANTA WEST ELM STORE: Thursday, November 18th from 7-9 PM in conjunction with the Savannah College of Art and Design.  We'll be serving our Classic Southern Peach Hot Toddy make with Pure Assam Black Tea, Peaches and Bourbon. Mandatory RSVP www.wescadevent.com

NASHVILLE WEST ELM STORE: Tuesday, December 7th from 6-8 PM  in conjunction with Team Green and Lightning 100.  Come try a hot cup of Popeye, Sweet Friend Blend, Pure Assam or Veranda.

We hope to see you there!

Cold Weather Remedy: Hot Tea Toddy

Since our Summer iced teas and tea-tinis were such a hit, we thought we'd roll the idea over into the Fall and Winter Seasons and come up with a few Hot Tea Toddies to share.

With yesterday's rains came a chill in the air that begged to be rivaled by the warmth that only a hot tea toddy can bring...

...So, we cooked some up! And we were actually blown away by how good they were! 

Here is the recipe for the Classic Hot Toddy we made. You can download this recipe and others at www.PartnersTea.com-- just scroll down and look to the left of the screen for the download button.

In a hot toddy glass, pour boiling water over 1 Pure Assam Black Tea bag.  Steep 4 minutes.
Remove tea sachet and add:
1 Tablespoon Honey (we used Hives for Lives and love that company's mission)
2 Teaspoons of lemon juice
1 ounce Bourbon.  We used Woodford Reserve.
Stir, share, enjoy!

So, when you are carving your pumpkins this week and wishing for something to warm you up inside, try this recipe out.  Or, If you are looking for a great hostess or holiday gift, give a canister of tea and download a free recipe card here (look to the bottom left of the page).  Or, look for our Hot Tea Toddy Kit gifts here.  They make a fun and unique Holiday gifts as well!

Summer Photos

Lisa and Karla at the Stationary Show in NYC- the show was great and we were thankful for all the positive response and new partners we received at our first trade show.

We took home a silver SOFI award at the Fancy Food Show in June!

Our Sweet Friend Blend tea-tini was a hit as the signature cocktail at Colin Cowies charity event for the Children of South Africa.

Late Summer News

As usual, June turned into August faster than anyone could imagine.  It has been a cool 90 degrees in Nashville this week and we are looking forward to the Fall on many levels-- September marks the beginning of the Fall and the beginning of tea drinking season.

We have a lot of really exciting news to share and a lot to look forward to this Fall.

EVENTS- We will be at the Herb Society of Americas Nashville Chapters Herb Day at Cheekwood Botanical Hall September 25th.  Asheville's Organic Fest September 11~

PR-From a PR perspective, we will be in Pilates Style and Southern Living magazines in the coming months.  We also are being considered for Holiday Gift guides and feature stories by a number of other fantastic publications.  I will keep you posted with more details here.  Also, we have a number of partnerships in the gift/ gourmet arena-- lots in the works and more details to come soon.

SALES- We are shipping our first lot of teas to West Elm in a few weeks- we are excited to be their first food product ever and to be available in 35 stores across the US.  Look for our teas throughout the Fall and Winter there.  Our sales in South region Whole Foods continue to grow and we have picked up a number of new retailers throughout the US from our participation at the Fancy Food show in NYC last June.  Our website is being updated with all of our new fine gift and gourmet retailers as we speak, so again, stay tuned.

Sri Lanka: Tea and Travel

Contrary to what one might expect based on the news coming out of Sri Lanka over the last 2 and a half decades, the people of the old Ceylon are some of the most peaceful I have ever met and their country is a mecca of health and beauty.  The tiny island known as Serendip actually embodies the qualities of its most famous export, tea, and I have been fortunate over the last 6 years to become a part of the inspiring work happening there to spread the island’s vitality throughout the world by way of the ethical and sustainable trade of their tea and to use that trade to bring peace back to the island.

I first visited Sri Lanka in 2004.  After cycling around the island--from perfect surf beaches and ancient temples carved into rock to green mountain valleys full of flowers, waterfalls and exotic spice forests and ayurvedic treatments around every bend--I arrived at the world’s first organic tea estate, Indulgashinna, where I had come to meet the producers of the fine tea I was selling into the Australasian market.

I knew that Indulgashinna was an organic and Fair Trade tea estate, but the earth friendly agricultural practices, social development programs and state of the art tea packing and producing facilities I witnessed there far exceeded any expectations I had and rivaled anything I had seen anywhere in the US or abroad.  Indulgashinna follows strict biodynamic growing principles; has health care, housing and education for everyone and manages funds through a democratically organized joint body.

The fact that Ceylon tea has for a century been regarded the world’s best is how the industry can afford to raise the bar for global tea production’s social and environmental sustainability standards.  What is surprising is that the US, one of the world’s richest countries, does not partake in all that Sri Lanka has to offer.  We are not even on Sri Lanka’s top 10 list of tea importers.  The US gets most of its tea from low quality producing countries like Argentina and Tanzania.

However, current trends in tea are predicting a change as American consumers are looking to tea for quality, health, sustainability, flavor and accessibility.  These 5 traits are launching our thriving tea industry into record growth and tea drinkers are increasingly interested in origins-- just as 10 years ago, we were learning the difference between arabica and robusta beans and the terroirs of Kenya and Colombia, we are now wondering about the difference between green, white, oolong and red tea and about places like Assam and Ceylon.

Now, 6 years and many more trips to Sri Lanka later, I have returned to the US and developed a tea company that offers US consumers a chance to indulge in Sri Lanka’s health and beauty and to give back to the country’s wellbeing at the same time.  Partners Tea Company sells Fair Trade and Organic teas and unique tea blends.  Our Pure Ceylon Green Tea is a high grade OP1 leaf tea from Idulgashinna estate.  1% of all of our sales (not profits) are donated to the community of tea growers at Idulgashinna through their non profit association-- IBITAD_ Idulgashinna Bio Tea Association for Development.

Anderson Green Events loves our tea!

We just read this rave review by Lisa from Anderson Green Events.  We are having a great time at the Stationary Show here in New York and loved meeting Lisa.  Thanks to this show, our teas will soon be available in many more shops across the country from New York to California in coming weeks-- please check our website for our additional stores where you can find our teas!

..."I was raised by parents of English decent, which means that I like Tea. Ok, I love Tea, there I said it. I drink tea every morning and afternoon, so I like to think that on some level, I am a tea-authority, so I was thrilled to come across Partners Tea Co at the National Stationery Show yesterday.

Partners Tea Co. is a fair trade, organic, tea company owned and operated by women. They have six blends of tea leaves for sale and believe me I tell you, these tea's are top notch. They have a lovely and inviting fragrance and the loveliest of tastes. I sampled the Love Blend which really was one of the best tea's I've ever had. No joke. The packaging is beautiful, the tea sachets were so simple yet sweet and the best part: they have recipes to make cocktails out of their blends. Genius for a bridal shower, you can make Love-tini's out of the Love blend! They have recipes for many tea-tini's and tea-toddy's that sound really yummy.

These tea's also make amazing gifts or favors for your showers or wedding or if you've got a friend who loves tea {maybe a part of a bridesmaid gift?}.

And I am really impressed that the company is giving back 1% to Kiva and the Central Asia Institute.

Check them out and order some tea, I promise its so good, you may not go back to coffee! "

Wanderlust UK Top Guide- Bruno Dawson, Sri Lanka

My friend, Bruno, is up for Wanderlust UK's best guide in the world.

I met Bruno in 2005 when he was one of the guides on an Oxfam Australia bicycle trip around Sri Lanka led by Intrepid Travel.

Bruno is an excellent guide and goes above and beyond to help visitors to Sri Lanka experience the beauty and mystique of his homeland and to make a difference to the people there.  Not only is he kind and fun, energetic and knowledgeable, he also has a real commitment to share his good fortune with his local community.

When we met, Bruno told me about his work to provide sewing machines for the tea village's women to help diversity their income and also to build a school to give opportunities to the kids from his village and beyond. 

Since then, I have been back to visit Sri Lanka a number of times and Bruno has taken me to visit the tea village where he grew up and a number of other tea villages so that I could better understand the impact that my tea company is having on the people of Sri Lanka. 

I hope Top Guide helps him to achieve his goal of making life better for those in Sri Lanka's tea growing communities and creating more peace in this beautiful, ancient country.

You an vote for him today at topguide@wanderlust.co.uk- just put 'Bruno Dawson' in the subject line.

Derby Day- An email from a fan!

We just received this email from a friend enjoying our Popeye tea for Derby Day...Thanks Lois!
"...It really struck me this morning while enjoying my 2nd bag of Partners Popeye (4th cup) of how appropriate Partners Popeye is with its spearmint overtones for a base mix for a Mint Julep.   I sometimes confuse my mint varieties and know that peppermint is a cardinal sin for Mint Juleps but hope that spearmint botanicals are used!

 

Needless to say, I love Popeye and welcome using it as a base for dissolving some sugar later today and combining the tea/sugar syrup with some of Kentucky's finest Bourbon in a coin silver julep cup containing some finely crushed ice.  I consider retrieving a sprig of spearmint from Debbie's garden to be too much work so your Partners Popeye will have to carry the day for me.

 

Love and affection from all of our  family to yours!"

Goodnight Kiss wins sofi silver- Going for gold in June!

We are pleased to announce their selection as a Silver
Finalist in the 38th Annual sofi™ awards in the category of hot beverage. The awards, held by the
National Association for the Specialty Food Trade (NASFT), are considered the industry’s highest
honor. Silver Finalists are evaluated on a range of attributes, including taste, quality, ingredients,
innovation and packaging.
Our Goodnight Kiss Fair Trade organic tea blend was one of 125 Silver Finalists
selected by a national panel of specialty food experts from 1,570 contenders across 31 Awards categories.
Gold Winners will be selected from the Silver Finalist nominees at the NASFT’s Summer Fancy Food
Show in New York held June 27-29, 2010. Executive chef Dan Barber of Blue Hill Restaurant, a leader
in the artisanal food movement, will host the awards, in what is considered the specialty food industry’s
biggest night of the year. 

PARTNERS TEA CO.’s Goodnight Kiss is comprised of the warm and soothing flavors of cacao, mint and
Vanilla Rooibos.

I will be in attendance, along with 3 of my best girlfriends and biggest supporters-- stop by our booth at the show for a taste of our teas and to wish us luck!

This recognition is a triumph for our small, woman-owned and financed company
and for other Fair Trade products.  Our pure teas are hand-picked on small
farms from Sri Lanka to South Africa and with our Fair Trade practices we bring higher quality hand-
blended teas to market that are devoted to changing the quality of life for both those who drink them
and those who harvest them.

sofi™ award nominations are open to members of the NASFT, a not-for-profit business trade
association with nearly 3,000 members throughout the world. For more information on the NASFT
and its Fancy Food Shows, go to www.specialtyfood.com

New CFO, New Puppy, New Apron!

We are so happy and thankful that Karla Diehl has joined Partners Tea Company as our new Chief of Operations and Finance!   Here is a picture of Karla with her new puppy, Cayenne,  sporting our new Partners Tea Company aprons!

Don't let the apron fool you-- this lady is a management maven.  As the chairwoman of Edison Automation, Inc., she profitably managed the $16 million Inc 500 award winning company through 316% growth!  Look out, Lipton!   With a BS in International Trade and Finance and an MBA from Vanderbilt's Owen School of Management, she is especially good at developing operational systems and infrastructure and working with a diverse range of people.  That is thanks to her endless optimism and positive spirit!
She's still having a bit of culture shock though, having moved from the mostly male automation industry to...tea.  Imagine trading your hardhat in for a pretty green apron and your industrial warehouse for a sunny porch!   We think it s a good fit and are happy to have a new mascot in Cayenne as well!

Spring forward with slimming, refreshing Popeye!

As Spring approaches, our bodies naturally want to cleanse and shed a layer of insulating winter weight.  Partners Tea Company's Popeye blend is the perfect tea for this season.  It is slimming and energizing and makes a great get well or energizing tea.
When I created it, I was going for something like a healthy,  herbal Red Bull.  It tastes great.   Here is what is in it--
Yerba Mate- a South American herb that is known to be slimming, energizing and god for mental focus.
Green tea- full of polyphenols and anti-oxidants, known to be slimming also and anti-viral, anti-cancerous and .  Great for digestion and skin.
Ginger- Good for digestion, warming.
Lemongrass- Cleansing for the liver, kidney and digestive tract.  A diuretic.
Peppermint-Diuretic, good for IBS and other stomach issues.
Goji berries Good for longevity, vision, fertility, skin conditions and numerous other benefits.

Iced Popeye is healthy and delicious!  Making it is easy, just steep one of or tea sachets in hot water, allow to cool, chill in the fridge.  Serve with ice, mint, lime and put it in your glass with ice.  You can add agave or turbinado sugar. Iced Popeye also makes a great Mojito if you add Rum and fresh mint.

Women on the Edge of Evolution

I just received this exciting opportunity from Kim Ribbins at BIONEERS and wanted to share it...
Nina Simons is currently participating in the United Nations Conference on the Status of Women, Beijing + 15 and she wanted me to let you know that she'll be talking about this experience as well as covering key ideas about Women's Leadership and relating some of nature's solutions for our modern world challenges in an intimate and free-ranging conversation as part of the groundbreaking FREE teleseries "Women on the Edge of Evolution."

The call will be this Wednesday, tomorrow, March 3rd at 5:30 p.m. PST with a half hour Q & A session from 6:30 p.m. PST.

You can listen live on the phone, online or download the recording any time.

Click on the following link to register for FREE http://womenontheedgeofevolution.com/.

Once you register for the teleseries, you'll receive an email with the access codes for Wednesday's call.

From her catbird seat as co-producer of Bioneers for 20 years, Nina has a uniquely systemic overview of the environment, health, human development and social justice movements, with a particular passion for racial justice, intergenerational dialog and connecting people across differences.

Nina, like all of the women leaders participating in the series have generously volunteered their time and their wisdom so that as many of us as possible can come together to awaken our power to shape the future, liberate our leadership skills and make a difference. She will also be previewing the upcoming Cultivating Women's Leadership Training in Sonoma in April.

By connecting with "Women on the Edge of Evolution"you'll also have access to dialogues with over 20 of the world's leading female luminaries, artists and agents of change including Jean Houston, Vicki Robin, Barbara Marx Hubbard, Marianne Williamson, Elza Maalouf, Joan Borysenko, Alanis Morissette, Rickie Byars Beckwith, Melissa Etheridege, and others.

Click Here to Register Now

Style Blueprint

Style Blueprint is a Nashville lifestyle blog with an impressive list of followers.  You can check out what they have to say about all things design, fashion, lifestyle related.  We were so thankful to have them review our teas and excited about how well received they were (review below).  Thank you Liza!


Partner's Tea Co. produces tea that is good to drink all year round. But with names like Love, Sweet Friend Blend and Goodnight Kiss, this tea might be the perfect addition to a Valentine's Day routine.
I grew up drinking tea with regularity. Blame it on my family's pride of arriving on American soil in the year 1634.  Yes, we're that type: the type that actually knows the day our ancestors hit this continent.  The type that keeps up family records and bestows upon our children names that have been engraved in silver and etched on tombstones for hundreds of years.  Hit the Eastern Shore of MD and see how many old grave sites have Mary Eliza (my christened name).  Cool to some, creepy to others.  The fun part of all this history, was the time spent over tea, as that is what has been done in my family since tea became mainstream in England, which was around the mid 17th century.  We all drank it the English way: cream and honey or sugar.  Sugar cubes have slowly been replaced by blue and pink packets.  The choices always included Earl Grey.  I did not become a fan of the iced variety until I moved to Nashville when I was 17.  Now, I love it all.  But, I just found a tea that eclipses all teas I have ever had - bold words to be sure, considering the background I just gave you!

Tea picking from a Fair Trade tea estate in North India.

I am completely thrilled to write today about Partner's Tea Co.  You may have heard of them since they did win Best Tea in the 2009 Nashville Scene poll.  I had heard of Partners but I was cruising along pretty happy with my Yogi teas.  Then, a little gift appeared on my front porch a couple weeks ago with a note "Share this tea with Mary Blake (my oldest daughter, now 11) on her birthday and enjoy!"  Well, we did and I was stunned- really, I'm not hyperbolizing here, STUNNED at how good my first taste of Goodnight Kiss was.  You can flavor with honey and cream, but I love it straight up.  Replace that late afternoon glass of wine with some Goodnight Kiss and see if you are not similarly relaxed while feeling more at peace.
Partner's Tea Company is a local Nashville company owned by Sarah Scarborough. The teas are organic and Fair Trade Teas.  Sarah has been working since 2001 with various Fair Trade tea companies all over the globe.  In fact, she set up Scarborough Fair in 2004 and this company is now the largest Fair Trade company in New Zealand and Australia, producing coffee, tea and chocolate.  I know, she's very impressive, isn't she?  Sarah is introducing tea to the States in a way where flavors shine, and ethics are held high.  A cup of tea helps your own health and nourishment while also supporting the health and nourishment of communities across the ocean in need.  I love win-win's. She also gives 1% of every purchase to organizations empowering women through education.  I mean, really, can this story get any better?  YES - if you add drinking tea to your daily life! To read more about how impressive Sarah is, and why we all should care about Fair Trade, click here.

Partner's Tea Co founder Sarah Scarborough

Isn't it great when a nice company is also the one producing the best? We think so too.
You can purchase your tea locally at Bread & Company, Davis Kidd, The Produce Place, Social Graces, Whole Foods and more.  Check out the website for a complete listing of locations and tea offerings.
And for our East Coast readers (we know you exist!), order online.  You need it with your 40+ inches of snow.
Love with a Good Night Kiss. Off to brew some more.  Let's hope 375 years from now that these teas are still available and that my family traditions will include Partner's Tea Company.
Tea Recipes:
Ok- I hear some of you still thinking that you can't give up that evening cocktail.  How about this: 1 cup Goodnight Kiss, brewed + 2 ounces Baileys Irish Creme Liqueur.  Yummmmm.
Want to make a special love potion #9 for Valentines Day? (or a bridal shower, wedding or anniversary!)  Here's how:
Love tea-tini

• 2 parts Love tea, brewed and iced
• 1 part fresh pomegranate juice
• 1 part organic vodka
• .5 parts Thatchers Organic Artisan Liqueurs Blood Orange Liqueur (or Cointreau or White Creme de Cacao)
• Shake with ice and sere with a piece of chocolate.
• Rim glass with cacao powder, if desired.

You might also like:

Cooking with Teas

COOKING IDEAS to liven up your favorite recipes using Partners Tea Company teas

• Try cooking rice in jasmine tea (Midnight Moonlight) tea instead of water for use with curries

• Steep prunes in Pure Assam black tea and brandy.  Serve with whipped creme and honey.

• Use Pure Ceylon green tea instead of milk/ water in making ice cream, custard or baked goods for a subtle depth of flavor

• Pure Assam Black tea in marinades and with tahini (sesame paste) in noodle dishes. 

• Use Pure Assam Black tea for deglazing veggies, tofu, beef or chicken

• Popeye adds a slightly smoky flavor as well as ginger, lemon and mint to a Moroccan or Turkish chicken or fish marinade- add garlic, chili, sesame and lime.  Also, drizzle Popeye enhanced marinade over dish before serving.

• Goodnight Kiss replaces half the oil or milk in cake recipes, to make a rich, vanilla, mint chocolate cake.

• Zelda is used to flavor custards or pannacotta.  Replace part of the milk in any creme based dessert with Zelda.

• Sweet Friend Blend adds zest, flavor and color to a salad dressing.  Brew double strength and combine with lemon juice, olive oil, ginger, and salt for salads. 

These are only suggestions, so use your own imagination and creativity.

Tea is meant to add subtle flavor, not overwhelm the dish, use sparingly.

Tea is also used in cooking and baking. It can be used as a base for punch, cocktails, soups, stews, marinades, or sauces-adding color, flavor, and aroma (plus antioxidants and other nutrients).

It can replace liquids called for in recipes for soups, marinades, sauces, stews and cakes for added flavor and nutrition.

Photo: Cooking eggplant curry in Sri Lanka using coconut milk and green tea.  Black tea may be used as well.

Victoria Magazine

A passion for tea, traveling, and improving women's lives makes the perfect blend for entrepreneur, Sarah Scarborough.
For centuries, women have gained health and wisdom by engaging their senses and sharing their discoveries.  Through the founding of her Nashville, Tennessee-based fair trade teas business, Partners Tea Company, Sarah Scarborough has pursued the art of tea making with a variety of herb blends from around the world.
She mixes South African rooibos, an herb she says, 'preserves the youth and gladdens the heart', with raspberries, hibiscus, lemongrass and ginger or her signature "Sweet Friend Blend", created to promote health in pregnant and nursing mothers.  Because Sarah believes that empowering women is the key to alleviating global poverty, her company pays women of developing nations a better price for their herbs, while bringing tea lovers peace of mind, spirit and body.
Her interest in tea developed through her lifelong passion for travel, which enabled her to observe farming practices throughout the world.  This, in turn, has inspired her work in the field of sustainability for the last sixteen years.  "When I was a little girl growing up at my grandparents' summer house in Finland, we lived off the land" she recalls.  "Everything there seemed to be in balance and to me it all made sense."  For Sarah, creating and selling Fair Trade tea is a way of achieving balance between rich and poor, farmer and earth, and producer and consumer.

Outstaning in the Field

I had so much fun a few weeks ago at Jim Denevan's "Outstanging in the Field"! Martha Stamps of Martha Stamps catering has turned over a new leaf and dedicated her cooking entirely to organic, local and whole foods focused. It is because of her enthusiasm that Outstanidng in teh Field came to Nashville. She invited me to come along and serve teas. I made up a cordial with Sweet Friend Blend that I served over an Italian Prosecco to the 150 ish guests that night.

The event was such a celebration of ealized dreams- from matt and Alisom NealFor the last 10 years, Jim has been setting up moveable feasts mostly at farms, but also in other places- barns, museums, etc... across the US to discover local food systems and a sense of place. Being a part of this evening was so inspiring- it represented to me the realization of a dream. From Matt and Alison who have worked who knows how many hours to build their land into a viable farm and to produce food for many Nashville

Photo: Mark Boughton

Tea and food pairings

According to the Tea Council of the UK, the Academy of Food & Wine has discovered that by pairing certain teas with specific foods and in some cases wine, not only is the flavor of the food and wine enhanced, but the specific quality of the tea is highlighted.  Here are some combinations and suggestions to experiment with Partners Tea Company teas, but remember that, as Lu Yu said in the Chi Ching, “Goodness is for the mouth to decide”, so experiment with your own pairings!

Assam black tea- Lemon tarts, coconut, any sweet or baked good, spicy food, Indian food, as a chicken or steak marinade (with garlic, red chili, onion), anchovy.

Popeye- Seafood, especially sushi, Thai food,  as an after meal digestive, iced with lemon and or sugar, makes a great rum cocktail, barbeque.

Goodnight Kiss- As a desert tea with milk and honey, chocolate deserts, chocolate mint, Middle Eastern dishes, hummus, olives,  baklava, an after meal digestive. 

Sweet Friend Blend- Sushi, seafood, cinnamon, rich dark chocolate deserts, iced tea served with Mexican food, makes a great iced vodka cocktail.

Zelda- Vanilla and nut deserts, pecans, winter squash, in ice cream, shortbread, Sunday Brunch, apples.

Midnight Moonlight- Milk chocolate, chocolate cake, manchego cheese, any other sweet or nutty goats cheese, panna cotta and also in a sweet yogurt dressing for mixed melon salad, Sunday brunch, avocado, dim sum.

Ceylon Green- Prawns, Lemon or vanilla deserts, cooked fruit/ apples, raw veggies and anything with garlic, as a chicken or fish/ shrimp marinade with green chilis, green onions and ginger, lamb.

Green and Black's Switches to 100% Fair Trade Chocolate!

Since their beginning, Green and Blacks has been a pioneer in the field of Fair Trade and really fine quality chocolate.  Fifteen years ago, they launched the UK's first Fair Trade certified chocolate bar, Maya Gold.  Now, they are switching ALL of their chocolate production to Fair Trade certified.

This is not just about SOCIAL JUSTICE it is about QUALITY~ Dominic Lowe, Managing Director of Green & Black's says,  "The move to Fair Trade certification is a key milestone in our relationship with the farmers that are so fundamental in the making of the best tasting, premium, organic, and now Fair Trade, chocolate you can buy." 

But, is is about social justice too~

Mr. Santos Mendoza, president of CONACADO, a co-operative in the Dominican Republic, says, "The great thing about Fair Trade is that it enables cocoa farmers and organizations like ours to have a say in shaping our future through directly talking and working with retailers and companies. Our biggest worry is ensuring that we have a guaranteed market for our cocoa that provides us with a long-term sustainable livelihood. Through the pricing structure and the Fair Trade premium we will be able to both invest in business and in our community to ensure a brighter future for our families and other farmers."

Green and Black's Fair Trade commitment will mean an investment of more than $485,000 each year over the next 10 years through additional Fair Trade premiums paid to Dominican Republic cocoa farmers and their communities, improving lives remarkably and raising the global bar for peace, wellness and opportunity for everyone.

I admire companies like Green & Blacks who are setting a standard and proving that is is possible to run your business in a way that is good for people, our planet and the company's financial success too.

(Photo: I took this photo on a visit in 2006 to Kuapa Kokoo, the growers and part owners of Divine Chocolate-- another really great chocolate company.  Try some this Valentine's Day!)