Tea and Peace

Terrifying Teas 10% off!

2010-10-28T06:36:00.000-07:00

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...

2010-10-25T18:43:00.000-07:00

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

2010-10-20T06:20:00.000-07:00

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

2010-08-17T11:29:00.000-07:00

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

2010-08-17T11:06:00.000-07:00

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

2010-07-07T15:16:00.000-07:00

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!

2010-05-18T08:52:00.000-07:00

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

2010-05-14T06:06:00.000-07:00

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!

2010-05-01T11:02:00.000-07:00

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!

2010-04-28T20:30:00.000-07:00

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!

2010-03-30T11:10:00.000-07:00

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!

2010-03-14T16:04:00.000-07:00

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

2010-03-02T15:33:00.000-08:00

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

2010-02-11T09:12:00.000-08:00

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.

Cooking with Teas

2010-02-05T08:20:00.000-08:00

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

2010-02-05T07:56:00.000-08:00

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

2010-02-05T07:27:00.000-08:00

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

2010-02-04T10:54:00.000-08:00

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!

2010-01-28T12:38:00.000-08:00

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!)

Slow and easy~hibiscus tea

2009-12-23T07:57:00.000-08:00

When I developed one of my most popular teas, 'Sweet Friend Blend', I was imagining something that would be good for all of my sweet friends who seem to be regularly pregnant and/ or nursing-something without caffeine, that tasted delicious and that was cooling and uplifting. I wanted a feel-good tea that would be great iced too. I added hibiscus to the blend (along with South Africa Rooibos, Raspberries, ginger and lemongrass) for it's beautiful bright red color and it's tangy flavor and only later found out, serendipitously, that this flower is known for it s association with longevity and femininity.

Medical research has recently increasingly supported what indigenous people have known for years-- hibiscus tea (made from the stamen of this tropical flowering plant) is very effective in reducing stress induced high blood pressure. Perhaps this is because hibiscus is known traditionally to balance "yang" (fast, hard, hot aggressive, masculine) with its "yin" energies (soft, tranquil, cool, night, feminine). It is the perfect antidote to a modern tension.

Here are some other ways Hibiscus is used:

~Boiled with ginger and cane sugar and served as an "agua fresca" in Mexico, where it is known as flor de Jamaica. Sweet Friend Blend makes a nice, sweet, iced "agua fresca".

~In a hair oil to prevent greying & hair loss

~Tucked behind a Tahitian woman's ear to signal weather or not she is available for marriage

~As an offering to Kali (Hindu Goddess of destruction and endings) and Lord Ganesha (Hindu God of new beginnings)

~To make Polynesian grass skirts

Photo: Wild hibiscus growing in the mountains above Cape Town, South Africa, 2007.

Tea Haiku: Basho

2009-12-10T07:21:00.000-08:00

Matsuo Basho was a Japanese haiku poet who lived in the late 1600'ds, about the time that tea was making it's journey Westward into Europe. The son of a Samurai, Basho was slated for a life in the military, but his path took a turn when he became the servant of Todo Yoshitada, with whom he began writing and learning haiku.

Basho's life and poetry were influenced by nature, simplicity, wilderness and travel and marked often with reclusiveness and sometimes with an abundance of followers, disciples and students.

Since their creation and even in current times, his poems have been highly regarded and Basho is given credit, in some schools, for the very creation of haiku poetry. His poems are known to impart a sense of peace in a hectic world.

Here are some of my favorites:

A monk sips morning tea, it's quiet, the chrysanthemum's flowering.

After the chrysanthemum besides the daikon, there is nothing.

On horseback half-asleep, half dreaming the moon far off, smoke for the morning tea.

Photo: Cameilia sinensis, the tea plant at the US Botanical Garden in D.C.

Tea for Health

2009-11-09T19:43:00.001-08:00

Since it is the beginning of the "cold" season, I thought I'd share some tea wisdom for health straight from the source-- this old painting is on a wall just outside the factory at a Fair Trade tea estate in Sri Lanka. I love the words, I imagine it being dictated by one of the regions first tea planters in his Old World British tongue,

"...It is good against Lipitude Distillations and cleareth the Sight. It removeth Lassitude and cleanseth and purisieth adult Humors and a hot Liver. It is good against Crudites, strengthening the weakness of the Ventricle or Stomack, causing good Appetitie and Digestion and particularly for Men of a corpulent Body and such as are great eaters of Flesh..."

It's true, tea has been proven to cure what ails you from the common cold to heart and skin disease and it is proven to reduce fat build up, to cleanse the body and to aid digestion and eye sight. For fighting a cold, I'd recommend Popeye. For general health and prevention, I'd recommend Pure Ceylon Green. Add a squeeze of lemon for extra viral fighting properties and also a spoonful of honey. Or, see my last post for the Ceylon Hot Toddy, for it is also a great cold-fighter--in moderation.

Have a healthy and warm Winter season and stay tuned here for more posts on tea and health throughout the Winter as well. Also, Partners Tea Company teas do make a great Holiday gift as well as a great difference in the lives of those who grow our teas!

Wintertime hot tea drinks from Partners Tea Company

2009-11-02T13:56:00.000-08:00

Happy Halloween to everyone! October was Fair Trade month and I celebrated by concocting a new batch of Winter time tea cocktails made from Partners Tea Company's Fair Trade and Organic teas-- From a Ceylon Hot Toddy to a Goodnight Kiss night cap.
My favorite is the Nutcracker, the Amaretto blends perfectly with the bold, maltyness of the Pure Assam Black tea.

A great holiday or hostess gift can be made from putting the following recipes with tins of Partners Tea Company teas!

Enjoy!

***

1. Ceylon Hot Toddy ~ a traditional hot toddy recipe gets warmer with a twist of spices and tea from Sri Lanka.

Put on the kettle.
Place in a toddy glass: 1 thin slice of fresh ginger, 1 cinnamon stick and 1 Partners Tea Company Pure Ceylon Green tea sachet.
Pour in 6 oz. boiling water into glass and steep for 3 minutes.
Remove tea sachet
Stir in 1 Tbs. honey
Add 1-2 shots brandy
Serve with a slice of lemon!

2. Nutcracker~ Bold, malty Pure Assam Black tea combines perfectly with sweet Amaretto. Serve with Marzipan sweets for a real Old World Christmas flavor!

Put on the kettle.
Pour boiling water over 1 Partners Tea Company Pure Assam Black tea sachet.
Steep for 3 minutes.
Remove tea sachet
Add 2 ounces Amaretto liqueur

3. Goodnight Kiss~ serve with a piece of fine chocolate as a dessert or a night cap

Put on the kettle.
Pour boiling water over 1 Partners Tea Company Goodnight Kiss tea sachet.
Steep for 4-5 minutes.
Remove tea sachet
Add 2 ounces Bailey’s Irish Creme liqueur

photo: Julio the Ghoulio, the Halloween pumpkin

Best Tea in Nashville- Partners Tea Compay

2009-10-23T10:25:00.000-07:00

From the Nashville Scene's Best of Nashville, 2009
Best Tea-
Partners Tea Co. (partnerstea.com) After years of exploring the tea routes firsthand, globetrotter Sarah Scarborough turned her passion for travel into a fair-trade company that promotes women in the tea trade around the world. Drawing on sources from across Africa and Asia, Scarborough and business partner Jodi Banks create and market a line of organic tea blends with poetic titles such as Zelda, Sweet Friend and Popeye. Flavored with earthy hints of rose, cocoa, mint, vanilla and jasmine, the teas are a steaming indulgence on a cool day—or keep an eye out for one of Partners' tea-tini gatherings, where Scarborough trades the teapot for the cocktail shaker, making signature drinks with tea, vodka, gin and other liquors. Talk about adding new spirit to a tea party. Available at Frothy Monkey, Caldwell Collection, Cupcake Collection and Bread & Co., among other stores, Partners Teas cost about $10 per tin of 12 biodegradable sachets" -Carrington Fox

Photo- L to R Sarah Scarborough and Jodi Banks with tins of Partners Tea Company's teas

Tea for Peace in Burma- Project AK47

2009-10-02T18:04:00.000-07:00

I recently met with Project AK 47's Jeremy Anderson to start bringing teas grown by the boys and girls in Burma who they rescue from being raised as child soldiers to markets in the US.

Burma has the most child soldiers in the world, according to the Human Rights Watch report (2002). In 2009 there are more than 100,000 kids from age 4 up who have been are orphaned, stolen or sold into slavery to be trained by millitary insurgents and by Burma's own national government to fight each other-- even though recruiting children under the age of 13 is illegal according to the country's law and global legislation.

Jeremy and AK47's founders, Marcus and Alyxius, provide a safe home, education and vocational skills, like growing tea, to these children. Since some of the best teas come from Burma, including the elusive "laphet" for Burmese tea leaf salad--which is apparently very difficult to find and in high demand in the US-- they are working to bring these teas to US consumers to support their work and the children's safety and healthy development in Burma.

We expect to have this tea for sale at fairtradeteas.com in early 2010 upon Marcus' return from Burma. Stay tuned for more photos and tasting notes on the teas once they arrive. Help me help Project AK 47 and the boys and girls they work for by buying their tea!

Thanks!

Photo: Project Ak47, Children growing tea in Burma

Org info for Project: AK-47 Project: AK-47 rescues young girls and boys who are enslaved as child soldiers in Southeast Asia’s armies (where there are over 100,000 child soldiers) and provides dedicated, comprehensive care, education and vocational skills and/or university prep for them. This is unheard of in these extremely dangerous, restricted-access areas, where literacy is a mere 1%. Our vision is to raise these children as the future healthy, moral, educated leaders of their societies, where they effect real change, not export them to wealthier nations.

Why Girl's Education is so important

2009-09-08T08:13:00.000-07:00

"If you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day, if you teach a man to fish, you feed him for a lifetime". We have learned that this old adage is true and when it is applied to the women, it is ten fold. Women plant and nurture seeds of change for their entire communities and for future generations' health care, education and opportunity. Fair Trade gives them those seeds by paying above the market price for tea.
I've noticed over the last 10 years a growing understanding of the important role that women play in the cultivation of healthy and productive communities.

Although this concept is not new, it seems to be having a renaissance as is evidenced by the high profile girls'- education projects around the world. For example, Greg Mortenson's Central Asia Institute, which focuses on girls' education and about which the book "Three Cups of Tea" was written. Also, Oprah Winfrey's Leadership Academy for Girls in South Africa, which I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to visit last January, while leading a Human Rights and Fair Trade trip for a group of girls from my high school. The girls we met there were sharp and inspired and gracious and so full of motivation to make their world a better place. They immediately connected with the girls from the US and I would not be surprised if those relationships were long-lasting and fruitful.

Two weeks ago, the New York Times Magazine was titled, "Saving the World's Women", and witnessed powerful accounts of ways women in Pakistan, China and the US are making positive changes for themselves and for future generations. Accounts were given of how, Goretti Nyabenda of Burundi transformed her life with a $2 micro-loan; how Hilary Clinton and the Obama Administration are making women's rights issues an important part of their international agenda; and how "the oppression of women worldwide is the human rights cause of our time... their liberation could help solve so man of the world's problems, from poverty to child mortality to terrorism."

Partners Tea Company aims to empower and inspire women of the world to be a part of making a positive difference in the lives of the women who pick our teas and their developing communities. We do this by bringing artisan quality Fair Trade and Organic teas to the gift, gourmet and bridal markets. Sharing a cup of tea is one of our oldest simple pleasures- it brings health, a moment of peace and a bit of vitality. Sharing a cup of Fair Trade and Organic tea brings health, peace and new opportunities to women around the world.

Rooibos: Preserve the Youth and Gladden the Heart!

2009-07-23T14:50:00.000-07:00

South Africa’s best known tea is not really a tea at all. It is a unique herb which is steeped like tea and enjoyed, as the locals say, “to preserve the youth and gladden the heart”! A look at the herb itself and the place where it grows shows us why Rooibos (meaning “red bush” in Afrikaans)--with its delightful coppery liquor, its sweet, full-bodied nuttiness and a long list of health benefits--is quickly becoming a favorite on the global tea scene.

Rooibos [ROY-boss], or Aspalanthus lineris, is an evergreen shrub that is harvested for only a few months a year in the Southern Hemisphere’s Summer. Picked green, it turns it’s signature red color only after being sun dried. It is indigenous to the Cederberg Mountains, just a couple of hundred Kilometers North of Cape Town, South Africa and all the world’s Rooibos [ROY-boss] is grown there. A visit into the heart of the Cederberg Mountains makes the origin of Rooibos’ myriad health benefits apparent. The Cederberg Wilderness area is one of the world’s most fertile botanical zones and its vast landscape is red earth and red rock as far as you can see. This red earth is full of the vitamins and minerals Rooibos is known for--copper, iron and potassium, calcium, fluoride, zinc, manganese, alpha- hydroxy and magnesium (for the nervous system)--and contributes to Rooibos’ health giving properties.

The alpha-hydroxy in Rooibos is one reason why it is known to be a great skin tonic and why it is now being used in a number of skin products around the world. Several companies in South Africa and in Europe are making lotions, soaps, shampoos and other cosmetics from Rooibos extract after seeing it s positive effect on skin. It is known to be effective in the treatment of psoriasis, eczema and irritated skin in general. A simple way to reap the topical benefits of rooibos at home is to enjoy a tea bath. Just add a few tea-bags to your hot bath and soak. Otherwise, you can treat your skin to a Rooibos oil. To make, infuse 2 cups of cold-pressed sesame or olive oil with 2 Tablespoons of dried Rooibos in a glass jar, leave it in a sunny window for 2 weeks.

The plethora of other powerful antioxidants, vitamins and minerals in Rooibos make it a calming and nourishing drink for pregnant and nursing mothers and their children, alike. It is said to have a calming effect and to be particularly great for colicky babies and nervous tension. My friend, Barent, at Wupperthal, one of the Fair Trade Rooibos communities near Clanwilliam, South Africa, tells a story of drinking Rooibos as a baby when mothers milk was in short supply for him and his 11 brothers and sisters. Testimonies to Rooibos’ powerful nutritional value for mothers and babies have led to Rooibos’ use in teas tailor made for children and mothers around the world. In fact, in South Africa, a mainstream grocery store brand is currently launching a baby food product made with Rooibos.

Second to what Rooibos does contain is what is does not-- caffeine, oxalic acid and tannins. It s lack of caffeine is another reason why it is so great for pregnant and nursing moms. The lack of oxalic acid makes it palatable for those with kidney stones and the lack of tannins give this ruby brew a hydrating effect, for it is the tannins in black and green tea that are responsible for a mouth- drying quality.

Brewing a perfect cup of Rooibos is easy, as this herb is unlike black or green tea, which become bitter if steeped too long. Ideally, Rooibos is steeped for 5 minutes, but additional steeping will only result in a stronger, not bitter, cup. The addition of fresh or dried lemongrass or lemon verbena will make a refreshingly lemony rooibos tea. Feel free to experiment with other fresh and dried herbs such as peppermint and lavender to create your own custom blend. Roobios is also great as a caffeine-free chai, when combined with sweet and spicy, tropical spices such as cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, black pepper and ginger and the resulting “tea” pairs nicely with milk and sugar.

When shopping for Rooibos, as with all teas, it is a good idea to choose Fair Trade and Organic, which are grown free of chemicals and with the well-being of the farming communities in mind. Fair Trade guarantees a better quality of life for tea growers and the land they rely upon for sustenance.

Wupperthal rooibos farming community is one such example. Deep in the heart of the Cederburgs lies Wupperthal, a Morovian mission outpost. Here, Rooibos farmers grow Organic and Fair Trade Rooibos amongst organic figs, grapes and vegetables, which make up their diets, along with locally raised meats. Fair Trade affords this community a fair price for their Rooibos and the ability to keep living how they have since the missionaries settled the land.

For a great tasting caffeine-free and healthful cuppa, give Rooibos a try! You can find it at any natural or gourmet food store under names such as “Red Bush” “Bushman’s Tea” “Red Tea” or “Rooibos”. You can also find a number of tasty blends made from Rooibos-- such as partners Tea Company’s “Goodnight Kiss”. It is a chocolate, vanilla mint tea with Rooibos, Vanila, Cacao nibs and peppermint.
Photo: Inspecting the rooibos plant with Barent, Wupperthal, South Africa, 2008. Sarah Scarborough

Fair Trade III: What is Fair Trade

2009-06-27T08:48:00.000-07:00

The term, “Fairtrade”, is the outcome of the strategic organization of ethical trade to have a more effective role on in rebalancing global trading practices. The ETI set the initial groundwork on which subsequent Fair Trade initiatives could build. Their core values are:

Employment is freely chosen

Freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining are respected

Working conditions are safe and hygienic

Child labor shall not be used

Living wages are paid

Working hours are not excessive

No discrimination is practiced

Regular employment is provided

No harsh or inhumane treatment is allowed

(Hale and Shaw, 2001).

Fair Trade when spelled in two words, refers to fair trading practices, similar to the term, “ethical trade” (www.fairtrade.net). “Fairtrade” when spelled as one word refers to the certification system which monitors the worldwide trade of crops grown in the Third World such as tea, cocoa and coffee, when that exchange follows certain guidelines (www.fairtrade.net). Fairtrade certification is regulated by FLO which is based in Bonn, Germany (www.fairtrade.net).

FLO sets rigorous ethical trading standards which must be adhered to by everyone in the supply chain in order to receive the Fairtrade certification (Carjaval, 2005). In an effort to maintain an effective certification system, FLO sets standards per crop that deal with the unique qualities of that crop. For example, cocoa and coffee are largely grown by self-organizing small-holder cooperatives whereas tea is grown by plantation workers who are employed by the owner of the plantation (www.fairtrade.net). So, different standards are needed for each scenario. In this way, FLO maintains a great deal of credibility and transparency and a great deal of consumer assurance that the commodity was in fact traded ethically. This shows the holistic nature of the certification program and its willingness to address issues of sustainability contextually in order to best achieve the intended results.

FLO is also an evolving certification, meaning that there is always room for improvement and that the certification is capable of benefiting more and more growers. For example, one requirement of the Fairtrade coffee certification is that growers must be working towards environmental sustainability. However, there is not an empirical or static guideline for what that means. This might sound like a failure in the system; however, it actually is beneficial. Because of advanced data recording and communications technology, monitoring certified farmers is easy. If a coffee farmer is achieving greater and greater levels of sustainability annually, he is able to stay FLO certified. In the same way, a grower who has reached a “certified organic” level of environmental sustainability, must also continually progress towards a higher level of environmental sustainability (www.fairtrade.net).

A look at the statistics exemplifies the previous point. In 1998, 100% of Fairtrade certified coffee was also organic certified. In 2004, only 76% of Fairtrade certified coffee was certified organic (www.transfairusa.org). This does not mean that Fairtrade is decreasing organic production. Rather, it includes farmers who are not yet certified, but who are working towards organic certification. This fluid characteristic of the FLO certification supports constant improvement in all levels of sustainability: social, environmental and economic; thus allowing the movement to achieve great results.

If the fast growth and First World market penetration of Fairtrade certified products continues, FLO has the potential, with its certification mark, to create the paradigm shifts necessary to create long-lasting global economic balance. The Netherlands, where the Fair Trade movement originated, is still one of the largest consumers of Fairtrade goods. In 2008, almost EURO 61 million worth of Fair Trade goods were sold. This is a 28% growth over 2007. That one of the oldest Fair Trade markets is still growing shows a great potential for change. Globally, over EURO 2.8 billion worth of Fair Trade goods were sold in 2008.

Below is a statistical representation of Fairtrade coffee in the marketplace to illustrate its present acceptance and impact. The following list shows the markets which have sold the greatest amount of Fairtrade certified coffee according to Trans Fair USA (www.transfairusa.org), FLO’s United States based national initiative which certified importers, manufacturers and retailers of Fairtrade goods in the U.S.:

Country Pounds certified # in top 7 markets

Australia 33,056 -

Belgium 3,728,154 5

Canada 662,028 7

Denmark 1,980,280 6

Finland 39,683 -

France 582,490 -

Germany 8,985,140 3

Italy 343,560 -

Netherlands 18,488,847 2

Norway 293,462 -

Sweden 537,434 -

Switzerland 620,930 -

UK 6,354,875 4

USA 18,663,806 1

(www.transfairusa.com)

The following list shows the world markets which have had the largest Fairtrade coffee integration and, therefore, acceptance in order from most acceptance (www.transfairusa.org). This list is important because it shows the potential worldwide effect on global economic balance in that it shows Fairtrade’s ability to capture market percentages of the total coffee market.

Country % FT (of total market share)

Switzerland <3.5

Netherlands <3.5

UK <3

Denmark 1.5

Ireland <1.5

Austria <1.5

France <1

Belgium <1

Norway <1

U.S. <1

It is interesting, too, that these numbers are from 2004. In that year, the growth in the sales of Fairtrade certified coffee in the U.S. was still 76%, on a steady stream downward from over 100% in 2000. The stabilization of growth over the long-term will show the acceptance of Fairtrade.

Photo: Darjeeling, Northern India, where kids are proud to have schools, and to wear uniforms. Fair Trade affords these children schools, sports, milk and an opportunity, Sarah Scarborough.

Fair Trade II: History

2009-06-27T07:29:00.000-07:00

The concept of ethical trade as a counter-movement originated in the Netherlands in the 1980s (Scott, 2003). It was not until the 1970s, however, that the concept started to gain recognition as an international alternative to free trade policies. The increasing speed of globalization, seen after World War II, and the flaws of neo-liberalism, spurred the transformation, as it was becoming increasingly evident that global economics were falling dangerously out of balance (Barrientos, 2000).

Neo-liberalism is the modern market tendency towards liberalization and deregulation, particularly of trade barriers (Roddick, 2001). It’s supporters claim that the economic gains of the First World would “trickle down” to the poor nations and would provide them employment opportunities by integrating them into the dominant world political economy, the capital-driven market. The actual result of the free market theory, it is increasingly evident, is the “race to the bottom”, the Third World commodity devaluation resulting from the economic influence of the ever-more powerful Multi National Enterprises (MNE) which are able, due to loose trade regulations, to secure, from Third World producers, low costs (Roddick, 2001). For example, in 1989, coffee producers received 20% of profits from coffee sales. In 1995, their profit sharing fell to 13% (Taylor, 2004). Clearly, neo-liberalism is not adding value to coffee growers’ lives. This trade framework’s result is actually a wider gap between First and Third World economies, a need which propelled ethical trade towards what it is today.

Since the late 1990’s the ethical trade movement has undergone a series of transformations to work out how to best address the needs of a variety of stakeholders with cultural sensitivity. Nongovernmental initiatives such as the Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI) and the Fair Trade Labeling Organization (FLO) as well as non profit organizations such as Oxfam, the International Federation of Alternative Trade (IFAT) and Fair Trade Federation (FTF) have played integral parts in bringing structure, traceability, and credibility to ethical trade, in an effort to enable it to take a foothold in major First World markets (Obourn, 2004). Nongovernmental organizations (NGO) are able, due to increased speed and accessibility of information technology, to learn of corporate misconduct, to pressure MNE’s towards ethical practices and to inform consumers of business’ ethical track records (Levy and Prakash, 2003). These forces help the ethical trade movement to gain the necessary traction to attain its goals of economic, social and environmental sustainability worldwide, or the “triple bottom line”(Raynolds, 2000).

The ETI, started in 1998, was a ground-breaking initiative in that it pulled together, for the first time, all the various stakeholders in international trade in an effort to create an ethical trading framework (Barrientos, 2000). With its inception, Third World development became a part of people’s daily lives--something they could engage in by purchasing ethically traded products to directly to make a change (Goodman, 2004). This altered the dynamics of development by placing it squarely inside the market. Suddenly, marketing and advertisement, which endorsed ethically traded products, theoretically had the power to change lives of Third World producers and to bring them into the daily consciousness of First World consumers.

Photo:Chiapas, Mexico, here the Fair Trade price for organic coffee is $1.41 a pound when the market price has hovered around .90 cents and has fallen to as low as .45 cents over the last 10 years. Here we pay up to 10 a pound. In Mexico, Fair Trade monies go towards sustainable agriculture and education and opportunity. Sarah Scarborough.

Fair Trade I: Why Fair Trade?

2009-06-27T07:21:00.000-07:00

The concept of globalization is commonly viewed with a negative connotation, especially in developing or “Third World” communities. A recent survey by Roy Morgan International shows that the less “developed” or “globalized” a nation is, the more likely they are to view the process of globalization in a negative light (Levine and Morgan, 2005). “Ethical” or “Fair” trade attempts to solve some of the negative implications of the deregulation of markets, liberalization of trade and increase in activity of Multi National Enterprises (MNE) which drive globalization (Barrientos, 2000); thus using these forces to the benefit, not detriment, of mankind. The modern Fair Trade movement brings together Non Governmental Organizations (NGO’s), companies, unions and governments to address issues of trade inequality. Paradoxically working within and against the market positions Fair Trade to become a powerful actor in the rebalancing of global commodity chains which, in the end, is a goal in poverty reduction, economic equality and peace globally.

Photo: Kuapa Kokoo Fair Trade cocoa cooperative, where Fair Trade cocoa farmers make $1700 a ton when the world price is $700. That means that for every 2 tons, every 4000 pounds, of cocoa sold, the villages can buy one borehole- a well that accesses clean water. Contaminated water is the major cause of death and disease in these areas because they simply do not have clean water. A $3000 borehole buys clean water for a whole village. Sarah Scarborough, 2005.

Local politics, Fair Trade and tea-tinis

2009-06-19T13:49:00.000-07:00

Last night at Flyte, Partners Tea Company sponsored a teatini party for the Ward Cammack for Governor of Tennessee campaign. While we served up delicious Fair Trade and Organic Summer "tea-tinis" (you can find the recipes below), Ward shared his beliefs about the new green economy; the importance of education to fuel that economy and Tennessee's unique opportunity to lead the country in green technology and sustainable agriculture.

Here are some highlights from his talk:

1. Focus on education: pay teachers what they are worth

2. Embrace sustainable business: The green economy is THE economy of our future

3. Protect the natural beauty with which we’re blessed and our natural resources for our children and grandchildren

4. Support your local businesses and farmers

Education, health care, sustainable livelihoods-- what Ward Cammack is aiming to achieve for Tennesseans, Fair Trade is aiming to achieve for agricultural workers in the developing world.

As Tennesseans, we are fortunate enough to be working on raising the bar from good to better. I have seen growing communities in places like India and Sri Lanka looking to raise the bar from kids making some sort of moonshine out of corroded metal car parts to building a school where these kids can learn and play instead.

Awareness of ethical trading practices and the real value of quality teas are helping to raise that bar. When people in tea purchasing countries become aware of the superior taste and quality of sustainable teas, then demand for them increases and everyone's livelihood improves. You get better, cleaner teas. Children in India get an opportunity.

Case and point: Idulgashinna, a bio-dynamic and Organic tea Estate in Haputele, Sri Lanka, where kids do have school-- and uniforms, teachers, computers and the opportunity to learn about their cultural traditions, while also learning about and engaging in the cultural trasitions of their neighbors. In this way, peace is being cultivated. For example, rather than Sinhalese school children growing up opposed to their Hindi neighbors, they are instead forming friendships through sports.

As the tea leaf passes through countries and cultures, so does it's story and those of the people it affects along the way. From a tea garden in Sri Lanka to a cocktail bar in Nashville, it turns out people are striving for the same thing-- for peace. Organic and Fair Trade tea, then, weather in the form of a warm cup by the fire, an iced drink on a hot Summer porch or a "tea-tini" at Flyte, is not only a means for achieving the goals that Ward Cammack and Fair Trade and many other individuals and organizations are working so hard towards, but also a vehicle for the communication of these goals. Below are some recipes to help you get started. I hope you'll share them along with some good conversation!

Photo: Students at Idulgashinna Estate. Sarah Scarborough, 2005.

Summer tea-tini recipes by Partners Tea Company

MIDSUMMER NIGHT

For 8 4 oz. teatinis:

1. Brew 2 8 oz. cups of Midnight Moonlight tea, as per directions on tin

2. Let tea come to room temperature

3. Add 8 St. Germaine Elderflower liquor

4. Add 8 oz.Gin

5. Shake with or serve over ice, serve in a martini or a high ball glass with a twist of lemon

SUMMER WINE

1. Brew 2 8 oz. cups of Sweet Friend Blend tea, as per directions on tin

2. Let tea come to room temperature

4. Add 12 oz. white or rose wine

Chill. Serve chilled with fresh raspberries!

SWEET FRIEND BLEND TEA-TINI

For 9-10 4 oz. teatinis:

1. Brew 4 8 oz. cups of Sweet Friend Blend tea, as per directions on tin

2. Add 2 Tbs. sugar and 1-2 Tbs. lemon juice

2. Let tea come to room temperature

3. Add 4-6 ounces vodka, or to your preference

4. Serve over ice and garnish with fresh raspberries and a slice of lemon

My Sweet Friends

2009-06-17T09:57:00.000-07:00

Of all of the many blessings in my life, my sweet friends are one of the ones that I cherish the most!

Their advise, honesty and love have carried me through life's hard times time and time again and I can see a part of myself in each one of them.

As most of them are moms now, I was inspired to make a blend that is good for pregnant and nursing moms. It is called Sweet Friend Blend.

Like most of my tea blends, the idea and recipe for it came all at once--I was thinking of sitting on a porch swing in the Summer with my friend, B, solving the world's problems and our own... drinking iced tea. Sweet, red and zesty iced tea...

The result was a blend of raspberries (because they taste great and are full of vitamins) and lemongrass (because it is invigorating and cleansing with a great taste), ginger (because it is great for a nauseous stomach and it also uplifting and is a digestive and it has a million other health benefits) and hibiscus (In Mexico, I hear women use it after childbirth to lose weight. It also tastes great, sort of like a squeeze of lemon). The base of the tea is South African Rooibos and it's cousin, Honeybush. Rooibos and Honeybush are known in their native South Africa to be great for pregnant and nursing moms as well as for colicky babies.

Sweet Friend Blend is available at Whole Foods and a number of other great retailers and at partnerstea.com. Share it with your sweet friends!

Photo: My sweet friend, Mollie with a Sweet Friend Blend tea-tini.

Photo: My sweet friend, Mollie, Eliza's mother, drinking a Sweet Friend Blend Teatini. Sweet Friend Blend Teatini:

SWEET FRIEND BLEND TEA-TINI

For 9-10 4 oz. teatinis:

1. Brew 4 8 oz. cups of Sweet Friend Blend tea, as per directions on tin

2. Add 2 Tbs. sugar and 1-2 Tbs. lemon juice

2. Let tea come to room temperature

3. Add 4-6 ounces vodka, or to your preference

4. Serve over ice and garnish with fresh raspberries and a slice of lemon

World Sea Turtle Day-June 16

2009-06-16T12:11:00.001-07:00

We love the Sea Turtle!

...and the beautiful places it inhabits...

oceans, grasslands, coastal areas.

Today is World Sea Turtle Day!

Today we are donating proceeds from the sale of

Fair Trade Teas

"Turtlebird Blend"

to Sea Turtle Conservation!

Photo: a Loggerhead sea turtle

A thanks and tribute to Sri K. Pattabi Jois

2009-06-14T08:13:00.000-07:00

Today in New York at Stephen Weiss Studio, 711 Greenwich St. at 6pm EST there will be a memorial service for Pattabhi Jois, who passed away on May 18, 2009.

Pattabhi Jois, affectionately known as "Guruji", was one of the most influential people in yoga's journey Westward. In his book, Yoga Mala, or "Yoga Garland", first published in India in 1962 and in English in 1999, he shared the teachings of his teacher, vedic practitioner and healer, T. Krishnamacharya with teachers and students around the world.

Like ripples in a pond, Guruji's life-long dedication to the practice and teaching of yoga has brought so much peace and light to millions of people around the world!

In a way, it was Pattabhi Jois and his style of yoga, Ashtanga, taught to me by Randa Chehab at Down to Earth Yoga Studio in Bozeman, Montana, that fueled the creation of my original tea business, Fair Trade Teas in 2001 and 2002.

It was during that time that I was practicing with Randa daily and developing Firepot Chai and Fair Trade Teas. The yoga and the chai, in hindsight, sort of blended together, one affecting the other and resulting in a really peaceful time of life as well as the beginning of a journey that would become my life and take me around the world in search of tea and a way to make a difference through Fair Trade.

Guruji's practice-- and Randa's love for teaching-- lit a fire in me-- giving me energy and inspiration to stay after my work and the dream it represented. It also gave me the peace and clarity of mind to stay on my path-- to keep my eyes open to opportunities when they presented themselves...

Once, while running Firepot Chai in Alaska and teaching Ashtanga yoga twice weekly at Fireweed Station, I made plans to travel to San Francisco to take a workshop given by Pattabhi Jois. A few weeks before the workshop, I was online looking for other things going on in the Bay Area when I read about the Green Festival. As I read on, I was so inspired by the line up of Fair Trade luminaries-- the late Anita Roddick (founder of the Body Shop and an early advocate for Fair Trade) and Paul Rice (President of Trans Fair USA) and Paul Katzeff of Thanksgiving Coffee, one of the first importers of Fair Trade coffees--who were all going to be there that same week. I became so excited about the Green Festival that I started trying to figure out how I could run back and forth between the 2 events!

About a week later, I learned that Guruji had a death in the family and had to return to India. The workshop was canceled. I immediately called the Green Festival to find out if they had any exhibit spaces left. They did! They had sold out 8 months prior but had a cancellation that day and I could name my price. So, I took out my first business loan ($1000 from my dad) and was on my way!

Like that, each step of my way with Fair Trade Teas and the businesses that have blossomed from it-- Scarborough Fair in New Zealand, Partners Tea Company in the US--has unfolded divinely and I am thankful for having had my path lit by the teachings of great teachers like Pattabhi Jois.

I know many others have similar stories.
Thanks for the ripples that Guruji's life continue to create!

"Ashtanga yoga is 99 percent practice, one percent theory."

Pattabhi Jois, originator of Ashtanga Yoga

"Do your practice and all is coming."

Pattabhi Jois, originator of Ashtanga Yoga

Tea: A pathway to Peace

2009-06-10T11:25:00.000-07:00

Since it’s first mention in European literature in Giambattista Ramusio’s Navigatione et Viaggi in 1559 and it’s first import to Holland in 1606, tea, “the China drink”, has been an object of European desire. Men have risked their lives smuggling it, Catherine de Braganza of Portugal secured her marriage to King Charles II with it’s inclusion in her dowry, it has instigated war, revolution and the enslavement of over one million tea workers bought and stolen to tend to the estates. The transformation from Empire to multi-national business in these days of the teabag have witnessed a new kind of slavery- one rooted in low wages, poor nutrition and a lack of opportunity for tea estate workers.

But modern times are changing the course of history and the world’s love for tea is being used now to promote sustainability, education and brighter futures for tea workers and for peace.

Nowhere is this more evident than in Sri Lanka, the Pearl of the Indian Ocean, home of the world-renowned Ceylon teas. Here, visionary tea estate owners and exporters, like Zaki Alif at Stassen Pty. Ltd, are affording education, health care, dignity and opportunity by selling their top-quality organic teas for a premium. They are bringing together the children of Sinhalese land-owners and Tamil tea pickers in sport, to forge friendship and understanding. They are turning the world’s demand for an ethically sourced, organically produced tea into hope for a country’s widespread strife. One Sri Lankan family company, according to the BBC,”is challenging the multinational control of the global tea industry. Dilmah says it has become the third largest global tea brand by marketing its pure unblended Ceylon tea directly to the consumer in more than 80 countries worldwide…”

Similarly, in Tanzania, China, India and Taiwan, efforts are being made to instigate just and peaceful relations for the empowerment and betterment of every part of the supply chain, right down to the consumer**. Modern times have taught business that the only successful business model is a fair one. ‘Globalization”, widespread access to information and technology, is helping towards this effort.

Working alongside stakeholders in the ethical tea supply chain to maximize the positive global impact of the US $227 billion LOHAS (Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability) market, a growing niche of shoppers willing to spend money for products that let them feel they are acting in a socially responsible fashion, is the Fair Trade Labeling Organization (FLO). Based in Bonn, Germany, FLO grants the Fair Trade certification to producers practicing ethical trade and working towards social, environmental and economic sustainability.

Fair Trade sales are rising at 33% per year globally and now total 1.1 billion GBP. The global market is predicted to reach $25 billion USD by 2020. This growth coupled with that of tea globally, provides a platform for the tea trade to pioneer a pathway to peace.

• **At the Makaibari tea estate in India, the workers have created a community load fund. Small loans have been distributed to families to address specific medical and educational needs. They also have utilized funds to support women and children’s health programs that focus on nutrition and family planning.
• On the Da Zhan Shan tea cooperative in China, tea farmers have placed an emphasis on education. A portion of the premiums have been invested in building library and computer facilities for students. Funds have also been allocated to each of the tea farmers’ children to support their enrollment in high school and university.
• At Herkulu estate in Tanzania, workers have dedicated funds to repairing dilapidated housing and constructing new village facilities, including a medical center, grain mill and food dispensary.
• The small farmers of the SOFA tea cooperative in Sri Lanka have chosen to use the premiums toward tea-quality improvement initiatives, including organic inputs and tools, which increase efficiency and production. They have also used their Fair Trade tea funds for income diversification projects such as bookkeeping and dairy cows.

Photo: A tea picker at Indulgashinna Estate, Sri Lanka fills a woven basket, which keeps the tea aerated and fresh. Extra money earned from the sale of this quality tea affords wicker baskets (100 rupees (~$1 USD) each). Plastic bags used at other estates cost only~20 rupees each. Sarah Scarborough, 2006.

Tea Poetry: Lu T'ung

2009-06-10T11:21:00.000-07:00

The first bowl sleekly moistened throat and lips;

The second banished all my loneliness;

The third expelled the dullness from my mind,

Sharpening inspiration gained from all the books I've read.

The fourth brought forth light perspiration,

Dispersing a lifetime's troubles through my pores.

The fifth bowl cleansed ev'ry atom of my being.

The sixth ha made me kin to all the Immortals.

The seventh is the utmost I can drink--

A light breeze issues from my armpits.

-Lu T'ung (d.835)

Tea: An Earth Angel

2009-06-02T18:28:00.000-07:00

Tea is the second most widely consumed beverage after water in the world and that is a good thing because it looks like it might also be the second most planet friendly, as far as carbon emissions are concerned. "On average, a loose tea which you drink at a tea lounge has about 20g CO2 per cup. As a reference point, the carbon footprint of a cup of beer is 374g, a can of Coca Cola is 129g and a cup of cow’s milk is about 225g. As such, loose tea is a far better choice environmentally than any of these."

These are the findings of Nigel Melican, a tea technologist at Teacraft, in his recently concluded in-depth study on tea's carbon footprint "from Asian tea farm to American teapot". He found that, "if tea is well made, if we look at the supply chain properly, if we make some adjustments, we can actually get tea to be carbon neutral...some tea in some countries we could get to be carbon negative."

But, HOW carbon negative? Could tea be a contestant for Richard Branson and Al Gore's Virgin Earth Challenge, a competition offering $25 million US "to encourage a viable technology which will result in the net removal of anthropogenic, atmospheric greenhouse gases each year for at least ten years without countervailing harmful effects".

Perhaps Nigel Melican, a tea technologist, is just the kind of technologist Branson is looking for?

Photo: Organic and Biodynamic tea grows in Sri Lanka's central tea growing region, near Haputele. Sarah Scarborough, 2005

What Melican found is that tea's actual environmental impact has much to do with the tea drinker. Here are a few ways that you can reduce the impact of your cup:
1. Reuse your tea/ tea bag. Did you know that most teas can be steeped more than once? Over 85% of the caffeine content comes out of the tea leaf within the first 20 seconds of steeping, so your second and third cup of tea will be lower in or caffeine-free. Whites, greens and Oolongs are especially well-suited to be re-steeped. Some tightly- rolled Oolongs make a fuller flavored second, third and fourth cup and some can be steeped up to 8 times.
2. Compost your tea. Our planet could use more organic matter and so could your garden. Throw it in your compost pile or in a house plant. Tea leaves also help soak up odors, give it a try.
3. Reuse/ Recycle your packaging.
4. Cook with gas. According to Melican, gas cooking is much easier on the earth than electric. It is a more natural way to cook, and so more enjoyable. The end result from a gas stove tends to be better too.

A little light on the sustainability debate

2009-06-02T10:08:00.000-07:00

"Sustainable. Certified organic. Bird friendly. Shade grown. Fair trade.

There are more ways to define virtuous production of tea and coffee than ever before. And for every opinion about the “right” way to grow, harvest, transport and process them, there’s a counterpoint to consider..."

...begins Kara Newman in her recent quest (Fresh Cup Magazine, June 2009) to decipher the different terms used to quantify, describe or certify "sustainable" teas and coffees.

Speckled with quotes from industry leaders and organizations, Kara's article sheds a little light on what makes tea and coffee "sustainable", but I think the whole truth--the bottom line-- about sustainable teas and coffees lies in the big picture, in the forest, not the trees.

This isn't about rules and regulations. Sustainability is about a lifestyle-- like a diet or a religion. For it to stick, you have to feel it. love it. love the way it makes you feel. love the positive impact it has on your life. The "you" here is the tea and coffee drinker, which is why it is up to tea and coffee companies to inspire tea and coffee lovers with beautiful cups of tea and coffee, with happy farmers with clean, prosperous land. Share the fun of being involved in the tea and coffee trades and having the opportunity to make things better-- for our planet and it s people. Like Kara said in her article,

"To help educate consumers, Scarborough recommends interactive cuppings and tastings—between organic and non-organic, and between different regions and blends. 'Getting people to enjoy tea and coffee and getting them to try the differences between high-quality organic teas and the alternatives is better than guilting people for not purchasing the ‘right’ tea or coffee.'"

Photo: Compost heaps in Darjeeling, N. India, where 100% of the tea estates are
being converted to, or already are, Organic. Sarah Scarborough, 2006.

Tea with Mingwei

2009-05-23T08:45:00.000-07:00

On a recent visit to Cape Town, I met with Mingwei Tsai at Nigiro (a beautiful new teahouse inside Origin Coffee) in Cape Town's Der Waterkant district and over the 2+ hours that we shared tea, I learned how Mingwei's tea philosophy spills over into his daily life, filling it with more peace and more love and joy, as evidenced by his ready smile and childlike amusement with life.
Mingwei, a waste water engineer from Taiwan with a lifelong love for tea, developed Nigiro (Origin spelled backwards) to highlight the qualities of tea, especially as they contrast coffee. Where as coffee is hard, tea is soft. Coffee is masculine, tea is feminine. Coffee is is aggressive, tea is chilled out. It is these differences that make tea a perfect antidote to our hectic lives-- a solution to the problems brought on by the speed with which we run our lives; our cars, cell phones, and lack of time spent in nature.
In a way, a cup of tea is a little time out with nature that can be relished anywhere. Mingwei believes that if one comes to appreciate tea, they will not yell at their kids, smoke cigarettes or pollute our planet. That, like practicing yoga, the art and practice of taking time for tea will effortlessly seep softness and peace into your life, transforming it to one lived with more respect and intention and joy.