Reminder that Gong Fu Tea Service is now being offered in the shop. See below for details!! |
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Hello to you all and I hope that everything continues to be well!
We're about half-way through summer and lots of prep is taking place in the shop getting ready for autumn. Most of our summer teas remain available for your summer hydration needs, so stop in to see what we have in store for you. New harvest origin teas have finally arrived and we are excited to share some really exciting new teas that will become part of our menu. We list only some of our new arrivals below and we look forward to hearing your thoughts on these new treasures as you explore them. We also brought in some great new artisanal herbal tisanes that are specialties in the areas from where they originate. These are the focus of this month's newsletter and we hope you'll explore them as well. In addition, all of the shop operating procedures that were communicated in June's and July's newsletters have been included below for your reference, in case you haven't seen them - they are also posted on our shop website www.infuseteabarny.com.
We fell a little behind in the launch of our new website for the online shop, but we will be making the switch today, Tuesday 8/11 (my apologies for the lack of notice). Please note that the online shop will be down for about 24 hours and an update will be provided once it is back up and running. It has taken a lot of time and effort and we are excited to be able to finally launch a website through which everyone (including those of you using Apple devices) will be able to place an order - YAY! As a reminder, in conjunction with the launch of the new website, please note that the email kristine@pleasuresoftea.com will no longer be a valid email. I get so much spam email to that address that I decided to eliminate it and only use the kristine@infuseteabarny.com email for now. I know the majority of you have switched over to use the new email, but I wanted to make a special mention that the old email will no longer be valid - just in case.
I appreciate your continued support of my small business and I wish you all much health and delicious tea!
-- Kristine
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Specialty Craft Herbal Tisanes
I am pleased to have the opportunity to bring some really unique, craft specialty herbal tisanes into our shop tea menu. These tisanes have their own historical, cultural, and health associations with the local populations, just like with the origin teas. In the interest of space, only the highlights of each of these herbs are presented here. Two common benefits among these herbs is that they are caffeine-free and they are rich in healthy constituents.
Greek Mountain Tea Herbal Tisane - I've been looking for a source for this herb for many years and I finally found some of excellent quality. No, this isn't a tea, it's just what they call it. Grown in the mountains of northern Greece above 3,000 feet, many Sideritis scardica species are found throughout the Mediterranean region. The plant is rich in antioxidants, essential oils and other phytonutrients. It has been used medicinally by the peoples of the Mediterranean for thousands of years. Currently it is most often consumed in the winter as an aid to alleviate indigestion, respiratory and cold and flu symptoms. It is also used to support the immune system. The herb has a lovely taste - fresh, citrus, and honey notes. We offer two options - the traditional Whole Panicle Organic (shown above middle) and the Cut Leaf. The whole panicle is milder and lighter in body than the cut leaf with lighter, fresher, more citrusy notes. The cut leaf is more viscous in the cup with the sweeter honey notes. Both are divine!
Mountain Blueberry Leaf Herbal Tisane - (shown above left) this one is a delightful treasure that I recently discovered. It is from the Adjara Region in the southwestern part of the Asian country of Georgia, along the eastern coast of the Black Sea. This local specialty is crafted by harvesting blueberry leaves, hand-rolling and then drying them. The leaves unfurl to yield a flavorful and aromatic infusion that is balanced and mildly sweet with woody and fruity notes.
Wild-Grown Jujube Leaf Herbal Tisane - while the fruit of this tree is used in Traditional Chinese Medicine, the leaves make a delicious infusion to enjoy at any time. This wild-growing herb is plucked in May at elevations between 2,000 and 3,000 feet in Laoshan Village, Shandong Province, China. After harvest the leaves are processed following much of the same steps as green tea. The leaves unfurl to yield a rich, thick, and flavorful infusion with sweet, herby, and savory grain notes.
Wild-Grown Jiaogulan Leaf Herbal Tisane - this wild-growing herb is plucked in May at elevations about 3,000 feet in the mountains of Yunnan Province, China. A member of the Gynostemma genus, the leaves of this climbing vine have a long history of use in folk medicine and is known by the local population as "the herb of immortality". Contrary to current popular belief, it has not been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine due to it's relatively recent spread outside of its remote local area. This herb can be prepared Western-style, but it also infuses very well using the Gong Fu method with multiple infusions. The infusion has a pleasant, naturally sweet taste with a balancing subtle bitter aftertaste.
Roasted Himalayan Tartary Buckwheat Herbal Tisane - (shown above right) this cultivated plant is not related to wheat, as it is not a member of the grass family. These seeds originate from plants that are among the highest grown in the world, at elevations about 9,000 feet in the mountains of Yunnan Province, China. It has been double roasted for a nice toasty taste. You can infuse the seeds multiple times and/or eat them in the morning for a nourishing breakfast!
All of these tisanes are available in the shop and will be on the new online shop as well. I hope you will try these uniquely crafted, specialty herbal tisanes!
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Shop Updates & Details
Normal shop hours resumed in June and so did browsing (with a mask). Current hours and policies can always be found on our shop website www.infuseteabarny.com and they are as follows:
Thursdays through Saturdays 11:00-5:00
Sundays 11:00-4:00
Pre-orders are strongly encouraged with 24-hours notice, if possible, so that we may have your order ready when you arrive. In order to abide by social distancing requirements, a limited number of patrons will be permitted in our small shop at a given time. It would be a good idea to pre-order the bulk of your order and then browse and add any additional items at the shop. This will speed up the processing of your order and reduce any potential of needing to wait outside if the shop is busy when you arrive. Waiting outside is not ideal...unless of course, it's a beautiful day...but I am trying to find the balance to still serve you in the most effective, efficient, accurate, and timely manner possible.
Important Ordering Info: pre-orders may be placed in the online shop at www.pleasuresoftea.com or by emailing kristine@infuseteabarny.com. If emailing your order, please put Tea Order in the subject line, indicate the teas, quantity, and your phone number. I get about 300 emails daily and I want to make sure that your orders don't get lost in the sea of other emails as everything now gets consolidated into one. Also, I have been getting undeliverable reports for many of the order confirmation emails being sent out and it sometimes takes 3 or 4 times for the emails to finally go through. It appears that someone is sending out spam emails from the same server where the Infuse email is housed, so we are working to try to get this addressed. You may want to add my email address to your safe list, so that you have a greater chance of receiving them in your Inbox. For all pre-orders, please indicate the anticipated day and time of pick-up - this tremendously helps with workflow so that your order will be ready when you arrive. This information can be inputted in the comments section at checkout when placing an order in the online shop.
Due to social distance requirements, adjustments to our tea service needed to be implemented. While our complete menu of prepared teas and small bites remains available, enjoying these at the bar is no longer an option. These teas will need to be taken to go or enjoyed at the few tables and chairs that are set up outside on the sidewalk, weather permitting.
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Gong Fu Tea Service
Just a reminder that Gong Fu Tea Service enjoyed at the bar has become a permanent offering! This Chinese method of tea preparation means "done well" and it requires time and focus, delivering a more aromatic and flavorful infusion than those prepared using the more familiar western method of tea preparation. I am happy to be able to finally incorporate this cultural aspect of tea into the shop and guide you further through your own tea journey.
This is an appointment only service and, at the moment, is limited to two appointments at a time. One more may attend if from the same household, in order to maintain social distancing. Each session lasts one hour and costs $25 paid upon booking. It includes multiple infusions of the tea that you select from the Gong Fu Tea menu and there are 3-7 infusions, depending on the tea selected and as time allows. It also includes a Gong Fu lesson, if you like, so that you may incorporate this method into your own tea ritual at home.
The menu will be crafted and rotated seasonally and will be curated from the larger origin tea offering available in the shop. Our summer Gong Fu menu is available as follows:
- Meng Ding China Yellow Tea
- Tai Ping Hou Kui China Green Tea
- Mauna Kea Estate Lava Flow Hawaiian Green Tea
- Glenburn Estate Moonshine Darjeeling India White Tea
- Tie Guan Yin Flowery Anxi China Wulong Tea
- Li Shan Formosa Wulong Tea
- Sumatra Hand-Rolled Indonesia Black Tea
Gong Fu Tea appointments are available:
Thursdays & Fridays - noon through 4:00
Sundays - noon through 3:00
Please note that there are no appointments on Saturdays at this time. If you would like to make an appointment for this unique experience, please email kristine@infuseteabarny.com or reply to this email. I look forward to preparing tea for you! :)
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New Harvest Origin Teas Have Arrived!
In addition to the new artisanal, specialty herbal tisanes highlighted above, the following new origin teas are now available in the shop and will also be available on the new website once it is live: Hunan Golden Tips China Black Tea, Zi Juan "Purple Beauty" China Green Tea, Dong Ding Dark Roast Formosa Wulong Tea, Huang Jin Gui Full Roast Anxi China Wulong Tea, White Tea & Camellia Flower 200g Cake, 2012 Aged Shou Mei White Tea 350g Cake (will be offering this one by the ounce), 2005 Shou Pu-er Tea 100g Mini Brick, Glenburn Estate 1st Flush Darjeeling Black Tea, and Glenburn Estate 1st Flush Moonshine Darjeeling White Tea.
New harvests have arrived for many of our other teas and the following are now back in stock: Longjing Organic China Green Tea, Glenburn Estate Autumn Crescendo Darjeeling Black Tea, and 2009 Menghai Shou Pu-er Tea 100g Mini Cake.
Also newly arrived at the shop are Lemon Cream Povitica....for a limited time. And Peanut Butter Cup and PB&J Macarons are back!!
A few of our summer teas and tisanes are now out of stock, but we still have limited supplies of the following: Cherry Pineapple Green Tea, Mango Plum Green Tea, Minted Coconut Lime Green Tea, Rooibos Guava Citrus Herbal Tisane, Green Rooibos Peach Mango Herbal Tisane, Cherry Pineapple Herbal Tisane, Coconut Fruit Punch Fruit Tisane, Kiwi Peach Fruit Tisane, Pomegranate Lime Fruit Tisane, Raspberry Blackberry Fruit Tisane, Watermelon Fruit Tisane. Grab your favorites before they disappear!
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106 Main Street
West Sayville, NY 11796
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500+ Loose Leaf Teas & Herbal Tisanes
Certified - Tea Professional, Tea Sommelier & Tea Health Expert
Student of the Art & Science of Herbalism
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