November 2023 Newsletter

Hello all! I hope all is well and you're enjoying autumn :)

The shop is buzzing getting ready for the upcoming holiday season - hard to believe it is right around the corner. I've been blending up fresh batches of house-blends to get through the holidays and have been working on getting the holiday teas ordered and available in the shop in time for Thanksgiving weekend. The holiday tea selection will be available in the online shop the week of Thanksgiving for shipping and pre-orders and are listed in the New at the Shop section below :)

Recently I have been getting a lot of questions about whether tea goes bad or if what was purchased several years ago would still be good to drink. This is a great topic and not one that is simply black and white, so I figured it would be fitting for this month's newsletter.

Gong Fu Tea Service will be coming to a close this year and the autumn menu will available through this Friday 11/10! Appointments for this seated service are being accepted and I look forward to preparing tea for you during this relaxing and culturally enriching experience. This service is always discontinued during the holiday season, but will return with the winter menu after my post-holiday break. The holiday schedule has been finalized with additional days the shop will be open and extended hours. See below for Gong Fu Tea Service and holiday schedule details.

There is some great news regarding online orders that are to be shipped. The Post Office has come out with a new, lower-cost shipping option, which is now available for online orders. It is a ground service and the orders will take a little extra time to get to you, but you will now have the option between two shipping services and can select whichever best meets your needs. Please note that the estimated times given for each service are the times for the order to get to you once it is shipped. I try to get all orders shipped within a day or two of receipt; however, please note that orders placed after 5:00PM on Sundays through Wednesdays generally cannot be filled until I have the opportunity to get back to the shop on Thursdays for shipping on Friday or Saturday. More great shipping news - Post Office holiday shipping surcharges have been discontinued this year, so there will not be the usual increase in shipping fees during the holiday season. Place your holiday orders for shipping as soon as you can in December to ensure that you or your recipient receive them in time, as carrier shipping times usually increase due to volume the closer we get to Christmas.

I've been organizing the "warehouse" as time allows over the past several months and continue to find a lot of cool pieces of teaware that I forgot I had in inventory. All are one-off pieces that are defective in some way - designs are a little off, minor chips, missing parts, etc. - but all are perfectly functional as teaware or can be used creatively as planters or bird feeders/houses. They'll be offered in the shop at discounted prices for very minor cosmetic issues and clearance prices for everything else. Be sure to check them out during your next visit and see if there are any treasures that you can use before they are all gone.

Lastly, I am looking for some volunteers to get some free coaching sessions from me. I have not been taking on new clients in my other business, Vitality Holistic Wellness, due to the amount of time I spend on each client's case and the extreme workload with my tea business over the next few months. However, I am currently working on board certification in Health and Wellness Coaching and need to have a certain number of logged coaching hours in order to meet requirements to sit for the board exam. These 20- to 30-minute sessions need to be recorded and I will be evaluated on each one. All sessions are anonymous when presented to the board for evaluation and you will need to be comfortable with being recorded and the session(s) being kept on file for training purposes. Ideal candidates will have a current obstacle or barrier that they are having difficulty overcoming in order to pursue or achieve a goal. The obstacle does not need to be exclusively a health or diet related issue. If you are interested in being a volunteer please apply by emailing me at kristine@vitalityholisticwellness.net (DO NOT reply to this email or send to my infuse email - these applications will not be considered) and include the following information:

1. Why should I select you to receive these coaching sessions?
2. What would this opportunity mean to you?
3. What is your obstacle or reason for wanting a coaching experience?
4. What are you looking to learn about yourself as a result of our working together?
5. In general, how will you use the knowledge and skills you learn to help you put a plan in place to overcome your obstacle?
6. High-level availability - days and times you would be available to meet virtually over the next month, January and February - you do not need to live here in NY. Please indicate your time zone.

I will be reviewing each application and will be selecting a few of them. Please note that this opportunity will not involve any health discussions or consultations, recommendations, or functional lab testing.

As always, I appreciate your continued support of my small business!

-- Kristine, FDN-P



Blended up fresh batches of Jasmine Mint Green Tea, Tulsi Lemon Myrtle Marigold Blend Organic Herbal Tisane, Calm Organic Herbal Tisane, and Pleasant Dreams Organic Herbal Tisane! :)

Gong Fu Tea Service

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 offer this cultural aspect of tea and guide you further through your own tea journey.

This is an appointment only, seated service and, at the moment, is limited to four appointments at a time. Each session lasts approximately 1-1/2 hours (allow 2 hours in case it runs long) and costs $30 paid upon booking. It includes multiple infusions of the tea that you select from the Gong Fu Tea menu and there are 4-7 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. Please note that the last day this year for service is Friday 11/10!

The menu is crafted and rotated seasonally and curated from the larger origin tea offering available in the shop. The autumn menu is now available:

• Xinyang Mao Jian Green Tea - Henan, China
• Joongjak Organic Green Tea - South Korea
• Tanzanian Silver Needle White Tea - Tanzania
• Satemwa Estate Zomba Pearls White Tea - Malawi
• Green Dragon Jade Formosa Wulong Tea - Nantou, Taiwan
• Oriental Beauty Wulong Tea - Hsinchu, Taiwan
• Neelamalai Estate Frost Black Tea - Nilgiri, India
• Zhu Ye Qi Black Tea - Hunan, China

Gong Fu Tea appointments are available:

Thursdays & Fridays - 11:30 through 3:00

Sundays - 11:30 through 2:00

Please note that there are no appointments on Saturdays.

If you would like to make an appointment for this unique experience, please email kristine@infuseteabarny.com or reply to this email and put "Gong Fu" as the subject. I look forward to preparing tea for you! :)

Holiday Schedule

The shop will be open on several additional days and for extended hours during the holiday season for your shopping needs! Basically, the shop will be open every day from Thursday 12/14 through Sunday 12/31, except for Christmas Day 12/25 and Tuesday 12/26. Please also note the days the shop will be closed for the annual post-holiday break for some much needed recuperation. This schedule is in place of our usual hours beginning Thursday 12/14.

Additional Days & Extended Hours

Thursday 12/14 through Saturday 12/16 11:00 to 5:00

Sunday 12/17 11:00 to 4:00

Monday 12/18 through Friday 12/22 11:00 to 7:00

Saturday 12/23 11:00 to 6:00

Christmas Eve Sunday 12/24 11:00 to 3:00

Wednesday 12/27 through Saturday 12/30 11:00 to 5:00

New Year's Eve Sunday 12/31 11:00 to 3:00

Closures

Thanksgiving Thursday 11/23

Christmas Day Monday 12/25 & Tuesday 12/26

Monday 1/1 through Wednesday 1/10

Be sure to check your stash and stock up before the extended break ;)

*Please note that, due to the workload and time necessary to assist those shopping for holiday gifts, bar service (teas prepared to drink) is always discontinued during the holiday season. Please note that from Saturday 12/16 through Sunday 12/24 the shop will be in retail mode and I will not be able to accommodate any transactions that only include teas to be consumed and/or purchases from our small bites menu. I am planning to still offer the teas hot or iced and most of the items on our small bites menu during this time for holiday shoppers to take to-go, but this may be discontinued if it has too much of a negative impact on our ability to service everyone in the shop. Bar service will resume on Wednesday 12/27 through the remainder of the year. Thank you for your patience and understanding.

As a reminder, current hours, along with future schedule changes and policies, can always be found on our shop website infuseteabarny.com.

Pre-order Reminder

As a reminder, pre-orders of loose leaf teas are encouraged in order to streamline the preparation of your custom orders and reduce your wait time, especially if the shop is busy when you arrive and there is somewhere you need to be. Orders also continue to be shipped nationwide and all (pre)orders can be placed in our online shop pleasuresoftea.com.

• Please place orders at least 24-hours ahead of desired pick up time, if possible, to ensure that it will be seen in the portal and there is enough time to pull it together in time for your arrival.
• Indicating the approximate date and time of pick up in the Comments section in the Cart helps ensure that your order will be ready for you upon arrival. Pick-ups can only be done during shop hours.
• If you plan to browse at the shop or grab a cup of tea, then please do not pay online - select the Pay at pick-up option. You will receive an emailed notification once your order is ready for pick-up.
• DO NOT send orders to my email or leave on voicemail - they will be lost and most likely will not be seen until weeks after you are looking for them.

Thank you for your continued assistance in helping to serve you in the most efficient and expeditious manner possible! :)

Does Tea Go Bad?

You have had some teas or tisanes laying around for awhile and you may be wondering if they are still good to drink or if they may cause any ill effects. Some teas have expiration dates, which are completely useless; a "date manufactured" would be much more useful, but rarely seen. Different references will provide a variety of recommendations on how long tea "will last". Some recommend that teas should be consumed within six months of purchase. Others say that teas and tisanes will last for two years once opened. But that then brings into question of when they were first opened?

First of all and to put your mind at ease, the probability of an older tea causing ill effects would be pretty rare. As far as if they are still good to drink, meaning they will still taste as fresh as when you purchased them? Well, that depends. This is a simple question with a complex answer and there are many variables that may come into play.

The one fact that will never change is that the tea can only be as good as the day you purchased it from whomever you purchased it - this is your baseline once you get it home. You can do everything right in storing the tea once you get it home, but it won't matter if it wasn't cared for properly before you purchased it - the tea will never get better in quality or freshness. If we're talking about teabags - this is simple, as most teas in teabags are stale before you even buy them. But how about loose leaf teas and tisanes? How was it stored in the shop? What sort of an inventory system is in place to ensure "first in first out"? How are the teas stored - are heavy dense teas stacked on top of more delicate leaves increasing the likelihood that they will be crushed? What sort of exposure does the tea have to air, light, heat, moisture, and other odors? How was the tea packaged for you to take home?

While clear glass jars are a very popular way to showcase the beautiful colors of tea, it is the absolute worst way to store tea. The only time tea goes off is when it is exposed to light and it only takes two to three months - the oils in the leaves go rancid, resulting in a very unpleasant aroma and taste. It is important to note that the tea you purchase should not be the same tea that you are sniffing to evaluate if you would like to purchase some. Every time a container is opened, it is exposed to air and the quality diminishes bit by bit - even in an air-tight container. And to eliminate contamination of the leaves, clientele should never have access to product before it is purchased - separate sniffing jars (as I have in the shop) is the best way to ensure that there is no contamination or diminished quality of the teas that are being purchased. Regarding how the tea is packaged to take home, are they prepared fresh to order in opaque packaging or have they already been packaged in opaque packaging that other customers can open to sniff, or squeeze and crush the leaves or, even worse, in clear packaging that have been exposed to light?

Once you get your teas home, it is important to store them well. Tea's quality is compromised by air, light, heat, moisture, and other odors, so minimizing exposure is key to keeping your teas fresh as long as possible. Keeping tea tightly sealed in an opaque container in a cool or room-temperature area away from light exposure or a heat source and other strongly scented food/beverage products is ideal. As mentioned above, storing teas and herbs in glass with exposure to light, even indirect light, is one of the worst possible ways to store tea. However, if you keep these jars in a dark drawer, cabinet or pantry, then the glass jar is fine. Tins are okay, as long as they are size-appropriate. For example, it is not ideal to have a little tea in a big tin because there will be more air exposure on the leaves - even in an air-tight tin. A great way to reduce the surface area of your tea in a glass jar or tin is to cover it with waxed or parchment paper. Or keep your tea in a resealable pouch like the ones in which I pack my teas. Pouches are great because you can reduce the surface area of the leaves exposed to air by carefully squeezing out as much of the air as possible before resealing the pouch. Teas should not be stored in the refrigerator; however, it is okay to store steamed Japanese green teas and matcha in the fridge to extend their freshness, especially if they will not be completely consumed within a few months.

Another consideration is the type and leaf style of the tea. Many well-crafted teas will keep for years. Take Pu-er and other Dark teas as an example. These teas are fermented and aged. The oldest teas I have available in the shop were harvested in 1992 - they are aged, not old, as they have been crafted and stored in an ideal environment to continue the aging process. Leaf style is another variable, with rolled leaves having a much longer shelf life than teas that have more surface area exposed to air, like an open-leaf style tea. Japanese steamed teas seem to have the shortest shelf life; however, I have some 10-year aged Senchas in my personal stash and they are still drinking well even after several years. In addition, I have samples that I have received from various tea gardens and suppliers over the years that are still drinking well and some are over ten years old. They may not be as fresh as they were back then, but I can still infuse up a good cup of tea with the leaves and enjoy a lovely complexity in aroma and taste.

Because there are so many variables, here are my general recommendations to ensure that your teas, and the money you spend on them, are not wasted:

1. Open the package and examine the tea. Your senses will be the only way to tell if the tea or tisane is still good.
2. Discard if there is any mold growing on the tea or if there are off aromas, especially if it is a flavored tea or tisane.
3. If it looks and smells fine, then make a cup. If it tastes fine, even if it's not as fresh as you remembered, then it is okay to drink.
4. Make a point to drink up the remaining leaves before they continue to lose freshness.
5. The same applies for teas that have never been opened and chances are they may still be pretty fresh, if they were stored well.

I hope this helps to provide some clarity, but please don't hesitate to let me know if you have additional questions!

Do you or someone you know need a personal health detective to address chronic wellness issues that can't seem to be resolved? If you haven't tried the FDN approach, then you haven't tried everything.

As a Certified Functional Diagnostic Nutrition (FDN) Practitioner, I help clients get to the root of their health and wellness issues and reclaim the vitality that they very much deserve. I offer fully customized, programs that are unique to each client and that incorporate holistic protocols addressing body, mind, spirit and senses. This is an extension of my work in tea and herbalism for the past fifteen years, but I will now be able to help those of you who need it at a much deeper and personalized level than I can offer in the shop. In addition to the new tools in my toolbox, I will continue to draw from my experience in using tea for health, along with my herbalism training, during the development of the comprehensive protocols that will be specific to the bio-individualized needs of each client. I will educate and empower you to make the choices that are best for YOUR health so that you can be your own health advocate moving forward. I look forward to showing you what I can do to help you achieve your wellness goals and enjoy continued vitality well into the future!

To learn more, please visit https://vitalityholisticwellness.net. If you are ready to make the investment in your wellness, then I would be happy to discuss the potential opportunity with you. You may book a complimentary discovery call directly through the website so I can learn about your issues and you can learn more about how I work and how my approach is different from the conventional medicine and/or alternative approaches that you have already experienced. I also have an email address specific for Vitality Holistic Wellness business and I ask that all inquiries regarding these services be directed to kristine@vitalityholisticwellness.net.

The website also shares My Why - the reasons why I am so passionate about this approach to health and wellness. This is a very personal experience for me and I share my 32-year journey toward finding health and wellness and dealing with autoimmunity and a compromised immune system, among many other issues that you or someone you know may also be experiencing. I hear from so many of you about your own chronic wellness issues and I share my story as a way to connect and open the door and show that there is hope…even after 32 years! If you would like to read my health story, please click here. It is long, so make sure you have a big mug of tea :)

I also email out a newsletter with health and wellness tips that do not fit within the scope of this newsletter. If you are interested in receiving the Vitality Newsletter, then feel free to sign up while you're at the website!

New at the Shop

Your favorite autumn blends are available! All of the following are returning: Apple Molasses Black Tea, Gingered Vanilla Toddy Black Tea, Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Black Tea, Pumpkin Pie Black Tea, Roasted Chestnut Black & Green Tea with Yerba Maté Blend, Maple Walnut Green Tea, Rooibos Maple Walnut Herbal Tisane, Rooibos Pumpkin Crème Herbal Tisane, Rooibos Pumpkin Spice Herbal Tisane and our house-blended Mulling Spices.

Pumpkin Pie and Chai Macarons and Apple Cranberry Walnut Povitica are also back in stock! And we are fully restocked on all scone mixes, including Pumpkin Spice and Maple :)

Holiday teas, holiday tea samplers, our popular holiday mug sets, and goodies will be available in shop Thanksgiving weekend and in the online shop earlier in the week for pre-orders and shipping. Your returning favorites include: Christmas Blend Black Tea, Chocolate Peppermint Black Tea, White Chocolate Peppermint White Tea, Rooibos Christmas Cookie Herbal Tisane, Rooibos Orange Gingerbread Herbal Tisane, Candied Pomegranate Herbal Tisane, and Holiday Punch Fruit Tisane. New this year for all of you looking for a caffeine-free option to our most popular holiday blends is Rooibos Chocolate Peppermint Herbal Tisane! And don't forget that our autumn blends are perfect for the holidays too! White Chocolate Peppermint macarons will also be available Thanksgiving weekend :)

Infuse Tea Bar & The Pleasures of Tea

106 Main Street

West Sayville, NY 11796

www.infuseteabarny.com - shop

www.pleasuresoftea.com - online shop

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500+ Loose Leaf Teas, Herbal Tisanes & Functional/Medicinal Herbs

Certified - Tea Professional, Tea Sommelier & Tea Health Expert

Forever Student of the Art & Science of Herbalism

Certified Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioner, MRC Certified Healthy Gut Practitioner & Certified Terrain Advocate - Vitality Holistic Wellness