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pre-order your teas in our online shop at pleasuresoftea.com!

I hope you are well and happy spring!


So sorry for the delay in getting this month's newsletter out. Tax prep and final exams left little time for anything else ;)


Our tasting workshops continue and details are provided below. So far workshops have been scheduled through the end of July and the remaining workshops will be scheduled in a month or two. Feel free to join us for an interactive, fun, and educational evening filled with tea! :)


Gong Fu Tea Service continues and appointments for this seated service are being accepted. Please see below for all the details and the spring menu that will be available when the shop re-opens this Thursday 3/23. I look forward to preparing tea for you during this relaxing and culturally enriching experience.


Please note that our next break will be from Monday, June 5th through Wednesday, June 21st. The shop will be closed during this time, so please make note and be sure to stock up your teas beforehand. I will be sure to have the summer teas available before the break, so you can have them on hand to celebrate the first day of summer. Stay tuned!


There's always so much excitement in the tea industry and among connoisseurs at this time of year. The focus is on the much anticipated spring teas. So what makes these teas so special? And why the hype? Well, we discuss this below in this month's newsletter.


Lastly, I apologize to those of you who have arrived at 11:00AM when the shop opens and you have had to wait. I have contemplated opening the shop a little later; however, I have decided to keep the same hours. If you arrive on a day when the shop is supposed to be open, but it is just past 11:00AM and the blinds and door are still closed, please wait if you can, as I will be there within 5 or 10 minutes. I am sorry in advance for the inconvenience.


I appreciate your continued support of my small business and I wish you much health and great tasting cups of tea in 2023!

-- Kristine, FDN-P

Spiced Tea Samplers and Chai Tea Samplers have been assembled and are now back in stock! Since the weather forecast is looking a little mild (fingers crossed it stays this way) our Iced Tea Samplers have also been assembled. These and all our other samplers are available in the shop and online shop.


Blending up all your favorites! Calm Organic, Provence Organic, Liver Support Organic, Turmeric Spice Organic, Throat Soother Organic, Immune Support Organic, and Rooibos Tranquility Organic Herbal Tisanes have all been freshly blended :)

Gong Fu Tea Service


The spring menu for Gong Fu Tea Service will be available when we re-open this Thursday! 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.


The menu is crafted and rotated seasonally and curated from the larger origin tea offering available in the shop. The spring menu is as follows:

  • Ruby 18 Formosa White Tea - Nantou, Taiwan
  • PT Harendong Green Farm Green Tea - Java, Indonesia
  • Lan Gui Ren (Ginseng & Licorice) Wulong Tea - Fujian, China
  • Chamraj Estate Frost Wulong Tea - Nilgiri, China
  • Huo Shan Black Tea - Anhui, China
  • Lao Shan Black Tea - Shandong, China
  • 2016 Loose Leaf Dark 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! :)

Tea Tastings & Pairings Workshop Schedule


Journey with us on select Saturday evenings for an exploration of tea. Whether it is a fun and unique tasting of a flight of teas or a "foodie" excursion where we pair a few of our favorite things, you will be experiencing a unique, informative, relaxing and interactive adventure - no passport required!


Here are a few of the upcoming workshops:

Tea & Cheese Pairing - March 25th (waiting list)

Tea & Chocolate Pairing - April 8th (waiting list)


Introduction to Tea Appreciation - April 22nd

Tea is more complex than wine and in this workshop we delve into the techniques and terminology used to unlock its wide-ranging characteristics. Overview of tea types, typical characteristics, factors that affect quality and characteristics, analyzing the leaf and the liquor. This workshop provides a solid foundation for the rest of the workshops in the series.

  

Black Teas - April 29th

80% of all tea produced around the world is black tea, but few realize the range of aromas and flavors that can be found within this type of tea. Join us to explore several flavorful black teas that have been selected from our catalog of over 65 origin black teas that have been sourced from over 15 countries.

  

   The rest of the workshop schedule through July, descriptions and policies, are posted in the 2023 workshops tab at infuseteabarny.com. More tastings will be scheduled beginning in August, including another Tea & Cheese and Tea & Chocolate Pairing, so stay tuned!


Workshops begin promptly at 7:00 PM and go to 8:30ish. Feel free to stay on after the workshop to enjoy the highly recommended second infusions of each tea that will be prepared. Cost is $30 per person. Pre-paid registration is required and seating is limited. For questions or to register, please email kristine@infuseteabarny.com or stop by the shop. I look forward to seeing you in class! :)

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. 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 cooperation in helping to serve you in the most efficient and expeditious manner possible! :)

What's the Deal with Spring Teas


This time of year is always abuzz in the tea industry. In many seasonal tea-growing regions around the world the tea plants have "awakened" from their winter slumber and their young spring shoots have sprouted. Tea pluckers carefully harvest the fresh leaves, which are then processed into the most highly prized teas of the year - the first spring harvest. Tea companies request samples, whose arrival are then eagerly awaited so that they can be cupped to experience the taste and aromas of the new season. And for those consumers who appreciate a fine origin tea, many get excited for their favorites to be available so that they may also get a glimpse of what the year will bring. But what makes these teas so special?


The first harvests of the year tend to be limited in supply as there is a very short window, usually only two to three weeks, during which time the leaves are harvested. Due to the limited supply and high demand, prices for these teas tend to be higher than other harvests. The characteristics of the teas harvested in spring tend to be distinct from other harvests because of the weather during which they are plucked. While temperatures in spring are rising, it is still relatively cool, which tends to concentrate the constituents that yield a sweeter and smoother experience in the cup. The plants are also spared the glaring heat of summer, which can bring out stronger and bitter notes. The delicate young spring teas can also be more aromatic due to the concentration of essential oils, especially if the weather is on the drier side - rainy seasons yield a tea that is not as aromatic and more "watered-down".


There are certain tea-producing regions that are renowned for their first flush spring teas. One is the Zhejiang Province in China, which is famous for its crafting of Longjing (Dragonwell) Green Tea. There are many grades of Longjing, but the most highly prized is the Pre-Qing Ming Longjing. The leaves of this Longjing are harvested before the Qing Ming holiday in early April when the weather is still relatively dry and before the spring rains begin.


Another famous region that is known for its spring teas is the Darjeeling Region of India. There are 87 tea gardens in this 1200-square mile area and each has there own microclimate. Their first flush black teas are some of the most coveted because they exhibit the first glimpse of the tastes and aromas that are to come in the rest of the harvests. The first flush is always the lightest of the black teas and is a really nice option for those who tend to prefer a milder tasting tea with a lighter body.


A third type of spring tea is Shincha from Japan. Shincha, translated as "new tea", is the first flush of the leaves that are then processed into Sencha green tea. Sencha is the most consumed tea in Japan, whose leaves are sun-grown and then steamed after harvest. This steaming preserves the grassy and vegetal notes of the tea.


We still have a small quantity remaining of last year's Glenburn Estate 1st Flush Darjeeling Black Tea and the Pre-Qing Ming Longjing Green Tea and the new season teas should be in stock within a few months :)

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. Make 2023 your best year yet!


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 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


Nothing new just yet, but this is a last call for the autumn and holiday teas and tisanes that we keep in stock until early spring: Gingered Vanilla Toddy Black Tea, Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Black Tea, Roasted Chestnut Black Green & Yerba Mate Blend, Maple Walnut Green Tea, Rooibos Orange Gingerbread Herbal Tisane, Candied Pomegranate Herbal Tisane, Holiday Punch Fruit Tisane, and our house-blended Mulling Spice Organic Herbal Tisane.

We are fully restocked on all Effie's shortbread-like biscuits! Available in 8 delicious flavors that pair perfectly with tea: Almond, Cocoa, Corn, Ginger, Oatcake, Pecan, Rye, and Walnut.

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

Student of the Art & Science of Herbalism

Certified Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioner - Vitality Holistic Wellness


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