Brew Issue 1

FEBRUARY 2020

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ISSUE 1

Brew Brew, Sip, Share

in this issue: Brits love tea

the joy of afternoon tea elevating the tea experience tea and zen

U K

T E A

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I N F U S I O N S

A S S O C I A T I O N

table of contents Join the#brewcrew Follow us @UKTalkingTea on Twitter and Instagram

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Welcome to Brew

p.4 A word from our Chief Executive: Brits love Tea!

p.6 The Joy of Afternoon Tea

p.8 Elevating the Tea Experience

p.11 Guest Editorial: Dr Tim Bond Tea Advisory Panel (TAP)

p.14 Calling All Designers!

Korean Tea Package Design Competition

p.15 Training and Masterclasses 2

UK TEA & INFUSIONS ASSOCIATION

Welcome to the first issue of ‘Brew’; the e-zine for teas and infusions enthusiasts everywhere.

The United Kingdom Tea and Infusions Association (UKTIA) is a trade association and the voice for the British Tea, Herbal and Fruit Infusions industry.

Part of our work is to promote tea and infusions and we would encourage you to visit our website www.tea.co.uk to find more about the diversity of herbal infusions, the history of tea and even how to make the perfect brew www.tea.co.uk/make-a-perfectbrew. To get regular updates follow us on Twitter or Instagram @UKTalkingTea.

If, like Kerry-Sue Peplow (see page six), you would like to join the #brewcrew and have an idea for an article, please email us at info@ukteainfusions.co.uk. We are unable to pay for articles, so please only contact us if the glory of appearing in Brew is enough.

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We Brits love Tea! Sharon Hall, Chief Executive, UKTIA As a nation we love a cuppa. We drink at least 100 million cups of tea every day in the UK. I say cups, but actually day to day we are drinking tea by the hearty mug-full – now that’s a lot of tea.

But are you confused like us by the recent media stories that say we have fallen out of love with tea? Well we decided to ask people for their views around the country. The good news is that the traditional cuppa, whatever our age, is still the preferred go to brew and actually the most favourite drink after water, according to 63% of the nation polled. In the same research survey, respondents said that: The traditional cuppa is their go to beverage in the morning.

42% of the nation noted they drink the traditional brew as a natural pick me up.

33% opt for a cuppa as a ‘stress buster’ ahead of green tea at 25%, chamomile at 21% and peppermint at 14% of people surveyed*.

So, it is a complete myth that we have ended our love affair with our favourite brew. We love the great British cuppa, which is why black tea (taken by most of us with milk) still represents the largest segment – 70% - of the UK tea and infusions market. And while the traditional cuppa is still very much the British ‘go to brew’, more of us are getting adventurous by added different herbal and fruit infusions to the mix throughout the day.

So why not pop the kettle on, join the #brewcrew and take a little bit of time out and enjoy that ‘TLC’ moment with your favourite brew. Keep loving tea and don’t believe the myths! *1000 people were surveyed

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In the UK: we drink at least 100 million cups of tea a day!

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The joy of Afternoon Tea! #brewcrew contributor: Kerry-Sue Peplow

In recent years there has been a resurgence in the popularity of Afternoon Tea; it has become very in vogue, with many hotel, café or tea shop hosting them. You are not be able to stroll through your local town centre without seeing a café window boasting they have ‘the best afternoon tea’ alongside a glossy image of a three-tier cake stand; bedecked with sandwiches, scones, jam, cream and a gorgeous selection of dainty pastries, plus a tea pot and a proper cup and saucer!

The image conjures up thoughts of elegance, indulgence and a time gone by and, for me, an utter calmness! Let me explain my thinking behind that statement…I’m part of a group of five friends who get together every six to eight weeks for a catch up – we even have a WhatsApp group for planning!

Like most people in the modern world, we all have different work patterns, family responsibilities and pressures. Over the last two years we have been having Afternoon Tea in various hotels in our local area. There have been differences in menus, in service and with a Vegan in the party, a couple of times, understanding! There has always been one vital component, TEA!

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Tea is not showy like the dainty pastries or trying to steal the limelight like a scone piled high with clotted cream.The tea served always comes with a quality provenance. It is this simple and humble drink that really is what Afternoon Tea is all about.

You have to take the time to stop and wait for it to infuse, this is not a rush-job. In fact, the continual on-the-go world that we currently live in has no place here!

The building anticipation of the aromas and flavours, and the first satisfying taste!

The cake stands arrive, adorned in all its glory, but there is no photo shoot heading for social media here, just the odd photo taken to share with family when we get home, this Afternoon Tea is about living in the present not through a lens.

As we each take a sip of freshly infused tea, we see the stresses and strains fall away, this is pure bliss! We are all increasingly busy and our lives are becoming more hectic, so take my advice, gather your close friends and take the time to stop for the joy of Afternoon Tea!

#brewcrew 7

Thank you to Kerry-Sue Peplow for this article. If you would like to join the #brewcrew and have an idea for an article, please email us at info@ukteainfusions.co.uk. We are unable to pay for articles, so please only contact us if the glory of appearing in Brew is enough. Thank you.

From Left to righ: Marylyn Dintenfass, Jeni Dood and Jessica Davidson

Elevating the Tea Experience

By Jeni Dodd

Is it possible to enjoy one of the oldest and the second most consumed beverages in a new and unique way? Jeni Dodd, owner of Jeni Dodd Tea, and her partner, Jessica Davidson, owner of Davidson Art Advisory, think they have found a novel approach to consuming tea.

The two New Yorkers are striving to elevate the tea experience to an aesthetic appreciation on par with fine art through their series "Art/Tea", by using the aesthetic qualities of art to explain the aesthetic value of tea.

Dodd believes tea and art are a natural fit given the artistic skill required to make high-quality tea. “There is artistry and craft to making tea,” Dodd states. She continues, “like works of fine art, tea is the culmination of transforming natural material through mastery and vision to create a sensory experience.”

Dodd and Davidson’s first collaboration in February 2018 was with internationally recognised, contemporary painter Marylyn Dintenfass at her studio in New York City. At this event, the attendees, including artists, curators, and collectors, tasted four teas, each one paired with one of Dintenfass’ bold, abstract paintings.

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Upon arrival, guests were greeted with a cold-brewed oolong from Nepal paired with “Retort to Roualt”. This is a fourpart painting with the fourth segment revealing “something unknown,” according to Dintenfass. Dodd used the artist’s explanation as the entry point for the tea pairing by emphasising the Buddhist tradition of using tea in meditation for deeper discoveries.

The second pairing allowed Dodd to translate the colours of the painting into tea. “Drop Dead Gorgeous, Spreading Yew”, with its dark purple/earthy background and green Yew, provided an inverse colour scheme to the colour of the dark earthy Pu’er from Yunnan, China, that had been aged inside a green mandarin peel.

Dodd, whose synesthesia allows her to taste tea in colour, initially could not understand why she felt compelled to pair an Aged Water Fairy from Wuyishan, China with “Occular. Tidal Pool”. She usually tastes Chinese oolongs as yellow, but the painting is primarily blue. Further contemplation of this particular oolong clarified the tea’s primary notes of minerality. The tonal blues of the painting also reflected minerality. The minerality connection between painting and tea provided the context for the third pairing.

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'Chiya is the Nepalese word for tea.'

For the final pairing, Dodd chose a white tea from Nepal to pair with an unnamed painting. Upon learning that the colouring and terracing elements in the painting made Dodd feel as though she was walking into the tea field in Panchtar, Nepal where the tea had grown, Dintenfass decided to name the painting Occuli.Chiya.

Chiya is the Nepalese word for tea.

Many of the attendees reported that the experience of the tea and art together expanded their sensory perception of both. One attendee, Dr. Deneb Bates, stated that she felt she had been on a “sensory journey”.

The success of the Dintenfass event led Davidson and Dodd to augment the series by collaboration with three other artists. Art/Tea has been presented in several US cities, as well as in Australia. To see a video of the event please go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-m8T2jsQnGw&t=10s Jeni Dodd has dedicated and committed herself to acquiring as much possible knowledge about the tea industry, tea culture and tea processing. She is a Certified Tea Specialist through the Specialty Tea Institute, USA and has earned a Certified Tea Master designation from the International Tea Master’s Association.

See www.jenidoddtea.com

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GUEST EDITORIAL

Tea with Zen for mind & body

By Dr Tim Bond

Tea Advisory Panel (TAP)

Tea is the most popular drink in the UK after water. By the end of each day, we Brits will have consumed an estimated 100 million cups of tea. Tea drinking is a British institution and Comedian, TV personality and author David Walliams once joked: “In Britain, a cup of tea is the answer to every problem.”

The benefits of drinking tea Tea tastes great and it helps to keep us hydrated. Doctors recommend that we drink at least 2.5 pints/1.5 litres of fluid a day to replace fluids lost through daily activities and prevent dehydration.

Tea, which on average accounts for 40% of our daily fluid intake in Britain, can help us reach the daily target.

February is Heart Health Month and a large body of evidence links tea consumption with reduced cardiovascular risk. A recent research review by Tea Advisory Panel (TAP) members indicates that consumption of four to five cups of black or green tea daily has been linked with blood pressure reduction and improving cardiovascular function, as well as reducing inflammation. These benefits are thought to be linked to the polyphenol content of both black and green tea.

But did you know that drinking tea taps into our inner body and mind? Drinking tea can improve attention and 50 per cent of people say their mood changes after they’ve had their favourite cup of tea. A new report from the Tea Advisory Panel (TAP)[1] also reveals for the first time how making a daily brew, combined with the practice of Sophrology, can help maintain inner calm in today's frenetic lifestyles.

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[1] TAP. Tea and Sophrology. How drinking tea taps into our inner body and mind zen. (www.teadvisorypanel.com)

What is Sophrology?

Sophrology, one of the top lifestyle trends for 2020, was developed 60 years ago by Columbian psychiatrist and neurologist, Professor Alfonso Caycedo. He combined yoga, meditation, zen and classical relaxation to enable a person to achieve optimal balance and harmony.

Sophrology targets five body zones: Daily practice involves a combination of relaxation, breathing, gentle movement and visualisation to reduce tension, stress and calm each of the five body zones. Needing no special equipment or even much time, sophrology is easy enough to incorporate into daily life. The goal is to develop a deeper awareness of our body in consciousness, and to use it to unlock harmony between body, mind and soul.

Tea with sophrology: a winning combination for mind and body Optimal health depends very much on a whole-body approach. What we do to our bodies affects our minds and vice-versa. We need the right diet, including healthy drinks, exercise, sleep patterns and opportunities to relax and de-stress.

Practicing sophrology and drinking tea go together as they can both influence the whole body by targeting points of stress. Both tea and sophrology, separately or together, can bring harmony and balance to life by reinforcing the connections between our minds and bodies. Both are enjoyable activities we can look forward to and create positive space for in our hectic lifestyles. The rewards in terms of relaxation and calm for our minds and bodies are profound.

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The benefits of a good cuppa for the five body zones Please note that for all examples below, more research is needed, but the evidence of the benefits of teas and infusions continues to build.

Zone one: head, brain and face.

When it comes to the brain, most of us think about mood, stress, anxiety and mental performance. Two mugs of black tea or three mugs of green tea contains about 75mg caffeine and also L-theanine, a compound unique to tea which together can improve mental attention. A recent study found that a daily drink containing 3g Matcha green tea could help reduce stress and anxiety.[1] Studies have also shown that chamomile and passionflower can reduce anxiety and depression, and help sleep.[2]

Zone two: neck, throat, shoulders, arms and hands.

We tend to link our limbs – arms, shoulders, hands, hips, legs and knees with bone health. Tea drinkers have been found to have higher bone mineral density than non-drinkers.[3] Why? This is thought to be due to tea’s polyphenol content, but it could also be linked to the milk that most of us add to a cuppa. Six mugs of tea with 50ml semi-skimmed milk could provide around 370mg calcium, which is almost half of the Nutrient Reference Value. One study in osteoporosis sufferers found that 3 months of drinking spearmint tea significantly reduced pain.[4]

· Zone three: chest, upper back, breasts, heart and lungs.

Heart health is a well-researched benefit of tea. Research has found that drinking four to five cups of tea drunk daily may reduce the risk of high blood pressure.[5] This is believed to be linked to natural plant compounds called flavonoids, found in tea, which dilate the blood vessels. Research suggests that both green and black tea drinkers have a reduced risk of heart disease compared with those with who don’t drink tea.[6]

Zone four: Stomach and upper digestive system, liver, kidneys, lower back.

Tea drinking has been linked with weight management. It appears to counteract the decrease in metabolic activity seen when people follow low calorie diets.[7] This effect is thought to be linked to tea catechins and caffeine, which are thought to affect enzymes involved in burning fat and preserving muscle. Green tea appears to increase leptin levels, making us feel fuller for longer after eating.[8]

Zone five: Lower abdominal area, bladder, lower digestive tract, sexual organs, pelvic floor, hips, legs and feet.

Gut health and the microbiome is an area of intensive research. Daily consumption of green tea increases Bifidobacterium in the gut.[9] Bifidobacterium are linked with reduced bloating and IBS. Komboucha, which is a fermented tea, introduces healthy bacteria into the gut.

Dr Tim Bond, BSc Hons, PhD, is a natural health chemist, tea expert and an advisor to the Tea Advisory Panel. He has more than 18 years experience in tea, from lab-based analysis to factory production. teaadvisorypanel.com

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[1] Unno et al. (2018). Nutrients. 10;10(10) [2] Chang et al. (2016). J Adv Nurs. 72(2):306-15 & Ngan & Conduit (2011). Phytother Res. 25(8):1153-9.

[3] Devine et al. (2007).Am J Clin Nutr. 86(4):1243-7.

[4] Connelly et al. (2014). J Med Food. 17(12):1361-7.

[5] Etheridge et al (2018). J Nutr Food Sci 8: 724 [6] Tang et al. (2015). Br J Nutr. 114(5):673-83 [7] Hursel & Westerterp-Plantenga (2010) Int J Ob.34: 659–69.

[8] Haghighatdoost et al. (2018). Nutr. 45:17-23 [9] Jin et al. (2012). Microbiol Immunol. 56(11):729-39.

Calling all designers!

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Training and Masterclasses Want to learn more about tea and herbals. Try one of these classes UK The UK Tea Academy provides an online Foundation course covering the basics of tea knowledge, as well as three levels of certification held in our London classroom or in an approved training centre in selected countries. Courses are progressive, with each certification better than the last. To qualify at levels two and three, you must have already completed the previous level with us. See more here https://www.ukteaacademy.co.uk/ CANADA A TEA SOMMELIER is a trained and knowledgeable tea professional who has successfully completed the eight modules in the TAC TEA SOMMELIER TM/SM course at a college or online, and passed the Tea and Herbal Association of Canada certification examination. See more here https://www.teasommelier.com/ USA The Specialty Tea Institute (STI) is the educational division of the Tea Association of the U.S.A., Inc. and the leader in the education of tea professionals. STI created the USA’s first standardized and accredited tea education curriculum. Their Certified Training Programs, Levels I, II, III and IV, are held in conjunction with various food and beverage conferences throughout the country. Find more here http://stitea.org/

Coming soon!

Tea Masters Cup-UK UKTIA will be launching the UK heat of this international competition. Find out more here: www.tea.co.uk/uk-tea-masters-competition and follow us @UKTalkingTea for updates

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Brew, Sip, Share #brewcrew