By now, I presume all of you have mastered the art of making flavorful, fragrant, fabulous iced tea. I imagine that you are enjoying the radio show or reading this blog, glass in hand, thoroughly chilled and perfectly content. But for some of you, something is missing. In episode seven of Steeping Around, Manish disembarks from the fine details of perfect brewing. He’s moved into sweeter territory: well, sweeteners.

There is no shortage of sweetening agents that can make a fine pairing with tea, but most of us use plain white sugar. It is both readily available and also the most familiar sweetener, and as an added convenience it comes in small, measured white packets that a drinker can count out and pour into their glass, exactly to their specifications. We all know what it is and how to use it, and for that reason we are moving quickly past it and into the more imaginative sweet options. For those of you who prefer baby steps into the unknown, try raw sugar, commonly branded as “Sugar in the Raw.” True, it comes from the same plant, but raw sugar features a relatively small amount of processing, resulting in a more natural, arguably more flavorful product. Its granules are blonde in color and have a slightly nutty, almost honey-like flavor that encourages and compliments some of the more subtle flavors in your iced tea. “If I’m going to use a granulated form of sugar,” Manish affirms, “I prefer Sugar in the Raw.”

A slightly more interesting option is stevia, a South American herb that has been used for hundreds of years to add a touch of sweetness to foods and drinks. Its leaves boast 30-40 times the sweetness of sugar, yet it is virtually calorie-free and has a glycemic index of zero, making it an ideal choice for dieters and diabetics alike. Another advantage of stevia is that you can grow it yourself, and with considerable more ease than plotting a field of sugar cane. Remember though, if you are plucking leaves from a fresh stevia plant, that one leaf will go a long, long way. And for those of you wistfully thinking about those convenient white packets, some good news: stevia is now available in powdered form at most supermarkets.

Let’s stray from the powders and packets for a bit though, as there is a myriad of liquid sweeteners that can add their own unique touch to your glass of iced tea. Most of us have heard of Sweet N’ Low, and rest assured—this isn’t what we’re referring to. In the tea industry, we align with more natural options for our food and drink, and sweetening agents are no exception. Instead, we draw our focus to honey, brown rice syrup, molasses, and agave nectar.

Of the four, honey is by far the most commonly used. It can be found in any grocery store, but added benefits can be procured from the use of local honey, and specifically those that are raw and unfiltered. Local honeys contain all of the local pollens that often plague our sinuses, and using a bit of it everyday can offer a weary body relief from seasonal allergies. Additionally, local honey usually comes in a variety of flavors dependant on the flowers available to the bees, and can add delicate floral or citrus notes to your iced tea. Brown rice syrup and molasses are similar sweeteners, reminiscent of honey in flavor, but slightly nuttier and far thicker. The only disadvantage is in stirring; it may take a minute or so. The results, however, will be well worth it, and in most cases you won’t even break a sweat.

Agave nectar is a fashionable new sweetener to use, and jars of it are beginning to show their faces on grocery shelves across the country. It is an ideal choice for vegans or raw food enthusiasts, as it incorporates neither animal products nor heating during processing. It comes from the agave cactus and has actually been harvested for centuries, yet has gained public acknowledgment only in recent years. “It is also used to make tequila, so it has many wonderful uses,” Manish comments giddily. For iced tea though, this delicate nectar is perfect: it dissolves quickly and easily and adds a perfect layer of sweetness to your glass.

Once you’ve brewed your perfect iced tea and added a small amount of the sweetener that suits you, all that remains undone is the classic wedge of lemon to rim your glass. If you’re feeling zesty, perhaps you’ll add a sprig of mint… but how about cucumbers? Next week, Manish will be opening your eyes and minds: options are limitless for sprucing your iced tea up, and for making it, well, yours. Herbs, spices, fruits, and even vegetables can help to make your glass unforgettable. Tune in next week for ideas!

To listen to episode seven, click here.

It has been an excruciatingly sticky summer, but those of you who have been tuning in to Steeping Around have likely found a bit of relief. Since last week, you all should be able to produce excellent iced tea from the comfort of your kitchen. It may not be so comfortable however; sometimes the last thing we want to do during the summertime is turn on the gas. This week, Manish offers a little relief: three easy and delicious ways to brew iced tea without nearing the stove.

The first method may already have a home in your memories. Pitchers of brilliant copper iced teas have freckled fence tops and rooftops for years, basking in the warmth of summer days. Sun Tea is the most recognizable way to brew tea without equipment or electricity, harnessing the power of the sun to extract flavor and color from tea leaves. Simply place a large glass container full of high quality water and tea in the sunniest area of your property and allow the flavors to mingle for three to six hours. The result is a smooth, delectable iced tea which can be consumed immediately (just pour over ice) or stored in the refrigerator for use later. “I happen to really enjoy sun tea because the subtlety of the flavors is really remarkable,” Manish comments. “They are so much softer, there are very few tannins, and it’s a great quencher in the heat.”

The same can be said for any cold-brew method of brewing iced tea. “One of the common things about making iced tea using cold brew methods is that when you do so, the flavors are always a little bit more on the mellow side. Using hot water really brings out a lot of the oils and tannins in tea, but cold brew methods don’t do that as much. The tea will be a little softer, a little smoother, a little cleaner—and that’s really pleasant when you’re having iced tea.” The Refrigerator Method is no exception. This method resembles Sun Tea, however makes one undeniable distinction: it uses cool temperatures rather than the warmth of the sun. Add about 16 grams of tea to two quarts of water and stir into a pitcher. Place it in your fridge, and go to sleep! This brewing method takes 8-12 hours to complete, so it is not for the impatient. When you wake in the morning, strain the tea leaves from the liquid and enjoy!

But perhaps you only want to enjoy one glass of iced tea, and you don’t want to wait twelve hours to do it. Here is another clever idea- it will still take a small investment of time, but the result is well worth it. Fill a glass completely with ice—brim it! Add about two tablespoons of loose tea (teabags will not work using this method) and wait. Once the ice has melted completely and on its own (no poking it, antsy folk), strain the liquid and enjoy! It will be ice-cold and delicious. “Try this method out – it is really, really different and surprising in terms of its results,” suggests Manish.

In the final segment of Steeping Around, Manish will typically address any questions posed by members of the audience. This week however there was a small snag—no one asked anything. So instead Manish turned to a question pertaining to iced tea that has played throughout time like a broken record in the tea industry: “What causes my iced tea to cloud, and what can I do about it?” Perhaps you’ve experienced this frustration. Clouding in iced tea can occur from any of a number of reasons, but in our experience it usually comes from one of the following three: water quality, strength of brew, and temperature. It cannot be stressed enough that tea ought to be made with high quality, filtered water. The taste of poor quality water will linger in any cup of tea, but in iced teas it will wave a cloudy little flag, as if alerting any potential drinkers of its unfortunate origins. Additionally, iced teas that are brewed with considerable strength have a tendency to cloud. If you enjoy strong, bitter flavors, you may have to come to terms with a bit of fog; otherwise, the simple alternative is to use less tea in your next brew. Finally, freezing temperatures can create some cloud in your cup. If you recall from last week’s episode, Manish advised listeners to use minimal ice in their tea, as it tends to have a numbing effect on taste buds. Heeding this advice will benefit the clarity of your tea as well. If, however, your cup has already gone to cloud, a simple fix is to add a small amount of hot water to your glass.

Now, we know this information is useful. None of you will wonder as you make your iced tea why it is starting to cloud up, and if it does, you will be able to do something about it. May I remind you however that, useful as it is, we develop the content for our other two segments of the show, and want to answer your specific questions for the third! So don’t be shy—we’re only a click away. Send any inquiries to steep@mayatea.com, or look us up on Facebook—we would be honored to friend you.

To listen to episode six, click here.

Last week on Steeping Around, your host recounted the short but colorful history of iced tea and made honorary mention of some of the delicious variations that have become popular in different cultures and regions. Among these were the infamous Southern Sweet Tea, the rich and creamy Thai Iced Tea, and the increasingly available gourmet blends at coffee shops. On behalf of the Maya Tea company, I would like to apologize for leaving your mouth watering.

But never fear—we wouldn’t leave you hanging for too long! In episode five, Manish begins to detail the art of making iced tea at home, so the next time you tune in you can do so with a chilly glass in your hand and a fully satisfied collection of taste buds.

“My favorite way of making iced tea is literally one glass at a time,” he begins. This allows the drinker to sip on whichever flavor of tea they crave on a whim. To do so, you have to make a tea-concentrate of sorts. Begin by heating your water to the appropriate temperature for the type of tea that you intend to use. If you can’t recall the temperature guidelines, refer back to episode three or take a quick look at our blog. Once the water has reached its optimal temperature, add your tea leaves. This is where the recipe differs from the hot tea instructions: you will use twice the amount of tea leaves that you would typically use for a cup of hot tea. Generally, this is about two to three tablespoons per eight ounces of water. Allow these leaves to infuse with the hot water for the same amount of time that you would use for hot tea; meanwhile, grab a tall glass and fill it completely with ice. It is important to brim your glass with ice—once your tea has steeped, you will strain it slowly over the ice, melting it little by little and diluting your tea to the proper concentration. “The end result is an amazing iced tea—it cannot be more fresh, more personalized, with greater clarity—really, it’s a way that you can enjoy virtually any tea that you have iced at a moment’s notice.”

Of course, some of us would prefer to reach into the refrigerator for a large pitcher of pre-made iced tea. If you’re preparing your iced tea in a large batch, use the same techniques that you would employ in making a pot of hot tea over the stovetop, using about two and a half grams of tea for every six ounces of water. There are, however, two special notes to make about icing your resulting tea: one, allow your tea to cool to room temperature before transferring it to your refrigerator. This is a standard safety practice for storing hot foods, and tea is no exception. And secondly, only make enough tea to last for two to three days. As with most food and beverages, tea reacts and changes with time and your brew will remain in prime form for only a few days.

Here’s another easy, hands-free way to brew: your coffeepot. This method is favorable among many consumers, as it is a process that many people practice daily. There are two potential problems with this method however: first, tea needs to remain in contact with hot water for a longer time than coffee grounds, and coffee pots are designed to allow water to quickly pass through the grounds and filter. To lengthen the leaf exposure to water, simply use an additional filter or two for your brew. This will slow the water flow enough to properly brew your tea. The second notable issue is in flavor-mixing. If your coffee pot is used as it is intended, for coffee, it will likely impart some of those roasty flavors into your tea. The only way to avoid this, aside from routine and thorough cleaning, is to invest in a second brew cone for your pot. One would be used strictly for tea, and the other for coffee. If you are able to tend to these issues, brewing in your coffeepot could be the perfect alternative for you.

There are several considerations to keep in mind when making iced tea, no matter the method you choose. First, make sure you use good, filtered water. Your ice cubes should be of the same quality as the water itself, as they will melt and impart their flavors on your finished drink. Second, moderate the amount of ice you use in your glass. Using too much ice can have a numbing effect on taste buds. The third consideration is in storage: tea should be stored in a glass container, rather than plastic or metal. Also, as I mentioned before, only keep your iced tea for two to three days for optimal flavor and clarity. Finally, savor your tea. “While I am encouraging you to use your tea quickly, I’m not encouraging you to gulp it down. If you’ve taken the time to do all these steps, use good water, use good tea, use good ice, savor your glass of iced tea. Drink it slowly. Sip it, enjoy it, and let it do for you what you want: let it chill you out and bring those temperatures down, because right now it’s hot—and nothing soothes like a really, really excellent cup of iced tea.”

Our question of the week came all the way from London. Karen asks: “How do you yanks manage to get through the afternoon without a tea time? If we’re all human beings, how is it that we can’t survive without the daily boost, yet across the pond you hardly touch the stuff?” Ironically, we at Maya Tea are probably the worst people to answer such a question, as we (like Karen) never pass up an afternoon boost. Manish suggests a host of other things that Americans use to raise their energy levels a bit—some go to the gym to get their blood pumping, and others consume alternative beverages: coffee, soda, or energy drinks. “But I’m with you,” Manish affirms, “I believe that if more people took a little tea time at 4:00 the world would be a much better place.”

Indeed it would. While we have been dissecting the ways to properly make tea, let us not forget the purpose of it all: Enjoyment. Relaxation. Peace. So once you’ve made your perfect glass of iced tea, take it to the porch and watch the afternoon slip past the horizon—revel in your tea time. We sure do.

To listen to episode five, click here.

In sweltering Tucson, where the Maya clan has planted their stakes, we are feeling every excruciating second of summer. The average high temperature during the past week was a staggering 106°, and amidst sweaty brows and steaming asphalt we don’t even want to talk about hot tea anymore.

And so Manish doesn’t—in episode four of “Steeping Around,” he turns his attention to iced tea, introducing the first of a frosty four part series. We’re keeping the temperatures a little cooler over the next few episodes, examining every aspect of iced tea: its history, varieties, brewing, serving, and spicing.

“The history of iced tea is actually relatively short,” Manish begins. “Hot tea has been around for several thousand years; the Chinese have been making hot tea for a very, very long time.  But the popularity of iced tea really mirrors the availability of, well, ice.” The first notable mention of iced tea comes from cookbooks published in the mid 1800’s. Many recipes, called “Tea Punch,” featured chilled green tea amongst a few splashes of liquor. These cocktails likely packed the punch that they promised, and grew increasingly popular during and shortly following the time of US prohibition.

While housewives were chilling tea for nearly a century prior, the invention of iced tea is often mistakenly accredited to a man named Richard Blechynden who served it to the masses at the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis. According to the story, Blechynden’s free samples of hot Indian tea were a massive failure, as St. Louis was experiencing a summer much like the one that now plagues Tucson. In a fleeting attempt to reach the passersby of his booth, he tried something new: he ran the hot tea through frozen metal pipes, thus chilling it. By day’s end, he had served his final lingering samples of tea to a very cool and content crowd. “That golden brew was very much appreciated… and that’s the moment at which we notice iced tea’s popularity really take off.”

It’s popularity has continued to grow exponentially, particularly since the introduction of refrigerators to the average household. Today, over 85% of tea consumed within the US is iced. This includes bottled and packaged iced teas, available in most grocery and convenience stores. The large variety of shelf-ready teas vary greatly in quality and taste, and Manish offers his suggestions for those listeners looking for a more authentic product: most bottled teas use poor quality leaves and are very highly sugared, but two brands, HonestTea and ItoEn, are worth a second look. Brands such as these, which offer little or no sweetening and specify the variety of tea leaf used, like darjeelings or senchas, offer great promise.

In addition to the bottled and powdered iced teas, much of the tea consumed in this country is sipped at restaurants and is often a simple, unsweetened variety of iced tea. Certain regions however stand firm in their variations; in the South, for instance, you would be hard pressed to find a glass of iced tea that hadn’t been heavily sweetened. Southerners so love their “sweet tea” that on April Fool’s Day in 2003, the Georgia state legislature passed a tongue-in-cheek bill that made it a misdemeanor to fail to offer sweet tea in any restaurant.  Other variations on iced tea have begun to dot the surface of consumption as well, as coffeehouses are beginning to stretch into new markets and develop specialty menu offerings. It is not uncommon to find delicate varieties of jasmine teas, oolongs, and fine grade green teas adorning the average hanging chalkboard. “This is a trend that I hope will continue,” Manish muses.

Nevertheless, we shouldn’t depend on coffeehouses, restaurants, or bottling plants to give us the chilly strength needed to drift through our summer days. Next week, Manish will unveil the tricks of making an exceptional cup of iced tea from home. Avoid the furnace of your car, the blistering walk across a parking lot, and the dizzying line in front of the hot coffee counter—rejuvenation awaits you, in your refrigerator.

Until then, stay cool! To listen to this week’s episode, click here.

It is not uncommon for a member of Maya Tea to be dubbed a “tea snob.” While the phrase, in its inclusion of the word snob, carries a negative connotation, it is not a label that we shy away from. Being a tea snob means that we understand the qualities and characteristics of a good cup of tea, and that we strive to ensure that every cup we enjoy embodies those things. In Steeping Around, our hope is that a bit of our snobbery rubs off on you. Every tea drinker, in our opinion, ought to sip on silky, smooth, sensational tea. With this in mind, “we’re going to go on our soapbox a little bit,” warns Manish Shah as he introduces his final tips for making an excellent cup of tea.

In his second episode, Manish emphasized the importance of water quality and proper portioning of water to tea leaves. This week, it’s all about “turning up the heat!” Manish focuses his tips on actual brewing techniques: heating water, required temperatures, and suggested steep times. And here’s where the so-called snobbery begins to peek out—microwaves are highly frowned upon as a method of heating your water.

For starters, it is very difficult to control the temperature of water heated in a microwave. Due to their unique heating process, it is very easy for water to quickly reach a temperature far too hot for tea. If, however, you do manage to get a cup of water to reach the right temperature, you are faced with another problem: once a cup is removed from the microwave, the temperature lowers at a rate significantly faster than that of water boiled stovetop. That’s not all—high levels of oxygen escape from microwaved water, leaving the resulting liquid a bit flat-tasting. It can also be unsafe…

We could go on and on.

On the contrary, heating your water over a stovetop is both easy and effective. For those of you who are beginning already to sputter about convenience, remember this: heating an equivalent amount of water over a stove takes only a few minutes longer than in a microwave. Those few minutes, in turn, add unique ceremonial value to your tea-making process. Amidst the hustle-bustle of day to day life, Manish advises his listeners: “We want you to enjoy your cup of tea. Enjoy the ceremony. Slow your day down a bit. Go ahead and heat your water… Give yourself a little time to tend to the water that will create that great cup of tea for you.”

And now, the nitty-gritty: different varieties of tea require different water temperatures and steep times to produce an optimal cup. For simplification, Manish divides tea varieties into five main categories: herbals, black teas, oolong teas, green teas, and white teas. As we go down the list, in this order, the temperature and steep time decrease.

For herbal varieties, which I will briefly mention are not in fact tea (but we will go into that later), you should use boiling hot water. Once the water has reached a rolling boil, remove it from heat and add your leaves. Allow them to steep for three to six minutes, depending on your strength preferences. Black teas should be prepared in the same manner. Oolongs should be brewed with bubbling water, not quite at boiling point. This usually occurs from 180-190°F. Allow the leaves to steep for two to three minutes. For green teas, heat your water to about 170-180°. You will see small bubbles starting to rise, one by one, on the sides of your pan. Steep for one to two minutes. Finally, for white teas, which are very delicate and should in turn be brewed delicately, use water that is only steaming. This will occur at about 150-160°, and you will begin to see small bubbles forming on the sides of your pot. Steep for only a minute.

If you are using a tea kettle, don’t worry—we haven’t forgotten about you. Place the kettle on your stove and walk away, as you normally would. Wait for the whistle, return, and remove your kettle from heat. If you are brewing an herbal blend or a black tea, go ahead and add your leaves. For oolongs, wait two minutes. By that time, the water will have reached an appropriate temperature. For green teas wait three minutes, and for whites, wait four. The same steeping times will apply no matter your method of heating.

Once you have allowed your tea leaves to steep for the correct amount of time, strain the liquid from them and into cups. Savor your sips—even the tea you have enjoyed countless times before will taste different, better. But don’t discard those soggy leaves just yet—you can use the same set of leaves for a second and even a third infusion. Manish details the art of multiple infusions during the Question of the Week segment of the show. To discover how exactly to pull flavor from your leaves time and time again, have a listen! And to all you future tea-snobs: Welcome. It’s nice on this side of the fence.

Click here to listen to the third episode of Steeping Around.

In order to gain a proper appreciation for the wonderful beverage that is tea, one must first have tasted an excellent cup. Unfortunately, most drinkers are unaware of the fine details that affect your infusion, and as such have sipped on teas that are bitter, sour, or simply unappealing. We aim to change this—and for this reason Manish Shah has devoted the first episodes of Steeping Around to the art of making an exquisite cup of tea.

“Surprisingly, the first tip that I give to most people about making tea has nothing to do with tea or the leaf itself,” Manish begins. Ninety-nine percent of any cup of tea is actually water, so it follows that water quality is of extreme importance. “It simply does not matter how expensive your tea or preparation vessel is, if your water is of poor quality, your tea will be of poor quality.” The ancient Chinese adopted very stringent guidelines regarding water used for tea. They required water taken from mountain streams caused by melting snow, and additionally that the water be collected from the center of the rushing stream rather than from the slower-moving banks. Today, very few of us have access to these pristine mountain streams, let alone the time or inclination to visit them before brewing our morning drinks, so how ought we determine the quality of our water from home?
Perhaps the easiest way to ensure your standards of water is to purchase it bottled. If you choose this tactic, beware: distilled water and even water processed by reverse osmosis will not optimize the flavor of your tea. Some mineral content is actually a good thing, as it balances and compliments the flavor of the leaf. Rather than seeking out the purest water available, look for natural spring or glacier water.

Now, while minerals are a crucial ingredient in your water, many of those present in average tap water will prove enemies. If you use your water at home, make sure that it is filtered. If it is filtered, make sure that you actually change your filter in some routine fashion. Here is the general rule of thumb: if your water tastes good to you at room temperature, your tea will taste good.

In addition to making sure that your water is of the right caliber, you must also determine that you are using the proper proportion of water to tea. In general, it takes about two to two and a half grams of tea for every cup of water. An important distinction: we are talking about an actual cup, six ounces, not the cup that you pull from your cabinet. “I challenge any of you to take the mug that you use to make tea and find out how much water it actually holds,” Manish advises listeners. It is common, especially in the United States, for tea and coffee mugs to hold anywhere from twelve to twenty ounces of water. Two grams of tea, or its teabag equivalent, will leave you with a thin, tasteless cup.

“But how do I know what two to two and a half grams of loose tea looks like?” you may be wondering. Not to worry—this is precisely the question that Manish answers during the ‘Question of the Week’ segment of the show. Two methods are suggested, each manageable from the comfort of your home kitchen, and neither involving complex scales, rulers, or immense effort. Press some tea leaves into the palm of your hand. For most varieties, you are seeking about enough to fill a half-dollar sized circle. For larger leaf varieties such as white teas, chamomile or peppermint, a slightly larger circle or a rounded top will do. Second, close your eyes. Place a penny into the palm of one hand and a small amount of tea into the other. When your hand with tea feels of close weight to the other, you have about two and a half grams of tea.

These are two of the most important aspects concerning the making of quality tea. Next week, tune in for two more. By the end of the next episode, your traditional morning cup of tea will never taste the same again. And that, my friends, is a good thing.

To listen to episode 2, click here.

During the month of May, as the tea business began to stretch and settle into its lethargic summer state, the telephone rang with an exciting new prospect: an online radio show, revolving entirely around tea. “We were approached by the Food Radio Network, and they had heard that I was a guy who knew a little bit about the tea industry… apparently they also figured out that I like to talk, probably a little more than I should,” Manish begins. Such was the start of our first episode, entitled “Warming the Kettle,” in which Manish verbally did just that- prepped the audience for the coming talk of tea.

Why devote a radio show to this one, simple beverage? Is there really enough to be said about tea? This was Manish’s first instinct, but upon a bit of thought and brainstorming the answer came as an astounding yes—frankly, there are many misconceptions and misunderstanding about the drink, and it would be our goal to shed them, one by one, and allow listeners to experience the simple joy that tea drinkers often take for granted. The tagline for the show, “Taking Back Teatime,” holds true. We do not expect listeners to settle in with fine china and bite-sized treats for a classy listen, nor do we hope for a ceremonial, spiritual listen. We are taking tea back to the basics—leaves, hot water, a cup, and most importantly, you—the person who will enjoy it.

So in order to “warm our kettle,” so to speak, Manish devoted the inaugural episode to introductions, as is customary. He slowly unravels a tale of his personal history, from New York to Tucson, from a degree in psychology to a career in marketing, and from Maya Tea’s humble one-product beginnings to the all-encompassing tea company that we have become. “The tea industry has changed a lot in the past ten years. When I first started out, everything was sort of standard—English Breakfast, Earl Grey—the variety and the creativity was just starting to blossom,” Manish reminisces. Now, the industry thrives on vibrant, varietal flavors and artistic blends, which he likens to the wine market. “When you try to choose a wine and you look along the shelves, there are numerous choices, all kinds of wine: whites, reds, different countries, different grapes, different years and appellations, and it goes on and on… but at the grocery store, you think ‘I just want a bottle of good wine’.” Manish intends to simplify the dense market that tea has become for his listeners. When it comes down to it, the ultimate purpose is enjoyment, and everyone deserves to enjoy an excellent cup of tea.

On that note, in the final segment of our first episode Manish turns his attention to tea itself as he answers the first question from the audience. Prior to the recording of the episode, we had asked our Facebook followers to provide us with a tea-related question which we could answer. For over a week, we had not one response. Manish began to sort through his memories for the more frequent questions that he has answered over the years, and at last he had settled on one: How ought a traditional coffee drinker transition to tea? Then, lo and behold, the following morning a question appeared on our Facebook page, written as follows: “If you were trying to change from being primarily a coffee drinker to drinking more tea, what teas would you recommend and what preparation methods?” The irony was not lost on us. And fatefully so, Manish answered the question. You will all have to give an ear, however, to uncover his answer.

Welcome to our radio show, and welcome as well to the first of a series of blogs recapping it. We look forward to “Steeping Around” with you.

To listen to “Warming the Kettle,” click here.

For the grateful person, there are millions of things to be thankful for every day. Fortunately the authorities that be (though we aren’t sure exactly who they are) have sorted out all the many things that have blessed our lives so that we may take note of them one at a time. They are organized by date, and there are many that have passed recently that you may not have been aware of.

For example, did you celebrate National Star Wars Day at the beginning of this month? Or, how about National Poetry Day on April 28th?  Then, who could’ve possibly forgotten National Pancake Day on February 23rd?  One of our favorites, and yours too, I hope, is coming up soon—and this holiday is so grand that it warrants a whole month of celebration. That’s right, June is National Iced Tea Month! Get your tall glasses and frosty cubes ready, because we will be pouring over this all month long!

Why celebrate iced tea, you ask? For the same reasons we celebrate Star Wars and Pancakes – they are just plain good. So it is with iced tea, and particularly during the month of June, when the chilled glass sweats almost as much as we do. Nothing better accompanies the summer heat; the cool, crisp liquid brings our body temperatures down and the slap of caffeine helps us the muster the energy to master our summer chores.

There are varied ways to make and enjoy the drink, and most people stand bitterly behind their methods as they would their religious or political views. If you’re from the South, you probably wouldn’t think about making tea without an equal part sugar. If the stirring spoon doesn’t stand up for at least two seconds, keep adding to the batch! If you’ve lived in Arizona for some time, you’re likely partial to vats of iced tea brewed in the sun all morning long. You probably also use about ten large teabags per jar of water. I forgive you for the teabags. That said, we can move on.

For the month of June, let’s celebrate by stepping outside of the box and dissolving the walls that divide us tea-lovers. It’s easier to be creative with iced tea than you might expect, and more importantly, it’s fun. And with a whole month to experiment, you can find innumerable ways to enjoy one of America’s favorite drinks. Let me get you started with a few ideas:

1. Think green grass and white balls. That’s right, I’m talking about the classic Arnold Palmer. For those of you who don’t know, this is simply equal parts black tea and lemonade poured over ice. Why not have the best of both worlds?
2. The English had it right—don’t be afraid to add milk to your tea! But, try it this way: Brew your black tea really strong, add sugar, and pour it into a tall glass full of ice, about 2/3 full. Top it off with a layer of evaporated whole milk. This is called a “Thai Iced Tea.” Between the strength of the tea and the sweetness of the sugar and cream, you won’t need more than one!
3. Add stuff to the mix! Whoever said iced tea had to be just tea leaves, water, sugar, and lemon? Add anything you want—try fresh basil or mint from the garden. Shave ginger root into the pitcher for a hint of spice. Muddle some fresh berries and add them to the mix! You don’t even have to use tea—many herbs can be prepared in the same manner (think hibiscus). Try using yerba mate, lemongrass, or mint in its place.
4. Spike it. Don’t be afraid. In fact, the first glasses of iced tea enjoyed in America were accompanied by liquor, and were called “punch.” This dates back to the early 1800’s, and the drinks were popularized about a century later during the prohibition.  Talk about making tea more fun! Try any variety of flavored vodkas, the tea of your choice, and a squeeze of lemon, all over ice of course. You’ll forget that it’s summer.
5. One final tip for June: Take any of the above ideas, mix a large pitcher of the beverage, and pour it into ice cube or popsicle trays for the freezer. You can even layer flavors for varied effects. For you heavy-handed folk, go a little light on the vodka if you intend it to freeze. Use these cubes to ice other drinks, or enjoy them alone. Who ever said popsicles were just for kids?

The whole point is enjoyment, which is why we drink iced tea in the first place, and why it is worth celebrating. So, have a bit of fun. Get your lawn chair out, grab your iPad or your favorite magazine, push a pair of sunglasses onto your nose and pour yourself a cold one; it doesn’t really matter how it’s prepared. Chill out, with Maya Tea!

During this time of year, most of us find ourselves so frazzled to find ways of expressing our thankfulness and love for others that we often forget to reflect upon what it is that we are really thankful for.  In this brief intermission of seasons, before holiday orders start flooding in and before our employees begin to gain grey by the minute, we wanted to take a moment to sit with our thoughts and reflect upon what it is that we are thankful for.  It is no short list.

First, foremost and always, we would like to thank you - our customers. You make it all happen for us. You push us to our best performance, encourage us to stay current and innovative with our tea blends and bless us with your patronage. While we truly love tea, it is you that we are passionate about. It brings us immeasurable joy to watch a new business establish roots, to see the small café thriving alongside major corporations, and to receive word that our efforts and products make a difference. Thank you for allowing us into your lives!

In this time of economic hardship, we are truly honored and thankful to be here. We are grateful to have joined hands with new customers and thankful for the years that we have shared with old. We are overjoyed to have been able to integrate three new members into our team over the past year, now totaling nine. We are blessed by all that they bring to the table and are privileged to be able to contribute to their lives as well. Welcome Kelly, Lupita and Tere!

We strive always to remember our thanks for each and every day, and to allow it to shine through in the work that we do and our connections with others. Each moment is a gift and having people to share it with an honor. Thank you for sharing in our lives, and may you have a wonderful Thanksgiving and holiday season!

With love, from the Maya Tea Company

While we all have grown to love manufactured scents like Clinique’s “Happy” or Chanel “No. 5”, who can deny that the scents that we crave the most are of the earth? After an afternoon’s work in the garden, when I am blanketed from head to toe in a thick, damp layer of my surroundings, I am reluctant to wash the potting soil from my arms. Something about the delicate, moist mixture of manure and dirt soothes my mind and enriches my senses. Every time I sense the coming of rain I step outside and breathe in slowly, deeply, filling my lungs and spirit with the sky’s perfume. For years I have longed for the commercial bottling of such scents. We all like our perfumes; when I mist my wrist I can confidently grace public knowing that I smell good, but I never take in those scents like I do the rain. If I smelled that good, I’d never get anything done. I would remain in my bathroom permanently, nose to wrist, eyes closed, in a permanent state of ecstasy.

We may never find these godly scents in a bottle, but you can find them in a cup. Ancient and mysterious, Puer tea embodies some of the most pleasurable scents known to man: Soil. Earth. Clay. Must. The flavor mimics its robust scent- smooth, earthy, and non-offensive. Manish Shah, owner of Maya Tea Company, once described Puer’s unique flavor profile as follows: “It’s like a thick stack of National Geographics stored away in an attic for ten years…”. This description was given to a potential client, and my jaw hung open as I sat next to him sputtering desperately that Puer “is not that bad” and assuring the customer of its worthiness.

While perhaps not the most flattering of descriptions, Manish pegged one of the most important aspects of Puer – age. Puer is indeed stacked and set aside for years, often inside a clay pot contributing to its natural aroma. The tea leaves are stored while slightly damp, allowing for a natural fermentation process that continues slowly as the tea ages. For that reason, Puer is the only variety of tea that gains value as it gains years – while other teas grow stale with time and are arid after only a few short years, most Puer is not consumed until it reaches its tenth year and as it gains considerable years its value grows exponentially. Often, pressed Puer cakes that have been preserved for over a century fetch a retail price of over $13,000.

As you might imagine, there are hoards of consumers that make their Puer selections by vintage, snubbing low-cost varieties for those that are most valuable. Differences in flavor are distinctive between varieties, and I encourage people to choose their tea with a blind eye for the price tag. On several occasions I have prepared high grade Puers and have found myself disappointed with the resulting infusion; I much prefer the fuller flavor of the loose variety, which also proves a better friend to my wallet.

Why Puer? Taste, first and foremost. Value, for those of you who are a collective type. Lastly and always most importantly, for good health. All teas have been proven to lower cholesterol, blood sugar, blood pressure and the risk of cancer while boosting metabolism and bone density. As a variety of tea, Puer offers all of the aforementioned characteristics, yet due to its unique processing it carries a few extra tricks up its sleeve. Studies within China, France and Japan have shown Puer to aid in the detoxification of the liver, prevent intestinal infection, and aid in digestion. Often the crew of Maya Tea frequents local food establishments during lunch together, and when we return after an hour of gorging, shuffling through the front door with limbs dragging behind and settling down heavily into our seats, we turn to Puer as our savior. The fermented leaves help our overstuffed bellies to process quickly and effectively, the caffeine allowing our sluggish minds to settle into work.

As a whole, our company relies heavily on Puer as the cure for the self-inflicted “food coma”, as a gateway to our alert and active minds, and as a soothing and soulful way to connect to the earth around us. Puer has never disappointed us. So the next time the scent of precipitation is carried in the breeze or you retire from hours spent in glorious mud, have indulged too much during mealtime or are sitting down with a National Geographic, settle in with a cup of Puer. You will be pleasantly surprised.