Why a tea journal? It makes it so easy to refer back to your favorite teas, remind you where you bought them, and give you ideas for gifting tea-loving friends or family. Yes, you could use Excel or any other spreadsheet software to keep your tasting notes. But doesn’t that defeats the charm, and intimacy, of the tea experience?

One of the fascinations about true tea, that precious leaf of the Camellia sinensis, is its ability to relax the body, energize the spirit, and sharpen mind. What shall you apply all that energy to? The practice of meditation? A hike in the woods? The demands on your mental energy tackling the problems of work or volunteering? Dancing the night away?

A truth universally held by tea drinkers is that a great cup of tea is made even more wonderful when shared with others, encouraging you to get together with one or more friends and bond over a fresh cup. Why not, instead of just an afternoon tea, devote an entire day to tea? In this TeaMuse article, you'll find a few suggestions on how to share and celebrate your love of tea with a “Tea Day” celebration.

March is upon us! The shortest, yet obviously worst month of the year, is now over. Seriously, who ACTUALLY likes February? Fortunately, March is upon us now, which brings with it a plethora of goodness. The “almost there but not quite yet” month, where winter is being slowly eradicated and spring is almost within reach. Exercise routines, eating habits, recreational activities, and even the tea we drink begins to change.

Natasha pairs another yoga pose (The Boat Pose) with a delicious tea pairing suggestion (White Silver Needle) for a sublimely zen experience.

This is a job for TeaJay Gyoku-Roshi, master DJ sommelier. Last January he brought back the sun, so now let him soothe your slumber, with beats for the best rest this side of the Mississippi. All these pairings are caffeine-free, and you may go through the whole track, or do it tea by tea, song by song on repeat, depending on your goals for maximum sleep effect.

One of the top five most common New Year’s Resolutions is to spend more time with family and friends. If that’s one of your resolutions this year, we’ve got a secret weapon to help you stay on track: Tea!

The holidays are laden with booby traps and potentially hazardous encounters. However, before panic sets and you start scanning Craigslist for under-the-table therapy, the answer to your anxiety is right in the kitchen. Look beyond the steaming pots and pans to your spice cabinet, and make sure that you have these essentials on hand...

Small and sample tea tins are adorable, convenient, and perfectly travel sized, which sometimes makes them too hard to part with. Why not be productive and transform your tins into a new and useful homemade treats? Many found materials or inexpensive items at a your local supply shop can be utilized to upcycle your tins.

Baking with tea as an ingredient offers the adventurer in us a detour from the ordinary or expected. The combinations are endless. Think of teas as a spice, or a form of umami, to amp up the other flavors or and spices used in your desserts.

The holidays have arrived and whether you are celebrating with a group, or just a couple of friends, it’s time to break out that cocktail shaker! Adding tea to your cocktails will give them a unique and memorable twist.

Natasha Nesic walks us through a light backbend, paired with a robust tea.

Want to have a spooky-scary fun time for grown ups this Halloween? It's easy! Heather Edwards walks us through decor, making a pumpkin serving bowl, and whipping up an easy blood-red herbal tea-based Ghoul's Punch!

Kristen McQuinn, a contributing author for BookRiot, discusses some of her favorite book-related Adagio Tea blends--ranging from classics like Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter to two blends inspired by recent YA fiction.

Water quality can be affected by many factors. Here's an easy guide for ensuring you use the highest-quality, best-tasting water to brew your tea!

With school out, kids can certainly get restless. Here's some tips for no/low-tech summertime activities that can keep them occupied--involving tea!

A summary of the historical and medicinal uses (as well as flavor notes) of chrysanthemum, rose, and jasmine teas.

Making the perfect cup of tea isn't hard. Knowing the water capacity of your cup and accurately measuring your tea leaves takes out a lot of the guesswork.

Midwinter Blues. Doldrums. Seasonal Affective Disorder. Whatever you want to call it, there’s a proven link between our mood and the sudden drop in sunshine over the course of the season.

Much like getting a puppy, the decision to bring a tea cozy into your home is a serious matter that requires careful consideration. It's a commitment. You have to be prepared. Consult with all members of the household in order to ensure that everyone is ready and willing to share their home with an unfamiliar occupant.

You can’t get anything for a dollar these days—even if you went to the local 99-cent joint, there’s still tax and markup and next thing you know, you’re out three bucks when you only meant to spend one, and those extra two were supposed to buy you a cup of tea this week. Or breakfast. Or deodorant. The answer: bulk tea.

Looking for a quick DIY costume idea? Got tea? Look no further - we'll help you zombify!

Two or three teas can make a delightful palate pleaser and scenting teas with your favorite fruits, spices, or herbs makes a creative way to enjoy tea, and a spectacular gift idea.

Are you still looking for more ways to include tea in your Halloween celebrations this year? Keep wondering - we'll keep churning out ideas!

I don’t care what kind of hole you’re in this Halloween. Even if you’re by your onesie, there’s still room to throw a Halloween party. All you need is a playlist.

There’s got to be a better way of taking a break from life, sans-procrastination. Or at least better use of that procrastinated time. How about making tea?

Every year, for the last 10 years, consumption of soda has decreased and been supplanted by tea, especially among men. One influential reason is health. Tea of all types help reduce blood pressure and fight heart disease, the number one killer of men.

Before the influx of Camellia sinensis in the 1600s, Europe's specialty was herbal drinks. As one might imagine, the development of plant-based medicine during the Roman Empire led to some tasty discoveries that now populate every kafana menu...

In the sweltering summer of 1904, hot tea vendors at the St. Louis World's Fair were desperate to sell their brews, but nobody wanted a hot drink on an even hotter day. One clever man (the dispute continues about who it was) poured his tea over ice and, voila!, a classic American tea drink was born.

As more and more of us submit to the everyday time crunch, RTD--or "ready-to-drink"--iced tea becomes the go-to solution. Cheap and fast, it's a neat container of caffeine and L-theanine that you can tug around the office, or whichever tight space you're crammed into today.

Every Mother's Day is an opportunity to celebrate the special women around you who have improved and enriched your life throughout the years. These "influencers" may or may not be related to you, but they're definitely part of the family of special people who have nurtured you. And that's more than enough reason to honor them on Mother's Day.

I guessed tea tasted alright, though I didn't have much exposure outside of my mom's boiled eucalyptus leaves with honey. She made it when I was sick, and I didn't hate it. During the cold winter months in college I often snuck generic teabags out of the dining hall. I wanted something to keep me warm, and was never much of a coffee drinker. But the dull flavors of my free tea left much to be desired.

During the 17th and early 18th centuries, English and American wooden tea chests were designed with lock and key because both tea and sugar were luxuries like gold or sterling. Today, teas are modest to expensive yet sugar is ubiquitous and cheap whether made from sugar cane or sugar beets.

Legend has it that this first happened when the moon fell in love with a comet. As comets typically do, it passed by and disappeared. Heartbroken, the moon cried big milky tears over the tea gardens, which chilled the leaves and gave them a creamy flavor.

The greatest challenge for tea enthusiasts who celebrate Passover is to figure out how to make desserts without leavening. For those who celebrate Easter, a new dilemma has occurred: increasing numbers of people do not consume gluten. What's a gracious host to do?

Gifts for family, friends, colleagues and those who make our lives easier all year long are part of the delight of this holiday season. Naturally, we think Adagio teas are the ideal gift, so we invite you to explore all our wonderful gift items, tea ware and teas. Here are some packaging ideas that are as unique as you are, with a definitive nod to the world of tea.

Adagio Teas is having a FIFA World Cup Contest. You can win a $20 gift certificate weekly and a $100 gift certificate grand prize.

You don't need to be clergy to be thankful for tea, as Rev. Smith's sentiments ring true even for the most dedicated atheist. This year, and every year, we at Adagio are thankful to YOU for our continued success.

Learn more about tea options for youngsters, including fruit and herbal tisanes that the whole family can enjoy.

Master blender, tea lover, Oncer, and PhD student Anthony Sementilli tells his own Adagio fairy tale to TeaMuse. Sit down and become part of Anthony's amazing story of adventure, friendship, fandom, and- of course- tea!

Twenty-five years ago, if anyone mentioned "red tea", it meant only one thing: black tea from mainland China that shows a red infusion in the cup. Here's a quick and handy explanation of what the term "red tea" actually means - and to whom.

Manhattan had no idea it was a Monday. Sunshine sprawled through the city like hipsters at another Occupy movement. I ducked out of the overzealous sun and into Midtown Comics. It was cozy and all too convenient, just an avenue away from Grand Central Terminal...

I press down on the hot water button in the nearly empty office kitchen to get a quick fix before my next meeting when I hear my name being called. "Epiphany, is this any good?" a coworker asks, holding up a box of tea that bears a brand name I have never seen before. I'm flattered.

Spring cleaning isn't just for ridding yourself of never-worn clothes or book overload or all the objects we collect, wear out, tire of. It's also the time to look through the tea cupboard to prepare it for new selections from the vital spring season of newly-plucked fresh teas.

No foolin' readers, Earth Day is serious fun and, we think, should be celebrated every day. We're delighted there's a national push for Earth Day to honor our planet, protect our resources and learn how to use (and reuse) natural products.

For Saint Patrick's Day, an official feast day, many people turn to green beer, green bagels or even green milk shakes. Rather than see how much green food coloring we can consume, how about luxuriating with a good pot of Irish Breakfast Tea?

The creative minds at Adagio have developed what may very well be the ultimate gift of love, the exclusive, exotic, exciting collection called Love Petals. It's a set of three beautifully-blended teas that will surely please your sweetheart (and everyone else you love!) Love Petals loose leaf teas and pyramid teabags each are packaged in gorgeous, reusable tins, so no rushing around for gift boxes, wrapping and ribbons.

February is the month of love, home to the most romantic holiday of the year, Valentine's Day. However, it's also a month of hope, with Ground Hog's Day providing many of us- especially those who live in the northern climates- a time to think forward and anticipate all the color and beauty of early spring blossoms, shortly followed by summer gardens.

Sue and Esther’s Tea Room is exceptional in many ways, but perhaps its most remarkable feature is how it stands apart from the Christmas-themed town it resides in, where wintery scenes and holiday decorations are displayed every day of the year.

One of the most cherished memories for many of us is remembering how we were read to, be it bedtime stories, ghost stories around a campfire or in a library or schoolroom. Stories can enchant and delight, inform and instruct, make us laugh or cry. That's why books are perfect gifts, timeless and enduring.

Who hasn't thought to save more money, lose those pesky pounds, eat better and exercise? We don't need to repeat these oft posted - and usually broken- resolutions. Instead, we've come up with 12 resolutions, one for each month, which are easy or fun or inexpensive and, best of all, really make a difference for you and everyone around you.

Each fall, not only do Christmas decorations seem to appear around Labor Day, so do a plethora of fantastic pumpkin coffee drinks and, I admit, I really enjoy them. What I don't enjoy, however, is knowing that they're full of sugar, artificial ingredients and, most of all, hundreds of calories.

It's autumn, and that means it will soon be time to create a costume, host a Halloween party and create yummy treats for trick-or-treat guests. However you spend this year's All Hallows' Eve, here are two recipes to try at home. They're easy, delicious and pair fantastically with tea.

You don't have to be a warlock or witch to scare up some great beverages for Halloween or other fall celebrations. Either of these could calm the nerves of any ghost-fearing guest...or you!

Whether you're sending your child off to college for the first time, or preparing for the classroom or office yourself, a little preparation and some tea can make study or work easier and much more enjoyable.

A summertime tea stand is a great learning experience and a lot of fun, as both children and teens can learn business skills like how to create a product, sell it, and figure out what to do with the profits! This business model can be replicated many times in the future, and is great for those eight-years-old and older.

Cold brewing overcomes many inconveniences associated with traditional steeping and makes green tea more accessible to everyone. Cold brewing by steeping leaves in the refrigerator overnight is a popular, energy-efficient, foolproof way to produce iced tea. During those hot summer months, who wants to steam up the kitchen by boiling water?

Chai simply radiates the sensations of autumn, with its warming spices and hearty black tea. Appreciate the flavors of chai and learn a little about its origin.

We hope your dad loves tea as much as you do. Some men erroneously think that tea is not a "manly drink." To prove those naysayers wrong, there are wonderful books on historic clipper ships, tea fables and lore or on Asian and European tea collectibles and tea art. And if your dad is already a tea lover, who wouldn't want a selection of his favorite teas or an elegant Yixing pot all to himself?

Graduation looms for students of all kinds. Diana Rosen suggests some gifts for the recent grads in your life.

June is prime time for weddings (and we at Adagio extend our sincere congratulations to all new and impending brides and grooms). Tea has historically played a role in weddings in parts of Asia, but there are also contemporary ways that tea is incorporated into wedding festivities.

Ever since President Woodrow Wilson signed the proclamation in 1914 making the second Sunday in May a time to honor all mothers, we've been using telegram offices, telephone companies, email servers, and the good old U.S. Post Office to send messages of love and affection to dear Mom. Read about Adagio's Mother's Day gift set and a recipe to share with her.

Casual tea drinkers may not realize that tea is only harvested at certain times of the year. Learn more about when teas are harvested and the unique flavors from harvests in different seasons.

The clocks have sprung forward, Spring Equinox has passed, and the two seminal holidays of the season will soon be upon us: Passover, April 6-13 and Easter, April 8. Enjoy some recipes that incorporate tea in your celebrations!

Whether you need more caffeine in your life, or are looking for less stimulating options, there's sure to be a tea for you. Learn a little more about caffeine in teas and tisanes this month!

"It's the thought that counts" is the old adage, but a gift is even better if the giver considers the needs and tastes of its recipient. Adagio Tea Consultant Lainie Petersen shares a few tips for thinking about the tea gift or gifts that you'd like to get for friends and family this year.

A lot of resolutions also tend to be focused on things not to do anymore. While it’s always worth making changes in your life, why not focus on things you want to do more of? Like drink more tea!

Champagne isn't the only beverage used to ring in the New Year! Read about ways to incorporate tea into your yearly celebration and share in the New Year's traditions of other cultures.

Nothing charms more than a gift basket of delectable teas and accessories for the holidays. It's a delightful way to thank a hostess for a festive meal, a more welcome gift than another tie or set of body lotions, and it can even be very kind to the budget.

Tired of the traditional punch or eggnog for holiday celebrations? Try these new ideas for adding favorite alcoholic beverages to the teas you adore. They're easy to make, delicious to taste and your family and friends will love your innovative take on entertaining.

Ever wondered why tea tastes so wonderful? Diana Rosen explores the chemistry of your favorite drink. From black to green to oolong, she's got the science behind the steep!

With the holidays approaching, many of us will be trekking across land or sea to visit our loved ones. Travel can be fun, but it’s often hard to leave the comforts of home—especially your tea cupboard! Here are some ideas to make a good cuppa while on the road this holiday season.

Cool, crisp air, the changing of the leaves from bright green to beautiful red, orange, and yellow - fall has arrived! Autumn opens up a new palate of flavors to enjoy in the chilly weather. Think warming, cozy flavors like pumpkin and cinnamon. Here are some new ways to start hot tea season off right!

I think tea parties lay a great tea foundation on which kids can build the knowledge of how to properly prepare, appreciate, and share tea. Not only are they a creative outlet for a child’s imagination, but they introduce some of the basics of good tea preparation (not to mention some manners and etiquette).

Spring is near. It's almost time to trade snow and ice for flowers and sunshine, aaaannnnnddd get out your broom and do a little spring-cleaning. Oh yeah. Spring-cleaning. Ugh. I propose we start easy this year. Instead of chasing dust bunnies from beneath our beds, let's tackle our tea stashes! I don't know about yours, but mine gets a little out of hand over the course of the year and needs an annual purge to keep it under control.

Valentine's Day approaches. Surely you have been wracking your brain about what you should get your main squeeze, but while you conjure ways to be sweet to your sweetie, have you considered ways to be sweet to your tea?

Happy Valentine's Day to my eternal Valentine! I thought there no better a way to celebrate the most loving of holidays than to recount my feelings for one of my nearest and dearest friends.

If you are even a casual tea drinker, odds are you have heard of Rooibos (pronounced roy-boss) tea. Over the past few years, Rooibos tea has been gaining in popularity as a unique and caffeine-free alternative to traditional teas. If you’re a serious or adventurous tea drinker, you probably have first-hand experience drinking this rich, red tea. But, Serious/Adventurous Tea Drinker, did you know there is green Rooibos tea? Yeah, to be honest, neither did I. But there is! And it's coming soon to Adagio Teas!

Welcome to the new year! Last year, Tiffany Picard gave us all suggestions of how to use tea as our guide when committing to some of the most popular New Year's resolutions. Regardless of how well you might have done last year, at least one of those resolutions is probably back on your list this year. They say that people abandon their resolutions when they're too broad, so I suggest we take another crack at 2010's by making them a little more specific for 2011.

Is tea finally poised to become the beverage of choice for Americans, a people who have long been enamored with the charms of that other hot drink? Well, hold the phone a minute, let's not get carried away. At least not yet. We can safely say, however, that 2010 was another great year for tea. One could even make the argument that for fans of high-quality loose-leaf tea, the past year was one of the best ever.

It's that time of year again! Time for holiday shopping. This is generally a fun thing to do, if you already know what to get everyone. If you're like 99.99% of the population, however, you could probably use some ideas. If you have a tea lover on your list and you know little about tea yourself, then you can definitely use some ideas.

Which hot beverage would be most appropriate for old Saint Nick? What to offer, what to offer... Hot apple cider is nice, but considering all Santa has to accomplish on Christmas Eve, sugary beverages and holiday cheer will only get him so far. Hot cocoa was right out, as milk is a soporific, not a stimulant. There's no denying it: Santa needs caffeine. Tea or coffee would be best, then. But is Kris Kringle a tea or coffee drinker?

It's universally known that tea is good for you. It's also universally known that loose tea is better than bag tea. Yet, in the United States, teabags are still far more popular than loose tea. Are you among the many drinking teabag tea? You are? I had a feeling. Don't worry, I think I know what the problem is, and I can help.

You can pursue pretty much anything in college nowadays. Even tea and tea appreciation is a viable field of study in higher institutions. Colleges around the globe have started offering courses and even degrees in the art, cultivation, and marketing of tea.

If I were stranded on a deserted island and could only have one type of tea with me, in unlimited supply, it would definitely be China's pu erh tea from Yunnan Province. It has all of the medicinal properties of green tea, plus other medicinal properties which are unique to pu erh alone. It has a flavor that is complex and yet much smoother and more enjoyable than a cup of a gourmet coffee. So aside from its numerous health benefits, it's just plain good!

Who doesn't love oolong tea? It's probably the best thing to come out of China next to paper. Whether you're a fan of the light green and floral oolongs or the dark and long roasted variety, you know that nothing beats a cup of good oolong tea. Can life get any better? Perhaps! The Heavens have opened up and the Jade Emperor, Lord of Tea, has smiled down upon us. There are changes a-brew-ing. Very exciting changes.

As some of you may have noticed, we are undergoing a change in the way that our tea is packaged and presented to you. For 11 years now, we have packaged our tea in metal containers. Many of you have written to us saying that this is a great way to store tea, and we agree, but in our attempt to become more 'green' we have chosen to opt for a more environmentally friendly way of packing. We will still offer tin containers to you, in the Pantry section on the website, but all of our teas will soon come packaged in thin multi-layered stand up pouches.

May brings about spring flowers and Mother's Day. Honor the very special women in your life by presenting them a gift of liquid flowers and honey. Check out our various gift sets that will put a smile on her face this Mother's Day. Please also check out our newly launched Masters collection and anTEAdote special promotion.

Happy April! Wishing everyone a happy Easter and Passover. Check out two new topical tea books to hit the bookstore shelves this month. And since it's the beginning of a new month, be sure to check out our newest farmer in our Roots Campaign. To be up to date with all things Adagio, be sure to follow us on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook!

As the weather gets warmer, it becomes perfect weather to grow your own herbal tea garden. Check out this article for an easy how-to and suggestions to create your own tisane filled garden- the perfect way to introduce fresh and inexpensive ingredients into your springtime tea drinking.

Warming into March with some great ideas for hot treats, perfect for the post snow activities indoors. Check out a new tea cookie company, Tea Aura that will provide the best companion to your afternoon cup of tea. Also, please take advantage of our 10% off all green teas promotion. This promotion will end March 17th.

St. Patrick's Day is usually celebrated with pints of Guinness or if you're a tetoler, strong brews of black Irish Breakfast. Try something new this year and try to inject more green into your celebrations, but including some popular green teas alongside favorite Irish foods.

Activi-TEA for the month:try a new tea every day this month and keep a log of your personal recommendation, steeping preferences, and tasting notes. Great to revisit later on this year! Also, check our our gift sets for hassle-free Valentine's Day shopping as well as our popular Valentines flavored tea for a really sweet holiday tea.

Happy New Year to all our wonderful customers! Read about some exciting news, products, and changes coming to Adagio Teas in 2010. We announce TeaRetailer.com our blog chronicling our journey to open a retail location in Chicago (late 2010). Please also check out Zack Luye's Adagio TeaV for our first ever Signature Blend Awards 2009 and our latest Roots Campaign tea farmer.

Are you already exhausted looking over your list of 2010's New Year's Resolutions? Read about some easy ways on how tea can help assist you with all the points on your list, everything from weight loss to becoming a 'greener' citizen. Happy 2010!

The holidays are upon us! Be sure to keep an eye out for a new product- perfect for any stocking; Savannah Bee Company's Tea Honey. The holidays just got sweeter! Please also check out our main article on useful tips for shopping on our website this holiday season. Stock up on holidays flavored teas before they're gone!

Need some ideas on the perfect gift for the tea lover in your life? Having trouble navigating some of our newer features on our website? Read up on this useful guide on some new holiday features on our site, such as our holiday quick-check out. Happy holidays and happy shopping!

November news includes the arrival of five exquisite Chinese teas you may have overlooked last month. Please also check out some new flavors- our savory teas! We are also pleased to present a new tea farmer featured in this month's Roots Campaign. Note: a percentage of sales from their particular tea will be donated directly to the farmer.

October brings back Adagio Teas' popular holiday flavors: Pumpkin Spice, Candy Apple, Chestnut, Cranberry, Gingerbread, and Candy Cane. Christine shares some tea related places to visit while in Boulder, Colorado. Also, we are pleased to annouce another month in our Adagio Roots Campaign, where Adagio Teas gives back a percentage of a particular teas' sales to the farmer that makes that tea possible.

Join Tiffany Picard, a Bay Area tea enthusiast, as she explores tasty Chinese cuisine prepared by Roy and Grace Fong of Imperial Tea House. What goes better with Chinese food than tea? Check out tea pairings using oolong and pu erh teas that can easily be translated when you go out for Dim Sum.

September brings in fall and we bring in more teas for you to enjoy! Please check out our freshest arrivals! We are also pleased to reveal this summer's picture contest winner and to announce our latest feature, the Adagio Teas Root Campaign.

Ever wonder the best way to cold brew a lovely first flush Sencha? Try checking out TeaChat.com. The newly redesigned site has over a thousand posters actively writing about all things teas. Be sure to check out our main article on tea connoisseur, Jason Walker. Also, Christine's contest for Adagio Teas Summer Vacation pics is still going on, so send your pics to her. You could win tea!

Need to find an excellent tea room while on vacation? Or are you electing to stay closer to home, yet want to locate a tea room for something new to do on your 'staycation'? Find local tea establishments using our online directory.

If you still haven't, stock up on our ready-to-drink, super-refreshing bottled anTEAdote which is on sale at 2 cases or more until the end of the summer. Also, I want to see where you are enjoying your tea this summer! Send in your favorite summer vacation pictures (with a cup of tea in hand!) to our TeaMuse.com editor for a chance to be featured in next month's TeaMuse and a tin of Christine's favorite Adagio Tea for iced tea.

With the summer rolling in, many of you might be looking for instructions on how to make fresh iced tea. Here, we offer a primer on how to make fresh iced tea along with many tips and ideas to spruce up this refreshing drink!

Check out our new site layout and let us know what you think! Please feel free to submit your suggestions and feedback as we are still working on making our site as user-friendly as possible! We are also looking to offer some new products- tea cookies and tea chocolates. Spring Darjeeling and Nepal First Flush teas 2009 harvests are now available!

Stumped on what to get Dad this year for Father's Day? Check out this article with some helpful suggestions on how to put together a unique gift for Dad. We included a list of distinctive teas to match any father's personality!

Discover the world of chai with our new chai line! Also, tips on how to prepare chai the traditional way, and a chance to win one of our chai samplers. Check out our current promotion- discounts off our popular, all organic ready to drink anTEAdote bottled teas!

A helpful gift guide for Mother's Day. Gift ideas include tea sets from Adagio Teas, but we also included some other options if your mother loves sweets like chocolates and cookies, a great book idea, and lots of options from handmade emporium Etsy.com. We included all sorts of gifts, many of which will fall in your budget. Who knows, you might find something there you like for yourself!

A monthly note from TeaMuse.com editor Christine Rillo discussing and highlighting news from the tea world. Spring brings allergy season, can tea help with those irritating symptoms? April also brings about the annual NY Coffee and Tea Festival, a popular trade show open to the public displaying the latest products from the tea, coffee, and gourmet food world.

Is spring coming or what? Try your hand at luck by entering into our St. Patrick's Day giveaway. Springtime also brings the arrival of samples of your favorite teas. Check out Zack Luye's Adagio TeaV on our website and try out one of our new Signature Blend samplers - which features a sample of all the teas that will be reviewed that month. Happy March!

Try a little honey in your cup of tea today! A useful article on varieties of honey and some pairings with Adagio Teas and Tropical Blossom Honey. Learn some useful facts about this sweet nectar to share with your busy bees the next time you sit down to tea time.

One of our favorite teas has a special day this month- Irish Breakfast! Tips for tearoom owners that you can easily include in your St. Patrick's Day celebrations this year. Try mixing it with a little spirit and enjoy alongside Irish Soda Bread and shortbread.

Six more weeks of winter! One year birthday of our Signature Blends feature; come check out our new video podcast, Adagio TeaV. Need an interesting gift for the tea lover in your life for Valentine's Day? Check out some cool finds from the internet.

Happy New Tea Year! Another year passes- what will 2009 have in store for Adagio Teas? We are always looking for new items and flavors to offer our customers, so feel free to drop us a line with your suggestions!

Has your tea stash taken over your living area? Find yourself sifting through dozens of teas to find the one you want to have? Start your new year organized with this tea organization primer.

Another holiday season is upon us! In this note from the editor, we discuss Adagio Teas' presence on Twitter.com, our favorite gift items, and other holiday related things from your favorite tea vendor.

A monthly message from our TeaMuse.com editor. We are proud to unveil our line of 'Fresh Arrivals' from China- premium black, green, and white Chinese teas. We also have in stock our Tea Chest, which will make the perfect gift for any tea lover on your gift list.

Water is one of the key ingredients to making a great cup of tea, but many people don't realize this! Not everyone has access to wonderful, fresh tasting spring water, but here is a handy guide on how to identify great tasting water. Your tastebuds will thank you!

Autumn is here! Enjoy the cooler weather with a beavy of new flavors: Rhubarb Green, White Cucumber, Hazelnut, Hazelnut Honeybush, Guanabanana, and Coconut Pouchong. Starting your gift shopping early? Check out our new tea chest, in two varieties and our new graviTEA water filtration system.

Our resident TeaChat.com moderator and tea genius, Mary R. answers your tea questions monthly. This month: we bid adieu to Ms. Mary and she tells us what tea to pump when you feel the need for caffeine.

September is the gateway to a very special time- it's apple harvest! Our author's unfortunate allergy to this beloved fall fruit prevents her from enjoying fresh apples from the tree, but with Adagio's premium flavored Apple tea and Rooibos Cinnamon Apple anyone can enjoy the juicy, sweet flavor of this fruit any time of the year.

Our resident TeaChat.com moderator and tea genius, Mary R. answers your tea questions monthly. This month: those tricky little things...tannins in tea.

Come beat the heat and the ennui of slow summer days by amusing yourself with some fun tea news from around the world. Also, after many suggestions from you, our beloved customers, we are also pleased to present our own Masala Chai.

Summer weather may not entice one to enjoy a piping hot cup of tea. When that heat hits tea enthusiasts and novices alike look for a refreshing glass or pitcher of iced tea. Enjoy the many options for iced tea as well as an easy summertime recipe using Adagio's own Jasmine ready to drink bottled anTEAdote.

Our resident TeaChat.com moderator and tea genius, Mary R. answers your tea questions monthly. This month: The Shincha Question, how to name drop this tea in proper context.

Not able to attend the annual World Tea Expo? Here is a recap of some great products found at the show. Also, in Adagio Teas news, World Tea Expo was like a family reunion as the team met up from every corner of the world, many of us meeting each other for the first time.

Our resident TeaChat.com moderator and tea genius, Mary R. answers your tea questions monthly. This month: Mary avoids maid of honor meltdown by presenting some fun facts about tea and its role in weddings.

Some tea news and goodies from the annual Coffee and Tea Festival in New York City. Tavalon's tea gummies are sweet, tea infused treats; a fun snack when you're looking to cure that sweet, fruity craving. Check out also our new Spring tea arrivals.

Floaties and scum?

Spring has sprung! But that doesn't mean that the hot tea doesn't stop! We are counting down the days until our newest Spring harvest of teas arrive. Those who are patient will be rewarded greatly!!

In Like a Lion...Out Like a Lamb. This month marks some milestones for some Adagio Tea members. Congrats to Christine and Cynthia! Also, a frequent poster on our TeaChat.com boards hosts his own tea party at college; an educational and tea-filled seminar for those new to tea.

Our resident TeaChat.com moderator and tea genius, Mary R. answers your tea questions monthly. This month: debunking self-decaffeination.

How to incorporate tea on this yearly celebration of love. Aw.A list of beautiful tea gifts that your loved one will go gaga for. Or if you don't have a loved one in your life, feel free to indulge yourself with these exquisite treats.

Happy Shortest Month of the Year! Warm up during this cold month by making a big cup of Valentine's tea. The rich taste of chocolate and strawberry will be sure to keep you toasty these 28 days.

Our resident TeaChat.com moderator and tea genius, Mary R. answers your tea questions monthly. This month: February brings Valentine's Day. Is tea really an aphrodisiac??

Happy New Year! We all make resolutions, so make yourself a cup and start jotting them down! As for Adagio Teas news, 2008 brings many new, exciting projects and items that we hope to share with you throughout the year.

Our resident TeaChat.com moderator and tea genius, Mary R. answers your tea questions monthly. This month: New Year, New You. Debunking myths on tea and detoxing.

Our resident TeaChat.com moderator and tea genius, Mary R. answers your tea questions monthly. This month: What is the difference between non-Kosher and Kosher teas?

Happy Holidays from all of us at Adagio Teas. Stumped on gift giving? Check out our affordable gift sets- perfect for any tea connoisseur in your life. Stressed out about the holidays? Remember to take the time to relax over a cup of tea.

Each year brings many teas, tea products, teaware, and related items into the market. Christine Rillo will wrap up the year's best and worst tea-things in this year of 2007.

Our resident TeaChat.com moderator and tea genius, Mary R. answers your tea questions monthly. This month: facts about the latest sweetener: Stevia Rebaudiana.

Hello Tea Connoisseurs! Our TeaMuse Christine gets ready for the holiday season. Check out her trip to Amai Tea and Bake House in the East Village, NYC as she speaks to owner Kelli Barnard about her fantastic tea treats. Are you ready for the holidays?

Check out teachef.com's new layout. Perhaps you will be inspired to cook up something tasty using one of our fabulous teas as an ingredient. Also, as the weather cools down, keep an eye out for our popular holiday teas.

Our resident TeaChat.com moderator and tea genius, Mary R. answers your tea questions monthly. This month: getting to the root of that 'hairy' problem after drinking white teas.

September brings a new column, Between the Leaves, new green flavored teas, restock of our popular utiliTEA variable temperature kettle. Check out also these chic and hip tea finds from Art of Tea.

Our resident TeaChat.com moderator and tea genius, Mary R. answers your tea questions monthly. This month: the ever asked, always debated on- second infusions. How many, how long between each steeping, and everything else you would want to know.

Christine shares her knowledge from the World Tea Expo. A primer on how to pair sweets and teas; the perfect combination for any tea party, however formal or informal it is.

For your first tea tasting, it's helpful to include different types of tea. This way, you'll get to know the basic varieties. Once you've had an introductory tasting, it's fun to move on to a tasting featuring only one type of tea.

Teashop owner gives to all away and pays it forward. Catherine Ryan Hyde created the concept in her book of the same name. The idea is simple - someone does someone else a favor, and rather than requesting a favor in return, they request that a favor be done for someone else. This idea inspired Lisa Campbell to give her teashop away.

The end of a year is a good time to reflect on the events of 365 days prior. Many a pundit will compile a list of what was best and worst in 2006. Not to be left out, I present my own take on the high and low points of the year that's drawing to close, a period replete with departures and deception as well as ingenuity and promise.

Mr. Tea weights in on this odd debate- does tea age?

Mr. Tea educates us all on the proper amount of tea leaves to use per cup. Learn!

Is there life after infusion for the beloved tealeaf? At my place of work, in an attempt to avoid clogged drains and moldy garbage pails, used tealeaves are flushed down the toilet. Although my rational self is fine with this, the insane tea lady inside feels it is a bit of an insult to the lovely leaf that flavors my hot water. But what other fate can a used tealeaf meet?

The first few days at a new job are always a bit harrowing, but usually due to getting to know your coworkers, filling out forms and battling the office copy machine. I am completely overwhelmed with how much there is to learn here at this, my new job -- both about the company and about tea.

There's one question I get asked on more-or-less a daily basis, and it is this: What is the deal with Wu Long slimming tea? The term "wu long" is almost always used, and the word "slimming" appears just about every time as well...

I love white tea hot, but I really don't like it cold. What is the best tea for making iced tea?

Most people I know are big coffee drinkers. It comes from New Jersey diner culture, from having Quick Cheks and Dunkin Donuts within a few minutes of wherever you are. It's just what we do here. We drink a lot of coffee.

The thing that hits you, the first thing you notice, your first impression when you enter the Adagio warehouse is the scent. I'm going to do an inadequate job of describing it. It is every single tea, all--what's the official count? 150?--hitting you at the exact same moment. It is a smell of fruit, of spice, of chocolate. If you concentrate hard enough, you can almost pick out the individual parts of it.

I have a problem. I think I'm obsessed with tea. I've just started college this year, and I'm shocked how my roommate manages to live without tea...

I want to give my girlfriend tea for Valentine's day, but it isn't very romantic. Any thoughts on how I can jazz it up?

Ever gaze into the bottom of your mostly-empty teacup and imagine that there was a pattern forming in the gathering dust? Some folks believe that this collection of leaves can actually foretell the future! Tasseomancy, the art of reading tea leaves, has intrigued tea lovers and mystics alike for hundreds of years.

I'm a girl. I love tea. I love to sing. How do I learn more about tea songs?

In our last action-packed episode of TeaMuse, we rummaged through the newest offerings of 2005 and disinterred the worst products the tea world had to offer. In this month's season finale, we'll explore and extol the best tea products of the year. But first, a quick recap of those that were covered last month:

Just curious... is there a Mrs. Tea?

With our 2005 calendars getting slim and the holidays swiftly approaching, it seems like the right time to start looking back on all that has happened. This has been a great year for the tea world, full of new innovations and giant leaps forward. However, there have also been some things that, in hindsight, we'd all rather pretend didn't occur.

Just when you thought you've tried every tea on the map, a new blip appears on the radar, a new variation on the classic tea theme. In this month's edition of TeaMuse, we'll explore the newest fad from the tea scene, Yerba Mate.

I have only heard of Kava (the medicinal herb). Can you shed some light on the Kava that she referred to as a tea?

What is the best way to store tea? Is it all right to freeze it?

We all know the story: boy meets girl... girl rejects boy... boy persists... girl gives up... they fall in love and decide to get married. Now, here's the twist: it's all thanks to tea.

As a tea guru and local celebrity, I'm always solicited for advice. Among these questions, one of the most frequent is, "is it okay to drink tea when I'm pregnant?" (I then remind my brother that he cannot get pregnant). In honor of Mother's Day (and in all seriousness), I'll tackle this question and more.

At a recent meeting with my friends, tea was served along with coffee. This time White tea was served. We had a discussion about what tea...

"April is the cruelest month," T.S. Eliot once wrote. But most tea aficionados disagree. This month's weather may get most folks down (or maybe it's simply that they are poetically discontent), but it is a time of celebration in the tea world.

I'm glad to see the ingenuiTEA is getting some attention, I just wish it could've been a more widely read publication. I mean, who's heard of "TIME" magazine? And why would a journal about clocks and watches want to do a story about a teapot? If we could only get it into a reputable newsletter, like TeaMuse, THEN I'd give our Marketing Dept a raise!

Virtually any flower, fruit or herb that can be ingested can become an herbal tea. Just take a trip to your local health food store and you'll find dozens of "medicinal infusions" boasting a variety of benefits from relaxation to rejuvenation. But let's be honest: when most folks reach for an herbal tea, they're probably going for Chamomile.

I love tea, my parents love tea - however a difference of opinion has arisen, namely; how strong should english breakfast tea be?

When compiling my New Year's Resolutions this year, one shone through: drink more green tea. It's something that I always try to do, not only for the seemingly eternal spring of health benefits that this tea is proving to provide, but also for the wide variety of flavor that can be experienced.

Daria writes to Mr. Tea with an a long debated tea-question: Milk in first, or tea in first? Let's see what Mr. Tea has to say...

n this installment of your favorite Tea Newsletter, I will tackle one of the most difficult problems facing modern tea: the popularity (and inferiority) of teabags. Nowadays, tea bags make up about 95% of all tea sales in the US. These bags, however, usually contain the cheapest tea available, producing little more than a brown-colored liquid. Doesn't sound too appetizing, huh?

For those without the benefit of a calendar, Memorial Day has come and passed. This is significant for two reasons: First, it means I can finally wear my white shoes at the mansion in the Hamptons. Second, it signals that summer, Iced Tea season, has officially begun. It is time to hang up those hot tea mugs, replace them for giant, frosty glasses, thirsty for iced tea.

You hear the same resolutions every year: "This year is the year that I'll get healthy... or, I will stop spending so much money... or, I'm gonna slow down and stop stressing so much." Of course, tea is the simple (not to mention delicious, healthy, inexpensive and soothing) solution to all of these resolutions. But I need not cover these resolutions to a congregation of tea followers.

The 21st century is proving to be a grand time to be a tea drinker. The choices keep increasing, the quality is improving, and the accessibility is practically at your fingertips as more tea sellers get online.

Adagio is Italian for slow. In the world of music, it connotes a tranquil, slow tempo. In a classical symphony, the movement market 'adagio' is the one played softer, more somber than others.

For 2003, I am resolved to learn more about, and certainly, taste more tea. What would you like to experience about tea this year that you never have done before? Perhaps one of these ideas will spark a few resolutions for you to consider as you make 2003 a more "tea-full" year.

First, there was ice tea. A simple enough drink made creative with a splash of fruit juice ice cubes or slices of fruit. The most recent addition to the ice tea family is boba, also known as bubble tea. It was first developed in Taiwan where it is as ubiquitous as certain coffeehouses are in the U.S.

You have surely seen tea leaves run the gamut of very large (Formosa oolongs) to very small (Chinese blacks). And know that they may be full leaf or broken, ground to a powder or mixed with the essences of fruit, flowers or herbs. But have you tried tea leaves molded or tied into elegant and whimsical shapes?

Lots of people, I have learned, use the microwave to heat water for tea! I tried it and this is what I discovered: The water is always too hot. Often, it does not boil. Worse, to my palate, it makes tea taste "flat", becoming more colored water than the flavorful, complexly layered beverage that tea can be. This flatness, I believe, is directly related to the way microwaves heat liquid.

Even at its simplest, the teapot is a thoroughly appealing vessel, blending seamlessly the function of brewing with the elegance of exceptional design. The "original" teapot is from China and the best were and are made from the red clay of the area around Yixing (also known as I-Hsing).

Our favorite beverage requires the blending of two natural ingredients: fine tea and clear water. In ancient China, water from only its ten most revered springs was considered essential to making its esteemed tribute teas. Should you not find it convenient to draw water from these ancient fabled springs, the following is a guide through the baffling maze of today's alternate choices.

Traveling along the shore of the Arabian Sea in the trading city of Calicut recently, I imagined myself as a trader in the bustling late 19th century. Calicut has, for centuries, been the key trading city of Kerala, the Indian state on the southernmost tip of this vast and colorful country.

If I told you there was a shortage of tea in the world wouldn't you be surprised? Well, most people would be, after all the local supermarket still has plenty of tidy cartons lining the shelves. But sadly, it is true. The availability of truly great teas is decreasing for a couple of reasons.