VIRTUAL TEA PARTY WITH JANE PETTIGREW

A monthly online event - anyone can attend

Tickets £15 + VAT each

Join Jane for a virtual tea party - anyone can attend, no prior UKTA qualifications / course attendance necessary (but we highly recommend joining this session for those who have taken any of the four History & Etiquette of Afternoon Tea webinar modules.)

The Virtual Tea Party is intended to give anyone who has attended Jane’s live Webinars on The History and Etiquette of Afternoon Tea, or anyone else who is interested, an understanding of how a tea party happens in a real situation.

Jane will take tea in her living room at home using all her traditional tea wares. She will have ready a pot of tea, a selection of sandwiches, some scones, jam and clotted cream and a few small pastries.

She will position her computer so that those attending can see exactly how she has set the table and arranged the food; how she pours the tea; holds her cup; how she uses her small tea knife to eat the scones; and how she uses the small pastry fork to eat the pastries.

She will talk in detail about every stage of the experience and take questions from those attending after each section of the tea party.

This will be a fun but also instructional experience.

VIEW DATES AND BOOK

JAPANESE TEA CEREMONY EVENING

With Kyle Whittington

Event postponed

25 Lavington Street, London, SE1 0NZ

Tickets £25 each (Incl. VAT)

So you’ve heard of the Japanese Tea Ceremony. Maybe you’ve even been to Japan and had a Tea Ceremony experience. But what is it really all about?

During the evening, Kyle will briefly introduce the history and development of Chanoyu and discuss how and where it sits in the world today, both in Japan and the west. Following this the highlight of the evening will be a demonstration of a 'Temae’ (the practice of preparing and serving a bowl of matcha) which guests are encouraged to enjoy in meditative contemplation after which we will have an open discussion where Kyle will answer your questions about Japanese Tea Ceremony. Every guest will enjoy a bowl of matcha accompanied by a sweet.

Kyle’s personal favourite matcha and a selection of utensils will be available to purchase on the night.

ABOUT KYLE: Kyle Whittington is part of a new wave of international Chanoyu practitioners making the practice of Chanoyu accessible in a global context. Kyle has studied two different schools of Chanoyu and currently studies and practices the Ueda Sōko Ryū of Chanoyu as part of Sōmu Shachū. Kyle takes Chanoyu out into the world with his ‘Landmark Tea’ series, doing Tea Ceremony in front of landmarks in the UK and abroad. Kyle is also currently building a chashitsu ’Japanese Tea Room’ at his home.

For more information on the Ueda Sōko Ryū and Sōmu Shachū visit https://www.uedasokochanoyu.com/

EVENT POSTPONED

WILD, ANCIENT & INDIGENOUS TEA - THE UNTOLD STORY OF GUIZHOU, CHINA

This event was due to run on Tuesday 26th May 2020 - it has been postponed until a later date. All tickets purchased for this event will be valid for the rescheduled event

25 Lavington Street, London, SE1 0NZ

Tickets £25.00 each (Incl. VAT)

BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND!

Join Rui Liu from Grass People Tree for an ancient tea ritual and let the untold story of tea slowly unfold.

This 2 hour tea experience shares 6 wild, indigenous and ancient teas that are made in tune with nature, including the green tea that never bitters, the 1500 years old indigenous black tea, the 17 years old Pu'er that was aged using the ancient way. You will also learn the extraordinary health benefits these teas bring and the 2500-years philosophy of tea-making. Join Rui on this journey and you will never think of tea in the same way.

About Rui: Rui Liu was born and raised in the wild and inaccessible mountains of Guizhou in southwest China, where the rich ecosystem and diverse ethnic tea cultures have remained unknown to the rest of the world for centuries. Having lived in London for 11 years, Rui has founded Grass People Tree to share the stories of her people and their unshakeable commitment to natural produce, traditions and craftsmanship.

Introducing Grass People Tree - watch the video

Places sell fast so book now to secure your place in our new studio for this special evening in our calendar of ‘Academy Extras’.

EVENT POSTPONED

A NEW NEPALI TEA GARDEN

By Jane Pettigrew

As some of you will know, UKTA sent out a special newsletter on Thursday 21st May to celebrate the first International Tea designated by The United Nations. Amongst the wonderful quotes and photos contributed by our tutors, students, support staff and friends, I included a photo of myself with Andrew Gardner, Nepalese tea grower and maker, drinking some of the tea he had made and brought to London last year to share with me.

Last week, an email from Andrew appeared in my inbox thanking me for mentioning him in the newsletter and sending me his latest news. Andrew is very well known among tea growers and makers and has worked with Susie Walker-Munro and other growers in Scotland, with Lucy George at her tea farm in Wales (the green tea they made together last year was absolutely delicious), and over the years he has worked with a number of estates and factories in India and Nepal, including Guranse and Jun Chiyabari.

For the moment, he’s stuck in India because of Covid-19 but is longing to get back to Nepal where he has a new project. He’s working at a tea estate called Siddha Devi Tea Estate, (named after a Goddess worshipped by the indigenous tribe living there) which lies at an altitude of 6,800 feet in a very remote area on the border between Ilam and Panchtar hill regions in eastern Nepal. It was set up by Nripesh Koirala, a young entrepreneur from Kathmandu who had fallen in love with the place and wanted to help local farmers (who had planted tea about 10 years ago but then abandoned their plants) and provide a factory where their teas could be processed. So he contacted Andrew and now they are planting all the way up to 7,600 feet, the highest Andrew has ever grown tea!

“My team and I are helping the farmers rejuvenate their plantations with the promise that we will buy their green leaf. I’m building a factory which would have been ready had this lockdown not taken place, but on the brighter side, everything happens for the best - the earth is healing and the world has realized the importance of agriculture and the farmers,” wrote Andrew in his email. “Siddha Devi Tea, although proving to be more challenging than I expected, due to the high altitude and being so remote, will definitely produce some of the best teas in the Himalayan region.”

I wrote back to ask him what sort of teas he aims to make there and he told me “I plan, like in my previous gardens, to make speciality teas. White, Oolongs, Gold, Hand Rolled and Green teas. I believe in creating new styles of these teas. I have always loved to try out new recipes. I never follow a fixed pattern of timings for rolling, oxidation and drying. I use my nose for deciding whether the tea has reached its peak during oxidation or not. I love making well oxidized, well fired teas. My favorites are the Hand Rolled teas, they are so complex in character. Each batch of hand rolled tea differs and you get to taste a new experience each time. Look how versatile tea is. It can be moulded into different shapes and sizes. You can make it take on different colours. You can make it taste harsh or sweet or mellow or bitter. Imagine! There is no end to what you can do with tea. It's amazing.”

If the teas Andrew makes at the new factory are anything like as good as the teas he makes at Everest Tea Estate, another previously abandoned garden close to Kathmandu that he worked on for four years to bring back into shape, I shall be among the first to buy some - and when we eventually get back into our classroom, I’ll arrange an Academy Extra event at which we can taste samples of Andrew’s Siddha Devi teas.

Image captions, clockwise from left:

1. Andrew working with the farmers to prune back the bushes.

2. The tea nursery at Siddha Devi.

3. Pruning abandoned tea bushes.

4. The view at Siddha Devi.

THE HISTORY OF EARL GREY TEA - SEARCHING FOR TRUTH

For years, we have been trying to find out the truth behind Earl Grey tea. Why was the famous blend named after the British Prime Minister? Why is it flavoured with oil of Bergamot? Which of the famous legends (if any) are true? Who has the original recipe? Etc, etc.

Tea friends of Jane's in the US have researched the history of the tea, and a few years ago, Jane spent time with the Grey family looking through archival material at their family ancestral home, Howick Hall in Northumberland. But it has always been difficult to shed more light or answer the questions. We will probably never know the truth!

But it is a fascinating mystery and the following article, available online from The Food of England Project, explores the background to the name, the blend, and the possible origins of the tea. It makes for interesting reading.

You can read the article by clicking here

** NB. The article mentions Richard Grey, 6th Earl Grey, who sadly died in 2013. The 7th Earl is Philip Kent Grey, Richard Grey's younger brother.

TAKING A BREAK CAN BOOST YOUR MENTAL WELLBEING

• Almost two-thirds of tea drinkers agree that taking time to have a cup of tea helps them feel more relaxed
• Nearly half agree that a tea break helps them calm down and reduces stress levels

There is no question that as a nation, Britain is full of tea lovers. In fact, it’s estimated that Brits consume over 100 million cups of tea daily.

At a current time of uncertainty, new independent research by BRITA Professional* has revealed the potential wellbeing benefits a tea ‘break’ can bring, now especially relevant with so many of us working from home.

The research, which was conducted amongst 1,000 tea drinkers, found that two-thirds (64%) believe taking time to have a cup of tea has a positive effect on their mental health, admitting it helps them to feel relaxed. Almost half (41%) agree that it helps them calm down and reduce stress levels.

As well as being beneficial to consumers’ mental health, research also found that a tea break can increase our productivity with nearly half (41%) agreeing that they are able to concentrate more on their work after a cup of tea and over a third (38%) are able to perform better or to a higher level.

Commenting on the research, UK Tea Academy Director of Studies Jane Pettigrew said:

“As we all continue to settle into the ‘new normal’ and spend more time at home, it’s more important than ever to look after our mental wellbeing. The research by BRITA Professional really shows that there’s nothing quite like a reassuring cup of tea. I would encourage all of those who are busy in their households to take regular breaks throughout the day and where possible, connect with others over a relaxing hot drink.”

Although tea is clearly a popular drink choice, 46% of consumers do not believe the quality of tea is better in cafés than at home. In fact, tea comprises just 4.4% of the average coffee shop sales mix. So, what can businesses do to encourage consumers to drink tea out of home?

Whilst the hospitality industry is currently facing a challenging time due to the current climate and repercussions of COVID 19, BRITA Professional’s new research has also provided a number of insights on how, once back up and running, businesses can encourage tea drinkers to take their tea break in their establishments and improve their revenue.

• Choice: While English Breakfast Tea is often seen as the most popular choice of tea at many cafés, coffee shops and hotels, over half of consumers (51%) would be more likely to choose another type of tea out of home
• Quality: Almost half (46%) of tea drinkers don’t believe the quality of tea is better in cafés than it is at home. In fact, tea operators believe the reasons for missed opportunities in the sector are the quality of tea used (64%) and the lack of training on how to make a good cuppa (40%)
• Ambience: Of those that do enjoy a cup of tea out of home, almost half (41%) said the ambience of the location was one of the biggest drivers. Tea drinkers provide other opportunities too as 60% of consumers typically make additional food purchases alongside their tea.

Speaking about the research results, which are available in a new toolkit from BRITA Professional – Life is Better Filtered: Business Vitali-Tea, Sarah Taylor, Managing Director of BRITA UK, said: 


“From conducting research into the benefits of a tea break, it’s clear that the majority of tea drinkers not only enjoy the taste but also the opportunity it provides to take a break from the stresses of work and everyday life.

“Whilst the hospitality industry as a whole is going through a very difficult time, this toolkit also provides invaluable insights that could help businesses take this time to strengthen their offering and come out of this situation stronger on the other side.

“By educating Brits in why having tea in a café, coffee shop or other business environment could be beneficial to their wellbeing, or why the quality of tea may be better out of home, the hot beverage industry has the potential to flourish in a whole new sector”

In addition to the research findings, the new toolkit Life is Better Filtered: Business Vitali-Tea also features expert insights into the health benefits of a tea break, the added benefits of enjoying a tea break outside of the house and also top tips for hot beverage businesses looking to expand their offering and entice more custom when they are able to reopen.

BRITA Professional will also be posting top tips across their social channels over the next few weeks on how to make the most of your tea break whilst working from home.

To download a copy of the Life is Better Filtered: Business Vitali-Tea toolkit, please CLICK HERE