VermontLibertyTea

Tea Bricks

2006-05-16T08:51:00.000-07:00

We have large and small tea bricks in Green or Black tea....They can be used to make tea or just displayed. Call 802-244-6102 to order.
Large Bricks $20
Small Bricks $16

the story of Chinese tea bricks
For over 2000 years, tea bricks have been manufactured in China from green & black teas. Leaves, stems & twigs are steamed & forced under hydraulic pressure into flat bricks. To brew the tea, a small amount is shaved from the brick. The method used to make tea bricks is based on the oldest method of tea manufacture in China, which produces 'tea cakes'. They are made by steaming tea leaves & forming them into a round shape.
Tea bricks became very popular (especially with nomadic groups), because they were a convenient way for tea to travel. The compressed nature of the tea reduces flavor loss because less of the surface area of the leaf is exposed to air. Tea bricks traveled through deserts & mountains to the farthest reaches of the Chinese Empire & its neighbors. Camel caravans were used along the Silk Road to central Asia. In other areas the tea bricks were transported on mules & donkeys.
By the 10th century, tea bricks were widely used as a form of currency. The tea bricks were marked or cut to give change. Their value increased depending on the distance of the journey. This practice lasted until the beginning of the 20th century.
Tea bricks may have been the first type of tea to reach Russia. In Mongolia & Tibet, brick tea was traded for wool, furs, skins, musk, horses & medicinal herbs. Tea bricks were particularly valuable in these regions because the tea became an important substitute for vegetables (which were hard to obtain)&, in particular, a source of vitamin C.

Tea bricks are still produced in China using ancient methods. In some families, tea bricks have been handed down & kept in the family over generations. They are used sparingly for special occasions

My Favorite New Tea Infuser

2006-05-12T14:14:00.000-07:00

Designed and Manufactured in Maine, USA
This infuser is made of hard plastic that does not add a plastic taste to your tea. The mesh on it is very fine so nothing gets through it. Dishwasher safe and easy to clean. Comes with its own coaster. $5.75 call to order 802-244-6102

New Items

2006-05-12T11:01:00.000-07:00

Travel Tea... a great way to take your favorite loose teas with you when you travel.
the set is light weight hard plastic and contains a cup, three containers for tea, measuring spoon and infuser, that all fit together to save space
$16.00 call 802-244-6102 to order

Tea Mug w/infuser (porcelain mug in green or blue)

$18.00 call 802-244-6102 to order

Tea Evokes Poetry

2006-05-12T10:16:00.000-07:00

Tea and a Rainy Afternoon

On a rainy afternoon, I sit inside waiting for the sun to return,
to break through the onslaught of rain and dry out the world.
I sit by the window, listening to the raindrops gently pattering against the pane.
Outside the weather is dull and grey.
The trees are still.
They have submitted to the rain as well.
I lift a cup of tea to drink, the sweet scent filling my nose.
I drink and suddenly, I don’t feel so lonely.
I look out the window again, and notice the rain has stopped.
The sun slowly makes an appearance, and the day brightens.

by David Chiaravalle

2006-05-12T10:13:00.000-07:00

Advancing technology, creating our Blog

2006-05-12T10:03:00.000-07:00

We thought that it would be helpful to create a blog for our customers and friends. We intend to use the blog to make you all aware of new tea products, new teas and just our ideas about TEA.