At Mandala Tea, we view our business as a practice of connection rather than just a series of transactions. We want to keep our teas accessible because we believe that a moment of peace over a warm cup shouldn't be a luxury.
The Rochester Post Bulletin reached out in order to talk with Garret about Mandala Tea. What a joy it was to be interviewed and get good press about the world’s second most consumed beverage!
A lovely poem written by tea scholar Lu Tong in the 9th century. Seven Cups of Tea lovingly encapsulates the deeper happenings in just one simple tea session. Enjoy!
Pu’er tea is often confusing for newcomers. They may have had an earthy, dark ripe tea and assume that is what all pu’er is like. It is not. As a matter of fact, the raw style is the original pu’er tea and the two types differ significantly. Let’s explore what makes a tea a ripe or a raw pu’er.
It’s a big subject and so many variables come into play and ripe and raw, as you know, are also two different animals as is the decision to blend or do single leaves. Let’s see if I can just free-form this on the keyboard and make any sense.
Here’s a fun exercise to add to your tea time soon. As you sip, take a look at the tea flavor wheel in this post and see if you find what you are tasting. Are there any flavors not present on the wheel that are on your tongue?
Gaiwan, aka lidded bowl, is our very favorite way to brew tea, hands down. We adore the simplicity, the elegance. Join us for a two-minute video demo on gaiwan brewing.
There is never a shortage of opportunities to practice peace. You do not need a temple or a monastery, for you are always on sacred ground. Every moment is a chance to say yes to love and goodbye to fear.
Tea, second only to water, is the most consumed beverage in the world. Curiosity leads us to wonder what’s so special about this historically significant drink.
With a few minor exceptions, there are really only two ways to say “tea” in the world. One is like the English term—té in Spanish and tee in Afrikaans are two examples. The other is some variation of cha, like chay in Hindi.
