News:
Here we are in the last month of summer with time still to lie in the hammock and drink iced tea. Sure you can buy the bottled tea at the grocery store, but when it’s so easy to make your own fresh tea, why not try some different ones that you will never find bottled?

Here are a few that make fine iced teas either by pouring boiling water over the loose leaves or just setting a jar of water and leaves out in the sun:

-Ginger/peach/orange white tea (very delicate and low caffeine)
-Casablanca (green and black teas with mint and bergamot)
-Cinnamon black tea (spicy and strong)
-Blood orange Rooibos (fruity, rich, and stimulating)

Sugar, syrups, honey, lemon can be added to any of these if you wish. But try them alone and you might be surprised at how refreshing an icy cold glass of fresh tea can be. Always use pure water. If you need brewing tips, just ask us.
Tea Tasting: This month David Edwards will start tea tasting sessions up stairs for those of you interested in trying some new teas. They will occur every Saturday at 9AM. For one hour come and enjoy a variety of tea's brewed in the traditional ways. There is no charge, but please call ahead as space is limited. (505) 962-2137

New Products:
We are very pleased to introduce a collection of herbal teas grown and packaged in Datil, New Mexico. We will have a full line of Starlight New Mexico Herbal and Medicinal Teas soon. Right now we offer Organic Tummy Tea (peppermint, ginger, licorice, fennel, cinnamon, chamomile, and hibiscus), Organic Starlight Calm (skullcap, chamomile, lemonbalm and wildcrafted hibiscus), Organic Chamomile Flower (chamomile and hibiscus) and Organic Kidney and Bladder Cleanse (dandelion, horsetail, juniper, uva ursi, goldenrod, corn silk, orange peel, parsley leaf and peppermint).

Also, just arrived are three black teas from India for the lover of fine tea. Our Ceylon New Vithanakanda is sweet and smooth. It makes a wonderful afternoon tea and is very good iced as well. We recommend drinking it plain without milk or sugar to fully enjoy its delicate beauty. It is the same recommendation that we offer for drinkers of Darjeeling. Ours is an Organic First Flush Avongrove/Castleton Estate tea. If you want a black tea that stands up well to milk and sugar, try our Assam Doomur Dullung Estate. It is bold and flavorful. These teas may be purchased by the ounce or in the 4.5 oz sturdy stainless steel canister.

Miscellaneous:
Need to pick up a lunch for your child on the way to school? The Sunshine Café will have a peanut butter/banana whole wheat wrap, milk (or juice), and fruit ready for you to pick up. Call ahead 242-1499. They are located on the southeast corner of Mountain Road and Twelfth Street and open at 6:30 am weekdays.

Tea Class:
Yatoe Huang recently moved to New Mexico from Xiamen, China and offers her extensive knowledge of brewing, tasting, and serving fine Chinese teas. Many of us in Albuquerque have not had the experience of traveling to China and tasting for ourselves what truly high quality means. Yatoe will answer your questions and give you the gift of fine tea discrimination. The charge is $35 for a two hour class. Call for reservations.