Now stir the fire, and close the shutters fast,
Let fall the curtains, wheel the sofa round,
And while the bubbling and loud-hissing urn
Throws up a steamy column, and the cups
That cheer but not inebriate, wait on each,
So let us welcome peaceful evening in.
--William Cowper
It's remarkable how much variety and history are to be found in the
leaves of a simple camellia.
I hope that this page can be a starting
point for people interested in learning more about tea.
This page without graphics (out of date)
Interested in tea, but don't know where to start? Start here. This document answers the most common questions about tea.
These pages offer a very wide variety of information and links to
other pages. Please explore! Featured links are highlighted
in gold, and marked with a
blue dot. Recently added links
are marked with a red
arrow
.
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Here is a fairly sizable list of vendors with websites. Almost all sell loose-leaf tea and support web-based ordering. Quite a few also sell teapots and other tea accessories.
For a different list see the following site:
To search for a tea merchant near you, consult (What a great idea!)For food service more generally, see
My commentary is limited to mentioning a couple of my favorite merchants. (I have no ties to them, and am merely a satisfied customer.) I've been particularly pleased with my interactions with Adagio Teas, Upton Tea Imports, Gray & Seddon, and Rishi Tea. Adagio, Upton, and Rishi carry a wide variety of teas from around the world, while Gray & Seddon specializes in China tea. Rishi also carries a considerable selection of tea accessories.
Special feature:
Adagio has stunningly good teas at excellent prices. They also care about presentation: their tea tins are chic and functional, and they carry quite a few teapots of modern design that combine elegance and utility. Check them out, won't you?
Also featured:
A brief comment regarding Dream About Tea:
This shop opened recently near me in Evanston, Illinois. It is a charming little place with a fine selection of teas and teaware. It has several tables for sit-down service. The service is excellent. In other words, this is exactly the kind of place I am bound to fall in love with; and it's also the kind of business that tends to close down from lack of customers. So if you've enjoyed this page, and you feel like doing me a favor, give this place some of your business. They do mail order.
(Needless to say, I have no financial stake in the company; I just want them to stick around for a while. And if you do buy something from them, could you drop me a line and let me know?)
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Russian Samovars | The Russian Shop |
Sovietski.com | SpecialTeas |
Venalicia Tea | |
Electric Samovars |
Ambassador Tea (Wholesale exporter) | My Gourmet Tea (Wholesale/Retail) |
Interim Books tea bibliography | A rooibos page |
The Book of Tea, by Kakuzo Okakura | Eating China (includes section on tea) |
Coffee and caffeine | Drinkmaster Drinkpac |
NutraSanus.com (Health supplements including green tea) | |
Ethnobotany.com (Tea plant seeds) | Drink-Water.com |
The evils of tea (and the virtues of beer) | Dr Stuart's Teas (Tisanes only) |
Any comments? Let me know!
(Disclosure: the editors are friends of mine, and I am a contributor.)
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