January 2017 - Anna Tea Shop

Self-care is a comfort+cozy experience

As we’ve mentioned many times before, we believe that cozy is a comforting experience. It can be different for everyone, from curling up with a good book to enjoying your favorite comfort food. However, self-care as a lifestyle is also part of the comforting and cozy experience . Sometimes it can be very difficult to relax our minds or shift our routines. Focusing on our own health and well being in the middle of caring about those we love.

For us, tea is something we include in our efforts to become better about self-care. It’s something simple to incorporate into your routine whether you’re at home, at work, or on the go!

It’s hard to imagine how something as simple as a cup of tea could be considered an act of self-care. However, the experience that is generated around the act of brewing and drinking tea is quite unique. The tea experience can serve as a reminder to slow down and enjoy things and not get swept away by the day! Comforting + cozy teas are especially good for this. The calming experience combined with smooth tasty flavors creates an experience that allows you to take the feeling of comfort + cozy with you throughout your day. Some of our favorites for this type of experience are Spiced Coco-Mint, Winter Apple Herbal, Scarlett Romantic Blend, Rosebud Black, and more!

It just so happens that we will be sampling some of our favorite cozy and wintry flavors this Saturday during a FREE all day (10am-4pm) tasting event! Come by and taste the teas mentioned above as well as others and try before you buy! 10% off all wintry favorite teas at the event – and a great chance to shop Valentine’s Day Gift Guide with a 10% discount!

Make a commitment to yourself to take better care of you and find a tea that will help you do it. Megan will be at the shop during the Wintry Tea Tasting of our Comfort + Cozy teas to answer any questions or help you select teas that are perfect for you this weekend. Hope to see you there!

Valentine’s Day Gift Guide

By Megan W|2017-01-30T15:20:22-06:00January 30th, 2017|Drinking Tea, Events, Megan's Tea Muse|Comments Off

Valentine’s Day Gift Guide

Feeling loved. And loving others.

After 22 years of being in the service world with 15 of those years immersed in the professional tea party business we have become pretty adept at reading people – especially when people feel genuinely appreciated and cherished.

Our Valentine’s Day Gift Guide is simple yet hand selected. Crafted from our favorite times of people watching and witnessing when a friend really feels treasured. The nature of tea is generous. Friends listen and care for one another over tea. It’s good for our bodies and a gift from nature.

So, take a moment to shop around the tea products and experiences in our Valentine’s Day Gift Guide. Something here for everyone. Valentine’s Day is about your loved ones. Your family – grown from those closest to your heart. Often times from different social and family circles. We believe Valentine’s Day is a pretty important day. The perfect opportunity to show those special people you have been blessed with just how much you treasure and cherish them!

NEW! Valentine’s Tea Bundle – $9.50, a trio of specially selected premium dark teas. The best way to lavish your loved ones and favorite friends. Dessert Teas just have a way of making one feel happy, extravagant, and no guilt!
7 Days of Chocolate Tea Bundle – $25, premium rich dark teas paired with warm, creamy chocolate. More than a sampler but a great way to enjoy a little cozy every day where ever you are. According to EAT THIS, NOT THAT blog – splurging on a dessert tea instead of a dessert is a very good choice! And with 50+ cups of tea in this one bundle it’s a cozy+comfort gift that lasts all winter (or maybe all of February for your serious tea drinker!).
Treasure Thy Friend Tea Party – February 10 at 6:30pm or February 11 at 10:30am. $26, Tucked in the middle of winter…our Valentine’s Tea is a blessing for circles of friends, family and loved ones to gather together and enjoy a little chocolate therapy. Warm and cozy – the tea cups will be full of tea and our hearts filled with good times.
*You’re My Cup of Tea!* – $12 Megan is at again with a super cute teashop gift! Milk-white teacup & an ounce of chocolate tea all wrapped up with crystal cello & Valentine’s ribbon! Limited quantity only available in the teashop.
Night at the Inn – A stay-cation at the Teashop! Enjoy the tea bar, dessert teas, and just a few blocks from delicious restaurants and shops in Historic Downtown Liberty. Of course you must pop in at Hammerhand Coffee and order a cup of Anna Marie’s Genmaicha for an afternoon pick me up, or an Orange Spice Rooibos – Orange Metro, or a Masala Chai Latte made with Anna Marie’s Masala Chai.

: Always Comfort+Cozy

By Selena S.|2017-02-02T13:00:30-06:00January 24th, 2017|Drinking Tea, Tea Gifts, Tea Parties|Comments Off

Masala Chai Latte at Hammerhand Coffee

Hello everyone! My name is Avery and I work Tuesdays and Thursdays at the teashop. One of my new favorite things is drinking tea and a new love of mine is a masala chai latte. I am a Senior in High School, and I take all of my classes through Mizzou Online.

Recently a few friends and I went to Hammerhand Coffee in Historic Downtown Liberty to have coffee and exchange Christmas gifts. While my friends got coffee, I opted for tea! It was cool to see Hammerhand serving a selection of Anna Marie’s teas as well as the option to have a Chai Latte made with our Masala Chai Tea. If you have not been to Hammerhand I highly suggest trying it sometime. It’s a favorite place for students to hang out, catch up and do homework.

Anna Marie’s Masala Chai Latte at Hammerhand Coffee – premium loose leaf and spiced chai

The coffee not only tastes great, but the latte art done by the talented baristas is like no other! It is always fun to get together with friends and enjoy each other’s company over a warm cup of tea!

As I mentioned before, I work Tuesdays and Thursdays here at the teashop and have been doing this since the end of summer 2016. I used to drink Strawberry Cream Black Tea and only Strawberry Cream Black but as soon as I started trying more and more of the 100+ premium teas we have, I quickly began to find so many new favorites! Of course Strawberry Cream Black is still my all time favorite, but now my favorites include Pineapple Upside Down Cake, Lung Ching (which so happens to be January’s featured tea of the month), Red Velvet, Lavender Gray (which makes an amazing iced tea), Jasmine Monkey King, and so many more!

I take all of my classes online through Mizzou where the professors write up their lectures and we correspond through email. I have done this for both my Junior and now Senior year and it has been such a great experience! Not only do I get to sleep in everyday, but I also have all of my schoolwork done around noon! That leaves me plenty of time to pursue hobbies like volleyball, photography, and of course Netflix! Taking these online classes has also allowed me to start college at Truman State University next year with a whole semester of classes out of the way which will be very helpful as I plan to study Communication Sciences and Disorders and continue on to Grad School.

🙂 Avery

By Avery C.|2017-01-24T18:10:10-06:00January 24th, 2017|Drinking Tea|Comments Off

Green Tea Chicken Soup Recipe

Lung Ching Dragon Well Green

Green Tea Chicken Soup Recipe

Total Time: 80 minutes

Serves: 2-4

INGREDIENTS:

2 quarts chicken broth
3 tablespoons of green tea
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1 red onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped finely
2 carrots chopped
1 cup chopped celery (about 2 sticks)
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
1 bay leaf
2 chicken breasts, chopped into medium sized pieces
2 teaspoons sea salt
2 teaspoons black pepper

DIRECTIONS:

Bring 2 quarts of broth to a boil, then turn off the heat and add tea bags. Allow to steep for 10 minutes, then remove tea bags.
Place chicken into pot and bring to a boil again, then turn down to a low simmer for 40 minutes to cook the chicken.
With about 20 minutes remaining, add the remaining ingredients.
Serve hot or store refrigerated in glass containers for 4-5 days.

Recipe adapted from https://draxe.com/recipe/green-tea-chicken-soup/

You can either replace the water entirely with freshly brewed tea or add a smaller portion for an added dash of flavor. Lung Ching or Gunpowder Green are two excellent green tea choices. Marinades and salad dressings are also a great way to incorporate green tea into your meal by simply substituting all or a part of the liquid for green tea.

By Megan W|2017-01-12T11:15:09-06:00January 12th, 2017|Living Well Recipes, Tea Savories|Comments Off

Green Tea Broth

Gunpowder Green Tea

Green tea broth makes an excellent addition to cooking as a way to flavor a broth as shown in the recipe below. A green tea broth has a slightly savory, nutty flavor and is sure to add that little something extra to your next soup, rice, or pasta dish!

You can either replace the water entirely with freshly brewed tea or add a smaller portion for an added dash of flavor. Lung Ching or Gunpowder Green are two excellent green tea choices. Marinades and salad dressings are also a great way to incorporate green tea into your meal by simply substituting all or a part of the liquid for green tea.

Green Tea Chicken Soup Recipe

Total Time: 80 minutes

Serves: 2-4

INGREDIENTS:

2 quarts chicken broth
3 tablespoons of green tea
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1 red onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped finely
2 carrots chopped
1 cup chopped celery (about 2 sticks)
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
1 bay leaf
2 chicken breasts, chopped into medium sized pieces
2 teaspoons sea salt
2 teaspoons black pepper

DIRECTIONS:

Bring 2 quarts of broth to a boil, then turn off the heat and add tea bags. Allow to steep for 10 minutes, then remove tea bags.
Place chicken into pot and bring to a boil again, then turn down to a low simmer for 40 minutes to cook the chicken.
With about 20 minutes remaining, add the remaining ingredients.
Serve hot or store refrigerated in glass containers for 4-5 days.

Recipe adapted from https://draxe.com/recipe/green-tea-chicken-soup/

By Megan W|2017-01-12T11:03:38-06:00January 10th, 2017|Megan's Tea Muse, Recipe Box, Tea Savories|Comments Off

Lung Ching Dragon Well

Megan’s Tea Muse

I hope you are all well after the holiday season and were able to cherish time with family and friends! One of our Teashop resolutions for 2017 is to feature a tea every month spreading the word about some hidden gems in our collection. That said, I’m pleased to announce that the featured Tea of the Month for January 2017 is our Lung Ching (Dragon Well) green tea! Don’t miss this month’s Green Tea Chicken Soup Recipe!

This tea has a lovely golden liquor with a slightly vegetal but also warm and nutty taste. It’s the perfect starter green tea for those of you looking to add some healthy habits to your routine in 2017. Brewing varies a little from the traditional black tea. For the best flavor, most green teas should be brewed between 170-185⁰F for 2-3 minutes to avoid bitterness. Stop by ANY Saturday in January to sample Lung Ching Dragon Well.

Health Benefits: Green tea is widely renowned for its various health benefits and is also called the tea of 1001 properties.

Green Tea can aid in many things including cardiovascular health, liver function, stress relief, and focus. These are in addition to all of the wonderful antioxidants that are found in tea to begin with! Lung Ching (which can be directly translated as Dragon Well) is especially good for clearing the mind and promoting focus. It is used by monks for this purpose specifically!

Cooking with green tea also makes an excellent way to flavor a broth. A Green Tea Broth is sure to add a slightly savory, nutty flavor…that little something extra to your next soup, rice, or pasta dish! You can either replace the water entirely with freshly brewed tea or add a smaller portion for an added dash of flavor. Marinades and salad dressings are also a great way to incorporate green tea into your meal by simply substituting all or a part of the liquid for green tea. No matter how you choose to enjoy your Lung Ching, it is still perfect for a wonderfully comforting and cozy afternoon cuppa on a chilly day.

Are you new to green tea or are curious about what else is out there? Then you’re in luck! Check out our Tea-Tasting Tea Party on January 21st. The morning session has sold out but there are still plenty of spots for your tasting pleasure at 2:30pm. Don’t miss our new Living Well Series in 2017. Kicking off in January 28 with Living Well with Matcha & Green Tea.

We would love to see you at the Tea-Tasting Tea Party and share a variety of teas with you along with hand-paired treats! Or pop into the Teashop any Saturday of January to sample the Lung Ching Dragon Well.

Happy Sipping!

Megan

By Megan W|2017-01-12T12:57:32-06:00January 10th, 2017|Megan's Tea Muse|Comments Off