Brew Issue 7 - August 2021

AUGUST 2021

Brew

In this Issue: Afternoon Tea Week 9-15 August Tea Grown in Great Britain Tea and Brain Health

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ISSUE 7

table of contents Join the #brewcrew Follow us @UKTalkingTea on Twitter and Instagram

p.3 Welcome to Brew

p.4 Afternoon Tea Week, 9-15 August

p.7 Tea & Infusions Pairings for Afternoon Tea

p.9 Time for a Tea Break

p.11 Taking a Tea Break Alone? Take Five Minutes to Find Your Inner Zen

p.12 Homegrown Tea

p.14 Starting An Organic Tea Farm in Jersey

p.19 Guest Editorial: Dr Gill Jenkins, Tea Advisory Panel Tea Could Give Your Brain & Mind Wellness a Gentle Lift 2

p.22 Training and Masterclasses

UK TEA & INFUSIONS ASSOCIATION

Welcome to issue six of Brew. The e-zine for tea and infusions enthusiasts everywhere.

The United Kingdom Tea and Infusions Association (UKTIA) is a Trade Association and the voice for the British Tea, Herbal and Fruit Infusions industry.

Part of our work is to promote tea and infusions and we encourage you to visit our website www.tea.co.uk to find more about the history of tea, the diversity of herbal infusions and how to make the perfect brew www.tea.co.uk/make-a-perfect-brew.

To get regular updates follow us on Twitter or Instagram @UKTalkingTea and subscribe to our YouTube Channel.

We would like to wish all of our readers an enjoyable Afternoon Tea Week (9-15 August)

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Afternoon Tea Week, 2021 Afternoon Tea Week takes place from the 9th-15th of August this year and celebrates the great British tradition of Afternoon Tea. It is the perfect excuse to catch up with loved ones over a cup of tea and some delicacies. But how did the trend for taking Afternoon Tea begin?

Sharon Hall Chief Executive, UKTIA

In Britain, we love tea! We are in the top five consuming countries in the world and we drink well over 100 million cups a day; somewhere between 36 and 50 billion cups a year!

There is something comforting about our traditional cuppa. Consumers say they find drinking tea to be calming, making them feel less stressed or anxious. In times when supporting mental health and wellbeing is a priority, tea has an important role to play. Tea is there for us in times of trouble and grief, where we support one another and offer ‘tea and sympathy’, but it is also at the heart of many a celebration; it is called a ‘tea-party’ after all!

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The 7th Duchess of Bedford, created the the Afternoon Tea in the early 1800s, to ward off hunger pangs between lunch and dinner. The taking of afternoon tea with sandwiches and cakes soon became a good reason for social gatherings, and started a trend for sharing tea with friends and family that is still very much a part of British life.

Queen Elizabeth II, continues this long-established tradition. Every year, she invites people from all walks of life, all of whom have made a positive impact in their communities, to take afternoon tea in the beautiful gardens of Buckingham Palace or the Palace of Holyroodhouse, in Edinburgh. Tea brings communities together.

For an afternoon tea high grown teas such as Darjeeling and Ceylon are especially well-suited, their floral aromas providing a fine complement to the food without overwhelming the soft flavours of the sandwiches and the cakes.

However, it is always worth experimenting with different teas and infusions to see which you like the best. See page seven for our Afternoon Tea pairing suggestions.

To find out more about Afternoon Tea Week check out afternoontea.co.uk 5

Tea brings communities together: Queen, Elizabeth II, continues the long-established tradition of taking Afternoon Tea. She invites a broad range of people from all walks of life, all of whom have made a positive impact in their communities, to take Afternoon Tea in the beautiful gardens of Buckingham Palace or the Palace of Holyroodhouse, in Edinburgh.

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Tea and Infusion Pairings for Afternoon Tea Darjeeling Darjeeling is a district in the foothills of the Himalayas here dominated by the 8,586m Mt. Kanchenjunga – where severe weather patterns produce the tea’s exquisite flavour and aroma.

This tea pairs well with foods such as chocolate, fruity desserts, and pastries. Treat yourself to a First-Flush Darjeeling. The Champagne of teas!!

Oolongs The heartland of oolong tea production is China's Fujian province and Taiwan. These semioxidised teas vary from greenish rolled oolongs light, floral liquors reminiscent of lily of the valley, narcissus, orchid or hyacinth, that pair with salty snacks - to dark brown leafed oolongs (liquors with deeper, earthier flavours and lingering hints of peach and apricot, which pair with stronger flavours such as smoked ham sandwiches.

Green Teas Green tea has a vegetative flavour to it and green teas with fruity notes, which have a sweeter flavour, work really well when paired with fruit salads or fruit-filled pastries. A very special roasted green tea from China, Long Jong or 'Dragon Well' has a sweetish chestnut character and would pair well with buttery pastries and cream-based desserts.

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Chamomile This herbal infusion is popular in Afternoon Tea parties because of its apple-like flavour, which pairs well with scones and fruity desserts Chamomile is a daisy like plant which has traditionally been used in herbal infusions to help induce sleep. It is one of the most popular single ingredients in herbal infusions or tisanes.

Mint One of the mint family of perennial herbs which grow throughout Europe, peppermint is a hybrid cross between watermint and spearmint. Mint is rich in carotenes and vitamin C. It is also a good source of minerals.

Infusions made from either peppermint or spearmint pair well with finger sandwiches, chocolates and fruity sweets.

English Breakfast blends Regular ‘black’ tea is by far the most popular drink consumed in Britain today, after water, with over 100 million cups enjoyed every day. English Breakfast is a blend of many of the teas including Kenyan, Ceylon and Assam and is the perfect accompaniment for an Afternoon Tea. For more on the parallels between wine and tea and how blenders create something that is more than the sum of its parts, check out our podcast at YouTube.com/UKTalkingTea Watch the Around the World in 80 Teas Podcasts here: YouTube.com/UKTalkingTea

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Time for a Tea Break?

More than 11 million of us in the UK are now home-working, but while most of us have not missed the daily commute, we have really missed our office tea breaks. According to a new survey of more than 1000 Brits commissioned by UKTIA, four in ten who are working from home yearn for their work tea breaks.

The number one reason given was the lost opportunity to catch up with colleagues (44%). Over 80% said that the tea break was much more than simply drinking a cup of tea. Sharing a tea helps to build connections with colleagues, gives staff a much-needed break from computer screen, boosts our mood and creates an opportunity to catch up on news. Younger workers under thirty were more likely to appreciate these aspects of sharing a communal cuppa.

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While many of us continue to work from home, or only a day or two in the office, we are all still enjoying drinking tea. In fact, six in ten say they are drinking the same amount, while nearly four in ten are drinking more – but we are really missing the social aspects of the workplace tea break. 57% reported feeling more connected with colleagues thanks to tea and claimed sharing a cuppa was good for team building.

When asked how they would feel if handed a mug of tea at work, 37% said ‘thankful’ while 28% said ‘great!’. However, the pandemic has made nearly six in ten wary of having colleagues make them a brew when returning to the office, with most raising concerns about hand-washing and following Covid rules.

While it’s great that we are keeping up with our tea habits – and staying hydrated at home – nothing beats a good tea break for team building and a catch-up chat. As restrictions ease, people will enjoy coming together to share a cuppa.

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Taking a tea break alone? Take five minutes to find your inner zen There is something special in a cup of tea that goes beyond the wonderful taste. It is to do with that arrrhhhh moment we get from drinking tea, which lifts our spirits. If combined with practices such as Sophrology, tea can help us reach an inner Zen. Sophrology, a top lifestyle trend, was developed 60 years ago by Columbian psychiatrist and neurologist, Professor Alfonso Caycedo. He combined yoga, meditation and classical relaxation to enable a person to achieve optimal balance and harmony. Sophrology targets five body zones and daily practice involves a combination of relaxation, breathing, gentle movement and visualisation to reduce tension and stress.

Needing no special equipment or even much time, Sophrology is easy to incorporate into daily life. The goal is to develop a deeper body awareness and use this to unlock harmony between mind, body and soul. Optimal health depends on the right diet, including healthy drinks, exercise and sleep. Practicing Sophrology and drinking tea go together, as they can both bring harmony and balance to our lives by reinforcing the connections between our minds and bodies.Both are enjoyable activities we can look forward to and create positive space for in our hectic lifestyles. So, as the nights draw in and more than ever we need to practice self-care, why not give it a try (be-sophro.com) and combine your practice with drinking your favourite tea?

Close your eyes, notice the presence of your body and invite your body to relax. Sip and savour your tea connecting to the smell and taste. Imagine yourself in the healthiest state possible. If your mind is very active it may take several tries to find that picture.

Allow yourself the patience to reap the profound rewards in terms of relaxation and calm and the benefits of drinking tea.

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Homegrown Tea

Ask most consumers where they think tea comes from and they will probably say India, China or Sri Lanka. Whilst most of the tea we drink in Britain actually comes from Kenya, tea is now grown in more than 60 countries around the world and you might be surprised to hear that some tea is grown very close to home in the UK and on the Channel Island of Jersey. Read on to find out more.

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According to 'Jane Pettigrew's World of Tea' book, during World War II, when the supply of food to Britain was threatened, Prime Minister Winston Churchill and his government debated the possibility of growing tea on home soil. Jane goes on to inform us that the idea was quickly abandoned because newly planted bushes would take four to five years to mature and become sturdy enough to yield their first crop. No tea was grown commercially in Britain until many years later.

One of the first places to establish commercial tea production was Tregothnan Estate, near Truro in Cornwall, in the grounds of the Boscawen Family seat. Head gardener Jonathon Jones recognised the soil pH and mild, humid Cornish climate might suit tea plant production.

Jonathon travelled to some of the world's most important tea-growing regions, to learn more tea and his vision has turned this tea cultivation project into a success story. You can read more about the Tregothnan tea story on their website: https://tregothnan.co.uk/our-tea-story/ Up in Scotland, Euan and Susie Walker-Munro realised the soil pH on Kinnettles Farm, on the edge of the Strathmore Valley in Angus, was similar to the soil at Tregothnan and they decided to try growing tea, writes Jane Pettigrew. Apparently, it wasn't an easy start with their first cuttings perishing due to shallow rooting systems and the impacts of the local weather. However, they were finally able to grow tea under polytunnels and with the help of Beverly-Claire Wainwright, they produced a golden-tipped black tea called Kennettles Gold.

Susie and Beverley went on to pioneer Tea Gardens of Scotland in 2016.

This group of nine woman entrepreneurs had a mission to produce handcrafted Scottish tea and forged new careers as tea planters, transforming abandoned walled gardens, diversifying farms and converting home gardens in Perthshire. They recently made the news with the launch of their new artisanal tea brand, Nine Ladies Dancing, landing orders with Fortnum & Mason and The Corinthia Hotel.

Tea is also grown in other parts of the UK. If you want to find out more, check out 'Jane Pettigrew's World of Tea' book at www.janepettigrew.com/books.

Another relatively new tea-producing origin is Jersey - turn the page to read Katherine Boucher's account of 'Starting an Organic Tea Farm in Jersey from Scratch.'

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Starting Your Own Organic Tea Farm in Jersey from Scratch: The Highs and The Lows.

Why, oh why?

In 2015, I was 37 years old with three children, and was working as a psychologist in Jersey. Life was pretty hectic so starting a new business was a slightly crazy idea. Having been raised in Jersey, my family and I returned to the island from London in 2014. My husband is also a psychologist, and having both spent over 15 years working for mental health and prison services in the NHS, we were a little frazzled. We wanted to be involved in working with the land (in particular thinking about regenerative farming and biodiversity) and doing something different to our “day jobs”. My husband heard on Radio 4 about teas being grown in Scotland and remembered that Jersey has a history with tea, with the Oversea Trading Corporation being an important tea trader. We then researched how possible it would be to grow tea in Jersey (looking at average annual rainfall; soil quality; sunshine hours etc.) and discovered that this could be something that worked! So, we started experimenting with tea plants in our garden, and in 2016 my husband and I, alongside another local couple, established The Jersey Tea Company.

The Team at The Jersey Tea Company, from left to right: Terry Boucher, Michelle Pasturel, Cardin Pasturel and Katherine Boucher

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The Early Days.

When we started telling friends and family about our idea to grow tea in Jersey, there were many amazed and concerned faces. After the plants in the garden survived, we contacted a local organic farmer to rent some polytunnels (the lesson learnt was actually the plants did much better going straight to the field). We managed to source some suitable Japanese cultivar tea plants, mainly through researching on the web, which we brought over to Jersey. One anxiety provoking moment was when the plants were kept in Customs over a particularly hot weekend, and trying to explain to Custom Officers that all was legit and that if they didn’t release our plants, please could they water them.

When we started, we did everything ourselves – including planting every plant; weeding; strimming; building water tanks; social media etc. All was new and involved learning on the job. We had to research everything and we wanted everything to be as ethical and environmentally friendly as possible. Every detail would involve long lengthy discussion between us. For example, the pros of choosing compostable pouches over the cons of them not being resealable.

We have had a lot of support from friends and family, who have all got stuck in with us; and have had advice and training from experts in the tea community. In Jersey the tea plants “flush” between April and October, which is our busy time where we handpick and hand process the tea, as well as maintaining the tea fields.

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We are very keen to do everything in the best way for the land and the tea: we do not use pesticides or herbicides; we use regenerative farming techniques [1] to improve soil quality; and the tea plants are great for carbon sequestration.

This has meant that it has been quite a lot of work, but we are passionate about it and enjoy seeing the results (the fields are becoming rife with biodiversity and the tea plants appear happy).

[1] Regenerative agriculture is a conservation and rehabilitation approach to food and farming systems. It focuses on topsoil regeneration, increasing biodiversity, improving the water cycle, enhancing ecosystem services, supporting biosequestration, increasing resilience to climate change, and strengthening the health and vitality of farm soil.

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The Lows There have definitely been some challenges – including: rabbits enjoying some of the roots of the tea; plants that have gone yellow and needing a lot of attention; using plastic membranes around the plants to start with and then breaking our backs ripping them off and replacing with clover which is much better for capturing nitrates and moisture; and building a water tank made with sharp metal in the summer heat so that we can harvest rainwater. Overall though we have been pleasantly surprised by how well the tea plants have done in Jersey, especially given that we are growing them organically, which can sometimes be seen as more challenging. We have struggled with how much time has been needed constantly from us. Sometimes I am awake in the middle of the night planning social media posts and packaging tea. The company’s growth has been limited by our available time and that is frustrating to know.

The Highs After lots of processing practice we had what we thought were some pretty wonderful Black and Green teas. The next step was sending them to people in the tea industry who knew a lot more about tea than us to get their opinion. The fear that after investing so much time and energy into growing the tea that we would have a product that didn’t reflect our hard work would be a source of worry.

The relief and pride when they came back to us genuinely surprised and pleased by Jersey tea was immense. In January 2021 our teas were chosen to be on the Alan Titchmarsh show, Love Your Weekend, and when Alan and the guests sung the tea’s praises, I jumped around the living room like someone who had won the lottery.

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We now have 6000 multi-stem plants, planted outdoors in fields just under one hectare.

We are currently growing new tea plants from seeds from our tea plants – our next generation! We have doubled the amount of tea we have produced this year compared to last year, and hope that we will continue to increase production exponentially.

Particular moments of pride have been people visiting the farm, including school children, and seeing their interest in what we have been doing.

The fields look un-manicured and wild, but that is to encourage biodiversity, and now we can see both the plants and the wildlife flourishing. The tea fields are tranquil places to work, the occasional chicken (our natural pest controllers) comes to chat, but otherwise it is a mindful place to be. Picking tea provides me with a moment away from the stressors of day-to-day life and allows me to focus mindfully on the repetitive task of just picking. This has been invaluable and being able to sip on a locally organically grown cup of tea surrounded by tea plants that are handpicked and hand processed gives me a sense of pride, joy and peace.

Thanks to Katherine Boucher for this article. You can follow The Jersey Tea Company at: thejerseyteacompany.com/ Twitter @TheJsyTeaCo Facebook @TheJsyTeaCoLtd Instagram@ thejerseyteacompanylimited 18

GUEST EDITORIAL Tea could give your brain and mind wellness a gentle lift

By Dr Gill Jenkins Tea Advisory Panel (TAP) Dr Gill Jenkins takes a look at a research review published earlier this year by TAP on how drinking tea is good for our brain and mind health. In fact, there has never been a better reason to pop the kettle on as the data1 published in the Journal of Human Nutrition [1] showed how just 2-3 cups of black and green tea a day can help boost brain and mind health.

Why we all need to look after our brain health In the UK a scary 45 million cases of brain disorders (including dementia, anxiety disorders etc.) annually have been reported and over a third of Europe are experiencing a mental disorder [2,3] As a result, looking after our brain and mind health is an essential health and wellness need and we need to take it seriously.

The Journal of Human Nutrition research review looked at data and the benefits of black, oolong and green tea in relation to the benefits they provide for brain health, mental wellbeing and cognition.

All three teas (from the same plant Camellia sinensis) contain thousands of different bioactive compounds, good news for our mind health. In fact, the aroma of inhaling tea can help reduce stress [4]. In one study the inhalation of black tea aroma (Darjeeling and Assam) reduced salivary chromogranin-A levels (a stress marker) when participants were subject to 30 minutes of mental arithmetic stress [5].

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What makes a cuppa so special?

The various compounds within tea - alkaloids, flavonoids, amino acids such as L-theanine, vitamins A, C and K and phenolic acids – seem to be the brain and mind health ingredient secrets, although more research is needed.6 The amino acid L-theanine is a key component in black, oolong and green tea and works synergistically with caffeine, by thwarting the ‘jittery’ effect caffeine has on the body, while still helping to improve focus and reducing anxiety and stress.

In fact, just 50mg of L-theanine was shown to provide benefits. As one cup of black tea provides around 20mg of L-theanine, just 2-3 cups of black tea a day led to participants showing improved attention and mental stimulation [7].

Other research shows how higher levels of L-theanine and caffeine (100mg and 50mg respectively) lead to participants undertaking fewer errors during tasks than those study respondents given placebo L-theanine and caffeine intervention. Another amino acid, γ-Aminobutyric aminobutyric acid (GABA), is present in green tea leaves and has been found to reduce stress levels bought on by mental tasks [8].

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An additional key component of tea, proven to help with mental wellbeing and brain health is epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG). This is a type of antioxidant-filled polyphenol, demonstrated to provide antiinflammatory actions [9,10,11] and is particularly prominent in green tea as well as oolong tea.

Time for a cuppa Further research work is needed but the evidence is clear: 2-3 cups of tea a day may help alleviate stress and anxiety which is great news for our brain health, while keeping us focused and calm. Arrrrh. Time for another cuppa.

References 1. Jenkins, G, Etheridge, C, Derbyshire, E. Tea Drinking: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials Focusing on Human Cognition, Mental Wellbeing and Brain Function. Journal of Human Nutrition; 2021:4 (1) 120129 2. Fineberg NA, Haddad PM, Carpenter L, et al. The size, burden and cost of disorders of the brain in the UK. J Psychopharmacol 2013;27(9):761-70.

3. Wittchen HU, Jacobi F, Rehm J, et al. The size and burden of mental disorders and other disorders of the brain in Europe 2010. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 2011;21(9):655-79.

4. Yoto A, Fukui N, Kaneda C, et al. Black tea aroma inhibited increase of salivary chromogranin-A after arithmetic tasks. J Physiol Anthropol 2018;37(1):3.

5. As in 4 6. Naveed M, BiBi J, Kamboh AA, et al. Pharmacological values and therapeutic properties of black tea (Camellia sinensis): A comprehensive overview. Biomed Pharmacother 2018; 100:521-31.

7. Nobre AC, Rao A, Owen GN. L-theanineL-theanine, a natural constituent in tea, and its effect on mental state.

Asia Pac J Clin Nutr 2008;17 Suppl 1:167-8.

8. Yoto A, Murao S, Motoki M, et al. Oral intake of gamma-aminobutyric acid affects mood and activities of central nervous system during stressed condition induced by mental tasks. Amino Acids 2012;43(3):1331-7.

9. Pervin M, Unno K, Ohishi T, et al. Beneficial Effects of Green Tea Catechins on Neurodegenerative Diseases.

Molecules 2018;23(6) 10. Farzaei MH, Bahramsoltani R, Abbasabadi Z, et al. Role of green tea catechins in prevention of age-related cognitive decline: Pharmacological targets and clinical perspective. J Cell Physiol 2019;234(3):2447-59.

11. Bastianetto S, Krantic S, Chabot JG, et al. Possible involvement of programmed cell death pathways in the neuroprotective action of polyphenols. Curr Alzheimer Res 2011;8(5):445-51.

Dr Gill Jenkins is a practising GP and flying doctor, with a special interest in lifestyle health issues, in particular obesity, smoking, diabetes, heart disease, lipid management and joint health. Since qualifying in 1981, she has developed a breadth of medical experience, including psychiatry, cardiology, rheumatology and emergency medicine.

Check out: www.teaadvisorypanel.com 21

Training and Masterclasses Want to learn more about tea and herbals. Try one of these classes UK The UK Tea Academy provides online certified courses followed as either self-study or led by expert tutors in a series of live webinars. Three levels of certification are available: Tea Champion (intro) Tea Sommelier (intermediate) and Tea Diploma (advanced). The Tea Champion qualification is also available in other languages with our international trainers. The UKTA also hosts a regular variety of lively, interactive and informative online events.

See more here www.ukteaacademy.co.uk/ CANADA A TEA SOMMELIER is a trained and knowledgeable tea professional who has successfully completed the eight modules in the TAC TEA SOMMELIER TM/SM course at a college or online, and passed the Tea and Herbal Association of Canada certification examination. See more here www.teasommelier.com/ USA The Specialty Tea Institute (STI) is the educational division of the Tea Association of the U.S.A., Inc. and the leader in the education of tea professionals. STI created the USA’s first standardized and accredited tea education curriculum. Their Certified Training Programs, Levels I, II, III and IV, are held in conjunction with various food and beverage conferences throughout the country. Find more here http://stitea.org/

Coming soon!

Tea Masters Cup-UK UKTIA will be launching the UK heat of this international competition. Find out more here: www.tea.co.uk/uk-tea-masters-competition and follow us @UKTalkingTea for updates

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Afternoon Tea week 9-15th August Enjoy!

Brew, Sip, Share #brewcrew