The tea gardens of the world span the globe, traversing nations with
varying cultures, geographies and climates. There is no one condition
that determines tea’s excellence. Temperature, rainfall, soil
conditions, altitude, and processing expertise are but a few of the
elements that play their part in providing us with this most
pleasurable and satisfying drink. However, in search of true excellence in tea, the tea-lover should not
stray too far from the equator. The natural limits of the tea plant lie
between the latitudes of 43° north and 30° south. And it is
there – in the ‘hot-house’ atmosphere of the tropics
and subtropics – that the best tea is cultivated.
Today, India is the largest single producer of the worlds tea crop
(about one third, or 870 million kg) followed by China, Kenya and
Ceylon. Apart from these four, there are many more tea producing
regions in Argentina, Brazil, Iran, Turkey, Vietnam, Korea, Malaysia,
Thailand, Australia, and New Guinea. Who would have thought that tea
grows in Corsica, the Azores, Mexico, the US, and – albeit in
miniscule quantities – in Tuscany? Many of these regions produce
tea that is currently too inferior or in insufficient quantity to be of
real interest to Tea Gschwendner or us here at TeaHaus.
The intensity and nuances of the color of the tea in the cup give
insight into its place of origin, the time of plucking and its
intrinsic character. There is a huge spectrum of colors: deep browns,
warm oranges, to offer only the highest quality teas. Our tea is
subject fruity reds, mellow yellows, vivid fresh greens, and all the
permutations in between.
TeaHaus works closely with our European tea supplier, Tea Gschwendner.
Tea Gschwendner is known throughout Europe and most of the world as
being the premiere tea producer, tester, and blender of fine teas. Our
tea is subject to the highest scrutiny both in the garden as well as in
Tea Gschwendner’s own testing and production laboratories located
in Germany. TeaHaus is proud to bring this high quality tea to you in
Michigan.
With a selection of over 160 loose-leaf teas from
all over the world, only at TeaHaus will you find tea ware
from European design houses like Mono, Tonfisk and Ritzenhoff. We also
carry top brands for all tea ware and tea accessories to fit
anyone’s taste and budget. We sell all our teas loose so you can see and smell each tea before
purchasing it. Our selection includes classic favorites to funky
seasonal flavors. Teas can be purchased loose in 50g, 100g, and 250g
bags; you choose it, we weigh it.
Helpful Hints...
Iced Tea
- We're often asked at TeaHaus, 'How do I make iced tea at home?'
Regardless of the different ways people do it, here is how we do it at
the store (when you're buying one of our iced teas 'To Go'); we can always recommend certain teas that stand out in our opinion when you come visit us as well:
(please apply this to the instructions on any tea you purchase at
TeaHaus) Using the same amount of tea (usually 1 heaping teaspoon per
8oz-12 cup; try adding more tea to strengthen the flavor), brew this
amount of tea in 1/2 the amount of temperatured water. Fill your cup up
with ice, and when your tea has infused, strain it on top of the ice;
much of it will melt and fill the rest of the cup with water.
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