Review of the Pineapple Tea Room in Apex, North Carolina
In early American times, it was common to see a pineapple used for a centerpiece on a table. It symbolized hospitality and warmth in the days when only a few people could afford them. It seems a very fitting that the Pineapple Tea Room in Apex, North Caroline has taken its name from that treasured fruit. With its lovely Federalist-style furnishings and cheerful flowered tablecloths, the tearoom seems like a cozy piece of American history.
The front portion of the store is a teashop filled with antique tables, shelves, and chests of drawers. Every bit of furniture is brimming with all things tea-related. The Pineapple Tea Room serves tea at the tables in the back of the shop. Afternoon tea is served Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. and reservations are required. However, you can get their “tea-2-go” service any time the shop is open.
Continue reading Comments (0) brewed on Mar 4th, 2010
Hibiscus Tea May Lower High Blood Pressure
We read a great deal about the health benefits of true tea, the leaves of the Camellia sinensis. However, there are a number of very healthful herbal teas as well, including hibiscus tea. The dried calyces of the hibiscus are already used to make a pleasant drink in many cultures. Now the Journal of Nutrition reports that this tea once drunk for only for enjoyment might help lower blood pressure.
The study was conducted at the USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University, Boston. Previous studies on this subject were performed either in test tubes or on animals. This placebo-controlled, randomized, double-blind clinical trial was the first conducted with people. Scientists selected 65 pre-hypertensive or mildly hypertensive women and men between the ages of 30 and 70 for the study.
Continue reading Comments (0) brewed on Feb 24th, 2010
The Varying Levels of Tea Lovers
Tea drinkers seem to love tea in varying degrees of intensity, with extremes on both ends. The lower end buys boxes of teabags from the grocery store, the kind that just say the ingredients are “black tea.” They might drink a green tea now and then, but it’s probably that sweetened stuff in the bottle. They might have tried white tea once, but were confused because the beverage looked yellow, and never tried it again. They don’t know a true tea from an herbal tea and don’t really care as long as it tastes good.
Next, we have the tea appreciators, the ones who know loose tealeaves steeped in freshly boiled water taste best. The also know that this isn’t always obtainable, so being reasonable people, they will tolerate tea made from teabags. It isn’t ideal, but there are a few high quality teabags around, so they’ll take what they can get. They’ve even been known to drink an herbal tea now and then, even though it isn’t “really tea.”
Continue reading Comments (0) brewed on Feb 18th, 2010
Hey, You Can’t Drink that Tea Here
Visitors to the historical Delapre Abbey in Northampton, England have been banned from drinking their tea in the walled garden. The local council feels that they’re slurping their tea and clanking their china too loudly. According to Andrew Holden, planning officer of the Northampton Borough Council, they want the walled garden to remain tranquil. Apparently, the simple act of drinking tea disrupts the tranquility of the garden.
The council, who are the landlords of Delapre Abbey, have banished the tea drinkers to parking area in front of the building. This is not a pleasing thing to the Friends of Delapre Abbey, who operate the abbey tearoom. They use revenue from the tearoom to keep the abbey and its grounds in good repair. FoDA chairman Graham Walker feels that the action of the council is petty and will cause the tearoom to lose income.
Continue reading Comments (0) brewed on Feb 17th, 2010
