Kaleidoscope of T.E.A. – June 2018
Our Kaleidoscope of T.E.A. for June is Guayusa
This month’s selection is actually a collection of teas from South America. While Guayusa is new to the U.S., it’s been a tradition for centuries in the Amazon rainforest, where the native people gather in the early morning hours for community tea ceremonies. It provides a clear, focused energy and mindfulness to help them get through their day. They say drinking it is being “fully alive.”
Description: Guayusa (why-you-sah) is produced from the leaves of a caffeinated Amazonian holly tree, and is not related to the camellia sinensis plant that produces green and black tea. It is is grown almost exclusively in the upper Amazonian region of Ecuador and harvested from trees that are grown under the shaded canopy of the rainforest.
Guayusa is a natural source of energy and nutrition from the Amazon, provides clear and focused energy – what the native Kichwa people call “mental strength and courage.” The word Runa means “fully alive” in the indigenous Kichwa language.
1 – Runa Traditional Guayusa
Guayusa is a native Amazonian tree leaf that has a naturally sweet taste when brewed. It offers clear, focused energy with as much caffeine as a cup of coffee, balanced with more antioxidants than green tea.
Ingredients: Organic guayusa
2 – Runa Cinnamon-Lemongrass Guayusa
An Amazonian blend of energizing guayusa with full-bodied cinnamon and aromatic lemongrass.
Ingredients: Organic guayusa, organic lemongrass, organic cinnamon
3 – Runa Mint Guayusa
An Amazonian blend of energizing guayusa with crisp and rejuvenating organic peppermint.
Ingredients: Organic guayusa, organic peppermint
Kaleidoscope of T.E.A.
Kaleidoscope group member Marlys Arnold & her husband, Alan, both of Adventures with Tea share some magic we call “Kaleidoscope of T.E.A.” It’s a special blend of my monthly forecast brew, steeped in T.E.A. (Thoughts, Energy & Actions), paired with a tea recommended by the Arnolds … one that represents the energy of the month, plus the adventures & experiences brought to mind.
About Marlys & Arnold Alan and Adventures with Tea
When Alan & Marlys Arnold launched their own line of artisan teas, they chose the name Adventures with Tea to emphasize that tea can be fun and creative, in addition to being tasty and healthy. But they don’t stop at promoting tea as a beverage – they also include it as an ingredient in everything from main dishes to desserts. Over the past two decades, they’ve developed hundreds of tea-infused recipes, many of which have been published in their eMagazine and blog. They teach cooking classes, and are authors of the Tea Explorations Journal. They’re also currently working on a cookbook.