The Beverage that Bonds: Let's Make a Cup of UniTea

Millions, if not billions, of people drink coffee and tea everyday; it's a common thread that connects people from all different countries, cultures, age groups etc. Now changing beats slightly I want to invite you to watch this video on the Virtual Choir. 



Eric Whitacre, composer and conductor, explains his vision and shows how it became a reality. 


My thought is simple. Like music, coffee and tea, are things that people from all over the world can take part in. So, the next time you brew your favorite dark roast or earl grey, think about how many other people might be doing the exact same thing.  Take a picture that captures the moment; tweet images to @beansandbags saying where and when you took the picture, and what you're drinking, use #CupofUniTea when tweeting. The goal is to put all of the pictures we receive together to create one big  "Cup of UniTea". 

To get the ball rolling, here's me at work in Des Moines, IA enjoying my delicious morning coffee, a cup of our very own 4100 Blend! 

Cheers! 

Sip, smile, stay awhile

New York, NY 

Chicago, IL 

Iowa City, IA 

Burr Ridge, IL 

Match by Mood: Teas if You Need Energy

Tired: Whether it's the morning and you need a kick start, or mid-day and you need a boost, tea can be an all-natural way to sip the zzz's away. Depending on your caffeine sensitivity green tea may give you enough of a perk. Most commonly, black tea, with the highest levels of caffeine in tea, is a sure thing to get you moving. Chai tea, which is black tea based, has added spices that provide an extra zing when consumed. As a bonus, they have been known to even trigger creative inspiration. 

• Bombay Chai 
• Orange Dulce 
• Organic Earl Grey 
• Organic Breakfast
• ORIGINS Berry Black 
• ORIGINS Classic Breakfast 
• ORIGINS Earl Grey 
• Marrakesh Mint 
• Organic Mint Melange 
• Green Tea Tropical 
• ORIGINS Citrus Green 
• ORIGINS Kyoto Rice 
• ORIGINS Jasmine 

Sip, smile, stay awhile

Match by Mood: Teas if You Feel Restless

Restless: If you are trying to get to sleep and your body just won't seem to cooperate, a cup of tea may be the only elixir you need. Unlike many other sleep aids and medications tea is an all-natural remedy that can prove just as effective, without all the negative side effects of medications and with all the health benefits of tea! 

• Organic African Nectar 
  
• Chamomile Citrus 
• ORIGINS Ruby Spice 
• ORIGINS Golden Chamomile 

Sip, smile, stay awhile

Match by Mood: Teas if you feel Sluggish

Sluggish: We all have those days where we just feel a bit slow. Maybe it was self-induced after an over-indulgent night, maybe it's the weather or the time of the month, whatever the reason may be you just feel like you're dragging. If this is the case, tea may be the answer. Generally, green and white teas do wonders for "cleaning"out the system. Teas that include rooibos and ginger are also excellent for flushing the body of unwanted toxins and other junk. This is part of the reason ginger is commonly found in many detox drinks. 

• Marrakesh Mint 
  
• Green Tea Tropical 
• ORIGINS Kyoto Rice 
• ORIGINS Jasmine 
• ORIGINS Citrus Green 
• White Orchard 
• Organic African Nectar 
• Ginger Twist 
• ORIGINS Ruby Spice 

Sip, smile, stay awhile

Match by Mood: Teas if you feel Sad

Sad: If you're feeling a little blue, a cup or two may be what you need to turn that frown upside down. Now you may be wondering how tea could possibly help to improve one's mood, but it's the truth. Herbal infusions typically include tisanes, which contain natural mood-boosting properties. Teas that include lemon verbena, lemongrass, rooibos, and cinnamon are excellent sources of tisanes. 

• Organic African Nectar 
• Ginger Twist 
• Bombay Chai 
• ORIGINS Ruby Spice 

Sip, smile, stay awhile

Match by Mood: Teas if you feel Distracted

Distracted: Maybe it's the mid-week slump, last hour of the work day or simple total chaos, but if something has you feeling less than focused, a spot of tea may help redirect you. Green tea and black tea provide pep to help get the wheels turning. If you're sensitive to caffeine, try a mate tea, for the boost without the jitters. As mentioned previously, the Indian spices in chai tea help to increase creativity and mint can help stimulate brain function. 

• Marrakesh Mint 
• Green Tea Tropical 
• ORIGINS Kyoto Rice 
• ORIGINS Jasmine 
• ORIGINS Citrus Green 
• Bombay Chai 
• Orange Dulce 
• Organic Earl Grey 
• Organic Breakfast 
• ORIGINS Berry Black 
• ORIGINS Classic Breakfast 
• ORIGINS Earl Grey 
• Rainforest Mate 
• Organic Mint Melange 
• ORIGINS Mediterranean Mint 

Sip, smile, stay awhile

Match by Mood: Teas if you feel Under the Weather

Under the Weather: It may be a bug, lack of vitamin D, or winter woes, but if you're feeling under the weather a cup of tea will surely leave you feeling sunny side up (or at least sunnier). The spices in chai tea can help boost the immune system. While, teas that contain chamomile, licorice and/or, ginger can help perk up a slow system. Fruit flavored teas, such as, lemon and orange, contain fruit tisanes that help lift the body and spirits.  

• Bombay Chai 
• Rainforest Mate 
• Ginger Twist 
• Chamomile Citrus 
• Orange Dulce 
• Green Tea Tropical 
• White Orchard 
• Organic African Nectar 
• ORIGINS Golden Chamomile 
• ORIGINS Berry Black 

Sip, smile, stay awhile

Match by Mood: Teas if you feel Peaceful

Calm/Peaceful: If you are already feeling calm, but maybe want to increase or prolong the feeling then a spot of tea is just the treatment. Teas that contain chamomile and lemongrass are particularly soothing. This is why you commonly find teas with these ingredients in "bedtime" and "sleepy" teas. While, they make excellent sleep aids, teas with these ingredients are also wonderful for releasing tension, unwinding and finding a feeling of inner peace. 

• Chamomile Citrus 
• Ginger Twist 
• ORIGINS Golden Chamomile  
• ORIGINS Mediterranean Mint 

Sip, smile, stay awhile

Match by Mood: Teas if you feel Stressed and Anxious

Many people find tea to be soothing, relaxing and calming. While, I agree with all of these attributes I have found that there truly is a tea for just about every mood you may be feeling. Below you will find the Mighty Leaf teas carried by Coffee & Tea Warehouse, that serve as remedies specific to each mood. 

Stressed/Anxious: If you're feeling stressed or anxious and need a little help unwinding and calming down, a cup of tea may be the ticket. In general the properties of green, chai, and herbal, teas work wonders for stress and anxiety. You may also look for teas that include rooibos, honey bush, and ginger. 

• Marrakesh Mint 
• Organic Mint Melange
• Green Tea Tropical 
• ORIGINS Citrus Green 
• ORIGINS Kyoto Rice 
• ORIGINS Jasmine
• Organic African Nectar 
• Ginger Twist 
• Chamomile Citrus 
• White Orchard 
• ORIGINS Golden Chamomile 
• ORIGINS Ruby Spice 
• ORIGINS Mediterranean Mint 
• Bombay Chai 

Sip, smile, stay awhile

Tasseography: Tell-tale Tea Leaves

If you're pouring yourself a cup of tea, or maybe you enjoyed one earlier, why not see what your leaves say? If you've ever been curious about reading tea leaves this is a fun, virtual way to test it out (the best part - it's free)! Simply click on the link below to get started, once you've tried it come back and share what your leaves had to say!!

Read My Leaves! 

Curious to know how it's possible that your fortune is in a cup of tea? Here is some of the best information I have found regarding tasseography, the reading of tea leaves.  

If you want to try it yourself use the chart below to help guide your reading:

So you can see what you're looking for... 

Sip, smile, stay awhile

Floral, Fragrant, and Fruity, Oh My!

You may have heard the terms floral, herbal, earthy, tangy etc. to describe the taste and flavor of both coffee and tea, but what does it really mean? If someone tells me that I am going to taste a slightly sweet and nippy coffee, what does that actually mean for my taste buds? Similarly, if someone tells me that I'm going to taste thick, flowing, earthy, maple, cup of tea what in the world does that actually mean I'll be tasting?

Well, now you no longer have to guess or pretend to know; (thus, possibly placing yourself in the unfortunate position of ordering something you dislike) simply look at the flavor wheels below to become a quick expert.

Tea Flavor Wheel:

Coffee Flavor Wheel:

Sip, smile, stay awhile