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The Tea House Times, LLC ~ Your Trusted Source for Everything Tea ~ Since 2003 Bi-monthly publication - Click here to $ubscribe or Click here to Register for FREE online version. LATEST ISSUE OF THT (must log in)
Mar/Apr 2010 Issue Subscribe or Register & Log-in to view online. Featured Columns / News
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The Tea House Times Seal of Approval
BUSINESSES AWARDED THE SEAL 2009 (coming soon) BUSINESSES AWARDED THE SEAL 2008
The Tea House Times Seal of Approval was developed in 2008 with business owners and consumers in mind. In today’s fast paced society, people want to be sure they are spending their money in the best possible way with vendors they know or have come to trust.
The Tea House Times has been publishing product reviews and book reviews Since 2003. Consumers and business owners have come to trust The Tea House Times as a reliable resource for guidance in purchasing tea related merchandise through retailers and for finding wholesalers - which extends into the Tea Bureau service as well ( www.teabureau.com ).
The Seal of Approval is not a warranty - it is a Seal of Approval that The Tea House Times staff has personally tested, reviewed, and approves of the products available by certain qualified businesses.
A List of businesses already awarded The Tea House Times Seal of Approval is below.
Not all businesses whose products are reviewed will receive a Seal of Approval. If a product is found to be at fault in some way, a printed review and Seal of Approval will not be offered. Rather, those businesses are contacted and offered an opportunity to improve their products and resubmit for review at a future time.
Some product reviews will be printed, highlighting the positive aspects of a product line. If that product line and company policies are exemplary, they will also be rewarded with use of The Tea House Times Seal of Approval.
(Note - The Tea House Times Seal of Approval is given upon approval of testing and reviewing products on behalf of other businesses. The Tea House Times awards the Seal upon approval but does not and cannot warrant nor guarantee the future products or services of said businesses.)
HOW TO APPLY FOR THE SEAL and FAQ: To apply to receive The Tea House Times Seal of Approval - simply:
1. Contact The Tea House Times via email. Then mail a product or products for review to The Tea House Times (see contact info.) -- Your product MUST somehow relate to the tea industry, for those who enjoy afternoon tea, tea ceremonies, tea rooms, teas, and applicable types of gifts, jewelry, books etc. Please do not send products for review that do not fit into these categories. If you have questions, please ask.
2. If your product is found to have positive attributes of interest to our readers and website visitors, and the tea industry as a whole, a review will be published in The Tea House Times publication as soon as space allows.
3. If your products are found to have positive attributes and your business practices are found to be exemplary, you will also be rewarded use of The Tea House Times Seal of Approval for posting at your website, in printed materials, etc. Various forms of the Seal will be forwarded to you along with a formal testimonial about your products and/or business to use along with the Seal at your website and/or in printed materials, press kits at trade shows, etc.
4. If your product is found to be unsatisfactory for our audience, your review will not be printed and we may contact you to notify you of the reasons and give you a chance to improve the product and resubmit for review.
5. Can your business send more than one product for review? Yes - BUT If you send several teas for review, and you have a very extensive line of teas, we will print about our favorites and simply mention your full line. We cannot possibly review each and every tea since some businesses offer hundreds. - If you offer teas, accessories, etc. You may submit products for review from those varying categories over the course of several months (or ship one time). If several different items are sent for review, we cannot promise they will all be reviewed at one time. Products found to be satisfactory may be spaced out for review in a future line up of publication, rather than all at once. All at the discretion of the publisher.
6. Is there a cost involved to apply for the Seal of Approval? No - BUT If awarded the Seal of Approval you must post it at your website with the accompanying testimonial text as provided when awarded - with a link back to The Tea House Times website Seal of Approval page ~ where your business will be listed once approved. (Studies prove that customer and professional Testimonials and word of mouth are one of the highest percentages of positive and rewarding marketing efforts for your business. Use it to your advantage and Display it Proudly!)
7. Can the Seal be rescinded? Yes. If your business is awarded the Seal but at some point in the future we find your product quality or customer service has become unsatisfactory, your use of The Seal will be rescinded and your business listing here will be removed.
8. My company/product was reviewed, why didn't we receive a Seal? While we may find a product of review quality, we may need more time to learn about a business, it's dedication to growth, and consumer relations. A decision for awarding a Seal of Approval may not happen at the same time nor the same year as a printed product review.
If you are doing business with a company that has at some point in time been awarded The Tea House Times Seal of Approval, but you are finding their products have decreased in quality, or if you have some very unsatisfactory complaints, please contact us so we may investigate further and possibly request the Seal be pulled from their business. Contact us.
BUSINESSES AWARDED THE TEA HOUSE TIMES SEAL OF APPROVAL
SEAL OF APPROVAL AWARDS
SEAL OF APPROVAL AWARDS FOR BOOKS/MEDIA/OTHER - 2008
The Tea House Times Seal of Approval has been awarded to the following businesses, products, services, or books for 2008. The Tea House Times Seal of Approval has been awarded to Gamila Company for Quality Teastick infusers ~ Reviewed ~ Tested ~ Approved -- The Teastick - These are great. A plastic infuser stick. Easy to slide open. Mesh covering filters out tiny pieces. Very handy, easy to use infuser for loose teas. Simply fill it, slide closed, place into your cup and stir. Top rack dishwasher safe! The Tea House Times Seal of Approval has been awarded to Grandma Rae for Friendship Teabags ~ Reviewed ~ Tested ~ Approved -- Friendship Teabags by Grandma Rae are so beautiful. Each is hand cut, individually sewn, each charmingly unique. One is all ecru lace with a beautiful Victorian looking button on the outside along with a beautiful friendship quote. Inside is an individually wrapped tea bag, but this slightly larger size would easily accommodate a few favorites to keep handy. These are great for sending inside cards or giving to friends for no reason at all. The Tea House Times Seal of Approval has been awarded to Hand Painted Rose for Quality Hand Painted Teacups ~ Reviewed ~ Tested ~ Approved -- A glorious, most elegant, most cherished gift. A hand painted teacup is so special and can be personalized. The shape and hand painted designs are exquisite! The Tea House Times Seal of Approval has been awarded to Metropolitan Tea Company for Quality, Selection, Variety of Teas and Accessories ~ Reviewed ~ Tested ~ Approved -- A very good selection of teas. If you are entering the tea business and do not know where to begin, have a look at their catalog. It is chock full of all types of teas from different regions and all in the same catalog you will find tea accessories, teapots, warmers and other fun tea time products as well. Of the huge variety of teas sent for review, our favorites happen to be the flowering teas and flavored tea blends, but they have something to suit every taste bud and even offer blending components to experiment on your own. Custom packaging available too.
The Tea House Times Seal of Approval has been awarded to Numi for Quality Organic Puerh Teas ~ Reviewed ~ Tested ~ Approved -- Numi - new Organic Puerh Teas are fantastic and if you have not previously been a fan of Puerh, you will be now. Choices include Emperor’s Puerh, a straight black puerh - malty, rich and bold; Chocolate Puerh, with real chocolate, vanilla beans, orange peel, spices - velvety rich & vanilla; Magnolia Puerh, Magnolia scented green tea and black tea puerh blend - deep floral earthiness; and Mint Puerh, a green puerh blend - pungent, smooth and sweet. Available in tea bags/boxes and loose tea.
The Tea House Times Seal of Approval has been awarded to Pino for Quality & Design of Digital Kettle Pro ~ Reviewed ~ Tested ~ Approved -- Love this! Takes the headache out of boiling water. Plus, you can put the pot right on the table - stay cool bottom. Cordless pot heats upon a base and is easily removable. Set to your desired temperature - it heats very quickly - and maintains temperature! High quality, stainless steel.
The Tea House Times Seal of Approval has been awarded to Royal Patrician for Excellent Quality Dynasty Collection gift boxed cup/saucer ~ Reviewed ~ Tested ~ Approved -- Beautiful floral teacups individually gift boxed in a stunning presentation. What is unique is that each up has a floral pattern plus a beautiful sentiment written around the outer edge of the saucers, i.e. “Life is like a cup of tea. It’s all in how you make it.” Other sentiments include loving thoughts, friendship, and spiritual sayings. A great gift! The Tea House Times Seal of Approval has been awarded to The San Francisco Chocolate Company for Quality Tea Lover’s Chocolates ~ Reviewed ~ Tested ~ Approved -- Great tins of chocolate drops. Great to nibble on or use at a tea and chocolate pairing demonstration (i.e. dark chocolate drops are best paired with black teas). Very good and sold in compact tins. The Tea House Times Seal of Approval has been awarded to The Tea Spot for Excellent Quality Teas and Automatic Teapot ~ Reviewed ~ Tested ~ Approved -- The world’s first automatic teapot removes the leaves for you at just the right time for the type of tea you are steeping! Clever and sleek design. The Tea Spot also offers some fabulous, bold tasting teas such as Boulder Breakfast and Green Roasted Mint. The Tea House Times Seal of Approval has been awarded to Thistledown Cozies for Quality Tea Cozies and Tea Wallets ~ Reviewed ~ Tested ~ Approved -- Thistledown Cozies and Tea Wallets are high quality and made from a variety of beautiful fabrics. The tea wallets fold up perfectly and compactly to fit inside your purse holding several tea bags. The Tea House Times Seal of Approval has been awarded to Republic of Tea for Quality, Variety of Teas ~ Reviewed ~ Tested ~ Approved --“Be Well Red Teas” - Looking for a “wellness” tea? The Republic of Tea offers a line of Organic Rooibos blends such as Get Wellness (for immunity), Get Heart (for cardio health), Get Happy (for lifting your spirits). We particularly enjoyed trying Get Happy - fresh fruity lemon and lush peach flavor, rooibos blend - great hot or iced. The Tea House Times Seal of Approval has been awarded to Revolution Tea for Quality Teas and Packaging ~ Reviewed ~ Tested ~ Approved -- Full leaf teas taste superior and by using a special flow-through material for the teabags, extra room allows leaves to expand, infuse, into a full bodied flavorful tea. Pyramid infuser teas packaged conveniently in tins, individual sampling boxes, and also tins with larger infusers especially made for a full pot of tea. Great variety of flavors and packaging sizes to meet every need. The Tea House Times Seal of Approval has been awarded to Shortbread House of Edinburgh for Quality Shortbreads and Oaties ~ Reviewed ~ Tested ~ Approved -- Shortbread is so elegant and nicer than offering a cookie! These -must have- shortbreads are available in tins, canisters, boxes, and packets in melt in your mouth varieties such as original, stem ginger, chocolate chip, and chocolate orange. The Oaties (sweet biscuits) are also great and available plain or with chocolate chips. The Tea House Times Seal of Approval has been awarded to Sugars by Sharon for Quality Artistic Sugars ~ Reviewed ~ Tested ~ Approved -- These sugars are different! Not your typical decorated sugar cube. These sugars are crafted into a variety of stunning shapes - floral, seasonal, etc. in a pleasing choice of colors. The sugars melt perfectly and look beautiful. Something extra special to serve in tea rooms, use at parties, and purchase as a special treat. Each box comes with a generous amount of sugars making it a good value in addition to the beauty. The Tea House Times Seal of Approval has been awarded to Victorian House Scones for Excellent Quality Scones ~ Reviewed ~ Tested ~ Approved -- The best scones yet. We really have tried loads of scones and these are the best. The mix is easy to use and the package size is double what you normally get for the price. Scientifically perfected blend of ingredients. So good, we are now selling these at The Tea House Times website and available wholesale too. (Samples at The Tea House Times booth at World Tea Expo!)
BOOKS/OTHER - 2008:
The Tea House Times Seal of Approval has been awarded to Archana Pyatt for Excellent Quality Book ~ Reviewed ~ Tested ~ Approved -- Tea Journal for Tea Room Enthusiasts ©2007 Archana Pyatt ISBN 978-0-9797249-0-9 A beautiful soft cover journal for recording tea room visits and memories. Rate your favorites, add your own photos, etc. Includes valuable lists of resources for finding tea rooms and tea related products. Tea preparation tips are inside. Personal, hand written, journal entries from well known tea authorities make this book unique and creative. The Tea House Times Seal of Approval has been awarded to Barry W. Cooper for Excellent Quality Book ~ Reviewed ~ Tested ~ Approved --Silver Spoons, Mad Baboons, and Other Tales of Tea ©2008 by Barry W. Cooper ISBN 978-0-9777397-1-4 A page turner from the very first page! Not just another book about tea. This is a real adventure story leading to tea. Cooper was raised amongst the wild animals and tea fields of Kenya. He has spent his life traveling the globe in search of fine teas.
The Tea House Times Seal of Approval has been awarded to Elizabeth Knight for Excellent Quality Book ~ Reviewed ~ Tested ~ Approved --Celtic Teas With Friends ©2008 by Elizabeth Knight ISBN 978-0-9793431-3-1 Another great book by Elizabeth Knight! Learn teatime traditions from Cornwall, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. Fabulous recipes and party ideas interspersed with tradition and facts about tea preparation and party planning. Published by Benjamin Press. The Tea House Times Seal of Approval has been awarded to Emilie Barnes & Susan Rios for Excellent Quality Book ~ Reviewed ~ Tested ~ Approved --Christmas Teas of Comfort and Joy. ©2008 by Emilie Barnes and Susan Rios. ISBN 978-0-7369-2229-6 Published by Harvest House Publishers, Eugene, OR This book will certainly bring you comfort and joy through Family Traditions, Caroling, some old fashioned fun and the joy of giving. Filled with wonderful recipes and tea party ideas to illuminate the wonders of Christmas and tea. Paintings by Susan Rios shine throughout the book. The Tea House Times Seal of Approval has been awarded to Greg Mortenson & David Oliver Relin for Excellent Book ~ Reviewed ~ Tested ~ Approved --Three Cups of Tea ©2006 by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin. ISBN 0-670-03482-7 (hc) ISBN 978-0-14-303825 (pb) One of the most memorable books ever read. A true, inspiring story of Greg Mortenson whose love for mountain climbing developed a passion and pledging to build a school for children high in the poor and treacherous mountains of Pakistan and Afghanistan. Throughout this amazing story, tea is offered to welcome a stranger, do business, and share with family. His adventures and deep spirit make for an awesome and riveting read. Not to be missed. The Tea House Times Seal of Approval has been awarded to Laura Childs for Excellent Quality Book - Tea Shop Mystery Series ~ Reviewed ~ Tested ~ Approved --The Silver Needle Murder by Laura Childs ISBN 978-0-425-21946-1 Another page turner by Laura Childs. Theodosia has a lot going on - the Charleston Film Festival, her Tea Room, and murder. She gets herself in some hot water and in this case - swamp water. Silver Needle tea was served at the scene of the crime.
The Tea House Times Seal of Approval has been awarded to Jennifer Donnelly for Excellent Quality Book ~ Reviewed ~ Tested ~ Approved --The Winter Rose by Jennifer Donnelly ISBN 978-1-4013-0103-3 The much anticipated sequel to 2002’s The Tea Rose, this book is just as wonderful with some of the same old characters and the new heroine, a woman doctor - in an era (1900) when lady doctors were considered peculiar. Donnelly hopes her book will help people keep faith through hard times, keeping faith in ourselves, along with love and courage.
The Tea House Times Seal of Approval has been awarded to Pryor Publications for Excellent Quality Book ~ Reviewed ~ Tested ~ Approved -- TEA, The Drink of Pleasure and of Health ©2007 Pryor Publications; A facsimile reproduction, first published in 1880. It is a great, small paperback book giving a brief accounting of tea in all aspects. From growing, preparation, use, affects on health, how to make and when to take, it is a splendid introduction to the pleasures of taking tea with a step back in time. (Note - The Tea House Times Seal of Approval is given upon approval of testing and reviewing products on behalf of other businesses. The Tea House Times awards the Seal upon approval but does not and cannot warrant nor guarantee the future products or services of said businesses.) IF YOUR BUSINESS WAS AWARDED THE SEAL OF APPROVAL AND YOU NEED ANOTHER COPY OF YOUR CERTIFICATE, PLEASE CONTACT US. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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