March is always a month of transition as nature stutters through the end of winter and begins to tease us with warmer, calmer weather. Most people it seems are short on patience, in a bit of a fog and generally grumpy. This trend tends to occur annually late winter but perhaps because of the recent economic stressors, this year people are especially surly. Here at Adagio Teas we see it in the TeaMap reviews, which any given weekend, gives us an interesting finger on the pulse of how people are feeling; and lately, they are quite grumpy!

Frequent complaints are service issues, tea quality and not enough food for money spent. It is easy to read these reviews and dismiss them as the visiting party's mood problem, but there are lessons to be learned. If we peer into a worst-case scenario, we might find a few informational diamonds in the rough.

If you have ever had a review where a customer has used the words "cold," "indifferent," "couldn't be bothered," "impatient," "didn't want us there," or even "rude," your first impulse was probably horror and your second denial... more

Looking to refresh your tea service? March is a great month to celebrate Irish heritage with St Patrick's Day and the awakening of Spring with fine green teas. While Irish Breakfast might be the traditional brew of the occasion, the great popularity of green teas should also be embraced.

If your usual clientele is a little skittish when it comes to green teas, it very well could be that they have not had it brewed properly. When we say "properly" here we don't mean with pomp and circumstance and pinkies extended (although you can add fanfare as much as you wish.) We mean over-heated, over-brewed green tea resulting in a sharp, astringent, too-tangy-for-a-newbie's-palate unpleasant cup. Bleh! Remember to watch the brewing guidelines for green tea. Generally speaking, about 1 tsp per cup, water temp about 180 degrees F for not more than 3 minutes. Explain to them that they can play around with these parameters to suit their own taste. One of the many beautiful attributes of tea is that you can adjust it so many ways to achieve one's perfect cup... more

With the fairly extreme political polarization going on here in the US the once beloved term "Tea Party" has lost its fun, innocent, yummy connotation. For those of us in the tea business as well as tea enthusiasts, it has become increasingly difficult to get genuine Yahoo! and Google alerts tea news. It is not that we aren't concerned with national affairs, but we also really want tea news! And perhaps if opposing parties sat down and calmly enjoyed a pot or two with some sweets and had civil discussion...well, who knows what disagreements might get resolved?

Of course this is a simplistic and slightly cheeky thought, but perhaps we can take back the term "tea party" by encouraging light-hearted social gatherings focusing on tea and snacks. In doing so, a full belly and cupful of warm comfort can only facilitate focusing on resolution instead of derision.

With this month's much anticipated release of Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland, the time is perfect for celebrating the true wonder and fun of a tea party... more