Introducing... TEA!!!

Hello to all of our mail order customers in cyber-space! After making an announcement in the Fall of 2009 that we were considering adding a tea line to our product mix, I am pleased to announce that as of this week, in the Fall of 2011, we have indeed added a tea line to our product mix! We at Mocha Joe’s feel that it’s important to take time to make important decisions. It’s never a good idea to rush into things.

In order to choose a tea company we tasted A LOT of different teas from A LOT of different companies. We tasted black teas, green teas, white teas, yellow teas, and flavored teas. We tasted herbal teas, blended teas, single origin teas, and rooibos teas. We tasted yerba mate, matcha powders, and chais. We infused in paper filters, fancy teapots, and gold mesh filters. In milk and in water. With sugar and without sugar. No wonder it took us so long!

            After much (and I mean much) deliberation, we have decided to partner with Rishi Tea, a company with an excellent reputation that we feel shares our vision and our values. Their teas won blind tastings on our cupping table again and again. Rishi carefully selects and sources some of the finest teas from the most talented artisans in the world. These farmers and their families have been harvesting and processing teas for generations, and Rishi’s commitment to honoring the wisdom of ancient tea production, while introducing modern, efficient manufacturing processes has allowed many of these artisans to keep their traditional methods alive. Additionally, most of their teas are certified organic, kosher, and Fair Trade, which is important to us, and we know is important to you.

            We have tried a lot of Rishi’s offerings and have chosen a group of products that we feel really stand out, either for their excellent quality, their unique flavors, or (more often) both. I personally am a big fan of both the “Iron Goddess of Mercy” Oolong, a sweet, light bodied black tea, and the Sweet Matcha powder, which makes a really great latte, as well as an interesting ingredient in many foods, from cookies to cocktails. All of these teas come in attractive retail tins or pouches, and make excellent holiday gifts – just don’t forget to order some for yourself as well!