Two leaves and a bud are plucked from the camellia sinensis bush.

Serving tea at Tucker’s birthday party

Life has gotten more challenging as of late but every now and then something happens to remind me that there are still pleasures to be had, regardless of my shrinking wallet. Just the other day I was approached to do product review for two leaves and a bud, a local fair trade, organic, whole leaf tea company.

I normally do not do product reviews but I love tea  and  felt fortunate that they asked me, the one and only “mommy blogger” in Aspen, and so I said, “hell yeah”.

My introduction to this delicious tea company came at the precise moment when I made a pact with myself to hunker down and write.

I was presented with a colorful array of teas to review and I must say that I have been having a grand ole time tasting teas of every flavor from the farthest regions of the world. Who needs to travel when I can brew up a cup of Assam tea from North East India in my very own kitchen?

I have become quite the junkie reaching into my box of treasures to search for a calming Pomi-Berry herbal tea when harassed or a freshly brewed cup of Darjeeling to awaken my senses for writing. If it is dumping snow outside, as it did all last week, I reach for the African Sunset. I’m sure that the name helps to ignite my day dreams but it is also the earthy, sweet taste that transports me to the untamed African tundra.

Ahhh tea. I’m not sure if I have an innate taste for it from my British mum or if it is because I cannot smell coffee anymore without my stomach churning. One thing is certain, tea is comforting and provides for a quick and elegant departure from the chaos of my everyday living.

Speaking of chaos, the boys enjoyed the tea taste tests insisting that I write their reviews on my post. Brevitt wants you to know that he loves opening the shiny tea packets and smelling the sachets, made of biodegradable cornstarch based nylon. He says that  there is no contest between the two leaves and a bud tea and the tea bags that I had previously been buying at the market.

We all notice the difference both in scent and flavor and are astonished that the sachets contain such full, robust tea leaves as opposed to the other tea bags that contain dried out tea leaves resembling dust. The children swear that they will never drink tea again unless it’s from two leaves and a bud.

The boys line up at the kitchen counter and begin their test by sniffing the sachets, inflaming their nostrils with their strong, rich scents . It was no surprise that they preferred their tea with milk and honey or Agave but they did enjoy trying the tea before and after the sweetener was added. Their favorites were the Chai and the Peppermint but they also surprised me with their love for the Poni Berry. They love that there is such a large selection of herbal teas and they insist that we make it every way possible; iced, brewed, steeped, frothed etc…

Always looking for the medicinal value in everything I eat and drink I was not surprised to learn that tea can help to prevent the Swine Flu as stated in this email that I received originally from Dr. Vinay Goyal, an MBBS, DRM, DNB (Internist and thyroid specialist) with clinical experience of over 20 years.

Most of his suggestions for prevention of Swine Flu were obvious; hand-washing, gargling with salt water, nasal saline solution, but what struck my chord was #6 Drink as much of warm liquids (tea, coffee, etc) as you can. *Drinking warm liquids has the same effect as gargling, but in the reverse direction. They wash off proliferating viruses from the throat into the stomach where they cannot survive, proliferate or do any harm.

I have always known that tea was an antioxidant but what I didn’t know was that, as the website states, all of these antioxidants attack the cell damaging “free radicals” which are linked to cancer causing genes and heart damaging plaque and cholesterol. In addition, tea contains many important vitamins, minerals and essential oils including Carotene, Vitamin A, Vitamin B2, Thiamin, Nicotinic acid, Pantothenic acid, Manganese, Potassium, Fluoride and Folic Acid.

All of these nutrients contribute to the long list of overall health benefits as tea is becoming more and more well known. Included on this list are the following; healthy teeth and skin complexion, lowering bad cholesterol, regulating blood sugar levels, lowering blood pressure, boosts immune system, boosts metabolism, and increases higher bone mineral density.

The website also says that tea has been consumed throughout its history, not only for its refreshing, energizing and soothing taste but originally for its important healing properties which now are backed up by scientific evidence. Research shows that drinking up to 5 cups a day of tea offers many health benefits as well as preventative measures.

It is amazing to me that I have known about this local tea company for so long but have never ventured out to discover its treasures. Thanks to Richard Rosenfeld, the owner of two leaves and a bud, good tea is easily obtainable and is packaged so beautifully that it makes for an impressive gift for any occasion. I give it a huge thumbs up!

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