Curiosi Teas

A little Q&A about the events we host for companies and private functions alike. Consider
booking us for your next get together!

Q: So what is a tea event and why should I care?
A: Our tea tastings are unique events that last 1 - 2 hours and include tasting and comparing
different teas from the Camelia sinensis plant (true teas eg. green tea, white tea, black tea, pu'erh
tea and more) while you learn about teas in general. They are a lot of fun and can add a little flair
to your special occasion or can be a stand-alone event for an evening with friends, work lunch,
etc. The possibilities are endless! Think portable wine tasting but with more education and
alcohol-free.

Q: Who would enjoy this type of event?
A: Technically all ages but consider that there will be caffeine consumed so we generally
recommend it for more mature crowds. If you are curious about teas, looking for a fun
experience in the GTA, or want a customized tea event (this applies to the two hour experience) -
we are the ones to call!

Q: How far in advance do I need to book?
A: For the one hour event, we require 10 guests minimum and at least one week notice. For the
two hour event, we recommend a few weeks notice to ensure availability.

Q: Where do the events take place?
A: Typically, we come to your workspace or venue but we can also secure a downtown space for
you for a minimal fee.

Q: Can we take some tea home?
A: Yes, we now sell our quality sourced teas online (check out our shop!) and at events.

Q: Why is there a different price for the one-hour vs two-hour experience?

A: The one-hour experience is our most popular and what we normally offer. However, we have
found that there are a lot of engaging questions at the end of our sessions and we could refer you
to look up more information on our site OR we could lengthen the experience and teach even
more with a longer time period. Also, there are more teas offered in the two-hour "elevated"
experience (8-10 teas compared to 6 with the standard one-hour experience). We can adjust and
customize the two-hour experience as well, if you have ideas or preferences. For example, the
longer tea event can be a Travel the World with Tea educational tea event for those curious about
teas or it can be a Meditative Tea Experience which would really focus on the aromas and
calming sensation of inner peace that tea can bring.

Q: I have unanswered questions. Help!
A: We are great at responding to email and happy to hear from you. Contact us at
curiousiteas@gmail.com

Have you ever heard of pu'erh tea? It's not as popular and the taste is definitely not for everyone
but we think that the health benefits outweigh the fermented taste. Just like kombucha, you may
find you love it if you give it a try and can get past the initial pungency.
This is a fermented tea from Yunnan Province, China with many health benefits. Pu’erh
(pronounced “poo-air”) is the ONLY tea that is fermented, despite what you made read it some
shops! More on that in later posts. The length of time and process to achieve fermentation can
vary greatly and this is why you find huge differences in price points. Pu'erh is often sold in a
hard "cake" form which you remove a bit from each use. Drinking it daily becomes a healthy
ritual that we have come to enjoy ourselves.

Here is a quick list of some of the benefits to your health:
 Can help regulate blood sugar
 Aids digestion
 Contains statins that may help lower cholesterol
 Improves energy levels
 Cleanses toxins and free radicals
 Protects bone health
 Weight loss aid
 Prevents you from getting sick
 MAY even help prevent cancer!
Subscribe to our site to learn more about pu’erhs and start your healthy tea journey! We’ll
include posts on where to buy (and how to know what you’re buying), how to prepare, and the
best time to enjoy!

Tea is a magical drink and you need more of it in your life…

All "real" teas (green, white, oolong, black, etc) come from the same plant, camelia sinsensis. All
teas made from this plant are rich in antioxidants, especially flavonoids (a type of polyphenol
which is a type of antioxidant) which some studies have shown could be heart protective! So
drink up for your heart!

Teas all contain caffeine (we all know how that works, it is a neurostimulant so it wakes us up)
but the L-theanine in tea releases a NT called GABA that puts you in a relaxed but alert state.
Coffee doesn't contain any L-theanine and it also contains more caffeine in general than most
teas. So basically the L-theanine in tea balances the jittery, restless effects some of us get with
caffeine and results in a smoother energy boost with less of the negative caffeine effects.

Plus certain teas have even more health beneftis that can include helping to detoxify, manage
sugar levels, cleanse your liver. We'll discuss more of the amazing health benefits of teas in later
posts but remember that if you need a little smooth energy but want to avoid the jitters, go for
tea!

TEA is the second most popular beverage in the world, second only to the drink that keeps us
alive! Why tea? It has a history of being the easiest to produce, transport, and store when people
were starting to drink more non-water beverages. It also has antiseptic properties which make it
more resilient to bacterial infections , it is safe to drink (in moderation), it is healthy, hydrating
(surprised?? more on this later!), both stimulating AND relaxing... and most importantly, it is
delicious! Have you discovered your favourite tea yet? Tell us your favourite tea to drink in the
comments!

Long answer? There is some debate about this in the tea community! Generally, you want to
consume the most highly caffeinated teas early in the day (matcha, Assam teas) and teas with
less caffeine later in the day, perhaps even switching to herbal teas in the evening. There seems
to be some variation when you ask different tea experts about caffeine contents in the 6 tea types
(green, white, pu'erh, yellow, oolong, and black). Also, your body type will respond better to
certain teas in general, according to Chinese medicine.

Short answer? 20 - 60 minutes after a meal is the most idea time for digestion. Especially do not
drink tea in the morning on an empty stomach.

Shorter answer? 3 pm is the magic time!

We've all heard of yin and yang in Chinese medicine. People are thought to be born with more
yin or yang energy and this is reflected in body type as well as personality. People who exhibit

more yin characteristics are more shy and inward, often feeling cold, passive, and can be paler in
general. People who exhibit more yang characteristics are more aggressive, feel hot often, can be
red in the face, temperamental, and suffer from insomnia.

If you feel that you lean strongly to the more yin or yang characteristics, we can recommend a
tea for you! Those that exhibit more yin should balance the lack of yang but consuming yang
foods and beverages, such as black teas. You may already have a favourite - Earl Grey anyone?

If you feel that you lean more strongly to the yang side, cool down that fire with a "cooling",
fresh green tea! And this does not mean that you need to drink physically cold or iced drinks (in
Chinese medicine, this is not generally advised). Even hot green tea has a cooling effect on the
insides. Consider trying a refreshing Moroccan mint tea to balance the yang.

Fun fact: in astrology, it is thought that the water and air signs have more yin energy in general
(especially the water signs). On the other hand, the fire and earth signs are considered to have
more yang energy in general (especially the fire signs). And in the Chinese zodiac, the Snake is
the most yin of all and the Dragon is the most yang of all.

Do you ever wonder what is the major difference between the six different tea types? (yes, there
are six... we can't always forget about yellow tea!)

Imagine a spectrum. On the left you have unoxidized or very lightly oxidized teas which include
green teas, white teas, and yellow teas. In the middle you have your oolong teas that range from
light oxidized to more oxidized which accounts for the wide range of flavours among oolong
teas. Then on the far right end are the black teas which are fully oxidized. What about pu'erhs?
Well, they are processed in a completely different way using fermentation and almost deserve
their own category.

So what is oxidization? It is the chemical reaction that takes place when substances are exposed
to oxygen in the air. This is the same process that makes our fruit turn brown not long after we
have cut them and exposed the flesh to the air. In the same way, tea leaves that are not heat
"fixed" soon after being plucked start to darken and change flavour. But black tea tastes
considerably more delicious than soggy brown apple slices or your over-ripened black bananas!

Did you know that in the intense heat of the deserts of Morocco, they like to drink HOT tea? I
visited Erfoud with some friends many years ago at the edge of the Sahara desert and we were
shocked to be offered hot tea while we were withering in the sun. But it surprisingly cooled and
refreshed us! People who live in hot countries know that hot liquids actually help you sweat
more and cool your body down. Also, green tea is known to be a cooling tea (even when served

hot) and the added mint is incredibly refreshing. Try it for yourself on a hot day... and don't
forget to add sugar, it really adds to the experience (we normally skip sugar in our teas but this
one calls for it).

The following recipe is a very simplified version of the complicated method that they actually
use to prepare this tea in Morocco. If you have traveled there yourself or are Moroccan, you'll
know that this is not the most authentic method of preparation but it's a method that we've tested
and come to love. Let us know what you think!

You'll need: loose leaf gunpowder green tea (from China), fresh mint leaves, and white sugar.
Gunpowder green tea is usually available Asian markets and we normally sell it at our events.

Steps:
1) Set your kettle to 80 degrees Celsius or bring it to a boil and then let it sit a few mins (do NOT
add boiling hot water to green tea). If you're fancy, you can pre-heat the pot or cup by giving it a
rinse with the hot water.
2) Always add water to tea, not the other way around. Add your loose leaf gunpowder to the
cup/infuser/pot according to the measurements of 1 tsp per cup. If you are making a small pot to
share, use approximately 1 heaping tbsp for pot. Add some slightly cooled /80 deg C water to the
leaves, infuse and swirl, then dump this first infusion rinse. Now your tea has been rinsed and is
ready to steep.
3) If you are making a cup, we like to first muddle a few mint leaves with a sugar cube and then
add this to the cup or infuser. If you're making a pot to share, add a generous handful of mint
leaves and 3 to 4 tbsp of sugar. Then add the water for steeping and let it infuse 2 - 3 minutes.
Never steep green tea longer than 3 minutes, this can result in a bitter taste (also if the water is
too hot).
4) Pour all the liquid out and keep the mint leaf and green tea mixture aside, you can re-use this
2-3 more times! If you plan to use within an hour or so, keep it out. But store in the fridge up to a
day or two if you do not plan to reuse it right away. Make sure to store in a covered container.
5) Add more sugar according to your preference and enjoy!

Let us know if you try this out and what you think... we welcome any feedback and tips!