Holiday Treat w/Cider and....

You have all heard me rave, often, about the loose leaf teas from Tea Queens, and I am known to get very excited about Seasonal Teas!  Lately I have been enjoying "Holiday Treat", which is a blend of selected black tea, apple pieces, cinnamon bits, coriander, flavoring, cardamom pods, orange slices, pink peppercorns, and cloves... and I absolutely love it. I will be stocking up on this blend! 

Yesterday my son was home from school, so we tucked in and enjoyed a hot cup or two of this tasty tea while watching the snow quietly fall outside the window, cats curled up beside the woodstove as the Maine Winter officially began. 

Today, following a romp through the woods with the cats and a few attempts of sliding down hills on old wooden sleds, I steeped a special cup in hot apple cider* from North Star Orchards in Madison just for me, added a jigger of Organic Bourbon Whiskey from Split Rock Distilling Company in Newcastle, and a tea spoon of maple syrup from my own trees here in Freedom.

Holiday Treat Tea?  Indeed, I hereby mark today the holiday called  "Day After Snow Day in Maine"

*Tea can be hot or cold steeped in apple cider, cranberry juice, wine, grain alcohols... the choices can be endless! Ask me for suggestions

Have Tea, Will Travel

Getting ready to share some of my favorite autumnal Tea Queen flavors... equipped with my very own rose crown, designed and cross stitched by MJ at EmJSee/Wee Willow! Excited to be doing some tea tastings, tea classes, and generally sharing tea! (it's my favorite thing to do)

Autumn Tea

September in Maine: Cooler weather, warm tea, richer flavors... it's my favorite time of year for tea!

Spiced tea is good in any season (think chai!) but let's face it, when the cooler winds blow, the leaves start to fall, frost on the pumpkin, we wrap ourselves in our favorite sweaters and settle down with cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and allspice in our cups. These spices are comforting.

Have comfort.   

- Dawnella Sutton, Tea Queen

Audrey II Tea

Strange and interesting indeed! This tea was specially blended in honor of Little Shop of Horrors at Lakewood Theater, the Sugar Tree Cafe presents "Audrey II Tea"! A little flowery, a little bitter, and definitely green... contains hibiscus flowers, rosehips, lemongrass, orange peel, spearmint leaf, rose petals, and stevia leaf.

The very entertaining musical, "Little Shop of Horrors" will be performed on  June 21st - 23rd at 8pm, 24th at 4pm, 27th at 2pm &7pm, 28th - 30th at 8pm.   For tickets and more information, call 474-7176 or visit http://www.lakewoodtheater.org

Audrey II Tea will be available for purchase at Bigelow Brewing Company's Cheese, Brews, and Bread event on Sunday, June 24th, from noon-4 pm. Show your Lakewood Theater ticket from either Incorruptible or Little Shop of Horrors, and receive 20% off all teas purchased at the booth that day!

Monk's Blend Tea

I simply could not wait to share this tea... in honor of Lakewood Theater's second production of the year, Incorruptible, it's Monk's Blend!

This is a traditional richly flavored black tea, with calendula & sunflower petals, vanilla, and pomegranate. It is wonderful hot or cold, and either way can be accented by a splash of brandy. (the monks would approve)

Incorruptible, a farce by Micheal Hollinger, opens on June 7th, and runs through June 16th (with three matinees).  You can purchase tickets to see Incorruptible or any of the other productions this season at Lakewood Theater by calling  474-7176  or you may place your order online through the following link  http://www.lakewoodtheater.org/theater/Tickets 

Berry Sangria Tea for Lakewood Theater

The Sugar Tree is blending some teas for the Lakewood Theater's 2018 Season! Women in Jeopardy* opens May 24th, with  Berry Sangria!

Elderberries, raisins, hibiscus, and orange peel make this sweet and sassy too!

A selection of wine is available at the Shanty, though I recommend Merlot to bring out the richness of the fruit, or Pino Grigio for a lighter sweetness, and either is ready for sipping within the first act... but the longer you let it steep, the deeper the taste.  If you aren't interested in doing a true Sangria, you can grab a ginger ale and a cup from The Shanty to steep in and you've got a fresh sparkling treat!  Or, a traditional hot cup will fill you with a feeling like summer sunshine! 

Taking your tea home or giving as a gift? The suggestions above work just as well, in addition to steeped and served cold as a wonderful alternative to sugary drinks; or you may wish to experiment making "tipsy tea" by infusing a glass of vodka, or gin, or other favorite spirit. Using nothing but 100% fruit and flower in this blend, you can even grind it up dry and use it to add flavor to your pancake batter, or wet after steeping you can eat the fruit straight or add it to a batch of muffins for breakfast - as I say in some of my Sugar Tree classes, "tea isn't just for hot water."

*You can purchase tickets to see 'Women in Jeopardy' or any of the other productions this season at Lakewood Theater by calling  474-7176  or you may place your order online through  http://www.lakewoodtheater.org/theater/Tickets 

Cheese, Brews & Bread

The Sugar Tree will be having a booth at this festival!

When: June 24, 2018

Where: Bigelow Brewing Company

Time: 12p.m. to 4 p.m. 

Tickets: $12 in advance, $15 at the door

Come enjoy an afternoon filled with samples from some of Maine's local cheesemakers, bread makers, and one of Skowhegan's local breweries, Bigelow Brewing Company. Demonstrations of bread making will be going on throughout the day as well as special cheese, wine, and beer pairings! Cheese, bread, and beer will all be available for purchase. This is a great opportunity to learn more about how your local cheese and bread are made. 

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All proceeds of the event benefit projects of the Somerset County Rural Cultural Plan, the strategic cultural plan of Wesserunsett Arts Council.

Free Shipping!

Special Offer: Free Shipping on all orders in the United States... now through the end of June!  Please visit the main Tea Queens web site, and let me know what you would care to purchase. 

My favorite Bloody Mary Mix, Ass over Teakettle - ATK Bloody Mary Mix - has a new website with online ordering now available!!! Find your Bloody Mary mixers, BBQ sauce, ketchup, and more. https://www.assoverteakettle.net/

Tea Queens

I was nearly speechless when I found Queen Mary Teas.  Mary C. Greengo has owned and operated a beautiful tea room in Seattle Washington for nearly 30 years. She understands tea, and it's meaning. And I am so proud to share these teas and products specially selected by Mary. Just like any other tea I offer, these are wonderful for tea tastings and other gatherings! I'm happy to come brew a pot or cup for you! Please visit the main site, and if you choose to order online, kindly select me as your consultant.   - Dawnrella Sutton       https://teaqueens.com

Ask to join my personal facebook group  "Tea Queen Dawnella" https://www.facebook.com/groups/831045993772913/

Perfect Tea

Here is a simple chart with steeping times, recommended water temps... and a few other great tips! 

Artisans on the Fringe

A bright Sugar Tree Cafe rosehip & fruit blend perfect for a energizing pot of hot tea on a winters day, or for mulling in wine as something festive; paired with a Mothers Moon wool felt rose - makes a charming gift. These and more such items available at the Artisans on the Fringe event this Saturday

Etsy Shop Teas!

Loose leaf teas from the Sugar Tree Cafe over on the Sugar Tree etsy shop!
https://www.etsy.com/shop/sugartreecafe

Tea for Art*

The Sugar Tree Cafe will be offering another "Tea for Art*" opportunity on Saturday December 9th for the Artisans on the Fringe Second Saturday event!! (Artisanal Building, 10 Railroad Square in Waterville, alongside Exoptica Studio) As usual, a percentage of all sales will go to a local art organization: and there will also be a selection of items available to purchase by donation only, with *100%* of those sales going directly to an local art organization. I'll also have some Sugar Tree art available for sale as well.

Unity Barn Raisers

It has been my honor as Mothers Moon to be a 'Supporting Business Member' of the Unity Barn Raisers since 2006, and I'm so happy to also now be renting the Community Kitchen for a bit of Sugar Tree Cafe tea blending!

Peace Tea

Enjoying some Peace Tea left over from yesterday... a beautiful blend of organic Chamomile flowers, organic Spearmint, organic Lavender flowers, organic Cinnamon bark, organic Passionflower, and organic Rose petals. I place an extra cinnamon stick in my cup for a bit of an extra zing!

Bullets Over Broadway!!

In celebration of Lakewood Theater's production ofBullets Over Broadway The Musical!, the Sugar Tree Cafe has created a special tea blend called "Bees Knees"... For a flavor based upon it's namesake cocktail of gin, lemon and honey, this tea is a blend of honeybush tea*, maté tea**, lemongrass, and calendula petal. It will be sold for a limited time***, $18 (plus shipping if applicable) 6oz. Contact me for ordering information.

*Honeybush tea is imported from the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa; ethically harvested and fairly traded. Naturally sweet and caffeine free.

**Maté is a South American herbal tea, ethically harvested and fairly traded. Naturally sweet and with a medium level of caffeine.

***The limited time is the run of Bullets Over Broadway at Lakewood Theater, August 17th - 26th

Lakewood Inn Restaurant

Sugar Tree Cafe wares! — at Lakewood Inn Restaurant.  Such a wonderful day, such a wonderful location. You should visit whenever you can! And OH!! the menu! And such friendly staff!

Lake George Regional Park Spring Celebration

The Sugar Tree will be one of the vendors at this wonderful event on June 4th, celebrating Lake George Regional Park's 25th Anniversary Year.  It will be taking place at the Lakewood Inn Restaurant, which is one of my personal favorite places to be; with a percentage of sales going directly to Lake George.

I'll have some of my wooden kitchen tools, felted goodies, hand blended loose leaf teas, and maybe a few other surprises!

4:00 Happy Hour, "Cocktails and Fine Craft"
SHOP with members of Maine's artisan craft, food, and farming community, with a portion of all evening proceeds to benefit Lake George!

5:30 Dinner with lively auction to follow

$30/person
(207) 474-1292

In lieu of printed tickets this year, your name will be entered on a reservation list at the door! Hope to see you there!

The Same Plant!

Did you know? White, Green, Oolong, and Black teas are really the same plant (as is Matcha) simply dried or fermented differently! And here are the “other” teas:

Mate` is a South American herb with high levels of caffeine & antioxidants. Containing amino acids and over ten different vitamins and minerals, it gives you a boost of energy without the jitters.

Tulsi is an Indian herb that is caffeine-free and offers many calming benefits for your body and mind.

Honeybush & Rooibos are red bush varieties grown only in South Africa. They aren’t technically “tea” at all. They contain no caffeine and offer a variety of health benefits.

Matcha is actually indeed made from Camellia sinensis, but is from  leaves that are grown in the shade to bring out fuller flavor. The youngest leaves are selected and their veins removed before being stone ground into a fine powder. Matcha contains more caffeine and vitamins than other teas because the whole leaf is used.