Tea Emperor

This tipping teacup has been designed in Finland and it has gotten the prestigious Red Dot Design prize – but what a horrible trinket! I can’t see how any of the promised benefits would materialize. It’s definately not easier to clean when you compare to traditional ball. The ball you can pick up from the cup, open and rinse. With this tilted cup you end up with an awkward corner that is difficult to keep clean. Ok, now that this is out of my system I can say that it probably makes a nice gift.

IMPORTANT NOTICE

After reading what I wrote, my dear Empress asked me why on earth I slammed the tilting teacup. I must admit that it is an opinion of mine purely based on these few images and video. I have not held the cup in my hands, so I take it all back. But when I’ll get one then I’m surely going to write an user’s review on it. Until then, consider the cup as a gift item at very least.

Agricultural products from Japan have started to get a new ring within international  food industry. This term is radioactive food. Fukushima disaster has lead into situation where people are increasingly observative on where their food for example tea has come from. 2011 and many years after that mark a catastrophic crop for tea farms close to Fukushima nuclear plant. I don’t know the exact size of the affected area, but anyhow even the once famously clean brand of Japanese food is now being tainted. There seems to be no way for a single agricultural producer inside the affected area to continue their business. Agricultural producers outside the affected area will not have it easy either.

Terrible accident at Fukushima nuclear power plant will have long-lasting effects on tea production of Japan. The thing is that tea plantations can still grow tea, but there will be the dubious stigmata of post-Fukushima flush.

TERRIBLE BUT TRUE

Year 2011 will start slow downward trend in Japanese tea industry and there is very little that Japanese can do about this thing. I expect to see marketing campaigns, which focus on remote pristine areas and traditionally high quality tea produce. But human mind is a funny little thing as when it starts to think something possible it immediately grows into something, which is quite probable. This will cause the slowdown in Japanese tea sales.

THE SILVER LINING

The silver lining in this case is not for Japanese tea industry, althought there probably is one, but I can’t see it right now. No, the thing that I’m thinking of is Taiwan. That beautiful island has very similar geographic and climate conditions as Japan as well as well-established tea culture. My projection is that Taiwan is going to rise its profile as a quality tea exporter and it won’t take long before Taiwan exports much more of the total tea production than the measly 3%, which it currently does. The world – beware – fine Oolong tea is coming!

CoCo Fresh Tea & Juice has launched massive expansion outside Taiwan borders. Their tapioca filled milk teas used to be the best kept secret of tea industry – only available in Taiwan. This is not the first time that we write about Taiwanese bubble tea companies, which try to expand outside Taiwan borders. It starts to look like the secret is out and more and more local Taiwanese companies are looking abroad for growth.

CoCo Fresh Tea & Juice company's tapioca milk tea drinks and fresh juices will be widely available in few years.

REAL TASTE YES CANE SUGAR
The taste of tapioca pearl milk tea will charm you off your feet. Chewy tapioca teamed with soft milk tea is a fascinating blend. One could think it as a mix of Coca-Cola and BigMac, but that would be just plain awful. Howcome this combination of tapioca and milk tea works so well? My guess is that it works so well, because it is a drinkable food or eatable drink – simply magical product and therefore you just have to try it out by yourself. If you can’t get your hands into bubble tea where you live I’m writing an article on how to cook it up all by yourself. It all starts with tasty afternoon black tea so buy some for yourself while waiting for the article.

IS IT HEALTHY?
Juices are often healthy so you can drink them from CoCo’s menu with a clear conscious. However the bubble tea is not so clear cut issue. Bubble teas are often mixed with milk powder and artificial food additives to produce different flavours. Sweeteners as well as real sugars make the drink tasty, but bad for your stomach girth. Anyhow, as with any tiny vice, bubble tea is harmless if consumed in moderation. If you don’t believe it, see it for yourself – even Jodie Foster likes her tea with bubbles.

Recently Ozzy Osbourne has made some headlines in relation to tea. First he was featured in the Brisk Tea animated commercials and now everybody wants to know what he thinks about tea. Coming from England Ozzy loves his cup of tea and always enjoys a cup before going on to the stage. It is refreshing to see that tea starts to win some ground outside being an afternoon tea for grannies and elite.

Ozzy misses tea while writing autographs.

Photo by Kevin Burkett

All dressed up for the tea party.

All these beautiful ladies took part into BAFTA’s Award Season Tea Party 2011. This tea party is the real thing not one of those politically inclined groups that ruin the good reputation of tea.

This tea party has a long tradition of recognizing the filmmaking talent on both sides of the big water. BAFTA being originally a British association – I think this is a wonderful way to throw a party.