Babelcarp

Are you baffled by chinese tea terminology? How often have you had the name of a Chinese tea in front of you and even though it's not in Chinese characters, the sequences of English letters it's been transliterated into mean nothing to you. Enter Babelcarp.

Babelcarp is a free website that lets you type or paste tea-related phrases in Chinese characters or romanized Chinese, click a button, and see the phrase's translation into English.

You can give Babelcarp a try at: http://babelcarp.org/babelcarp/

Twinings' Perfect Brew

How to make the perfect brew according to Stephen H.B. Twining, 10th generation of the famous Twinings of London line:

• Be patient and take your time.
• Use good-quality tap water because it's oxygenated
• Fill the kettle with fresh water. If it's boiled too many times, it loses its oxygenation.
• After the kettle boils, leave it for three to four minutes to cool to the correct temperature or use a digital kettle.
• Warm the teapot by swirling boiling water around it.
•  Use a tea bag or a teaspoon per person.
• After you add water, let the tea brew for at least three minutes.
• Serve in your favourite way - with milk, sugar or lemon.

TEA RECIPES: A New Twist To Your Holiday Cooking

Whether for lunch, dinner or dessert, Bigelow's website is overflowing with ideas and mouthwatering recipes, all of which contain a special ingredient -- Bigelow tea! From Spicy Pineapple Pork to miniature vegetable quiches to orange spice carrot cake cupcakes and individual fudgy brownies, adding tea to your recipes increases flavor without calories and offers a new twist to your holiday cooking.

NEW WORLD RECORD: Largest Teabag in the World

A tea company based in Portsmouth has broken the record for making the world's largest tea-bag, a record previously held by G4's "Attack of the Show!" in Los Angeles, California, USA.The British company All About Tea, a manufacturing wholesaler and distributor of speciality teas, has claimed the record for all Britain

Andrew Gadsden, founder of All About Tea, said: "Tea is typically British and I'm so proud and pleased that we've not only smashed the record, but we've brought it home where it belongs.

The impressive tea bag - 2.4m x 2.4m in size and weighing 120kg - was unveiled on HMS Warrior in Portsmouth Harbour. The bag could technically make a staggering 50,800 cups of tea.

Portsmouth is believed to be where tea first came into England. It was brought in by Catherine of Braganza, the wife of King Charles II.

Pu-erh is still a good investment in China

Pu-erh is a dark tea that is fermented after drying and whose taste mellows with age. Its history dates back to between one and two thousand years, with legends of growers in mountainous Yunnan province ferociously guarding their cultivation secrets.

Over the past 20 years, prices for aged Pu-erh have rocketed with the middle-class joining the wealthy in buying it up - less to drink, and more to collect and invest. Tea from the 1930 to 1950 era now sells for up to HK$200,000 (over $25,000 USD) per 345 gram cake.

Although the astonishing growth of the last two decades may not be sustained, Pu-erh is still presently a good investment.