Chakra Collection, with vanilla Veda chai and more–one of many gift possibilities from Tea Forté. Photo courtesy of Tea Forté
If you’re looking for a special Mother’s Day gift for a woman who is a tea lover, I got to sample some Tea Forté products recently and can tell you they are both beautiful AND delicious! Plus, there are a range of prices depending how simple or extravagant your needs are.
If you’re unfamiliar with the company, they are the exclusive tea purveyor to the James Beard Foundation and they supply many hotels, restaurants and resorts in 35 countries. I first tried Tea Forté at a hotel in Las Vegas about 10 years ago, and was hooked.
Back to the tea and gifts. There’s the new Ceremonial Matcha Bowl Set and Matcha Single Steeps, which both came out in February 2018. Matcha, a finely ground Japanese-style green tea, is renowned for its health benefits. “Steeped green tea contains only the antioxidants that can be extracted in water, while with matcha, the whole leaf is consumed,” said a Tea Forté spokesperson. “Our high-grade matcha is shaded in the weeks prior to harvest, increasing chlorophyll and encouraging the deep emerald hue.”
The bowl set includes a handcrafted bowl and bamboo whisk, plus a measuring ladle, and is priced at $65. The steeps are prepackaged and measured for single servings. The five teas are gluten-free and vegan, and there is Pure Matcha plus four flavored varieties: Chocolate Matcha, Coconut Matcha, Ginger Matcha and Chai Matcha. A sampler package with 15 single servings costs $35.
Tea Forté also released a Chakra Collection in 2018. “Tea Forté’s first collection of all-chai teas, our Chakra Collection was designed with the ritual tea drinker in mind,” said CEO Michael Gebrael. “Chai has the unique effect of being simultaneously energizing and grounding, which makes it an ideal tea for focused wellness practices such as yoga, barre, and Pilates.”
Chakra Blends include:
- Maté Mantra Chai
- Vanilla Veda Chai
- Ginger Guru Chai
- Rooibos Raja Chai
- Turmeric Tantra Chai
They come in attractive presentation boxes that hold Tea Forté’s signature pyramid infusers (10 for $22 or 20 for $34), or a single steep box (15 for $20). Chakra chai teas are also available in loose tea canisters for $18; the recyclable canisters make between 35-50 servings.
To accompany any tea you choose, how about a combination steeping cup/infuser? Tea Forté makes a really nice one—it’s a lidded, double-walled ceramic cup with a stainless steel infuser for loose tea ($20).
Last but not least, there is the Dolce Vita Collection of organic dessert teas: Berry Basket, Raspberry Coconut, Pear Cobbler, Belgian Mint and Mango Mélange. The assortment features black, white and herbal teas. Prices range from $16-30.
These are by no means the only products available, visit the site for the full selection—be prepared for a lot of fun choices, like loose leaf trios (three interlocking tins; each steeps approximately 10 cups) or tea chests. If you can’t decide, there are gift cards.
Tea Forté products are available online at teaforte.com and at select retailers.
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