We are always on the prowl for more (and better) teas with which to delight our customers. From single-estate, limited teas to custom blends that are bursting with flavor, we curate a collection of the best teas we can find. Recently, our collection expanded a little more to include the following teas:

American Beauty: An organic blend of white tea, rosebuds, jasmine and mint. You’ve heard of floral-sweet, tippy Oriental Beauty; now try our American Tea Room’s reiteration of it!

Black & Blue: Created in honor of one of our favorite artisan jams. Sweet, ripe blueberries meet tart-sweet blackberries in this organic tea blend.

Blushing Berry: Another organic, custom blend based on one of our favorite jams. This blend features whole, dried red berries and tart, bold flavors of black tea and berries.

Mandarin orange, jasmine and grapefruit essences meet mint and white tea in our Royal Mandarin blend.

Singbulli SFTGFOP1Q First Flush Darjeeling: A rare, single-estate, early harvest Darjeeling. Incredibly subtle and complex, this is a must try for connoisseurs of Indian teas.

Wondering what we’ll add next? Check back on the American Tea Room blog often for more of our offerings, including new tea ware, new teas, featured teas and tea recipes.

New Teas at American Tea Room is a post from: American Tea Room News

Although hot tea is consumed year-round in many cultures, there’s nothing wrong with opting for iced tea on hot summer afternoons. During the summer heat of Beverly Hills, we at American Tea Room love crafting iced teas with fresh fruit from our local farmers market, sprigs of fresh herbs, sparkling water, our whole-leaf teas and other ingredients. And, sometimes, our iced tea concoctions end up being so delicious and simple to make that we can’t help but share them with our customers! Here are a few of our recent favorites:

Citrus, mint and Nirvana Green Tea make Nirvana Blush an unforgettable iced tea.

Makes 64 oz. of iced tea.

1. Prepare 48 oz. of Nirvana Green Tea. (Steep 8 tbs of tea in 24 oz of 175°F water for 3 minutes, then remove leaves.)

2. Pour hot tea over 2 cups of ice to chill.

3. Add sliced rounds of 1/2 lemon and 1/2 lime along with eight or ten large springs of fresh spearmint.

4. Add 2 cups of Trader Joe’s Organic Pomegranate Limeade.

5. Serve over ice.

One of our most popular teas, our apricot-flavored Tangier is made even better with the addition of fresh apricots.

Makes 64 oz. of iced tea.

1. Prepare 48 oz of Tangier Black Tea. (Steep 8 tbs of tea in 24 oz of 200°F water for 4 minutes, then remove leaves.)

2. Pour hot tea over 2 cups of ice to chill.

3. Add 4 sliced apricots, chill and place in refrigerator.

4. Garnish with apricot and serve over ice.

Brilliant in color and bold in flavor, this is an ideal iced tea for barbecues.

Makes 64 oz. of iced tea.

1. Prepare 48 oz of Romanoff Black Tea. (Steep 8 tbs of tea in 24 oz of 200°F water for 4 minutes, then remove leaves.)

2. Pour hot tea over 2 cups of ice to chill.

3. Add 2 cups Blood Orange Italian Soda (available at Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods).

4. Slice one blood orange into rounds add to iced tea and use as garnish.

5. (Optional) Pair with pastries or toast and our handcrafted Romanoff Blood Orange Marmalade.

What are your favorite American Tea Room teas to drink over ice?

New Iced Tea Recipes is a post from: American Tea Room News

Our custom gift labels are ideal for weddings, corporate gifts and event gifts.

We offer custom gift labels for all kinds of events and gifts, such as corporate gifts, awards shows, film premiers, baby and bridal showers, retirement parties and bat/bar mitzvahs. However, each spring, our most popular use of custom gift labels is for wedding favors.

With our custom labels, a tin of tea becomes an expressive way to commemorate your special day. Custom labels can include the name of the event’s honorees, the date of the wedding/event, a personalized tea name and gift message, custom imagery and more.

For orders of 25 or more of a particular gift, we offer custom labels at no charge. In addition to customizing gift labels, we are able to customize the gift-wrap and any inserts (such as printed or handwritten note cards) for large orders. For a truly unique group of gifts, you can select your own teas for our bento box and gift box gift formats.

To order custom gift labels for your event, simply select a tea (We recommend Organic Victoria, Nirvana Tea, Choco*Late or Tangier.) and then email us at tea@americantearoom.com.

Custom Gifts for Weddings & More is a post from: American Tea Room News

From the moment it is plucked and processed, tea slowly begins to lose its freshness.

Our supply chain and tea storage systems ensure that our teas are optimally fresh when they reach you, and we pack our teas in airtight, light-proof bags that help keep your tea fresh after you’ve purchased it. However, we do have some tips for keeping your tea fresh for a fantastic cup of tea every time:

• Keep your teas away from light, heat, moisture and strong odors. A cupboard is usually a good spot, so long as your tea isn’t next to your coffee or spices.
• Consume your tea within three months to one year of purchasing it.
• Consider investing in tea tins, which will help keep your tea at its best for longer.
• If you don’t plan on drinking a tea frequently, order it in a small quantity and then reorder as needed. This way, it will arrive fresh when you’re ready for more instead of going stale as your slowly sip it.

Do you have old tea in your kitchen? Toss it out and replace it with a small quantity of something you’ll relish drinking often. Your tastebuds will thank you!

* There are some exceptions to this. A well-stored Vintage Pu Er or aged oolong can be a true delight to drink, and are reputed to be very healthy. However, very few people’s cupboards are good spots for aging these teas well!

Why Fresh Tea is Best is a post from: American Tea Room News

Enter to win a tea party for four from American Tea Room!

This year’s spring sweepstakes includes:

• A Saalam Four-Cup Teapot ($150 value)
• Four Gloww glass teacups ($60 value)
• A Japanese cherry bark tea scoop ($13 value)
• A Bodum Tea Tray ($50 value)
• An Origin Collection Bento Box tea gift set ($150 value)
• Four Valerie Confections’ Petits Fours ($20 value)
• One package Chocolate-Dipped Shortbread Cookies with French Sea Salt ($15 value)
• Four tea cakes
• Four scones
• Market fresh jam ($12 value)
• Organic honey ($18 value)

Sign up for a chance to win! The winner will be selected on August 1st, 2011. Good luck!

Win a Tea Party for Four from American Tea Room! is a post from: American Tea Room News

Recently, we embarked on a serious overhaul of our website. We worked with a brilliant team of experts from the fields of web design, online merchandising and copywriting to make the American Tea Room site better than even before. Our goal? To make your shopping experience at AmericanTeaRoom.com as easy and enjoyable as the experience of shopping at our retail location in Beverly Hills.

The new American Tea Room website redesign

* A redesigned homepage to help you see what’s happening at American Tea Room and quickly find what you’re searching for
* Easier navigation, thanks to drop-down menus and the merging of Japanese green Teas and Chinese green teas into one green tea section
* More searchable content, so you can quickly and easily find the teas and teaware you want
* Clearer, more scannable product page layouts for quick viewing of individual teas and teaware items
* A new arrivals section featuring our newest teas and teaware
* A regularly updated sale page offering great deals on teas and teaware at 40-50% off (Not surprisingly, this is one of the most popular pages on our entire site!)
* The ability to register with your Google, Yahoo or aol ID, to log in with saved preferences and data, or to visit the site as a guest
* New tea education resources, including a tea glossary, info on tea origins and more
* More info about us and our shipping and return policies, plus and answers to FAQs and info on how to become an American Tea Room affiliate
* A new listing of our Beverly Hills TEA*VENTS, including tea tastings, tea pairings, tea classes and parties

In the coming months, we’ll also be posting more content on our tea blog to keep you abreast of the latest happenings at American Tea Room. Check back for more information on upcoming tea events, new products and sales, as well as in-depth looks at some of the teas and teaware we’ve scoured the globe to find and offer to you here on AmericanTeaRoom.com. And, as always, if you have any suggestions for how we can improve your shopping experience here at American Tea Room, we welcome feedback via email at support@americantearoom.com.

AmericanTeaRoom.com’s Makeover is a post from: American Tea Room News

David of American Tea Room & Valerie of Valerie Confections preparing for a TEA*VENT

After successful events including fantastic tea and cheese pairings with The Cheese Shop of Beverly Hills, a Chinese New Year party featuring foods from Katie Chin, and tea and chocolate pairings with Valerie Confections, we’ve decided to make these events a regular occurrence at American Tea Room. If you’re in the area, be sure to come by and check out our new events! Here’s what we have planned for now through the end of April:

Sunday April 3rd, Noon through 1 PM: An Introduction to Tea featuring samples of five teas paired with three teas in a class-style setting
Sunday April 10th, Noon through 1 PM: I Long for Oolong featuring five artisan oolongs, with food pairings
Wednesday April 13th, 7 PM through 8:30 PM: Tea + Cheese featuring artisan cheeses from The Cheese Shop of Beverly Hills
Sunday April 17th, Noon through 1 PM: Tribute to Japan featuring five Japanese green teas, with food pairings
Sunday April 24th, Noon through 1 PM: English Breakfast featuring five English-style teas, with food pairings

Most of our TEA*VENTS now feature fantastic foods, like this custom-made Matcha Ice Cream.

In addition to our scheduled events, we also offer private events and custom events. If you’d like to schedule a private or custom event with American Tea Room, call 310-271-7922 or email tea@americantearoom.com for more information.

Upcoming Tea Events at American Tea Room is a post from: American Tea Room News

Our website design isn’t the only thing that’s new at American Tea Room! We’ve also introduced new teas and teaware.

Our new teas vary widely, and include teas based on old favorites, as well as completely new blends beyond compare. Here’s the lowdown on our new teas:

Although it's new, Nirvana is already one of our most popular tea blends.

Organic Romanoff Black Tea — This citrus-black tea blend echoes the smokiness of Lapsang Souchong and the zestiness of Earl Grey. However, its mellowed smokiness and notes of blood orange (rather than bergamot) differentiate it from both classics. Named for Beverly Hills restauranteur Michael Romanoff, it is a tea that is at once exotic and yet truly Beverly Hills.

Organic Victoria Black Tea — We already offer eight types of Earl Grey ranging from classic Decaf Earl Grey to avant-garde Earl Grey Sencha. You might wonder why we’d ever need another, but once you sip this delightful blend of organic black tea, natural bergamot essence, rose petals and vanilla bean, you’ll wonder why we didn’t offer it sooner.

Organic Toasted Fig Pu-Er — This organic Pu-Er tea blend is a wildly popular American Tea Room exclusive. Notes of coconut, fig and fennel meet the bold, dark flavor of Pu-Er for a seductive flavor and invigorating effect.

Organic Zzz Botanical Blend — Although we usually like to keep our customers inspired and delighted, this caffeine-free blend of calming chamomile, soothing lemon verbena and pacifying mint was created specifically to lull you to sleep. Sip it before bed and drift into dream…

And then, of course, there’s the new teaware… From our elegant tea saucers and trays to our colorful tea canisters and our cast iron Japanese teapots to our European glass and stainless steel teaware, we take the utmost care in sourcing well-made, elegant and distinctive teaware for our discerning clientele. Recently, we added over a dozen types of teaware and tea accessories to our website, including the work-friendly Bodum Thé de Chine, the charming Geisha Tea Canister and the whimsical Dragon Yi Xing Teapot with Matching Cups.

Amongst these new and exciting teaware offerings, a few stand out to us as particularly extraordinary finds. If you’re looking for something especially remarkable, we recommend the following:

Cicada Yi Xing Teapot — It takes a knowing eye to appreciate the exquisite beauty of this painstakingly handcrafted Yi Xing teapot. Despite the fact that it is double-walled (it features a latticed outer wall encasing the body of the teapot), it is incredibly lightweight. As connoisseurs of Yi Xing teaware know, this quality is a sign of truly skilled craftsmanship, as it requires the slow-learned ability to construct thin, sturdy walls. Beyond its technical achievements, our Cicada Teapot holds a more etherial significance — the teapot’s lid is crowned with a winged cicada, the Chinese symbol of metamorphosis and rebirth; harvest and autumn; abundance and fertility. Given its fine construction and symbolic meaning, we suggest using the Cicada Teapot to brew our Organic Antique Pu Er or our 1992 Vintage Pu Er, allowing the porous Yi Xing clay to be “seasoned” (to slowly absorb the flavors of the tea with each successive brewing) over time.

Elegant and ergonomic, this is the best Iced Tea Maker we've ever seen.

Pastel Matcha Bowl — Like our other matcha bowls, the Pastel Matcha Bowl was handmade and hand glazed in Japan. It is a thick-walled chawan (tea bowl), which indicates that it is intended for wintertime use. (In summer, matcha needs less insulation to stay warm, and is served in thin-walled vessels.) However, its colors set it apart from the austere neutral color schemes used in most winter matcha bowls, as it illustrates a Japanese sense of seasonality rooted in the anticipation of the coming changes in weather. This is not simply a winter chawan, but a late winter chawan; one intended for sipping matcha in the days when spring has nearly sprung. When you whisk matcha is this bowl, think of its symbolic meaning and look forward, anticipating the days, weeks and months ahead with keen relish.

If you’d like to see more of our newest products, visit our New Arrivals section.

New Teas & Teaware at American Tea Room is a post from: American Tea Room News

I admit it….I am selective when I chose my personal tea favorites. I tend to favor the greens and whites (especially Japanese Green teas) over all others. How can it be that while I appreciate the complex nuance and taste of the exquisite array of black tea from India and China we have at American Tea Room, that whenever you see me drinking tea it is always: Gyokuro, Matcha, Fukamushi, Silver Needles or Bao Zhong? Has there ever been a darker tea that has caught my fancy? Year after year I appreciate the subtle nuance of Darjeeling from first flush to last. Beautiful malty and astringent tea from Assam and complex Qimen from China rival all the world’s finest blacks yet I always find myself favoring greens, that was until I met my dark true love RUBY BLACK.

RUBY BLACK is rare, so rare in fact American Tea Room is the only source for this magnificent tea in all of the United States. Just us, and that’s fine. Here’s what is so special about Ruby Black – First it is from Taiwan. Taiwan? Yup, the island so renowned for the finest Oolongs and some nice green teas too has produced a black tea to rival any on this planet. Second: This tea has only been in production for three years. Yup this tea has been in production since 2008, and this is only the third harvest. This tea is grown on the shores of the Sun Moon Lake (the largest in all Taiwan) in Nantou an area that was devastated by the 1999 7.6 earthquake that killed over 2000 people. Surprisingly the devastation of the land led to the rediscovery of the original Assam tea plants that were planted by the Japanese in the 1920s that led to redevelopment of black tea production in Taiwan. And what a tea RUBY BLACK is.

Imagine the finest Assam with not a hint of astringency and sweet malty taste almost dripping down the sides of your tongue and marry that flavor with the undertones of cinnamon and mint. The taste is beyond description so light and balanced yet robust.

I get the taste of light roasted baby root vegetables, small fresh potatoes and rich earth (like in a primeval forest). Only 1000 kilograms are produced each year and virtually none is exported to the US until now. American Tea Room has a limited amount of this spectacular tea plucked just for us from March 28 – 30 and expertly crafted before being air shipped directly to us to insure optimal freshness.

Black Beauty – Ruby Black Tea is a post from: American Tea Room News

American Tea Room is pleased to announce the debut of Sunday High Tea at our tea emporium starting Mother’s Day ~ May 9, 2010. Join us starting May 9th and each following Saturday & Sunday and enjoy a new tradition of fine tea dining created in concert with Valerie Gordon of Valerie Confections.

American Tea Room Sunday High Tea is available on Saturdays and Sundays and features a menu created by celebrated chef Valerie Gordon, best known as one of the finest artisan chocolatiers in the country. With an unparalleled selection of teas & tea ware American Tea Room is your ultimate tea resource. In creating a menu featuring tea as the highlight, American Tea Room has found the perfect partner to create a modern and fresh interpretation of perhaps the most famous food ritual on earth and that is evident in the enticing menu that will debut Mother’s Day May 9th.

Your choice of over 200 gourmet loose leaf teas accompanied by:

A selection of three tea sandwiches (all served on artisan bread) Curried chicken with Muscat grape, Breakfast radish butter & lemon confit, Crab salad with mint & lime; Fabulous Crème Fraiche scones served with Valerie Confections hand-crafted jams & marmalades; a refined and refreshing Lemon curd tartlet; American Tea Room signature Earl Grey petit four; wondrous shortbread cookies dusted in Matcha green tea powder; followed by an assortment of Valerie’s signature chocolates

Menus will change seasonally and will feature the finest locally grown sustainable products in addition to the locally crafted artisan chocolates & confections.

Reservations Highly Suggested
310.271.7922 tea@americantearoom.com
seating is limited $50 pre –fixe (per person)

Available exclusively at American Tea Room
401 N. Canon Drive at the corner of Brighton Way
in the heart of Beverly Hill’s Golden Triangle

American Tea Room Debuts Sunday High Tea Mothers Day May 9th is a post from: American Tea Room News