Teapot Diversions--A News Journal of Everything Tea

Tea Ceremony Practitioner featured in Walla Walla Newspaper

The Walla Walla Union-Bulletin has an article that appeared yesterday about Akira Takemoto, a Walla Walla resident and practitioner of the Yabunouchi style of tea ceremony.

Takemoto, who has been practicing the art since 1976, is featured as a focus of the newspaper’s project called "Voices from the Walla Walla Valley"

Here is a video of Akira Takemoto that accompanied the article:

 

For more on Takemoto's story with links, visit here: http://union-bulletin.com/stories/2010/12/04/voices-from-the-ww-valley-akira-takemoto

Can Green Tea Cut the Risk of Heart Disease?

That is what one study is claiming.

According to researchers from the School of Medicine & Pharmacology at the University of Western Australia, drinking green or black tea can cut heart disease by 11 percent.

So how much do you need to drink?  According to several articles reporting on the research, two cups is necessary.  The reason? Two cups apparently contains enough flavonoids equal to five servings of vegetables.

Here is an article discussing the research and what it all means.

Extract from Green Tea may reduce Leukaemia Cancer Cells

According to researchers at the Mayo Clinic, an extract taken from green tea reduces cancer cells in the blood of patients with a form of leukaemia and may slow progression of the disease.

A report from the UK Telegraph said, 

...patients in the early stages of the most common form of leukaemia may respond well to taken supplements of a green tea extract. 

The chemical, epigallocatechin galeate (EGCG), was found more than two thirds of 42 patients in the trial showed a significant reduction in the number of leukaemia cells in their blood or other signs the cancer was not spreading.

Read the rest by linking here:

"All In This Tea" now available through Amazon

While researching were we could get the documentary "All In This Tea", besides purchasing it, we came across a link at Amazon.com allowing individuals to watch the film via their computer or DVR.  The one week rental from Amazon's site will cost $1.99--a great deal for anyone wanting to watch a quality film about tea.

All In This Tea (2007) is an excellent film that documents Les Blank's journey into the hidden world of tea by following world-renowned tea expert David Lee Hoffman to some of the most remote regions of China in search of the best handmade teas in the world.

Those wishing to rent it may find it difficult to find at their local video rental store. And, for Netflix customers, the film has not yet made it's way into their datebase.

The only options that we have found so far is to purchase the movie throught the "All In This Tea" Website, which we advise for those who love tea and/or add a great film to their library, or purchase a 7 day rental through Amazon.

A Rookie Firefighter gets a suprise on his first call

We picked this video up from William Lengeman over at Tea Guy Speaks. An entry to the Calm-A-Sutra of Tea Scholarship contest, the video titled "The Rookie" features a rookie firefighter who gets a huge surprise during his first call.

According to TeaUSA, sponsor of the national scholarship competition, the Calm-A-Sutra of Tea is a national scholarship given for the most creative tea video as means to educate consumers about the delicious taste and the numerous health benefits of drinking tea from the Camellia sinensis plant.

To see the winners of 2009, visit www.teausa.org/calmasutra