Grab Bag – Rishi Tea Giveaway

I’m so excited to announce the inaugural giveaway at Apples and Arteries!  Keep reading for details…

Did you know that January is National Hot Tea Month?  Today tea is the world’s second most popular beverage consumed, second only to water (Source).  My beverages of choice are water, sparkling water, strong coffee and hot tea.  Winter in Wisconsin means cold, snow, windchills.  Lots of cold, snow, and windchills.  I’m always trying to warm up – morning, noon, and night and I find hot tea does the trick.  Plus, there are great heart-health benefits.  According to Mayo Clinic, green tea may lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels. And black tea and green tea are linked to a reduced risk of heart attack and stroke.

Last Fall I had a string of quick trips for work.  Up before dawn, on the road, on a plane, meetings, meetings, meetings, back on a plane, back in the car, home.  I was at the Milwaukee airport early one morning and was intrigued by the  tea display at the coffee stand.  Rishi Tea Blueberry Rooibos loose leaf tea–yes, please.  I got a steaming, huge cup of tea that I savored during my flight from MKE-DCA.  My chill was gone and I felt great.  Much better than if I had another cup of coffee.  That night when I returned to the airport I bought another hot, steaming cup of fruity tea for my drive back home.  The following week, the barista recognized me and knew my tea order.

I was intrigued by loose leaf tea.  In an effort to streamline my day I just always thought that pre-packaged tea was the way to go.  Was I ever wrong!  After tasting the delicious Rishi Tea I did some homework.

Rishi Tea began in 1997 when Joshua Kaiser, founder and tea buyer, recognized that the traditional handcrafted teas he grew fond of during travels in Asia were rarely available elsewhere.  He believed that the same U.S. consumer who was willing to pay a premium for exotic coffee or develop a refined palate for wine, was ready to appreciate the natural complexity and flavors of premium tea.  (Source)  The really cool thing is that Rishi Tea is a Wisconsin-based company, having begun in a 400 square foot windowless space in Milwaukee’s Historic Third Ward district.

My current tea collection

Now I enjoy at least 2-3 cups of Rishi Tea everyday.  My favorites are the Organic Peppermint, Organic Peppermint Rooibos, Organic Blueberry Rooibus, and Organic Spicy Ginger Mate.  I was super-excited to receive a fancy tea kettle for Christmas.  I used to think that heating water in the microwave was the way to go.  It’s not.  I feel very fancy when the whistle blows.  I love filling a tumbler in the AM with Organic Peppermint tea for my commute and to get me through my first projects of the day.

Classic Tea Gift Set

The nice folks at Rishi Tea are supplying the following for one (randomly-selected) Apples and Arteries reader: the Rishi Tea Classic Tea Gift Set which includes Organic and Fair Trade Certified Earl Grey and China Breakfast black tea and a package of natural fiber, biodegradable Loose Leaf Tea Bags.  The loose leaf bags are great – no mess, no fuss.

You can find more Rishi Tea products online and the company is launching a new, revamped website later this week.  I’ve ordered tea online and also have found it at Whole Foods Market.  There are so many varieties to try and there’s something for everyone.

To enter the giveaway:
1.  Leave a comment below telling me why you’d like to try Rishi Tea.

2.  For a second entry, Twitter follow Apples and Arteries and then Tweet the following: “I entered to win free tea in the @applesarteries @RishiTea giveaway http://wp.me/p263ht-4j”

3.  For an extra entry you can leave a separate comment here for Twitter following Rishi Tea.

Deadline to enter is Thursday, January 26, 2012, and a winner will be randomly chosen.
Open to Continental U.S. residents only.

The opinions expressed are my own and I was not compensated in any way for this post.  The folks at Rishi Tea were kind enough to sponsor a giveaway for Apples and Arteries readers.