A new place to get your SerendipiTea fix!

There is another place to get your SerendipiTea fix!




If you find yourself in Elsternwick do drop in at the Artful Dodger on the corner of Glenhuntly road & Gordon St (just across from the Elsternwick station) great atmosphere, friendly service, and SerendipiTea what else could you ask for.




We seem to attract places that love to do things differently, you won't hear us complain about that we're all about doing things differently!
When you do drop in ask to take a look at their hip clear tea cup / pot it's quite nice!
Welcome to the Artful Dodger!
Guv'nor!

SerendipiTea Will it ever stop raining giveaway

Ok ... The promise of spring was in the air but as anyone that lives in the beautiful city of Melbourne can tell you that promise can disappear quicker than my mothers sweet potato pie at family reunion time!

Just a few weeks ago I was mixing up cool cocktails at Cafe Dior in anticipation of the coming of spring and summer but still, in mid November, it's remains rainy & cold.
I am still hopeful though that one day soon we will enjoy a solid week without rain & temperatures in the high 20's - Hey...I can dream.
So... knowing as I do that in a few short weeks we will all likely be complaining about the heat and also knowing how much a tasty cool beverage can help beat the heat I am launching the inaugural ...

SerendipiTea " Will it EVER stop raining Giveaway!"

It's going to be real simple... The first 4 (four) readers to leave a comment on this post will receive 1 box each of SerendipiTea's "Eves Temptation" Tisane (Eve's temptation is our fantastically tasty, apple tisane - get it? Eve's temptation... apple)
Anyway... leave a comment & receive "Eve's temptation to make your own tasty, cool beverages when and if the weather changes!

Winners will be announced across all our media ( Facebook, Twitter & this blog ) Monday and will be advised how to claim their prize.

What can you do with tea ?

Well when you're talking about SerendipiTea we come to a very big answer ...
I am fond of saying... just about daily... that the uses of quality tea is only bounded by your own imagination!
We have had our clients use SerendipiTea in so many ways that I think it calls for a special post!

• Our friends at Cafe Dior are using Cha Cha Chai, Congo Bongo and others for cold cocktails & Mocktails, and Chef Mikey has created a fantastic Slice with everyone favorite Ruby Sipper.
• Our Friends at Esposito Seafood have created a salmon dish using a reduction of Ruby Sipper and I hear it is fabulous I'll be tasting that one personally soon ( there are no lengths I will not go to for this blog! :-) )
  
• Soon ( watch this space ) Cafe Moravia in Camberwell will soon be serving Iced teas, Tea Mocktails & some very special tea Gelati from their newly renovated juice bar at the back of Moravia just where they hold the Camberwell markets each Sunday ... That's handy!
• Chocolatiers have long been using our teas in their fine works ... Cha Cha Chai, Congo Bongo, Xocatlatl Chai (our award winning chocolate chai), Ruby Sipper & Black Velvet have all been used in handmade chocolates. ( there will be a special post on chocolates soon)
• One tea lover has written in and described a smoking process using Bard's tempest & another with a recipe for pork with a reduction of Eve's Temptation ( our Apple tisane )
  

So, Yes Virginia... there are many ways to enjoy our teas besides the obvious hot in a glass.
So have fun with your tea or better yet make a visit to one of our favorite cafes and see what they're doing!

A cocktail Night at Cafe Dior

A couple of weeks ago at Cafe Dior Commercial rd, Prahran Serendipitea had the great pleasure to be part of a function put together by the management to launch their spectacular new menu.

While the guests sampled selections from Dior's new tapas menu and discussed the new direction & later hours I was behind the bar cooking up a few Tea Cocktails.
There was a crowd of about 100 and let me tell you they were all very thirsty!
I selected a few of my favorite recipes using Ruby Sipper (Blood Orange Tisane), Fiji (Sencha Green Tea, Pineapple & Papaya), Congo Bongo (Black Tea Coconut & Mango), Eve's Temptation ( Apple Tisane ) & Cha Cha Chai ( Our award winning Chai) , using those teas I worked up about 8 cocktails using, Gin, Vodka, baileys, Kahlua, ice, banana, mango, orange, lemon, lime, cranberry juice & mint... the proportions are a tightly held secret known only to me and my clients.The night went along fantastically and I think as the weather turns we will do a few more events like this to show how much can be done with SerendipiTea's teas.

SerendipiTea Retail Partners: Cafe Moravia

We are glad to announce that we have added Caffe Moravia at 662 Burke Rd, Camberwell to our ever growing list of Retail Partners.
Caffe Moravia offers a wide selection of fine Italian cuisine, Delectable pastry's & fresh Gelato made right there in house!
Moravia will be a premier site for SerendipiTea in the coming months you can look forward to seeing some very special new products and events centered around it including the new cafe bar at the rear that faces onto the Camberwell markets.

Over the coming weeks Caffe Moravia will be expanding it's offering of SerendipiTea for your enjoyment at Moravia & retail boxes for enjoyment at home.

In the very near future look forward to some in shop tastings and the addition of a line of delicious Mock-Tails based on SerendipiTea's amazing teas.

A tasting at Sofitel's No 35

Last Saturday on a clear and sunny day I had the pleasure of talking with a handful of people about 7 varieties of SerendipiTea.
The venue was the beautiful restaurant on the 35th floor of Melbourne's Sofitel Hotel, with it's panoramic views of the city.
Know, I love talking about tea.
It's even better when I get to speak with a group that was so interested as the staff of No. 35!
It's even better still when a tasting is involved!
We tasted :

• Black Velvet
• Darjeeling
• Congo Bongo
• Temple Of Heaven
• Bancha
• Jade Prince
• Moulin Rouge Chai

Truth be told the group so switched on that their taste told them all they needed to know ... no one had a problem picking out the smokey undertones of the Moulin Rouge, or the "nutty" flavor of Jade Prince or the mango & coconut of Congo Bongo.
It was a fantastic afternoon filled with tea & conversation and what could be better than that.

Good works from Charityworks for Multiple Sclerosis

Just a while back SerendipiTea had the great honor of participating by donating our teas to a charity function to benefit those with Multiple Sclerosis.
We would have said something sooner about this great night at Crown Casino but Charityworks did such a fantastic job that the event was sold out far in advance of the night.
We will be working with this organization again soon so watch this space for news.

SerendipiTea Retail Partners : Cafe Ciliegio

Down in Albert Park, Melbourne on the Cnr Montague St & Kerferd Rd you will find another fine Cafe / Restaurant that proudly serves SerendipiTea and also offers retail boxes for your home.
Cafe Ciliegio has a lovely outside cafe area right out front, you have no doubt seen it if you have driven down Kerferd road, if you read the reviews available you will read many words about the austere coffee available there and of course... I write to tell you about the equally austere tea (SerendipiTea) that they offer however if you think that Cafe Ciliegio is only about tasty beverages you would be so wrong.
The food is a delectable treat...
Modern Asian? But so much more !
Well I guess that says it but I just think great food defines itself so just get in there and give it a try you won't be disappointed.

Cafe Ciliegio Cnr Montague St & Kerferd Rd
Albert Park VIC 3206

When you get there... Tell Frank that SerendipiTea sent you.

SerendipiTea Retail Partners : Green Laundry@cafe

We have a very unique partner in Balaclava.
Green laundry Cafe is at 45 Nelson Street in Balaclava and they specialize in as the name suggest Ecologically sound laundry services, coin machines that use low energy as well as Daisy Eco dry cleaning.... This is all very nice but you may be asking what does this have to do with tea ?
Well... besides all of the above services, a WIFI hotspot a small internet cafe, Green Laundry is also a Organic and Fair Trade Cafe that proudly serves SerendipiTea as you might expect from the title of this series of posts Green Laundry Cafe is another location that you can purchase your favorite SerendipiTea blends in our 100% post consumer recycled packages.
So if you are looking for a place to enjoy SerendipiTea in Balaclava Drop in at Green Laundry Cafe.

SerendipiTea Retail Partners: Shocolate

Now if you love chocolate like I do you really owe it to yourself to drop in at Shocolate in Johnston Street, Fitzroy.
For my money the fact that they have fantastic handmade chocolates is quite enough to get me in the door, but if you're the type that needs a little more know this... while you're there you can get a look into the activity that is in my opinion the height of human endeavor... more important than space travel, 0r anything they got goin' on at the United Nations or even the upcoming election! That's right... Shocolate has put in a viewing window so that you can watch the chocolate being made!
So... to recap... you got chocolate , a look into the wonderful world of chocolate making & SerendipiTea!
What else could you possibly expect from a cafe?


Johnston Street Just off Brunswick.

Get In there!

SerendipiTea Retail Partners : The Brunswick Flour Mill

If you've been down Sydney road here in Melbourne you have most likely driven past the Brunswick Flour Mill Cafe.
Our good friends there are part of our drive to raise the standard of tea service, and break the "Tyranny of the Tea Bag"



When you go into the Brunswick Flour Mill or it's sister Cafe Aquarium you will only find the finest quality loose leaf tea & tisanes.
We will post short notices on our Retail Partners that believe as we do that only the best will do, when you see them you'll know that not only do they serve SerendipiTea but they also have Retail Boxes for sale so you can enjoy the best at home.
If you visit any of our Retail Partners let us know.

SerendipiTea Retail Partners : Aquarium

One of our newest partners is a quite special cafe / music shop on High street, Northcote called Aquarium.
You may recognise some faces from "The Brunswick Flour Mill" and it is true Aquarium has the same quality service, decor, smiling faces Artisan baked bread , pastries and of course SerendipiTea both in your cup & in takeaway boxes!

One thing that is a bit different is the open plan design that has incorporated a walk-through to a Rare vinyl /Book/ CD/DVD supplier and take my word for it, there are some very interesting bit to be added to your collection.
So there it is another place to enjoy SerendipiTea and much more.

Stay tuned for more on Aquarium in upcoming posts.

SerendipiTea Retail Partners : Community Store at Abbotsford convent

You may not know it but on the grounds of the Abbotsford Convent there is a new general store/Gallery/cafe/bookstore.
The store has a eclectic assortment of goods for sale gourmet teas to chewing gum and more.
The Gallery exhibits works from local artists in just about every medium, paint, sculpture, photography you name it it's all there.
The Cafe consits of a scattering of tables (the tables themselves are works of art) around the room where one can sit, take in the art works enjoy a great cup of tea & a sweet.
The Bookstore small though it may be the selection of title are guaranteed unique not the ones you'll see in the big bookstores.
Drop in and talk to Cameron and let him tell a bit about his plan for his great space!

SerendipiTea Retail Partners : Hopetoun Tea Rooms

Every week I get calls from tea lovers asking where they can buy SerendipiTea retail.
My reply to their inquiries is always that SerendipiTea has cultivated partnerships with many retailers that proudly serve our fine Teas & Tisanes and offer them for sale for their customers to enjoy at home and this is true but I thought that in the next few posts I would focus on a few of them so that you could get to know them a bit better.

Lets start with our good friends at The Hopetoun Tearooms
Just about everyone in Melbourne has heard of the Hopetoun Tearooms in the Block Arcade off Collins street.
This Melbourne staple has been serving delicious cakes, sandwiches and of course tea for over a century!
All the delights you would have found in a turn of the century tea house are still there.
Hopetoun have been proudly serving SerendipiTea exclusively for a little over two years and due to demand, they are also selling a variety of our blends in retail boxes for your enjoyment at home.
If you are in the CBD you really owe it to yourself to stop in at The Hopetoun Tea Rooms and tell them you heard about it here.

SerendipiTea Retail Partners : Chocolattea

Chocolattea in Strathmore is a tasty oasis, the first thing you'll notice is the design & decor it is a fantastic looking place without being cold or sterile it is warm & welcoming of families and neighborhood regulars.
Part cafe, part chocolateria and much more you can also find tea & coffee accessories.
For such a small footprint Chocolattea has much more that it's share of chocolate, too many to list here, gourmet coffee and of course SerendipiTea

Times have changed, for the better.... and we have moved on..

If you have walked along Greville street, Prahran lately you would have discovered that our shop "Express Life" has closed, however this is not cause for sadness because even though that location on Greville street has served us well for over two years it is your very positive response to SerendipiTea has made it necessary for us to move on to a larger location and shift our focus to servicing our ever expanding list of wholesale clients.
You should know that while we have moved out of our retail location we have definitely not forgotten about our many retail customers... SerendipiTea's wonderful Organic and fair trade teas are now and will always be available online at www.serendipitea.com.au and your enquiries are always welcome at our office phone 03 9383 4442, fax 86100113 & mobile 0458442224.
So many of you have been so positive about our teas and we thank you all... and if you love our teas ( and I know you do ) check in at this blog, our facebook page or follow our Tweets for some
fantastic "thank you" offers, additions to our growing list of cafe and restaurant clients and our new SerendipiTea Tea Ambassador program! ... ( More about that soon)

Mate & Mocktail Masterclass a little Press !

(Photo Courtesy of newsphotos.com.au)

By now I hope you have heard bout SerendipiTea's Mate & Mock-tail masterclass this Sunday 14 March on Greville Street,
It will be two hours of information on Yerba Mate' & SerendipiTea's award winning cocktail recipes ( of course we will not be using alcohol that's why we use the word mock-tails) our friends at The Stonington leader has published a couple of articles on the event, you can read one Here & the other Here.
There are still a few places available to book
call Express Life On Ph : 03 9510 4334

Reviews ... Reviews ... Reviews!

You know I love reviews ( especially when they're good) so I am linking this one from Purely Tea
for SerendipiTea's "Fiji" but it's more than just a positive review it shows a continuity of quality because even though this review was posted a while ago all the qualities that are written about will still be found in the box you'll pick up tomorrow!

Fiji Review

Mate's & Mocktails : A Masterclass

SerendipiTea Australia is putting on another Masterclass !!
In partnership with "The Tastes of Chapel Festival"
This time there will be two subjects ... the first subject will be the phenomenal South American tisane Yerba Mate' !
Yerba Mate' has been used for thousands of years and is linked to health, well being and a deep social bonding experience. We believe that this is the year that Mate' will become better appreciated in Australia, so we will do our part to help shed some light on this fantastic tisane!

The second subject will be pure fun!

Tea & Tisane Mock-Tails !
Over the years SerendipiTea has been at the forefront of rethinking how teas and tisanes can be used, and a by product of that quest for the new has been a stockpile of exceptional Cocktail recipes but of course our shop has no liquor license so we remove the alcohol and what remains are exceptional Mock-tails!
Teas , Tisanes, fruits, juices & a bit of a flourish.
Your taste buds will not believe the flavors !

To reserve a spot contact us on

Ph: 03 9510 4334

or even better visit us at

Express Life / SerendipiTea
143 Greville Street
Prahran

Words , words , words

Words are fantastic!

They can be persuasive, poetic, descriptive ... beautiful and also on the other side of the coin they can be deceptive and nebulous...
For example take the words Single Origin, for some it is now becoming a generic term meaning "quality" when the truth is far from that.
Single origin can be a great thing in tea production, it can assure a quality product but it is far from the end all, we must consider where that origin is... is it a known plantation in India that has been producing quality leaf, or is it a new plantation in Brooklyn!
Now don't get me wrong I am a great lover of Brooklyn and I will have no bad words said about her!
However... Brooklyn as diverse as it is has never been known for producing great teas... so there's the thing... a tea can come from a place well known for tea, claim single origin and still taste like a bit of Brooklyn.
So don't give too much weight to the words the next time you try a new tea ... trust your nose & taste buds they won't lead you astray!