Saturday, September 17, 2016

My Country, 'Tis of Tea — Oregon


When I think of Oregon, I think of the coast, the much-hyped Portland culture, and my Oregon tea blogger friends, Marilyn and Steph! So could I learn anything new about Oregon and tea this week?


• One of my favorite tea companies, Stash Tea, was founded in Portland, Oregon in 1972 and remains in Oregon today. Now it's located in a suburb of Portland, Tigard, and I never knew until this week how Stash got its name. According to the company's website, "Stash Tea derives its name from an entertaining aspect of tea folklore. In earlier centuries, tea was a valuable commodity traditionally transported by clipper ship. The ship’s captain was often presented with the finest teas for his personal use. This supply was his 'stash,' kept as his 'private reserve.' Today, the term is still used to denote anything put away carefully because of its preciousness." No wonder we all refer to our tea collections as our "tea stash," then!

 "Tea loves Oregon, and it grows very well here." So says Elizabeth Miller of Minto Island Tea Company in Salem, Oregon. I've enjoyed learning which states here in the US are successfully growing camellia sinensis, so I was delighted to come across this video on the home page of Minto Island Tea Company, which started growing tea in the late eighties. I love that they say they are creating "a tea culture." You can also click here to read what my friend Marilyn had to say about Minto Island Tea Company!



• One of the early Oregon tearooms was located in the back of a bakery. The Egyptian Tea Room at 268 Morrison St. in Portland was clearly in business by 1910, as that is the date on this vintage postcard I have. I love all the stacks of cookies in the display cases, and wouldn't you love to know what they served for tea in the back? I would! Click here for some more historic images from this tearoom and bakery. You won't regret it!
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8 comments:

  1. Another state where tea is grown! And a tearoom behind a bakery sounds like a good idea!

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  2. Omg I am fairly new to Oregon And I am still learning about different locations , the Minto Tea Company is a must to put on my tea list , I live about an hour and a half from Salem , I think I can order on line, Thank you for this information all the way from Georgia, Your blog is the first one I look at in the morning drinking my cup of tea

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  3. the Japanese Tea Room is still serving tea in Portland Oregon on Washington and Park, near the world famous Rose Gardens in Portland Oregon, the Royal Bakery wagons were so royal looking , filled with breads and pastries to distribute to shops and grocery stores, I worked for Van De Kamp Bakeries as a store rep , we wore blue and white dresses ,small apron, and a little dutch girl hat as we traveled from store to store,they are no longer in the bakery business, I still love seeing old pictures of fancy bakeries especially if they sell tea in the back

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  4. I love those photos of the horse-drawn bakery delivery wagons!
    --from Vernona in DC

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  5. Very interesting. I did not know tea grew in Oregon.

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  6. Can you just imagine the divine smells coming from that place?

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  7. I have been trying to get there to see the plants!

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  8. Thanks for mentioning me in this post. I thought I would get to Minto Farms this summer, but didn't make it. Stash tea was also started by Steven Smith that later started Tazo and then Smith Teamaker. There is a lot of tea lovers here in Portland and next year we will have our first tea festival.

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