The new Upton Tea Quarterly

Remember that old saying, "The best things in life are free"? I often find that to be the case, and in the world of tea and tea resources, I continue to be impressed that the Upton Tea Quarterly remains a free publication. The newest one is available online here, but I recently received a print copy in the mail and absolutely love the cover photo of tea gardens in Sri Lanka.

The cover feature is written by "Nicole P." and is titled "From Garden to Cup."

"My name is Nicole and tea is my life's passion," she says. "I have been in the tea business for over ten years and have spent the past three years at Upton Tea Imports. Working with my colleagues to source premium teas from all over the world is a dream come true for me." Her love for tea is obvious in the article, and I so enjoyed reading about her trip, particularly how:

• They watched as freshly plucked tea leaves were being weighed.

• At the Somerset Estate, her team got to "cup" tea with Sri Lanka's #1 award-winning tea cupper.

• She got to practice plucking two leaves and a bud, and it took her a couple of tries to get it right.

If you don't yet subscribe to the Upton Tea Quarterly, you're missing a great free resource!

Now, a show of hands, please. How many of us who have not yet been to India would love to go one day and see some of her famous tea gardens? I sure would!