New York - January 15, 2007

Steeping Beauty

SerendipiTea

Since the beginning of time, tea has been beloved for its restorative properties, ceremonial significance, and brilliant effect on scones.

Afternoons in London are punctuated with it. Whole parties are centered on it. Wikipedia says it’s the most popular drink in the world (and that’s close enough to fact for us). All of which is good news for SerendipiTea, a socially responsible, earth-friendly tea company based on Long Island.

Employing people (not machines), organic farms, tea gardens, and specialists around the world, the small, progressive company works to bring you the highest-quality loose leaf teas.

A taste of what’s in their sampler: white, black, oolong, scented, blended, chai, infused, and fair trade; from Egypt, Nepal, Kenya, Japan, Sri Lanka, Australia, and beyond. And from all-spice to yerba mate, the delicious leaves, berries, fruits, and chocolate ingredients are wrapped in recycled, biodegradable packaging.

SerendipiTea holds regular tea tastings and lectures, doles out recipes, dishes on culture, contributes to a slew of nonprofits, and generally has a lot of fun doing it.

Which inner tea circles refer to as brew-haha.

SerendipiTea, 73 Plandome Road, Manhasset (888-832-5433 or serendipitea.com).