|
|
|
World Tea East Conference steeps in Philly
The World Tea East Conference - its first convention, an offshoot of the World Tea Expo - ended its run at the Pennsylvania Convention Center this past weekend.
World Tea East Conference steeps in Philly
The World Tea East Conference — its first convention, an offshoot of the World Tea Expo — ended its run at the Pennsylvania Convention Center this past weekend. During its two days in Philadelphia, the conference, geared toward members of the press, retail outlets and restaurants, basked in the tannin-soaked glory of a U.S. tea market that's estimated to gross beyond $16 billion come 2016. During its weekend of tastings, pairings and prize-givings, the elders of the tea game were as recognized, as well as the newcomers. Lifelong tea aficionado/freelance tea reviewer Glamorosi (my wife) introduced me to this event and I can't tell you how glad I am she did.
The legendary John Harney — the George Clooney of World Tea East — received the 2011 Cha Jing Lifetime Achievement Award for the good work and great product of Harney & Sons Fine Teas, the tops in the brew game. James Norwood Pratt (above right), one of the tea world's noted experts and Honorary Director of San Fran's Imperial Tea Court, looked scholarly as he signed books such as The Meaning of Tea: A Tea Inspired Journey. Young entrepreneurs such as Cindy Sebrell of The Foreign Office and under-25s Dan Klein and Alex Sosnov of Tiesta Tea were there hawking their new brands and mod packaging. In between meeting and greeting, we watched matcha tea being prepared (above left), spoke with the distributors of Belfast, Ireland's S.D. Bell, sipped puer with Wild Tea Qi's Eric Levinson and generally consumed more Kenyan powdered tea than I can say.
Photos: Glamorosi
- barstool scientist
- Booze
- Brew Revue
- Chef Salad
- Closings
- Coffee
- Contests
- Dealage
- Dirty Dishes
- Don't Front
- Eat This Immediately
- Field Trip
- Food and Art
- Food and Holidays
- Food and Movies
- Food and Music
- Food and Politics
- Food and Sports
- Food and Web
- Food Blogs
- Food Books
- Food Events
- Food News
- Food TV
- Gifted
- Happy Hour Hopper
- How-To
- In Print
- Interview
- Meal Ticket
- Menu Time
- Not So Quickfire
- Notes from the Weekend
- On Wheels
- Openings
- Patio Drinking
- Philly Beer Week 2010
- Photos
- Private Chef POV
- Product Placement
- Recipes
- Snack Time
- Stiff Drank
- SUPPER
- Tea
- Testing
- Ticket Stubs
- Top Chef
- Vegan
- Vegetarian
- Video
- Weekly Candy
- Weird Regional Foods
- We're Here to Help
- Where'd We Eat?
- Drew Lazor's Ill-Advised Rant Factory
- Pregame
- Ill-Advised Ranting
- The Week Without Meat
- Philly Beer Week 2009
- Real Big
- Where'd I Eat Last Night?
- Top Chef Masters
- The Good Word
- Next Iron Chef
- Arterial Terrorism
- Food and Radio
