October is Breast Cancer Awareness month and SBS Teas is featuring a limited edition collection of teas called, "Teas for The Cause." This is a cause that is near and dear to all of us at SBS Teas because my mom Betty, died from breast cancer and my younger sister was diagnosed with breast cancer too. I am sure there are also many of you out there who have been touched personally by breast cancer- yourself, a loved one, or a friend.

Last year I had my own personal horror with this dreaded disease. I went for my yearly mammogram and was asked to wait in an area I had never been in before after the films were taken. The doctor came in and informed me that they had found some irregularities and that I would need to have a biopsy. I cannot adequately describe the horrible feeling- my stomach turned to knots and I just couldn't believe what he was saying! On January 19th I went to Duke University Hospital for my biopsy. I was an emotional wreck! I had never been so NOT in control of my emotions or my life. I was scared to death about what might be happening to me and my family. The entire procedure took about two hours and those were the longest two hours of my life!!! My whole life sped before my eyes and I was alone with all my thoughts and fears.

The doctors came back back to the room and pronounced that it was NOT cancer!! I wanted to jump for joy but I am too old for that and I probably would have fallen on my tush! I felt a tremendous surge of relief and was able to go home and get on with my life. There are many others who have not been as lucky as I was. Our thoughts and prayers go out to them and their families and friends.

We will be donating 10% of all "Teas for The Cause" tea sales and pink accessories during the month of October to the Susan B. Koman Foundation to help in the search for a cause and cure for this devastating disease. Please check out our "Teas for The Cause" tea collection and join us in the fight against breast cancer. All of us at SBS Teas thank you.

http://sbsteas.com/Teas-for-a-Cause-c-394.html

Labels: black tea, breast cancer, cause, friendship, green tea, pink, ribbon, roses, Susan B. Koman, tea accessories

After the fall of the Roman Empire, the Dark Ages pervaded and the economic and agricultural systems that stemmed from the Romans crumbled. Most of the aesthetic gardens in the Roman colonies went to seed leaving only those that provided food, such as vegetables and orchards. Ironically it was during the Dark Ages that the science of herbal medicine made great strides and the unique trustee of ancient Roman and Greek scholars’ knowledge was the Catholic Church.

This was the time when monks pioneered agriculture. Each monastery had its own orchard, vegetable garden and a hortus conclusus, or closed garden. The closed garden was used to grow herbs that were both spiritual and curative. Lilies and roses formerly woven into the wreaths of the Roman gods Isis and Aphrodite were now used to worship the Madonna. The importance of these gardens was such that around the year 800, the emperor Charlemagne sent each of his intendants a list of those plants that were to be cultivated in his empire. The document was known as De Capitularis and of the ninety plants listed the iris and rose were first and second respectively; followed by several other commonly know herbs such as sage, rosemary, cumin, mint, mallow and coriander. These plants played important roles, both culinary and medicinal. They often conferred taste and color to foods and perhaps most important, they preserved foods and masked the taste and odor of over aged meats. During the 1100’s the Crusades came upon the Italian town of Salerno which was the site of a renowned medical school founded by four doctors, an Arab, a Roman, a Greek, and a Jew each of whom was appointed the guardian of the secular knowledge of their people. These men were recognized as true masters and their teachings would influence European medicine for centuries to come.

Rose petals and buds were used by women to enhance the beauty of their hair and skin. Not surprising, knowing that following the rose blooming a rose hip develops, and a rose hip contains a multitude of vitamins which have properties that enhance one’s skin amongst its other properties. There are more different kinds of roses than of any other plant in the herb category, and they all provide rose hips of one description or another. One variety of rose is even called ‘Tea Rose’ named for the resemblance of its fragrance to black tea.

Tea uses - Rose petals are commonly used to make a tea blend or infusion colorful and visually appealing. If you want to create their own signature blends, rose petals and buds can make your blend distinctive and a blend that only ‘you’ can create. A lovely recipe using rose petals is called Rose Orange Cinnamon Tea - a delightful mix of rosebuds with an orange cinnamon zest that can be consumed hot or iced. This tea is best consumed without milk. For each serving you will need: 1 1/2 teaspoon of SBS Teas Cinnilla Moon tea, a large pinch of rose petals and buds, a teaspoon of orange peel and a pinch of cinnamon. Mix everything together and prepare as you would for a normal cup of tea.

Labels: beauty, beverage, black tea, Catholic, Church, cinnamon, food, garden, Greek, green tea, Jewish, Madonna, rose hips, roses, tea, teas