steeping around

If you’ve ever had a bitter, unbearable cup of green tea, this episode is for you! Host Manish Shah gives you the tools you need to judge great green tea, and once you’ve got it, he tells you how to make it properly. In the Question of the Week, Manish appropriately answers: “How can I […]

This week, Manish Shah details the many, many positive effects of green tea consumption. From oral health to diabetes, cholesterol to cancer prevention, brain function to weight loss, nearly every part of your body reaps the benefits of this “miracle drink!” In the Question of the Week, Manish advises travelers how to order quality tea […]

Manish Shah begins to tackle the vast subject of green tea, the original tea consumed. He explains the differences between green and white teas, and relates the long and rich history of its cultivation. In the Question of the Week, Manish answers: “What do you mean by ‘eyebrow’?” Show 14 – Grateful for Green: The Colorful […]

Host Manish Shah examines the finer aspects of white tea, including flavor, aroma and health benefits. He describes the four main types, detailing characteristics of each. In the Question of the Week, he provides tips on what to look for when you’re shopping for your own. Show 13 – The Ultimate White Tea Guide

This week on Steeping Around, host Manish Shah touches on the lighter side of tea: white tea, that is. What is white tea? Where does it come from? Is it rare, is it expensive? Manish answers these and other questions, as he begins to unmask one of the more obscure varieties of tea on the […]

Much of Steeping Around is dedicated purely to history and hard facts, but this week, Manish is getting a little opinionated. Manish Shah distinguishes the key differences between loose leaf tea and tea found in teabags, revealing his preferences. If you find yourself wondering, “Why should I be listening to his opinions, anyway?”, tune in […]

Now that we’ve given you the tools to make an incredible cup of tea for yourself, we’re going to backtrack a little bit- to the beginning! Where does tea come from, and when did people begin to take notice of it? Manish Shah answers these and other questions as he introduces the tea plant itself. […]

Host Manish Shah cracks open his liquor cabinet, as he draws his focus to tea and mixology. He examines several liquors that blend wonderfully with iced tea, as well as many mixers that are non-alcoholic. For the hands-on enthusiasts, a recipe to make tea-infused liquors from home. Get ready to par-tea! Show 9 – Talking Iced […]

Never added cool cucumbers to your glass of iced tea? You are in for a treat! Open your mind, as host Manish Shah counts the numerable and memorable ingredients that can add spice and zest to your favorite summer drink. Manish addresses the question: “What are tannins?” Show 8 – Talking Iced Tea–Part 5: Herbs, Spices, […]

By now, I presume all of you have mastered the art of making flavorful, fragrant, fabulous iced tea. I imagine that you are enjoying the radio show or reading this blog, glass in hand, thoroughly chilled and perfectly content. But for some of you, something is missing. In episode seven of Steeping Around, Manish disembarks […]

It has been an excruciatingly sticky summer, but those of you who have been tuning in to Steeping Around have likely found a bit of relief. Since last week, you all should be able to produce excellent iced tea from the comfort of your kitchen. It may not be so comfortable however; sometimes the last […]

Last week on Steeping Around, your host recounted the short but colorful history of iced tea and made honorary mention of some of the delicious variations that have become popular in different cultures and regions. Among these were the infamous Southern Sweet Tea, the rich and creamy Thai Iced Tea, and the increasingly available gourmet […]

In sweltering Tucson, where the Maya clan has planted their stakes, we are feeling every excruciating second of summer. The average high temperature during the past week was a staggering 106°, and amidst sweaty brows and steaming asphalt we don’t even want to talk about hot tea anymore. And so Manish doesn’t—in episode four of […]

It is not uncommon for a member of Maya Tea to be dubbed a “tea snob.” While the phrase, in its inclusion of the word snob, carries a negative connotation, it is not a label that we shy away from. Being a tea snob means that we understand the qualities and characteristics of a good […]