That's the first time in a long time that I've left work and it's dark.

Getting some tips on where the best eateries in Paris are from Alain of Deanes Howard St. Fly Sat for a trade show - SIAL. Du the anyone?

Tea talk over, very enthusiastic group who were certainly not short of challenging questions. Brilliant!

Off to do some form of lecture about tea at Jordanstown Uni.

Loves Pete Molianari.

Loves Pete Molianari.

Arrived in London on Tuesday. Met the folk at the Barbican who are now selling SUKI TEA next to their Monmouth coffee. Nice pairing up there. . . although there are other great coffee's available.

THE BLURB. . . . .

Barbican FoodhallVisit our bustling market place, with a cafe serving fresh Monmouth coffee , Suki Tea and mouthwatering international food. Barbican Foodhall will offer a brand new foodie experience. Offering an amazing selection of foods within a spectacular street food market the Barbican Foodhall overflows with stimulating and surprising ingredients, deli-tables, counter-top service, restaurant, a stunning ‘jar-delier’ light installation and book bank! Walk in past floor to ceiling displays of the finest produce – including juicy olives courtesy of Olives Et Al, organic oils from the world’s premiere producers, award winning cheeses, chutneys, relishes and pastas. There is also smoked salmon from one of the most prestigious producers in the UK, Severn & Wye Smokery and luxury confectionery from ‘best of British’ sweetie inventors, Hope & Green. Be tempted by an intriguing choice of food stalls selling marjoram infused mackerel, fennel, glazed damsons and goats cheese pie and New Orleans shrimp étouffée, all of which visitors can buy to eat in or to take away. The new restaurant seats 200 and is an ideal place to meet your friends in an informal, buzzing atmosphere where resident chefs will conjure up a different menu every day, depending on what makes their taste buds tingle that morning! Prices start from £7 for a main course. If a good cup of Monmouth coffee, spiced apple crumble slice and a flick through the latest novel is more your scene, then pop by the Book Bank to buy, borrow or bring back books.

http://ping.fm/XTP8i
Apple loves mint now on sale in Dobbies Garden Centres.

http://ping.fm/JeeUl

Suki Tea in Tokyo 6th Aug-13th Aug.

This trip was my wedding trip but as with everything I do tea is usually a part of it. It was going to be a combined work and pleasure trip as Masayoshi Manda who's father owns an antiques business invited me to fly from Tokyo to Fukuoka where his business is to discuss the SUKI TEA he imports, unfortunately Samantha and I, as well as 5 other guests who flew from far reaches of the globe to celebrate our wedding, declined as we had plans to large it up in Japans capital. and we did. . . Masa and family, I'll be over to Gallery Yumeori soon.
After a very long flight and a China Air muck up we we're delayed getting to Tokyo by one night, we did get a bonus night in a top hotel in Osaka where China Air dropped us off. The mini bars were on the airline so we celebrated our arrival in Japan in style and the next day were flown to our correct destination where Samantha and I along with two friends met up with another two friends, got refreshed and hit the city. Our hotel Excel was central Shibuya, the place with the mad crossroads and quite a built up shopping and nightlife district.

I've wanted to visit Japan, especially Tokyo since my dad bought me a Japanese mask poster when I was 10. I built myself up for a feast on the senses and the The first thing that struck me as different was the architecture then the street signs, plants, weather, light, smells, tastes, fashion, mannerism's but especially the food and drink. Not so much the price, it wasn't as pricey as I'd been led to believe. Expensive but if you've ever lived in London it's not so different.


We 24 houred it visiting temples, the odd bit of random shopping and getting married in the day. By night we hit the Hyatt for cocktails and then found some random small independent bars and chatted to Tokyo locals. Every other day the same in different regions of the city....and only one marriage day.

The tea ceremony was conducted by Suzi. Suki takes it off in this instance, not Suki. She has been preparing tea like this for over 26 years. First we had our sweets, a large parmaviolet, a chewy crystallised rock and a white bean cake. I'm not selling them here but they were delicious and a well needed sweet start for what was to come.
The Matcha was prepared by gently warming the bowl. There is a certain way to master the turn of the tea bowl, the length of time to sip your first sip etc. Etiquette in a way I've never experienced and this was an informal tea ceremony. Being the groom I was served first at all times, I liked that while it lasted. I think it was a guest of honour thing. I found out that it would not be unusual to have your boss at the head table of your wedding. I suppose as a respect thing. All together the ceremony took about 30 minutes and the tea, which was from Kyoto, was so refreshing. Now i've seen it done by the master I'll start training myself.

Tokyo teahouse Suzi makes Matcha for Oscar from Suki and his wedding posse. (incl wife). Photo on the blog.

Great Taste Award Gold stars for Suki Tea Apple Loves Mint, Lemongrass and Ginger and the new Peppermint Pyramid bag, available soon on soon to be launched new website.

Suki Tea is the the best tea I´ve ever tried & the first tea which I drink without sugar to enjoy this fantastix taste! Christoph Schneller

Sale: rare books at reduced prices.
www.smallestbookshop.com

http://ping.fm/Cop5z
Click here for your chance to win £500 worth of spend at the Belfast Spring continental market in the City Hall. 28th - 31st May.

Gerat Taste Awards are go! final judging in a couple of months. Fingers crossed for Suki Tea.

http://ping.fm/20evc

Last night i made a presentation for Belfast City Council on how I started my website. We are currently on the move to a Magento style platform that makes the operations behind the scenes much easier. The presentation went very well although a bit brief but the room responded well by asking lots of questions. Namely, what would you do better next time? We now have that opportunity and with the help of Jason, Andrew and keith the website guys. We hope that Suki Tea will be recognised as a one stop shop for all tea needs and a bit more.
Launch date............soon.

http://www.smallestbookshop.com/

Another interest of mine......

http://www.smallestbookshop.com/

Rare and unique books, specialist and sometimes a bit obscure.

Something I'm doing on my weekends with my Father, he's the real collector and seller of these fine articles and I'm merely the website guy who's putting them online for him. I suppose I'm learning his trade through this too.He's been selling books as long as I've been alive...... and a bit. I also get my hands on them, some of these are stunning. A lot are so niche that I don't even understand the title. The one I would love to keep is the Adams Illustrated Panorma of History. Adams, S.C. It's about 20ft long once opened. A proper Victorian bit of history. love it.

Discount code for any suki tea drinkers. . . .enter SUKI into the discount box and receive a very generous 15% off your first order.

WHATS YOUR SWAP?
Fairtrade Fortnight is 22nd Feb – 7Th March.

For this year's Fairtrade Fortnight Suki Tae are joining Fairtrade by asking the nation to join us in The Big Swap. For two whole weeks we'll be asking you to swap your usual stuff for Fairtrade stuff. Your usual bananas for Fairtrade bananas, your usual cotton socks for Fairtrade cotton socks, and your usual cuppa for a Fairtrade cuppa. This means that every time you go shopping, you can use your wallet to make a stand.

. . . Your usual bananas for Fairtrade bananas, your usual cotton socks for Fairtrade cotton socks, and your usual cuppa for a Fairtrade cuppa. (Congratulations if you have already made the swap) This means that every time you go shopping, you can use your wallet to make a stand. Visit the Fairtrade website, your home of all things swap, a hub for all your swapping needs. It tells you how to get involved, what you can swap and most importantly, how to register them. Because we need lots of swaps made. One million and one in fact. Every swap will be proof that the people of the UK want producers in the developing world to get a fairer deal.

*Buy Fairtrade Organic Green Tea *

*Buy Fairtrade Darjeeling*

*Buy Fairtrade Organic Earl Grey*

*Buy Fairtrade Breakfast Tea**Buy Fairtrade Belfast Brew*

*FAIRTRADE WEBSITE*