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Product Reviews / NutriNibbles / NutriBeveragesZhena’s Gypsy Tea ~ Organic & KosherFloral Blended Black, Green & Herbal Tea
CAPSULE REPORT: Zhena’s Gypsy Tea is a beautifully-packaged line of blended teas—black, green, white, rooibos (red) and herbal—with a floral and fruit profile. It hits the trifecta of organic, Fair Trade and biodynamic. It’s also kosher. Zhena contributes significantly to social causes, and for her good works and business success won the 2007 Enterprising Women of the Year Award from Enterprising Women Magazine. You have to admire her mission; fortunately, her tea tastes good as well. Zhena’s Gypsy Tea celebrates the gypsy in us all—the creative free spirit, the naturalist. Social and environmental awareness are always refreshing in a company, and when it comes to Zhena’s Gypsy Tea, the refreshment doesn’t stop there. Zhena Muzyka has been studying tea since she was a teenager, but didn’t make it her livelihood until 2000. A young writer who was working on a book about her Ukrainian Gypsy grandmother, Zhena found herself in a devastating situation when she learned that, at just six-weeks-old, her son had a debilitating kidney disease. Zhena needed a way to pay the medical bills and stay home and care for her sick child. The answer was Zhena’s Gypsy Tea. The brand was named in honor of Zhena’s proud gypsy heritage, and specifically to honor her grandmother, who walked from Ukraine to Germany during World War II, eventually emigrating to America.
As the company continues to grow and succeed, Zhena continues to incorporate social responsibility programs. She donates a portion of the proceeds from several of her teas to the non-profit organization C.E.O. Women, which helps low-income immigrant and refugee women succeed in entrepreneurship. The company supports other causes as well: anti-violence toward women and children, AIDS and kidney health research and pro-peace activism, to name a few. She has apprenticed with a Sri Lankan tea master living in the United States, and through her work has become an accomplished “tea sommelier.” Through her actions with Fair Trade, Zhena has uplifted communities in Sri Lanka, China and India. Her karmic outlook on life and philanthropic attitude make Zhena’s Gypsy Tea’s a great buy even if they weren’t delicious—but luckily, they are. Organic, Fair Trade & Biodynamic TeaZhena’s teas are organic and Fair Trade Certified, benefiting the workers in the tea fields with healthcare, education, autonomy, better working conditions, and freedom from child labor. (Read more about Fair Trade Certification.) They are also certified gluten, GMO and allergen free. All of the tea (except for the black tea) is biodynamic. Biodynamics is one of the oldest consciously organic approaches to farming and is also one of the most sustainable. One of its prime tenets is a sowing and planting calendar based on lunar cycles (or the moon’s sidereal cycle, as it is known, which forms the basis of the biodynamic calendar). It is believed that food grown in this way stays fresher longer and is more flavorful. While this sounds fantastic to some, many farmers swear it works. There are several other ways in which biodynamic differs from classic organic agriculture, and you can read a full discussion of the difference between biodynamic and organic agriculture elsewhere on TheNibble.com. The containers that hold the teas are as colorful and vibrant as Zhena herself. Each refillable tin can comes with 22 tea sachets and a message of awareness about one of the many social or environmental causes that Zhena’s supports. The all-metal cans are recyclable, but one will find it difficult to throw them away. Even our photographer asked to take home any extras. 30 Different Organic Tea BlendsZhena is a busy blender: Zhena’s Gypsy Tea sells 30 different varieties of blended hot and iced teas.
Amid the cornucopia of choices, the website offers some help in choosing one’s perfect tea. Beyond the standard pages full of descriptions and suggestions, there is an aromatherapy wheel that helps select a tea by benefits and flavor. What We TriedNo, not all 30: We sampled five teas in sachet form—a sampling of black, green, green and white, red and herbal teas.
As you can see, the teas make lovely gifts and also spread a beautiful message. Given a “bouquet in every cup,” they’d be appreciated by anyone who wants to take a break to drink some tea and smell the flowers.
Prices and product availability are verified at publication but are subject to change. Shipping is additional. For the “Glossary of Tea Terms,” the “History of Tea,” “Tea Facts,” and reviews of more favorite teas, click here. Increase Your Knowledge Of Tea
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In Ojai, California, Zhena began with a catering cart and a spot in a friend’s antique store. With son Sage in a stroller by her side, she sold her organic tea blends. The company, begun as an outpost in a tea shop, now has accounts nationwide, and for a company with limited resources, was honored for “Outstanding Packaging” at the most recent Expo East natural products show. 
There are nine black teas that range from Passionate Peach to Coconut Chai and include classics like their Uplifting Earl Grey. 
the traditional oil of Bergamot makes this tea familiar and comforting. It has a mild taste with some layering from a touch of ginger root and Valencia orange peel and a fresh herbaceousness from Bulgarian rose. 
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