* Please Note: This information is based partly on Traditional Medicine which uses natural materials to support health. This information has not been evaluated or approved by the FDA. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). These products are intended to support general well being and are not intended to treat, diagnose, mitigate, prevent, or cure any condition or disease. If conditions persist, please seek advice from your medical doctor.
Description
The pineapple plant (Ananas comosus), was foand growing in a wild state along the sandy shores of tropical South America and the West Indies. It is neither a pine nor an apple, and its name is only an illustrative term for its form which resembles a pine cone. It is not even a fruit, but a sorosis, a multiple group of berries grown together into a pulpy mass from a spike of blossoms.
The pineapple, whose name in Carib was ananas, was an important medicinal plant for the Indians. Its fermented juice was made into an alcoholic drink, used for fevers and to relieve body heat in hot weather; externally pineapple juice was used for dissolving painful corns, and to cure skin ailments. The greatest value of pineapple juice lies in its digestive power, which closely resembles that of human gastric juices.
The Indians cooked and baked their meat overlaid with chunks of pineapple. This had a tenderizing effect on the toughest animal meat and was the culinary forerunner of our southern ham, decorated with pineapple slices. The pineapple was one of the tropical plants which for centuries resisted successful transplantation to other continents. Pineapples seemingly would not grow from seeds any where; they could only be raised from slips of the plant, which would not endure the slow and long sea-voyages of bygone centuries, rotting away and fermenting in the steaming holds of the sailing vessels. Only a few potted plants, carefully tended on their Atlantic crossing, reached European shores where they were kept in the hothouses of royal gardens as curious specimens of tropical flora.
In the second half of the 19th century, when the invention of the screw-propeller driven steamboat shortened the shipping time of perishable cargo, the first West Indian pineapples were introduced into tropical Africa and reached the Malay Peninsula from there. At the end of the 19th century, Singapore was the world's main shipping port for cultivated pineapples. In 1899, the pineapple was introduced into Hawaii where the plant found ideal climatic conditions. The improvement in the preservation process at the beginning of the present century and the canning of ripe pineapples directly on the plantation greatly expanded the distribution of pineapples which are now grown not only in Brazil, Cuba, Puerto Rico, the Bahamas, Malaya, the Philippines, Hawaii and other tropical countries, but also in Mexico, Florida and other southern territories of North America; Singapore eventually lost its eminence to the Hawaiian Islands which today produce the lion's share of the world's pineapple crop.
The fine, strong and flexible fiber obtained from the leaves of the pineapple is used in Brazil, Malaya and the Philippines in the manufacture of a native textile, delicate, soft, transparent pina-cloth from which luxurious scarves, handkerchiefs and embroidered fashion accessories are made. Today the pineapple in the form of fresh, canned or candied fruit is an important international trade item, and canned pineapple juice is used as a refreshing beverage in many parts of the world.
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Directions
Hot tea brewing method: Bring freshly drawn cold water to a rolling boil. Place 1 tea bag for each cup into the teapot. Pour the boiling water into the teapot. Cover and let steep for 3-7 minutes according to taste (the longer the steeping time the stronger the tea). Even though milk and a dash of sugar help enhance the flavor character on this tea, it is perfectly acceptable to consume this tea "straight-up."
Iced tea brewing method (to make 1 liter/quart): Place 6 tea bags into a teapot or heat resistant pitcher. Pour 1 1/4 cups of freshly boiled water over the tea. Steep for 5 minutes. Quarter fill a serving pitcher with cold water. Pour the tea into your serving pitcher straining the bags. Add ice and top-up the pitcher with cold water. Garnish and sweeten to taste. [A rule of thumb when preparing fresh brewed iced tea is to double the strength of hot tea since it will be poured over ice and diluted with cold water]. Please note that this tea may tend to go cloudy or "milky" when poured over ice; a perfectly normal characteristic of some high quality black teas and nothing to worry about!
Label Information
Shipping Port: Colombo
Altitude: 4800 - 7600 feet above sea level
Manufacture Type: Orthodox
Cup Characteristics: Cup captures the flavor of freshly sliced pineapple amazingly. Think of sitting on a sunny verandah with a nice cup of tea. Great over ice
Infusion: Bright and Coppery
Additional Information
What type of tea do we use, how do we flavor the tea and why do we use natural flavors?
Firstly...we only use high grown teas from the top 3 tea growing regions of Sri Lanka - Nuwara Eliya, Dimbula and Uva. These three high-grown districts produce flavorful teas that have classic "Ceylon" tea character which is noted by floral bouquet and flavor notes, touches of mild astringency, bright coppery color and, most importantly - perfect for use as the base tea of our flavored teas. (We have tested teas from various other origins around the world as base stock for our flavored teas, but none of these teas made the grade. We may pay more for high grown Ceylons, but the taste is worth it).
Dimbula and the western estates of Nuwara Eliya have a major quality peak during Jan/Feb, whereas Uva and the eastern estates of Nuwara Eliya have their peak in July/Aug. This "dual peak period" allows us to buy the best for our flavored tea blends several times during the year, ensuring top quality and freshness.
Secondly...we use flavoring oils not crystals to give the tea drinker an olfactory holiday before indulging in the liquid tea treat.
Thirdly...we specify natural flavors. High quality tea tastes good and natural flavors do not mask the natural taste of the high grown Ceylon tea. (The norm for many making flavored tea is to use overpowering artificial flavors which can be used to hide lower quality tea). Natural flavors do not leave an aftertaste giving the tea a clean and true character. It should be noted that natural flavors tend to be somewhat "soft" and the flavors slightly muted, but for many this is a refreshing change and one of the desired attributes of our naturally flavored teas.
Now you can sit back and enjoy the fruits of our labor (or should we say flavor) knowing that we have formulated the best flavored teas that are available.
ZooScape is proud to be the exclusive distributor of TerraVita teas, herbs and supplements in the United States, Canada and around the world. Please direct all wholesale and bulk inquiries to Simona Heather at 905-494-1785.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Products are intended to support general well being and are not intended to treat, diagnose, mitigate, prevent, or cure any condition or disease. If conditions persist, please seek advice from your medical doctor. The essence of the current American rule on Traditional Uses is, as stated by FTC, "Claims based on historical or traditional use should be substantiated by confirming scientific evidence, or should be presented in such a way that consumers understand that the sole basis for the claim is a history of use of the product for a particular purpose."
