Photo @TiffanyTallbott

At Last: This is Dave – All things mechanical, manufacturing and operational. Master-mind of getting old things to work and  engineering new stuff – a philosophic problem-solver.

It isn’t right that a person who has been with us from the start, be so late to the introductions. But that’s what happens to the guy who controls all the power tools. Unbeknownst to Dave, an early invitation by Steve to “check out some equipment with me”, has turned into another chapter in his tea life.

Early partners since their days at Stash, Dave has been mixing it up with Steve in the tea world for a very long time. As a partner and head of manufacturing, He brings a wealth of know- how, a wry wit and a work ethic hard to rival. He is an integral part of our ability to blend and pack all the tea we produce right here in our tiny facility in Portland, Oregon.

You might even know Dave and wondered where’s he’s been lately?  Well, he’s here, at the Teaworks, keeping things moving Monday – Friday and probably on the off hours too. Come in for a pot of tea and you’ll see him through the glass window, a shy smile and an ever-present to -go cup of coffee nearby (yes, coffee) Feel free to knock, wave or leave him a sticky note.

Here’s what Dave had to say when recently interviewed over a slice of his favorite Apple Pie with melted cheddar cheese on top.

Q: What was your happiest time drinking tea?

A:”The happiest time is when I actually take my cup and sit down”. ( Dave doesn’t sit much)

Q: Which famous figures  in history would you most like to have tea with?

A: “Steve Smith”!    (No kidding, that’s what he really said)

Q: What do you most hope to read in the tea leaves?

A: “SUCCESS”.

Q: What do you least want to see in the tea leaves?

A: “That’s unprintable, so I guess I’ll go with foreign objects”.

Q: What do you think about when your tea is steeping?

A: “Depends on the tea. Usually it’s the origin and smells of the country it was grown”. (Sounds like Dave has been to most of the tea-growing regions in the world)

Q: What really gets you steamed?

A: ” When kitty’s having a fit” (An insiders joke: all the tea packing equipment at Smith has a name)

Q: What is your motto?

A: TEA HAPPENS! (lots of laughter amongst the teamakers)

Q: What is the shortest path to peace?

A: “When the tea packs itself”.

Q: If you were a tea bush, what kind would you be?

A: ” I would be found deep in Yunnan Province, unpruned and untrained”.

Our new friend Caitlin Junkin and her companion stopped by the Teaworks last Thursday. Looking for an after-lunch treat, the pair ordered one of our tea sampling flights, with an appertif of our latest creation Bon Bon. It was an honor to hear praise from a sommelier on how much fun the tasting was, and we hope to see her again soon.

The light was beautiful that afternoon, and its reflected in Caitlin’s wonderful photos. To see all her great shots, as well as amazing images from her food-focused travels, stop by her blog at http://www.caitlinjunkin.com/.

Photo@Tiffany Talbott

This is Elizabeth: Punctuation Expert, Bike Commuter, Teacher, Artist and Teamaker

Sometimes we are slow on the uptake to deliver the most up to date news. After all, we’re busy sourcing, blending and packing your favorite teas here, so blogging happens after hours. In this case, we’re just getting around to posting Elizabeth’s interview, even though she has been making tea with us for over a year. The bittersweet note is that today is also her last day. Like all the team here at Smith, Elizabeth has brought her intelligence, wit and unique life story to our manufacturing room. She has shared her recipes for tea, cocktails, life, gardening and good music.

We wish you the best in your next endeavors Elizabeth. Thank you for being an integral part of  our team and know that we always have the kettle on. Drop in for tea anytime. Read on for Elizabeth’s interview.

Q: What was your happiest time drinking tea?

A: Camping, under the stars, in front of a crackling fire.

Q: Which famous figures in history would you most like to have tea with?

A: Rupert Murdoch

Q: What do you most hope to read in the tea leaves?

A: Inspiration for my next painting.

Q: What do you least want to see in the tea leaves?

A: When/Where/ how I will die.

Q: What do you think about when your tea is steeping?

A: I answer emails over my first morning cup – so usually, I’m thinking about planning / business stuff.

Q: What gets you really steamed?

A: I can’t stand it when drivers don’t use their blinkers. Abused animals make me cry.

Q: What is your motto?

A: It’s always better to be overdressed than underdressed.

Q: What is your auto?

A: VW Jetta -TDI. It get’s great mileage.

Q: What is the shortest path to peace?

A: Surrender

Q: If you were a tea bush, what kind would you be?

Labrador Tea – growing in a bog in Maine.

Photo@TiffanyTalbott

Say Hello to Claire – Clairvoyant? maybe. Calm, kind and easy to talk to, better describe this tasting room goddess. 

Q: What do you most want to see in the tea leaves?

A: The appearance of a shell in my tea leaves would be welcome…which is said to symbolize creativity, good luck, prosperity, and emotional stability.

Q: What do you least want to see in the tea leaves?

A: Cigarette butts?

Q: What do you think about while your tea is steeping?

A: Stripes or polka dots today, what’s for lunch, and if I have time to squeeze in 10 minutes of pilates

Q: What gets you really steamed?

A: Litter bugs

Q: What is your motto?

A: My fortune cookie from last week said: “act as if it were impossible to fail” and I kinda like that.

Q: What is your auto?

A: Mazda3 or a commuter bike

Q: What is the shortest path to peace?

A: 90 minutes in a float tank

Q: If you were a tea bush, what kind would you be?

A: Mao Feng (Shui) is my current favorite. No. 8: The perfect alignment of two circles

It’s always a surprise to enter the Laboratory at Smith Teamaker- you never know who you’ll find mixing it up with Steve. This time, it was Oregon Ballet Theatre’s own principal dancer, Alison Roper. She met with Steve a few weeks ago to take a spin around the Teaworks, taste a variety of teas and botanicals, and choreograph a special blend she could share with her friends and fans of the ballet. Since Tiffany was on hand with her camera that day, we have photos to share with you. Enter the Teaworks and follow along with Alison’s journey of creating her own special tea blend.

Photo courtesy of Kathy YL Chan

Kathy YL Chan nearly had a crisis. Down to her last few packets of tea, she had nearly depleted her 5th Smith variety pack! Lucky for her, The Tea and Honey store in New York has got her covered until she has a chance to visit us here in Portland. Kathy enjoys the No.18 Bramin with sliced ginger and a touch of Chinese brown sugar. Certainly those chilly Manhattan mornings are made a bit easier with a nice heavy cup of black tea brewed with a bit of sweet and spice.

For all of us not living in The Big Apple,  you can order the Smith Variety directly from us here, or by coming down to our brick-and-mortar location. Make sure to visit Kathy’s blog and take a look at all her fabulous pictures, and remind her to stay well stoked up on her tea!

Photo@TiffanyTalbott

This is Kimberly: aka: Mrs. Smith – neat-nik, creative and lover of parties. The perfect Green to Steve’s Black, marketing maven and co-founder of Smith Teamaker. 

Q: Which famous figures in history would you most like to have tea with?

A: Hands down, that would be author and adventurist, Isak Dineson, who wrote Out of Africa.

Q: Which famous living person would you least like to have tea with?

A: Anyone currently running for the GOP.

Q: What was your happiest time drinking tea?

A: I have a special place in my heart of helping to create a little joy for my grandfather. He must have been 88 yrs. old when Steve and I gave him a special TAZO teapot with matching handle-less cups. We showed him how to prepare China Green Tips loose and talked about the nuances, origin and ceremony of tea. After that, a man who had never been a coffee or tea drinker, would sit down everyday and enjoy at least one pot of Chinese Green Tea. (But only if the preparation and service was exactly as Steve had instructed). As the years past, it was the one thing he could enjoy without worrying about his diabetes, blood pressure or failing eye-sight. Truly a comfort. He lived to be 98.

Q: What do you most hope to read in the tea leaves?

A: All your dreams are possibilities and you will be blessed with the good health to see them manifest.

Q: What do you least want to see in the tea leaves?

A: You will live longer than all those you love.

Q: What do you think about while your tea is steeping?

A: How will I keep up with Steven today? Or In what ways I may be able to be a good friend, perform a random act of kindness or tell someone I love them today.

Q: What gets you really steamed?

A: Injustice, cruelty and disloyalty.

Q: What is your motto?

A: “In a gentle way you can shake the world” M. Gandhi

Q: What is your auto?

A: I drive a little 5 speed manual and imagine I’m zipping through the country roads in the South of France.

Q: What is the shortest path to peace?

A: I wouldn’t be lying to say, a perfect pot of Smith Teamaker Tea and a Fleur de Sel dark chocolate bar. In close second is a walk through my garden to the sauna.

Q: If you were a tea bush, what kind would you be?

A: A short one, with deep roots, branches stretched out high to the sun.

Image courtesy of Eden Hensley Silverstein

Eden over at Recipes for the Good Life  talked about our tea in one of her “What I Crave” posts. She mentions that the No.45 Peppermint was a particular favorite while she was pregnant since it does not have any caffeine (which also makes it a great bedtime tea). Our tea originally came to her as a gift from local wedding jeweler Gem Kitty, who wrapped a pair of our tip-top boxes in a beautiful black ribbon. She now sends her sister-in-law down to the teashop to pick up more for her whenever she runs low, though she could always call us and have it shipped right to her door (though I suspect the sister-in-law comes in for a few boxes for herself as well).

Photo by David Johnson

Our very own Steve Smith was featured on the cover of this month’s Entrepreneur magazine. The story of Steve’s history in the tea world is recounted in an article entitled “The Brewsmith”. The feature chronicles Steve’s accomplishments in the tea industry, a journey that began nearly 40 years ago in the peppermint fields of Oregon. Editor-in-Chief Amy Cosper compares Steve to Richard Branson or Bill Gates stating “these are the innovators who capture zeitgeist and turn it into an unforgettable experience”.

The article is not just about the man who founded the company; the tea also shares in the spotlight. Author Bruce Schoenfeld compares the Smith teabags to “gorgeous miniature pieces of art”. Our No. 39 Fez makes an appearance on page 33 in its red-carpet ready string-tie box.

The magazine is available at newsstand now, and online here. Alternatively, come on down to the tearoom and read our copy over a cup of one entrepreneur’s dreams.