THE LEAVES AND SEEDS YOU NEED
Germany-based Dried Ingredients, a company that provides herbs and other ingre- dients to tea blenders, recently opened an office in Miami to better supply the North American market. The company offers blossoms, buds, flowers, berries, leaves and seed in bulk, and it has exclusive buying agreements with many growers. Dried Ingredients also partners with Westphal-Tee, a German tea company that warehouses large supplies of black and green teas. 786/999-8499. driedingredients.com
A KIT TO BRING IN CASH
Monin Gourmet Flavorings last month began offering a Merchandising Kit with seasonally inspired recipes to help retailers boost sales heading into fall. Recipes include Winter Frost Chai, Chocolate Almond Biscotti Mocha and Cinnamon Caramel Cream Soda. Monin also included a recipe for Slice of Pie Latte, made using the company's Apple Pie, Pumpkin Pie, Pecan Pie or Blueberry Pie offerings. The Merchandising Kit is complimentary to cof- fee shop operators and contains a three-pack of samples, 12 drink recipes, corresponding counter cards and an acrylic counter card holder for point- of-purchase promotion. 800/966-5225. monin.com
DIAL IN YOUR WATER TEMP
Adagio Teas has introduced an electric kettle with unique push- button temperature settings for different types of tea. The com- pany says the kettle, dubbed the
VarieTEA, is ideal for the preparation of more delicate teas like whites and greens, which require a lower steeping tem- perature for the best results. Each setting is conveniently labeled with the temperature and type of tea suited to that temperature. Press "black" to boil water for black teas, or select "green" to heat the water to 180 degrees Fahrenheit. There are also settings for white teas and oolongs, as well as a setting to heat the water for delicate teas at 150 degrees Fahrenheit. The kettle, which also features a 30-minute keep-warm setting, retails for $99. adagio.com
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