November 04, 2012
Bellocq will donate 10% from the sale price of any of our Tea Collections to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief. We will be making these donations for the remainder of 2012.
Throughout the Northeast so many have been impacted by Hurricane Sandy. This has been an urgent reminder to all that giving back to the community requires a commitment. While many people have been affected in small ways requiring no great assistance, there are those who have experienced substantial hardships--if not outright tragedy-- and need our help. We have searched for an appropriate way to reach those in need and have selected the American Red Cross. Bellocq is committed to assisting those devastated by Hurricane Sandy as well as others in need.
We welcome you to support the American Red Cross and other charitable efforts in your communities. There is always a mission worthy of your support.
We wish you love and comfort. xxoo Bellocq
November 02, 2012
Hurricane Sandy hit New York City incredibly hard this week. Our tea atelier in Brooklyn is on the first street parallel to the river and we certainly expected and planned for flooding overnight on Monday. We had our friends in the neighborhood check on the atelier throughout the very stressful night. We have been spared by the powerful storm surge that Hurricane Sandy brought to so many in New York City and beyond. We have power, we are dry and our teas are safe. At home and throughout our neighborhoods we lost many beautiful trees but considering the power of this damaging storm we are feeling extremely thankful.
Our hearts go out to all our friends effected by the Sandy who are without homes, without power or recovering from the stress of the storm.
xxoo Bellocq
October 11, 2012
New York City has more stores than anyone could physically tackle, but somehow we always keep returning to the usual suspects. To break out of the rut, we've asked some local shopping and fashion gurus to provide their hidden retail gems—those unique stores around our fantastic city that we might not all know about. Cue the Beatles: We're about to get a little help from our friends.
Karen Brown is the senior concept designer for Ralph Lauren Home Collection, where she's responsible for putting together mood and concept boards as a starting point for the brand's housewares. Here, she shows us her favorite spot in Greenpoint for tea, flowers, and more.
Bellocq Tea Atelier is one of the most magical shops in New York. The practically unmarked gem of a shop/showroom sits in front of a warehouse/factory space. Upon entering, you feel as though you've entered some top-secret hidden tea lab and den. Their loose, full leaf teas (and flowers and so on), gathered and sourced from around the globe, are displayed as beautifully and delicately as the teas themselves.
One of the owners, Michael Shannon, takes the time to thoroughly explain each tea, telling you tales of heights and locations, scents and flavors that you never even knew existed. Luckily for us, Michael, along with partners Heidi Johannsen Stewart and Scott Stewart, have taken the ancient craft of tea and made it something we can all enjoy.
Thank you Karen Brown! & ny.racked.com
August 18, 2012
If you are in town attending the New York International Gift Fair (NYIGF) at the Javits Center, pop-over and visit Bellocq in booth #3956. We are on the upper level in the "Accent on Design" Section! (Sunday Aug 19th - Wednesday Aug 22nd)
The atelier in Brooklyn will have standard hours at the atelier in Brooklyn this weekend Friday & Saturday 12-7; Sunday 12-5. We would love to have you visit the tea atelier!
xxoo Bellocq
Above; the packaging assortment of Bellocq teas.
Above: the Bellocq Boxes with a woven silver tea strainer.
Hope to see you! Enjoy! xxoo
New York International Gift Fair
www.nyigf.com
July 18, 2012
I never knew how profoundly I could connect to tea until I was personally introduced to the incredibly delicious, fragrant and evocative world of Bellocq Tea. Its owners and creators, and our longtime friends, Heidi Johannsen Stewart, Michael Shannon and Scott Stewart, truly understand the magical beauty of tea, and through their passion and stewardship, everyone around them soon understands it too! And so it is with immense pleasure that we welcome Bellocq Teas to Purl Soho!
Bellocq Tea evolved out of a rich collaboration between Heidi, Michael, and Scott, three extraordinarily creative people. Old friends with a shared interest in tea, they launched their business in London two years ago and last October opened their lovely Bellocq Atelier in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. Drawing from previous experiences in food, design and product development, this impressive trio put their collective talents together to create, not only incredible teas, but a whole world of beauty. Heidi, Michael and Scott have built a universe for their teas that touches each one of our senses. In addition to being exceptionally delectable and aromatic teas, everything, from the rich packaging to the colors of the Atelier walls to the teas themselves, is visually stunning. And if you visit, you can hear for yourself the passion that these three share for their products. Otherwise, these gorgeous photos by our dear friend Anna Williams do an amazing job of telling the tale!
If you'd like to learn more about Bellocq, we highly recommend that you pick up the current issue of Kinfolk Magazine which features an in-depth look at Bellocq and its teas. Kinfolk is a publication run by artists who share the respect and love for all things hand made that both Bellocq and Purl Soho embody. That's why you can now find Kinfolk Magazine at Purl Soho! Find the current issue right here.
Bellocq's teas range from the wonderful smokey richness of their Lapsang Souchang to the vibrant freshness of their herbal blend, Le Hammeau. Each tea is impeccably hand crafted using 100% organic whole tea leaves and botanical ingredients. With so many amazing blends and pure teas to chose from it was a challenge to pick our favorite dozen, but somehow we managed!
Black Teas
Green Teas
- Etoile De L'Inde - A favorite at Purl Soho, this beautiful blend of green and jasmine tea also includes passion-fruit, rose and marigold.
- Majorelle Mint - A classic Moroccan mint tea with a twist! Blended with gunpowder green tea, marigold and citrus essence. This tea is wonderful iced with a sprig of fresh mint.
- Roasted Kukicha - An earthy green tea made from the branches of the tea plant rather than the leaves (Heidi tells us that some people consider Kukicha to be an herbal tea rather than a green since the caffeine content is so minute.)
White Teas
- Jasmine Silver Needle - A classic white tea that is dried with the delicately sweet essence of jasmine flowers
- White Nixon - A refined white tea with lavender and peony, great iced!
Herbal Teas
- Little Dickens - Made for kids with a hint of chocolate, loved by all! Serve with milk and honey.
- Hindu Holiday - The most scrumptious caffeine-free chai around, this tea includes everything from rooibos, ginger and cardamom to jasmine, rose and marigolds!
- Le Hammeau - A summery blend of botanical ingredients, including lemongrass, verbena, chamomile, mint and more.
Each tea is available in a beautiful Traveler Caddy or in a simple Atelier Bag. Choose your favorites right here! Or not sure which tea you'd like to try? Pick a Boxed Set of eight pure teas or eight tea blends here. If you're thinking of putting together a special gift, be sure to include a lovely Bellocq Woven Tea Strainer or a pretty package of loose tea Paper Filters!
We hope you'll love these teas as much as we do! We feel they go hand in hand with crafting (picture a pile of quilt squares and a hot cup of tea or a half-finished merino sweater and a steaming pot for one!). Bellocq Teas are also in perfect harmony with our respect for handcrafted materials made with pure love. So even if you can't visit Bellocq's world in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, you can bring some of their magic into yours!
You can find all of our Bellocq offerings right here. Enjoy! Joelle ( posted on www.PurlBee.com )
Thank you, Joelle for the warm welcome!
xxoo Bellocq
July 10, 2012
"Si le charme du lieu est si puissant, c'est qu'il s'agit non pas d'un simple décor commercial mais d'un univers à part entière tissé de correspondances subtilement dosées."
Après une spectaculaire traversée de l'East River depuis le Pier 11, sur Manhattan, on atteint Greenpoint, au nord de Brooklyn, quartier d'anciens chantiers navals, parfois appelé "Little Poland", en pleine réhabilitation. On tourne ensuite sur la droite, dépassant les entrepôts où sont jalousement gardés les décors de Boardwalk Empire, la nouvelle série de HBO, puis on arrive sur West Street. Au 104, une porte pleine, des fenêtres grillagées ne laissent rien présager de la magie qui attend le visiteur qui passera le seuil de la boutique du Bellocq Tea Atelier ni du délicieux accueil qu'il y recevra.
Si le charme du lieu est si puissant, c'est qu'il s'agit non pas d'un simple décor commercial mais d'un univers à part entière tissé de correspondances subtilement dosées. Les livres posés sur la petite table du salon rose sont tous bleus, certes, mais leurs titres sont aussi tous choisis pour leurs affinités avec les différents thés de la collection. Les touches de jaune, de rose, de bleu, de vert, de cramoisi semblent faire écho aux composants des mélanges : pétales de rose, de bleuet, de souci, feuilles de sauge, de menthe. Derrière le comptoir, on aperçoit un exemplaire maintes fois consulté du Charleston, A Bloomsbury House and Garden de Virginia Nicholson et Quentin Bell ; sur un rebord de fenêtre, on trouve le livre de Bruno Suet, Le temps du thé, et Wabi-Sabi For Artists, Designers, Poets & Philosophers de Leonard Koren. Voilà, nous savons qu'ici, le thé est une esthétique.
July 07, 2012
BELLOCQ TEA ATELIER July 5, 2012
I made a note to visit Bellocq Tea Atelier ever since I saw and tasted their beautifully packaged teas at Haven's Kitchen a little while back. They're located in Greenpoint, Brooklyn so I made the trek out there for a visit recently. I took the L to the Bedford stop and instead of taking a cab or car service, I opted for the 20 minute walk. Taking the G to Greenpoint will get you much closer, with just a two block walk. Walking down West Street, I spotted brown double doors with a white sign. I walked by it at first, unsure if it was the shop entrance since I was expecting a storefront. Once inside, I was pleasantly surprised by the beauty of the shop. It's flat out gorgeous. I walked through a small foyer to enter a light filled room showcasing all their teas. One wall is stocked with their tea offerings in bright yellow large tea canisters. Opposite that wall is a table with their small travel canisters on display.
I met Heidi, one of the owners, and she offered sample tea tastings of any of the teas on the wall. I was looking specifically for a black tea so I got to try five different ones before I decided on the Ceylon. For each tea tasting, she would take one of the large yellow canisters off the wall, give me some information on that tea and allowed me to take a whiff. They all smelled fantastic. Into a cup with some loose leaf tea, she added hot water and let it brew a bit before serving them in small glass cups. After I finished sipping the tea, she would start the process over again with another cannister off the wall. It was nicely paced and relaxing and I got a good sense how each one tasted.
I got the Atelier size of the Ceylon ($9), which is packaged in a small brown paper pouch. The next size up would be the travel caddy – the cannisters on the table. They also design and sell their own tea strainers.
The whole experience was so pleasant, relaxing and informative, I felt like Heidi was my personal tea guru/shopper. It was definitely worth the trip out there.
They also offer a $250 tea tasting in a private room, connected to the main room which can last up to three hours for one to six people.
Note: They're only open Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays.
LOCATION: Bellocq Tea Atelier | 104 West Street, Greenpoint, NY | 800.495.5416
Thank you!
www.ohhowcivilized.com
May 16, 2012
Bellocq Tea Named Silver Finalist for the 2012 sofi™ Award!
Tea No. 12, Le Hammeau has been named a Silver Finalist in the 2012 sofi™ Awards from the National Association for the Specialty Food Trade, Inc. The sofi Awards are the top honor in the $75 billion specialty food industry. “sofi” stands for Specialty Outstanding Food Innovation.
Le Hammeau was selected as a Silver Finalist in the Diet and Lifestyle Category by a national panel of specialty food experts. The judges evaluated 1,935 entries across 30 Awards categories. The Gold Winners will be announced by noted chef José Andrés at a red-carpet ceremony June 18, 2012, at the Summer Fancy Food Show in Washington, D.C.
“We are thrilled the quality and sophistication of Le Hammeau was recognized by this knowledgable panel of judges. Bellocq teas are truely a wonderful addition to a healthy lifestyle” says Michael Shannon, from Bellocq. Bellocq's teas are sold at Bergdorf Goodman, Lane Crawford, Louis, H.P. Deco and finer stockists throughout the US, Canada, Great Britain and Japan. Bellocq teas are also available online at www.Bellocq.com .
The sofi Awards are open to members of the NASFT, a not-for-profit trade association established in 1952 for food artisans, importers and entrepreneurs with more than 2,900 members throughout the U.S. and abroad. For more information on the NASFT and its Fancy Food Shows, go to www.specialtyfood.com. Learn more about the 2012 sofi Awards at foodspring.com/sofiawards.
“This year’s contest was the most competitive yet,” says NASFT President Ann Daw. “The foods and beverages that made it to the finals are proof that the spirit of innovation and creativity is thriving in the specialty food industry.”
NASFT Media Contacts:
Ron Tanner, VP Communications & Education; 646-878-0115, rtanner@nasft.org
Louise Kramer, Communications Director; 646-878-0130, lkramer@nasft.org
April 30, 2012
This elegant pairing is a gorgeous way to celebrate the return of outdoor entertaining season. Start with No. 47, The Queen's Guard (iced and garnished with lemon rind & scented geranium); Then serve with a plate of fresh radishes (raw with a side of firm butter & sea salt). Iced tea season is returning... and fresher then ever!
This combination is amazingly simple and yet... Absolutely Heavenly!!! xx @bellocq
http://www.bellocq.com/collections/signature-blends/products/the-queens-guard
March 10, 2012
Kings Road in London has always been synonymous with British style. Now, one of their best tea ateliers has crossed the pond and settled in Greenpoint, Brooklyn... (continued on link below).
(follow the link below to the 'KEEP YOUR EYE ON' section).
Sweet Paul Magazine - Spring 2012
text by Sarah Oster Shasha
photography by Anna Williams
Spotlight On: Iced Tea
Perfect Pairing: Tea & Candle Collection
Steep Easy: Brewing Essentials
Mother's Day Gift Guide
Introducing: The Journal
