Northwest Tea Festival Event Programming

Exclusive Opening Tea Dinner with James Norwood Pratt
The 2008 Northwest Tea Festival will launch with an exclusive tea dinner at the award-winning 94 Stewart Restaurant, presided over by tea author and speaker, James Norwood Pratt on Thursday, October 2nd 2008. Every dish will be a unique creation by Chef Celinda Norton and her talented crew, each prepared with a different tea. $115 includes dinner, teas, wines, and good company! Reservations can be made by calling 206-441-5505. 

Exclusive Friday Night Events, October 3rd:
Two exclusive events have been added to the schedule of the Northwest Tea Festival! Friday evening, October 3rd, we're offering these two exciting, limited-seating presentations at the Orcas Room in the Seattle Center: Tickets for each event are $15, or both for $25, available at the door.
    • Tea and Culture, 6:30 - 7:30pm (Yoon Hee Kim)
    • Comparisons of Tea and Wine, Sisters under the skin, 8:00 - 9:00pm (James Norwood Pratt)

Saturday, October 4th

The venue will be open 10am - 6pm Saturday, October 4th, and 10am - 4pm Sunday, October 5th. Entry is FREE to the public, with a suggested donation of $5.

Cooking With Tea, 10:30am @ Choice Stage
Join Eric Tanaka, corporate executive chef of Tom Douglas restaurants, for a demonstration of how you can cook with tea!

The Teas of India, 10:30am @ Tazo Stage
The Legendary Darjeeling. The Powerful Assam. The Fragrant Nilgiri .... India's great teas are a gift to the world. For a true taste of India, take a flight of India teas with visiting tea sage James Norwood Pratt and experience the particular beauties of each tea producing region. Fabulous Tea and Talk by a world-renowned writer, raconteur and tea authority gets the Northwest Tea Festival started.

The Meaning of Tea, 12pm @ SIFF Cinema
With its spectacular cinematography and indigenous music, this feature-length film spans the globe, unveiling many reasons behind tea's mysterious appeal. With an exciting mix of interviews, archival footage and music, the film explores the rituals and ceremonies of tea, as well as the ways it is celebrated and enjoyed by a myriad of unique cultures: from afternoon tea in the Midwestern United States to tea estates in India, from the traditional tea ceremony of Japan to modern tea life in Morocco. Following the film will be a discussion with James Norwood Pratt, who was interviewed for the film, and the filmmaker, Scott Hoyt. $10, or get a discount on the film by donating to the festival!

Tea 101, 12pm @ Choice Stage
Tea 101 will take you through a fast paced photo journey of a tea leaf from soil to cup. You will learn about the five basic types of tea, where they come from and how they’re processed. We will put to bed some myths about tea, discuss some tea controversies and learn different ways to steep the perfect cuppa.

Korean Loose Leaf Tea Ceremony, 1:30pm @ Choice Stage
The Korean Tea Culture Foundation is proud to support the Northwest Tea Festival by presenting two sessions of the rarely seen Korean Tea Ceremony. Even as interests in teas continue to enjoy a dynamic rebirth world over, Korean teas and tea culture have remained virtually unknown to those outside of Asia. Join Tea Master Yoon Hee Kim, U.S. Director for the Tea Culture Association of Korea, as she shares Korea's Way of Tea.

History of the World According to Tea, 1:30pm @ Tazo Stage
Tea drinking is older than Moses—literally. Beyond simple trade, it has been involved in wars, new technology, espionage, the development of democracy, drug running, international politics, and more. Join the ironically-named Michael J. Coffey, tea educator and founder of TeaGeek.net, for a trip through history from the perspective of tea.

Tea, Beyond Beverage, 3:00pm @ Choice Stage
You may have seen tv commercials about green tea moisturizers or perhaps tasted tea infused chocolates at your favorite restaurant. Ever wonder what else tea can be used for other than steeping it as a beverage? This presentation is for anyone interested in learning the various categories and types of products and usage of teas found both here in the States and abroad. Participants will open their eyes to the world of tea, beyond beverage and learn of their added benefits. Gain valuable tips on how tea can help you lead a truly BeauTEAful life!

How to Enjoy Japanese Green Tea, 4:30pm @ Choice Stage
Introducing three varieties of traditional green tea in Japan: Sen cha, Hoji cha, and Genmai cha. Each tea has different brewing instructions and Kyohei Sugimoto, VP of SA Japanese Green Tea, will describe and demonstrate each method. He will also provide samples to audience members who have the festival’s sample cup* to experience the real flavor of Japanese green tea.

Putting on an Afternoon Tea, 4:30pm @ Tazo Stage
Tea is for fun, and afternoon tea is no exception. Creating an afternoon tea does not have to be difficult or complex. In fact, the best afternoon teas are those which make sure the hosts enjoy the party as well. Join Julee Rosanoff as she describes the secrets of presenting a Four Course Afternoon Tea with an eye toward enjoying yourself while creating a lovely table for your guests. Sample menus will be presented.

Sunday, October 5th

The Teas of Taiwan, 10:30am @ Choice Stage
Shiuwen Tai, owner of Floating Leaves Tea, refers to her birthplace of Taiwan as “Oolong Nation” because of its variety, quality, and pervasiveness of tea. In this event, she will demonstrate the Chinese-style gongfucha brewing method while discussing a few of the most famous
Taiwanese teas.

Japanese Tea Ceremony, 11am, noon, and 1pm @ Shoseian Teahouse
The Urasenke Foundation Seattle Branch (www.urasenkeseattle.org) is proud to support the Northwest Tea Festival by sponsoring three presentations of Chado, the Way of Tea. Join us at the Shoseian Teahouse in the Washington Park Arboretum! Your contribution of $20 includes entry to the Seattle Japanese Garden, a Chado presentation, and a contribution to support the Northwest Tea Festival. Reserve your space by calling 206-684-4725.

Tea 101, 12pm @ Choice Stage
Presentation repeats.

All In This Tea, 1pm @ SIFF Cinema
This film takes us into the world of tea by following tea expert David Lee Hoffman to some of the most remote regions of China in search of the best handmade teas in the world. Unable to find anything but insipid tea bags in the U.S., Hoffman began travelling to China to find tea for himself. In the process, he discovered the rarity of good, handmade tea, even in China. Following the film will be a discussion with James Norwood Pratt, appearing in the film, and the film's co-producer Gina Liebrecht. $10, or get a discount on the film by donating to the festival!

Korean Powdered Green Tea Ceremony, 1:30pm @ Choice Stage
The Korean Tea Culture Foundation is proud to support the Northwest Tea Festival by presenting two sessions of the rarely seen Korean Tea Ceremony. Even as interests in teas continue to enjoy a dynamic rebirth world over, Korean teas and tea culture have remained virtually unknown to those outside of Asia. Join Tea Master Yoon Hee Kim, U.S. Director for the Tea Culture Association of Korea, as she shares Korea's Way of Tea.

Three Tea Tour Kick-Off, 3pm @ Choice Stage
The Three Tea Tour, starting with a kick-off event at the end of the Northwest Tea Festival, is the current project of tea and motorcycle enthusiast Steven Baker. He will ride his motorcycle, equipped with four video cameras, from Seattle to the tip of South America, sharing tea with passersby every afternoon and supporting charities and local business.

Closing Tea Dinner, 7:30pm @ Wild Ginger
Dinner will feature tea pairings with authentic recipes from the Pacific Rim countries lying between India and Japan. As with our Opening Tea Dinner, James Norwood Pratt will be present to talk tea, this time joined by Yoon Hee Kim of the Korean Tea Culture Foundation. This fun, alcohol-free event is $85. The Wild Ginger reservation line is 206-623-4450.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Additional Information:
The festival will provide a sample cup as a gesture of thanks to those making a donation supporting the festival at a $5 level or more. Showing the sample cup will get you into the SIFFsponsored films for a discount, entry into the tea-tasting area, and brewed tea samples at the vendor booths. All presentations at both festival stages, entry to the vendor area, and the art gallery are open to everyone.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Menu for Closing Tea Dinner at Wild Ginger:

Jasmine cured Salmon (Gravlax style)
Buddha vegetable rolls with Thai Tea sauce
Jade Shrimp on Green Mango Salad
Poached/steamed Halibut with Black Bean Sauce and peapods
Braised Pork with tea smoked mushrooms
Tea smoked Chicken or Duck with red rice in Oolong tea
Sichuan Green Beans
Delectable tea infused dessert platter

Teas paired with each course