Presenter Bios:

James Norwood Pratt

Heather Agosta

Brett Boynton

Jason C.S. Chen

Michael J Coffey

Laurie and Charles Dawson

Jenn Dazey ND

Suzette Hammond

Guitian (Becky) Li

Melinda Luark

Amy Lawrence

Dewey Meyer

Jeffrey McIntosh

Bernadette Petrotta

Ken Rudee

Stefan Schachter

Devan & Reena Shah

Steve Smith

Kyohei Sugimoto

Cinnabar Wright

The 2013 Northwest Tea Festival
will be open:

10 AM - 6 PM Saturday, October 5th.
10 AM - 4 PM Sunday, October 6th.

• Entry is FREE to the public, with a suggested donation of $10.
• The festival will provide a porcelain tasting cup as a gesture of thanks to those making a donation supporting the festival at the $10 level or more. Showing the tasting cup will allow you entry into the tea-tasting sessions, and you will be able to taste brewed tea samples at the exhibiting vendor booths.
• All presentations, entry to the exhibiting vendor area, and the art gallery are free and open to everyone. A few special workshops may have some fees associated them. See the complete program for details.

We are looking for volunteers.

Would you like to be an active part of this year's festival?

We are looking for volunteers to work during the festival as well as volunteers interested in being a part of the planning process for the festival. You will work with tea people (always a fun, interesting group) and drink lots of fantastic tea (always a good thing to do).

All are welcome, if you are interested contact Chris O'Dowd .

Thank you to all these fantastic presenters, workshop and tea tasting leaders. They helped make the 2012 Northwest Tea Festival a great success.

Watch this space to see the
2013 Northwest Tea Festival program.

Past Event Program for the
2012 Northwest Tea Festival

The Festival will be open:

10 AM - 6 PM Saturday, October 6th.
10 AM - 4 PM Sunday, October 7th.

• Entry is FREE to the public, with a suggested donation of $10.
• The festival will provide a porcelain tasting cup as a gesture of thanks to those making a donation supporting the festival at the $10 level or more. Showing the tasting cup will allow you entry into the tea-tasting sessions, and you will be able to taste brewed tea samples at the exhibiting vendor booths.
• All presentations, entry to the exhibiting vendor area, and the art gallery are free and open to everyone. A few special workshops may have some fees associated them. See the complete program for details.

We are looking for volunteers.

Would you like to be an active part of this year's festival?

We are looking for volunteers to work during the festival as well as volunteers interested in being a part of the planning process for the festival. You will work with tea people (always a fun, interesting group) and drink lots of fantastic tea (always a good thing to do).

All are welcome, if you are interested contact Chris O'Dowd .

Presentations and Workshops:

This is a tentative schedule - dates, topics and speakers may change -

Keep checking this site for the latest information to be updated as the presentation schedule is finalized.

Detailed Presentation and Workshop descriptions are shown below.

Click here for a printable PDF version of this program schedule

---Saturday October 6th. ---

--- Sunday October 7th ---

Presentations:
All are free

Workshops
Workshops are limited to seats available and many are free.
Workshops that do do have a materials or speaker fee associated
can be preregistered on-line.
Tickets for all workshops (and Tea Tastings) can be obtained by visiting the PStea Booth.

Click here to see information how to make advance reservations for fee based workshops.

Check back here to see schedule updates as the Presentation & Workshop schedule is finalized

Presentation & Workshop
Descriptions

-- Saturday October 6th, 2012. --

Introduction to Professional Tea Cupping
(Suzette Hammond)
10:30am-12:30pm, Large Workshop Booth - $20 materials fee, max 20 participants
        Professional tasters call it Cupping - the procedure for evaluating tea samples. It translates into lots, and lots and LOTS of tasting, every day. Why should the pros have all the fun?
        Our Tea Cupping workshop returns to the Festival, expanded for an even better behind-the-scenes look at the world of tasting. In part one, we'll cover the basics of how to cup tea to the ISO (international) standard, how to modify this method for better sensory exploration, and evaluate several flights of tea as a group.
        Expect hands-on brewing and plenty of tasting. Sign up early - it sells out every year! A $20 materials fee applies to this class for your very own cupping set that you get to keep.
Click here to see information how to make advance reservations for this workshop.

Developing Your Palate: Tools for tea appreciation -
(Heather Agosta)
10:30am-11:30am, Small Workshop Booth - $10 materials fee, max 15 participants
        Tea is a deliciously complex beverage. At times, finding the words to describe flavors can be challenging and intimidating. We will discuss common tasting terms in the tea world and help to associate these terms with aromas and flavors that you may already be familiar with. We will also compare tea samples to help you explore a variety of flavors found in tea. This workshop will provide a better understanding of some of the nuances found in tea as well as the confidence to openly discuss your taste experiences.
Click here to see information how to make advance reservations for this workshop.

The Raku Tea Bowl - It’s Relevance Today -
(Richard Brandt)
11:00pm-12:00pm, Perennial Tea Room Stage
        The story of the birth of the Raku style ceramics is a rich and dramatic one, leading us through the religion, politics, and aesthetics of the pivotal Momoyama period in Japan. From the time tea was first introduced to Japan from China, Chinese ceramic tea utensils were prized beyond all others. The inspiration which heralded the invention of Raku is at the heart of this profound shift in Japan and changed the Japanese Tea Ceremony and lives of ceramic artists for all time. Richard will tell this complex story and how it affected him as a tea practitioner, ceramic artist, and instructor.

Tea Renaissance -
(James Norwood Pratt)
12:30pm-1:30pm, Perennial Tea Room Stage
        America now consumes more tea per annum than Britain How did we get here? For 30 years JNP has served as prophet, instigator and participant in the watershed cultural change which is America's Tea Renaissance. Here is his eye-witness account of the behind-the-scenes events and decisions since the 1980's which have produced this Renaissance which is making America a tea-consuming society.

Tea 101 from Soil to Cup -
(Ken Rudee)
1:30pm-2:30pm, Perennial Tea Room 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 are processed. We will put to bed some myths about tea, discuss some tea controversies and learn different ways to steep the perfect cuppa.

Experience the Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony
(Dewey Meyer)
1:30pm-2:30pm, Large Workshop Booth -
($5 materials fee for brewing participants - 10 brewing spaces available)
Up to 40 additional non-brewing participants
        Wu-Wo tea ceremony was created in Taiwan in the 1980's as an experience that allows many participants to brew and serve tea together. It is rooted in Chinese Gong-Fu small pot brewing. Wu-Wo translates to "selfless" and embodies that principle. Participants sit in a circle and silently brew, being present with tea, nature and each other. Those that you serve are not the ones you receive from, reinforcing the concept of giving without expectations.
        Please join us! No need to bring anything. We will provide 10 brewing kits. 10 people who pay a $5 materials fee will be able to use these kits and be an active brewing participant in the ceremony. All participants, including non-brewers (which can attend at no fee), will be able to taste tea during the ceremony.
Click here to see information how to make advance reservations for this workshop.

The Science of Taste -
(Michael Coffey)
1:30pm-2:30pm, Small Workshop Booth - $20 materials fee, max 15 participants
        How do you taste tea? It is a far more complex question than the simple--and inaccurate--"tongue map" that most of us have been taught. This workshop will cover how taste is only one of a vast array of signals that contribute to what we think of as the experience of "tasting." Learn how each of the senses, as well as genetics, psychology, and medical history build the unique flavors you find in your tea cup. An "I watch PBS science programs" level of understanding of science will be useful but not required. Hands-on sensory experiences will be included.
Click here to see information how to make advance reservations for this workshop.

Etiquette of Tea -
(Bernadette Petrotta)
2:30pm-3:30pm, Large Workshop Booth
        Brief history of tea which will include how tea began in China and spread to Europe and America, styles of tea service such as High Tea and Afternoon Tea, proper tea times, guidelines on enjoying an afternoon at a teahouse, introductions, wearing gloves, proper handshaking techniques, placement of personal items, proper way to set a tea table, napkin placement, and demonstration of how to sip tea, eat scones, savories, and petits fours.

Cooking with Tea -
(Amy Lawrence)
2:30pm-3:00pm, repeats at 3:00pm-3:30pm Small Workshop Booth - max 15 participants
        Come to this brief seminar and learn interesting ways to infuse tea in your food. Amy Lawrence, owner of Afternoon to Remember Fine Tea and Gifts, will talk about using tea to add creativity and flavor to your dishes. You will sample her homemade salami made with Lapsang Souchong Tea, taste her Almond Fruit Tea and try cookies infused with tea. Stop by this short seminar and be inspired!

An American Pursuit of Puer Tea -
(Jeffrey McIntosh)
3:00pm-4:00pm, Perennial Tea Room Stage
        I will be discussing how I first fell in love with tea. I had to change my thinking, and grow in my understanding of culture to successfully pursue, obtain, and understand Puer tea; which is truly so foreign from anything I have known as an American. I will explain how in many ways I have had to embrace Chinese thinking to fully appreciate the tea, and to successfully conduct business in China.

Tea Sommelier - Apprentice Level 1 -
(James Norwood Pratt & Devan Shah)
3:30pm-5:30pm, Large Workshop Booth - $75 materials fee, max 20 participants
        This concentrated overview of tea, geared toward the restaurant professional and serious tea drinker, is only available from James Norwood Pratt. It is a Tea Sommelier class taught by the only man who can really give it the content and comparison with wine that tea deserves. Join America's Tea Renaissance - take what you learn in this class and apply it immediately to your customer sales or your own lifestyle.
With his knowledge from years of wine and tea experience, James Norwood Pratt will impart the fundamentals as only he knows how. Let him teach you tea basics but with insights that will inspire you to have the confidence to educate your customers (or friends) and drink more tea!
        Apprenticeships available to anyone in the food service community or serious tea drinker wanting the chance to learn from a master. Students will receive a certificate of completion for Level 1 - Apprentice Tea Sommelier Program.
        You say you do not run a restaurant? This workshop may still be for you. This workshop will give you a wealth of knowledge about tea and how to select and pair it with food that you enjoy. It will expand your tea horizons.
Click here to see information how to make advance reservations for this workshop.

The Art of Tea -
(Guitian "Becky" Li )
3:30pm-4:30pm, Small Workshop Booth - max 15 participants
        Gongfu Tea Art. During the workshop I will explain the reason of each step of the Gongfu tea ceremony and talk about tea etiquette. You will be invited to practice this tea ceremony with grace during the workshop.

Demystifying Yerba Mate -
(Stefan Schachter)
4:30pm-5:30pm, Perennial Tea Room Stage
        Stefan will present the history, culture, botany, agriculture and health benefits of yerba mate. He will give an explanation of the differences between different yerba mate grades, resulting from different drying and curing processes. He will finish his presentation with how to drink yerba mate "traditional style".

-- Sunday October 7th, 2012. --

Professional Cupping Part 2:
Advanced Techniques - Professional Tea Tasting -
(Suzette Hammond)
10:30am-12:30pm, Large Workshop Booth - $20 materials fee, max 20 participants
        Ready for even more cupping? Come explore advanced techniques from traditional tea countries of origin. While the industry relies heavily on the international standard method, as learned in Part 1, variations based on the type of tea and producing country are also commonly used.
        Enhance your tasting experience by learning better ways to cup your oolongs and Japanese green teas. Sound intimidating? Not at all! Presented in the same fun, expressive and hands-on style as our Introduction to Professional Cupping, all that's required is a genuine interest and curiosity to try things outside the "same old, same old" of every day brewing. Expect plenty of tasting to challenge that palate muscle! A $20 materials fee applies to this class for your very own cupping set that you get to keep.
Click here to see information how to make advance reservations for this workshop.

Developing Your Palate: Tools for tea appreciation -
(Heather Agosta)
10:30am-11:30pm, Small Workshop Booth - $10 materials fee, max 15 participants
        Tea is a deliciously complex beverage. At times, finding the words to describe flavors can be challenging and intimidating. We will discuss common tasting terms in the tea world and help to associate these terms with aromas and flavors that you may already be familiar with. We will also compare tea samples to help you explore a variety of flavors found in tea. This workshop will provide a better understanding of some of the nuances found in tea as well as the confidence to openly discuss your taste experiences.
Click here to see information how to make advance reservations for this workshop.

Health and Tea -
(Jenn Dazey ND)
11:00am-12:00pm, Perennial Tearoom Stage
        Join Jenn Dazey, ND, for a detailed look at the health benefits of Camelia sinensis (tea!). As a daily tonic beverage, tea has been found to offer balance to our digestive, urinary, and nervous systems, and even to the skin. Did you know that it contains UV protection? What about other "teas", such as hot or cold herbal infusions? Learn about the well-researched, time-tested Camelia sinensis that we know and love as well as some every day herbal allies to keep your bones strong and eyes bright.

A Beginner's Guide to Gaiwan Use -
(Charles & Laurie Dawson)
11:30am-12:30pm, Small Workshop Booth - $10 materials fee, max 10 participants
        Experience hands-on practice handling and infusing with a gaiwan. Learn how to properly use this traditional tea brewing vessel to produce a truly quality cup of tea.
Click here to see information how to make advance reservations for this workshop.

Tea 101 -
(Brett Boynton)
12:30pm-1:30pm, Perennial Tea Room Stage
        This presentation will discuss the major categories of tea. We will begin to learn about how processing and region affect different teas, as well as what to look for when you buy loose leaf tea, and how to brew a great tasting cup. This is a great introduction to a rich world of experiences available to the tea drinker of today. Attend and expand your "tea horizons."

How To Make Moist And Delicious Scones -
(Amy Lawrence)
12:30pm-1:30pm, Large Workshop Booth
        This class will focus on how to make Amy's famous scones. Not only will she show you how, but she will also give you secret tips so that your scones will turn out perfectly every time. Included will be free samples of scones and tea.
Participants will learn the basic steps to making delicious scones, how to adapt the recipe to create their own unique varieties and learn the tips and tricks to preparing scones ahead of time if they need large quantities for a party.

Tea Chemistry - Reactions in Leaf and Cup
(Michael Coffey)
12:30am-1:30pm, Small Workshop Booth - $20 materials fee, max 15 participants
        All of the amazing flavors, colors, and aromas in a cup of pure tea are the result of chemical reactions--in the tea plant, during the preparation of the leaf, or during the process of brewing and drinking a cup.
        We will look at some of the major reactions and what they mean to your tea drinking experience. This is not a beginner’s class; participants should at least know what basic processing differences lead to green, wulong, and black teas. All of the amazing flavors, colors, and aromas in a cup of pure tea are the result of chemical reactions--in the tea plant, during the preparation of the leaf, or during the process of brewing and drinking a cup.
Click here to see information how to make advance reservations for this workshop.


Organoleptic Analysis - Apprentice Level 1 -
(James Norwood Pratt & Devan Shah)
1:30pm-3:30pm, Large Workshop Booth - $75 materials fee, max 20 participants
        Using organoleptic analysis, you will learn how to totally experience tea using all of your senses, including taste, sight, smell, and touch. This tea cupping, geared toward the restaurant professional or serious tea drinker, will open your palate to all the different categories of tea and why the leaf yields so many different flavor profiles. Each growing region reflects the soil, climate, and the culture that makes it unique. You will be able to get a sense of how to make educated suggestions to your customers and friends for either a pot of tea that they will enjoy or pairing tea with their food selection.
        This is hands on and you will learn how to brew a perfect pot of tea. You will be given tea samples as part of the class. Even if you do not run a restaurant, this workshop will expand your knowledge of the flavor profiles available from the tea leaf. Students will receive a certificate of completion for Level 1 - Organoleptic Analysis of Tea: Apprenticeship Level.
        You say you do not run a restaurant? This workshop may still be for you. This workshop will give you a wealth of knowledge about tea and how to select and pair it with food that you enjoy. It will expand your tea horizons.
Click here to see information how to make advance reservations for this workshop.

World Famous Chinese Green Teas-
(Jason C.S. Chen & Ken Rudee)
1:30pm-2:30pm, Small Workshop Booth - max 20 participants
        Jason and Ken will take you on a tasting tour of some World Famous Chinese Green Teas. These teas are beautifully documented in Jason's recent book 4 World Famous Chinese Green Teas which takes you on a visual expedition from cultivation, harvesting, processing and enjoying. You will have the opportunity to sample and enjoy some of these exceptional teas and learn more about them..

Blending, Tasting and Pairing Teas -
(Steve Smith - Teamaker)
2:00pm-3:00pm, Perennial Tea Room Stage
        Steve will cover the basics of creating and blending traditional and non-traditional teas and herbal infusions to help inspire you to create your own signature blends. Increase your descriptive vocabulary and discover the subtle nuances of tea which parallel that of wine. He'll also veer off on a path of tea pairings not only with foods but also with moods.

Tea Tasting Sessions

Expand Your Experience With Tea. 

This is a unique opportunity for you to learn about and sample some to the best teas from all over the world. 
       Tea tasting leaders will demonstrate a variety of tea preparation and presentation styles.  There will be tasting experiences geared for both beginner and experienced tea drinkers.  Participants will have ample opportunity to ask questions about tea. At last year's festival, the tea tasting sessions were a highlight of the festival for all who participated.

The Tea Tasting Sessions Are Free

Attendees just need a tasting cup which can be obtained at festival registration.
Seating is limited, you can reserve a seat for a specific session of your choice by signing up on a first come basis at the festival tasting booth sign-up area. 

Tea Tasting Sessions:

This is a tentative schedule - dates, topics and tasting leaders may change -

Keep checking this site for the latest information. 

Exact dates and times will be updated as the tea tasting schedule is finalized.

Click here for a printable PDF version of this program schedule

---Saturday October 6th. ---

--- Sunday October 7th ---

Are You Interested In Being A Tea Tasting Leader?

If you would like to participate as a tea tasting leader, please download the following:
Tea Tasting Leader information packet.

All are welcome, if you are interested contact Doug Livingston.