Gourmet tea, or specialty tea, is tea that is characterized by its high quality and purported health benefits. Gourmet tea is mostly sold in the gourmet, natural food, gift, and hospitality industries, although it has experienced a surge in mainstream popularity. The term “gourmet” refers to high quality, premium food products while “tea” refers to the agricultural product of the leaves and buds of the Camellia sinensis plant.
Gourmet tea is an umbrella term for high quality teas. Gourmet tea varieties include premium grade tea, hand-picked tea, and organically-grown tea. Many gourmet tea merchants sell proprietary blends of gourmet teas.
Herbal infusions are sometimes referred to as gourmet teas, but technically, herbal tea is not tea at all because it doesn’t come from the Camellia sinensis plant. Herbal teas are infusions of leaves, flowers, roots, bark, seeds, and other plant materials. They are not linked with the same health benefits as traditional teas and do not possess the same characteristics. Green tea is unoxidized whereas black tea is left to oxidize for two to four hours. Oolong tea falls somewhere in between green tea and black tea as it is partially oxidized. White tea is made of buds and young tea leaves that are uncured and unoxidized.
Media coverage regarding the health benefits of high quality, whole-leaf loose tea has led to a rise in its popularity. It is anticipated that the gourmet tea industry will experience strong growth over the next five years. Another issue with tea bags that affects flavor is the fact that the tea leaves in tea bags do not have enough space to swell and expand. Tea leaves need good water circulation for optimal flavor.
Loose gourmet teas contain large, whole leaves. Loose gourmet tea is characterized by its delightful flavor. Gourmet tea is also virtually calorie-free, and drinking it is thought to contribute to good health.<ref name="multiple"/>
Tea contains naturally-occurring compounds called flavonoids that have antioxidant properties.<ref name="multiple"/> Antioxidants neutralize free radicals, which are known to contribute to aging and disease.
Scientists constantly discover health-giving properties of gourmet tea.<ref name="multiple"/> Studies show that drinking tea regularly can benefit heart health and bone health in addition to preventing a variety of cancers.<ref name="multiple"/>
Gourmet tea is an umbrella term for high quality teas. Gourmet tea varieties include premium grade tea, hand-picked tea, and organically-grown tea. Many gourmet tea merchants sell proprietary blends of gourmet teas.
Herbal infusions are sometimes referred to as gourmet teas, but technically, herbal tea is not tea at all because it doesn’t come from the Camellia sinensis plant. Herbal teas are infusions of leaves, flowers, roots, bark, seeds, and other plant materials. They are not linked with the same health benefits as traditional teas and do not possess the same characteristics. Green tea is unoxidized whereas black tea is left to oxidize for two to four hours. Oolong tea falls somewhere in between green tea and black tea as it is partially oxidized. White tea is made of buds and young tea leaves that are uncured and unoxidized.
Media coverage regarding the health benefits of high quality, whole-leaf loose tea has led to a rise in its popularity. It is anticipated that the gourmet tea industry will experience strong growth over the next five years. Another issue with tea bags that affects flavor is the fact that the tea leaves in tea bags do not have enough space to swell and expand. Tea leaves need good water circulation for optimal flavor.
Loose gourmet teas contain large, whole leaves. Loose gourmet tea is characterized by its delightful flavor. Gourmet tea is also virtually calorie-free, and drinking it is thought to contribute to good health.<ref name="multiple"/>
Tea contains naturally-occurring compounds called flavonoids that have antioxidant properties.<ref name="multiple"/> Antioxidants neutralize free radicals, which are known to contribute to aging and disease.
Scientists constantly discover health-giving properties of gourmet tea.<ref name="multiple"/> Studies show that drinking tea regularly can benefit heart health and bone health in addition to preventing a variety of cancers.<ref name="multiple"/>
Dr. Jay Yadav is an MD specializing in interventional cardiology. He is a prominent researcher and entrepreneur, widely known for his work as PI of the SAPPHIRE trial. Dr. Yadav designed the Angioguard embolic protection device used in the SAPPHIRE trial. he left the Cleveland Clinic in 2006 and is now associated with the Piedmont Heart Institute at Piedmont Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia, and is Chairman and CEO of Cardiomems, Inc.
Departure from Cleveland Clinic
In 2006, Dr. Yadav's position at the Cleveland Clinic was not renewed after an undisclosed conflict of interest was alleged, whereby he wrote "numerous" articles discussing SAPPHIRE or "prominently" mentioned Angioguard but did not disclose that he stood to gain from royalties if sales were increased.
Dr. Yadav for his part states that he was unaware of the situation, having sold the device in 1999 and not reviewed the agreement in close detail. He stated that any proceeds that had been received would be donated to charity "to avoid even the appearance of impropriety."
Departure from Cleveland Clinic
In 2006, Dr. Yadav's position at the Cleveland Clinic was not renewed after an undisclosed conflict of interest was alleged, whereby he wrote "numerous" articles discussing SAPPHIRE or "prominently" mentioned Angioguard but did not disclose that he stood to gain from royalties if sales were increased.
Dr. Yadav for his part states that he was unaware of the situation, having sold the device in 1999 and not reviewed the agreement in close detail. He stated that any proceeds that had been received would be donated to charity "to avoid even the appearance of impropriety."
Kresimir Chris Kunej (born August 5, 1975) is a Croatian-American translator, interpreter, educator, author, linguist and activist. His expertise is in translations of Croatian to English and English to Croatian, and he is an instructor of both languages. He is a native speaker of both languages and has a formal education. He has also been an activist attempting to change the regulations/standards of the formal status of translators in the Republic of Croatia. His activism received Croatian media attention. Some of his professional papers/articles (academic publishing) were published in trade publications and were cited/quoted by several sources. One of his papers is used as required reading at Germany’s University of Tubingen, Department of Slavic languages.
Early Years
Chris Kresimir Kunej was born in Zagreb, Croatia. He moved to the United States with family in 1987 as a child. His childhood years in the US were spent in the state of California. He graduated from in 1994, after which he relocated to Los Angeles; his home for about 2 years (1995-1997). During that time he also visited and spent about 3 months in Osaka, Japan. He attended Santa Monica College for a year (1995-1996) working towards a Business Administration degree but did not attain one due to his sudden return to Croatia.
Active professional years in Croatia
Kunej arrived back in Zagreb, Croatia in the summer of 1997. He began working as a language teacher and translator/interpreter in late 1999 at the Berlitz Language Schools Zagreb. He worked there for approximately 4 years (1999-2003). At the same time he attended the University of Zagreb and reached the status of a graduate student in 2004. His major course of study was English Language and Literature. In addition, he was doing translations and interpretations as an independent professional for numerous private companies, institutions, NGO’s, and government agencies.
During the same time period he translated several published books that are listed on the Union Catalog of Croatian Libraries (Croatian Library Network) on the internet . (A list of some of his published translations can also be obtained on the website of the National and University Library in Zagreb,.) As can be ascertained on the network of Croatian libraries, most of his works are widely available in national, academic and city libraries.
Notable works include several translations of books about the Croatian tourist attraction city of Dubrovnik,,, and the translation of the town of Kumrovec Museum of Croatian Zagorje exhibit on the topic of wedding customs in that region of Croatia . In addition to the library catalog, the wedding customs book is mentioned also online on the Rijeka City Library website , as well as on the website of the Croatian Museum Documentation Center .
One of the more notable associations of his was translating for the University of Zagreb, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Department of Steel Structures. During his cooperation with professors there he translated a course textbook that is being used as course material at the University .
Mr. Kunej's most notable publication is a professional article/paper he wrote in 2003 entitled “Analysis of Translations from Croatian to English and Vice-Versa Along with Suggestions for Improving the Profession”
that was published by the Croatian Association of Technical and Scientific Translators
in their trade publication “Translator”.
The highest level of success that this article has thus far achieved is the fact that it is being used as required reading/additional text for a seminar at the University of Tubingen (Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen) ,Department of Slavic Languages. This is one of Germany’s oldest and most internationally noted universities and has been ranked first among all German universities for many years.
This article was the basis for an initiative that took place in Croatia during 2003-2004 to create standards and criteria for the profession of translators/interpreters and for private foreign language schools. Mr. Kunej organized this initiative, invited the media, set up petition signing and collected support from the English Department professors in form of their signatures. He also put together a list of numerous signatures and stamps of many similar minded legitimate translation agencies and institutions.
Kunej’s initiative did attract media attention; Croatian National Television station “HTV2” covered his event of petition signing at the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Zagreb within their daily news show “Zagrebacka panorama”
(a show similar to "Good Morning America").
Mr. Kunej was interviewed. Screenshot pictures of the show are below, one citing Mr. Kunej as the "inicijator" (Croatian word meaning organizing party) of the initiative. Two newspapers with the highest print run in Croatia (“Jutarnji list” and “Vecernji list” ) also ran small articles on the initiative. Over 500 student signatures were collected.
Another TV news show of a similar type -"Meridijan 16"- aired a segment featuring the same issue but for non-regulation of private language schools in Croatia, where efforts of Kunej and the Croatian Chamber of Commerce Foreign Language Affiliation to improve standards were covered.
Controversies
As written within his published works, Kunej believes the lack of appropriate standards/regulations for the profession of translations/interpretations in the Republic of Croatia causes substandard quality of translations into and from the Croatian language. He proposes stringent regulations as to who would be qualified and/or licensed to do the work of professional translators and interpreters. Among other criteria, he lists the native speaker requirement or a longer stay in the country where the language being translated is spoken.
Because of the likelihood of professional guilds and associations having a conflict of interest, Kunej proposes there be a government appointed agency that oversees control of businesses that perform translations, similar to architects or other professionals who need to be licensed or accredited in some manner to do business legally.
The absence of regulations in Croatia suits many persons who are in the translation business yet lack proper qualifications (some of whom are very talented and recognized translators). These people strongly opposed Kunej’s activism and proposals, stating regulations would be exclusive. Some who possess a formal education in languages also opposed Kunej’s ideas calling them utopian and unrealistic. The latter group also disagreed with the idea that government should oversee the profession; they preferred that a guild or associations deal with such matters.
Recent Years
After returning to the US in late 2005, Kunej worked for Utah Higher Education Assistance Authority (UHEAA) in the state of Utah, and briefly at the University of San Diego in California. He applied for a position of Foreign Language Instructor for the Serbian/Croatian languages with the CIA and was thoroughly tested and interviewed in the state of Virginia. He was officially offered the position in form of a conditional offer for employment letter but did not end up employed there.
Mid-2007 he started his career as a Utah state employee, first at the Utah State Office of Education and then at the Utah State Department of Workforce Services where he is currently employed. He is married and has a daughter.
Membership in Croatian national and professional organizations
*A member of Technical Committee TO 542 (Translation services) at the Croatian Standards Institute (appointed to this national committee for input on translation standards, not a professional organization).
*A member of the Management Board of the Croatian Association of Scientific and Technical Translators ,(Website has an English version, but not for the Management Board. Kunej can be found listed if one clicks on "Tijela Drustva", meaning "governing bodies" in Croatian.)
*A member of the Croatian Chamber of Commerce Foreign Language Affiliation(Croatian Chamber of Commerce website in English, section on Foreign Language Affiliation listed).
Works
Translations
This is not a comprehensive list due to the fact that Kunej concentrated mostly on translations for government, NGO's, various institutions and private companies. Following is a partial list of his few literary/published translations.
*
*
*
*
*
Academic publishing (Articles in journals)
*
*
Early Years
Chris Kresimir Kunej was born in Zagreb, Croatia. He moved to the United States with family in 1987 as a child. His childhood years in the US were spent in the state of California. He graduated from in 1994, after which he relocated to Los Angeles; his home for about 2 years (1995-1997). During that time he also visited and spent about 3 months in Osaka, Japan. He attended Santa Monica College for a year (1995-1996) working towards a Business Administration degree but did not attain one due to his sudden return to Croatia.
Active professional years in Croatia
Kunej arrived back in Zagreb, Croatia in the summer of 1997. He began working as a language teacher and translator/interpreter in late 1999 at the Berlitz Language Schools Zagreb. He worked there for approximately 4 years (1999-2003). At the same time he attended the University of Zagreb and reached the status of a graduate student in 2004. His major course of study was English Language and Literature. In addition, he was doing translations and interpretations as an independent professional for numerous private companies, institutions, NGO’s, and government agencies.
During the same time period he translated several published books that are listed on the Union Catalog of Croatian Libraries (Croatian Library Network) on the internet . (A list of some of his published translations can also be obtained on the website of the National and University Library in Zagreb,.) As can be ascertained on the network of Croatian libraries, most of his works are widely available in national, academic and city libraries.
Notable works include several translations of books about the Croatian tourist attraction city of Dubrovnik,,, and the translation of the town of Kumrovec Museum of Croatian Zagorje exhibit on the topic of wedding customs in that region of Croatia . In addition to the library catalog, the wedding customs book is mentioned also online on the Rijeka City Library website , as well as on the website of the Croatian Museum Documentation Center .
One of the more notable associations of his was translating for the University of Zagreb, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Department of Steel Structures. During his cooperation with professors there he translated a course textbook that is being used as course material at the University .
Mr. Kunej's most notable publication is a professional article/paper he wrote in 2003 entitled “Analysis of Translations from Croatian to English and Vice-Versa Along with Suggestions for Improving the Profession”
that was published by the Croatian Association of Technical and Scientific Translators
in their trade publication “Translator”.
The highest level of success that this article has thus far achieved is the fact that it is being used as required reading/additional text for a seminar at the University of Tubingen (Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen) ,Department of Slavic Languages. This is one of Germany’s oldest and most internationally noted universities and has been ranked first among all German universities for many years.
This article was the basis for an initiative that took place in Croatia during 2003-2004 to create standards and criteria for the profession of translators/interpreters and for private foreign language schools. Mr. Kunej organized this initiative, invited the media, set up petition signing and collected support from the English Department professors in form of their signatures. He also put together a list of numerous signatures and stamps of many similar minded legitimate translation agencies and institutions.
Kunej’s initiative did attract media attention; Croatian National Television station “HTV2” covered his event of petition signing at the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Zagreb within their daily news show “Zagrebacka panorama”
(a show similar to "Good Morning America").
Mr. Kunej was interviewed. Screenshot pictures of the show are below, one citing Mr. Kunej as the "inicijator" (Croatian word meaning organizing party) of the initiative. Two newspapers with the highest print run in Croatia (“Jutarnji list” and “Vecernji list” ) also ran small articles on the initiative. Over 500 student signatures were collected.
Another TV news show of a similar type -"Meridijan 16"- aired a segment featuring the same issue but for non-regulation of private language schools in Croatia, where efforts of Kunej and the Croatian Chamber of Commerce Foreign Language Affiliation to improve standards were covered.
Controversies
As written within his published works, Kunej believes the lack of appropriate standards/regulations for the profession of translations/interpretations in the Republic of Croatia causes substandard quality of translations into and from the Croatian language. He proposes stringent regulations as to who would be qualified and/or licensed to do the work of professional translators and interpreters. Among other criteria, he lists the native speaker requirement or a longer stay in the country where the language being translated is spoken.
Because of the likelihood of professional guilds and associations having a conflict of interest, Kunej proposes there be a government appointed agency that oversees control of businesses that perform translations, similar to architects or other professionals who need to be licensed or accredited in some manner to do business legally.
The absence of regulations in Croatia suits many persons who are in the translation business yet lack proper qualifications (some of whom are very talented and recognized translators). These people strongly opposed Kunej’s activism and proposals, stating regulations would be exclusive. Some who possess a formal education in languages also opposed Kunej’s ideas calling them utopian and unrealistic. The latter group also disagreed with the idea that government should oversee the profession; they preferred that a guild or associations deal with such matters.
Recent Years
After returning to the US in late 2005, Kunej worked for Utah Higher Education Assistance Authority (UHEAA) in the state of Utah, and briefly at the University of San Diego in California. He applied for a position of Foreign Language Instructor for the Serbian/Croatian languages with the CIA and was thoroughly tested and interviewed in the state of Virginia. He was officially offered the position in form of a conditional offer for employment letter but did not end up employed there.
Mid-2007 he started his career as a Utah state employee, first at the Utah State Office of Education and then at the Utah State Department of Workforce Services where he is currently employed. He is married and has a daughter.
Membership in Croatian national and professional organizations
*A member of Technical Committee TO 542 (Translation services) at the Croatian Standards Institute (appointed to this national committee for input on translation standards, not a professional organization).
*A member of the Management Board of the Croatian Association of Scientific and Technical Translators ,(Website has an English version, but not for the Management Board. Kunej can be found listed if one clicks on "Tijela Drustva", meaning "governing bodies" in Croatian.)
*A member of the Croatian Chamber of Commerce Foreign Language Affiliation(Croatian Chamber of Commerce website in English, section on Foreign Language Affiliation listed).
Works
Translations
This is not a comprehensive list due to the fact that Kunej concentrated mostly on translations for government, NGO's, various institutions and private companies. Following is a partial list of his few literary/published translations.
*
*
*
*
*
Academic publishing (Articles in journals)
*
*
Mary Summer Rain, spiritual philosophy author, combined sales totaling more than one million
Mary Summer Rain is the author of over 25 books on spiritual philosophy, most notably of teachings she received from a Chippewa visionary woman, No-Eyes (a pseudonym). Of the entire Summer Rain oeuvre, only six comprise the No-Eyes series—though these are the most read. Also of note, are No-Eyes' prophecies , which Summer Rain shared on a 1994 NBC special "Ancient Prophecies."
Mary Summer Rain's books have satisfied an audience hungry for a contemporary nature-based spirituality. . Although her American Indian-focused books created some controversy the further evolution of her work separates her from New Age plastic shamans by:
1. uncovering deeper meanings of the Ten Commandments in The Visitation,
2. sharing her philosophies on consciousness and Nature in Fireside, The Singing Web, and The Tao of Nature,
3. criticizing the New Age movement, and
4. ultimately focusing on the feminine consciousness in later books.
Summer Rain has crafted her work to bring about a gradual awareness of both the equality of women and the Goddess' part in a divine trinity as seen in: the portrayal of No-Eyes and Grandmother Earth; the presentation of historical evidence of the Goddess in Beyond Earthway (citing The Nag Hammadi library[] and Lynn Gottlieb's [] She Who Dwells Within, etc); and the elucidation of the feminine consciousness in both the clever meta-journey Trined in Twilight and the compassionate fiction Ruby.
A corollary to the consciousness-raising of the Divine Feminine in Mary's books is the positive and powerful portrayal of elderly women: most obvious are the anthropomorphization of Grandmother Earth and the intimate portrait of No-Eyes, but also the respectful and heartwrenching depiction of Mary Belle who suffered from Alzheimers in Love Never Sleeps, Grandma in Trined in Twilight, and the mysterious and formidable Ruby in the book of the same name.
Often for Mary the gateway to spirituality is Mother Nature, and nearly all of her books enlighten readers to the reality of Nature via her personal journeys into consciousness, triggered by a communion with Nature. This may sound lofty, but her reality is very much on planet earth, as evidenced in a 2005 interview "An ideal can't be effective if it's up high somewhere, on a pedestal, or up in the air beyond our reach. We have to incorporate those empowering concepts into the food we eat, the water we drink, the air we breath. They have to be a part of our cellular makeup, our instinctual reactions."
Many of her works are guidebooks: living naturally in Earthway; interpreting dreams in 3 successively expanded editions of dream symbolism; learning about spirituality in the Q&A format of Daybreak, Beyond Earthway and Eclipse; and educating children about their spiritual heritage in Mountains, Meadows and Moonbeams and Star Babies.
Two of her books tell personal life stories: Soul Sounds and Bittersweet.
Mary is originally from Michigan but currently resides in Colorado, where she values private mountain living.
Books Written
Nonfiction
*Spirit Song
*Phoenix Rising
*Dreamwalker
*Phantoms Afoot
*Earthway
*Daybreak
*Soul Sounds
*Whispered Wisdom
*Ancient Echoes
*Bittersweet
*Mary Summer Rain on Dreams
*The Visitation
*Millennium Memories
*Fireside
*The Singing Web
*Beyond Earthway
*Trined in Twilight
*Pinecones
*Love Never Sleeps
*Tao Of Nature
*Woodsmoke
*In Your Dreams
Children's Books
*Mountains, Meadows, and Moonbeams
*Star Babies
Fiction
*The Seventh Mesa
*Ruby
Books on Tape
*Spirit Song
*Phoenix Rising
*Dreamwalker
*Phantoms Afoot
*The Visitation
Mary Summer Rain is the author of over 25 books on spiritual philosophy, most notably of teachings she received from a Chippewa visionary woman, No-Eyes (a pseudonym). Of the entire Summer Rain oeuvre, only six comprise the No-Eyes series—though these are the most read. Also of note, are No-Eyes' prophecies , which Summer Rain shared on a 1994 NBC special "Ancient Prophecies."
Mary Summer Rain's books have satisfied an audience hungry for a contemporary nature-based spirituality. . Although her American Indian-focused books created some controversy the further evolution of her work separates her from New Age plastic shamans by:
1. uncovering deeper meanings of the Ten Commandments in The Visitation,
2. sharing her philosophies on consciousness and Nature in Fireside, The Singing Web, and The Tao of Nature,
3. criticizing the New Age movement, and
4. ultimately focusing on the feminine consciousness in later books.
Summer Rain has crafted her work to bring about a gradual awareness of both the equality of women and the Goddess' part in a divine trinity as seen in: the portrayal of No-Eyes and Grandmother Earth; the presentation of historical evidence of the Goddess in Beyond Earthway (citing The Nag Hammadi library[] and Lynn Gottlieb's [] She Who Dwells Within, etc); and the elucidation of the feminine consciousness in both the clever meta-journey Trined in Twilight and the compassionate fiction Ruby.
A corollary to the consciousness-raising of the Divine Feminine in Mary's books is the positive and powerful portrayal of elderly women: most obvious are the anthropomorphization of Grandmother Earth and the intimate portrait of No-Eyes, but also the respectful and heartwrenching depiction of Mary Belle who suffered from Alzheimers in Love Never Sleeps, Grandma in Trined in Twilight, and the mysterious and formidable Ruby in the book of the same name.
Often for Mary the gateway to spirituality is Mother Nature, and nearly all of her books enlighten readers to the reality of Nature via her personal journeys into consciousness, triggered by a communion with Nature. This may sound lofty, but her reality is very much on planet earth, as evidenced in a 2005 interview "An ideal can't be effective if it's up high somewhere, on a pedestal, or up in the air beyond our reach. We have to incorporate those empowering concepts into the food we eat, the water we drink, the air we breath. They have to be a part of our cellular makeup, our instinctual reactions."
Many of her works are guidebooks: living naturally in Earthway; interpreting dreams in 3 successively expanded editions of dream symbolism; learning about spirituality in the Q&A format of Daybreak, Beyond Earthway and Eclipse; and educating children about their spiritual heritage in Mountains, Meadows and Moonbeams and Star Babies.
Two of her books tell personal life stories: Soul Sounds and Bittersweet.
Mary is originally from Michigan but currently resides in Colorado, where she values private mountain living.
Books Written
Nonfiction
*Spirit Song
*Phoenix Rising
*Dreamwalker
*Phantoms Afoot
*Earthway
*Daybreak
*Soul Sounds
*Whispered Wisdom
*Ancient Echoes
*Bittersweet
*Mary Summer Rain on Dreams
*The Visitation
*Millennium Memories
*Fireside
*The Singing Web
*Beyond Earthway
*Trined in Twilight
*Pinecones
*Love Never Sleeps
*Tao Of Nature
*Woodsmoke
*In Your Dreams
Children's Books
*Mountains, Meadows, and Moonbeams
*Star Babies
Fiction
*The Seventh Mesa
*Ruby
Books on Tape
*Spirit Song
*Phoenix Rising
*Dreamwalker
*Phantoms Afoot
*The Visitation