Mark “Dr. Tea” Ukra, owner of the Tea Garden & Herbal Emporium, is a leading authority on tea. The doctor comes from a family of Middle Eastern tea merchants dating back 400 years and still travels the globe to different tea houses and farms, bringing back specimens to share at his store.
I first heard about Dr. Teas through celebrity chatter on Twitter. Celebrity after celebrity was raving about how amazing his Craving Teas were. I had to check it out.
As anyone who is trying to lose weight or maintain good eating habits knows, the cravings can sometimes get unbearable. In fact, they are the one thing that can derail your whole diet. Dr. Teas has a delicious solution for all those crazy cravings!
He has created special teas called “craving teas” that help you to satisfy your sweet tooth using such mouthwatering ingredients as caramel, chocolate, peach, blueberry, vanilla and mint, they are like a candy bar in a glass but only five calories a cup.
I chatted with the doctor about his amazing teas, heavenly concoctions, his Tea Garden and how he became Dr. Teas:
Q: It’s such an interesting name. How did you become known as Dr. Teas?
Dr. Teas: When customers would come in to the store, I would talk to them about tea, much like a doctor talks to his/her patients.
Q: Why should we drink tea? What are some of the benefits?
Dr. Teas: Tea can benefit you in many different ways…and the benefits of tea are wide ranging, from reduction of cholesterol to clearer skin. Tea also assists in clearing up sinus issues and can assist in stress reduction due to it having a lower caffeine percentage than coffee.
Q: I hear when a new employee joins your family, they must go through Tea University. Tell me a little about that.
Dr. Teas: The Tea University is an intensive tea tasting followed by homework. Basically they are given a lecture about types of tea and uses followed by a handout from which they must learn in order to become tea tenders. Even our PR team, working in our special services department, has to attend so that they can better learn and appreciate tea and herbs.
Q: What other services do you offer at the Tea Garden?
Dr. Teas: Our special services include wedding teas. We create blends specifically catered to someone’s desire or offer incredible prices on our “in house” teas. We ship anywhere within the United States as well as all over the world. We offer great selections and pricing on our Web site for repeat customers and new customers alike. We offer curbside pickup for all customers stopping by to pick up their herbal formulas and teas. We offer incredible wholesale pricing for anyone wishing to carry our products. We offer tea tasting for potential wholesale clients as well as staffed herbal support in the form of a licensed herbalist. We also offer full herbal support (similar to a doctor visit) to all of our customers that wish to try a healthier approach to helping their body.
Q: What are “Craving Teas?”
Dr. Teas: Craving teas are my idea on how to satisfy a “craving” by simply replacing your candy bar with a glass of candy bar tea. You could save up to 300 calories and still feel full along with satisfying your sweet tooth.
Q: How did you come up with the idea for Craving Teas?
Dr. Teas: I have spent many years cultivating my blending expertise. The idea came to me as part of a conversation I had with a customer who stated he had lost more than 30 pounds while drinking his tea.
Q: Winter is coming and it’s really hard to stay on track with all the holidays sweets out there. What Craving Teas Flavors would you recommend to satisfy winter cravings?
Dr. Teas: Herbal Gingerbread, Orange Spice Black tea, Rum Raisin Black or delicious Black Apple Pie should do the trick!
You can order craving teas or any of the other amazing teas the doctor offers at http://www.teagarden.com/index.php.
He also has some great recipes on his site and you can “Ask the Doctor” to get your tea needs “diagnosed” by Dr. Teas himself.
Did the Teas live up to the hype? Oh, yes! Delicious, comforting, flavorful and satisfying. Totally nips my 3 p.m. sweet craving in the bud! It isn’t like drinking hot cocoa, after all it is a tea, but it does give you the satisfaction and fill that sweet craving. The flavors totally resemble their namesakes. Although they are all delicious Candy Bar Tea is my fave right now.
Thank you, Dr. Teas. Where have you been all my life!
News
December 21, 2010Haute 100 Miami Update: Gloria & Emilio Estefan
