Green Willow Living opens....

My dear followers,

I would be ever so honored if you would follow me over to my personal blog at:   http://dorihallberg.blogspot.com/

Now that I have Island Tea Company's child, Green Willow Living open, I am going to be combining both business and personal blogs into just one.  With website, newsletters, blogs and Facebook, I simply have to simplify!

If you'd rather just have tea and business focused writing then I would recommend you sign up for Green Willow's newsletter.  Just visit the website, scroll to the bottom of the page and you'll quickly spot the sign up box. 

Thank you so much! 

Happy Thanksgiving!

To speak gratitude is courteous and pleasant, to enact gratitude is generous and noble, but to live gratitude is to touch Heaven.      ~ Johannes A. Gaertner

To all my lovely customers, I wish you a wonderful Thanksgiving!  May your table be laden with your favorite foods and surrounded by those you love!  

And, thank you for your patience while I work behind the scenes on a new webshop filled with delicious organic teas and small gifts to bring a warm and gracious touch to your home.

Green Willow is coming soon.  

Three days to go....

Since announcing the coming closure of Island Tea Company in early September the days have flown by.  Our closing date of October 30 is rapidly approaching as is our ordering deadline.

The last day we will be shipping orders will be Tuesday, October 30.  Your order must be placed by noon (PST) on Monday the 29th.  No orders will be accepted after noon on the 29th.  The website and blog will stay live for a short period of time, but eventually will redirect to a new website I plan to launch after the holidays.  Yes, I have been planning something.

In January I will be starting a new business and website under the name Green Willow Living. Rather than a spin-off, Green Willow will almost be a spin-back to Island Tea's humble beginnings.  This new venture will offer many of our favorite teas, but the emphasis will be on organic.  I will stock some tried and true tea accessories, but gift items will be fewer and carefully selected in the hopes they will contribute to a gentler, more serene lifestyle.  Some items will be new, some vintage, and others will be offerings carefully crafted by artists and craftswomen I have had the honor of meeting and getting to know over the past years.

Five years ago I almost changed the name of Island Tea to Green Willow.  I am now going to take a deep breath, enjoy the holidays with my family, and take the time to carefully design this new little business which has been tucked in my heart.  If you would like to follow me to Green Willow, I'd be so honored.  Just check back here from time to time for updates. 

Over the past few weeks I have received so many sweet phone calls, emails and notes.  Each one was gratefully received, and many were bright spots during very hectic days. From my heart, I thank you for supporting Island Tea Company and for enriching my life in so many ways!  It truly has been a wonderful 15 years.

May the holiday season ahead bring you happiness, joy and cheer!


Warm wishes,
Dori and Miss Millie

Two weeks to go......

There are several rapidly approaching ordering and delivery deadlines to be aware of.  

If you live on Whidbey Island and are accustomed to picking up your orders at The Paint Escape in Freeland, you may order up until noon on Thursday, October 25, for delivery on Friday the 26th.  Please note: all orders must be picked up before 5:00 pm on Sunday, October 28.   Any purchases remaining after that time will be picked up Monday morning and you will be invoiced for shipping.   No exceptions, please.  

The last day we will be shipping orders will be Tuesday, October 30.  Your order must be placed by noon (PST) on Monday the 29th.  No orders will be accepted after noon on the 29th. 

The shelves and jars in our workroom are definitely looking a little sparse now, but there are a number of lovely gift items and teas still available.  This would be a great time to shop with holiday gift giving in mind.

It appears my dear customers are going to keep me quite busy up until the very last minute!   Thank you so much!  But even with the welcome busyness, Miss Millie and I have enjoyed many walks in the warm autumn sunshine that lingered until last weekend.   Now that our rains have returned, the pretty leaves gracing town and country may soon be but a memory.  I thought you might enjoy seeing a few photos of our local color captured by my son.

Next week I will post with a little information about what my plans are.  Until then....

Take time for tea!

Winding down....

Happy October to you!  I'm having a hard time grasping the fact it is October, for September flashed by so very quickly.  As news spread of my decision to close Island Tea Company, the orders poured in and kept me and several assistants very busy!

Inventory has been significantly pared down, but a nice selection of teas and giftware does remain.  Over the next three weeks our workroom will be visited by several shopkeepers who will shop from what remains.  If there are items you have had your eye on, I would recommend you snap them up soon.  A few have asked if there will be additional price reductions, and the answer is no, prices are as low as they'll go.

I will indeed be officially closing the website at the end of October.  The last day to order for delivery to our local pick up location in Freeland on Whidbey Island will be Thursday the 25th (noon PST).  The last day we'll accept orders for shipping will be Monday the 29th. Orders must be placed by noon.

We did have a much anticipated delivery of pretty autumn sugars arrive and these are now on the website.  We received nine boxes each of pretty Maple Leaves in autumn colors, and of Grapes and Leaves in purple and green.  These will go quickly so don't delay!

Thank you for reading and remember....

Take time for tea! 

(More updates will follow. ) 

Time for a Change! We're Closing!

After 15 years of happy tending, the time has come for me to close Island Tea Company.  This was a decision I’ve struggled with for months, but it is time.  I am going to take a little break, tend to my family, and pursue a few cherished dreams which have been waiting in the wings.  The years of running my little business have been rich in all that matters most, and have grounded me in my Whidbey Island community as nothing else could have.  Island Tea Company has been a grand adventure!  Thank you!

Island Tea Company’s closing SALE has officially begun.  Details and important tips on shopping are found below.

* Placement of orders online is strongly recommended, rather than by phone or email.  This will assure you your place in the queue.  Orders will be processed in the order received.

* Many teas and gift items are in very limited supply.  We will update the website as time allows.  If your selection is not available when we prep your order we will correct your order and try to let you know.  A corrected receipt will be in your package.

* Enter the word ALOHA in the voucher/coupon box at checkout and a 40% discount will be automatically applied.  This is important!  We are experiencing a high order volume.  If you forget to enter the magic word, if you misspell it, or if you do not click RECALCULATE or give the shopping cart ample time to apply the discount before proceeding to payments, I simply cannot guarantee we will catch your error. 

* If you do make an error, quickly email or leave a phone message.  You may need to re-enter your order.

Finally, we will be processing and mailing orders as quickly as we are able, but there may be minor delays.  Local orders to be delivered to The Paint Escape in Freeland may take up to a week or longer.  We will email you when your order will be ready for pickup.

Our closing sale will continue until late October, or until inventory dwindles to the point it is simply time to close our online shop.  I am delighted to announce I am passing the South Whidbey tea torch to Bruce and Trish Didier at Anchor Books and Coffee in Clinton.  The Anchor’s friendly staff already serve 10 of our lovely teas, and will soon be adding several more popular teas as well.  Beginning November 1st (or thereabouts) they will be selling these teas bulk too.   Local customers, if there is a tea you would like the Anchor to stock, please visit and share with them your wish.

Thank you so much for 15 years of business, friendship, smiles, and laughter.  I have been most blessed!

~Dori

(Periodic updates will be posted.)

Scone Tutorial 3 - Dori's recipe

Dori's Favorite Scone Recipe

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar, plus a little extra for sprinkling
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cubes very cold butter (3/8 pound or 12 tablespoons)
2 large eggs
1/2 cup half & half
1 teaspoon vanilla (or extract of your choosing)

Optional additions: 1/2 cup dried chopped fruit or berries, crystallized ginger, or nuts, or mini-chocolate chips, or combination of goodies.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Cut butter into small cubes and place in frig to stay cold until needed.

Whisk eggs and vanilla into cream until bubbly and place in frig until needed.

In bowl of stand mixer with paddle attachment blend all dry ingredients together.  On lowest/slowest speed blend in butter until butter is in small bits and pea-sized chunks.  Pour in liquids (reserve about a tablespoon for brushing on scone tops) and stir until just blended and dough begins to clean the side of the bowl.  At this point you can add in any extra ingredients such as fruit or nuts.  Do just a fir stirs to mix in, they'll be better incorporated as you form the scones.  (Remember the less you mix and handle scone doughs the better the results will be. )

Scrape dough out onto a well floured surface.  Pat, knead and fold very gently, just as needed to combine, and form a smooth dough ball.  (Refer to prior tutorial for more guidance and visuals.)  With sharp knife cut in half and then into quarters.  Form each quarter into a smaller ball.  Flatten into a circle, about 4" in diameter, leaving center a little higher than the edges.  Should be about 3/4" high in the middle.  With sharp knife, cut each circle into quarters.  Place on ungreased baking sheet about 1" apart.  Brush with reserved egg mixture and sprinkle with sugar, if desired.  Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until golden brown and baked through. Removed to rack and cover with a cloth to hold in heat and moisture until ready to serve.

Not sure how to tell when done? 

Set your timer for 12 minutes.  When it beeps, gently press on top of a scone.

If the dough smooshes and butter oozes out a bit, the scones need about two more minutes in the oven.  When done, the scones should be golden brown and firm to the touch.

See how the scones in the above photo seem to be popping open?  This is because of the gentle folding you did while working and forming the dough.  This is the perfect spot to split the scone for slipping in a little butter and jam.

Enjoy your scones simply with butter and jam, or with clotted cream and jam, or split them to use as shortcakes with whipped cream and fresh fruit.  For a pretty presentation, dust with powdered sugar.  Scones are always best gobbled up right out of the oven.  To reheat pop them back in a warm oven onto a warm cookie sheet for a few minutes.  I sometimes zap them in the microwave for 10 seconds, and then put them in the warm oven.  The microwave draws a little moisture back in, the oven crisps up the outsides. 

Unbaked scones freeze wonderfully well.  Freeze on a cookie sheet then store in a freezer bag or container.  To bake, simple add a few minutes to the baking time.

Now, go make scones!  Enjoy!