BULLETIN

INTERNATIONAL TEA FESTIVAL BRINGS TEA FROM AROUND WORLD Tea is a beloved drink all over the world. In many cultures, it is much more than a drink. It is a ritual with both personal and social significance. The Second International Tea Festival opened at Sheraton Baku Airport Hotel on October 20. The event was co-organized by the National Culinary Association and the Azerbaijan Culinary Center. The Tea Festival was timed to International Chefs Day and the 90th anniversary of the World Organization of Culinary. The tea traditions of Azerbaijan, Japan, Turkey, China, India, Russia, Uzbekistan, and other countries were presented at the festival, Trend Life reported. Guests of the event had a great opportunity to enjoy various varieties of tea, as well as try national dishes and sweets of the participating countries. A forum of culinary specialists was held as part of the festival. Addressing the event,  President of the National Culinary Association...

ISTOCK.COM/ALEXTENGHAURAN Darjeeling is best known around the world as a type of tea, but it's actually named for the Indian hill station in West Bengal from which it comes. As the BBC reports, this Himalayan region is also home to the country's most expensive and exclusive tea: a rare variety that's only plucked under a full moon during the harvesting season. That ends up being just four or five times per year. This so-called "champagne of teas" is called silver tips imperial, and it's harvested by pickers from makaibari, the oldest of Darjeeling's 87 tea estates. A standard 50-gram package of this semi-fermented oolong tea will set you back at least $30. Makaibari's website describes the tea as a "relaxing and anti-aging liquor ideally sipped at bedtime." It's believed that the aligning of the sun, moon, and other cosmic forces produce the right conditions for an optimum harvest. This "biodynamic tea farm" relie...