Sri Lanka is one of the world's major tea regions. It was once a major coffee producer, but a blight wiped out the coffee crops in the 1800s, and coffee plants were replaced largely with tea. Formerly known as Ceylon, Sri Laka is the origin of so-called "Ceylon tea." Most Sri Lankan teas are black, but some specialty tea producers in Sri Lanka are now making green and white teas, too. (The New York Times recently published an interesting article on one Sri Lankan white tea producer. The same producer has also been covered in Tea & Coffee Trade Journal.)

Within Sri Lanka, there is an enormous range of elevations. This results in dramatic shifts in terroir between sub-regions of the small island nation. The three main tea-producing regions of Sri Lanka are:

• Dimbulla
• Nuwara Eliya
• Uva

When I hold a tea tasting, I love to have people compare black teas from Sri Lanka with black teas from other tea-producing regions, such as Assam and Darjeeling in India, or Anhui and Yunnan in China. It's an easy way for even novice tea drinkers to understand the impact of terroir on the flavor profiles of tea.

Are you a fan of Ceylon tea? Do you prefer particular regions or estates in Sri Lanka? Do you add any milk or sugar to your favorite Ceylon black tea? Have you tried white or green teas from Sri Lanka? Share your thoughts with other readers in the comments section below.

Photo (c) Marko Goodwin
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My sister recently sent me a link to these crafty Make Tea Not War socks and it got me thinking about tea and crafts. While tea and crafts (especially knitting and crocheting) both had a reputation for being old-fashioned for decades, they have both become chic in the last decade or so.

One side effect of this simultaneous rise in popularity is the trend of tea-related crafts, such as tea towels and tea cozies. (A quick search on Etsy revealed a hand-sewn coffee/tea cup cozy, a crochet pattern for a tea set and cupcakes and a handmade "tea-to-go" pouch, among other things.) Another side effect is the appearance of knitting groups in tea shops. (Many of the tea businesses I have worked with say they have informal craft meet-ups on a regular or semi-regular basis.)

Does your crafting group meet in a tea shop or other tea-related business? Do you like to drink tea while you knit, crochet or make other crafts? Do you find that particular types of tea leave you feeling inspired (or perhaps determined to complete a project)? Share your thought on the intersection of crafts and tea in the comments below!

Photo (c) Marko Goodwin
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Taiwan (formerly known as "Formosa") is famous for its oolong teas. Some say that oolong was created in China and perfected in Taiwan. Taiwan has a combination of climate, soil, altitude and skilled artisans that results in truly great oolong tea.

Many tea-producing regions in Taiwan are associated with mountains. ("Shan" is the word for "mountain," so it's common in the regions' names.) There is a great deal of variation in the flavor and style of oolong produced from mountain to mountain and region to region. Each region is known for different teas:

• Ali Shan (a.k.a. "Alishan" or "A Li Shan") is known for Ali Shan and Dong Ding Oolongs.
• Hsinchu is known for Oriental Beauty Oolong (a.k.a. "White-Tipped Oolong" or "Bai Hao Oolong").
• Li Shan (a.k.a. Lishan) is known for Lishan, Dayuling, Dong Ding ("Tung Ting") and Fusou Oolongs.
• Nantou is known for Dong Ding (a.k.a. "Tung Ting") Oolongs.
• Shan Lin Xi (a.k.a. Shanlinxi) is known for Shan Lin Xi and Dong Ding Oolongs.
• Taipei is known for Tie Guan Yin (also spelled "Ti Kwan Yin").
• Wen Shan/Ping Lin is known for Baozhong Oolongs and Oriental Beauty Oolong.

Within one small island, there is a whole world of tea flavors to explore. Oolong connoisseurs learn to recognize the processing and terroir that make each oolong unique. Which of these regions have you samples teas from? What are your favorite oolong teas?

Photo (c) Marko Goodwin
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One common New Year's resolution is reducing caffeine intake. While caffeine can be healthy in moderation, large amounts of caffeine can cause side effects like jitteriness, headaches and nausea. If you suffer from these side effects, wanting to lower your caffeine intake is totally understandable!

Like all other addictive substances, caffeine can be difficult to quit. Caffeine withdrawal can also result in a whole other array of side effects, including irritability, severe headaches and chills. However, there are some tactics you can use to ease your transition into a low-caf (or caffeine-free) lifestyle. These include:

• Identifying your caffeine sources (This chart of caffeine levels in foods and drinks may help.)
• Finding pleasing substitutes (such as caffeine-free tisanes/herbal teas or roasty, low-caf Houjicha green tea, pictured here)
• Weaning yourself off of caffeine slowly with low-caf or decaf options, or by drinking smaller servings of your favorite caffeine source

If you're suffering from caffeine withdrawal or overdose symptoms, read more about tips for reducing caffeine intake. If you've had success lowering your caffeine intake or weaning yourself off caffeine altogether, share your success story with other readers in the comments below!

Photo (c) Marko Goodwin
Do you tweet? Follow About Coffee/Tea on Twitter.
Interested in learning more about tea? Sign up for the free, easy Tea 101 e-course.