There’s nothing quite like a hot cup of a tea on a cold, wintry day. I suppose any tea in any cup would deliver the same warmth and spiritual lift. However, I believe that paying attention to even the smallest detail of the simplest endeavor enhances one’s enjoyment of it. Case in point: tea.
Tea is a powerful concoction. It has the power to soothe and heal. It’s the first aid offered in an emergency. It has even started a revolution. I must ask then, why would I drink just any tea out of simply any cup? The answer is, I don’t.
Now, dear Advent adventurer, do not suppose that this makes me a tea snob. Rather, I am a tea venerator. I enjoy a variety of blends from a variety of species. I’m as likely to choose an herbal preparation as a classic cup of Earl Grey. It doesn’t matter if the leaves are loose or prepackaged in a bag as long it tickles the tastebuds and pleasantly engages the olfactory nerve. I’m all about savoring the experience.
Drinking tea is a process. It begins with choosing a tea to suit the mood along with a complementary drinking vessel. Some will argue that bone china is the optimum material appropriate for a teacup. As a chemist, my only requirement is that the beaker is inert and doesn’t change the flavor of the brewed elixir. Stainless steel travel mugs are great for keeping beverages hot and cold, but they impart a metallic taste. If you’re on the go, coffee is probably a better choice. The bitterness of the roasted beans will hide the twang of the steel. The delicate flavors of patiently steeped tea should not be subjected to interference from the cup.
What I drink from has as much to do with my enjoyment as does the blend of tea I choose. My cup collection consists of bone china, ceramic, and hand thrown pottery. Some have clever quips on them, some are just pretty, yet others are as whimsical as the potter who threw them. Just as I do with the tea, I decide in the moment which cup makes me smile, place the tea into it, and turn on the kettle. Once the water has heated, I bathe those precious leaves for the prescribed time. Not all tea is the same. Some leaves steep briefly while others require several minutes. Tea has the power to slow time. It should be savored, and its preparation is evidence of that truth. With that, I invite you to open door number 4:
December 4, 2024
On the eve of the first snow fall of the season, I’m having a cuppa. The quotation from Isabella Stewart Gardner emblazoned on a ceramic mug is as sassy as the black tea blended with the traditional Christmas spices of cinnamon and cloves. It’s a perfect pairing. The scent is enticing the flavor is invigorating. All’s right with the world. I told you tea is powerful. *wink*
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