Rose teas and tisanes: A February treat

 

February is the perfect month for drinking rose-scented teas or tisanes. The rose brings to mind February’s major celebration of hearts and love, Valentine’s Day.  We know that the heart and rose are both considered to be symbols of love and romance, but they are so much more.   These connections between roses and hearts, and love run deeper than the images depicted on Valentine greeting cards (which, by the way, have been printed and posted only since the early to mid-nineteenth century).

 

The rose carries many associations with love in the symbolic realm.  For example, the red rose was associated with Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love. When the Roman empire later became Christianized the rose came to be associated with the Virgin Mary.  You can read about abundant symbolism associated with the rose here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rose_(symbolism)

 But associations between the rose and the heart are more than symbolic. Consuming rose-scented tea is purported to have some general health benefits.  For a quick overview of this topic, take a look at an article from WebMD: https://www.webmd.com/diet/rose-tea-good-for-you#1

 

More specifically, in regards to ties between the rose and the heart, consuming rose-scented tea is considered to be good for the heart itself both physically and energetically.  Asheville herbalist, Joanne Zerdy*, writes:

 Rose (Rosa spp.) is a powerful botanical ally. Both rose petals and rosehips have many medicinal benefits for us inside and out. With their astringency, rose petals gently tighten the tissue of our internal organs (including the heart) as well as our skin. Rose might also aid the cardiovascular system by supporting the regulation of blood pressure. The benefits of rose petals on our nervous systems is well known; with its antianxiety, anti-inflammatory, and mood-boosting qualities, rose helps us to calm down and connect with our emotional centers. Rosehips have high concentrations of vitamin C, bioflavonoids, and antioxidants. As such, they strengthen our immune systems as well as our cardiovascular health by improving blood circulation and restoring the elasticity of our blood vessels. Energetically, rose can help us to lighten our hearts and to maintain our emotional boundaries. The thorns on rose bushes and vines are great reminders of the importance of protecting our emotional selves in a balanced way. A final note: given the commercial nature of growing roses, it's really important to ensure that any rose that you consume has not been treated with pesticides. 

So, given the symbolic, physical and energetic ties between the rose and the heart I know that I will always consider February the perfect time to drink rose scented teas or tisanes.  Pictured above is the rose scented black tea from Dobra Tea and the heart blend tea from Finlay’s Garden, both here in Asheville.  I have been drinking both of these teas and you can too as all teas from these Asheville purveyors can be ordered online!

  

*Joanne Zerdy, PhD is a former university professor in theatre arts who turned to herbalism and grief work following the death of her son Finlay. Joanne completed a 1000-hour Herbal Immersion course through the Chestnut School of Herbal Medicine and is particularly interested in researching herbs for grieving and emotional healing. She puts her knowledge into practice through her Finlay's Garden teas and herbal honeys and through the grief work that she does through Inviting Abundance.

Tea in the South Carolina Low Country

 My family and I spent the past week in the South Carolina Low Country.  Our time in that area is relaxing and familiar because we are natives of South Carolina and have vacationed regularly in the Charleston area for the past twenty years or so.

There are a number of sites in Charleston that would be of interest to any tea lover. The Charleston Tea Plantation, now called the Charleston Tea Garden, is a fun tourist site just outside of Charleston. And there are a number of places in the city where you can take an afternoon tea.  (You can read about those through the South Carolina entries over at Destination Tea.) But there is a lesser known attraction in the area where you can hike forest trails surrounded by an understory of large, naturalized tea (Camellia sinensis) bushes. This lovely place is at the Caw Caw Interpretive Center, a part of the Charleston County Parks System.

My husband has done a great deal of historical research into the cultivation of tea in South Carolina. You can read about it on his blog post over at Brown Dog Press. In that blog post he recounts how tea bushes came to be on this land that is now the Caw Caw Interpretive Center.  And according to the Caw Caw website there are now thousands of naturalized tea plants in the park.

We spent a winter morning hiking the trails at Caw Caw and could not have been happier with the experience.  I recommend driving into the park and parking at the Learning & Exhibition Building.  Use your complimentary trail map to make your way (i.e. hike) from this area to Kiosk 9.  Once at Kiosk 9, you will find yourself absolutely surrounded by large tea bushes.  And the kiosk itself includes interesting educational information about Camellia sinensis and other plants found in the park.  

If you are planning to hike through the forest in search of tea bushes, I recommend doing this during cool weather months as the mosquitoes can make hiking through the forest uncomfortable in the summertime.

In my opinion, the Caw Caw Interpretive Center is a hidden gem for tea lovers. So plan a visit and a hike in this public park during your next stay in the South Carolina Low Country.

(Please note that there is a small admission fee to the park.  I believe the fee was $2 per person when we visited in December of 2020. Also make sure you wear proper footwear for uneven terrain if you are planning to hike.)

Tea Podcast Episodes on A Taste of the Past

As I have said here before, I enjoy podcasts.  I listen to them while walking, driving, cleaning, or even while puttering around the house. My new favorite podcast series is A Taste of the Past which is put out by the Heritage Radio Network.  I am enjoying this podcast series because it focuses on history and culture as seen through the lens of food.  So imagine my delight when I discovered two episodes of this podcast focusing on the topic of tea. 

The earlier of the two episodes, EPISODE 267, which aired in April of 2017, features an interview with famous tea sommelier Elizabeth Knight.  In this podcast episode, Ms. Knight talks about the development of afternoon tea as a custom - and distinguishes it from the different custom called "high tea."  She shares an entertaining story of how she became tea sommelier for the St. Regis Hotel in New York City. And she gives an interesting take on the three-tiered server so ubiquitous at American afternoon teas.  In Britain, using this three-tiered server is considered a "commercial" presentation.

The next episode of this podcast series focusing primarily on tea is EPISODE 282.  This episode aired in October of 2017.   Episode 282 features an interview with Dr. Erika Rappaport, author of the 2017 book,  A Thirst for Empire: How Tea Shaped the Modern World. I have not yet read this book, but based on this fascinating podcast interview I have added it to my book wish list. Dr. Rappaport is an academic historian, but the podcast interview is anything but dry. One interesting tidbit I came away with is that people in Britain did not initially have a taste for Indian-grown tea.  Drinking this tea produced in the British colony was initially promoted as being patriotic. Eventually, as history shows, the populace developed a taste for Indian-grown tea.

As I listen to podcasts regularly, one leads to another. I am always discovering a new podcast or podcast series - and sometimes have the good fortune of finding a show or series focused on tea and its history.  Do you have a favorite tea-related podcast?  If so, share it with us in the comments here!

Celebrating National Hot Tea Month at Twenty Six Divine

Another recommended way to celebrate National Hot Tea Month is to take tea with those you love.

Yesterday, my family and I visited Charleston, South Carolina's charming establishment, Twenty Six Divine. We have been here a few times before and always enjoy the experience. 

As always, the food was true to name, divine.  We sampled tomato soup, shepherd's pie, and savory tea sandwiches in addition to the usual delicious scones and sweets.  The tea that proprietress, Jennifer Parezo, serves is sourced from the Charleston Tea Plantation as is fitting for a Charleston-based tea room.

Decorative touches enlivening the tea room, such as the palmetto roses on the tables and Spanish moss hanging from a bunting across the ceiling remind us that we are indeed taking tea in romantic Charleston for a temporary escape from our routine lives.

Russian Earl Grey Tea by TeaLeaves

January is National Hot Tea Month in the United States and Canada. So, what better time is there to try a hot tea blend that is new to me? Today I discovered a new-to-me blend from luxury purveyor of tea, TeaLeaves, at a patisserie adjoining the Hotel Bennett in Charleston, South Carolina. When I picked up a tin of this loose-leaf blend called Russian Earl Grey, I did not know what to expect.  Would the flavor be smoky like that of a Russian Caravan blend?

Now back on Folly Beach and having sampled a cup of the tea, I would describe this blend as an Earl Grey that carries a stronger than usual note of citrus.  No smoke detected.  This smooth, black tea is enjoyable plain, which is how I usually take my tea.  But I am thinking I will try the next cup with honey since I love the combination of honey with citrus.

If you find yourself in Charleston you may want to sample a tea at this establishment,  La Patisserie, which is found at 404 King Street.  If this one TeaLeaves blend is any indication, I am thinking that none of the teas at La Patisserie would disappoint.

What Does 2020 Hold in Store for Us?

What does the new year hold in store for us?  We can’t know.  Or can we?  The ancient art of tasseography, or tea leaf reading, might offer a clue.

Griffith & Griffith (ca. 1897) Telling Fortunes by Tea Leaves, ca. 1897. Philadelphia, PA: Griffith & Griffith [Photograph] Retrieved from the Library of Congress.

For an interesting overview of the origins of tea leaf reading in the English-speaking world, see an article entitled “For Centuries, People Have Searched for Answers in the Bottom of aTeacup.” This article came out on National Public Radio in 2015 as a part of the Tea Tuesdays series.

If you want to read the full text of the oldest English language book about tasseography, visit Project Guttenberg where you can read Tea Cup Reading andthe Art of Fortune-Telling by Tea Leaves which is attributed to an author called “A Highland Seer.”

Some people take divination tools like reading tea leaves very seriously, while others regard them skeptically.  Whether you fall into one camp or the other, a quick reading of your tea leaves can be, at the very least, an entertaining diversion.

Re-Visiting My 2019 Tea Activities

2019 will soon draw to a close, so I am going to re-visit some of my tea activities that I neglected to  write about on this blog.

1) In March 2019 I gave a lecture about tea and its' spread around the world for World Awareness Day at my son's high school.  The students sampled teas while I spoke.

 2) I helped to create an exhibit for Asheville's Smith McDowell House Museum called Infused in History: A Tea Exhibit.  This exhibit ran from April through September 2019 at the museum.

3) I donated a tea-themed gift basket to the 2019 Jane Austen Summer Program silent auction at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. The silent auction raises money for scholarships to attend the annual four-day symposium. The gift basket included one pound of Congou black tea from Elmwood Inn Fine teas.  

These activities kept me busy in 2019.

Infused by Henrietta Lovell

Infused: Adventures in Tea

By Henrietta Lovell

Faber & Faber, 2019

I adore this book.  Henrietta Lovell's Infused: Adventures in Tea, which came out earlier this year, is supremely entertaining - and all the more so for a tea lover like myself.  I have not enjoyed a tea book this much since I read Helen Gustafson's The Agony of the Leaves: The Ecstasy of My Life with Tea around twenty years ago.  Lovell's book is part memoir, part travel story, and part primer on the world of tea.  For me, this book was a page turner that I devoured from cover to cover.

If you love this book as much as I do, you may want to listen to some recent podcast interviews with Henrietta Lovell.  I found the podcasts listed here to be engaging, each giving more insight into the life and personality of this author.

https://www.teaandtattlepodcast.com/home/115

https://heritageradionetwork.org/podcast/british-tea-is-sht-and-other-lessons-henrietta-lovell/

https://www.cbc.ca/radio/thecurrent/tea-bags-are-bad-for-the-environment-and-bad-for-your-brew-says-tea-expert-1.5399387

My next step is to order some of the teas mentioned in Lovell's book.  I believe my first purchase will be the Infused gift set  which includes six of the tea discussed in the book along with a copy of the book itself.  I want to support Lovell's company, The Rare Tea Company, with my purchase not only because I trust in  the quality of the teas she makes available, but also because her choice of teas supports farmers who use sustainable growing methods.  In my mind, this is a win-win.

Tea Woodblock Prints by Artist Ron Bower

I am excited to share this set of tea-themed images by artist Ron Bower.  Ron and his wife Sylvia (also an artist) currently make their home in Kentucky where they are friends of Bruce and Shelley Richardson of Elmwood Inn Fine Teas.   The four of them often share tea together - accompanied by lively conversations about art and life.  Ron particularly enjoys a dark, bold, tea such as one of the single estate Assams carried by Elmwood Inn Fine Teas.

In his decision to create woodcuts, Ron was inspired by the woodcuts of Kentucky artist, Harlan Hubbard.  

Ron, like the Richardsons, is inspired by the Japanese aesthetic and tea ceremony.  So when he decided to create a set of tea-themed images, it was natural for him to depict implements from the Japanese tea ceremony.

teapot

ladle

tea whisk

teacup & scoop

These images are available as note cards or as original prints in the Danville, Kentucky retail shop of Elmwood Inn Fine Teas.  You can reach the shop by phone at 859-236-6641 or by email at tea@elmwoodinn.com. 

Three Basic Teas & How to Enjoy Them

This book is a welcome and much needed addition to my library of books on tea.  It is a slim book, 84 pages long, but full of valuable information.  The author, Virginia Utermohlen Lovelace, MD, is a woman of many talents including an in-depth understanding of how we physiologically taste tea.

She begins this book by identifying what she considers to be the three basic teas: green, oolong, and black.  She discusses the ways that each of these teas is picked and processed.  She discusses the chemistry behind the taste of each tea type.  And she includes tips on how best to enjoy each of these types of tea - including food pairing suggestions!

I must admit that I skimmed over some sections of the book which discuss the chemistry of  tea flavors. But I read with interest all other sections - including her tea and food pairing suggestions.  I drink mostly black tea.  So, I was particularly interested to read her explanation of why raspberries and dark chocolate pair so beautifully with black tea.

This is an excellent book and well worth its modest price.  I recommend adding it to your library of books about tea.

New Mini Tea Assemblage Box

It's tea time y'all!

Tea at Twenty Six Divine, Charleston, South Carolina

In early January, my family and I enjoyed a lovely and cozy afternoon tea at Twenty Six Divine in Charleston, South Carolina.

As is fitting for an establishment located in Charleston, Twenty Six Divine serves teas produced by the Charleston Tea Plantation.

We had our fill of savories, scones, and sweets made by owners and chefs Jenn and Enan Parezo.

proprietress Jenn Parezo

This was a lovely experience that I highly recommend to any tea lover who visits Charleston, South Carolina.

January is Hot Tea Month So Visit your Local Library!

Here is the northern hemisphere, January is the perfect time for all things cozy.  And what could be more cozy than a cup of hot tea?  January is observed as the official Hot Tea Month in the US, Canada, and Britain.  (It may be observed elsewhere as well.)

I found a very thorough list of ideas on how to observe this Hot Tea Month over at a blog post entitled 31 Ways to Celebrate Hot Tea Month.  One thing that I would add to this well-thought-out list is "Visit your Local Library!"  Books on tea can be found in various sections of the library, depending on the facet of tea that they focus on.  But you are sure to find a number of books on tea in the non fiction section of books that begin with the numbers 641. (This is according to the Dewey Decimal System of classification which is used by most public libraries in the United States.)

So, as winter blasts the great outdoors, take some time to curl up with a book from your library and brew a cup of hot tea.

New Year's Resolution 2018: How It Involves Tea

My new year's resolution for 2018 involves tea - and all other aspects of my life.  My guiding word for the year will be mindfulness.  You have probably heard of mindfulness, but may not have thought about how it could relate to your love of drinking tea.  This article, How to Be Mindful With a Cup of Tea lays out the connection beautifully.

The definition of mindfulness that I found with a quick online search is as follows:

mind·ful·ness

ˈmīn(d)f(ə)lnəs/

noun

1. 1.

   the quality or state of being conscious or aware of something.

   
   

   "their mindfulness of the wider [tea] tradition"
2. 2.

   a mental state achieved by focusing one's awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one's feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations, used as a therapeutic technique.

In 2018, I will try to follow and journal about my interest in tea and my experiences with mindful tea drinking here on this blog.  This will, I hope, result in regular reviews of my tea drinking experiences, my thoughts on various tea-related books that I have read, and my ongoing creating of tea-themed DIY projects.  In sum, I will be blogging about the same things I have touched on in the past - but with greater attention to and focus on detail in the coming year.

I hope you will continue to visit and share your thoughts and reactions with me!

Very Last Minute Gift Ideas: Your Local Groceries

If you need a quick, last minute gift for someone who enjoys tea, run out to your local grocery.  Many grocery stores carry Tea Time Magazine.  I have loved tea for years and only just now subscribed to this magazine.  So there is a chance that this would not be a duplicate gift.

If you have a Whole Foods Market in your area, you might pop in for a look at their tea aisle.  The Whole Foods in my town carries a wonderful selection of teas - some bagged and others loose.  If you do not have a Whole Foods store nearby, visit the company website and print out their informative  "Guide to Tea."  You can roll it up the printed pages and secure the bundle with washi tape or a red ribbon. This would make a fun and unexpected gift for a tea drinker.

And speaking of printing out tea-related information from the web, curate your own list of favorite tea blogs and/or online tea companies.  Type up the list with the URLs.  Print the list on nice paper.  And again, roll up and decorate the bundle. Anyone who is interested in tea would enjoy such information and would appreciate the effort that you put into creating the reference page.

All of these ideas can be done or created at the last minute!  So go out and spread tea love!

Last Minute Christmas Gift for the Tea Lover: Wal Mart

One quick, and perhaps nearby, place to find a tea-related gift is Wal Mart.  The Wal Mart closest to my home carries this adorable, large capacity teapot.  It is from Wal Mart's Pioneer Woman line of products.  This 2.7 quart capacity teapot is the perfect gift for your tea lover who drinks large quantities of tea OR for someone who entertains with tea.  I fit neatly into both of those categories, so this teapot is a welcome addition to my cupboard.

Last Minute Christmas Gifts for the Tea Lover: Trader Joe's

At this point in the holiday season it seems wise to shop local.  Here in Asheville we have a big "shop local" movement.  And I do, indeed, shop at locally-owned stores and markets. However in this blog post, when I say "shop local" I mean "go in person to a brick and mortar store."

For the purpose of shopping for some last minute gifts, I popped over to our nearby Trader Joe's to see what they carry at this time of year.  I was delighted to find a number of appealing tea-related gifts.  In fact, when I came away from the store, I felt as if I had hit the last minute tea gift jackpot.  Here below are the Trader Joe's tea items that I found most appealing.

This sounds like a delicious caffeine-free winter mint blend.

I often look for tea infused chocolate to no avail.  So I was delighted to find this tea or coffee infused collection of chocolates.

This is a nicely packaged set of teas for a very reasonable price.

Tea infused mints make the perfect small gift for a tea lover.

This tea sounds like the perfect flavored black tea winter blend.

Tea Ornament Giveaway Winner

And the winner is eilandkind!  Send your snail mail address to me at

collage.art.123@gmail.com!

Tea Themed Christmas Ornament Giveaway!

Most tea themed Christmas ornaments that I have seen picture tea pots or tea cups.  I decided to craft one that features actual tea.  This small stoppered bottle holds dry tea leaves and a dangling tea pot charm.  Oh so cute!  If you would like one of these ornaments of your own, leave a comment here by noon on Monday, December 11 (US EST).  I will draw a winner at random from the names that are submitted. And I will pop this charming Christmas tea ornament in the holiday mail to that winner.
***THIS GIVEAWAY HAS NOW CLOSED. *** I will announce the winner in a moment.

Tea Themed Christmas Tree

This year as I hung ornaments on our family Christmas tree, I realized that I had accumulated a number of tea themed Christmas ornaments over the years.  So I am starting a new tradition of creating a Christmas tea tree.  Here's the start to my 2017 tea themed Christmas tree.  The ornaments  include tea pots, cups, kettles, and mesh infuser balls.  I look forward to adding to the tree year after year!