A warm, steaming cup of tea is welcome at any time of day, especially in the cold winter months. Whether as an alternative to coffee with the rich tradition of Irish Breakfast tea, or as a quiet nightcap to the end of the day, settling your nerves with Chamomile and Lavender, tea is amazing. You can drink it like the American’s do, with lemon and sugar, or perhaps a bit of honey, or you can mix in milk or creamer for a fully European experience. However, you do it, Hot Tea Month is a great time to reembrace this delicious beverage that can warm your heart and body.
Tea has been being drunk for thousands of years, originating from deep within the country of China. From there it grew in prominence until it was one of the most important beverages in the world, rivaling coffee as the drink of choice for mornings, and for those who needed a pick-me-up. Did you know tea is the second most consumed beverage in the world, water being the first? There are over 20,000 flavors. Hot Tea has influenced different countries’ cuisine for hundreds of years. Tea even plays a part in many countries culture and their representation on what is the best way to serve tea. Tea has been viewed as a mark of sophistication, and has practically redefined British culture, having become completely inseparable from what it means to be British.
Tea isn’t just a warm and delicious beverage; it can also be used medicinally. There are thousands of herbal teas out there, and each of them can be used to help fortify the body, and even help you heal and fight infection. One of the most common uses is to help soothe nerves as nighttime rolls in with a cup of mint and chamomile tea. The benefits of regular tea go well beyond just sipping too. Just think of all the tea products and supplements there are on drugstore and other retail shelves. Tea is widely accepted within the culinary world for the varied taste notes and nutritional value. Tea leaves and tisanes all are beneficial from the outside in ... skin, heart, circulation, blood sugar, etc.
National Hot Tea Month is best celebrated with a cup.
Sharing a pot of tea with friends is a social event. Humans are social beings, and drinking tea is a great way for humans to connect. Nothing shows friendship more than getting your pals together over a hot kettle and chatting. Zoom, Zoom!
Buy a new tea you have never tried
As we grow older our preferences change, and your tea choice should too! Search for new flavors online or find stores in your community that have a wide variety.
Give yourself a mental moment
Drinking a cup of brewed tea is a comfort all its own. Maybe you need a moment to recollect during the day, or you need a cup in the evening to put your thoughts to rest. The power of tea is that strong!
Tranquil Moments – Dailies!
Every Tuesday for the month of January Linda and I will publish little tidbits of tea via the Dailies. We hope you will be entertained with the eclectic stories we present.
COMING IN FEBRUARY - The Ease of Leaves
We have now entered the Age of Aquarius... aka/in part... the age of technology. Through the wonderful medium of ZOOM, we will be offering tea classes on the 2nd Wednesday of every month beginning on February 10th with our first class, In the Beginning. The class will cover the first record of tea, how and where it was discovered, and how it was consumed... and why. The classes will be $5 each, and we will send out info soon on how you can pay for each class throughout the year.
In future classes you will learn about the different types of tea, world tea cultures, traditions, and ceremony, and, of course, how to brew a perfect, satisfying cup. So, stay tuned in our Dailies, on our Facebook page and in our website tea page.
From 2337 B.C. China where the first tea was brewed, to the stars and beyond tea is everlasting! Just ask Jean-Luc Picard!
