What would you say to a nice cup of tea?

  花茶 (Vol.2) Flower Tea 
  Originally uploaded by Eat-My-Heart-Out 你吃,我看

-Okakura Kakuzo, 1906
"Teaism is a cult founded on the adoration of the beautiful among the sordid facts of everyday
existence. It inculcates purity and harmony, the mystery of mutual charity, the romanticism of the social order."

It's a cold and wet April day in Chicago.  My kick ass umbrella from Umbrella Heaven is coming in quite handy for letting the dog out.  Still, the cold and wetness seems to be getting into everything. 

It's the kind of day for another cup of tea.  Always another cup of tea. 

I read an absolutely wonderful blog this morning that happened to be about tea.  heysusy writes with great clarity and intelligence on a number of subjects.  She's a very recent addiction of mine.  This morning's post inspired me.  I was, in fact, having my morning cup at the time.  Now I'm having my second cup.  I'm pretty sure that there are a lot more of them on the way. 

  Yixing teapot 
  Originally uploaded by horses and tigers

 

We love and adore our local Chinese tea shop: Dream About Tea.  They take care of us very well there, supplying us with a very high grade Keemun for me, a dark and scary Lapsong Souchong for Adam (referred to in our house as tobacco juice).  We have special treats there when we go.  I'm very fond of the Hong Kong Milk Tea.  I have no idea what it is, and I don't care.  It's lovely.  They also make an unbelievable iced lavender tea in the summer.... soon it will be time for iced tea!

I'm a big fan of the tea traditions of the world.  I love how formal it all is, and how it seems that tea drinkers everywhere have their own ceremonies about it.  This kind of mysticism is rare with coffee.

  matcha, type of green tea 
  Originally uploaded by michenv

I love the tea ceremonies in Japan.  This was my introduction, actually, to tea culture and aesthetics.  I was an exchange student in Japan in high school.  I was mad for the ceremony, and have two absolutely beautiful tea bowls.

Of course, the British created their own ceremony of sorts, bless 'em.  I used to spend my Sunday afternoons with tea with milk and sugar out of a porcelen cup, writing letters with a quill, fantasizing about Emma Woodhouse.

Springtime Blossoms tea from TeaForAllReasons available on Etsy

As a milliner, I've gotta also love the Mad Hatter phenomenon.  Although I'm actually quite frightened by Alice in Wonderland in general, I love that people feel compelled to wear crazy hats and drink tea. If they require Lewis Carroll to inspire them, well that's ok by me.  We should all wear more hats and drink more tea!

Mad Hatter Tea Party print available from vusova on Etsy.

It's all just so very lovely!  And warms the soul on a cold spring day! I better go make another cup!  (Emily)

Comments

[Marsha]

How gracious of you to show a picture of my Springtime Blossoms Specialty Tea from the website at Etsy. Your recommendation is much appreciated. Thank you!