In the Tea Leaves
by Beth Ann Hilton

"Christopher Robin was home by this time, because it was the afternoon, and he was so glad to see them that they stayed there until very nearly tea-time, and then they had a Very Nearly tea, which is one you forget about afterwards, and hurried on to Pooh Corner, so as to see Eeyore before it was too late to have a Proper Tea with Owl." ~ A.A. Milne, The House at Pooh Corner

There are so many lovely things one can say about tea. Though not romantic, I’d venture that one wonderful thing about tea is its versatility. It can be enjoyed hot or cold, and it travels well; it comes in thousands of flavors.; it can be the center of both highly social and extremely personal events.

According to Japanese scholar, Okakura Kakuzo, who wrote The Book of Tea, "The tea ceremony is more than an idealization of the form of drinking—it is a religion of the art of life."

Some say formal tea service is an art, even a religion, while others find informal tea drinking, curled up with a good book or favorite movie, close to therapeutic.

I usually drink tea in a casual setting, but that’s not to say it’s a simple process. I’m known for having a tea cupboard, containing at least thirty different kinds of teas, various size tea pots and strainers, and a small collection of cute tea cups. And, yet, I don’t really consider myself a “tea drinker” like my mother, who drinks the same Orange Pekoe tea every morning. In fact, I drink as much coffee as I do tea, often alternating one in the morning, the other in the afternoon. So, what is with the cupboard full of teas, you ask?

First of all, I am hooked by the packaging, especially the Zen-styled ones visually promising Nirvana and the colorful holiday boxes with grinning Nutcrackers. Secondly, I love customizing my tea choice to my mood or current health needs. It never ceases to amaze me that when I’m coming down with a cold, or feel dehydrated, my body automatically craves tea over coffee first thing in the morning. At times like those, I reach for a green tea, and the best surprise I’ve had this year is discovering that Kirkland Signature Green Tea (Costco) is quite good! the individually-wrapped packages advise tapping the Matcha (green tea powder) from the package onto the top of one’s tea, a nice note to consumers that one doesn’t see often, and the mesh tea bag hooks to the side of the cup via a notch on the tag. Cute. While I don’t know the grade of this tea’s leaves, it is made by a reputable Japanese tea company, Ito En. I must say it, tastes good and is an amazing value for families on a budget. more

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