A Good Cup of Tea

"Lousy tea, Alicha! LOUSY tea!"
"Great tea, Sassafras! GREAT tea!"

Making tea for my European born mother, I learned at an early age, there is no "in between" state for a true tea lover and his/her tea.

A bad cup of tea is a waste of so many variables, from the first sip to the last, a sip that is often one in the same. A badly brewed, improperly suited (to cream or not to cream?) or even a poorly timed cup of tea brings to the sipper's mind the wasted electricity, the water, the tea itself,  the used cup and the cleaning process. Invariably, a bad cup of tea clutters the mind while irritating the senses. (Now you know why there are legends circulating of servants in the Orient, the origin of tea, being beaten and even put to death for mucking up the tea!)

On the other hand, a good cup of tea makes the creating process fall away, as if the cup itself spontaneously appeared; just as suddenly, the creator abdicates to experience the creation. Because, a good cup of tea involves all the senses, even to the extent that it excites the imagination to move beyond the consumable, to that which may edify others in the making and sharing of such experiences.

A "good cup of tea" is what prompted me to start this blog.

Now, in order for the point of this blog to be realized, you must understand, I am not an aficionado of tea. In fact, I am a novice, at best, and despite numerous visits to tea houses in the south and briefly entertaining the idea of opening a tea shop with a friend, I had only ever truly enjoyed Lipton tea, the bagged variety no less!

That said, I have been in the planning stages of tea uncovery for almost a year now, beginning when I walked by a loose leaf tea shop in Short Pump Mall, a wealthy suburb of Richmond, VA. Since that first invite to sample two of Tevana's delightful blends, I have waited, organized and dreamt of the day when I could order liquid gold. "Gold" being referenced by not only the taste, but the price as well.

The day the order arrived, my home was filled with the fragrance of teas! Black, Pu-erh, Rooibos, Herbal, White, Oolong and Mate'. Wondrous assortments and blends, flavor and fun! A passion was birthed, a passion for learning, experiencing and the sharing tea unfurled within me.

I'm planning to document my journey into tea. My blunders and my successes, the type of tea, hot and cold, their blends, preparations and benefits, where I've gotten them from locally (like, Health Nut Nutrition in Wyndhurst) and afar (like, Teavan). I plan to share pictures and flavors. Most of all, I plan to share my love for tea!

It is therefore, my sincere hope, in writing about the enjoyment of tea, to share this wonder with you and encourage others to delve into the vast variation of plants formed by God, leaves cultivated by man, to enrich our quiet times, special gatherings, and elevate our casual meetings all in the pursuit of A Good Cup of Tea!