Some might even say I have a mild obsession with caffeinated beverages.
But I think I simply appreciate the wondrous blend of tea leaves, hot water and milk (depending on the tea in question).
Barry's or Lyons'?
I'll have one of each, please. I don't turn my nose up at Thompson's or Tetley.
I would happily sip Earl Grey or Darjeeling and once in a while I might even be tempted to sample a 'green' option.
One of two things makes tea even better.
(i) Conversation
(ii) Cake
Yes, the sweetness of conversation and the texture of cake combine to make the tea drinking experience something else entirely.
The storm brewing in the teacup is enough to wash away any problem you may be having.
The comfort of tea and tea drinking. A solid object to curl your hands around and warm goodness that seeps into your body. Used to complement conversation, to encourage chat and to aid the calm, to settle nerves and rinse away any residual concerns. The cup that cures.
Tea was discovered around 2737 BC by the Chinese Emperor Shen-Nung. The story goes that some tea leaves, blown by the wind, drifted into a pot of boiling water. From the 1600s tea became popular in Europe. Tea was the cause of tensions and a catalyst to the United States' Revolutionary War. After the British imposed taxation on tea imported to the American colonies, the American settlers were not pleased. The 'Boston tea party' was one example of their frustration. Under disguise, a group of men boarded a ship in Boston Harbour and displayed their defiance by tossing the tea into the sea. Tea has made its mark on history.
Where I live now, Vienna and it's coffee house culture is the perfect city to bask in simple pleasures of taste and conversation.
There are so many little cafés here as well as the traditional and tourist friendly coffee houses. Oh Freud and Schnitzler sat here.
I drink a lot of tea.
Not everyone shares this passion. Most people seem to believe that you have to be ill or under the weather to sip this beverage. If offered a cup I seldom decline, the next cup may well be the perfect cup! Tea breaks down barriers, acts as a prop for idle hands, offers a prompt in conversation or a break as you slurp your tea and relish the break. The breath and the break in worry, stress and sadness. It may be brief but a break nonetheless.
