Tea Time with Andi ~ by Andi Lawrencovna

It has come to my recent attention that I am NOT the tea snob I always thought I was.

Yes, you read that correctly: TEA SNOB.

Tea snobbery, I believe, was originally invented in…no, wait, I can’t say that, that’s not nice…and the truth is, I would LOVE to be a tea snob! And also to live in England, where they drink tea, ALL THE TIME!

“What type of tea do you drink with lemon and honey? Which kind with milk? Black tea or green? Rooibos!?!??!!”

OH GOOD LORD THE TEAS! THE TEAS!!!!!!!!!!

I really do love tea. We have something here called the Republic of Tea, which honest to God does not get more tea snobbery-ish than that! (I would also totally live there.)

They have the most delicious teas, and also some that are the most not-delicious teas.

For instance: chocolate banana tea…DELICIOUS!

Turmeric tea…THE WORST! (Sorry if you like turmeric, folks, I think it is disgusting…though if you put ten tablespoons of honey in it, it’s not as bad…though why spoil the honey with the turmeric?)

Anyways, I love tea. It is one of the great pleasures of mine to go into a store, to the tea aisle, and look at all the flavors. But be warned, some teas, a lot more actually now days, are coming without tea bags! Yes! Just the leaves or whatever else that makes up the tea! If you don’t have the right spoon for it…I suppose it’s a good way to read tea leaves if you’re into that sort of thing. (Loose leaf teas…they’re called loose leaf teas…sigh…totally couldn’t come up with that name without looking it up!)

But teas are so fun. The flavors that people come up with!

Amazing. 

(Rose-bud tea…yeah, surprisingly, the floral flavor is awesome… Oh, oh oh oh! And then a nice Lady Grey tea with LAVENDER HONEY!!!!!!!!!!!! Da bomb diggity, I swear!)

For me, I have a random favorite one…two…thr---whatever…teas…

At Disney World, they sell tea bags that are Alice in Wonderland inspired. The Mad Hatter Tea Party blend has subtle hints of apricot, making the tea richly flavored and also fruity. Seriously, it’s delightful. Ginger, peach, and apricot! You can’t go wrong!

And check out the box for the teas?!?! Aren't they cute and whimsical?

But my favorite is the “Topsy Turvy Tea Blend.” There’s really nothing too special about it. It’s basically an Earl Grey tea which is typified by being flavored with bergamot. (I think I like it mainly because of the word “bergamot” which apparently is orange-flavored…? Don’t quote me on that!) But the Topsy Turvy tea has the Cheshire Cat on it…so…it’s like a thing.

But seriously, what the heck is the point of tea? …other than everything…? Well, tea is a great type of therapy for a lot of symptoms. Not only is tea great for colds and sore throats, but the art and practice of making tea has been used for generations as a ritualistic exercise that promotes concentration and focus, a type and form of meditation almost. Taking the time to let the world fall away to make a cup or a pot of tea is incredibly helpful in reducing your stress levels…plus, you get a cup of tea on the other side of it!?!? Hello!?!?! What more could you ask for?

Drinking tea has a lot of health benefits as well. Not only is that dependent on what type of tea you’re drinking (green tea is great for digestive issues, chamomile is wonderful to help you relax and go to sleep, black teas offer a lot of caffeine to help sharpen your focus) but what is mixed in with your tea. 

A lot of tea companies are now offering specialty teas that help focus on, well, focus, or healthy immune systems, or losing weight, or productivity. The different flowers and berries and spices in certain teas have properties that can help your body function at higher levels and even more efficiently in some cases. 

And drinking tea, the ingestion of warm liquid into your system, helps relieve sore throats, can sometimes aid in reducing congestion, clearing your sinuses by breathing in the steam of the tea, and actually, if you’re using natural honey as a sweetener, it can help you with overcoming and breathing through and building up immunity to seasonal allergies. Note that I said “can” and not “will” or “guaranteed.” As in all things, tea and honey for different people will have different effects. But in place of over medicating, tea can be a nice addition to your supply of helpful things to do to keep your body working smoothly. 

To be fair, though…black teas, which are my favorite, probably aren’t as great for helping cure common colds or allergies or for weight loss as some other teas, but they taste the best to me.

In the end, teatime should become a national pastime. And we should all be tea snobs, pinkie finger held out, stiff upper lip, charming accents, and all! Go and grab a cup, enjoy it warm especially these days, or, if you prefer, a glass of iced tea every now and then, too. 

SIDE NOTE: And if you are sick, or feel like you’re getting sick and tea just isn’t going to cut it for you, you would be AMAZED at the scientific evidence that suggests what a homemade bowl of chicken noodle soup can do for your systems! (Seriously…I know a doctor who literally taught a lecture on this! I love me some homemade chicken soup and now I can literally say: my doctor said to eat it!) 

Now, go enjoy a cuppa, boil some hot water, add a little honey, maybe some milk or lemon, and breathe in the fragrance and take a delightful sip of tea!

(P.S. Did you know that different teas should be steeped at different temperatures for the best results? Like, if you steep an Oolong tea in boiling water, you can BURN THE LEAVES!!!! Just a random thought for you to take as you leave!)