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!)

 

Tea and Conversation by Kristine Raymond

Tea... 

There’s nothing quite like it – that first sip from your favorite drinking vessel of precisely-heated 150° water poured over a perfect blend of dried leaves and flavoring accentuated with just a hint of sweetener. Ah…the perfect cup of tea. Or mug, in my case. 

Now, I’ll admit – I’m a tea-aholic. I drink hot tea all day, every day; all year ‘round. And – full disclosure here – until this morning, I’d never calculated the actual temperature of the water, though I can attest that fluctuations in degrees can enhance or detract from an enjoyable tea experience, at the same time acknowledging that everyone’s tastes vary. To some, a lukewarm cup of Oolong is pure heaven; to others, unless that first taste of Darjeeling scalds their tongue, it’s just not hot enough. 

My mood – and the season – dictates which flavor ends up in my mug. In spring and summer, Numi Maté Lemon or Celestial Seasonings Country Peach Passion hits the spot. Once autumn arrives, it’s Bigelow Salted Caramel or Harney & Sons Pomegranate Oolong. And there’s nothing better on a cold winter’s night than Celestial Seasonings Candy Cane Lane or Harney & Sons White Christmas Tea. And then there’s the Earl. 

As you may have figured out, I don’t discriminate when it comes to tea. White, green, red, or black; loose-leaf or bagged; caffeinated or decaffeinated; flavored or unadulterated – I love it all. But, if you told me I had to choose just one kind to drink for the rest of my life, it’d be Earl Grey. At last count, I had nine varieties – aged, lavender, raspberry, winter white, double bergamot, green, black, organic, and decaffeinated. I adore the flavor of bergamot, so much so that twenty-eight years ago I purchased the last case of Earl Grey liqueur from my local liquor store after the distributor went out of business. But, that’s a story for another time. 

Tea is more than a simple beverage to me. It’s a magical elixir. On the most stressful of days, one sip of Camellia sinensis can dissolve away every ounce of tension in my body, the aroma and taste and warmth infusing my spirit with tranquility. It comforts me, invigorates me; it's a simple joy, yet one of my most cherished. There’s nothing I anticipate more after a long day than a steaming mug of my favorite brew. 

…and Conversation 

You know what pairs well with tea? Great conversation! And, as the host of a podcast where authors get together to talk about writing, reading, and anything else that comes to mind, I’m lucky enough to enjoy both on any given day. 

Since the start of my authoring journey, I’ve searched for new ways to promote my colleagues as well as myself. Late last summer, while mulling over ideas of how to do that in a new and exciting way, an idea in the form of a podcast slowly began taking shape. Oh, who am I kidding? The concept mushroomed overnight into this larger-than-life project that I had no clue how to execute. That didn’t stop me, though. After a considerable amount of frustration trying to get it off the ground and onto the airwaves, Word Play with Kristine Raymond launched on October 31, and I haven’t looked back since. 

My first concern was that no one beyond the half-dozen friends I’d invited to be on the show would be interested in being guests. My second was that no one would listen. I shouldn’t have worried. To date, podcast episodes have been downloaded in 17 countries and on platforms including iHeart Radio, Stitcher, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and PodBean. Word on the street is that Alexa will even play it for you. 

As for guests, I have no shortage of those as I’m currently booked through August of this year and signing up more every day. And, recently, I had the honor of chatting with New York Times bestselling author Sandra Brown. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I’d have an opportunity such as that in my lifetime. 

When you listen to Word Play, you’ll discover the format isn’t the typical structured Q&A; rather, it’s a show where two authors converse about their favorite topics – sometimes book-related; sometimes not – usually with a cup of their favorite beverage close at hand.  Mine's tea, of course.

It's akin to sitting in your favorite coffee shop catching up with a friend you haven't seen in a while – the conversation's unstructured, and spontaneous, and most of all, a lot of fun. And, you might just learn a thing or two about your favorite author. Or discover some new ones. Because nothing goes better with tea and conversation than books! 

 Word Play with Kristine Raymond