Tea -- Camellia sinensis. There's nothing like a steaming cup of tea to revive the spirit
or to soothe and comfort, and nothing refreshes better than a frosty iced tea!
I've loved tea for as long as I can
remember. As a little girl, I liked to drink a cup of tea because it made me feel grown
up. Now that I'm mostly grown up :-) I like drinking tea for its effect on my taste buds
as well as on my spirit. A hot cup of a familiar tea is comforting in difficult times. The
workday passes more easily when I have a cup of tea nearby. Tea revives me in the morning,
and soothes me throughout the day. Iced tea is a tasty thirst-quencher, especially in hot
weather. And one of my great joys is sampling new teas -- finding new tastes that
harmonize with my moods!
Teas sold in supermarkets are a good
place to start, but to me they are mere hints of the infinite varieties of fine teas that
can be found and enjoyed. Find linked sources for fine teas and tea information, and
tea-related web sites, on our links pages (see below).
At one time I had a list of
favourite teas with descriptions, but as anyone can tell you, I'm not very good at
describing the subtle nuances and tastes of the many kinds of teas (although I am quite
good at enjoying them!). Instead I continue to suffer the pangs of "tea-ness
envy" of those who can describe a tea so well that you can almost taste it :-).
In addition to drinking
tea, I also like to collect teapots. Among my small but growing collection are several
lovely Yixings, a handcrafted tea-for-one set, and two shaped like cats. I enjoy looking
for interesting, handmade teapots at local or regional craft fairs.
And
I also like to talk about tea with other tea lovers! I find the best
tea talk with my friends at Teamail™ the email tea discussion group.
I've met some wonderful people and learned a lot about tea. If you're
a tea lover, won't you join us?
Looking
for a tea room or tea shop? TeaGuide™ lists
over two thousand locations worldwide, with reviews by tea
lovers like yourself.
Feeling
craf-tea? Fold an origami teapot!
What kind of tea does Sherlock Holmes prefer? The answer may surprise you!
Leaves of Tea web ring
linking sites of interest to tea lovers. Visit ring sites or add your tea-related web site
to the ring. [Link to ring sites] [Add
your site]
Clip art with tea
themes for your personal home page at our outpost in the cyburbs.
Click here :-).
Send
a free electronic postcard with pretty tea pictures! Share the pleasure of tea with
someone you care about :-).
Cooking
with tea and teatime treats -- you'll find
recipes here!
Looking
for on-line tea vendors, tea classes, tea room set-up training, and
the best informational pages? Click here to browse
through the Links to our favourite web sites.
