I have a love affair with tea. I love how it looks, I love how it smells, I love how it tastes. I even love the ritual of getting there.
I can hear the water coming to a soft rolling boil. Languid, enlarged bubbles rise to the surface of the kettle. There’s a slow anticipation but hurried desire not to miss the precise moment in which to remove the heat in order to capture its essence.
My olfactory nerve is overwhelmed by the sweet smell of dew, honey and misty mountain air. I touch the delicate leaves with my finger tips – under the fine soft fur I sense the moisture within the leaf plucked at sunrise.
The cup I choose is pink and round as the leaves sway and swirl while the water encourages them to dance. It is then I give thanks as my cup overflowth. Tea trancends time and place and gets to the heart of things. Where will your tea take you today?
Hint: Respect the tea and handle with care and it will love you right back...
Words and photo by Suzi van Middelkoop
Certified Tea Master and owner of Tea by the Sea.
