Crowd pleasers...

Today we set off on an adventure. A tea adventure!  What did the day have in store for us...only time would tell.  We ventured to the backstreets of Redfern to find a quirky arty venue which houses the famous farmers markets every Saturday.  But today, it had come alive with a world of tea.  This place was teaming with tea aficionados, tea lovers, tea enthusiasts, tea purveyors, and people who were just keen on discovering more about the leaf rather than the bean.  They came in the thousands...searching for a cuppa that would change their world, or at least their daily ritual.

As we peered over the ramp at the thronging crowd beneath beams of metal, we could have easily thought we had been carried away to a colourful bizarre, but this one was full of only one thing, a golden brew promising a journey of discovery. The crowd was swept along trying elixirs from each stall and offered tiny cups of sustained energy, flavoursome tinctures, soft and sweet notes and exotic blends to please the palate.  So many new teas to try - an exploration of taste, texture and aroma – a heady mix of calming, soothing, invigorating and stimulating.

What I noticed today was a thirst to find our more.  People are loving tea, especially unadulterated speciality tea. People are wanting to incorporate tea into their daily lives.  People are keen on trying something different, on wanting to explore the unexplored and educate their palate (and their soul).  Today tea showed us just how universal its appeal is and just how fun the world of tea can be.

If you can't get enough, the Australian International Tea Expo is being held in Geelong, Melbourne on 17 - 18 October, 2015.

Hint: Next time you are feeling adventurous, try something new!  Surprise your tastebuds, mix things up, reach for a tea that doesn’t have your name on it (maybe it has, it might just be spelt differently), or heck ...make your own!  Tomorrow is another day and remember your fall-back position isn’t going anywhere.

- Words and image contributed by Tea Master & Master Tea Blender, Suzi van Middelkoop from Tea by the Sea.