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.

Not quite tea...

Don’t feel like caffeine? Or maybe you aren’t feeling 100%? This is when herbal teas can come into their own – many of which have anti-viral and anti-bacterial properties.

If you are feeling fluey – a pot of thyme tea does wonders for a cough and congestion. It is very high in iron which can give you that extra lift when you are feeling run down. You could also try some lemongrass which is high in anti-oxidants and anti-inflammatory properties with fresh ginger to soothe and warm you. Ginger is said to be good for chills as it is spicy, also good for aching muscles and nausea. If you prefer the traditional throat-soother, try ginger, honey and lemon juice to boost the immune system. Lemon balm is also said to strengthen immunity.

Chamomile is excellent for expelling tension, an upset stomach or nausea and helps to calm and incite restful sleep. Peppermint is also good for digestive problems and nausea. It is calming and cooling so can help reduce fever, congestion and because of its menthol content helps us breathe easier. Rosehip is very high in Vitamin C which is another good tea to have in the cupboard during Winter and especially effective when brewed with a cinnamon quill (said to clear the mind), a clove or two and a wedge of orange. But it is equally effective as an iced tea in summer with peppermint leaves, lemon and ice!

Along with fresh thyme, elderberry is often used in cough syrups so is particularly good for treating coughs, upper respiratory tract infections and sinus infections. Rooibos tea is also a great choice as it is high in mineral content and has anti-spasmodic and anti-viral qualities. It can help reduce inflammation and allergies, stomach cramps, headaches and improve circulation. It also helps you relax and have a good night’s sleep and is safe for children.

These are just some of the teas you can try from nature’s pharmacy which will leave you feeling a whole lot better.

Hint: Next time you are feeling out of sorts or run down, reach for a cup of herbal tea!

NB: Herbs can have interactions with certain medications and other herbs, so check with your doctor before drinking herbal tea. Please also check with your doctor if you are pregnant which teas are safe for you to drink.

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

No Cup Like Home

 

If you are lucky enough to explore the world, why not explore the world of tea.  There are so many different types of teas you can try.  I don’t mean just black, green, puerh, oolongs or white teas (or even yellow, blue or red teas).  Try a first or second flush Darjeeling from India, a high grown tea from Ceylon, silver tips from China or an oolong from Taiwan. 

Try to avoid flavoured teas as they don’t allow you to taste the real essence of tea you are trying.  Each tea has it’s own natural flavour profile.   Next time you go for something new, close your eyes and inhale the smell of the dry leaf, and then the wet.  Drink in the aroma of the steaming cup of choice before you taste it.  What can you smell?  Do you notice any stone fruits or a nutty roasted flavour?  Is it sweet or savoury?  Now taste it.  Does it taste the same as it smells?

If you are feeling adventurous try a tea type you have never tried?  On a recent trip to Europe I discovered a white Darjeeling – the flavour was so delicate with hints of peach and the leaves were downy and soft.  It was so refreshing and light but full-bodied at the same time if that could be possible.  It was wonderful to try something new.  Discover your own new favourites.  Or if you’d prefer to stick to something similar to what you are used too, perhaps just go for another type of black tea. How about a Keemun, Assam, Nilgiri or Yunnan? 

Having discovered several new teas on my travels, it was even more delightful to come home to my usual daily cup. 

Hint: Next time when you are out and about I encourage you to try something different.  Ask for a loose leaf cuppa, and go for something you wouldn’t normally have.  It makes your favourite cuppa at home all the more special.

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

The Yin and Yang of Tea

 

The history of tea is steeped in oriental traditions in more ways than one. 

Sometimes when you reach for a cuppa, you are searching for a robust or bright tea or cuppa with substance.  This is what I describe as a man’s cup – something with body that enlivens the spirit and reawakens the senses.  You might enjoy this cup if you’ve been on your feet all day or had a particularly busy day and just need a moment or two to regroup and recharge.

You know what type of tea I mean by this once you’ve taken your first steaming sip.  You lean forward, drink from your trusty every day cup and then you relax back into your chair and go “aaah, that’s better”.  Sometimes you’ll even hold the cup to your body and allow your hands to encompass the full expanse of it as you enjoy its warmth and take in its strength and aroma.  This is what I call the invigorating cup – or a cup full of yang.

If, on the other hand you feel like you need a soothing or gentle cup of tea because you feel vulnerable, or weary of soul or in need of some TLC, then through instinct you will probably choose a tea which I describe as having female qualities.  Tie Guan Yin or Kuan Yin for instance is a wonderful example of a yin tea – it personifies the very essence of yin – it is sustaining but at the same time is receptive and giving.  Kuan Yin’s western name is the “Iron Goddess or the Goddess of Mercy” and is type of oolong grown on the highest mountain in the Anxi region, in the Fujian Province of China.  It is said to be one of the few teas created through divine inspiration.  It is shares similarities to green tea but offers a buttery floral finish which you can tell has been processed in a way that brings out all its femininity.  It particularly complements desserts and fruits.  Not only does it offer a beautifully well rounded, smooth but light cup full of delicate flowery notes, the leaves fully open again.  As the leaves unfurl they reveal themselves in their full glory - strong, intact, juicy, pliable and rich in colour.  We drink in its quiet strength.

Hint: Next time you reach for a cuppa – take note of the energy of tea.  Each tea offers you so much by way of how it has been processed, its delicate or robust flavour profile, its colour, its depth and even the cup you choose to drink from.  Enjoy and appreciate the very essence of the tea.  

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

A World in a Teacup

 

Anyone who is asked what their favourite cup of tea is, always knows!  It could be a passing whim, but usually it’s the old faithful.  Maybe you have a penchant for going green or maybe you like it light?  Or perhaps you are one of those who can’t go past a nice strong cup of tea (often a tea bag will do) with milk and sugar to sink one’s teeth into or stand a teaspoon in!  Sometimes one might choose a tea that suits their mood?  Or even more sophisticated, one that suits their food! 

I can’t quite go past a Darjeeling from India – it’s not quite black but not quite green either but has characteristics of both.  It’s got oomph but it’s also delicate.  It’s refreshing but has substance. It has depth but is light. 

Darjeeling has elegance and style.

Tea is such an individual but universal thing – it can be enjoyed in quiet solitude, or shared with a colleague, close friend or a lover.  It means lots of things to lots of people and carries you across the globe within seconds of taking your first sip.  Are you able to inhale the mist from a rocky outcrop?  Perhaps you can imagine yourself in a cafe in Paris dunking madeleines in a cup of thick syrupy tea?  Maybe you might find yourself drinking in the downpour of a hot Monsoon rain and running for cover to the smell of boiling milky chai?  Or you maybe you can escape amidst a field of jasmine flowers enjoying all the heady senses?

Hint: Next time you sit down to your favourite cup of tea, drink it with all your senses.  Make it a sensorial experience.  Each cup offers you a worldly adventure – see it as a ticket with no set destination as having already been paid.

Words and image contributed by Tea Master, Suzi van Middelkoop from Tea by the Sea  

Tea - A Taste Sensation

Tea is one the most consumed beverages in the world and comes from every lush corner of the world.  It is harvested under strict conditions and the way it is processed ensures the integrity of the leaf and flavour remains.  Sometimes you can taste the rain, the warmth, the dew and mist.  Sometimes you taste the moist earth and cool rock from where it has grown.  If you are lucky you might even taste the ocean spray from a few miles away.  This is what is referred to as terroir  - a French word used to describe the "geography, geology and climate" of where the tea is grown. 

If you are after a robust and malty cup, try an Assam from India.  This is a tea that offers a smooth palate with no rough edges or hint of tannin – you can taste the sun and monsoon rain.  If you are after a light floral perhaps you might like to try a delicate Tie Kuan Yin from China or a milky oolong from Thailand – you can taste the lush, green flowery notes.  Or maybe try the shade grown Kyroguro from Japan and enjoy its vibrant, marine tinged savoury profile.

Hint: Next time you are choosing a tea – close your eyes while taking in the smell of the dry leaf and then drink in the aroma of the brew.  See where it takes you...

-  Words and images from Tea by the Sea – Tea Master, Suzi van Middelkoop

It's All In The Leaves

 

One of the lovely things about reading leaves is the opportunity to sit quietly with your cuppa.  There is a sense of calm and a feeling that comes over you much like your soul taking a deep breath from the inside.  You cradle the cup in your hands and feel its warmth extend from your fingertips to the palms of your hand. You drink in the aroma and watch the steam rising elegantly from the cup, coming somewhere from its source.  From a moment of reverie you look up at the person you are reading for and note as they hold the cup to their heart, their eyes are closed and a relaxed expression on their face.  Sometime even a smile.  The tea does that to you.

Tea leaf reading is a dying art so one I feel very privileged to have been taught. My teacher and mentor taught me the ancient ritual of turning the cup.  The cup is turned several times for love, money and wishes and then turned over to reveal an array of wonderful pictures.  It never ceases to amaze me the pictures the leaves are able to create which all help us put things into perspective.  Sometimes there are lots of pictures.  Sometimes there is only one predominant image.  Each cup is as unique as the person being read for.  I am always in awe that I am there to share that with people.  Reading and receiving a reading is special. 

Hint: Try reading your own cup at home and learn to see the pictures.  It’s like cloud watching – see what wonderful image forms in yours.  Use a large leaf tea with golden tips for the best results.

Words and photo contributed by Suzi van Middelkoop
Certified Tea Master and owner of Tea by the Sea