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

Tea Tastes Better in a Teacup

When most people think of tea – they usually think about a nice strong cup of black tea (usually English or Irish Breakfast) with a touch of milk and two sugars. The kettle boils, the trusty teabag goes in the mug and is left there while the brew gets stronger and darker. The teabag is rescued after about five minutes and every last drop of water squished out of the bag as it is wrapped around the teaspoon and squeezed to an inch of its death. Usually a slurp or two is taken while we madly rush around doing other things at the same time.

Tea has made a long and sometimes arduous journey to offer you its brew. Wouldn’t it make sense to take the time to really enjoy that cup? In order to do that, let’s start with a cup, not a mug. Maybe you already have a favourite one hiding in the cupboard that you never use, or it only comes out at special occasions? Make today a special occasion! Drinking real tea out of a cup and saucer brings life to your tea. If you don’t own one, make it your mission to find the perfect one for you. Find yours at a market, the op shop, a department store, online or maybe even ask your gran – she’d be delighted.

Hint: Surprise yourself, and enjoy a new ritual - brew a pot, sit down and drink in a moment of calm – just you and your cup.

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

For the Love of Tea

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.

Keep Calm and Drink Tea

Stressed, over worked, everyone wanting a piece of you? At boiling point? It's time for a break!
A real tea break we mean. Learning the art of taking tea may just you offer more than you think.  

Did you know tea is said to have almost 10x the amount of antioxidants found in fruit and vegetables? Antioxidants protect your body from physical damage caused by mental or emotional stress. They reduce signs of aging, help lower blood pressure and cholesterol, are great for the skin and boost immunity.

Tea also contains an amino acid found in its highest concentration in green tea, called l-theanine which is proven to reduce anxiety. When consumed with small amounts of caffeine (a combination only found in tea) keeps us alert while maintaining a sense of calm, without the jitters and the instant hit you get from a cup of coffee.  

L-theanine stimulates Alpha brain activity, scientifically known to be induce a meditative state - relaxed but effortlessly alert and able to tackle tasks.  Studies show it can improve mood, reduce stress and help keep us focussed for longer periods of time as well as improve mental clarity. This can take affect within 20 minutes and can last up to 5 hours.

Hint: Take a tip from a Buddhist monk – next time you need to work out the world’s biggest problem, reach for a cup of green tea. It might just give you the solution, or at worst make you feel like you can.

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