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LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT INTERVIEW: MOMO YOSHIDA FAVOURITE TEA BOOKS HYGGE CHAI HAPPY HOLIDAYS: RECIPES BREW, SIP & GO ON A JOURNEY
w e r C w e r B #
Editor: Shabnam Weber THAC President
Assistant Editor: Adi Baker, THAC Communication & Programs Coordinator
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Born and raised in America’s heartland, Jeni Dodd has journeyed far
srotubirtnoc
from the plains of Kansas to remote tea-growing regions throughout the world in search of the perfect cup of tea. The owner of Jeni Dodd Tea, a company dedicated to importing hand-crafted, unique specialty teas and offering tea education for groups and events, Jeni seeks to expand the public’s awareness of the specialty tea market and lead consumers to discover the exquisite joy of the leaf.
Karen Donnelly is a certified TAC Tea Sommelier® Professional and has been an afternoon tea event planner, speaker and teacher for over 20 years. She is the owner of Greenhalgh Tea and manager of the Orchard Tea Room at Rose Hip Barn, Thornton, PA.
Theresa Lemieux is a Certified TAC Tea Sommelier® Professional and food blogger at theeverythingkitchen.ca. She incorporates tea into everyday cooking and baking to showcase the many wonderful types of
tea
produced
around
the
world.
A
freelance
writer
with
a
background in advertising and copywriting, Theresa wants to expand the appreciation of fine tea to a more general audience. She firmly believes that there is room for tea in everyone’s life, and that tea really does make everything better.
Tina McDonald is the Program Director at the Academy of Tea and a certified TAC Tea Sommelier® Professional. Loving tea since she was a
little
girl,
starting
with
garden
parties
drinking
tea
out
of
tiny
ceramic cups with her great-grandmother in Kent, England. Since then, she has been tenaciously tea-focused, poring over yard sales, flea markets, and auction houses for tea-related accouterments – all for a beautiful cup of tea!
Claudia Tse is the co-founder of Teakan Tea Company in Vancouver, BC and a Certified TAC Tea SommelierSommelier® Professional. She curates tea exploration kits for people to understand the importance of tea provenance, history and stories while enjoying single origin loose leaf teas from different regions. She also loves pairing food with her tea and currently trying her hands on tea mixology. Any tips are welcome.
Denyse Waissbluth is a former journalist who has enjoyed tea in twenty countries, including China, where she studied tea culture. She lives in Vancouver, BC. She is the author of children's book Teatime Around the World.
In this Issue
Letter from the President
Tea Cozies Are Okay, but...
An Interview with Momo Yoshida
Hygge Chai The Musings of a "Tea Man"
Steeped in Tradition: Teatime Around the World Favourite Tea Books
Happy Holidays:
Cranberry Walnut Baked Brie A Very Merry Tealicious Manila's Rising Sun Orange tea glazed Cornish Hen Christmas Pu-Ehr Mushroom Stuffing Matcha Cheesecake Brew, Sip & Go on a Journey Tea Mulled Wine
Shabnam Weber THAC President
SPARKING
e th
This year has had many 'buzz words'. So many in fact, that Oxford dictionary was unable or unwilling to choose a word of the year. But one word has stood above all others, regardless of how you've been impacted by COVID, and that word is 'change'. It's not a word most of us are comfortable with, avoiding it usually at all costs. But this year, it has been forced upon each of us in different ways.
m o r f
t n e d i s e r p
Your change may have included spending more time with your family than ever before, or perhaps you dusted off an old hobby or tried something you've never done before. I hope for each of you that within the chaos, the frustration, the loss, the joy, you've stopped for a moment and recognised what has sparked you joy. What has given you a moment of happiness within a lot of difficulty. That spark of joy is what you need to find more time for and stop fighting the change. This issue is full of sparks of joy. People that have found their joy and either made it their life's work, created a new business or their dedicated hobby. Their common thread of course is tea. Our time is finite. And wishing away this time, no matter how difficult, is not a luxury anyone is afforded. My joy has been found in a hot cup of tea with the ones (two-legged and four-legged) I love. Never has that need been stronger. If you haven't taken that moment, I hope you do it after reading this issue and find what sparks your joy.
YOUR
JOY
AN INTERVIEW WITH
Momo Yoshida Momo Yoshida is the founder and owner of Momo Tea,
an
online tea store
based
in
Toronto. She selects high quality tea in her home
country
Japan
and
offers
them
at
belongs
to
affordable price in Canada.
Momo is the
serious tea lover
Urasenke
and
school
of
(Tea Ceremony). She
Chanoyu
is
(Japanese Tea) Adviser,
Nihoncha certified
by
Japan Tea Industry Central Association. She is
also Certified
Professional
TAC
through
Tea SommelierÂŽ
the
Tea
&
Herbal Photo courtesy of
Association of Canada.
As to
a
Toronto Tea Festival
tireless tea advocate, Momo continues
share
her
in tea with exhibits
passion
all tea lovers. at
numerous
and She
expertise
attends
cultural
and
events,
including the Toronto Tea Festival, seasonal festivals Cultural
at
the
Center
Japanese
and
Canadian
Mississauga’s
Japan
Festival. In addition to exhibiting at these events guest
she
hosts
speaker
tea workshops
at
tea
Greater Toronto Area.
and
seminars
in
is
a
the
What is your first memory involving tea?
job and I'm a full time mommy. Before the pandemic, I would schedule events on the
Tea has always been part of my life for as
weekends, averaging one event per month.
long as I could remember. My uncle owned
While my tea collections are packaged and
a Japanese tea shop, so I was spoiled with
sealed in Japan I still find myself working
fresh tea all year round. He retired before I
late into the night before events labelling
started my tea business venture, but was
the
able to teach me how to taste and grade
preparations.
tea.
packages
and
Due
to
covid
other
restrictions
I
haven't been at the regular fairs or events I
would
usually
the
times I've helped at events with my mother.
connection
We would play the Koto (Japanese Zither)
enthusiasts in person.
together
and
also
Japanese
Way
of
serve
Tea)
at
centre and senior centre. Koto
family
instructor friends
and
(in
local
nights with
While
working
I
customers
I
don't
do and
miss
miss
the
other
tea
the
culture
How much tea do you drink in a day?
My mother being my
relatives
I don't
Tea
all types of tea. I usually start my day with
the
a strong steep of an assam tea, gyokuro, or
culture in my everyday life as well. I was
matcha. I have tea in my "to-go" cup and
fortunate
never
(the I
Way
was
to
student
I have at least 10 cups of tea a day.
limit myself to Japanese teas, I am fond of
Ceremony),
lifelong
and of
Chado/Sado
are
tea
late
attend.
Other early memories of tea are the many
a
doing
of
Tea/
surrounded
have
delicious
with
matcha,
drive
without
traditional Japanese sweets, a life steeped
basically
have
with culture and the guidance of elders in
breakfast,
lunch
these traditional art forms.
my
day
desserts
What does a typical work day in the tea industry consist of for you? tea
business
business and
a
is
side
mainly venture
an built
online on
my
passion for tea. I otherwise have a full time
I
the
make
tea and tea to
next
during dinner.
to
me.
and
after
Highlights
breaks purchase
I
I
have
of
with
from
local
patisseries to treat myself.
Before My
are
tea
the
pandemic,
I
loved
to
invite
people over to have tea gatherings before. I like pairing the food and tea according to my guests' preferences and underlying
mood for the occasion. It allows me to exercise my hospitality skills and those as a Tea Sommelier.
Since
I
am
not
sensitive
to
caffeine,
I
If you could drink tea with anyone living or dead - who would it be and what tea would you serve? I
would
love
to
tea
generally end my day by mindfully whisking
grandmother.
a bowl of matcha and enjoying it.
before I started my tea business.
It helps
ground me before I go to bed.
to
say
steeped
What are you seeing in the market that excites you for tea?
that it.
think
what
curious are.
and
amazes
me
the
knowledgeable
Sometimes
require
me
to
they
do
ask
some
most
my
is
tea I
passed
tasted
would
when I heard that.
be I
with
away
a
when
incredibly she
year
She used
better
think
my
I
proud
would
be
happy to know that I found my passion and connection
I
She
have
to
Chado
when
I
settled
in
how
Canada. I would love to whisk her a bowl
customers
of matcha with a ceramic bowl I made and
questions
research
that
before
I would tell her the stories and my journey in tea while living in Toronto.
answering. This also allows me to expand my
knowledge
and
(from
processing)
exciting
is
Japanese
that
as
well.
people
culture
Japanese
Way
nutrition I
to
think
are
what
is
interested
in
through
of
Tea
tea.
Japanese traditional culture including art,
Canada.
When I started my tea business, I
craft,
and
had the intention of making it a full time
find
a
While
ceremony
gateway
many
to
I currently have a full time job as an import specialist
tea
a
The
If you weren't in tea, what would you be doing?
logistics
philosophy.
is
farming
people
demonstration
entertaining to watch, it is not a form of performance, but it is a way of life.
The
Chado is a lifelong and growing journey of understanding whether
that
inanimate life
they
deeper is
person
objects have
connections
and
and
to
in
person,
or
understanding
the
human
life to the
endeavors
they represent, or how we relate to nature and
celebrate
in
highlights
of the seasonal cycles. making
a
moment, All
this
cup
and
brings
of
in
and
There is beauty in
tea,
in
being
appreciating
joy
to
nostalgia
my
life
love to share it with everyone.
the and
in
the
season. I
would
between
Japan
and
career, but I don't feel the same way now. I
For me good tea wares sparks great joy.
want
passion
business
and
to
be
not
the
to
drive
be
of
confined
my
tea
Usually, I love handmade pottery from local
to
the
artists. Is it just me? Tea better in good tea
monetary profits of business. I am happy to
cups.
keep my business small, simple, flexible to my
lifestyle
and
to
keep
my
current
customers satisfied.
What's your favorite fact about tea that surprises people?
What is the most interesting and unique experience you've had in your tea career? This is one of my heart warming experiences. The
year
invited For
me,
it
is
“culture”.
I
find
joy
in
introducing Japanese tea to Canadians. It fulfills
my
knowing
heart
someone
and is
I
feel
honored
interested
in
by
Japan
and I able to introduce them to Japanese culture. I will keep learning about tea and
I
to
start a
my
online
retirement
demonstration.
I
met
a
tea
home nice
store, to
do
I
was
a
tea
Japanese
lady
there, (I assume she’s second generation). She starts to cry when she had a sip of my tea. She said it reminded her of her mother. Her mother used to make tea for her. It was my moment
of
realization
that
tea
connects
people to their memories and nostalgia.
tea culture. My tea journey never ends.
How do you take your tea?
Tea is not just a beverage for me. Every sip brings me happiness. It doesn't just bring me back to my memories of home in Japan,
It depends on the tea but most of the time, I like it straight. I simply enjoy the aroma from each tea.
It’s my heavenly moment. I
also make sure that I use good tea wares.
but it also brings me excitement in looking into the future in my tea journey here.
&
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A VERY MERRY TEALICIOUS CHRISTMAS by Theresa Lemieux Certified TAC Tea Sommelier® Professional
This
year,
we
are
learning
to
accept and embrace change.
Christmas is no exception. So, this holiday
season,
we
may
all
be
celebrating a little differently. But there need not be any less joy or panache. We may have the time to reflect
upon
our
traditions
and
what they mean to us—and possibly introduce a few new customs.
A
tea
pairing
delicious
way
is to
a
creative enhance
and your
Christmas feast. This could replace a wine pairing, for those who are drinking less alcohol. Or it can work alongside your wine list, echoing or providing
contrast
to
the
drink
as
well as the food. If you’re planning a traditional turkey dinner, with its ample
array
of
flavours,
a
tea
pairing can augment every aspect of your menu.
Welcome Christmas: Appetizers Appetizers boards, have
are
little
mixed
often
onion nuts,
rich:
cheese
tartelettes
artichoke
or
and
charcuterie
pâté.
dip,
You
stuffed
might
mushroom
caps, or bacon-wrapped scallops. Such decadence cries out for contrast: something bright and tart, not too sweet, to cut through heavy starters.
Start with a tea sparkler. Make it red for the season and fizzy because we’re celebrating. What could be more fitting than a cranberry tea sparkler?
A
cranberry
tea
sparkler
is
not
only
seasonal,
À la table: Shrimp Cocktail
it’s
extremely adaptable. A strongly brewed tea is easily made ahead and chilled. Sweetened or not, as you please.
(Or
cut
yourself
some
slack
and
buy
premade.) Then bring out the flute glasses and top up with soda water and a slice or lemon or orange. Gin or
vodka
are
easy
additions
for
those
who
like
something stronger, but the look of the drink remains the same. Everyone can share in drinking the same special thereof)
concoction, a
making
secondary
the
alcohol
consideration.
(or
Whether
lack
some
frozen
cranberries
perfect festive garnish.
in
your
glass
for
with a lemon slice and a spicy red sauce was an annual treat when I was growing up. It was always served at the table in the beautiful little “up” crystal dishes my mom had just for the occasion.
you
prefer the enhanced version or straight-up sparkles, drop
Cold poached shrimp on ice
the
These days, you are more likely to
see
jumbo
platter
with
appetizers. desire past,
shrimp
a
the
But
this
a
other
should
throwback
pair
on
to
course
you times
with
a
tiny cup of genmaicha. Not too sweet,
but
gentle
enough
to
match the delicate shrimp. Not too
briny,
that
but
just
seaweedy
a
hint
flavour
of to
underscore the seafood. And it stands
up
nicely
to
the
horseradish in the sauce. Make sure
to
use
tiny
can find them!
forks,
if
you
Warm Up: Soup Soup
may
not
usual
component that people either love or hate.
Christmas menu, but it’s a wonderful option
To introduce a more subtle smokiness, offer
for a seasonal first course. It’s easily made
Russian Caravan instead, with its sweeter,
ahead,
more
makes
be
a
part
good
use
of
your
of
the
local
malty
profile.
You
could
also
use
harvest, and serves to prolong the meal. We
some of that same tea blend in the soup,
are going for a little extra formality, after
whether in the stock, or cold-infused into
all. When I’ve got a crowd, I serve it in mugs
the cream that is added near the end of
in the living room, but this year, I’m pulling
cooking.
out my best dishes and dusting off the soup tureen I got as a wedding present all those
To serve the tea? Little shot glasses, if you
years ago.
have thick ones, or possibly little espresso cups or tea tasting cups. It’s a short course,
Squash
would
be
my
pick,
but
cream
of
so
you
won’t
mushroom, or parsnip and pear, or roasted
accompany
cauliflower
entertain
starters.
and A
complement Lapsang
leek smoky
any
of
Souchong
are
all
greater
flavour
would
these
can
be
choices,
but
overwhelming
for some. It has that potent diesel or piney
need
your and
a
soup,
delight
lot
of
and with
tea
you a
to can
varied
presentation. Use every teacup, wineglass, tumbler,
goblet,
flute
you
have,
switching
them up at each course. Keep it merry and bright!
Festive Feast: Turkey Dinner We come to our main meal. I have strong notions about how
a
traditional
involve
a
lot
of
brussel
sprouts
turkey
dinner
gravy,
creamy,
roasted
in
should
duck
rich or
be.
These
mashed
turkey
fat,
notions
potatoes, and
more
gravy.
The typical advice when pairing wine with turkey is to avoid anything
terribly
tannic,
because
that
astringency
is
less
appealing when paired with a drier meat. I go in exactly the opposite direction. That roast—or smoked—turkey breast is accompanied with dark meat, buttery rich stuffing and smothered in gravy. Did I mention gravy?
I want something a bit sharp to cut through all that fat. Two
teas
work
well
here:
a
traditional
Darjeeling
or
a
Golden Garden (low elevation) Ceylon tea. Both mediumbodied with a mouth-puckering finish. I prefer the Ceylon for its malt essence and
hint of smokiness, but either can
handle the full flavour profile of a turkey dinner.
If you are less gravy and more cranberry (try my Perfect Cranberry Sauce or Fresh Cranberry Salsa), you might want something more mouth-coating than pucker-inducing. For a meal that is comprised of roasted mini-potatoes, steamed greens or lemony, herbed root vegetables roasted in olive oil, Pai Mu Tan will tame these brighter flavours and lighter textures.
The
buttery
mouthfeel
lingers,
softening
acidic
notes. With its peppery finish, this is my favourite tea to pair with turkey sans gravy. Or for a bolder take, a hearty Wuji Mountain oolong, with its toasted, wood-chip notes, will do nicely here. The campfire flavour stands up to any roasted
vegetables,
smoked turkey.
and
pairs
exceptionally
well
with
Oh Bring Us: Dessert Christmas dessert tends to break down into
brew, Keemun has chocolatey, smoky notes
two camps. The old British standards, highly
that
spiced and full of dried fruit and molasses:
chocolate, and is not intimidated by spice
gingerbread,
or sugary, boozy sauces.
pudding,
sticky
rum
toffee
raisin
pudding,
bread
plum
bring
out
the
best
in
nuts
and/or
pudding,
Christmas cake. Of course, a highly spiced
Another
pumpkin pie (or cheesecake) still makes an
the
appearance, as does an equally aromatic
our Canadian tea retailers create for this
apple pie, or a rich pecan pie. The other
season. These seasonal delights match the
direction
spices in your cup to those on your plate,
is
usually
chocolate,
chocolate
obvious
many
and more chocolate. Chocolate with candy
amplifying
cane,
hazelnut,
blends
salted
caramel.
encompass rumballs
a
coconut, What
dessert
and
marzipan,
tea
could
table
spiced
or
possibly
that
poached
pairing
beautiful
the
filled
would
Christmas
seasonal with
be
one
blends
theme.
that
There
cinnamon,
of
are
cloves,
allspice, ginger, orange, cranberry, as well
offers
as some more unusual ingredients like rum
pears,
and nutmeg. There are teas that invoke the
alongside a shot of eggnog?
profile
of
eggnog
mulled
wine.
You
or can
pumpkin match
spice,
your
tea
or to
Keemun is the perfect tea to handle them
your dessert, or your dessert to your tea, as
all. A hearty, versatile, crowd-pleasing
you please.
Wrap It Up in a Bow Play with these suggestions to design a tea
and
tasting
tomorrow
flavours delight
menu in your
that
your
highlights
holiday
loved
ones,
meal. type
the
many
Then, up
to
menu
cards. Or prepare a quick word to describe
to
again,
holidays. all
but
You
together
for
one
in
may the
evening
wake same you’ll
up
house have
transformed your dining area into a winter feasting hall.
the pairing when serving each course. And you’ll have shown that tea can elevate Raise a toast to tea, to fine food, to family,
each Christmas dish, making room for new
to everyone who is checking in on Zoom,
traditions among the old.
STEEPED IN TRADITION: Teaching kids about the world through stories of tea by Denyse Waissbluth
In
2010,
Singapore
hosted
the
inaugural
Youth Olympics. Based on traditions of the Olympics,
the
more
3,500
than
games
brought
youth
from
together
204
country
for 12 days of international multi-sport and cultural events.
In
addition
others
to
athletes,
gathered
spectators, work.
the
I
in
supporters
was
hired
Singapore or
as
thousands
a
in
my
as
case
writer
to
of
to
cover
gymnastics.
Singapore
marked
assignment event
at
following
Olympics
and
my
third
media
an
international
sporting
the
Beijing
Summer
2008
Vancouver
2010
Winter
Olympics. While
Singapore
international
was
sporting
not
event
(I
my
last
worked
at
major events in Oman, London and Delhi) something
about
my
time
in
Singapore
stuck. The tea. Among the sights and smells that attacked One
evening
after
the
official
sports
my senses, I noticed one vendor in make-
program had finished, I ventured to a local
shift
night
liquid
market.
Ramadan,
It
and
was
during
families
the
were
month
of
crowding
in
the bustling market breaking their fast.
metal back
stall and
pouring forth
a
hot,
between
steamy
two
cups.
Almost acrobatically he poured the liquid faster and faster, further and further apart.
A
family
seated
near-by
noticed
my
interest and invited me to join them. They introduced
me
to
curious
drink
that
was
the
common
language
that
opened
the door to meaningful connections.
had
captured my attention: Teh Tarik. Meaning
Beyond
“pulled tea” – the hot drink is made with
encounter
strong
experiencing this sense of “tea” all of my
milk.
black
tea,
Originating
popular
in
Indonesia.
spices in
condensed
Malaysia,
countries The
and
like
it’s
also
Singapore
acrobatic-like
pouring
the
more just
exotic,
global
described,
I’d
tea been
life.
and not
My
introduction
only results in a crowd-pleasing spectacle,
hospitality
but gives the tea a rich frothiness.
connection was
very
and
to a
and
tea
as
a
gateway
openness
young.
My
means
to
inclusion,
started
first
of
when
memories
I
of
Over a cup of Teh Tarik and many mouth-
teatime are from my grandparent’s farm in
watering
rural
Singaporean
delights,
we
spent
Manitoba
pot
strong,
cultures,
green tea) was always steeping, ready to
and
beliefs.
I
eventually
of
black
lives
(which
a
over an hour talking. We talked about our traditions,
tea
where
evolved
into
learnt more about the country I was visiting
welcome guests.
like the pride in diversity over Singapore’s
.
four official languages; their love of food
We would gather around a rustic, wooden
and
farm
abundant
access
to
good
quality,
table,
usually
accompanied
grandma’s
because
of
sucre à la crème and indulge in tea and
cultivate
their
limited
own);
and,
capacity of
to
course,
I
cinnamon
buns
my
affordable food (most of which is imported their
homemade
by
or
conversation.
learned about their tea. While I was too young to drink the tea, I The smell of the kerosene oil burning in the
was as much a part of the party as any one
market and my first taste of that deliciously
of
sweet tea will be forever engrained in my
around the long table. What struck me the
mind
most was that teatime acted as a gateway
and
taste
buds,
but
there
was
something oddly familiar about the setting.
to
my
aunts,
hospitality
uncles
and
or
cousins
hours
of
gathered
fascinating
conversation. This memory stayed with me While the Youth Olympics in Singapore (or
as
other
While somewhat reserved, I found that tea
Delhi
sporting among
events
others)
in
was
Beijing, the
London,
reason
nations came together – in my case tea
LE B A L I AVA NOW
that
I
was
discovered
a
natural
travel
way
to
as
a
meet
young
new
adult.
people,
learn about new traditions, and that
amazing
stories
(and
friendship)
were
all
part of the cultural tea journey.
the
hostess
patient,
serving
explaining
tea
all
was
of
the
especially rituals
and
values associated with Chinese tea culture. It was because of these influences both in
One
my
now souvenirs) was my introduction to tea
personal
when
and
studying
professional
for
my
Master’s
life
that
Degree
in
of
my
most
luck
period in China—I focused my study on tea
foot” today.
a
cultural
and
anthropological
to
Fast
better
while
my
host
(and
tea
service.
I
still
have
my
“lucky
lens.
While in China, I used tea as a means of understanding
memories
pet – a small figurine said to bring good
International Communications—with a study
from
precious
country,
forward on
several
maternity
with
been
adapted
to
reflect different cultural beliefs and values
academic
around the world.
and
indulge
decided As part of my immersion into tea culture, I
suited
organized
curiosity
where
a
trip
China’s
located.
Guided
to
Hangzhou,
national by
an
tea
Zhejiang
museum
American
is
idols in
that
for
a
and
like new no
Professor and
I
research,
Lee
favourite
audience
book the
my
son,
reference papers, journals, books from my
has
re-read
my
and
looked
tea
to
2007,
made
how
time
leave
to
where tea originated, and more broadly I at
the
years
about
marvels
of
was
Joliffe teas.
I
better
acceptance, tea
than
a
child.
student,
who had been in Hangzhou for five years
From that, the idea of Teatime Around the
completing her Master’s in Tea Agriculture,
World
and spoke fluent Mandarin, I was treated
friendship)
to her favourite teahouses and markets. I
different
recall one teahouse in particular, where
most is how a seemingly simple book of
was
born: as
a
story
seen
cultures.
about
through
What
tea
the
shocked
(and
eyes me
of the
only a few hundred words could take on a
And as seen through the eyes of the child,
life of its own. Between the edits, expert
your next adventure may be within as easy
review,
reach as a book, new type of tea, or tea
illustrations,
and
publishing
process, which spanned two years, tea did
party waiting to be had.
what is so often does: it changes you.
While
the
book
is
rated
for
4
to
8-year-
olds, with both a simple rhyming text that offers from
a
glimpse
around
the
into
different
world,
along
traditions with
short
sidebars to provide additional context – I hope it’s a book that children (of all ages) will enjoy.
Despite current world circumstances, which have greatly inhibited our mobility - travel and connection are still very much within reach. If my journey with tea has taught me anything farm the
in
so
far,
rural
Savoy
from
my
Manitoba,
in
London,
grandparent’s
afternoon or
sitting
tea
at
cross-
legged at a carpet shop in Delhi, enjoying a cup of chai over a friendly sales pitch, it’s
that
bound mind.
to
connection an
exotic
and
place,
learning it’s
Ways tea can support cultural learning with little ones:
a
isn’t
state
of
Host an international tea party for the little ones in your life. Feature different tea cups, pots, accessories and foods that represent different cultures, or explore on theme/culture more closely. Talk to the children about why they think. How would they celebrate tea time if they had to create a tradition? Berry and other herbal teas can be a great way to allow children to take part – caffeine free. This can be equally fun as a virtual gathering. For more ideas, visit the Companion Guide for Teacher and Parents: Teatime Around the World.
When it comes to making gifts for tea lovers,
Tea cozies are okay, but... by Adi Baker
the
inevitable
tea
cozy
comes
to
mind.
Chances are you and your fellow #BrewCrew have
more
tea
cozies
than
they
could
ever
use. So, I'd like to share some tea themed DIY gifts
that
will
be
a
sure
hit
with
the
tea
obsessed and those who have a taste for the cozier things in life.
Some
of
the
projects
are
more
suited
to
gifting to the people you have chosen to be in your
bubble
include
a
this
few
year,
that
but
can
I've
easily
made be
sure
to
mailed
to
those you will only be able to meet on Zoom or FaceTime for this year's holiday season.
Let's get creating!
Tea Quote Canvas Art " Each cup of tea represents an imaginary voyage. " Catherine Douzel
It is likely that you have come across a quote before that has left a mark on you. Share your favourite quote about tea. What you need: Mounted canvas (find at an art supply store or even the dollar store) Acrylic paint Paintbrushes
What you'll do: 1. Choose a quote. 2. Plan where your quote will go on the canvas. This is an important step. You need
to
plan
where
each
line
and
onto
the
word will fit. 3. Before canvas
painting
the
you
going
abstract Try
are
design
splattering
in
quote
the
paint
to
create
an
background. or
creating
abstract shapes. Keep it light in colour so that the quote will be legible. 4. Let background dry. 5. Paint quote. 6. Let fully dry before wrapping.
A pillow with a soothing scent and light weight to help you drift off to sleep. What you need: 1 1/2 cups whole flax seed 4
tea
bags
sleepytime
or
tea
4
teaspoons
blend
of
(ideally
a
with
lavender in it) 1/4 meter fabric (cotton) sewing
supplies
(scissors,
needle,
thread or sewing machine)
What you'll do: 1. Fold fabric in half and trace out a rectangle (24cm x 12cm) 2. Cut rectangle out. Since it was folded in
half
you
should
have
2
identical
pieces. 3. Laying one piece over the other, pin both
long
sides
and
one
short
side
together. 4. Using
a
"running
stitch"
sew
the
3
pinned sides, about 1 cm from edge. Tie a knot in the thread when done. 5. Now
that
the
2
sides
are
sewn
together, turn the case inside out. The raw seams will be on the inside. 6. In a bowl, blend flax seed and tea
Sleepy Time Tea Dream Pillow
together. 7. Pour flax blend into the bag. Don't fill the bag completely full. There needs to be a little empty room to allow the eye pillow to mold to your face. 8. On the open side of the bag, fold the raw edges in. 9. Using a "running stitch", sew the open sides together to seal the bag closed. Knot thread.
"YOU CAN'T USE UP CREATIVITY. THE MORE YOU USE, THE MORE YOU HAVE." -Maya angelou
Tea Origin Stories The world of tea has some of the most amazing origin myths that lend an extra layer of specialness to your favourite teas. What you need: Select a few teas that have an origin myth
(psssst...
head
over
to
our
Instagram and scroll through some of our
December
posts
to
get
inspiration). Small
tins
or
mason
jars
(approx.
125mL) Cardstock or index cards Ribbon Pen Hole punch
What you'll do: 1. Fill
each
jar
with
a
different
tea.
Screw lid on. 2. Write
the
name
of
the
tea
or
tea
write
the
blend on the cardstock. 3. On
the
back
of
the
card
origin story. 4. Punch a hole in the card. 5. Using the ribbon, tie the story card to the tin or jar.
A candle is always a welcome gift. These DIY candles include blending in your favourite tea. What you need: Small glass jars (approx. 125 mL) Candle
wicks
(select
the
ones
with
the metal base already attached) Soy wax pellets Pot
to
melt
wax
in
(either
an
old
unused pan or pick up a cheap one at a thrift store) Hot glue gun Clothes pins Tea (select blends that have different coloured
ingredients
in
it,
as
it
will
look very pretty)
What you'll do: 1. Melt soy wax pellets on stove (follow the directions on the pack). 2. While the wax is melting you will need to glue metal base of each candle wick to the bottom of each jar. 3. When wax has melted stir in loose tea (approx. 1 tsp per 125 mL jar you are filling). 4. Pour
blend
into
jar,
leaving
2cm
space from top of jar.
Teatime Tea Blend Candles
5. Using a clothes pin, clamp the top of the candle wick in the centre of the clothes pin. If you don't do this step, the wick will fall to the side and not be centred. 6. Let candles set and harden. 7. Once candles are hardened, you can put the lids on the jars and label how you choose.
Nepalese Tea: Climbing to the Top of the World by Jeni Dodd
On April 6, 2018, a group of international tea buyers, producers, and distributors attending the Nepal Tea 3rd International Tea Festival boarded
a
Kathmandu.
Nepal From
Army
there,
helicopter
they
Everest, the top of the world.
flew
to
in Mt.
In the thin air
of the highest peak in the world, this group witnessed a monumental step for Nepalese tea. After more than a decade of effort, the National Tea and Coffee Development Board of
Nepal
(�NTCDB�)
indicate
quality
unveiled
and
orthodox Nepali tea.
social
the
logo
to
standards
of
On September 22nd,
2020, the NTCDB granted the first licenses allowing
use
forty-two producers
of
the
logo
applicant in
Nepal
to
twelve
tea who
out
of
processors/
had
met
these
standards.
At the logo unveiling, the NTCDB announced the new code of standards anyone in the tea sector
must
meet
in
order
to
obtain
the
license to use the logo on their products. The
code of conduct is detailed in the Nepali
The
Orthodox
record keeping of pruning, weeding and
Tea
Certification
Implementation standards codes
are
of
health
not
aspect
processing
environmental states
cover
sanitation
and
2017.
These
comprehensive.
conduct
and
handling
Directive,
Trademark
and
Mr.
but
social
garden the
of
management
logo
license
Tea
management, soil fertility.
of
the
code
that
for
producers
of
leaf
standards.
allowed
chemicals and pesticides.
use
of
trained
well
as
in
are
organic
instruction
on
These types of requirements
consumers
business
and
producers
serve not only as an assurance for buyers
speak specifically to field maintenance, quality
as
code,
To
agriculture technology, disease and pest
and
elements
obtained.
the
education are
keep
required
National
be
once
to
tea
Khanal,
to
order
of
aspects,�
the
in
daily
comply
also
with
requires
the
and Coffee.
There
conduct
just
Deepak
Director/Spokesperson,
“The
code
but
also
local
how
practices
to
operate
Nepali
farmers/
implement
that
as
meet
better global
For instance,
in order to utilize the logo, the plucking
The
standard must be two leaves and a bud.
regulations not only for growers, but also
Green
processors,
leaf
processing
must center
be
delivered
within
eight
to
a
hours
code
of
conduct
packagers
incorporates
and
distributors.
Requirements encompass details of how
after plucking and not stored anywhere
tea
near chemicals or in a shadowed area.
glass or fragile items in the processing
The
code
materials leaves
also
are
into
sanitation.
details
accepted in
order
Importantly,
what to
put to
the
types
of
plucked maintain use
unit,
can
be
potable
available,
as
packaged,
prohibition
drinking
water
well
separate
as
must
of
be
male/
female changing rooms and toilets.
of
pesticides prohibited internationally and
In order to maintain compliance for use
in Nepal are not allowed to be used.
of the logo, each step in the chain of
production
must
rely
on
the
previous
entity to meet all of the requirements of the
Code
of
Conduct.
For
instance,
if
one is a tea distributor, and wants to use the
logo;
green
1)
leaf
the is
tea
grower
purchased
that
from;
processor that finishes the tea; the
packager
must
all
meet
the
2)
the
and, 3) the
logo
requirements in order for the distributor to lawfully label the tea with the logo. The resulting effect is that transparency in
the
chain
is
necessary
to
use
the
“Nepal Tea Quality for Himalayas� logo. Also,
this
system
production
step
help
other
each
interests
encourages to
work
since
together.
It
it
each
together aligns
really
to work in concert with each other. Code
of
Conduct
The
encourages
cooperation.
tea and
these
does
benefit to each part of the supply chain
no
While
the
Nepali
orthodox
tea
is
a
nascent industry compared to other tea producing
countries,
this
posture
of
good for a tea grower to maintain the
working
logo
distributor
growing and production in a respectful
the
way
requirements
cannot Likewise,
sell a
the
if
tea
processor
the with
cannot
logo.
use
the
together
has
production.
standards.
past
In this manner, it is to the
always
philosophy
logo if the grower does not maintain the
for As
Tea
(HOTPA), Himalayan Limited
Mr.
the
of
the
Producers
(HIMCOOP)
the
tea
Chapagain, Himalayan Association
President
Producers
tea
manifest
orthodox
Udaya
founding Tea
improving
been the
President
Orthodox
and
of
Co-operative
marketing
wing
of HOTPA, as well as owner of Gorkha Tea Estate, remarks
the twenty thousand
plus small tea producers in Nepal nurture the bushes as their children. HIMCOOP developed a mission and vision of four pillars in Nepali tea:
1. Respect towards nature 2. Respect towards human 3. Respect towards production system 4. Respect towards quality
The implementation of the logo supports this mission.
Implementing logo standards and issuing
Champagne.
While
licenses
bubbly
only
bubbles can
based
on
those
standards
wine,
moves the Nepali tea industry closer to
Champagne
region
securing
Champagne.
This
market.
a
place
in
the
global
tea
When we look to other sectors,
it is clear that establishing standards of quality with an embedded philosophy for utilizing
a
launch
logo/
a
mark
can
reputation
geography.
effectively
based
on
The most obvious example is
the French AOC system.
The
AOC
meaning
designation
of
certification
d'origine
the
origin")
"controlled
is
granted
agricultural
and
has
reputation
can
have
from be
the
called
increased
of
a
these
the
items.
Bottles of Champagne cost on average double
the
price
of
sparkling
wine.
Clearly, maintaining strict standards for the
for
the
earning
AOC
mark
potential
of
increases
the
growers
the and
producers.
(appellation
contrôlée)
value
one
a
to
products
French indicate
of
certain
That is the hope for Nepalese tea sold with
the
“Nepal
Himalayas” Chairman of
Tea
Quality
logo. of
Mr.
Specialty
Nepal
Raju
Tea
(STAN),
from
the
Limbu,
Association
the
umbrella
geographic like wine, cheese, butter etc.
organization of Nepali small tea farmers
In
says,
order
to
producer
utilize
must
the
meet
and requirements.
designation,
certain
a
standards
The AOC designation
“if
strongly, gain
in
the
logo
definitely global
is
implemented
Nepalese
market
and
it
tea
will
will
also
assures consumers the products they are
enhance the quality of tea due to global
purchasing
standardization.”
are
from
that
region
and
embody the qualities of that distinguish that area. the
The designation also protects
growers
regions
and from
producers
in
inauthentic
these
products
In
a
market
choices
with
and
so
many
competing
high-quality
products,
creating a brand identity and presence
capitalizing on their reputation and hard
is
work.
carving a segment of the market just for
The
standards
are
strictly
a
necessity
for
Nepalese
an
standards that are required in order to
without
standards
is
meeting
an
illegal
the
requisite
act
that
is
punishable.
tea
industry.
So,
The first French law regarding AOC was
defends
codified
come from Nepal.
1905,
despite
AOC
tracing back to the 1400s.
origins
The result of
the
markets
of the standards has led to the elevation
asserts,
“it
in
traders
and
global
market
of
items
Roquefort cheese, Cognac and
like
and
the
both
special
the
promotes
tea
that
can
logo and only
“This is our identity, it
will increase our access to the large tea
the codification and strict enforcement
the
logo
license the logo also protect the Nepali
implementation
in
The
and
enforced and utilizing the AOC logo of area
Tea.
distinguishing
globally,” is
good the
Mr. for
the
country.”
Chapagain producers, There
has
been a history of tea from Nepal being
blended
into
other
receiving
the
credit
logo
help
will
bring
origins it
and
deserves.
awareness
to
not
producers have been granted the ability
The
to
the
with the mark of “Nepal Tea Quality from
quality and flavor of tea from Nepal.
the
use
the
logo
and
Himalayas”.
This
identify
their
moment
tea
signifies
one further step ahead in the trek of the Still,
challenges
Mainali,
remain.
President
Association
and
As
of
owner
Mr.
Kamal
Nepal of
Tea
Himalayan
tea industry in Nepal to climb to their, in my
opinion,
deserved
place
of
highly
esteemed teas in the global tea market.
Shangri-La Tea Estate, says “the logo is
Mr.
good
them
using the logo is about climbing Mount
that they are getting tea from Nepal that
Everest from Base Camp. We must reach
is close to organic and also shows social
the
standards.
quality standards."
for
buyers
And,
because
it
is
it
good
tells
for
farmers
Chapagain
peak
by
recognizes
continuously
that
“that
meeting
the
because they can get higher prices but until buyers become aware of what the
Mr.
logo means, the value is not there yet.”
think of what my Sherpa said to me while
Therefore, educating buyers as to what
trekking through the Mustang region of
the
Nepal,
logo
means
is
essential
to
the
success of the demarcation.
Chapagain’s
unveiling, the first of Nepali tea
bisteri”,
makes
meaning
me
slowly,
slowly but surely you will reach your goal.
After nearly two and half years since the
“bisteri,
observation
favourite tea books by Karen Donnelly Certified TAC Tea Sommelier® Professional
Listening
to
an
interview
Banskota,
founder
of
with
Nepal
Tea
Nishchal llc,
I
was
struck by a memory he related on something his
father
(owner
of
Kanchanjangha
Tea
Estate and Research Center, Nepal) said to him – that “it is very easy to get into a tea business, For
but
those
it’s of
researching, speaking
very us
difficult
in
buying,
and
rings
something
new
so to
this
get
our
love
true.
learn
it
of
teaching,
of
There
and
out.”
business
blending,
sharing
statement
to
tea, is
this
always
never
gets
old.
If
you
have
magic
that
found is
yourself
tea,
there
drawn are
into
many
the well
written books out there that will help you in your journey to appreciate the second most consumed
beverage
in
the
world.
I
own
dozens of books in hardcover, on my Kindle and
as
audiobooks.
Several
books
I
read
over and over and I am always on the hunt for new books on tea. Here are just a very few of my old favorites.
The Story of Tea: A Cultural History and Drinking Guide
true
story
danger,
of
history,
memories
Mary Lou Heiss and Robert J. Heiss (Ten Speed Press)
adventure, local
re-told,
generous
and
hospitality.
All
interwoven with tea. I was
2007
hooked
from
the
Green Gold: The Empire of Tea by Alan MacFarlane & Iris MacFarlane (The Overlook Press) 2004
first Not
If
you
are
thorough
looking
book
for
that
a
will
take you from bush to cup including growing regions, production styles, customs, culture health benefits and cooking with tea, this is it. The Heiss’ have been well traveled
tea
merchants
book
is
reference looking
a
wonderful
book
to
for
those
expand
their
knowledge of tea.
The Ancient Tea Horse Road: A 5,000 km Adventure Fueled by Tea
growing tea
re-reading
written,
with
a
well-chosen
team of local experienced guides
(and
friends),
Fuchs
became
the
Jeff first
westerner
to
ancient
trade
route
through
China,
Tibet,
Nepal, over
and
the
India.
1,000
through
important horses
20th
Horse in
and
this
In
years
the
Tea
travel
tea
ago
century,
Road
the
use
Assam Alan
kind
of
takes
us
why
tea
became
second
most
popular
descriptive, beverage in the world (No
unforgettable phasing that other book I have read on makes you feel you part of tea outlines it the way he this journey. does)
and
the
British
role
in establishing tea gardens
Darjeeling: The Colorful History and Precarious Fate of the World’s Greatest Tea
in India. I must admit that I
by Jeff Koehler (Bloomsbury
easy to listen to this book
USA) 2015
over and over again!
Darjeeling tea is one of my teas
added
so to
this my
book
library
This
story
politics
of
history,
and
unique
processing methods added to
my
enjoyment
of
gardens
highlighted Glenburn
were including
and
Makaibari
whose teas are included in the
Greenhalgh
inventory.
book. the
I
love
the
narrator
voice
making
it
of so
Tea: History Terroirs VarietiesCulinary Tea: More Than 150 Recipes Steeped in Tradition from Around the World by Cynthia Gold and Lise Stern (Running Press) 2010
this
very special tea. Different tea
have this also as an audio
Tea
If
you
would
like
to
experience your tea as an ingredient
in
cooking
and
baking, and as a beverage paired with food like wine, this
book
is
a
wonderful
resource. Taking you on an inspirational
journey
that
of
will
change
how
other
you
was
trade
and
an
with
immediately upon release.
and
of
sections.
the the
was
planning
on
plantation,
through Beautifully
Group Canada) 2008
in
up
MacFarlane and
favorite
years
memoir
myself picking this book up
by Jeff Fuchs (Penguin
Three
the
book in one day. I still find
since the early 1990’s and their
only
sentence and finished this
commodities. A well-told,
that
food.
will
look
at
preparing
18
HAPPY
holidays by Shabnam Weber
The holidays this year look vastly different for most of us. In some areas that means smaller gatherings and in others it means staying within your own house only. For me, the Christmas holidays are the happiest time of the year and I'm certainly not going to let a pandemic get in the way of that! Whether you're with a smaller group of family and friends or even if you have to be alone, making Christmas special is still a reality, if only you choose to. A large feast may not be in the cards this year, but adding special touches to your table is something each of us can do. The following menu can suit a small group or even a table for one. The objective here is to do the things that will spark your joy! And yes, even you alone are worth a three course meal.
JOY
only
make
good
food
You don't need a silver fork to eat good food. Paul Prudhomme
What you'll need:
Cranberry Walnut
1 (8-ounce) wheel brie cheese 2 tbsp brown sugar, packed For Topping:
Baked Brie
1 tsp loose or 1 teabag Cranberry Fruit tea (substitute with your favourite fruit tea) 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed 3 tbsp maple syrup 1 tbsp unsalted butter 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon 1 tsp orange zest 1/2 cup chopped walnuts 1/4 cup dried cranberries
What you'll do:
Preheat oven to 350 F. Brew tea in 1/2 cup boiled water, allow to steep for 15 minutes, remove tea. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine brewed tea, brown sugar, maple syrup, butter, cinnamon and orange zest. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, about 1-2 minutes. Stir in walnuts and cranberries, lower temperature to keep warm. Place brie on a rimmed baking sheet or a cast iron skillet; sprinkle with brown sugar. Place into oven and bake until softened, (12-15 min). Remove from heat/oven. Serve brie warm topped with walnut/cranberry mixture/. Serve with crackers or a baguette.
Orange tea glazed
Cornish Hen with Pu-Ehr
Mushroom Stuffing
What I love most about serving cornish hen is that it's as easy to make for one as it is for six. I don't think this recipe has ever failed me and I've made many variations of it. If you're trying to create Christmas tradition without buying a big turkey, this is your best solution. Don't skip the brining stage, it really makes a difference to your end product. And who knows, you may love this so much, you'll never make a turkey again!
Orange Tea
Glazed Cornish Hen What you'll need:
Brine: 1/4 cup Kosher salt 1/3 cup honey 3 garlic cloves 1/2 tbsp black pepper 1 tsp. ground mustard 1 tsp. onion powder 2 quarts of water 1/2 cup orange juice 6 tsp loose or 6 teabags black tea 2 Cornish games hens Glaze: 2 cups orange juice ½ cup soy sauce ½ cup honey ¼ cup Dijon mustard 2 teaspoons ground ginger freshly ground black pepper to taste
What you'll do:
Make ahead: Combine all ingredients for brine in a pot and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and cool. Pour brine over cornish hens in a resealable bag. Close tightly and place in refrigerator overnight. Remove cornish hens from brine and place in roasting pan. Preheat oven to 450F. Meanwhile, mix orange juice, soy sauce, honey, 1/4 cup Dijon mustard, ginger, and black pepper together in a bowl. Roast hens in the preheated oven for 50 minutes. Brush hens with glaze and roast for 5 more minutes. Flip hens, brush with more glaze, and roast until meat is no longer pink in the center, about 5 more minutes. A thermometer inserted near the bone should read 165F.
Pu-Ehr Mushroom Stuffing
You can make this stuffing separately and serve it on the side of your cornish hens OR you can make it ahead and stuff your hens before they go in the oven. You can also replace wild rice with your favourite type. I find that wild rice makes this recipe a little more special. My most favourite part of this stuffing however, are the mushrooms - the more varieties you can find, the better. There is a world beyond white button mushrooms and cooked with Pu-Ehr, they are magical. What you'll need: 1 cup wild rice 2 1/4 cups vegetable broth 2tsp loose or 2 teabags PuEhr tea 1 tbsp olive oil 1 large yellow onion , chopped 3 celery stalks , chopped 2 garlic cloves , minced 8 ounces mushrooms , sliced (mix varieties) 3 tbsp fresh chopped sage 1 tbsp fresh chopped thyme salt and pepper to taste
What you'll do:
If using loose tea, place it in a cheese cloth. Combine the rice, tea and vegetable broth in a large saucepan, bring the mixture to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer and cover for 35-40 minutes, cooking until the broth is completely absorbed. Remove tea. While the rice is cooking, heat the olive oil in a large deep pan over medium heat and saute the onion and celery until tender. Add garlic, mushrooms, sage, thyme, and salt, and saute another 8 to 10 minutes, until the mushrooms are tender. Combine the cooked rice and mushroom mixture.
This is the power of gathering: it inspires us delightfully, to be more hopeful, more joyful, more thougtful: in a word, more alive. Alice Waters
Matcha Cheesecake
I much prefer portioning my desserts individually. It not only makes for a cleaner presentation, but it will serve as many or as few people as you need. I collect fancy glass yoghurt jars and keep them for a recipe just like this. Small mason jars work well too.
What you'll need:
What you'll do:
The bottom:
The bottom: Melt the butter. Stir in graham cracker
3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
crumbs. Spoon enough crumb into each jar to fill 1/3 of
1 tbsp sugar
the bottom.
Filling:
Filling: Using a mixer whip the cold heavy cream into
1 cup (240ml) heavy cream
stiff peaks on medium-high speed, about 3-4 minutes.
8-ounce block (224g) cream cheese,
Set aside. Using a mixer beat the cream cheese, sugar,
softened to room temperature
sour cream, lemon juice, matcha and vanilla extract
1/3 cup sugar
together on medium-high speed until smooth and
2 tbsp sour cream, at room temperature
creamy. Using a rubber spatula, fold the whipped cream
1 tsp lemon juice
gently into the cheesecake filling until combined. Fill jars
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
with mixture to almost the top and refrigerate. for at
1/2 tsp Matcha
least an hour. Top with your favourite fruit when ready to
Your favourite fruit garnish
serve.
happiness is... mulled wine in winter
TEA MULLED WINE What you'll need:
1 (750 ml) bottle of dry red wine 4 tsp loose or 4 teabags Assam black tea 1 orange, sliced into rounds 8 whole cloves 2 cinnamon sticks 2–4 tbsp maple syrup to taste (depending how sweet you like your mulled wine) 1/4 cup brandy Garnishes: citrus slices (orange, lemon and/or lime), extra cinnamon sticks What you'll do:
If using loose leaf tea, place in cheesecloth. Combine all ingredients in a large pot and bring to a gentle simmer. You want your mulled wine to be warm but not to burn off the alcohol. Reduce heat and allow to steep for at least an hour. Strain liquid and return to heat on low. Serve in clear heatproof glass and garnish as desired.
Everyone claims credit for having created this recipe. Glühwein, vino caliente, glögg, vin
brulé,
bisschopswijn,
vin
chaud,
candola, vinho quente are just some of the names this delightful hot beverage is called. I say danke, merci, grazie, gracias, tak, bedankt to all! Because there is nothing that quite spells winter and warmth and JOY than a hot cup of mulled wine.
TEA SOMMELIER?
A trained and knowledgeable tea professional who has successfully completed the Tea and Herbal Association of Canada’s certification examination, as a result, is well versed on all aspects of tea as it affects the consumer. He or she will have a thorough understanding of tea and its history, processing methods and preparation and will be able to interact easily with anyone on the subject of tea and make recommendations based on their needs in an approachable and easy manner.
WHERE ARE
COURSES OFFERED? Students can take the program in person through Tea & Herbal Association of Canada (Toronto & Vancouver), through Cambridge Tea Academy (UK). As well, courses are available online through the Academy of Tea, ProTea Academy in Italian and at Escuela Mexicana de Té in Spanish.
LEARN MORE AT TEASOMMELIER.COM
TEA SOMMELIER COURSES
WHAT IS A
The Musings of a "Tea Man": the bump on the road by Indi Khanna
Indi Khanna's life has been tea.
He has lived
and breathed tea for 45 years.
To say he is
a fascinating treasure trove of stories, would be a gross understatement. writing
his
thoughts
and
Indi
has
memories
been
for
the
past few months, and we thought we would share one with you. Khanna, explore
make not
beautiful (
sure
only teas
teanteas.com
If you don't know Indi you
visit
his
stories
of
the
and
Tea'N'Teas,
but
also
Tea
the
Studio
teastudio.info).
I’m terrible with dates. While I need to shovel loads
of
fish
remember
even
down my
my
date
gullet of
to
birth,
simply
the
one
date which is firmly etched in my memory is the 1st of January 1978.
I
was
a
young
pudian
(green
horn)
SD
on
Panniar Estate in the High Ranges in Kerala. An
area
teeming
with
elephants
so
that
hardly a day went by when one, while going around the estate, didn’t bump into at least a couple of the pachyderms.
The SOP was
straightforward, you see a fellow, you simply swivel your bike 1800 and head post-haste in
the
opposite
whenever which
they
was
turned
a
on
direction.
Workers,
encountered
elephants,
regular
their
heels
feature, or
either
else
ducked
about enough time for us to get back to the estate in time for muster.
The club
on new year’s eve (besides other big bashes and inter-district meets through
under the nearest tea bush and stayed
the year) was very pucca.
put
resplendent in their best saris and all the
till
the
gentle
across.
Perfect
cohabitation. tale
giant(s)
was,
waiting
The
in
in
days,
wings
ambled
harmony
man/animal
those
the
had
to
conflict
unknown be
and
played
Ladies
men in formal attire – dinner jackets or ‘bandh gala coats’.
and out
many decades later.
The accepted form back in the day was that, following the New Years dance and dinner,
on
Back in the day the High Range Club was
attended
always buzzing and VERY active.
work
With
the district encompassing 26 estates, 23
the
muster,
and
could
1st
of
January
allocated then
the
could
one day’s
take
it
somewhat easy through the day.
Tata Finlay (now KDHP) properties and 3 belonging to Malayalam Plantations (of
I digress.
which
day of the new year.
company,
I
as
an
Assistant
So back to 1978 and the first
Superintendent, was a teeny-weeny cog in
the
machinery)
covenanted enough
to
staff ensure
the
in
strength
the
that
district
the
club
of
Leaving
the
club
post
a
hearty
dosa
was
breakfast, still in my formal dinner attire,
was
I
always alive and kicking.
rode
into
Panniar
just
in
morning muster at 7 a.m.
time
for
my
As the workers
trickled in, they were assigned their work Never more so than on New Year’s eve.
for
Which next
‘evening’
morning
traditionally
with
an
early
the
day
ended
the
allocated
0500
Hrs
which
breakfast of dosas, leaving one just
and
fields.
time
headed Around
normally
all
off
to
0800 the
Hrs,
the by
workers
should have reported for work, my
conductor Balia he
–
Mr
always
found
single
Balia
it
Mr
(Incidentally
Balia)
rather
worker
come in for work.
remarked
strange
from
the
NEVER
that
No.5
that
not
line
Odd indeed.
a
robbed off the juicy cane, the tusker had trumpeted and raising his trunk to its full height,
had
charged
towards
the
lines
had
and had likely tripped and fallen over to
So I got
end up sitting on the road in the position
on to my bike and heading off towards
he was in.
the lines.
egged on by Mr Balia, one of the workers
Nearing the lines I noticed a
In all the pandemonium and
whole lot of workers and kids sitting on
finally
the
me
down from the roof and approached the
shouldn’t
elephant with a large rock in his hand,
roofs
they
of
their
started
come
any
houses.
shouting
further
Seeing
that
since
I
there
was
an
elephant sitting in the middle of road.
got
picked
close
up
courage,
enough
and
clambered
threw
the
rock
which simply bounced off the elephants back with not so much as a twitch from
Did
a
quick
about
turn
and
drove
up
the mastodon.
That gave all the others,
instead to the main office which was on
including me, the guts to approach the
the hillock opposite the No.5 lines, from
fellow.
where I could also sight the road leading
tension
up
across through his mouth above his lower
to
the
lines.
Sure
enough,
there
it
was – this huge fellow sprawled across
Which is when we saw the high cable
firmly
lodged,
running
lip and him obviously dead!
the road with his massive head slightly raised
off
tusks.
the
On
shouted since
ground,
being
back
position.
asked,
that
midnight As
resting
in to
he
the
had
exactly why
on
his
workers
By
this
who
time
was
Rajah
the
Pooviah
acting
(red
arrow)
Superintendent
been
there
since Abid was away on leave, had also
the
same
arrived
everyone
was
on
the
scene.
After
much
discussion we concluded that when the
perched on their roof tops, was told that
big
they
By
which was very high up in the air, had
which time Mr Balia having also arrived
probably hit the electric cable dragging
on the scene, explained to me that the
it
elephant on the road was the same one
with the electric poles on either side of
which
the
were
scared
had
regularly
to
to
been raid
come
visiting
their
down.
the
kitchen
lines
garden
plots for banana and sugar cane which the workers had planted.
fellow
into
his
charged
mouth.
sagging
leaning
the
And
cable
towards
lines,
there
his
it
trunk
stayed
bent
inwards
our
poor
and dead
pachyderm.
Whenever the
workers would hear or see him heading
The
matter
being
their way they would scramble up on to
Divisional
the roof and would start banging on the
almost all the government functionaries
CI sheets to drive the fellow away from
in the district descending upon Panniar
their homes.
leading to two days of a merry-go-round
Forest
reported
Officer
to
resulted
the in
with Rajah being threatened with arrest This particular time, probably fed up of
for
having
being chased off all the time and being
elephant.
wilfully
electrocuted
the
Two
days
of
tension
before
the
DFO
a massive pit was dug across the road
finally accepted that the death was the
just
result
a
tractor fitted with a winch cable and our
district
two lorries were pressed into service to
of
formal
an
accident.
permission
Which
from
led
the
to
authorities to the estate management to
pull
dispose of the carcass.
pit. their
Ever
tried
carcass?
to
dispose
off
a
4
behind
the
the
carcass.
elephant,
Following
dragging
which
respects
The
to
the
it
estate
into
workers
the
the paid
tusker
and
ton
conducted a Puja before the grave was
Easier said than done I assure
covered over, leaving a massive hump in
you.
600 litres of diesel was brought in
the middle of the road.
from
the
the days went by, started settling down.
poor
factory
fellow
distance
a
Whoosh!
and
and
poured
from
burning
rag
a was
over
very
the
Which mound, as
safe
tossed
on.
A cloud of dense black smoke
Fast
forward
Munnar
for
to
some
2018. work
I
had
with
to
visit
KDHP
and
and a massive flame which died away as
decided to pay a visit to my first estate.
quickly
Went up to the office and looked down
as
it
had
erupted.
The
smoke
having cleared we saw that, barring only
into
the hair on the elephants hide which had
prominent
disappeared,
hapless soul, but there it was – the hump
rtotally
the
carcass
unaffected.
itself
After
deliberation and logistical planning
was much
the
valley. as
Yup!
when
Not
we’d
in the middle of the road!
quite
buried
as the
BREW, SIP & GO ON A JOURNEY by Claudia Tse
A few years ago, if someone said I would be a
Certified TAC
Tea Sommelier, I’d probably think it was a joke.
Tea Sommelier® Professional
Don’t get me wrong, I love tea and I am blessed to have grown up with it.
Born
in
a
tea
drinking
culture,
tea
has
always
been around me for as long as I could remember. My
passion
for
tea
was
taken
to
the
next
level
after a trip to Xiamen in 2008. Gongfucha to me used to be outdated and clumsy, so it was such a shock
to
experience
the
tranquility
and
peace
from it when I was served tea in a gongfucha set unexpectedly.
My
curiosity
grew,
I
got
my
first
gaiwan and the rest is history.
Fast forward to 2018, having newly relocated from Asia back to Vancouver, I found myself seeking
comfort even
with
doing Tea
from an
some
and
tea
more
urge
to
research
Herbal
often
dig I
than
ever,
from around the world and be able to feel
deeper.
After
and taste many of them that were outside
landed
Association
onto
of
the
of my comfort zone.
Canada
website. I like that they have connections and members from different parts of the tea industry, and the many roles they have in
tea
advocacy
for
tea
producers
to
consumers, retailers and even government bodies.
The
bonus
is
that
their
tea
program has the flexibility to attend either in person or online.
To be honest, when I signed up to Tea 101, the first of the 8 modules, I did not expect to go through with the entire program to become a Tea Sommelier. My wish was to learn
more
about
non-Chinese
tea
to
broaden my tea horizon with Tea 101, and perhaps
102.
But
before
hooked.
The
focuses
I
knew
from
it
each
I
was
module
are vastly different, and the more I learnt about tea, the more I felt how much more there
was
to
learn
and
explore.
Tea
is
such a simple yet complex subject matter, that
spans
science,
across
health,
gastronomy.
disciplines
history,
Once
I
such
politics
finished
as and
with
the
basics, I couldn’t help but to get a better understanding in sensory, then how could I ignore the scientific make up of tea and its health benefits, then what about food pairing and tea menu design? The list just went
on
signing
and
up
on,
one
and
module
I
found
after
myself
another.
I
was also in a love-hate relationship with all the blind tasting exams at the end of many yet
of
the
modules.
satisfying.
need
to
taste
It
also
tea
It’s
both
taught
with
all
terrifying
me
my
how
I
senses.
I
especially love the fact that I was able to get acquainted with teas
June
2019,
Sommelier Teakan. days
It
midway
through
course,
Janice
and
one
those
was
when
Cultivate
just
we
Tea
were
Shop,
of
my
TAC I
found typical
sipping
chatting
Tea
tea
away
in for
hours and talking about how we wish we could
spread
our
passion
for
tea.
We
absolutely love how tea connects people and
sometimes
friendship.
even
Somehow
leads
that
day,
to
new
we
just
decided we would go ahead and do it. At the
beginning,
account
Teakan
sharing
was
random
simply
bits
and
an
IG
pieces
around tea. We would go for tea sessions and started taking pictures and hope that people would get it. We did make some interesting connections but something felt missing.
Toward the end of the year, the exhibitors
opportunity to test out a concept that we
notice
has often talked about – a tea exploration
for
the
Vancouver
Tea
Festival
came along. I was doing my second last
kit.
module
because we wanted to make it easy and
when
who’s
also
from
Whisk
I
met
based
a
in
fellow
classmate
Vancouver
Premium
–
Matcha.
We
came
Kimmy
accessible
Kimmy
During
for
many
started Whisk Premium Matcha four years
gatherings,
ago
hurdle
with
Matcha
the
from
Started
as
aim
to
Japan an
bring to
online
high
North and
quality
explore
people tea
often
was
at
tea.
many
tea
expressed
the
how
overwhelming
wholesale
were too vast. People also expressed the
not
a
to
concept
and intimating it could be. The selections
Kimmy’s
having
everyone
this
America.
dilemma
of
with
conversations,
about
business, with many pop-ups in between, goal
up
tea
focused
of
liking
wanting
the
idea
to of
try
new
buying
teas
but
unfamiliar
plant-based brick and mortar café finally
teas that might end up taking up kitchen
became
cabinet space.
a
reality
last
May.
After
we
connected we instantly hit it off, perhaps because started Having years, one
of
of
our
talking been
Kimmy the
an
love
for
about
the
exhibitor
mentioned
best
places
it to
tea,
and
tea the
we
When it came to the actual products, we
festival.
knew that we wanted to focus on single
past
was meet
few
probably the
tea
community.
origin
teas,
underrated
as
we
felt
compared
to
they
are
often
all
the
fancy
blends in the market. We strongly believed that
their
stories
of
their
terroir,
producers and fun facts needed to be With no products on hand, we signed up to the tea festival. We saw it as a great
told.
the
With this in mind, our tea exploration kit was created
with
barriers,
by
quality
the
intention
curating
single
a
origins
in
small teas
minimizing
collection
in
a
of
compact
format, so tea lovers could have fun exploring, enjoying
and
sharing
a
variety
of
tea
from
different regions, one batch at a time.
Our
biggest
concer
was
having
nobody
coming to our booth as we were such a new company. Janice and I even brought books in case we needed to kill time. We joked that the worse scenario was to bring home all the tea for
ourselves.
Without
expectation,
it
turned
out to be one of the best two days of our lives. We
loved
seeing
excitement
for
people’s
tea,
their
curiosity
and
enthusiasm
and
appreciation during our tasting, as well as the simple joy of chatting away with them in our little 2 seat 'tea bar'. It was amazing being on the
other
side
of
connection
with
grateful
the
for
the your
table
and
feeling
customers.
tremendous
We
support
the
were
and
we
were over the moon when our tea kits sold out. This
experience
gave
us
the
confidence
we
needed to continue on this journey and we’ve just launched our Vol. 2 kit in October.
And did I mention I passed my final exam and certified as a TAC Tea Sommelier, just a few days before the tea festival? I did not have a grand plan when I first signed up, and little did I know that it would be the beginning of an interesting
tea
adventure.
I
am
grateful
for
everyone at The Tea and Herbal Association of Canada, for helping me find my tea voice and be
on
the
other
side
of
the
tea
table.
loving every moment of it.
So, are you ready for your tea adventure?
I
am
HYGGE CHAI
by Tina McDonald
Yes
Certified TAC
world right now. And while we are all doing our
Tea Sommelier® Professional &
best
Academy of Tea Program Director
work
friends,
to
things
keep
extra
our
hard
are
very
physical to
keep
complicated
selves our
safe,
in
our
we
must
emotional
and
psychological selves healthy too.
Even though we all have our various coping skills, anything that helps our minds, bodies, and souls are good things.
Case in point: there are those in
my circle who practice a ‘Hygge’ lifestyle – one that is immeasurably out of sync with the frenetic, chaotic, overwhelmed life I navigate daily. I don’t particularly
look
for,
or
even
desire,
busy all the time; it just happens.
being
this
I am a crow.
Shiny things catch my eye. I enjoy doing things,
learning
stuff,
and
of
lots
looks two
very
of
and
being
people. different
those
But
around
lots
chai, as we know, means tea. Ergo, a
suddenly
life
Chai
now
elements
as
are
at
no
least
longer
available to me.
Wallah
and sells tea.
a
person
who
makes
Chai Wallahs brew their
tea fresh every day, all day long. are
seemingly
precisely What to do?
is
them.
everywhere
where
Now,
I
and am
when no
They
in
India,
you
need
Chai
Wallah
(clearly), nor do I believe I could ever I decided to teach myself how to slow
be
it
create a Chai that is at least ‘genuine-
all
down,
chill.
I
also
decided
that
the best way to learn how to find my
as
amazing
as
them,
but
I
could
adjacent’ to theirs?
calm is to pick a project, obsess over it,
research
it,
experiment,
and
write
The basics are: black tea, ginger root,
out the results in creating a beautiful,
cardamom,
authentic Chai.
black pepper. However, depending on the
Baby steps, people.
region
took
a
stab
at
of
India,
cloves,
the
recipe
and
may
have other spices that make it unique: bay
I
cinnamon,
an
authentic
leaves,
coriander,
fennel
seeds,
Chai
lemongrass, mace, nutmeg, star anise,
during my Sommelier courses. Learning
and ajwain – an Indian digestive spice
about the spices, the ingredients, the
that
equipment...all the things that make it
strong
happen.
recipe will always come down to what
But I never really understood
the magic.
is
quite thyme
bitter or
and
caraway
tastes
like
seed.
The
you like best on the tongue and brings the most joy to your tea experience.
The magic, as it turns out, is with the Chai
Wallah...the
India. was
street
vendors
of
You know, hygge.
Obviously, I knew that the bar
higher
than
I
could
ever
jump,
but...I could at least get close, right?
Lining up the usual suspects, I decided to
fool
around
raditional In
Hindi,
a
wallah
is
someone
makes or sells a particular good.
who And
with
spices
in
some
of
figuring
the out
less my
personal Chai recipe. And this is when
it
got
real
for
me.
It
was
that
time
between gathering the ingredients and drinking the tea where I found my ‘a-
The stuff to make it:
ha’ moment.
Simmering
Yes, it’s hygge Chai
the
milk,
stirring
the
liquid
2 cups whole milk (or milk of
in the pot, feeling the heat on my face,
choice, I love Oat milk so...)
watching for the tiny bubbles start to
2 cups water
form; I was mesmerized as the white
4 whole cloves
liquid
2 pods green cardamom (crushed)
took
on
the
rich
colour
of
the
Assam, the nutmeg, and the cloves.
1 pink peppercorn (crushed) 1 cinnamon stick
The way the bits of the cinnamon bark
1 piece ginger (half an inch, peeled
danced
and grated)
The
around
star
anise
while that
I
stirred
gently.
charmingly
surfed
the bubbles.
1 star anise 1 bay leaf 1 tsp fennel seeds (or more if you
Was this hygge?
like) 2 tablespoons cane sugar
Straining the tea from the pot to my favourite Donn Zver mug, the smell of the
fennel
time.
reminded
me
of
a
simpler
And with that I realized that yes,
3 tablespoons Assam tea leaves
The steps to make it: 1. In a medium saucepan, combine the milk,
this was indeed hygge. Or at least, my
water, and spices. Simmer over medium
first tentative foray into it.
heat for 10 – 12 minutes. This is the hygge part...breathe, relax your shoulders, drop
Experimenting and continuing to hone
your tongue from the roof of your mouth, think only of the vessel in front of you, and
my
own
personal
Chai
recipe
become a bit of a passion.
has
With the
gently stir. 2. Add the sugar and tea leaves. Give it
cold months ahead, I will have lots of
another swirl and then simmer for about 5
time to learn, create, and accept the
minutes depending on the strength you like
warmth
and
taste
of
this
beautiful
it. 3. Strain into mugs and serve – preferably
beverage. with
or
I invite you to try your own, without
the
concentrated
desire to reach a state of hygge.
taken with a book (currently reading ‘Dare to Lead’ by Brené Brown and a re-read of ‘Friday Night Knitting Club’ by Kate Jacobs), a blanket, and at least one furry,
In
the
meantime,
if
you
are
feeling
particularly adventurous, here’s mine.
four-legged friend.