Sip - Issue 15

1202 retniw

pis © Copyright 2020

FOLLOW US::

Tea.Association.of.Canada

CanadaTea

CanadaTea

51 eussI

sip

LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT INTERVIEW: GABRIELLA LOMBARDI THE SCENT OF TEA DIY GIFT IDEAS 2021 BOOK REVIEWS WON'T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOUR

w e r C w e r B #

Editor: Shabnam Weber THAC President

Assistant Editor: Adi Baker, THAC Communication & Programs Coordinator

If you would like more information on advertising or would like to submit a article idea, send an email to info@tea.ca

sip is published four times a year by the Tea & Herbal Association of Canada www.tea.ca

© Copyright 2021

FOLLOW US::

Tea.Association.of.Canada

CanadaTea

CanadaTea

srotubirtnoc

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.

Dilhan C. Fernando is the younger son of Dilmah Founder Merrill J. Fernando. A graduate of the London School of Economics and currently

CEO

of

Dilmah

Tea,

as

Trustee

of

the

Merrill

J.

Fernando Foundation, and Director of Dilmah Conservation he directs

the

serving

fulfillment

humanity

of

and

his

father's

environment

unique

through

commitment

business.

to

Dilhan

serves as Chair of UN Global Compact Network Sri Lanka and Biodiversity Sri Lanka, a pioneering environmental collaboration amongst the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, IUCN and Dilmah Conservation.

Theresa Lemieux is a certified TAC Tea Sommelier® and a food blogger

at

The

Everything

Kitchen.ca,

where

she

cooks

and

bakes with tea. She writes about all aspects of tea, including health, food pairings and culinary uses for tea. Her private teatasting seminars are conducted online and in-person. Theresa firmly believes that there is room for a cup of tea in everyone’s day.

Kelly Miller was an avid tea drinker for years before completing her

TAC

Tea

Sommelier®

Certification

and

relocating

from

Saskatchewan to Quebec, where she now works as the Research & Development lead in the Tea Department of DAVIDsTEA. She can often be found enjoying a tea session in her neighborhood park, enjoying a mug with the latest issue of a favourite comic book or working on her co-hosted podcast Geek Steep.

Marzi Pecen is a tea Tea Specialist who shares her skills and knowledge beyond the walls of the tea community. Working with artists, perfumers, chefs, mixologists and hospitality specialist to bring tea to a wider audience in the world. Marzi holds a number of

certifications

including

being

a

Certified

TAC

Tea

Sommelier®.

The

South

African

Rooibos

Council

is

an

independent

organization, responsibly promoting rooibos and its attributes to the

consumer

consumer

and

and

protecting

SARC

the

stakeholders

research and communication.

interests

of

supported

the by

rooibos effected

In this Issue

Letter from the President An Interview with Gabriella Lombardi

The Greatest Trend of Them All: Reading the Tea Leaves for 2022 & Beyond Rooibos Industry: Commitment to Sustainability

The Scent of Tea Won’t You Be My Neighbour? A Cup of Comfort?

Easy to Make Tea DIY Gifts for Any Time of Year

No Job Complete Till the Paperwork is Done

Edible Gifts:

Chai Salted Caramel Sauce A Moment that Inspires: Photo Manila's Rising Sun Earl Grey Almond Butter Collection Lapsang Souchong Infused Oil Peppermint Tincture 2021 Book Reviews Jasmine Simple Syrup

GIFTING Gifting is an art. It truly is. And you know what I mean when you receive a gift that touches you deeply. It's not about cost, but rather about the realisation that the person who has gifted you something sees you and knows you.

Sometimes bandwidth

we to

have put

both

much

the

time

thought

into

and our

m o r f

gifts, and other times, not so much. Add to that,

this

year

we're

faced

with

shipping

challenges like never before. Which is why we've placed a focus this issue on simple

t n e d i s e r p

gifts you can make; simple gifts with thought; simple gifts from the heart.

You really don't have to be a fabulous chef

for our edible gifts and you don't have to be

a renegade crafter for the DIY ones. Find

something you think works for your time and your skill level and dive in. A simply syrup is really as advertised...simple.

From us at the Tea and Herbal Association of Canada, we wish you a very happy holiday season and a healthy year ahead. be surrounded by the ones you love.

e th

May you

AN INTERVIEW WITH

Gabriella Lombardi Before staking her place in the tea industry, Gabriella

Lombardi

executive

in

worked

numerous

as

a

marketing

prestigious

Italian

advertising agencies. In 2010 she decided to change

her

life

and

realize

her

dream

of

opening a tea shop - Chà Tea Atelier. Her store is the first in Milan, Italy to have a tea room specialized in the sale and tasting of specialty fine teas.

She is the author of the book Tea Sommelier, published by White Star.

Gabriella

Lombardi

is

a

Certified

Sommelier®

Professional,

and

founder

and

president

Protea

profit

association

promotion

of

tea

of

Tea

the

co-

is

dedicated

culture

TAC

and

-

a to

nonthe

professional

training. Protea Academy is THAC's partner is offering Program

the in

Tea

Sommelier®

Italian.

She

Certification is

also

the

coordinator for Tea Masters Cup Italy.

In addition to running her store and Protea Academy, she is a consultant for numerous international brands. She provides guidance on staff training, tea menu design and event organization.

What's your first memory involving tea?

During

my

routine

everything:

at

advising

Before becoming a tea lover, I was a big coffee

customers,

drinker who snubbed all forms of tea, whether

the

served in cafes or prepared at home. Then I fell

Saturdays,

thinking

in

calendars,

selecting

love

with

tea

when

I

was

studying

at

the

University of Granada (Spain). I discovered the

tea

the

shipping tasting

tea

and online

shop,

selling orders,

experiences

to

organizing offer

social

teas

handle tea

we

about new

I

for

on

media

purchase,

etc.

pure tea leaves, (something still unusual in Italy) and it became a real passion of mine.

I take advantage of every quiet moment to read the evaluation sheets that my Tea Sommelier®

What does a typical workday in the tea industry consist of for you?

students send me every week, and to prepare new

lessons

for

the

online

courses

in

the

visit

my

evening.

I am a tightrope walker trying to combine my two

main

business,

activities.

Chà

Tea

During Atelier,

the and

day one

I

run or

my two

I

reserve

one

professional

off

consultancy

per

week

to

(restaurants,

cafes)

TAC Tea Sommelier®

tastings, tea and food pairing, tea menu design and staff training.

activities

such

hotels,

evenings a week I am involved in teaching the program in Italian.

for

day

customers

as

tea

How much tea do you drink in a day?

Well,

I

start

ceremonial

early

Uji

in

Matcha

the and

morning I

finish

with my

a

If you could drink tea with anyone - living or dead - who would it be and what tea would you serve?

day

drinking a low caffeine Kukicha or a Rooibos. In

Without a doubt, I would choose Mick Jagger. I

between I “virtually” travel across China, India,

also take this opportunity, maybe he reads Sip

Vietnam,

magazine, to officially invite him to join me for

Korea

and

other

tea

countries…

I've

never added up exactly how many cups I drink

a cup of tea the next time he comes to Milan.

in a day, but I think I average about two litres per day.

I love his talent as a front man and I consider him

What are you seeing in the market that excites you for tea?

a

true

charisma,

legend

sensuality

of

rock

and

thanks

creativity

to

with

his

which

he has always faced his performances. I have seen the Rolling Stones twice in concert, their

In general, I am fascinated by the versatility of

energy

is

contagious

and

even

the

following

Matcha, which at the moment is very popular

days I felt myself three meters above the sky!

with younger generations. With Matcha we are able to enjoy both its traditional consumption

I

would

offer

him

a

Darjeeling

First

Flush,

a

methods and new innovations.

great classic like his songs but brisk, pungent, sensual and transgressive as rock music.

Here

in

Italy,

healthy

tea

is

perceived

alternative

to

as

coffee

a

new

and

and

other

I would also invite Walter Bonatti to enjoy a cup

beverages. New generations are always looking

of tea with me, if he was still alive.

for something different, to break rules and to

He

dislike what their parents like (coffee).

journalist,

was

an

Italian

mountaineer,

writer

and

explorer,

photojournalist.

Nicknamed "the King of the Alps", Bonatti was Specifically,

looking

at

new

tea

trends

that

one

of

the

most

eminent

mountaineers

in

the

have emerged over the pandemic, what excites

world. In addition to mountaineer and mountain

me

guide,

the

most

is

the

growing

consumption

of

premium teas at home.

he

numerous regions explorer

the

magazine.

time

as

they

search

for

healthy

author

reportages

of

More and more consumers are turning to tea for first

was

the

of

in

world,

many

the

many

correspondent

for

books

most of a

and

impervious

them

weekly

as

an

Italian

beverages and affordable luxuries. The world is going through a transition as people rediscover

In the sixties, he descended the Yukon River by

the joys of cooking,

canoe for more than 2500 km, he studied tigers in Sumatra, he crossed the Antarctic, he went

eating and drinking at home and the pleasure

to

to

Melville's

expand

their

understanding

variety of teas and food products.

of

the

wide

the

Marquesas

Islands

journey-escape

where

in

the

he

retraced

jungle

(where

he was captured by cannibals after escaping

from the whaler. This story was considered by most

as

a

simple

invention

for

novelistic

What's your favourite fact about tea that surprises people?

purposes but Walter Bonatti found the precise places

narrated

veracity).

Melville

consider

and

It

makes

me

smile

many

favourite “English” tea is not produced in the

back time, I would not only have offered him a

countryside surrounding London but comes from

tea (a premium Lapsang Souchong which is an

tropical

extreme

exists, at least in the Italian market.

experience

and

If

I

does

not

accept

areas.

How

amazement

customers

turn

century.

big

so

could

20th

with

when

discover

the

the

the true

of

Bonatti

proved last

explorer

I

by

much

that

their

misinformation

still

compromises) but I would have followed him in

How do you take your tea?

all his adventures. What a crazy cool man!

If you weren't in tea, what would you be doing?

I drink all teas without any additions: no sugar, honey, milk, lemon, etc.

Since I don't have the voice to become a rock

If I have time, I like to prepare my tea properly

star,

using

I

would

surrounded animals. which

by am

many

involved Africa.

I

choose

to

a

nature,

job

that

great

fascinated

by

allows

me

outdoors the

wildlife

sanctuaries

protect

endangered

and

projects are

to

favourite

tea

sets

purchased

during

trips to China, Japan and Korea.

in

actively

animals

my

in

If I am at work and I am crazy busy, I choose my professional

tea

tasting

cups

-

Handy,

quick,

they offer the right amount that I can drink at

the right temperature (I don't like it when the tea sits too long in the teapot or mug and gets cold). Every time I have a 5 minute break, these

never

forget

Pu’erh

cake

when

I

pressed

(with

my

my

personal

hand-made

signature)

in

Yunnan. I am still storing it to see how it ages.

cups allow me to prepare 6 or 7 different teas during the day.

In Vietnam I had to opportunity to be dressed with

a

traditional

Vietnamese

gown

hand-

When I am on holidays, I start the morning by

tailored especially for me. I felt like a princess

preparing tea in a traditional teapot that I then

while I was judging the world final round of Tea

pour into a thermos to carry with me throughout

Masters Cup.

the day.

Another memorable tea trip was in 2015 in India What

is

the

most

interesting

and

unique

experience you've had in your tea career?

together with the THAC delegation. Two weeks travelling

in

Darjeeling

and

Assam

with

lovely

colleagues and tea scientists from Tocklai Tea What a difficult question! I have a long list of

Research Institute. I really learned a lot about

unique tea experiences. For example, I will

tea production.

THE SCENT OF TEA

by Marzi Pecen Certified TAC Tea Sommelier® Professional

The aroma of tea teases us long before a drop of liquid passes our lips. That faint

sweetness

canister

of

when

silver

maltiness

while

breakfast

into

unexpected

opening

needles,

scooping a

burst

an

warm of

a

bold

English

pot,

fruit

as

a

an

water

caresses the leaves of an oolong, hints of mushroom drifting from a tiny cup of pu-erh. After a sip, a swallow propels the

scent

directly

to

the

smell

receptors in the top of our nasal cavity, and a flavour is born. Without a scent, teas

would

be

a

limited

sensory

experience. It's the scent of teas that informs

&

differentiates

a

flavour

to

the taster.

You have probably done the jelly bean test

where

you

close

your

eyes,

hold

your nose, eat a jelly bean, and try to identify the flavour. You got the tastes &

texture,

but

not

until

you

release

your nose and use your sense of smell do you know what the flavour is. Scent

is a vital contributor to what we experience as

Essentially,

this

is

what

the

tea

leaf

does

by

flavour.

itself, minus the flavourist, the lab equipment, or the vast supply of raw materials.

Hot tea is an outstanding scent delivery system.

The

heat

aroma

the

molecules

dissolving scents

from

is

from

liquid

into

needed the

the to

liquor.

disperses air.

No

volatile

chewing

continue

or

releasing

Swallowing

a

sip

As it grows, the leaf generates a selection of chemicals

it

uses

to

survive.

of warmth, aroma, and flavour. As impressive as

neighbouring tea plants.

I'm

even

more

impressed

with

the

with

or repel insects, while some aid in transmitting information

is,

help

photosynthesis, some cell growth, others attract

immerses the drinker in a little sensory bubble

this

Some

to

the

root

biome

and

to

tea

leaf itself and how it creates its complex and

It

is

varied array of aromas.

moment it's plucked. In fact, the leaf and plant are

a

misconception

damaged,

and

the

a

tea

plant

leaf

begins

dies

the

repairing

In a flavouring company, a flavour chemist has

itself while the separated leaf goes into panic

thousands

create

mode. Cut off from the stem's water supply; the

an aroma. They can be complex solutions or a

leaf vainly attempts to conserve water. Water

single

evaporates from its pores, pressure in the cell

create

of

components

molecule. an

Skillfully

aromatic

available

combined,

representation

to

they of

can

spices,

decreases,

and in

the

cell

separate

walls cell

collapse.

herbs, fruits, cooked meats, vegetables, flowers

isolated

in general, or one particular flower specifically.

enzymes are now free to break down

Once

compartments,

compounds

in

concentrates

the

the

leaf.

This

compounds

withering

in

the

step

leaves.

As

chemicals combine, new compounds form with distinct aromatics. How long a leaf withers determines what raw materials are available.

Heat applied early in processing arrests the enzymatic action

capturing

the

signature

vegetal

aromas

we

recognize as green tea. If enzymatic action continues and

manipulation

damage green

and

notes

of

the

leaf

oxidation, give

way

new

to

encourages

more

cell

compounds

form.

The

hay,

citrus,

or

white

floral

notes. Further oxidation creates floral and rose notes, which

share

almonds.

aromatics

Honey

notes

with and

berries,

roasted

cherries,

grains

and

and

nuts

aromas develop. When taken to the extreme, aromas reminiscent of spices, cooked fruit, chocolate, leather, or tobacco result. At what point oxidation is stopped determines which aromatics are retained by the leaf when dried.

Oolongs

highlight

the

skill

of

the

teamaker

who

manipulates various levels of oxidation in the leaves to capture notion

a

specific

range

to

believe

tea

of

aromas.

absorbs

It's

the

a

romantic

fragrances

of

flowers or spices growing near the fields, but the leaf itself

creates

these

distinct

aromas.

For

centuries,

experienced masters hand-processed tea guided only by their senses.

Tea

does

identify complex memory

not

a

have

cup

of

dance makes

processed

tea

of this

quite

a

signature even

scent,

before

sensory

input,

possible.

taking

in

we a

and

the

A

and

aroma

brain.

can

sip.

experience,

Taste

differently

yet

are

Taste

receptors in the mouth send stimuli to the brain area to be identified as sweet or sour or hot, etc. Scents take a different path. Stimuli from the scent receptors travel directly to the part of the brain responsible for emotions and memories before getting relayed to the brain

area

integrates flavour.

that

them

labels with

them

taste

and,

if

information

applicable, to

create

a

This

preverbal

smell

an

recognition

aroma

that

is

why

produces

we

a

can

feet. I felt so special, like a princess having

visceral

tea with my mother. This effect is colloquially

reaction even if we don't know the names of

called

the scents we are experiencing. Likewise, we

author of a 6 volume novel, À la Recherche

can recognize a scent or flavour as familiar

du

but not be able to name it.

describes dipping a madeleine in a cup of

are

typically

and

the

the

main

flood

of

for

the

character

intricately

scents. In fact, sensory education is almost

like this. Smelling a perfume, an aroma from

non-existent

a

scents. parts, their

learn

children

letters

While

animals, formative

in

and

children

years,

North

drilled

and

it's

America.

numbers

get

shapes,

in

Perdu,

Named

detailed memories. We all have experiences

for

trained

tea

effect.

recognizing

Children

not

Proust

Temps

linden We

the

but on

colors

rare

for

bakery,

a

stray

odor;

anything

can

not

transport us to a memory imbedded with a

body

scent. This unique quality of aromas is used

during

odors

to

as

an

enrichment

tool

for

people

with

dementia. Even if a person has lost language

get the same attention. Apparently, there is

skills

more focus on sensory education at home or

deterioration,

school in Europe. I marveled at a 5-year-old

hopefully pleasant memories from the distant

in a Paris cafe as she rattled off what she

past.

smelled in her mother's wine glass then did the

same

with

encouraged

a

to

bite

of

cheese.

experience

She

different

was

smells

and flavours in her world from birth. This is how

we

all

learn

new

flavours

and

scents.

When people claim they have a poor sense of

smell

or

a

lousy

palate

for

tasting

or

identifying flavours, they may lack exposure and

conscious

fragrances

&

identification

flavours.

For

of

example,

the if

you

have never tasted a cherimoya, you couldn't identify its flavour in a tea. You may be able to recognize that tea as something you have had previously, or it may be something you You can even have an experience attached to a scent but still not have a label for it. This happens all the time with tea. Long before I could

tell

spiced first

you

tea,

time

I

I

the

could

had

it.

flavours

in

describe, Even

a in

today,

particular detail, one

the

taste

whisks me back to a brisk winter day, my feet & hands numb from playing in the snow. The kitchen

table

held

a

small

plate

of

butter

cookies, fancy china cups, and a pot of tea.

From the first sip, the aroma enveloped me as I quickly forgot my cold

and

have scents

significant bring

back

cognitive vivid

and

TFamous Andy

for

his

Warhol

soup

had

cans

his

and

white

"Permanent

hair, Smell

Years

later,

recalled

an

our

conversation

when

one

perfume

months

daily

before

for

no

more

putting

it

wear than

away

only three

in

his

honored family

her

and

mother

friends

serving

came

tea

mourn

and

memories and comfort. Now, she keeps a tin

corresponding

he

perfume

would but

smell

never

the

wear

it

again.

brought

as

period

life,

it

to

this

robust

reminisce.

his

many,

by

a

collection. Then, when he wanted to relive a in

For

by

was

mother

black tea flavoured with black currant. She

would

tea

her

she

He

and

favorite

me

died.

fragrances

mom's

told

Collection" to preserve moments in his life. loved

Her

attendee

back

of the tea for, as she puts it, "emergency use only" when she wants to feel surrounded by the love of her family and the presence of

As part of a sensory workshop, I was serving teas

and

discussing

how

we

talk

her mother.

about

scents and the multi-sensory experience that

The

a cup of tea presents. I mentioned how the

comforting,

oolong we were drinking reminded me of the

character, and the aroma holds the magic.

little

No

Czech

pastries

I

made

with

my

warmth

of the

magician

tea

is

tastes

can

relaxing

add

conjure

up

and

depth

such

and

vivid

grandmother. With each sip, I could feel the

recollections or freeze a moment in time like

rush of warmth as the oven door opened and

a

the unmistakable aroma of the flaky apricot

incantations

cookies.

wonder that you can share in a cup of tea.

cup

of

tea. are

No

wizardry

needed

to

training release

or the

ROOIBOS INDUSTRY: COMMITMENT TO SUSTAINABLITY

by South African Rooibos Council

You would be hard-pressed to find a South

internationally

African who does not have a memory or story

hotspot

to tell about Rooibos. While this unique tea

Kingdoms in the world - and is the only one

has been a pantry staple in South Africa for

contained

longer than we can remember, international

country. It boasts 8,700 species, which makes

awareness of the tea has increased in recent

it

years

surpassing

and

is

now

enjoyed

the

world

over.

one

South

environment

species

this

special

brew

is

grown, is equally extraordinary.

the

in

of

What many people don’t realise is that the where

-

smallest

its

the

are even

of

entirety

richest

many

Africa,

Kingdom,

recognized

tropical

over found

one in

though

biodiversity the

six

within

floras

the

the

single

worldwide,

forest third

a

Floral

regions.

of

all

Cape

region

In

plant Floral

occupies

less than 6% of the country’s land. Due to the The home of Rooibos: Rooibos

is

endemic

multitude to

the

Cape

Floral

ecosystems

of

microclimates,

found

in

this

soils

Kingdom,

and

Rooibos

Kingdom of South Africa, which means it is

shares its home with a wide array of species

the

that has evolved in the area.

only

place

in

the

world

where

you

will

find Rooibos. The Cape Floral Kingdom is an

Interestingly,

Rooibos

is

a

shrub-like

bush,

use

of

Integrated

Pest

Management

which is actually part of the legume or pea

Techniques and decreased use of chemicals.

family andgrows up to about five feet (1.5 m)

As Rooibos is connected to nature, it is also

in height. It has a smooth-barked stem from

connected to the people of the Cederberg

which delicate side branches subdivide close

and improved, and stable working conditions

to the soil, each bearing, single or clusters of

remain a strong focus of the industry.

soft, needle-like leaves. It only grows in the rugged mountainous areas of the Cederberg

This holistic approach has led to farmers and

region of South Africa, where the winters are

processors being focused on the interaction

cold and summers are hot, which makes it a

between

rare and special shrub.

community and business sustainability within the

Environmental stewardship: Ecosystems

all

destabilised

over

due

to

warming

climate,

weather

and

effects

of

the

loss

human

of

human

industry.

environment,

This

focus

is

the

Cederberg

made

tangibly

visible in the participation of the industry in world

water

the

are

being

impacts.

scarcity,

biodiversity

intervention.

Our

extreme are

This

third-party incorporate

sustainable all

of

certification,

these

aspects.

which

Fairtrade,

UTZ- and Rainforest Alliance certification™,

all

gives consumers the assurance that Rooibos

reality

has been sourced in a way that is better for

coupled with the close link between Rooibos

producers

and

certifications mean that farms have met the

its

environment,

environment Industry.

a

The

key

makes

priority

industry,

care

for

and

the

those

for

the

Rooibos

who

have

been involved in it over many years, have a deep

understanding

and

respect

for

the

relationship between the Rooibos plant and its

environment

and

understands

that

an

integrated and holistic approach is needed where

environmental

protection

is

coupled

with good agricultural practices.

To

protect

the

Cederberg,

Fynbos

the

biome

industry

has

in

the

worked

alongside government and NGOs to establish the Greater Cederberg Biodiversity Corridor to

preserve

the

Approximately,

area’s 70

conservation agreements under

406

ha

is

through and

a

voluntary

biodiversity

unique

and

further

now

under

stewardship 282

agreements business

biodiversity.

953

ha

with

projects

in

is

the the

Rooibos and other agricultural industries.

Farmers

have

also

adopted

best-practice

farming methods through crop rotation, the

and

the

environment.

These

environmental,

social

and

economic

standards of Fairtrade International, UTZ and the

Sustainable

Agriculture

Network

(SAN),

which cover ecosystem conservation, worker rights and safety, wildlife protection, water and

soil

conservation,

agrochemical

reduction, decent housing, legal wages and contracts for farmworkers.

It

is

the

view

everyone’s

of

the

actions

Rooibos

play

a

industry

part.

To

that

address

and mitigate the effects of climate change require

a

NGOs,

collective

development

policymakers, has

a

effort

role

to

and

businesses,

organizations

the

play.

by

Rooibos

The

and

industry

changes

that

too

have

over time taken place within the sector, as part

of

its

goal

to

becoming

more

sustainable, have already begun to yield, and will

continue

social

and

to

deliver,

consistent,

environmental

positive

outcomes,

while

also strengthening the economic viability of the sector.

Commitment made visible:

To

symbolically

demonstrate

uncompromising

the

industry’s

commitment

to

sustainability to the wider public, the South African Rooibos Council (SARC) constructed a visually impactful public art installation in Johannesburg

on

World

Environment

Day,

5

June 2021.

Mixed

media

artist,

Gina

Waldman

was

commissioned for the art installation, which consisted Rooibos

of tea

almost blends

2,000 that

cups were

of

various

carefully

positioned to form a globe with Africa at its centre when viewed from atop.

The SARC wanted to not only make visible its commitment, but also draw in the general

public to take a closer look and decipher the

encouraging discussion – in this case about

meaning

the

environmental and sustainability issues – with

public to engage with the artwork and assist

the intent to bring people together and to

in

unite behind a common cause.

of

the

the

work.

transition

conscious essence,

and to

The

aim

towards

a

sustainable

remind

Rooibos

was

for

more

eco-

society.

consumers

In and

Looking forward:

the general public that we all need to play

While enormous strides have been made to

our part in our everyday lives to protect and

make

restore our beautiful planet.

sustainable, there is always more that can be done.

The 40m

²

art installation took 70+ hours, a

the

Rooibos

The

SARC

committed

to

tea

and

building

chain

the

on

more

industry

the

is

foundation

design team of eight and 320 litres of tea to

created over time and to continue working

perfect

on

and

illustrated

the

pledge

of

the

all

three

dimensions

of

sustainability:

economic

and

SARC and the industry as a whole towards

environmental,

social,

while

social and environmental stewardship in an

also taking the Agenda 2030 Sustainability

impactful way. This medium was used since

Development Goals into account.

art has the ability to connect with people on emotional inspiring

and

levels,

heightened

sometimes

the

sustainability

journey

of

Rooibos

continues to gain momentum, it is the hope

nature or a re-evaluation of human progress.

that other industries and the public will be

Art

encouraged

connects

environment

and

appreciation

As

for

also

a

subliminal

people

helps

to

to

the

shape

world is viewed and understood,

living

how

the

preserving

to

the

also

play

environment

their and

part

building

green economy in which all can thrive.

in a

Won’t You Be My Neighbour?

A Cup of Comfort?

by Theresa Lemieux Certified TAC Tea Sommelier® Professional

Tea

really

is

the

ideal

product

for

the

quintessential brick-and mortar, family-owned, Main Street shop. Colourful teapots, cups and cozies;

soothingly

uniform

shelves,

all

lined

with tall tins bearing enticing, exotic names.

Not

to

mention

the

people

at

the

counter

teeming with a deep love and knowledge of tea.

We

tea-drinkers

all

know

our

neighbourhood tea-mongers, often developing a

cozy

relationship

based

as

much

on

our

mutual tastes as the locale. A visit to the tea shop for a drink or a re-stocking of the tea cupboard routine.

is

Or

often it

was,

the world in place.

a

cherished

until

the

part

of

pandemic

our

froze

The

“Shop

growing March

Local”

since

trend

before

2020.But

had the

being

been

steadily

shockwave

swiftly

forced

of

turns out, it depends on the vendor and their relationship with their clientele.

into

lockdown made it seem more prevalent and

Sandy Nicholson of Lady Baker’s Tea in PEI

perhaps more profound. Suddenly, everything

confirms

took on a magnified significance. We shored

were for the survival of that cherished local

up

brand.

in

our

supporting

homes

local

and

neighbourhoods,

merchants

and

just

how

essential

internet

orders

restaurants

with extra appreciation. But then the cracks

“We

were

started to show.

online presence when everything shut down.

All

Even

as

Amazon’s

business

was

booming,

our

coffee

and

curbside

businesses

collapsing

under

the

that

we

wholesale

immediately

people were reading the news of restaurants small

grateful

from

shops,

pickup.

orders

all

so

our

we

Our

already

local

an

stopped

local

quickly

had

tea

and

moved

customers

to

were

weight on ongoing closures. Some tea shops

still able to get the tea that they loved. That

benefitted from a backlash against that big-

really kept us going.”

box dominance, and others had to close for good.

It

soon

neighbourhoods

became were

to

clear:

remain

if ours,

our

Tea

tea

already

shops intact, it would be up to us.

companies had

a

like

Lady

large

Baker’s

online

Tea

that

presence

saw

strong growth in internet sales. The loss of the

farmer’s

shelf-stable.

But

were

tea

shops ready for the switch? And if they were,

but

not

sell

devastating one. Other companies were able

prepackaged,

impact,

usually

only

often

an

they

their

lightweight,

had

where

Tea is an easy product to switch to onlineordering:

tea

market

a

to keep some locations open, even if others had to close.

would their clients support them online? How important would “shop local” turn out to be

Camellia Sinensis in Montreal remained open

when every order was a click away? As it

but, much to the shock of many clients,

decided to permanently close the tea service

The

rooms of their Emery Street location after 23

web

years. Closing the teahouse certainly marked

website, shifting many of their staff over to

the end of an era. Their clientele had grown

that department. Their shops remained open

over the years; from a small teahouse with its

throughout the pandemic, beacons of hope

famous

and normalcy for their clientele.

silky,

community

relaxed hub,

ambiance

then

into

again

a

into

tea

company sales

also

saw

through

a

large

their

increase

newly

in

revamped

the

renowned specialty tea shops.

“While

most

stormy

retail

seas,

was

having

pounded

a

by

grocery

very

license

Fortunately, this closure is making way for a

allowed us to remain open to both sell tea

new project: next year the two addresses of

and serve tea to take out. So, we became a

the

destination for people’s afternoon walk while

Emery

reshaped

St. and

location blended

will

be

into

completely an

exciting

everybody

was

stuck

at

home

during

lock-

project that involves another level of focus

down. Despite an overall drop in sales during

on

the

tasting,

owner

discovery,

Kevin

and

Gascoyne

education.

remained

Co-

elusive

pandemic,

remaining

open

certainly

increased brand loyalty. We had quite a few

about the exact details but said it was time

clients

for something new.

open, it meant so much to us’,” Kevin reflects.

“It seems dramatic to close such a popular

“I

venue, but we have always strongly believed

appreciation of tea’s role as a calming drink

that you have to continually evolve, change

during stressful times. Tea has always been

keeps it fresh. The timing seemed right. And

there in times of crisis.”

we have a history of shaking things up."

tell

think

us

we

‘We

all

are

so

glad

developed

you

a

stayed

deeper

Grant

Kuebler,

Murchie’s during

Tea

the

online

Managing

&

Coffee,

lockdowns

sales

were

in

very

Director

also

of

reports

British

that

Columbia,

favourable

revival of street shopping.

for

the

Vancouver-based company.

“Brick-and-mortar that

online

doesn't:

accountability, Those

“Our online business has done very well. Sky-

stores

things

the

offer the

care,

don't

service,

the

exist

something the

connection.

the

same

way

online.”

rocketed, actually. We could see it right at the

beginning

–

the

tea

orders

were

very

And if we wanted to show our loyalty to our

large. People were thinking they needed to

neighbourhood stores, well, it seems we were

stock up.”

quite

eager.

According

to

the

Business

Development Bank of Canada (BDC), 45 per Murchie’s

also

experienced

that

same

cent

of

consumers in

the

sought

past

year

to

and

buy 97

local

generous outpouring of sympathy from their

products

percent

clientele when the lockdown first happened.

said they bought a product to just to support the local economy.

“There

was

certainly

a

strong

feeling

of

wanting to support us. Once stores had to be

“I

closed,

people realize how much we are connected

office

we

had

just

around.

phone

making

People

sure

were

calls

to

that

we

quite

our

head

were

concerned

still that

we were going to be okay,” Kuebler says.

think

shopping

important

online during

returning

to

from the

stores

local

vendors

lockdown,

as

soon

as

so

were

based

“People

care

starting

was

favourite

was

There

possible.

the

pandemic

really

made

to our local surroundings because many of us

were If

that

a

to

According to Kuebler, Murchie’s retail sales

understand

have bounced back to better numbers than

businesses.”

their

see just

bit

And

home,”

about

places

was

place.

from

of

that

some

of

coming

momentum

media

the

explains.

communities

weren't

a

the

she

of

their back.

that

helped

plight

and

took

us

our

to

local

before the lockdown, an affirmation of both brand loyalty and in-person shopping. People

Of

are

owners

from province to province, and at different

perhaps

times. The Maritime provinces were often in

eager

who even

are

to

re-connect

often

donors

friends, to

local

with

shop

neighbours, sports

teams;

in

general, part of the tapestry of everyday life.

a

course,

very

that

situation

different

differed

situation

than

greatly

Ontario,

Quebec and the western provinces.

What’s more, people seem to like shopping for tea in person.

“We've

been

really

lucky

on

PEI

because

there have only been a few short times that Angela Macdonald, Executive Director of the

we've been really fully locked down, so our

Bloor West Business Improvement Association

restaurants

and aspiring tea sommelier, explains that in-

part have been able to operate,” Nicholson

person shopping created the basis of those

says.

relationships

that

held

strong

during

coffee

shops

for

the

most

store

closures. She has heard from retailers and residents who are delighted to see the

and

Wherever we were in the country when things were at their most restrictive, it seems

Canadians were drinking more tea. Not only

they've read. They tell us that wanted to try

drinking more tea, but better tea. According

this tea or that tea because they know more

to

about it now.”

like

Kuebler, Earl

the

old

favourites

Grey,

the

breakfast

Murchie’s

Afternoon

Tea,

but

held

steady,

blends, people

and then

began to really splurge.

It

was

no

different

for

Camellia

Sinensis,

Kevin recounts. Even though they are already a specialty tea shop, they were able to offer

"We were really surprised at the quality of teas people were buying. We don’t usually sell that many teas that are about $100 a pound; suddenly we were selling a lot of the tippy Assams and Darjeelings. And happily, some of that has held on.”

extra

fine,

the

finer

tea

to

the

educational

posts

on

teas

that

they

had

always

wanted to carry.

“Customers

had

more

time

and

money

to

shop online, more time to drink tea and more time to explore teas they had always wanted to

try,”

that

according

line

to

between

Kevin.

“Our

daily

teas

essentials

flirt and

special treats.”

The pandemic revealed the Shop Local trend for

what

it

really

was:

a

story

of

human

connection, in good times and bad.

Angela Macdonald explains it perfectly: “We lost many things in the pandemic. We lost the ability to hop on a plane and go visit with family,

we

lost

the

freedom

to

live

as

we

want, we lost people we love.” But we have also

gained

a

deeper

awareness

of

what

matters.

She

continues:

“Local

businesses

were

highlighted because there was an increased awareness:

Sandy Nicholson credits a lot of the sales of

rare

who

is

in

your

neighbourhood?

Who are those local businesses behind that front door? We found a stronger connection with our local communities.” We’ve gained a

Lady Baker’s Tea blog.

deeper appreciation for that cup of tea, for

“Katherine,

who

Sommelier,

wrote

throughout

the

is

our

resident

informational

pandemic.

It

blog

was

Tea posts

important

to keep increasing tea knowledge, especially as people had more time to learn about it.

We still get customers who comment on what

those we share it with, and those provide it to us every day.

4 Easy to Make Tea DIY Gifts for Any Time of Year simple gift ideas for those who love tea and a bit of luxury

by Adi Baker

This bring

time

of

out

creatives.

year

the If

always

craftiness you

live

in

seems in a

to

natural colder

climate, like I do in Canada, it may be because you find yourself inside a lot more. Or, it could be because you are looking for something unique to give to someone as a gift.

Making something yourself allows you to

show

how

much

someone

means

to you - not only are you taking into consideration the likes of the receiver but you are also spending your time to create something just right.

Tea Bath Soak What you need: 1/2 cup pink Himalayan salt 1 cup Epsom salt 2 tsp. loose green tea 10 drops rose essential oil Small glass jar with lid

What you'll do: 1. Add

all

gently

ingredients stir

with

to a

a

bowl

spoon.

and The

objective is to combine everything so that

the

tea

leaves

are

evenly

distributed throughout the mixture.

2. Transfer mixture to jar and put lid on.

Notes: When

assembling

the

gift

consider

including a small wooden scoop or spoon for the receiver to use to add the bath soak to their bath.

Create a label by using a notecard and tie it onto the jar with a piece of string.

You can customize this soak by using other teas and essential oils.

Bath Bomb What you need: 2tbsp loose leaf Earl Grey tea (try and use one that includes flower petals) 1 cup Baking Soda 1/2 cup Citric Acid 1 cup Arrowroot Water 1/2 cup epsom salt 2 tbsp jojoba oil Bergamont

or

orange

essential

oil

(optional) Molds (you can get bath bomb molds or just use an iced cube tray)

What you'll do: 1. Combine dry ingredients in a bowl.

2. Combine wet ingredients in a separate bowl 3. Slowly add wet ingredients to dry.

4. Continue stirring until the mixture looks similar in consistency to bread crumbs.

Add a few drops of water at a time if necessary to achieve this consistency.

5. Add some additional tea leaves to the bottom of each mold.

6. Spoon the mixture into each mold and using

your

compact

fingers

the

press

mixture

as

down much

and as

possible.

7. Allow to sit for 24 hours before gently removing and transferring to a glass jar.

Bubble Bath Tea What you need: Glass bottles with lids or stoppers 1 cup unscented organic castile soap

½ cup vegetable glycerin 1 cup distilled water 2 green tea bags 15 drops jasmine essential oil

What you'll do: 1. Boil water and pour over tea bags.

Let

steep

removing.

for

10

Allow

minutes tea

before

to

cool

completely.

2. Add

all

ingredients

and

2

tbsp

of

cooled brewed tea to bowl.

3. Gently stir to combine.

4. Pour into bottle and add label.

Notes: This recipe makes 32 oz. so you can make several smaller bottles.

To use bubble bath add about 1/4 cup to water.

You don't have to use the tea and essential oil listed in the recipe, feel free to play with different tea and essential oil combinations.

Lip Balm What you need: ¼ cup coconut oil ¼ jojoba oil (or any other oil) 3 tbsp beeswax pellets 1 tbsp honey 2 tsp matcha green tea Lip

balm

tubes

or

pots

(recipe

makes

about 12) Double boiler (pot with glass heatproof bowl on top) Small funnel

What you'll do: 1. Using

double

boiler

on

medium-high

heat, melt coconut oil.

2. Add beeswax pellets to melted oil. Using a stainless steel spoon stir occasionally until fully melted.

3. Once melted, remove from heat and stir in honey until combined.

4. Add

matcha

powder

and

stir

using

a

whisk.

5. Once

combined

divide

the

mixture

between all of the lip balm tubes or pots.

6. Allow lip balm to sit and harden for 24hours before placing the lids on top.

Notes: You can make other scents using food grade essential oils and omitting the tea.

Leave vegan.

the

honey

out

if

making

for

a

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

EDIBLE GIFTS

by Shabnam Weber

This

year

we

thought

the

perfect

gift

would be an edible one. What better way to show the ones you love you've thought of them than with a gift made with your very own hands. And it doesn't have to be complicated.

A

few

simple

ingredients,

some beautiful packaging and you have the ideal gift.

This doesn't have to be an idea for the holidays only. An edible gift is one we all love, any time of year. I've put together some ideas for you here, but I encourage you

to

flip

back

to

previous

grab some recipes there too.

issues

and

PACKAGE

Jars of any kind are a an easy way to

For loafs and cakes, even muffins and

package up your gift. Screw tops or

cookies, some simple wrap is perfect. You

hinged, let what's available guide you.

can use wax paper, clear wrap or burlap.

Tie it up with some pretty ribbon.

Most dollar stores have small boxes for

For your liquid gifts, a beautiful bottle is

gifts, fill yours with tissue and top it up

all you need. The colours inside will tell

with your treats.

your story.

CHAI SALTED CARAMEL SAUCE

What you'll do:

Make ahead: Place tea in saucepan with heavy cream and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat and allow to steep for 10 minutes. Strain tea and allow mixture to come to room temperature.

Heat sugar in a heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly. Sugar will form clumps and eventually melt into a thick brown, amber-colored liquid as you continue to stir. Be careful not to burn it.

Immediately stir in the butter until melted and combined. The caramel will bubble when the butter is added, so be careful. If you notice the butter separating or if the sugar clumps up, remove from heat and vigorously whisk to combine it again.

Return to heat when it’s combined again.

What you'll need:

Cook for 1 minute without stirring once the butter and sugar have combined. Very slowly stir in 1/2

2 tsp or 2 teabags Chai tea

cup of steeped heavy cream. Allow to boil for 1

1 cup granulated sugar

minute once combined. Remove from heat and stir

6 Tablespoons salted butter, room

in the salt. Allow to slightly cool down before using.

temperature

Caramel thickens as it cools. Cover tightly and

1/2 cup heavy cream

store for up to 1 month in the refrigerator. Caramel

1 teaspoon salt

solidifies in the refrigerator. Reheat in the microwave or on the stove to desired consistency.

EARL GREY ALMOND BUTTER

What you'll need:

16 ounces (3 cups) raw almonds

¼ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon vanilla extract 1/4 cup maple syrup (you will only use 2tbsp for this recipe) 2 tsp or 2 teabags Earl Grey tea

What you'll do:

Make ahead: Place tea and maple syrup in a pan on stove and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat and allow to steep for 20 minutes.

Strain tea.

Preheat the oven to 180C. Spread the almonds across a large, rimmed baking sheet and toast the almonds for 10 minutes, stirring halfway. Remove from oven and allow to cool until they’re just warm (not hot), about 10 minutes. Transfer the almonds to a high-speed blender or food processor. Blend until creamy, pausing to scrape down the sides as necessary. Be patient!

Once the almond butter is smooth and creamy, add vanilla and 2tbsp of infused maple syrup. Blend until well combined.

Allow almond butter to cool to room temperature, then transfer the mixture to your favourite jar and screw on the lid.

Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks, or until you see or smell any signs of spoilage.

LAPSANG SOUCHONG INFUSED OIL What you'll need:

6 tsp Lapsang Souchong tea 3 sprigs fresh rosemary 2 cloves garlic peeled 750 ml olive oil

What you'll do:

Gently hit garlic flat with the back of your knife. You don't want to crush it, only break it so that the flavours infuse better into the oil. Place tea, garlic, rosemary and olive oil in a pan. Over low heat bring the oil to a gentle simmer. Do not walk away as you do not want your oil to boil. Simmer like this for 4 minutes. Remove from heat and remove rosemary and garlic, set aside.

Strain olive oil into a clean and sterilised bottle removing the tea leaves. Add garlic and rosemary back into the bottle. Close tightly and store at room temperature for up to 4 weeks.

What you'll need:

PU-EHR CHEESE BISCUIT

Preheat oven to 180C. Cut the dough log in to rounds of 1/3rd

3/4 cups All Purpose Flour

inch thickness and place on a

3/4 cups grated Parmesan

baking sheet leaving an inch

cheese

between each biscuit.

3/4 cups unsalted butter, cut

Put the baking tray in the freezer

in cubes

for 10 minutes. Place in the oven

1 teaspoons Red Chilli flakes

straight from the freezer and bake

(leave out if you don't like it

for 12-15 minutes or until golden.

spicy, or step it if you do) 3 tsp PuEhr tea

What you'll do:

In a food processor add tea, flour and butter. Blitz until it resembles breadcrumbs. Add cheese and chilli flakes to the tea, flour and butter and mix until it comes together into a ball.

Roll the dough into a log shape wrap in cling film and chill in the refrigerator for an hour or until firm.

Peppermint Tincture What you'll need:

peppermint (enough to fill jar half way) 40% vodka (in glass bottle)

love the giver more than the gift

1 glass jar Parchment paper Masking tape for labelling Cheesecloth

What you'll do:

Fill up glass jar with herb halfway. Add vodka so that level of the liquid is at least two inches above the herb. Place parchment paper between the lid and jar.

(This

is

done

dissolving.)

to

Seal

prevent jar

the

tightly.

rubber

Label

jar

seal with

from date,

percentage alcohol, herbs, and method used.

Shake two times per day for one month.

After a month squeeze out the resulting liquid using cheesecloth

Use

the

tincture

to

add

an

aromatic

flavour to your cocktail – use droplet to add flavour or spray on cocktail for scent

Jasmine Simple Syrup

What you'll need:

4 tsp or 4 teabags Jasmine tea 1 cup sugar 1 cup water

What you'll do:

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and simmer over medium heat until sugar has dissolved. heat and allow to steep overnight.

Remove from

Strain tea out and

transfer to a jar for use.

Tip: Add a note with ideas on how to use both the tincture and the simple syrup. It will add a personal touch to your gift.

&

INFUSIONS Whether pursuing a career in the retail or hospitality industry or enhancing your enjoyment of tea, this program looks at the historical origin of herbs and spices as they are used in tea.

HI-101: INTRODUCTION TO HERBS & INFUSIONS (4 WEEK COURSE) HI-102: HERBAL PROCESSING & COMMON HERBS IN TEA (5 WEEK COURSE)

REGISTER AT TEA.CA

ONLINE COURSES

HERBS

a moment that inspires

by Kelly Miller Certified TAC Tea Sommelier® Professional

Follow on Instagram @ros_strange

Most

of

the

time

the

tea

happens

first;

and

only sometimes is there a moment that inspires a

photo.

camera

It’s to

true the

that, left

were

or

you

face

to

the

pan

the

opposite

direction, what lies out of frame would almost certainly be viewed as less than aesthetically pleasing. In that sense, the photos I take are absolutely staged.

However, what you would see off screen is not an

assortment

of

unused

props,

fake

backgrounds or professional lighting. Instead, what might catch your eye is a laundry basket or desk covered with last night’s dishes. This is because my photography centers around lived in

spaces

versus

manufactured

ones.

My

bedroom windowsill doesn’t get used because it has the best lighting (though, admittedly, it is

pretty

good)

but

window

sill

that

teacups

and

teapots.

undrunk,

no

piece

because

isn’t

of

it’s

entirely No

fruit

tea

the

only

covered

pictured

uneaten,

in

goes

and

no

book unread. While I might try to find a good patch of flowers in our office garden or stop to

take

a

photo

by

a

unique

window

in

a

friend’s apartment building, there are spaces I would be occupying regardless.

"The goal is always to represent the feeling and beauty of these everyday moments as authentically as I am living them firsthand. The lack of polish is part of the charm – if I can capture that feeling using just a phone and an app then any other tea drinker in the same situation can as well.”

So

many

things

that

are

important

to

tea

cannot be conveyed through a photo – taste, aroma,

the

texture

of

the

liquor.

That’s

fine;

there are captions for that. Words that can be added

after

the

fact.

And

so,

the

goal

is

always to represent the feeling and beauty of these everyday moments as authentically as I am living them firsthand. The lack of polish is part

of

the

charm

–

if

I

can

capture

that

feeling using just a phone and an app then any other tea drinker in the same situation can as well. If they can do the same, then that feeling and that moment are bigger than me. And if I can

share

something

myself… then that’s art.

that’s

bigger

than

2021 book reviews

By Karen Donnelly Certified TAC Tea Sommelier® Professional

Don’t you just love that no matter how much you read, there is always more to learn, enjoy, and

be

surprised

by?

It

could

be

just

one

sentence that changes how you look at your favorite miss

subject,

that

one

tea,

and

sentence.

you Here

don’t are

a

want

to

few

of

some new books that I have read this past year that I hope you will check out for yourself and give as gifts to a fellow tea lover.

Infused – Adventures in Tea

by Henrietta Lovell Faber & Faber, March 2020

This book is my new favorite. If I could give one book to someone to hook them on tea, this

would

be

it.

Infused

is

the

personal

journey of Henrietta Lovell, the owner of the Rare Tea Company in London. Changing her career

and

fighting

through

serious

illness,

Henrietta takes us on her travels around the world to find the best tea for her company while

promoting

directly

from

fair

the

prices

gardens.

and

buying

Infused

is

filled

with beautifully and deliciously told stories; colorful descriptions of tea gardens; and her infectious pushes

enthusiasm.

everyone

quality,

loose

she

leaf

Henrietta

meets

tea

to

(“the

joyfully

drink

good

high

stuff”),

properly prepared. This quite often takes the form

of

some

amazing

cocktails

(with

recipes) and imaginative food pairings. If you love

audiobooks,

get

this

one.

Narrated

by

National

Drink

the

Scots

that

stories

entrepreneurs, establishing tea gardens and

would go on. As she says, “It’s my story of

promoting tea. From trying to break the East

tea,

a

India Company monopoly in the 17th century

anecdotes

to present day independent tea planters in

not

the

wonderful

you

in

story

story

it

and

of

is,

wish

tea.”

filled

the

And

with

what

that will seduce you and make you fall in love

Scotland,

with tea all over again.

satisfy

this

the

position

held

such

draw

prominent

why

the author, she has a lovely, soothing voice will

a

explores

as

well-researched

history

lover.

tea

book

Some

of

will

these

names and accounts will be familiar to many

Putting the Tea in Britain – the Scots Who Made Our National Drink

by Les Wilson

of us. It is the last chapter – Home for Tea – that

documents

Scottish

tea

representing

Birlin Limited, September 2021

the

stories

growers. sixteen

tea

of

Tea

today’s Scotland

growers

across

Scotland and the Tea Gardens of Scotland Robert

and

Charles

Bruce,

Robert

Fortune,

with nine members are deeply committed to

James Taylor, Sir Thomas Lipton – just a few

growing

of the names of Scottish adventurers and tea

processed

planters that shaped the production of tea

crafting

outside

award-

unique Scottish terroir highlight the passion,

winning writer and a documentary maker of

demanding work, curiosity, experimentation,

Scottish history. His latest book, Putting the

and collaboration shown by the tea growers

Tea in Britain – the Scots Who Made Our

that came before them.

of

China.

Les

Wilson

is

an

the

a

in

best

tea,

Scotland.

premium

wholly Their

quality

grown

stories tea

and

about

from

the

included all types of tea and their chemistry; the importance of the quality of water and temperature; the shape of the cup; brewing styles;

storage;

tea

culture

and

traditions.

Lots of wonderful details makes this a great reference book to keep close by.

Wild Mocktails and Healthy Cocktails – Homegrown and Foraged Low Sugar Recipes from the Midnight Apothecary

by Lottie Muir CICO books, January 2018

The more daring of us will grab a basket and start looking for the wild ingredients that will make these memorable cocktails. For the rest of us, don’t worry! You can forage for many of these ingredients from your local grocer or farmer’s

market.

The

author

has

created

recipes that balance flavors, mouth feel, low sugar content, and no additives. Lottie Muir’s pays particular attention to the potency and nutrition

of

the

plant

ingredients

herbs, fruits, and flowers,

Tea: A Nerd’s Eye View

by Virginia Utermohlen Lovelace, MD Books with a Point of View, 2019 (revised and expanded in October 2020) If you have ever had the pleasure of hearing Dr. Lovelace speak, then you know how much excitement she brings to the science behind the taste of tea. This is a book for those of us who always need to know why something works the way it does. From how tea plants are

grown

and

the

different

production

styles that affects flavor qualities to why we respond

positively

or

negatively

to

those

different flavor qualities. Scientific details on how

and

why

we

taste

what

we

do

are

clearly explained (including the influence of our

DNA).

Built

on

the

foundation

of

Dr.

Lovelace’s first book Three Basic Teas & How to Enjoy Them (October 2017), she has

such

as

"You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me."

whether wild or not. Of course, what caught my attention was the chapter on Tea-Based Drinks.

Included

Camellia Bonfire

are

sinensis of

pineapple

the

sage

both

tea

botanical

cocktails

Vani-Teas

and

scented

and

such

made

as

from

geranium

tea

with Campari and gin and, and Lemongrass, Jasmine with

Green

the

honey.

Tea,

addition

The

and

of

cocktails

Sake

citrus are

Punch

bitters

made

and

imaginative

raw and

beautifully garnished and might inspire your own signature creation.

A Necessary Luxury: Tea in Victorian England by Julie E. Fromer Ohio University Press, 2008

c.s. lewis

Can the proper preparation of tea at the tea table

reflect

womanly

gentleness,

domesticity, and sexuality to lure a man into marriage?

Author

Julie

E.

Fromer

uses

19th

Century

advertisements, cultural studies, history, and nine Victorian novels to show how important the preparation and drinking of tea was to the British national identity; class and gender distinctions;

and

middle

particularly

focusing

role

preparation

in

the

on

class

morality,

women’s

important

of

tea.

Not

just

a

pretty narrative description, the tea table is deliberately used in these novels to focus the reader class men

on

family

differences, and

women.

gatherings,

community,

and

the

drama

For

example,

between

in

Charles

Dickens’ David Copperfield, David uses “the expectations of the tea table” frequently in his story to help form his opinion on the roles of

men

and

women.

A

Necessary

Luxury

inspired me to go back and re-read some of the

classics

discussed

(David

Copperfield,

Wuthering Heights, North and South, Alice’s Adventures paying

in

Wonderland,

attention

help tell the story.

on

how

tea

Middlemarch), was

used

to

THE GREATEST TREND OF THEM ALL: READING THE TEA LEAVES FOR 2022 & BEYOND

by Dilhan C. Fernando

A new generation is driving change in a tea category where for decades price has meant more than taste or goodness. The trend they are forcing is about taste and wellness but so much more. As younger customers turn to tea, they are demanding a more sincere appreciation of

ethics

and

sustainability.

This

offers

a

glimmer

of

hope for passionate tea growers who make tea for the love of the leaf.

Predicting trends in tea was a lot easier a few years ago.

There

wasn’t

much

choice

–

black

tea

–

with

or

without milk, Earl Grey or Lemon, green tea, and maybe a

couple

of

Fortunately explosion adventure

herbs that’s

in

like

Chamomile

history

gastronomy,

brought

now. tea

Oolongs,

and

Peppermint

Accelerated drinkers’

artisanal

by

tastes

teas

and

.

an for a

multitude of herbs – not really tea, but tisanes – into the picture. Then came the pandemic and the volatility the world experienced seeped into our brewing habits.

A

single

word

mindfulness.

that

In

sums

the

new

up

the

norm,

change

tea

–

drinkers

the human and environmental consequences we see in most producing countries today.

are more mindful than ever of the goodness in

what

they

eat

an

There lies another complication to predicting

abundance of the good stuff. Good quality

what might be in 2022 and beyond, because

black, green, oolong and white tea naturally

no

have

content.

products they consume are still determined

Flavonoids are antioxidants that can protect

significantly by the choice they have in their

our

local

uniquely

bodies

and

drink.

high

from

Tea

flavonoid

oxidative

stress

has

–

a

key

matter

store.

what

And

that

is

decided

by

which

space,

which

stroke, cancer, diabetes, dementia and other

quality brands can afford both good quality

non-communicable diseases. Antioxidants in

(ie.

tea are also said to boost immunity and help

phenomenally

the

as the supermarket shelf. The answer to that

cope

with

emotional

stress.

Who

wouldn’t want a mugful of all that?

is,

not

that

the

major

more

dominate

desire,

factor in the development of heart disease,

body

brands

consumers

expensive) expensive

many.

The

tea real

and

estate

internet

helps

the known

deliver

choice and in spite of the dominant e-tailers That’s

not

all

consumers

are

becoming

and

their

similarly

expensive

promotional

mindful of; with the new normal fraught with

demands, we have hope of a more equitable

climate

marketplace one day.

social want

anxiety

and –

and

greater

economic

more

than

awareness

inequality,

ever

–

to

of

consumers

drink

what

is

For us there is only one way to make good

good for others too. That’s great, but also a

tea.

little

hand, making tea according to an artisanal

ironic

making that

because

product

retailers

around

the

it

was

affordable and

world

in

the

for

name

consumers

monopolistic

forced

the

of

race

It

involves

tradition

in

a

picking

leaves

sustainable

and

bud

relationship

by

with

brands

nature, and by workers who are paid a fair

to

wage. As with any ethical endeavour, profits

the

bottom in pricing and promotions, creating

must be shared with the less fortunate. The

formula

is

company, with

a

logical non

harsh

and,

for

negotiable.

colonial

a

family

For

history,

an

and

tea

industry a

hostile

traditional method of making tea is based on respect

for

tender

nature

leaves,

–

handpicking

where

flavour

the

and

most

natural

environment defined by discount culture, it is

antioxidants are highest, withering the leaf

more complicated. Yet the good stuff in tea

to concentrate both, rolling in a manner that

is where there is change for the better.

mimics what physicians did 5,000 years ago as they made tea, then as a medicine.

Tea

and

mindfulness

align

elegantly,

so

which teas can we expect to see in future?

Finally

That’s

a

and then firing or drying. With the tea plant,

tea

camellia sinensis, so dramatically shaped by

long

one

area

where

with

taste

tail,

there

is

definitely

adventure

in

fermenting

methods,

sunshine, rain, humidity and soil, that method

cultural

of manufacture nurtures in each batch of tea

recipes,

pairings

and

preferences. There is no other beverage that

a

can equal tea when it comes to the myriad

terroir.

hues,

aromas,

flavours,

textures

and

very

specific

There

is

no

particular

without Every

drinks

compromise

speciality

requirement, flavour than

on

loose

adding

and

texture

Nature

are

trending,

theatre

leaf the

tea

of

by

Also

but taste.

fulfills

allure

crafted

herself.

and

that

aroma,

none

other

trending

is

as

even

nature

–

its

for

a

tea

in

that

tea,

represents

but

a

this

thousand

as

the

flavour,

weather

aroma,

that

texture

and

appearance in tea. It extends over black tea, from

light

to

intense,

through

oolongs

dark

and light, green teas from floral to slightly

delicate.

present,

allure

influences

the

the

single

changeable

bitter

of

of

wind,

different teas, which vary over time, and are

escapism, drinkers seeking to get away from harshness

expression

like

their

agreeable synergy with food.

Non-alcoholic

factors

tea)

personal garnishes,

natural

oolong

a

brewing

of

and

wonderfully fragmented into a multiplicity of preferences,

confluence

(black

and

white

teas

aside,

tea

from

aromatic

to

moment. That points to Chai … a delicious, comforting,

profusion

of

strong

tea

with

Mindfulness

dairy, almond or oat milk, with mint, pepper,

very

chili,

China,

roots,

star

anise

and

favourite

or

even

other

a

dash

Saturday

spices, of

herbs

alcohol,

afternoon

and

like

my

indulgence,

social

herb.

its

With

royal

etiquette,

its

its

always

imperial

debut

poetry

characterised

has

in

been roots

Europe,

and

tea

in

the

parties

evolution,

a

that

has

always

Dilmah Pirate’s Chai (with Rum). Chai can be

invoked conversation and relationships. There

personalised

is

culture,

moment

because multitude puller’s

to

there of

every and

is

personal

ingredient

no

tastes

individual

perfect which

story.

Have

preference

chai, tell a

taste,

only

the

look

at

now

scientific

assertion

of

research

ancient

poets

to

back

who

up

the

referred

to

a

the ability of tea to inspire and uplift mood

chai

and mental state. This adds to the role and

our

Book of Chai for a few hints.

function

of

tea

unprecedented

in

the

21st

escalation

of

Century, mental

when health

concerns demand kindness. There is simple, Tea in 2022 and beyond is also likely to pivot

affordable

impact

in

shared

mugs

of

tea

around authenticity. Like antioxidants, that’s

with friends, family or strangers for whom a

a feature that real tea offers in plenty. The

moment of friendship could be much more

significant than what it may seem.

…

wait

for

it

..

aid

digestion,

helping

the

body manage sugars, excrete fats and finally There will certainly be a greater appreciation

cleanse the palate. Tea is a very special herb

of the taste, goodness and purpose in fine

–

and

the

barrier, imbued with taste defined by nature

that

and the promise of goodness and friendship.

perfectly

faintly

brewed

ridiculous

tea

tea.

Even

brewing

with

methods

devoid

ethnic,

the

emerging trend in tea, will not be limited to

grow

taste, but also in broader consciousness of

appreciation alongside

of

the

the

in

tea,

finestTeas

appreciation

of

will

authenticity

the

adventure

cultural

throng

experts

of

or

The

internet

test

religious

are being touted as the perfect method by a of

true

of

that

is

an

ethics and sustainability in tea.

and love for produce, because fine tea can only be produced with love. The aged, mixed,

With

unloved

discounts

and

heavily

discounted

stuff

will

the

realization come

the

the

cost

fair

only until they win their race to the bottom in

prices

discounting

and end for genuinely fair trade. That alone

that

it

is

time

to

sell

their brands.

will

be

because

that

sufficient

combination

of

the

to

must

wages,

quality

find

sustainability,

of

unceasing

continue to sell and delight marketers though

and

and

at

that

come

natural

brew

variety,

up

a

fair

beginning

wonderful

authenticity

and

The dreams of many passionate tea growers

innovation led by the passionate producers

have

who were the reason tea became a global

unjustly

where

the

met

their

short-term

demise

in

pleasure

a

of

market

discount

phenomenon.

That

is

the

most

promising

outweighed the long term benefit of quality.

trend for tea, fair prices leading to genuine

Growers who produce teas with love, were

social

previously exploited by a colonial economic

enabling producers to devote themselves to

system,

producing

but

universally

not

a

lot

has

detrimental

changed

discount

with

a

culture

and

environmental

beautiful

teas,

sustainability,

with

kindness

to

nature and community.

taking its place. That is changing though – hopefully – as enlightened, empowered and

That must rank as the greatest trend of them

empathetic

all – a genuinely sustainable combination of

consumers

seek

change

for

better quality teas for themselves and better

sensory

lives for the people that make the produce

mindfulness

they consume. This will gladden the hearts of

growers can celebrate together.

tea growers because the indulgence, variety, purity,

authenticity

and

provenance

in

fine

tea is without parallel and it is a joy that too few have experienced.

That

prediction

Century

tea

synergy

that

with

the

is

likely

drinkers exists

right

tea

to

realize

between having

evolve the tea the

as

21st

inspiring and

g

food

ability

to

enhance flavour, texture, mouthfeel and then

and –

functional that

tea

–

taste

drinkers

and

and tea

NO JOB COMPLETE TILL THE PAPERWORK IS DONE 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. Indi has been writing his thoughts and memories for the past few months, and we thought we would share one with you. If you don't know Indi Khanna, make sure you visit Tea'N'Teas, explore not only his stories but also the beautiful teas of the Tea Studio (teanteas.com and teastudio.info).

With advance apologies to all & sundry. Relax!

Absolutely

NO offence meant!

With this one I go back again to the late 1970s and my four year stint with Malayalam Plantations on two estates in the High Ranges.

While the High Range club was always buzzing with some activity

or

the

other,

the

level

of

action

would

peak

whenever the club had an inter-district meet which were held over weekends and were always looked forward to with

the

greatest

anticipation.

This

was

an

absolutely

wonderful ‘let down your hair’ creation of the Scot and Irish planters back in the day which in simple terms not only created a link between different planting communities and clubs, but were also most necessary to give the opportunity to planters to interact with others of their ilk and together

with them, let off some pent-up steam. I’m not aware whether the system of the ‘club meets’ still continues in the same manner, a crying shame if it does not.

In Assam where planting districts are in relatively much closer proximity to each other, the meets were always an annual two day weekend affair with planters from other clubs within a reasonable radius gravitating towards whichever club was hosting the meet on a particular weekend. The meets were centred around sports competitions which would kick-off on Saturday afternoon to end on Sunday evening, interspersed with a dance and dinner affair on Saturday. It was not at all unusual for the Saturday night to stretch into the wee hours of Sunday. On both days, regardless of whatever be the time, we’d all get back to our respective estates and bungalows. That this in some cases meant that one would be driving a VERY long distance, more often than not in a lovely and deep alcohol induced haze, was never ever a deterrent.

In South India, where planting means not just tea but also rubber and coffee and with planting districts being spread across three states and distances between the districts being literally hundreds of miles, the club meets were a very different and a much more elaborate affair to those in Assam.

Instead of

one club hosting a ‘come one come all’ jamboree where planters from all other clubs would converge, in south India the meet was on the lines of a one-on-one home or away bi-annual event.

This yarn being specifically about the High Range Club (HRC) if, for instance, it was the ‘at home’ Bamboo Club meet, we’d have all the coffee planters from Coorg drive approximately 450Kms to get into the HRC on Friday evening. All the guests with or without an accompanying spouse and kids, would be met by their respective weekend host, a Manager or Assistant on one of the Tata Tea or Malayalam Plantations (those being the only two companies with properties in the High Ranges) with whom the guest(s) had been billeted. Having met up with ones guest WHENEVER one could manage to pull the person away from the bar, the guest would be driven back to the hosts bungalow. Saturday and Sunday were designed along much the same lines as the Assam meets, with the guests finally driving back the long distance usually on the ensuing Monday, more often than not dead beat and somewhat worse for wear.

While the above was the standard format for

The

all South India Club Meets, when it came to

executives, obviously a sadist who was likely

Malayalam

not

company rubber and

Plantations

had

26

estates

properties)

Tamil

would

Nadu,

host

a

(13

scattered

every

through

along

same

the

lines

since Tea

year

as

13

Kerala

secretary,

quite

in

one

love

of

with

the

Tata

Khalid,

did

Tea

the

unthinkable. In drawing up the host/guest list for

the

MPL

meet

the

gentleman

billeted

the

HRC

Bops with Khalid in the Nymakad bungalow.

While

the

Khalid, needless to say, had no clue that he

weekend

was

do.

long

the

and

across

other

HRC/MPL

programme the

(MPL),

club

the

inter-club

had

very

subtly

been

pushed

over

a

precipice.

jamborees, for this particular meet it was a whole bunch of MPL superintends (PDs) and

Come the Friday of the meet Bops rolled up

assistant

the

into the HRC bike parking cage by about five

would

in the evening and promptly made a bee line

converge on to Munnar. For whatever be the

to the bar where he got down to slaking his

reason it was an accepted fact amongst SI

thirst

planting circles that the MPL executives were

valley

a VERY rough and rowdy bunch! A lovely and

worried Khalid, having never before set eyes

boisterous gang of blokes quite capable of

on him and having hunted high and low for

literally driving folk up the wall! Which they

his

did rather effectively and quite frequently.

headless chicken asking all and sundry

various

One

superintendents

far

flung

amongst

MPL

that

(SDs)

estates

bunch

of

from who

delightful

and

crazy SDs was a ‘one bottle of rum a night’ wonderful

specimen

whose

demeanour

was

just short of bordering on insanity. I.P.Bopiah (Bops)

was

a

self-inflicted

accident

prone

wild human being who had pranged his bike more

often

quite

a

than

few

of

one those

could

remember

mishaps

with

resulting

in

some very serious and severe injuries so that the

gentleman’s

face

was

akin

to

a

badly

reconstructed jigsaw puzzle.

On the other side of the fence was one Tata Tea Manager who could only be described as a coconut – somewhat brown on the outside but

snow

white

on

the

inside.

Both

Khalid

Baig and his wife Poogie Baig were ardent and self proclaimed Anglophiles. Besides his many

other

accomplishments

which

he

was

wont to crow about, a feather in Khalid’s cap which he was very proud about was that he was

the

opening

cricket eleven.

batsman

for

the

HRC

after to

guest,

that

long

Munnar.

was

ride

Hours

seen

up

from

later

walking

a

venture

somewhat

around

like

a

whether

anyone

knew

who

this

I.P.Bopiah

With

the

Saturday

kicking

off

him anywhere. Having finally located his by

having

been

now

two

and his guest walked into the HRC smiling at

having been introduced to each other, Khalid

each other. Having steered him into the club,

managed to pry Bops off the bar stool, sit

while

Khalid

him in the jeep to drive off to the bungalow

men’s

room

for dinner.

Bops

inebriated

guest

and

the

extracted

a

change

averse

to

sincere

from

immediately to

being

noon,

competitions

character was and whether anyone had seen

rather

around

sports

Bops,

pushed

into

any

the

off

his

form

promise host

to

the

soccer

kit,

of

physical

activity other than those related to his right Khalid

being

a

very

serious

sportsman

elbow, strolled across to his favourite room

buttressed by the fact that he was not only

and

the captain but also the opening bat for the

Which he continued doing without a break all

HRC

afternoon

down

elevens, from

while

they

the

he

did

evening

best.

which

necessary

open

(Khalid)

be

scheduled

to

had

into

what

That was when the HRC bar would be thrown

match

club,

and

doing

patiently explained to his guest that it was he

the

driving

with

dovetailed into the dinner and dance affair.

that

to

both

on

very

Sunday

Nymakad

were

got

fresh

for

all,

the

damages

after

they

had

been totted up post meet, being very fairly

o’clock and that could they PLEASE wind up

split amongst the members of the host club

early

with

evening

so

that

they

at

to

10

that

start

the

could

both

ones

share

get a good night’s sleep. Ever the gentleman

months

that he was, the prompt response from Bops

ever

hankered

with

was

on

a

hand

on

his

heart

had

problem, whenever you say”!

been

a

“no

club

the

appearing

bill. for

Not

that

a

free

cards,

why

in our

drink,

the

ensuing

friend but

would

he

if

Bops that even

consider looking a gift horse in the mouth.

From all accounts from others sitting at the

About an hour after the game had started,

bar with Bops, that particular evening he had

the spectators sitting on the lawn and steps

surpassed

leading down to the field, saw and heard a

night

his

was

probably

one

still

bottle

young.

concluded

tipple

Hours

that

he

while

later

the

having

MAY

possibly

vehicle come

drive to

a

have had enough, tottering away from all the

unhealthy

noise and music in the main bar and hall he

mad

meandered

steering

his

way

into

the

Men’s

Bar,

in

as

at

breakneck

grinding

screech

hen

of

Khalid

wheel

halt

with

tyres.

Out

Baig

from

followed

hopped behind

by

a

the

‘body’

obviously very severely hung-over, bloodshot

corner of that unique barroom and promptly

eyed

dropped off into a deep rum induced ‘coma’!

attempt

Come midnight, an extremely harried Khalid

host

could be seen peeping into every corner of

the field. Red faced and livid as hell, walking

the main hall and the men’s loo desperately

up

seeking his guest. With all the club bearers

sitting

having

white inner pulp having been discarded and

into

a

search

party,

to

who

to

look was

his

was as

seen

lively

literally

padded-up

amongst

the

brown

other

a

of the leather upholstered settees in a quiet

I.P.Bopiah

the

rather

stumbling

inducted

from

a

and

wriggled himself into a tight little ball on one

been

out

speed

side.

making as

his

a

feeble

very

active

scrambling

teammates

the

the

with

with the help of a couple of his colleagues

finally

who were quite au fait with how the situation

shouted out “Who the f*** billeted this crazy

was to be handled, Bops was deposited in a

character

muttering and red faced Khalid Baig’s car.

followed were all well hidden behind hands

to

with

the

me”?

of

were

with

our sleeping beauty was finally located and,

coming

shell

towards

who

spectators,

outer

An

fore,

The

that

coconut

he

actually

sniggers

which

across many mouths.

Sunday blue

morning

sky,

a

cloudless While Khalid was busy ranting and letting off

much anticipated cricket match. By 9 o’clock

steam, the interest of all the youngsters was

a whole bunch of eager cricketers were on

focused

the

erect’.

their

optimum

with

the

field

the

dawned

limbering

respective

conditions

up,

trying

hangovers.

At

to

for

sweat

ten

the

off two

away

elsewhere,

Finding from

a

the

safe

main

‘Mr spot

body

on

of

to

stand

the

grass,

planters

waiting for the captains of the two teams to

wanted to know what had transpired for his

come in for the toss. The captain of the MPL

host

team

response,

somewhat

worse

for

wear

have

gone

which

down,

ballistic.

was

we

and

sitting

to

gentleman

trying

white coated umpires walked up to the pitch

looking

the

on

simply

Bops

classic

mumbled

out

in

ambled across to where the three gentlemen

between him, almost like a dying fish gulping

stood around twiddling their thumbs and all

mouthfuls

three

bursts. The story in short bursts akin to Morse

looking

entrance,

expectantly

waiting

appearance.

15

for

towards

Khalid

minutes

later

to the

the make

club his

of

air,

came

out

of

him

no-show “That’s a crazy couple I stayed with”

coin

“I

be

tossed

for

the

short

code went as follows:

was replaced by the vice captain so that the could

in

game

to

get

mean

what’s

the

big

deal

about

a

guy

underway. Having won the toss and by now

enjoying his drink”?

alive to the fact that their opening bat was

“Anyway, you guys know what ones stomach

AWOL,

is

the

MPL

captain

rather

deviously

opting to field, inviting the HRC team to bat first.

like

in

the

morning

after

having

some rum the previous evening”

downed

“I guess I must have overslept, but when I woke up there was a pot of tea on the bedside table which had gone cold” “Man, I was thirsty and ended up gulping down all that tea” “While my stomach was already feeling uneasy, that damn tea did the trick so I had to rush to the loo” “Man, what a relief! The damn thing just kept coming out” “Stretched on for ages” “When I was finally done I looked around for the mug. Can you believe it, there is no mug in that damn bungalow, only unhealthy paper” ” I have never used paper in my life and have no intentions of changing. Dirty buggers” “So I sat around wondering what to do” “That guys loo is like a f***** hospital room, so bloody clean. There is nothing in it that I could use” “All I could see was a tiny cabinet above the washbasin. You can imagine just how awkwardly I had to shuffle across to that damn thing” “When I opened it, the only thing in it was an eye glass. Yup a damn EYE GLASS” “Did I have choice? Took me all of half an hour and I don’t know how many trips to the washbasin tap” “What a bloody tiring morning, Man!” “But you know what has me feeling happy, that tomorrow morning that bugger Khalid will be washing his eye in that damn thing”!

Looking around, not one of us clustered around this clown literally soaking in his wise words did not have tears streaming down our faces!

Post Script Years later well after I had relocated to Assam I did get to hear that this absolutely wonderful soul had finally managed to have an accident which had him hand in his dinner pail.