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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 Sommelier®

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.

&

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 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.