BY JENNIFER & JOHN BURKHART
Our Unexpected Tea-Tasting Journey
We’re always out and about focusing on experiences to review, but for this home issue, we wanted to do something that can be enjoyed at home, as well. We happened upon a tea shop that offered tasting experiences, so naturally we had to see what it was all about.
She Said: I’m not really a tea drinker, more of a tea “collector.” One look at my coffee cabinet and you’ll see it half full of tea boxes. I think I like the idea of tea, and that they’re always there if I need/want them, but usually I reach for something with a little more “oomph” in flavor. So I had hopes that this little tea shop might spark a new interest in the mild-tasting, watery beverage. The shop offered loose-leaf teas from around the world, and employees that love to nerd out and share their vast tea-knowledge with you. The owner was clearly passionate about what she does and was more than happy to chat with us and answer our questions. These are exactly the type of people you want for a tea-tasting experience! The shop itself was cozy and inviting, with warm wood furnishings, board games in the corner, and even a singing bowl. We had to try it — with the help of the staff, of course — it’s harder than it looks! To begin the tasting, we each received a binder with a list of categories of teas, and then all the teas they carry under each category, with a very descriptive paragraph about origin, aroma, flavor, or healing properties. If that wasn’t enough to decide, there were little tins with the leaves of each tea to see and smell. It was a very tough decision, but we finally chose six interesting-sounding potions from the nine categories. They brought out each kettle when we were ready for it, but I really wasn’t prepared for how much liquid I would be consuming. “Waterlogged” might be a good description for how I felt at the end of it. But honestly, it was a lot of fun! Our kids were with us, and even though they’re not tea drinkers, they thought the experience of sniffing tea tins and trying new flavors was fun. We even got the opportunity to play some board games, as well. I’ll admit I do have a renewed spark in drinking tea and even brought a wellness blend home to actually drink — not collect!
He Said: We signed up for a tea testing at our local tea shop this month. I expected the place to be stuffy, full of floral print sofas, tables with doilies, and old ladies gossiping about their neighbors. But, to my amazement, most everyone in this tea shop was my age or younger, which either means tea is getting more hip or I’m moving into the senior bracket faster than I thought. This shop was conspicuously hidden away in a strip mall in between a Wing Stop and a nail salon, so I was impressed with how nice the ambiance was on the inside. Its theme was Japanese-influenced, with dark mahogany wood tables, soft lit chandeliers that looked like clouds, and even an LED-lit cherry blossom tree. The place was packed. We sat down at the last available table and the host came on faster than a boiling kettle. Before I knew what happened, we had a 40-page binder and nine bags of tea samples on our table. I felt like I was back in high school and it was pop quiz day. We hastily picked our first tea — a light, toasty, green variety. The next hour was a blur of herbal, botanical, shrub, and wellness teas. Throughout the tasting, we were reminded of tea’s eco- friendly virtues — its low carbon footprint, minimal processing, and compostable leaves. As we researched our brews, we came across stories about biodiversity, community farmers, or ancient sustainable harvesting techniques. It felt good to learn that my caffeine habit might actually be saving the planet (or at least not hurting it). We even got to take home some samples of our favorite tea at the end.
