What, me a tea snob?

I have been to many a 'tea house' and often they are either elegant (which sometimes translates to not very relaxing) or over the top 'quaint' (which translates to big hats, lace, frills and uncomfortable husbands) but few actually know how to make proper tea. Those that do prepare a proper cuppa stand out! Now when I say a proper cuppa, I mean using quality loose tea, the correct water temperature for that tea, and timed steeping to produce the best the leaves have to offer. It is disheartening to order a pot of tea only to discover a teabag immersed in lukewarm water hanging by its paper tab. Sure, I use teabags occasionally. There are companies that fill their bags with the 'good stuff'. Quality teabags are convenient for travel, eating out, camping, picnics, etc. However, Afternoon Tea can be as much as $30 per person and for that price I expect my money's worth. Which means good tea, hot water, and correct steeping time. I won't be mollified by lace curtains and cute tarts if the tea itself is unpalatable. Ok...I can imagine you are thinking, "what a tea snob!" Ha ha! Guilty as charged! But if you love fresh ground coffee, excellent wine, slow cooked home made oatmeal, or your mama's lasagna from scratch you know what I mean. Rushed, quick, short-cuts and instant just doesn't cut it! And that is what most tea bags are~ instant tea.

My friend was celebrating a birthday and we decided to try a fairly new place called the The Tranquil Tea Lounge in Fullerton, California. 

The shop features more than 95 varieties of loose-leaf tea and the staff know how to prepare a good cup for you! There are tea samples in small glass containers so you can see and smell before you make a selection.

Behind the counter are rows of tea containers. You may purchase tea to take home with you. The day we went the shop was hopping with customers, so we had to wait for a table as they only take reservations for large parties. We sat in a small lounge area on a  sofa and looked through the menu while chatting, then were directed to a small table.
If you choose to have your tea on ice it is served with a side carafe for refills. If you choose hot tea as I did, it will be prepared in front of you at the table and the staff will let you know when it is finished steeping~ they have timers for each table that they monitor, and they return to your table to remove the leaves! In this photo the leaves are steeping and the cup is ready & waiting~

 Here are the wet, unfurled leaves just removed from the pot. I selected a lovely full bodied Yunnan.

 The Tranquil Tea Lounge serves soups, salads and sandwiches in a soothing contemporary decor of grey and green tones. They also offer tea smoothies and tea floats. We saw plenty of college students and business men enjoying tea the day we were there. There is nary a ruffle or white glove, so if you want Victorian this is not the place for you. I had the half sandwich and cup of soup, which was a delicious minestrone. My friend and I decided to split one of the house scones, which was a chocolate chip treat.

 Before we departed, I purchased a tin of Mayan Chocolate Chai tea which included the steeping time on the side. I have been enjoying this chai most evenings and it makes a delicious substitution for my nightly hot chocolate! It smells divine and tastes wonderful. I wish I had also bought a tin of the Yunnan I drank with my lunch. I think I will take my daughter to tea this week and pick up a tin~ And it is ok by me if you call me a 'loose' woman as opposed to a 'bag' lady! lol