Note Cards~

I enjoy jotting notes to friends and, although I do make many of my own, I love finding pretty note cards in gift shops. I am participating in A Haven for Vee's Note Card Party. Party goers are supposed to share four photos previously posted on their blogs that they think would make a nice note card~

I think my set of four note cards would be called  So Many Teas, so Little Time~

Which to sample first?

                                                  

                             To market, to market...

                                                      Shall I be 'Mother'?

One for me and one for a friend~

Have you tried loose tea? Do you only buy teabags because you do not have the experience or equipment to drink loose tea? You are missing out on a wonderful teatime! How does powdered orange drink compare to fresh squeezed juice? What do you think of freeze dried coffee compared to fresh roasted and ground? How about instant Cup O' Noodles versus mom's home made chicken noodle soup? All you need is some type of reusable or disposable filter, strainer or infuser, a timer and some loose tea!

I guarantee it is easy as 1, 2, 3!

1. Put tea into the infuser, place in pot or cup
2. Pour 'just brought to the boil' water over the tea*
3. Steep tea for 3-5 minutes (package directions) 

*If you are drinking green or oolong tea, water needs to be a bit cooler. If you use a roiling boil for black teas, the water will be de-oxygenized and flat .

What are some of your favorite note card themes? Off the top of my head, I'd love note cards with gardens, front doors, fences, bird houses, staircases, cloches, baked goods, knitting, bicycles, gates, candles, stepping stones, rivers, trees, purses, fountains...gee, there are probably dozens of wonderful subjects! 

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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

Be Brave and Go Loose!

I am surprised at how many tea drinkers have never tried the 'good stuff,' and make their daily cuppa from inferior tea bag tea. It is not complicated, difficult or expensive to drink quality tea and the difference is amazing! It amounts to under a dollar per cup to drink the finest teas in the world~ Tea purveyors are happy to send you samples so you can try the tea before you buy. Coffee afficionados savor fresh roasted beans, not freeze dried instant, and tea drinkers can experience tea fit for The Queen! Companies like Harney & Sons print brewing instructions  on their websites. On my sidebar I have a list of Tea Vendors which sell great tea and are reliable. Here is a site that gives you  'brewing 101'  info, and includes short videos on the many ways to steep fresh tea leaves. Be a 'loose' woman, not a 'bag lady'!!