It’s easy to see tea as a simple commodity; a utilitarian item you keep on hand for occasional enjoyment and/or health benefits. It’s so easy to forget what went into giving you the perfect cup of tea that you may be sipping even this moment:
The soil, water, and air that nourish the tea plants and help them to put forth fresh buds each season.
The farmers, who work so diligently to grow the tea plants and to coax out the leaves’ full potential for flavor and aroma.
The servers at the Tea Lounges who share their passion for tea every day.
And of course the tea leaves themselves, for giving you everything they have to offer: flavor, aroma, nutrients, and a catalyst for connecting with yourself and others.
Each tea leaf is like a miniature masterpiece, unlocked simply by adding hot water.
Good tea deserves appreciation. It also deserves to be treated with care, to avoid damaging the fresh flavors before it’s time to release them.
Here are a few tips for caring for your teas:
1. Mind the enemies of tea.
Keep your teas away from strong odors, moisture, heat, air, and light – the primary enemies of tea. If you keep your teas in the kitchen, avoid placing them near the stove or strong spices.
2. Store tea properly.
We package our teas in opaque boxes with interior airtight bags, to keep the light, moisture, and air out. Our tea boxes work great if you plan to consume your tea within a few months. But for longer term storage, we recommend re-useable containers such as our double-lidded copper tea canisters. Avoid storing tea in glass containers.
3. Appreciate the transience of tea.
What better way to stay in the moment, than to enjoy something which is so fleeting. Each cup of tea is unique; you’ll never taste it again. You may brew a very similar cup the next day, or taste a similar harvest of tea the next year, but it will never be that exact cup.
Tea’s flavors are transient as well. After months of waiting to be enjoyed, a tea’s vivid flavors will start to fade. You can often store a good tea for a year or more depending on the tea (green teas will fade faster than black teas, and pu-erh teas can actually improve with age).
Like everything in life, you can’t fight the nature of change. But you can care for what is yours, savor every sip, and take a moment to appreciate what is in your cup today.