Would it surprise any of you coffee drinkers out there to know that I can go MONTHS without a cup of coffee?

I love tea.

I know that tea is very “in” right now but, honestly, I’ve been drinking it forever. I love everything about it – the flavor, the warmth, the relaxing ritual of preparing it, the tinkling sound of the spoon while stirring it – all of these things bring a moment of calm reflection to an otherwise hectic day.

Tea Party

Perhaps I developed this affection for tea from my grandmother. She believed that tea was the quintessential answer for everything! If you had a very bad day, she would make you a cup of tea to cheer you. If you were bursting with wonderful news, she’d urge you to sit at the table while she put the kettle on, and as soon as the tea was poured, she’d sit beside you and want to hear every detail of your good fortune. If you were sick with a cold or a stomach ache – well then, a cup of tea would surely cure you!

I must admit I am kind of fussy about the tea I drink. I prefer black tea. I know green tea is good for you, but many studies suggest that black tea is very beneficial, too. With milk, please – not cream! And the water must be HOT. Every once and a while, in a moment of sheer lunacy, I order tea at a restaurant. Most of the time I’m given a pot or a cup of barely lukewarm water, and no tea bag in the world can steep properly under those conditions. Talk about drinking dishwater!

Part of the fun of drinking tea is all of the “accoutrements” that go along with it – teapots, pretty bone china teacups with gilded edges, silver tea strainers, and little tea bag holders! And while I don’t use all of those things daily, I love to collect them and I do use a pretty bunch of china mugs that easily pop into the dishwasher.

Well, that’s my take on tea. What do you like to drink? 🙂