Just a quick –but an essential- one today.

Whilst proceeding on #thehappybagsjourney, I’m getting closer to finishing my first product #minimarietea.

Aside from this being totally exciting and hoping to be sharing all details on this new tea with you soon, I’ve noticed something I thought I’d share with you in the meantime.

Whilst crafting my perfect blends and testing them out a bit outside my inner circle, I’ve noticed that there are still some misunderstandings about tea. Well quite a few actually…

But let me start right there, at the start: how does one make a simple fresh cup of tea.

 

I thought I’d make it as easy as possible for you and sum up a few essentials and basics:

 

• choose ingredients you like, they can go from fresh to dried, as long as it’s herbs, spices, flowers, tea, fruits or even chocolate nibs… anything goes in tea land, really, we’re easy going citizens, so no excuses!

I chose some fresh strawberries, fresh lemon basil and dried lemon verbena for the little movie below. But I can’t stress enough, the choices are limitless due to the wonders of nature…

Don’t pick too many though, this way each ingredient gets to show its personality in the blend. Too much of a good thing is good for nothing, right.

 

• For infusions your water can be boiling hot, for green tea’s 70 degrees is enough actually, but either way, juuuuust not boiling is always good for any tea/infusion.

 

• Pour your (preferably decalcified) water in the teapot FIRST. This way you avoid burning those beautiful ingredients. (especially working with whole leafs and flowers)

 

• Throw your blend in the hot water gently

 

• Close the teapot to make sure you get all the condensed flavors right back in that teapot.

 

• In my opinion a glass teapot with enough space (so work without filter if possible) is the best. This way you can throw the ingredients in so you can watch them “dance” and watch the tea leaves as they unfold

 

• A little tea light is called a TEA LIGHT for a reason… (epiphany anyone?) Honestly, it’s just the perfect heating system to keep your tea at the perfect cosy warmth for a longer period. You can find these tea warmers and tea pots anywhere really… this one is from Habitat I think… so no excuses here either.

 

These tips and tricks to brighten up your cup of tea are all wrapped up in an little tea movie you can find right here. (and pictures below)

So that’s it for now folks, you’re 15 seconds away from the perfect cup of tea… go for it, you won’t regret it.

 

Love,

Isabelle