Tea Time

I confess to being a tea addict; it’s one of the few things I like. I will take any type of tea, but I am partial to fruity teas, especially the ones with citrus; green tea or black tea with citrus is welcome. I have a preference for hot tea even in hot weather, but once in a while, I indulge in iced tea. In all of this, I drink a minimum of one cup of tea a day. I buy my tea leaves and bags across brands. However, I secretly wish I could be an ambassador for a tea brand.

Once in a while, I brew my tea from scratch using fruits and herbs, which we locally call agbo. My preference for brewing depends on my mood, but the flavors I enjoy most in my tea are: lemongrass, pineapple bark, lemon, and ginger. Sometimes I add fresh mint, cloves, rose petals, and star anise; it is all for the flavor and fragrance that envelops your house while it is brewing. Depending on what you are brewing, the fragrance feels like warm hugs, and you just relax to take it all in before the next chaos shows up.

Tea time is a vibe, and I encourage everyone to include it in their lifestyle. Tea time should be a fun time for you and your taste buds, and it’s also a time to relax, read a newspaper, go through your social media, or chat with your friends and family; it is what you will call your therapeutic me time. If tea is not your thing, you can have coffee, a chocolate drink, or fruit juice. Sometimes, I have dedicated tea times, which come with snacks.

Drinking tea without pairing it with the necessary accompaniment is rude, if I do say so myself. The most readily available snack for most people are biscuits or cookies, but there are several pastries to pick from. I make most of my snacks to get the satisfaction I desire, and the snacks can be sweet or savory. I have had tea times with sausage rolls, scones, cinnamon rolls, chocolate rolls, biscotti or cantucci, cakes, waffles, puff pastry, focaccia, brownies, churros, rock buns, hu jiao bing, muffins, hand pies, strawberry buns—the pastry list is endless. Tea time does not have to be boring in any way; it can also be a bonding time for the family if you decide to make your snacks at home. However, if you do not have the time to make your snacks, you can always order them and still get your tea time.

This is why I enjoy throwing tea parties for like-minded people. It’s a time to get together, unwind, and indulge in delicious pastries and tea without judgement. The healthy living people call it a cheat day, but I see it as a treat day.
In conclusion, drink tea and enjoy life without worry or anxiety for at least 30 minutes a day. It can also be a time to practice mindfulness; remember to relax your shoulders and unclench your jaws.