Tea Time

Now that the mornings are getting cooler outside, I'm going back to enjoying a cup of hot tea in the mornings. I try to sneak in a little "tea time" in the mornings before the kids get up. I enjoy savoring that fragrant cup while watching my little cardinals at the feeder or catching up on my favorite blogs. The house is quiet...and the time is mine to relax and gather my thoughts and plans for the day.
I was looking in the pantry for my tea stash and found some lotus tea that Ryan picked up from Hong Kong Market in Chinatown. I've never tasted it but thought it would be a nice change from my regular oolong. I've got to remember to thank Ryan for picking up this little gem! Lotus tea is a mild green tea with the fragrance of the lotus flower (as opposed to the flower itself.) I imagine it tastes exactly what a lotus flower smells like! It is very delicate and lovely and I'm going to be sure to pick more of this up on our next trip to Chinatown!

To brew your own perfect cup of green tea, place your loose leaves (a heaping teaspoon for each cup) in a strainer or mesh bag. I found this awesome little tea pot at an estate sale. It makes exactly two cups.

Heat your filtered water to simmering hot. DO NOT boil the water! If the water is too hot, it will make your tea bitter.

Let your tea leaves steep for 3 minutes, not a minute longer. I actually set my timer for this! If the tea steeps too long then you will loose the health benefits of the green tea and it becomes very bitter. When your time is up, pour into a warmed cup with a teaspoon of raw honey. This tea didn't even need the sweetness of the honey!

So, ummm...does anyone know how to read tea leaves?

Is there a tall dark stranger in my future? Lottery winnings? Anything?

Oh well, be sure to toss the leaves from your strainer into your houseplants or compost pile. Plants LOVE this stuff!