The Many Wonders of Tea

When I was a young girl I seem to recall my mom making me tea whenever I had a cold, a stomach ache or if I was just under the weather.  Mom’s tea with a touch of honey and a splash of lemon proved to be just what was needed to ease my discomfort.  Fast forward to today’s vast variety of teas that line the shelves in supermarkets and specialty shops.  Whether you are in need of a mid afternoon pick me up or just something that taste good, a cup of tea seems to fill the bill.  Social events such as bridal showers are being held in venues that feature “High Tea” with finger sandwiches, scones with specialty jams and butters, mini pastries that accompany a vast array of teas that are presented on tables bedecked with beautiful linens, and fine china cups and saucers to complete the look of elegance. All this is a wonderful phenomenon and a bit of a respite from a world that is sometimes fraught with stress and everyday demands.

My dilemma on how to choose that perfect blend of tea for my own enjoyment took me to my local supermarket where I made it a point to linger in the tea aisle while reading box after box of teas and what they contained. I discovered there is a tea to calm you and one to give you energy.  How about one to make you sleepy and one to get you going in the morning? Teas seem to come in colors too.  Black, white, orange and green teas dominated a good portion of a shelf.  There are teas to lose weight and ones containing antioxidants to boost your immune system. There are flavored teas that sound yummy like vanilla, caramel and truffle. And there is one for nursing mothers called Mother’s Milk which contains organic fennel that helps with the milk production for nursing moms. Recently while I was enjoying a cup of tea I reflected back to my childhood days. I’ve come to the conclusion that even though variety is the spice of life, and there is no lack of variety when it comes to choosing a box of tea, I couldn’t help but be wistful of when a simple cup of tea with just some honey and a splash of lemon seemed to be the answer for what ailed you.