Good Things to Know About Loose Leaf Tea

Try it once and it's hard to go back to the bag. Since my first taste of the stuff in China, a whole world of exquisite natural flavor has been opened up to me, and the good news is I don't have to fly across the ocean to get ahold of this savory goodness, loose leaf tea is here in the States too.

I'll take the liberty to make a shameless plug for Teavana. There's other loose leaf teas out there, but Teavana's product is excellent (if not expensive). I'm not an expert, but I think their tea is worth the price tag.

Turns out there's perks to graduating from college. Along with a diploma, I received a graduation gift:

Teavana's Perfect Tea Maker

It's fascinating. Simply spoon in the tea, pour hot water into the top, let the tea steep 3-4 minutes, place it on the lip of a mug, and tea flows out the bottom. 

Along with the tea maker, I received the portable Teavana Contour Tumbler 

 Great for on-the-go. . .which I usually am.

After trying every tea brewed in the store, I decided on two flavors: Youthberry and Wild Orange Blossom. I loved the combination of the two, it is unlike any other tea I have ever tasted. 

 Teavana's German Rock Sugar enhances rather than overpowers the tea's flavor.
I think the added zing is especially great with ice. 

10 Teas to Try

These are the many perks of loose leaf tea. Teavana makes teas in most if not all of these categories. 

“When tea becomes ritual, it takes its place at the heart of our ability to see greatness in small things." ― Muriel Barbery, The Elegance of the Hedgehog

“Some people will tell you there is a great deal of poetry and fine sentiment in a chest of tea.” 
― Ralph Waldo Emerson, Letters and Social Aims

“There are those who love to get dirty and fix things. They drink coffee at dawn, beer after work. And those who stay clean, just appreciate things. At breakfast they have milk and juice at night. There are those who do both, they drink tea.” 
― Gary Snyder

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