Tuesday, February 19, 2008

TEA IN TUCSON

Except for the fact that it is winter, today was a perfect summer day. The sky was cloudless, a light breeze blew, and the temperature topped out in the low 70's. After a long walk in the desert, I plunked myself down in my outdoor lounge chair, head and shoulders in the shade, legs in the sun. (Donna, you should be here.) A small plane buzzed in the distance, birds chirped... and soon I was feeling very, very drowsy. Then something happened that woke me up: my tea order arrived!

Last November, in Sacramento, a doctor suggested I give up coffee. This was an unappealing proposition for me - my mornings didn't start without two cups of strong french roast. While I was mulling over his advice, wondered what could replace the morning brew, I happened upon an amazing tea store - in the mall, of all places.

Teavana was a timely surprise: the staff was friendly and full of information, and the teas... ohmygosh. They looked beautiful and smelled incredible, blends of white, green, and black teas, young or aged, and all sorts of tea-like herbal brews. I was fascinated and came away with a tea reputed to have the same stimulating qualities as a cup of coffee: Mate Vana, a mate blend. It smelled nothing like coffee, but equally as good.

The bad news for me: no Teavana stores in Arizona! The good news: they have a great website with easy online ordering, and they deliver quickly.

In the few months since I discovered Teavana, I've settled on a few favorties to keep on hand: Mate Vana, my new breakfast beverage; Pu-Ehr, an aged black tea with a rich, earthy taste; spicy Masala Chai; herbal Honeybush Vanilla; and Azteca Fire, an herbal blend with a bit of both chocolate and crushed chili pods (yummy blended with the Honeybush Vanilla).

Among the many health claims made for teas: they aid in reducing cholesterol. My doctor will love that. They can assist in regulating blood sugar levels, fortify the immune system, fight "free radicals" (those always sound fun to me, but have a bad reputation) with antioxidants. All the better, though I am in it for the taste, the enjoyment of the brewing ritual, and the way that "a cup of tea" seems to translate to "let's relax".

I unpacked the order and fixed a big glass of iced Masala Chai (sweetened and with soy milk) - and decided to share my pleasure with all of you. YUM!

3 comments:

  1. Oh, that sounds so good!!! WE have an order from Teavana that should arrive maybe tomorrow!!!!! I can't even remember all the different teas we ordered, but Mate Vana is in there!!!!! We'll invite you to "tea" when you arrive!!!!

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  2. Oh man! I wish I was there! But, spring has got to be on the way--it's supposed to get to the 20's, maybe even 30 by the weekend! yippee!
    Enjoy your tea--I'll be there in spirit!
    donna

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  3. I happen to be quite well aquainted with Teavana and all that yummy tea. It warmed my heart to see your delicious comments about your tea experience in AZ:)

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