It’s tea time! Find favourite brews online
Browse for leaves from around the world
By Tara Nolan
For many of us, there is nothing more soothing than a hot cup of our favourite tea after a frosty winter walk or a long day at work. While tea has been proven to have health benefits, people also draw a very emotional connection to this ancient drink, the world’s second most popular beverage after water.
Step back while you steep
“As we live such fast-paced lives today, I think we need to relax,” says Roger Clements, co-owner, with his wife Cindy, of The Old Curiosity Tea Shop in Markham, Ont. “Tea has the ability to slow you down because you have to wait for it to steep — it causes you to take time for yourself.”
According to an Ipsos-Reid survey released in March 2004, Canadian women tea drinkers said they prefer drinking hot tea for enjoyment and because it is a relaxing, soothing experience.
Discover a new flavour
Tea was discovered in 2737 B.C. by the Chinese Emperor Shen Nung when a tea leaf accidentally dropped into the bowl of hot water from which he was drinking, or so the legend goes. More than 4,000 years later, in 1716, it was imported into Canada by the Hudson’s Bay Company.
While grocery and specialty stores frequently stock their shelves full of new flavours, the web is a great place to shop for rare blends, accessories and other useful tea information. So brew a cup of your favourite leaves and cosy up in front of your computer to see what teas from around the world our country’s merchants have to offer.
Browse for unique blends
A growing body of research has associated drinking tea with a healthy lifestyle. Black and green teas are rich in flavonoids, antioxidant plant compounds that may help maintain cardiovascular health and prevent cancer.
The difference between teas brewed from teabags and tea leaves is a matter of personal taste, though many contend that tea steeped from leaves is much more flavourful — and cheaper.
Combine and conquer
The Old Curiosity Tea Shop experiments in its kitchen to come up with unique blends, and customers test the results, explains Clements. Once approved, the new blends are sold in the store and online.
Other online tea merchants include
Purchase accessories to enjoy your tea
Tea should be kept in a sealed jar in the cupboard, where you can store it for up to three years, says Clements. Tea containers and other essential items — such as strainers, infusers, teapots and cups — can be found at the following sites:
Cook with your favourite brew
Ever tried tea soup? Many people don’t realize you can cook with tea. You can find the soup recipe on The Tea Association of Canada, as well as other recipes on how to add tea to dishes like basmati rice, ice cream and cake.
The Stash Tea Company also has a great recipe section, as well as extensive information about tea. Iced tea lovers can visit Tetley for unique iced tea recipes, such as French mint.
Enjoy afternoon tea at a tea room
Afternoon tea started in the early 1800s when Anna the seventh Duchess of Bedford started having tea, cakes and other treats delivered to her quarters to stave off the hunger that occurred between breakfast and late dinners. The art of afternoon tea is being preserved in the tea rooms of towns and cities across the country. “It evokes a slower-paced, more gentle time,” says Clements. For a listing of tea rooms in Canada, visit Online Tea Room Directory.
Or you can brew your own cup and take a moment to sit back and relax!
Quick tip: Learn to brew a perfect of tea with bags
- Select a quality black, green or specialty tea.
- Use fresh water that has reached a rolling boil to bring out the best flavour of the tea.
- Choose a tea pot that is clean and in good condition, and warm the pot.
- Put tea bag(s) in the pot first; then take the tea pot to the kettle and pour boiling water overtop.
- Tea should steep three to five minutes before removing the tea bags.
- Offer milk, not cream, or try adding a slice of lemon.
(Courtesy of the Tea Association of Canada)
Quick tip: Learn to brew a perfect of tea with bags
- Warm the teapot by filling it with hot tap water.
- When the kettle has boiled, empty the water from the pot, add the tea leaves (about one teaspoon per cup or to taste) and immediately pour the boiling water over the leaves. Tea tastes best when it has been hit with 212°F. (Water for green tea should be just below boiling.)
- Let your tea steep (about two minutes for green teas and three-to-four minutes for black teas).
- Add milk to a warmed cup.
- Pour tea through a strainer into the cup.
