A Cup Of Tea Is A Cup Of Peace

May 23, 2023

- Sen Sshitsu VX

_{photo posted on dbuzz a year ago}

It's been a long time since I opted to reduce my intake of coffee and prefer drinking a healthier tea instead. However, I can't deny the fact that I still occasionally take coffee because I was a lover for one. Particularly in my school days, I couldn't leave the house in the morning without sipping a cup of coffee. It makes my day incomplete if I can't smell its aroma. Unfortunately, as I aged, my food preferences changed due to intolerances and other health issues my body developed.

I began to like tea when I started working. I can vividly remember the very first tea I bought in a supermarket, it was Lipton yellow tea. I chose it because it was less expensive than other teas and certainly within my budget as a minimum wage earner. Moreover, I liked its mild aroma and taste, unlike other teas that have strong flavors and are way more expensive for me.

My love for tea grew as I started trying other flavors, especially when I worked here in Hong Kong, where lots of variety of tea can be found. Jasmine, Chinese oolong, chamomile, chrysanthemum, lemon tea, ginger tea, and green tea were among those. But my favorite one is green tea. For no apparent reason, I love any type of green tea, whether it be sencha, matcha, or other classic green teas. May it be served hot or iced, or blended with other classic teas.

Nowadays, there are a lot of teas blended with other flavors popping out in the market. The boba, or bubble tea, with pearls is the most popular, along with other fruit teas filled with edible balls, jellies, and other toppings, which most young people prefer to traditional ones. There are even some tea flavors blended with coffee. I wonder how they taste, though.

_{Jasmine-green tea with black pearls}

I don't dislike them because I honestly love them too. They have distinct flavor combinations from a variety of teas, and the idea of combining different flavors in a cup is undoubtedly creative. Because of those new tea combinations popping out in the market, I discovered other flavors of tea and my favorite green tea. The genmaicha is one of them. It's Japanese brown rice mixed with green tea. I must include that I love brown rice tea as well. I love the roasted scent of brown rice and its flavor, especially when mixed with classic green tea or matcha. There are tea shops selling genmaicha with roasted brown rice grains in it, and I so love it.

_{genmaicha with roasted brown rice}

I have been greatly influenced by Chinese culture and often accompany my meals with tea. I also feel like it helps me easily digest food and reduce flatulence, especially when consuming a large amount of food.

lemon tea	green tea

I also have tried different Chinese teas, especially loose leaf ones, and fruit teas using dried ingredients, such as red dates, longan, goji berries, and other dried natural ingredients. Those kind of teas are truly refreshing, especially during winter.

On some occasions, I would pair tea with some sweets, just like this matcha flavored Filipino rice cake or puto I made at home paired with freshly brewed chrysanthemum tea, which I shared in my recipe blog at Foodies Bee Hive.

It's not just green tea or matcha that I liked, but any enticing food with green tea flavor. Should I say I'm quite obsessed with matcha and other types of green tea? So each time I visit a cafe or snack shop, I always look for a green tea latte or snacks with green tea flavor.

When it comes to a favorite tea time or most memorable tea experience, I honestly don't have one since I love drinking tea at any time and make each time enjoyable. But I preferably drink tea in the afternoon, usually an hour or two after lunch, or during my rest time while enjoying surfing online.

_{tea after eating hot pot}

_{jasmine tea}

Cup Of Tea Is A Cup Of Peace

My pastime is often spent brewing loose leaf tea. We have a few at home, particularly baby chrysanthemum, honeysuckle tea, and, of course, green tea matcha. We also have English breakfast tea bags when we are too lazy to do the longer preparation, particularly in the morning when rushing to work.

Although it's more convenient to just throw a tea bag into a cup and pour hot water, I still prefer the traditional way of preparing tea. There's a sense of satisfaction when you prepare loose-leaf tea by yourself. In some Chinese restaurants here, they provide a complete tea pot set to allow customers to brew their preferred tea right on the table while enjoying their meal.

_{brewing tea during yum cha (drink tea) in a dimsum restaurant}

As a green tea lover, it signifies my calm, open-minded, and determined personalities. And since it is green, that is probably why nature lovers like me love it too. They said that green tea lovers are health-conscious. It is most likely true. The antioxidants and digestive enzymes in green tea were the key reasons I started liking it. And given that I have a sensitive stomach and food intolerances, it truly is beneficial to me and a great remedy for my digestive issues.

The health benefits of relaxing in your favorite spot while sipping tea and smelling its aroma are true. A cup of tea at teatime truly brings me peace. I always prefer to be by myself and sit in the corner when visiting a cafe. You can't blame me for being introverted. There's something special about tea time that really makes me feel at peace, or perhaps I should say that, I want to have that tranquil moment to truly enjoy my cup of tea without interruptions or anything else.

It makes me more focused and relaxed. It somehow provides a different meditation experience and am grateful and content with what I have. I also feel connected with my environment, and it even helps me connect with my loved ones. I usually use tea time to connect and chat with them. It creates the impression that they are sitting in front of me and also enjoying tea. We honestly never had tea time together at home because my family are coffee lovers. We never had quality time for coffee either because we seem to have our own worlds when at home. But my tea time is a way not to feel lonely in the corner, which makes the moment perfect for me with my cup of tea while having facetime with my family.

Here is a cup of tea before starting my day today 😊. Don't mind the background 🤣.

This is in response to Cinammon Cup Of Coffee International Tea Day Contest. In case you aren't aware of it yet, feel free to click the link and share your tea stories until the 24th of May.

What about you ladies @ifarmgirl and @ruffatotmeee. I am certain that you also have some tea stories to share.

Goos luck and thanks for stopping by.

(All photos are mine)

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