The Best Cup of Tea.

Well said Erik. I am in complete accord. I think your best advice is simply to get to know your favorite teas, do you like them strong? Weak? A little over or under brewed? How do you like to brew it? Do you like the cleanliness of a disposable tea bag? The economy of a cotton infuser that can be rinsed easily in the sink and reused? The beauty of watching your leaves unfurl unfettered in the saucepan? Or the convenience of the infuser that simply came with the teapot you bought? All of these ways make the best cup of tea because the best cup of tea is your favorite cup of tea.

To talk on teabags for a moment.

I became uppity with my tea for a time.

When I was surrounded by some of the best teas in the world for any and all of my brewing needs and at no expense to me, I simply drank at my pleasure. Sure, I'll have a cup of Bai Hao Champagne White Tip Oolong this morning. Maybe I'll throw in a little peppermint. Feeling under the weather? How about some Silver Needle Jasmine with Organic Rooibos Lauren, don't mind if I do. And then, I thought I had to grow up, left tea shop life and joined the corporate world.

I found myself in an office amidst consumers who have to pay royally for their premium loose leaf teas. I brought in my own homemade loose leaf tea bags for a long time until I noticed my Keemun tea was dwindling fast and I didn't want to pay the $20 to buy it loose. The only other option was staring me in the face: tea bags. Tea in bags is typically made of tea "fannings," the lowest quality tea. Basically the little bits and pieces that fall to the floor while estates filter out the higher grade leaves. Fannings brew quick and strong which is why they are suited to the paper bags, they brew right through it. (You can however get premium loose fannings, but that's another story.)

Finally with a heavy heart I brought in my box of fancy Whittard of Chelsea Earl Grey to work. To my surprise it was splendid!!! Granted the bergamot covers up any potent over brewing or poor tea quality that I may have noticed, but who cares?! It was strong and fragrant and kept me happy for an hour at my desk. And once that ran out, I faced another inevitable hurtle: Twinings. I had to do it. It was free in the office kitchen and my office pay was starting to really hurt. My pride was feeling more and more defeated. I saw myself as less of a tea connoisseur while I steeped my regular old English Breakfast.

And then one day, my friend Ana, who often changes my outlook on my own self, said "you know Lauren I think it makes you even more of a tea connoisseur to be able to drink both Twinings AND the finest teas in the world. If you can sit here in this hole and drink the dregs and then sit on a mountain in Darjeeling and drink it's local delicate leaves right off the bush then you are by definition a connoisseur. You can be both. And better for it." Needless to say I carried this bit of advice into other facets of my life as well as tea drinking. And then, pun intended, I turned over a new leaf, I was able to drink free office tea with an air of privilege at last.

Ever since then I no longer look down on tea bags. (Except of course Lipton. The only thing you can do with Lipton in a pinch is brew it strong and add milk and sugar. Like ginger ale: the only time I drink it is on an airplane.)

Erik once told me that Celestial Seasonings changed the face of tea bag packaging by ceasing to wrap the bags individually and instead keep them in box lined with wax paper. This innovation was hugely environmentally savvy and raised the standards for economy in the tea world. They have been using natural quality ingredients since 1969 and they act enthusiastically in the global community. I drink Celestial Seasonings with pride and joy. (P.S. Nothing in the world beats Celestial Seasonings Sleepy Time tea, everyone knows that, right?!)

So whether is Tzao tea at Starbucks, Two Leaves and a Bud, Mighty Leaf, Teavana, Yogi Tea, in London over a Tetley's, Tender Leaf, Tata, Good Earth, Tea Forte, Numi Tea, The Republic of Tea, Twinings, Stash, Bigelow or even Lipton if you must, the truth remains, the best cup of tea is your favorite cup of tea, even if it comes in a bag.