A Traveling Tea Emporium

Tea with a splash of life.

A jar of miscellaneous teas always sits prominently on my desk, atop a microwave, or as it is currently, on my window sill. Peppermint, dandelion, slimming tea, cinnamon, lemon, valerian — Earl Gray, apple-spice, you name it, is probably in my jar.

Even though the Goddess coffee will always be my hot beverage of choice, I keep my teas on hand just in case my chosen treat causes a clash of flavors(e.g. lemon chess pie with coffee is a no-no) or for medicinal purposes. In my last apartment, with ample cupboard space, I kept my teas in their original containers, procured from various grocery stores, health food shops, online purchases, or even places like Marshall’s, for the fancy shit.

I enjoyed each gorgeous package — covered with tales of the ancestor’s accidental discovery of how beneficial and delicious that product is sure to be. I’d skim each box, pick one up, and read it as if for the first time before making my selection.

Moving around a lot now has me trading in boxes for one huge glass canister with a clamp lid, a yard sale rescue, that was once reserved for keeping cookies fresh. Need and absence of cookies encouraged me to repurpose the container, not allowing it to sit idly, as decoration with a charming non-edible inside.

Opening the lid releases a profusion of aromas, blended so completely, that it’s hard to distinguish one from another. While not unpleasant, its eye-twitching pungency makes me question the wisdom of storing Bergamot with African Rooibus.

My jar goes with me everywhere and sits in a place to be seen at all times. It holds not only tea, but the history of my travels, and memory of my former home — reminding me of the things that led me to this moment. The exploration, making audacious moves, taking daring leaps, the shedding of superficial, temporary things, painful things, and the lovely — to gather and hold on to the essential.

I rarely partake from it now, and add to it occasionally, as it is mainly symbolic, colorful, and full of tastes to consider. I simply enjoy looking at it, where much like life, it makes me think of a sundry of intriguing selections, just within reach.

Inspired by The Brain is a Noodle Week 42 What personal item is on your desk and what’s the origin story? | by Lucy Dan 蛋小姐 (she/her/她) | The Brain is a Noodle | Aug, 2021 | Medium

If you feel like showing some of my older pieces some love here or here.

Or a piece that made me smile by Maya L, M.A. here.