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From the Editor: Our Social CommuniTEA
- Sue Worthman
The East invented tea as a drink, but the West invented ‘tea’ as an occasion. Noblemen used tea in an elegant, formal ceremony—and as a tradeable, profitable commodity. Noblewomen turned tea into a casually formal social event, where conversation was traded with profiteroles. The middle classes embraced tea everywhere. Older generations took their tea plain or with some combination of lemon, milk and sugar. Younger generations have added tapioca ‘bubbles’ to that list.
For over 300 years, around the globe, across generations and incomes, people have been brought together over cups of tea. Making business and social contacts. Celebrating and commiserating. Conversing. Laughing.
That’s what we at L’Amyx are all about. Using tea as a vehicle to expand our connections, our conversations, our community. We love that people gather at L’Amyx in both solitude and groups, savoring the company of others.
It’s an ongoing tea social, a tea exchange where the currency is a ‘cuppa’ and the wish to ‘sip’. So read on and drop by. You’re a part of our community. The communi-tea of L’Amyx. The lifestyle of tea.
What's New: Tea of the Month Club
- Sue Worthman
Here’s a ‘communi-tea’ with the perfect ‘be-leaf’ system for tea-lovers everywhere: L’Amyx’s “Tea of the Month Club”, our new mail-order subscription tea service. Each month, we’ll send subscribers a sample collection of three, high-quality whole leaf teas, carefully selected and gathered by L’Amyx. To ‘sweeten’ the deal, we’ll send along a small bag of our delicious tea cookies. Plus, a brewing basket will be included with the first month shipment. That’s three teas every month, plus cookies—practically a tea party in a box!
Perfect for anyone, from the new tea drinker to a longtime connoisseur, the “Tea of the Month Club” is like having a tea café and tastings in your own home. Subscriptions come in 3, 6, 9 or 12 month increments. Which means one could sample up to 36 different teas, all without leaving home.
Join the club! Give the gift of tea to yourself, a friend, a relative or even a business associate. For subscription rates and registration, visit www.lamyx.com/teaclub or come by the store. A world—and months—of tea are waiting to be discovered.
Tea Education: Socializing Tea
-Sue Worthman
Although tea drinking originated in Asia, the fashion of ‘teas’ as an occasion for social gathering is a decidedly European convention. During the 18th century, dinner—i.e, the main meal of the day—gradually moved from being served between 11am and 2pm (and lasting 2-3 hours), to a later and later time, such that by the early 1800s, the normal time was somewhere between 7:00 and 8:30 pm. As a result, an extra meal—called luncheon—had been created to fill the midday gap. This new meal was very light and relatively short, which made for a long afternoon with no refreshment and people feeling rather hungry. The story says that it was Anna Maria, the 7th Duchess of Bedford of Woburn Abbey in Bedfordshire, who had the idea of asking her maid to bring all the tea making equipment to her private boudoir at 5 o’clock so that the she could enjoy a cup of tea with a slice or two of bread and butter. Anna Maria found this afternoon tea such perfect refreshment that she soon started inviting her friends to join her in her room, thus establishing a new social event. Wealthy English ladies came to afternoon tea gatherings not so much to eat as to meet their friends, catch up on gossip, chat about the latest fashions and scandals, be seen in the right places among the right people and, in passing, to drink tea and nibble daintily on small sandwiches and sweets.
Once the trend had been set, fashionable society started to hold tea parties to suit almost any occasion. There were drawing room teas for groups of 10 or 20 visitors, small intimate teas for 3 or 4 friends, tea in the garden, ‘at home’ teas, tea receptions for up to 200 people, tennis teas, croquet teas, and picnic teas. Even churches began holding ‘teas’ and other socials. The growing middle classes imitated the rich and found that tea was a very economical way of entertaining several friends without having to spend too much money. Pots of tea and a few small teatime treats such as crustless sandwiches, hot buttered toast and scones, little pastries, and a cake or two were all that were required and expected.
Afternoon Tea migrated to the ‘colonies’, including the US, and was in full Western culture swing by the Victorian era. “Teas” are still a wonderful way to entertain neighbors, friends, and even business acquaintances. A 300-year tradition that’s changed little in form or function.
—source: “The Tea Companion” by Jane Pettigrew
Tea Recipe: Fresh Peach Iced Tea
- 1 teaspoon Peach Black tea
- 1/2 teaspoon honey
- 1/2 teaspoon orange zest
- 2 cups boiling water
- 1/4 fresh peach, peeled and diced
Combine tea, honey, zest and water in a glass or ceramic teapot. Add boiling water, cover and steep for 5 minutes. Place diced peaches in a tall glass filled with ice. Strain and pour tea over ice to serve.
Customer Corner
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Name: Carmen Ortiz
City: Oakland
Occupation: Non-profit executive director
Favorite Tea: Jasmine |
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“I’m a convert from strong Peet’s coffee to tea. A few years ago I was drinking 4-5 cups of coffee every day. But when I was diagnosed with cancer, I gave up sodas and coffee, and switched to drinking green and black tea. Now I’m a full believer in the curative value of tea and its ability to strengthen the immune. I’m not as shaky as when I was drinking coffee. There’s just something about the soothing, calming effect of tea. It’s something to sip, not gulp. Besides, I love the taste. I’m addicted to Jasmine!”
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Karmina
Tea Tender
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Favorite Tea: Kukicha
Creative types—artists, writers, poets, designers, dancers, musicians—seem to have a special affinity for cafes. Ones that have a certain indefinable atmosphere, some alchemical mix of look, feel and sound. That’s what first drew student-by-day/ tea-tender-by-night/ artist-all-the-time Karmina to L’Amyx: “It was—and is—the vibe!”
A fairly new tea drinker, Karmina discovered L’Amyx a year or so ago when she started at California College of the Arts (CCA) as a fine arts major. Needing a job, and wanting to learn more about tea, she thought about working at L’Amyx. Good instincts—she walked in, felt the ‘vibe’, talked with soon-to-be co-workers, and thought to herself, “I want to work here!”
Since then, Karmina’s shifted into a full-blown tea aficionado and from a painter to a budding graphic designer. Does she like the design work? “Absolutely! When I was a little kid, I always had a clipboard and colored pencils in hand. When other kids were doing sports, I was drawing.” She’s recently put those talents to professional use, helping design the ‘to-go’ menus, ‘Tea-of-the-Month Club’ flyer and what will soon be new menu boards behind the counter. Asked to put her finger on what makes L’Amyx such a draw for artists like herself, Karmina smiles broadly, starts to say something, and then laughs with delight. Words have failed her. But she could probably paint us a picture…
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