Tea Collage #1

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Tea

As the morning cools,

A cup of tea is a welcoming start.

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Morning Person

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Creative Flavors

My quest for flavored teas brought me to two unusual ones.

I was intrigued when I saw the pineapple tea. When I sipped it, there was a slight taste of pineapple. On the one hand, I might prefer a stronger taste of the fruit. But on the other hand, I realize the complexity of blending pineapple flavor into tea, so that its sharp tang would not overwhelm.

Have you ever come across an odd pairing of flavors that sounds weird, but turns out to be a great combination? Well, the peppermint and English toffee tea is one such success story. (English toffee is a confection made from brown sugar and butter.)

The combination of mint and toffee creates a rich, refreshing blend.

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Time for Tea

 

 

 

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January Aesthetic

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Luster and Rose

Vintage lusterware tea set, from Japan.

Once in a while, I treat myself to a flea market expedition, looking for vintage kitchen ware, something that I really enjoy.

Here are two of my recent finds, and some information that I discovered.

The lusterware tea set bears the brand “Kudo Toki”. It was made in Japan, probably some time between 1920 and 1960. Luster is a type of pottery with a metallic glaze that gives it an iridescent sheen. Lusterware was invented in Egypt and Iraq, and later became popular in England and Japan.

I like the shimmering quality, the classic design and the graceful curves of the handles.

The other is a cake plate with the mark “Schumann, Germany”. The Schumann factory was established in Bavaria, Germany in 1881. And it closed in 1994. The design is called “Wild Rose”, one of its most popular motifs.

Schumann, Germany cake plate, with wild rose
motif.

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A Sip of Fruit and Caramel

As an avid tea drinker, I’m also always on the look-out for flavored teas, besides plain black tea.

I found two recently. One was Akbar’s mixed fruit flavored tea. It has a refreshing taste, and I can taste a hint of banana and mango. Personally, though, I prefer a single fruit flavored tea such a strawberry or mango tea.

The other is the caramel flavored tea. As crème caramel is one of my favorite desserts, I have no trouble at all enjoying the caramel taste.

I requested another tea drinker to taste both teas, and his preference was the fruit flavored tea for its subtle fruity taste.

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Teatime

 

A splash of color,

Comforting, warm

With my tea.

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Musings in January: The Carnation

• The carnation is the birth month flower for January. A birth month flower, or also known as a birth flower, is a flower symbol for the month of someone’s birth.

• The carnation is the kind of simple beauty that everybody loves. It can be relied on to fit almost any floral bouquet or decoration, and is easily found in both East and West.

• I’ve taken the photo of my January teacup with a can of Carnation evaporated milk, a product which has continuously used this flower as its symbol since its early days. The milk has always been a favorite in our family, and personally I do maintain that it’s still the best type of milk to add to one’s tea.

• The carnation is the national flower of Spain, and is the state flower of Ohio.

• Happy Birthday to all the January people out there.

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