by Kimberly A. Cook (Twitter@ WarriorTales)
Friday I went on a tea adventure to one of my favorite shopping spots, the Stash Tea Store in Tigard, Oregon. Since I buy English Breakfast decaf tea by the ton, this fabulous shop located inside their warehouse always has new treasures for me to find.
Tea drinking came to me after the Army, when I was on a three-month camping trip in Europe. My boyfriend would bring me black tea with sugar and cream and a piece of toast with jam for breakfast. It seemed quite decadent since I was usually still in my sleeping bag.
That hooked me on the power of tea. Then having high tea at Harrod’s when we got back to London took it to a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
I never acquired a taste for coffee, even in the Army. I was a hot chocolate girl in those days. Coffee smells great but doesn’t deliver as far as taste for me. When I transferred into headquarters supply with the 4th S&T Battalion at Fort Carson, Colorado, my new Staff Sergeant told me I needed to make the coffee.
In 1976 we were sneaky about asserting our women’s rights, so instead of telling him I didn’t drink coffee and didn’t think I should have to make it, I made it. Using three times the coffee grounds required. I think it beat Navy coffee since you could barely get a spoon into the cup.
“What did you do to the coffee?” he bellowed.
“Did I make it wrong? ” I asked. “I don’t drink coffee, so I wasn’t sure.”
“You’re never making coffee again,” he yelled at me.
“Okay,” I replied. Mission accomplished. I did get a hot water pot for us hot chocolate, soup and tea fans, but I hadn’t ventured into the full romantic realm of tea.
I love everything about having tea; the tea pots, linens, golden spoons, China cups and saucers, scones, clotted cream, jam, steeping and most of all, time to relax with friends and family and chat. Such a civilized snack time. Or curling up with a good book and a hot cup of tea? Priceless.
And it’s good for us too, antioxidants! So for anyone who hasn’t been to the Stash Tea Store, you can shop online and enjoy yourself.
P.S. I had to buy the Manatea tea infuser by Fred. Fill the manatee’s body with loose tea and his (or her) flippers hold onto your mug. Too cute!
Happy shopping!
www.stashtea.com
www.fredandfriends.com
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