It’s Tea Time! (Part 2)
This is a wee bit overdue, but here is part deux to It’s Tea Time!
Now that you are aware of some of the benefits of drinking tea, you may want to incorporate it into a special event. When it comes to planning your event, whether it’s a wedding or a house-warming, it is the details that will make the occasion memorable for everyone. So instead of leaving the entire menu up to a hotel, restaurant, or caterers, see if you can personalize it by including a few items of your own. Your menu choices should reflect your personality and/or the theme of your event, but it doesn’t have to be complicated. In addition to serving traditional drinks, such as wine, spirits and soda, why not try something natural and refreshing – like tea? Depending on the time of year, tea can be served hot or iced, and the possibilities for flavours are endless. And because it can be served in so many delicious ways, the time of day doesn’t really determine whether it is appropriate or not. It all comes down to whether it suits you and your event.
For those of you who are budget-conscious, cutting alcohol cost will go a long way, so just remember that tea can be included as both a non-alcoholic and an alcoholic option. There are plenty of recipes out there for tea punches, teatinis and tea-cocktails, whether they are virgin or… not so virgin. Keep drinks interesting by serving options like The Vanilla Sky recommended by The Ivy Keep, or a warm, sweet blend like Fireside Punch recommended by ThatsTheSpirit.com.
You may also want to consider making tea your party/wedding favour, especially if you found a special blend that perfectly suits your event or you as a couple. Tea is best stored in solid metal tins so that light and temperature won’t damage the flavour, but glass jars are a beautiful option too since you get to admire the colourful leaves and ingredients inside. Assuming your guests will use the tea within a couple months of your event, the loss of flavour shouldn’t be an issue when choosing a packaging option. They’re sure to be delighted to be taking such a delicious part of the event back home with them.
Do more research online, look for local tea shops to visit, and have fun smelling and tasting the wonderful array of teas and tisanes available. You may be surprised by what you find. Happy brewing!
{images from the rice scott empire, kathy beymer, praesentire and The Galt Museum on Flickr}
Tags: tea