The steam, the dark leaves and spices pressed gently against a cup, strained and steeped in a whistling pot, the subtle aroma and the intoxicating taste – it’s a universal experience for all tea enthusiasts.
I recently had the chance to talk with my friend, a self-proclaimed enthusiast herself, about her experience as a seasoned “tea connoisseur” and was quite surprised with how much I learned. Originally from Kazakhstan, she discusses how the drink evolved to be a cherished staple and source of calm in her daily routine. Below is a little of what took place at my kitchen table, upon which two cups of green tea rested, on a slightly frigid evening in November.
What originally got you interested in tea?
“It was definitely my family’s cultural background. Every morning, growing up, I would always drink a cup of tea. I feel like I was definitely encouraged to drink tea since it has a lot of health benefits and it was basically the only other beverage or drink that I would have besides just water so it felt very like customary and intertwined with my routine.”
You mentioned how it was a familiar routine. Was there any cultural significance?
“I just believe that historically, during the Soviet Union, it was very common for tea to be the singular beverage that was kind of prominent at the time. It was also the cheapest source that they could provide in rations to people besides like milk and coffee. There are also a lot of varieties, so you won’t get super tired of it! I think this cultural aspect ties into my current life because it’s like generational, passed down like a habit I guess.”
I know of your subtle distaste to black coffee. They’re both bitter drinks, so why tea over coffee?
“I feel like I’m predisposed to experiencing more anxiety issues and so definitely, I feel like coffee has way more leverage over my anxious emotions than tea does. I like the overall taste profile of coffee, and it smells amazing, but I’m not fond of how it makes me feel physically. At the end of the day, I prefer tea. It’s also something that’s very familiar and homey to me, so all the emotions I have tied to that and like the memories of what tea means to me kind of transcend the drink itself – it’s just a comforting experience. I also just love the variety of benefits tea offers – it can aid with so many health issues, so I can always count on that.”
So it’s very versatile?
“Yes, definitely.”
What is your favorite flavor of tea?
“Okay that is a very difficult question but I’ll try to narrow it down to three. I’ll have to say green tea is first – I feel like not only does it just taste good straight up as a drink, but it’s so good in like food as well. There are so many varieties based off of the green tea flavor profile. After that, I would have to say jasmine tea – I’m not super big on floral teas but I feel like jasmine is a good middle ground between sweets and floral, almost bitter and earthy. The last one would have to be chamomile. Normally, I mix it up with like like lemon or honey.”
How do you like your tea?
“Before I turned vegan, I would definitely prefer black tea over every other tea in terms of just like a morning beverage. I would love mixing it with milk – maybe a fifth of the cup would be milk because, as I mentioned earlier, caffeine does not react well with my body, so I definitely do dilute it. Now, though, all the teas I drink are purely herbal; they don’t need milk or sugar to enhance the flavor, so I just drink it straight up. I do steep it for quite a while because I like it very concentrated, you know?”
Where do you get your tea?
“It’s hard to name a specific brand because I love experimenting, and whenever I travel, I try the most popular brand that place has to offer. My grandmother still lives in my native country, and whenever she visits us, she tends to bring samples of tea that she thinks we would enjoy drinking and so I definitely feel like I’ve been able to broaden my taste palette towards different teas.
The story of tea varies for each individual, myself included. It’s a clarifying yet effortless remedy that provides comfort with the first sip, and I think I can see why it’s such a customary drink, whether it’s being consumed out of habit, for health, or for simple, wholesome pleasure.