My love for tea was passed down from my mom’s mom, to my mom, to me. When I was six years old, my fellow Girl Scouts and I attended our first tea party. My mom — our scoutmaster — and other parent volunteers served us what seemed like endless cups of Celestial Seasonings’ Sleepytime and Cinnamon Apple Spice tea, complete with a side of freshly popped microwave popcorn. It was the perfect end to a long autumn evening. The memory of that night — sitting and sipping tea amongst my sister, my mom, and my favorite friends at the time — became one of my favorites.
The next morning was one of my least favorite. I awoke so swollen in the face that my puffy eyelids blurred my reflection in the mirror. In which, when I smiled, I noticed that my usually deep and noticeable dimple on my left cheek barely dimpled at all. Later in the doctor’s office, after my symptoms were investigated and accredited to an allergic reaction to Sleepytime Tea, specifically its chamomile, I got a shot in the butt. And sent home. Crying.
I don’t remember my first cup of tea after that incident, but somehow, ever since, I’ve had an unbreakable attraction to tea.
Tea allows me to be adventurous, yet not overspend. And with every new herb or type of tea, I’ve found something fun to learn about its properties. Telling others about my love for tea has served as an excellent conversation starter, and offering it to my friends is one of my favorite ways to care for them. And along with its physical like warmth and comfort, It’s well known that some teas have aromatherapeutic benefits, and therefore serve the body as well as the mind.
As a broke college student, I’ve affordably enjoyed tea from several sources, including farmer’s markets, coffeeshops, and my own collection of blends crafted from materials I found at local herb shops. But despite my showing off, one of my favorite places for sourcing tea is the local grocery store across the street from my college campus.
Earlier tonight — while sipping tea — I got to thinking that there’s a deep irony in the story of a person who enters a store to seek the relaxing benefits of tea, and is met with an overwhelming presentation of dozens of tea varieties. Fear not, for if you are a budding tea fanatic, you shan’t have to face this predicament. To narrow down your decision making process, I’ve compiled a list with all the questions you’ll need to get an idea of what tea you would like to buy before you even enter the store. You’re welcome. To the club.
1. Are you allergic to anything? Just checking…
2. Do you already have an acquired taste or preference? Then by all means, shop accordingly. Or, branch out of your comfort zone by referring to the rest of the list.
3. Would you like to make tea from a loose leaf blend, or individual tea bags (please compost)? Loose leaf tea gives you more control of your cup’s concentration, while individual tea bags are great for the sake of convenience and saving time.
4. Looking for a specific flavor? Do you have a taste for mints and herbs? Roots or fruits? Or a general variant of tea (green, black, white, oolong, red, etc)? Or a combination of one or more of these?
5. (Keeping quantity in mind) Do you plan on sharing? (Or in other words, is this tea for spilling /:)?
6. Are you interested in any specific benefits, such as its aromatherapeutic effects, or its high antioxidant content? If so, you may need to do a little research on what teas offer those benefits, and shop accordingly.
In my informed and biased opinion, this list is a great place to start your own grocery store tea-purchasing adventure. You’ll find that the key to selecting a tea you’ll be satisfied with lies in the answer of this question: “Why do I want tea?” Any reason is valid, but once you’ve identified that reason (be for its taste, smell, health benefits, or simply to satisfy your own curiosity), the decision should be much easier. Happy sipping!