And Is There Honey Still for Tea?
“MAY YOU FEEL THE EARTH IN YOUR VESSEL AND SEE THE CLOUD HIDDEN IN YOUR TEA”
Whenever I travel, after a night in a strange bed in an unfamiliar place, waking in the half-light to sounds that haven’t yet become just part of the morning cacophony, I want something to center myself, something normal. Usually that means padding to the kitchen to boil some water for the tea that travels with me in my wooden tea caddy, tucked safely in its box in my hand luggage.
Waiting for the tea to steep, steam circling upwards into the air, it is a moment of quiet, of pause.
Then a tilt, a stream, a thunk of milk, before heading back to the bed or to an armchair, to sip and lazily eye the day.
This same moment is something I make sure to have when at home too. Of course, it’s not always quiet or morning, but the rituals and textures of a favourite cup, the satisfying heft of the filled kettle, the idleness of the steep and the romance of the journey of the tea from its time and place to your time and place, can (for the most part) always be there if you choose it.
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Here are some of my offerings for making your tea moment special. This is not sponsored, I own some of these things and aspire to own others. Some of the artisans may be sold out of items when you click the link but as always, please contact them and I’m sure they’d be delighted to make more for you.
I’d love to hear if this resonated with you in the comments section below! G x
The Tea Kettle
Shown here in Stone, these unique kettles from CLOUD HIDDEN are made from a highly porous Taiwanese clay and come in a range of glazes
The Tea caddy
Hand-crafted from a single piece of Japanese cherry birch by GATO MIKIO in Yamanaka, Japan, this tea caddy exudes quality and elegance
The Tea
A beautiful 2010 Shou Pu-Erh tea cake from the remote western region of Yunnan called De Hong
GLOBAL TEA HUT also offers a tea subscription service that allows you to experience rare and “super rare” teas for between $15 - $45 a month
the Tea Cup
Elegant handmade Cornish tea-ware with an open bowl to experience the aroma and warmth plus a delicate lip
The Teapot
Wood-fired in Grainger, Indiana (USA), this functional salt-glazed tea-pot has a deeply satisfying yet unexpected shape - a ceramic Cyrano de Bergerac
The Tea-Scoop
Handmade in Guatemala using sustainably sourced tropical hardwood from the Peten Jungle, this scoop is a tactile treasure
The Strainer
This handmade tea strainer made from fine bamboo offers a delicate nod to human ingenuity and dexterity
The Travel Tea-Set
Never be subjected to a “tea bag when only loose-leaf will do” situation again with this functional and charming two-cup brew set with travel case
I may or may not have been known to crack mine out on the plane