Tea with Mary Kate is exploring the world of tea
As the day draws to a close, and I contemplate my evening, there is an important decision to be made. Of course, it will include a gorgeous cup of tea, but what tea to choose? And not only the tea, important thought that is, what cup to serve it in? Tea is such a great big exciting world but quite frankly, there are so just many teas out there, it’s almost impossible to choose from!
As well as the tea, the ceremony and aesthetic are all important too.
There is a protocol about brewing tea in a proper tea pot – leaf tea being my preference, and without a shadow of a doubt, serving it in a gorgeous tea cup! Tea definitely deserves a beautiful cup.
Formosa Oolong in a beautiful vintage tea cup
I’ve recently discovered that I adore Formosa Oolong – it’s a tea with provenance, almost a personality of it’s own.
In 1867, English tea trader Jon Dodd started a tea company in Wanhua, Taipei and started to sell Taiwanese oolong tea to the world under the name “Formosa Oolong”. The name oolong tea comes from the Chinese name meaning “black dragon tea”. Formosa Oolong is oolong tea grown and produced in Taiwan. Taiwan is also known as Formosa from the Portuguese Ilha Formosa, meaning “beautiful island”. So, your drinking beautiful Tea!
Oolong is a traditional Chinese tea, Camellia sinensis, that is somewhere in middle between green and black in oxidation. It has neither the taste and aroma of black tea nor the grassy, vegital taste that typify green tea. It is commonly brewed to be strong. I add milk.
I adore the ceremony of making tea, laying the tray, the expectation of that first sip….
I loved the Oolong tea history but sipping the tea from the perfect vintage cup made the whole experience. The choice of the cup is a very personal consideration. I really enjoy that moment of contemplating the combination of tea and the cup, the expectation of the experience is almost as lovely, almost, as that first warm, amazing sip, smelling the aroma, steam rising as you relax into thinking about your second cup.
Just the perfect Tea tray
Part of the loveliness of tea the contrast with tea and something sweet.
With my formosa, I like sweet walnuts and dates, or gorgeous sushi. Do ensure that everything is there on your tray, so when you sit down, there is no need to move until you have drained the last drop of tea from the pot!
Tea with Mary Kate seeks to encourage you on a journey of Tea, to take time for Tea, and the ceremony and aesthetic of tea, as a way to reconnect and recharge your energies.
I concede it’s an indulgence, time is precious, but dare I say it, tea time is an important time for you – for quiet and contemplation, an escape from this hectic, fast paced world, while you move through the familiar ritual of the tea ceremony that you can make perfectly just for you, taking time to savour it completely.
Take time for tea
I have just come across your wonderful blog having seen your posts on CL’s Bring Back Teatime forum. I love your posts and will visit regularly – we share a passion for vintage crockery and all such related items! I look forward to reading more.
Lavender Sugar, what a sweet name! Thanks for your response – I confess the vintage tea cup thing is becoming an obsession…….I can promise more beautiful vintage cups will be appearing very soon!
Hmm, I’m off to make a cup of tea in my brand new Cath Kidson spotted mugs. They probably aren’t quite as delightful as a vintage cup, but they contain almost as much tea as a bucket would so I find them very practical whilst moodling around the web!
P.S. My all time favorite is Lapsang Souchong, but I will now be looking out for some Formosa Oolong. Is it easily available?
Hi Bethan, thanks so much for your comment – I too love Lapsang – with a dash of honey. I plan to write about that too, and I also have a bucket cup, oh yes, sometimes just need that bucket of tea ! I got my formosa from a new tea shop in Nantwich, but that’s not going to help you on the Isle of White. I have found a company called Northern Tea Merchants that sell it, and I think I will order some more too!