The Exotic Teapot

For centuries tea has entered the political arena hence impacting societies, prosperity and traditions around the world.  In 1391 the Ming Dynasty in China ruled that loose teas were to be honoured by the courts instead of tea bricks.  In 1773 a historical event in the soon to be USA occurred, rebuking taxation of tea from the British Parliament. This was instrumental to the American Revolution.  Today, if using a US search engine such as Google.com then typing in tea party over 72,500 links appear, with the first page and many more associated with the current political movement called the tea party.  These are just two nations’ examples.  The history of tea and its benefits indicate what a precious commodity it truly is.   

Bush tea, rooibos, redbush tea, whatever you want to call it, is not a fad.  Tea from the rooibos bush, grown in South Africa, has been used for centuries.  In this region, mothers know to use the herbal beverage to help babies’ suffering from colic.  Empirically, research has shown the tea to: have the equivalent if not more of green tea’s antioxidants; soothe allergies, and; have an anti-aging affect.  If not of interest then the tea’s flavour should be.  Due to its popularity, the bright red tea is now offered with a variety of exotic spices and fruits to compliment the taste.   

Any day of the year is prime time for displaying flowers.  Research dating back to 1938 has shown that blooming flowers and dried petals emit an aroma and visual calming effect for humans.  One of the most notable studies is referred to as the Bach system.  One physician using this treatment said “the strength of flower therapy lies in the normalization of psychic disruptions and the resolution of inner conflicts.”  This combined with the many health advantages of drinking tea is a winning combination for a party, as photographer Lauren Rubenstein has shown.

If you ask Melanie Sharpham how to make a teacup she will tell you that: you must: love to get your hands messy; love that clay is unpredictable; love that you can transform dirt into something tangible, and; love to get so focused that nothing else matters.  For Melanie, she also loves the native Western Australian flower called gums.  The pastel colours and designs of the flowers are what she emulates in her teacups and mugs.  Serving a flower herbal tea would be a fabulous compliment for these cups.

I’ve always been fond of mint teas, especially during the Ho Ho holidays.  This herbal tea has a refreshing taste and fabulous aroma.  Also, a cup of warm mint tea is a winning combination with the many chocolate sweets served this time of year.  Plus, peppermint tea helps with digestive problems and is known to relieve stress, both of which commonly occur in December.  These adorable tea sets are encouraging you to sit down and relax with a cup of mint tea. 

There are many reasons to select tea and associated wares as a gift set.  The gift card to the recipient(s) and the chosen items in the set can easily be catered to his/her personality.  Here are just three of many options when personalizing a gift set.

1. For the health conscious friend gift card:  You are what you drink (include green, white or herbal teas)
2. For the one that schedules too many activities:  There is always time for tea (include single mug infuser)
3. For the optimist card:  With this gift, each day will blossom (include clear glass teapot with flowering tea)

Combining herbs to make an aromatic, visually appealing and palette pleasing tea is an art.  It is similar to selecting then assembling a variety of media into an eye-catching sculpture.  Janice Rowell’s “The Way of Tea” amalgamates the art of both.  Her origami box and wheel thrown porcelain teapot is adorned with leaves and dried fruit used in herbal teas.  The colours and woody tones make it a choice piece to display throughout the autumn months.

Being an avid admirer of all tea-related topics, yet still certainly a novice compared to others, I am frequently asked about drinking tea for weight reduction purposes.  I believe the adage “it’s too good to be true” applies with many quick-fix weight loss teas.  What is applicable is that tea originating from the centuries old Camellia Sinensis plant has been proven time and time again to aid in digestion and naturally speed up metabolism.  If it is an herbal tea with such claims you likely can find a long history of its use from the country in which it originated; if there is none, to me reluctance surfaces.  I’ll stick to purchasing loose leaves from a reputable tea company.       

Sharon Virtue’s earthenware ceramic teapot is the perfect ensemble for rooibos tea.  This vessel’s multiple hues of red and orange are equivalent to that of the dried herbal tea leaves from the rooibos bush only grown in South Africa.   Most of Sharon’s ceramic creations emphasize myth, magic and African culture.  Onto most of her teapots are etched symbols, including this one.  Virtue’s energy and charisma sparkles on all of her teapots and her website.

Now that Fall is officially here I think it is a reason to buy and display this Season’s teapots, cups and saucers.  Pumpkins are indicative of Autumn as is a cup of spicy, warm herbal tea to knock off the chill.  Albeit orange or green the pumpkin accentuates the shape of a traditional teapot.