How about a nice cuppa?

"Better to be deprived of food for three days, than tea for one." Ancient Chinese Proverb

From the Keep Calm gallery.

Illustration, and painted in real tea, by maxwellandmyrtle.

I've fallen into a comforting routine of making a special pot of tea each Sunday afternoon. I love the ritual of 'taking tea'. I've posted about it before. As a girl I couldn't understand the obsession with drinking a hot beverage on, heaven forbid, a hot day. Much happier with a tall glass of Oros while the grown-ups drank their brew. But I'm a convert. I can drink tea anytime. Or make an occasion of it. Not only is it comforting, and yes, refreshing - but it's the beautifully laid tray, the aroma of the leaves and the excuse to sip from a pretty cup. Coffee is just so robust. I feel genteel as a tea drinker. It also leaves me wonderfully nostalgic. Lapsang Souchong was a favourite of my Grandmother. A smoked tea with a distinctive flavor the black tea originates from the Fujian province of China and legend has it the smoking process was discovered by accident.

During the Qing dynasty, an army unit passing through Xingcun (Star Village) camped in a tea factory filled with fresh leaves awaiting processing. When the soldiers left and the workers could get back into the premises, they realized that to arrive at market in time, it was too late to dry the leaves in the usual way. So they lit open fires of pine wood to hasten the drying. Not only did the tea reach the market in time, but the smoked pine flavor created a sensation! Source - Englishteastore.

Another favourite, the French brand Mariage Fréres. A gift from DH after a visit to South of France I was glad to find you can buy it in Cape Town, although for an arm and a leg...

Perhaps it's the gorgeous packaging? Above packaging of a gift of Organic Earl Grey tea from China.

Green tea? Not a fan. And I've tried. It's extensive list of health benifits even meant that I took it like medicine for a while. It's quite telling really - that which is good for you never tastes like chocolate.

Of course, the fact that I'm extolling the virtues of tea doesn't mean I'm not a great fan of coffee. But that's another post.