By Leanna Pankratz (Contributor) – Email
Date Posted: October 26, 2011
Print Edition: October 19, 2011
When one considers a trendy drink, a certain white cup emblazoned with a green mermaid may spring to mind. Frappucinos, cappuccinos, and caramel mochaccinos have reigned supreme in the category of hip, urban-cool beverages for the last decade or so. Tea has generally been regarded as a weak-man’s coffee. Those days are over. With a new batch of tea vendors selling taste experiences in a 50g canister, tea can now have as much bite, flavour and personality as even the most well-personalized double espresso. The verdict is in. Tea is officially trendy, and it is exploding.
In Abbotsford’s own Sevenoaks mall, two local tea hotspots have recently been added. Tea Desire stocks various brands of tea and tea paraphernalia, be it loose leaf or in sachets, or teapots, cups, and cozies. The recent opening of DavidsTea has also capitalized on the how sweet it is to steep these days. This is a place that definitely has its finger on the pulse of the tea trend, and grants true local connoisseurs (and those who just like a nice flavourful cup) the opportunity to choose from a variety of different blends bearing names that range from “Butter Rum” to “Raspberry Nectar.” The store hands out free samples in what look remarkably like shot-glasses, and customers are given free reign to sniff their way around the enormous variety of loose leaf teas. Infused with sweet vanilla, various flowers, spices, fruit, and chocolates, these teas give the drink a wonderful new freshness and (dare I even suggest it?) sexiness that has never been steeped before. There are seasonal teas, mood-oriented teas, sweet teas, and spicy teas. Tea Desire and DavidsTea are local vendors of tea and tea merchandise that directly cater to the trend, and it seems that many people are catching the wave.
Other tried and true Abbotsford tea locales include Serendipitea, Traceycakes, and the Old Clayburn Store, which offers a dose of true English charm along with a classic cup of Earl Grey. The amount of young people who enjoy a tea-oriented setting is surprising. A visit to any of these locations will see tables of young patrons revelling in the delightfully finicky rituals of steeping and preparing the perfect cup of tea. “There is something really nice and comforting about having a really good cup of tea out of a beautiful teacup,” says Ashley, a UFV student and self proclaimed tea addict. “There’s a fun, ceremonious aspect to it, which I like. That, and it’s just plain good! There are so many different choices. I used to think tea was just what grandma drank!”
Gone, it may seem, are the days of the plain mug of black tea with cream and sugar. Banished forever is tea’s image as the elderly’s drink of choice. Tea is more popular than ever, and has finally been classed as “cool.” Plus, it turns out the new breed of tea drinkers are a deliciously exacting bunch. Many young tea enthusiasts will rave about the merits of loose leaf tea as opposed to those “vulgar paper sachets.” Tea is often brewed in a teapot or with an infuser deserving of such a beverage. The quest for the perfect blend of tea is often a deeply personal and aesthetically important search.
However cool it may be, the benefits of tea extend far beyond the merits of keeping up with a slightly hipster-esque trend. Is health the main reason why hordes of young adults are ditching their lattes and opting for a cup of Vanilla Earl Grey infused with jasmine flowers? Certain teas, particularly Rooibos and Green Tea are proven to be rich in antioxidants. It has been suggested that Green Tea possesses antibiotic properties, and the amino acid L-theanine (which increases mental alertness) is almost exclusively found in tea leaves. Of course, a good cup of tea is also much lower in calories than even the lowest-in-fat soy latte. Primarily water, it is hydrating and undeniably relaxing in the rainy autumn months. It’s no wonder why tea is taking off. Perhaps it’s a backlash of sorts against a mass-market cappuccino culture – tea is simple and straightforward. The blends are personal, and they smell and look beautiful. Aren’t we all looking for a little more beauty in our lives?
So go on out there, buy yourself a canister of loose leaf White Strawberry Tea (steeped in a clay Japanese teapot), and embrace a trend that is not only devastatingly good, but also ridiculously good for you.
