Teadom

In honor of the Royal Wedding today, I did everything tea…starting out by wearing one of my favorite “tea shirts.” Next, relishing in my teadom (the boys are out playing all day), I prepared a cup of very strong English breakfast tea, then included a few extra British teatimes for fun: Elevenses (a mid morning tea break similar to the American coffee break) and Royal tea in the afternoon with strawberries and fresh vanilla bean whipped cream.

I read that when the tea leaves expand while steeping loose-leaf tea, this spreading out is called “the agonizing of the leaves”; when tea gives up all of its wonderful flavor. According to Certified Tea Specialist Lisa Richardson, “If your infuser is too small, the leaves cannot fully open, and your tea won’t realize its taste potential.” Hmmm… If I am not open to new ideas and don’t allow space to listen, my creativity is stifled and my full potential is not realized. I cannot live this way, so I listen to the tea leaves and to God!