Put the "Tea" In Comfort
My daily cup of cozy.
I grew up drinking iced tea in lieu of pop or juice or other sweet drinks. My grandma brewed the classic Lipton tea bags on the stove in a soup pot of steaming water, sweetened with sugar, and served in Therm-O-Ware insulated tumblers. Or I stalked a glass pitcher for hours as it brewed in the sun, peeking outside to watch it slowly darken, battling the dripping nozzle as it inevitably leaked all over the fridge for days. Iced tea was my only drink order when we ate out (as long as it was brewed, not that imitation crap from the bar gun, ew).
Over time, my own process has evolved into a simple work of art that I crave. Recently after a long myofascial release appointment that left me drained, my daughter lovingly asked if I wanted to borrow one of her stuffies to cuddle for comfort. Her offer of something that brings her security and peace made me realize that is exactly what my cup of tea is for me. Possibly because it is a daily dose of the only consistent delight I can identify throughout my lifetime; it brings emotional healing powers in its stability and dependability over decades.
What is your special thing that brings you comfort and peace?
Drink? Book? Robe? Journal? Pet?
You down wit OP Tea?
While I have enjoyed teas including oolong, jasmine green, darjeeling, and the occasional herbal, I always came running back to Lipton because I favor their orange pekoe tea and the flavor was unlike any others I tried. I ordered it in bulk on Amazon until one day, the organic Lipton box of tea bags was dreadfully branded “Currently Unavailable.” I couldn’t find it in my local stores for years, so without this source I was stuck.
In reading reviews for the unattainable product, I saw other Lipton Lovers sharing the same remorse over the loss of their classic tea. One person took the time to write about the product they switched to in the wake of this deprivation and claimed it to be (gasp) even better?! I had read in the past that some tea bags contain questionable toxins and loose tea was a healthier way to go, besides producing far less waste than a box of tea bags, so this was an added benefit to trying this new-to-me tea option.
Enter Frontier Co-Op Organic Ceylon Black Tea. While “orange pekoe” simply refers to the grading of the tea, this Ceylon tea matches the Lipton flavor, but with a richness that goes far beyond my childhood classic. It’s like Lipton tea, but with a vivid filter, elevating the taste and experience to new heights. It took a little time to get the brew just right with the transition to whole leaf loose tea. But with my handy tea infuser, it’s as quick and easy as a tea bag to get to that sip of comfort that warms my belly. But it also offers healing at the cellular level.
Ceylon tea is rich in antioxidants and contains several trace minerals. It does have caffeine, which I am sensitive to, so I only steep it for 2.5 minutes to brew the lovely amber color and rich taste without it making me jittery. With just one infuser of tea leaves, I brew my cup first, then move it to my husband’s for 2.5 minutes, then brew my daughters’ in a pyrex measuring cup last so they get some of the benefits of the tea, but the least caffeine. The girls enjoy sipping tea from their cute little 3.5 oz mugs every morning.
To keep the morning routine efficient, I batch process organic ginger and lemon slices and freeze them in zipper bags. Then I just throw one of each in every cup while the water is heating up on the stove. Our battered tea kettle lives on the stove, getting splattered and clanged and pushed around with other daily cooking, but such is #tealife.
My typical recipe includes a slice of ginger and lemon, and local raw honey. This combination is my daily cup of cozy served hot in the cooler months, and over ice in the summer months. Sometimes I add other ingredients for specific needs.
Ginger | Besides aiding digestion and offering bright flavor and zing to your taste buds, ginger is also rich in antioxidants and has many anti-inflammatory compounds.
Lemon | The small amount of lemon I add is mostly for flavor, but lemons of course have vitamin C which is an antioxidant, supports the immune system, aids in iron absorption, and helps produce collagen for healthy skin and tissues throughout the body.
Local Raw Honey | Raw honey deserves a post of its own, but to sum it up, it can aid in environmental allergies, balance blood sugar, boost metabolism, and improve memory function. It is also an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and has anti-carcinogenic properties.
Elderberry | If we are sick, I throw some organic dried elderberries into the tea infuser to boost the immune system. Sometimes I take the time to actually make a batch of elderberry syrup and can add that to a cup of tea.
Stinging Nettle | This powerhouse is an antihistamine, anti-inflammatory, antiviral and antibacterial. Stinging Nettle is also high in vitamin K for bone support, boron, amino acids, and minerals like iron, calcium, magnesium, potassium and zinc. The list just goes on. Thinking I need to make this part of the daily recipe…
Red Raspberry Leaf | Around that time of the month, adding red raspberry leaf to tea supports uterine strength, eases menstrual cramps, reduces nausea, and can help regulate period timing and flow. I also used this in a concentrated brew when my babies were due to support labor contractions and reduce bleeding after birth.
How could they be out of Lipton?! Wild.
I love Ceylon. My parents are Malaysian, so I grew up drinking Ceylon with sweetened condensed milk. (Not as healthy as ginger, but very delicious.) A great place to get yummy Ceylon at a good price is an Indian grocery store.