Tea Time

I bought a real mug in order to stop using paper cups for my twice-daily Choice Organic English Breakfast tea at work. Think of how many paper cups I am saving! At one or two teas a day, that’s 20-40 cups in one month, which means about 200 in one semester. I also bought a very chic canvas grocery bag. Ok, so it’s not so chic, but it saves paper. I feel environmentally friendly.

And since we're talking about tea, may I recommend Trader Joe's Orange Rooibos tea? It's perfect for an afternoon break. It's even better if you pair it with a piece of orange flavored dark chocolate (but what isn't?) And before you throw the teabag away, squeeze the excess water from the bag into your cup for extra antioxidant goodness: a tip from one of my heroes, Dr. Perricone, who says that this can double the amount of antioxidants in your cuppa. And we all love antioxidants. And, oh! They're in dark chocolate too. Yet another justification of my 72% cacao habit.

But besides the health benefits, a nice cup of tea is just, well, nice. Especially if served in a nice teacup with appropriate garnishes: lemon, cream, sugar, delicate napkins, silver spoons, little bouquets of pansies, and the low murmur of a classical radio station. We had teatime every afternoon after school when I was little, with all the garnishes, and it remains a precious memory, one that can be relived every time I pour boiling water over a tea bag. I think the British have the right idea with their established afternoon teatime.