w h a t ' s i n s t o r e
t e a t o t a l l y
Exploring the pleasures of loose tea
Before I moved next door to a loose-leaf tea enthusiast many years ago, I was a hard-core tea bagger. Loose tea seemed too mysterious and messy -- how much do you put in the pot and how do you prevent debris in the cup? Since those days, the loose-tea experience -- warming the pot, watching the leaves unfurl, inhaling the aromas, and better yet, enjoying delicate taste notes never achievable with a tea bag -- has become a way to create a tiny time-out in a busy day. And there's the satisfaction of knowing this pleasure is good for you: Tea has been credited with anticancer and antiatherosclerotic properties. Thanks to my neighbor, I've found that having a wide assortment of loose teas on hand is the first ingredient of a delightful ritual.
