Tea: It’s Steeped In Cool

“Find yourself a cup of tea; the teapot is behind you. Now tell me about hundreds of things.”

— Saki

Tea is more than just tea these days. It’s a lifestyle. It’s about choices and flavors and what it can do for your mind and body.

Tea is historical.

At Maine-ly New Hampshire, on Deer Street, co-owner Deborah Bouchard-Smith had the incredible idea of reproducing tea, as it used to be made and sold in downtown Portsmouth.

With the help of Jere Vincent, co-owner of Portsmouth Tea Company, Deborah Bouchard-Smith got some fine results. Vincent headed to the Portsmouth Athenaeum to do his research. He researched shipping records from the early 1700s. The result?

Colonial Revival Blend, made especially for Maine-ly New Hampshire. It comes in green and black tea. It’s sold loose. Some of the teas used come from the very same regions the teas originally came from …; yes!

Here’s a quote from the Colonial Revival Blends.

On the evening of Dec. 16, 1773, a group of men calling themselves “the Sons of Liberty” went to the Boston Harbor dressed as Mohawk Indians. Boarding three British ships, the Beaver, the Eleanor and the Dartmouth, they dumped 45 tons of tea into the Boston Harbor. As a result of the tea tax, the colonies refused to purchase their tea from the warehouses full of unsold tea, threatening the prosperity of the East India Tea Company. This historic rich black blend is made up of the same type of teas that were served in Portsmouth, New Hampshire from 1700-1790 as shown in local shipping records from the time. Converse with history with every sip.

The Colonial Revival blends come in green and black.

“We can’t keep it in stock,” said co-owner Ken Smith. “It’s become very popular. People really love it. I also think it helps that tea is just very much what is happening now.” At Maine-ly New Hampshire, they sell 32 varieties of teas. And keep selling them. The instruments of tea sell just as well. There are tiny little spoons, made of honey, to swirl in the tea. There are very interesting tea pots and strainers and infusers.

“Tea sells because it’s all year long,” said Smith. “We sell lots of Maine-ly New Hampshire Breakfast Blend, too. For lots of people, it’s replacing their morning cup of coffee.

Smith explained that tea hydrates the body whereas coffee dehydrates the body. This aspect alone is drawing more and more people into becoming tea drinkers.

While this story is particularly about hot tea, there is no reason not to mention some other uses. Smith said he makes the watermelon splash tea and then puts it into an ice tray for popsicles for his children.

“They love it and we know it’s all organic and doesn’t have all the sugars other Popsicles have,” said Smith. “It’s just a great way to make tea Popsicles and with no caffeine or additives.” At Philbrick’s Fresh Market, tea is plentiful and the variety is staggering. Truly, staggering. Not only is there a long tea aisle, but tea at specialty points in the store. Lots and lots of tea.

Owner Phil Philbrick said he couldn’t be sure, but is almost certain they sell close to 100 varieties of teas.

“Over the last three years, I’ve seen the number of teas more than double,” said Philbrick. “People are really, really getting into tea. We are always adding more teas, due to the demand by our customers.” Philbrick has always been a tea drinker, never a coffee drinker, so he really knows what he is talking about. He has watched the revolution of tea in this country grow and grow. It makes him very happy.

“The very first tea we bought for our store was Tea Forté,” said Philbrick. “We sold it loose and it was the first tea to use food grade nylon with no staples. This is eco-friendly and very important to serious tea drinkers. It’s so eco-friendly it can go right into the compost heap. Their packaging is also really beautiful.” Portsmouth is fortunate to have two local and fantastic tea makers: Portsmouth Tea Company and White Heron Tea. White Heron teas were the first organic and fair trade teas made in the state. It was voted Best in the 2006 issue of New Hampshire Magazine.

What is also so cool about these great teas is that at both Maine-ly New Hampshire and Philbrick’s Fresh Market, there are sample jars of each tea. You can open the lid and smell the aroma. It’s a wonderful way to get a sense of the tea’s essence and aroma. Tea sampling is an experience unto itself. It’s hard not to buy lots of teas after sampling the aromas.

Believe it or not, there is a tea called “Blueberry Muffin” that really and truly does smell like a blueberry muffin. If you don’t believe this, go check it out for yourself. It’s no joke and very popular with children. A nice alternative to soda!

This is just the tip of the iceberg of tea. One can even buy Chai tea in cartons, vanilla or regular. It’s really delicious and a great afternoon drink.

One of the non-local teas that sells very well on the Seacoast is The Republic of Tea company teas. Their “Be Well Red Teas” are quite astounding. Not only are they rich in anti-oxidants, but they claim to be a friend of the immune system. To give you an idea, some of the blends include “Get It Going”(helps with regularity); “Get Lost” (helps with weight control); and “Get Soothed” (helps with scratchy throats). There are many more, but this gives you an idea of the wide range.

On a side note, one of the most interesting things about all these new (and old) teas is the packaging. Some of the boxes and packages are works of art. Some are even designed by famous artists. One stroll down the tea aisle at Philbrick’s Fresh Market is almost as good as going to an art gallery. It is so irresistible that one simply cannot help but pick up a box and stare at it in amazement. These are pretty, pretty, pretty. If the inside is as good as the outside …; well, the options are limitless.

Philbrick had an anecdote about tea that is worth sharing with readers.

When he and his partner were traveling in Ireland, they sat next to a couple in a tea shop. The couple were older than they were, but having a fine ole time with their pot of tea and chatter. They began to converse. Philbrick said he asked the couple how long they had been married. More than 30 years was the answer. How are they still so happily married, he asked.

“Well,” the woman said, “it’s all about a pot of shared tea. Every time we had a problem, we sat down with a pot of tea and talked about it. Many pots of tea later, we’re still happy.” Ahhh …;. What could be better than a shared pot of really, really good tea? It can’t be rushed, it’s best shared, and conversation can flow.

While there aren’t any tea shops in Portsmouth, one can get a brewed pot of tea at Breaking New Grounds, done the right way with an infuser. And, on Sundays, Popovers offers a tea for two. Perhaps, before long, a real tea shop may open. From the array on the market, it can’t be that long from becoming a reality.

This article was taken from: Sea Coast Online