Cardew Club News » 2007 » May

Tea as a drink prospered in China during the Tang Dynasty, and tea drinking has become an essential aspect of Chinese lifestyle. Visiting Hangzhou, one cannot avoid the presence of Longjing, with fragrant leaves in light to dark green and a refreshing taste when brewed.

On this visit to Hangzhou, described by many as “a heaven on earth,” we ventured to discover the China National Tea Museum, in our quest to understand Longjing, or, “Dragon Well.” The abundance of towers and deafening street noises that welcomed us into the city made us wonder whether we had purely circled the countryside and arrived back in Shanghai. However, as we neared, bird song and a cool refreshing breeze greeted us on arrival to Longjing Lu.

Restaurant invites visitors to sit back and take part in a British-style experience

No need to utter “raw-tha” with a stiff upper lip nor to carry a copy of the Financial Times of London.

Guests can speak home-grown Salinas dialect and still be a neat fit for a new event hosted by the Steinbeck House Restaurant.

That would be Afternoon Tea.

It includes British essentials - scones, jams, Devonshire cream, bite-sized sandwiches, quiche, desserts, fine china plus all the civility one can muster.

Millions of tea leaves and hot pots to brew them in have helped the Republic of Tea become one of America’s best-known upscale tea companies.

Celebrating its 15th anniversary this month, the Novato-based business, founded in Mill Valley in 1992 by the owners of the Banana Republic, grew from a 10-person company producing 20 specialty teas into an internationally known specialty beverage company. It now produces more than 200 teas and 150 non-tea items, such as pots and cups known as “sipware” in the R of T’s curious lingo.

I am a tea drinker and I always have been. Like all tea-drinkers, I get disgruntled and cranky whenever I try to get a cup of tea almost anywhere but in my home. While I am very happy for all of you javaheads out there who now have convenient access to great coffee, I will admit to quite a bit of jealousy, too. Other than one memorable and very expensive lunch five years ago at Jean-Georges in Manhattan, I have never had a great cup of tea in a restaurant. Tea, it seems, is the red-headed stepchild of the hot caffeinated beverage family.

A wall of 36 teacups sets the tone for an adventure of many decisions at Savannah Tea House. First, you’ll need to select a cup and saucer from the dozens of unique styles and designs displayed on the shallow bookcase. Pink cabbage roses? Simple blue flowers? A tall cup covered in purple violets?

Or maybe you’d prefer iced tea, in which case you don’t need to choose a cup, just a flavor, from the matrix of black teas, estate teas, white teas, green teas, oolongs, herbals and rooibos, all of which can be poured over ice.

The new art exhibit at the Leesburg Center for the Arts includes jaunty teapots and in-your-face paintings.

“Hot Young Artists,” which opens with a free reception from 5 to 7 p.m. today, is all about unusual work by five Central Florida artists and designers.

“Fun, funky and hip — that’s the look we were going for,” said Amy Griffin, the center’s executive director.

The teapots made by Russian-born Vadim Malkin pose like fashion models playing “I’m a Little Teapot,” with stylized stances and finial stoppers worn like couture hats.

The new art exhibit at the Leesburg Center for the Arts includes jaunty teapots and in-your-face paintings.

“Hot Young Artists,” which opens with a free reception from 5 to 7 p.m. today, is all about unusual work by five Central Florida artists and designers.

“Fun, funky and hip — that’s the look we were going for,” said Amy Griffin, the center’s executive director.

The teapots made by Russian-born Vadim Malkin pose like fashion models playing “I’m a Little Teapot,” with stylized stances and finial stoppers worn like couture hats.