TEA ADVENTURES
WEDDING TEA GIFTS
Karen is an avid follower of The Steaming Cup. She has been termed as one of our most enthusiastic tea followers. She loves everything to do with tea. Then she met Michael. Now it is very clear that tea has taken a backseat in her life. But it isn't out of sight.
She came to see us at the Steaming Cup in November and told us how she wants to offer a tea gift to all her guests at their upcoming wedding. But she said, we are on a really tight budget - young kids right? Go figure!
So we set a date to meet. We sat down with Karen and her Michael and talked about tea, talked about their favorites and their likes and dislikes. Then we started tasting the foundation teas. Going through some varieties, we got agreement on a Green Rooibos as their base. Then we went through different tea influences. We hit a large number of herbal additions. Mint, citrus, cinnamon, and other flowers, leaves, roots and fruits were considered. Some worked, some didn't. It was a fun exercise and one that clearly showed the strength of their relationship. They clearly love each other more than tea...I suppose we can accept this.
So finally we got to a tea blend that satisfied them. We talked about ways to package and adorn their gifts. We tossed the ideas in and out as fast as the mind can follow. Ending with committments we left with homework to do.
Karen ordered the little 2 ounce glass jars. She and Michael designed some wording for them. Kerry went off and found photos of the loving couple and taking the words they liked, wrapped them with the photo into a label that fit the jars. Then it was to the email tangle of back and forth to get agreements on the final label design. Around 1:30am on a long night, we got closure. Off to print.
As you can see, the label design sends their clear message to their 300+ friends who will receive the gifts. Talk about personal! We think their idea of a tea gift is fantastic. How unique, how original!
Now the work wasn't done yet. Kerry ordered the tea components. When they all arrived, there was a question in our eyes...how were these young kids going to bring all of this into a consistent blend? So once again, we prepared a blending session. Karen came in last night and we poured potion after potion into our 6 quart mixer. It took two full mixer bowls to fit it all, so we mixed and combined and combined and mixed. Soft fruits chased dry leaves with chunks of bark and flower petals into a warm redish blend. On with the gloves and the finishing hand work brought closure to the blend. Karen showed great promise as a tea blender.
Now the wedding is less than a month away. Just after finishing the blend, Karen got a call from Michael. He said,"Could we sit and watch a movie tonight while we pack the tea jars?" What a guy! He missed the blending due to a job interview (valid excuse!) But he came through in the end with absolutely no prompting. Their collaboration is just another testament to the strength of their love.
Our thanks go to this new young couple on the starting fringe of their long life together. May their lives be always filled with the same exquisite flavor as the tea they are offering to their guests. Thanks for letting us play a part!
If you are extraordinarily lucky, you might taste and savor The SHARKEY Blend