Tea Minded is a tea blog featuring tasting notes and reviews, observations on tea culture, industry news and other tea-related fodder. At its core, Tea Minded is all about sharing in the tea culture and building a Community of tea enthusiasts from all walks of life.
We believe in:
- Bringing people together with tea
- Simplicity in a world of more
- Tea as a way of life
- Living this life “on purpose”
We especially enjoy the rich history, rituals and traditions associated with tea…and how it slows us down and forces us to pay attention and be in the moment.
TeaMinded was created and launched in 2011 by Scott Anderson, a self-described tea aficionado. Scott first realized his appreciation for tea while on a trip with his wife to London, England. It was on this trip that he enjoyed a “proper” cup of English tea via a lovely High Tea experience (note: if you’re wondering what High Tea is all about, we have an explanation here). He then began tasting and discovering teas from across the globe, with green teas and ceremonial matcha from Japan being among his favorites — arriving often (and in abundance) at his home in Southern California to this day. He’s grateful to be immersed in the tea community, always learning and sharing along the journey.
This essay below was written by Scott, and originally appeared in Kinfolk Magazine. It provides a glimpse into our philosophy at TeaMinded of “Tea as a Way of Life.”
Loose Leaf Bookends
“There is more to life than increasing its speed.” Gandhi
It started with a shared pot of tea. My wife and I have now settled into a routine that we’ve come to refer to as our “daily bookends.” The key ingredients include carefully chosen loose-leaf teas and a deliberate attempt to do very little. The premise is simple: each day begins and ends with a thoughtfully prepared, and slowly consumed, cup of tea. The ceremonial rituals symbolize our morning and evening bookends, serving as small windows of daily clarity and peacefulness.
As part of the ritual, the tea is attentively prepared, always a comfortable distance from the day’s pending (and preceding) obligations. Quite noticeably, the morning and evening bookends each bring distinctive nuances that are experienced and enjoyed in different ways.
The morning tea, and our ensuing conversation, is meant to invigorate us and to serve as an anchor to help secure our footing for what the day will soon reveal. We typically chose a black tea from a small—but growing—repertoire of teas from near and far. A British breakfast variety has been our “go-to” as of late, enjoyed in thick mugs, sometimes with a splash of milk and a pinch of brown sugar (ingredients which in themselves become metaphors for armor shielding us from any trouble that may cross our path throughout the day ahead). We raise our mugs with a toast and take a few sips before settling into a review of our aspirations—remaining careful not to lose our connectiveness, and taking in the peace and stillness of the morning. Streaks of sunlight materialize across the wooden table and the kids awake as we transition into the second cup. Oatmeal and fruit then join the equation, along with the buzz of domestic mornings.
I choose to bypass the coffee machine at the office, and instead make a variety of teas throughout the day. However, these are consumed in a different fashion. Each sip serves as a prelude to the evening bookend, which will be enjoyed in the absence of the wheels of commerce and the day’s churning deadlines and demands.
The evening tea is meant to be uncomplicated. Moroccan mint is a favorite, with the steeped tea leaves representing remnants of a day well spent. All else is left behind, and hand-painted, cast-iron teacups are our “grown-up” reward for the accomplishment of getting our three children (all under the age of 10) settled down and tucked in for the evening—no small feat. The house settles, and a candle illuminates the same tabletop that, hours ago, served as the canvas for streaks of light from the awakening sun.
These morning and evening loose-leaf bookends connect us to the here-and-now, to each other and to ourselves. They help bring a calmness and quietness to our otherwise noisy lives. They have become rituals for being present and more attentive. Best of all, they are a nourishing habit that can be savored twice a day.