When my daughter wants to know if I like someone, she’ll ask me, “Mommy, would you make tea for her?” This is her test to know if I’ve made a friend. If someone that I care about is coming by the house, I will naturally say, “I’ll make us some tea.” My dearest friends know this about me…I’m not just offering tea, I’m celebrating our friendship. It will always be tea…never coffee or lemonade.

“There are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea.” ― Henry James, The Portrait of a Lady

I think I have maybe six tea pots plus my keurig, a copper kettle and a one-touch tea maker. Making tea has always been something I enjoy and I’m not alone… My husband is an iced tea drinker and he makes a pitcher full daily. My children will be content to do their homework with peppermint tea. There’s something ceremonial and comforting about making tea. Tea makes the world a better place.

Here are some enjoyable facts about tea that you might not know…

• Tea is the most popular drink in the world (after water).
• Ireland has the highest amount of tea consumption per person…six cups a day. Did I mention that I’m Irish?
• Most teas…black, green, oolong, and white are naturally caffeinated. They come from the plant Camellia sinensis. Herbal teas are infused by dried herbs, fruits, or flowers like chamomile or echinacea.
• Adding milk to tea keeps porcelain tea cups from cracking and helps keep teeth white.
• Loose the tea bag…Tea becomes more flavorful as the leaves expand, which can’t happen when they’re crammed into a small bag. Instead, use an infuser to steep your leaves so they’re able to float around. Then strain before drinking. I love my Breville one-touch tea maker for this reason.
• If tea is too hot, you can’t taste its subtle nuances…it should be like Goldilocks said, “Just right!“
• The tradition of afternoon tea was begun by Anna Russell, Duchess of Bedford in the 1840’s as “a way to quell the inevitable hunger pangs between lunch and dinner.”

P.S. Put the kettle on