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| CUPPA: If all you know of tea is Lipton and those herbal teas in a box, you don’t know what you’ve been missing. |
The Tea Set
Forget wine; tea tastings are now all the rage.
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I thought all tea came in little bags until I was invited to a tea tasting. If you’ve been to a wine tasting, you’ll be on familiar ground. A tea tasting isn’t much different. It’s just a gathering of friends standing around sniffing, swirling, sipping, and sharing thoughts. You’ll find that, like wine, tea is astonishing in its variety: some look like floral potpourri, and others smell like caramel ice cream.
Our guide on this journey, Kyle Stewart, stands behind the long bar at his shop, The Cultured Cup, and a double row of small, white bowls stretches the length of the counter. The nine bowls closest to us each contain a few tablespoons of different dry teas, which range in color from a pale white to almost coal black. Before Stewart pours steaming liquid into small cups, he tells us to feel the tea. Crisp leaves snap in our fingers. Bringing bowl to nose, we sniff the leaves. Lightly fragrant when dry, damp tea leaves smell like freshly mown grass or pungent tobacco.
Between teas, Stewart continues our lesson, speaking with obvious enthusiasm about varieties of tea, the fermentation process, and the importance of good water and proper steeping. We take another sip of green, smack our lips after oolong, contemplate a peculiar tannin, and savor a smooth finish. Just as some of us prefer Beaujolais to cabernet, some like Tung Ting more than Ceylon, and what I find off-putting—an aged Yunnan—my friend Stacey finds comforting. The darjeeling elicits an ebullient gasp from all.
After an hour-and-a-half, stacks of empty cups stand on a tray at one end of the counter, tea tasters scramble for the bathroom door, and I know I’ll never buy Lipton again.
| Host a Tea Tasting
Hosting a tea tasting is a convivial way to entertain. Bring in an expert: Adolphus tea captain Manuel Adame or Yasemin Mosby of Yasemin Tea will happily provide whatever you need for a tasting or a traditional afternoon tea, bringing everything from sugar cubes and petit fours to intimate knowledge of tea. If you’d rather do things yourself, attend at least one tea tasting before hosting your own. Then you’ll know how a tasting should unfold and what supplies you’ll need. Kyle Stewart of the Cultured Cup can give you tips for a successful tasting and set you up with loose tea and other supplies. The most important thing to remember is that though tea often connotes propriety, a tea party doesn’t have to be stuffy. “Forget the rules, Stewart says. “Just make sure your guests are having a good time.” |
5 Teas to Try
Many teas come from the same bush– white, green, oolong, and black. The fermentation process is what determines the type of tea and the amount of caffeine. Black tea has the most, and white the least. Herbal tea isn’t really tea at all. Loose-leaf tea yields results you’ll never get from the dust found in grocery store tea bags. Tea and herbal infusions come in a surprising array of flavored and unflavored varieties. There are hundreds from which to choose. You might start with one of these.
A blend of black and green tea, Bodum’s Best gets a hint of sweetness from sunflowers and cactus flower. $5.95 (7 ounces) at Bodum, 3103 Knox St. 214-522-0800. Rich, sweet, and malty, Golden Assamy Days is a full-bodied palate pleaser. $15 (3 ounces) at Tempest Tea, 5600 W. Lovers Ln., Ste. 111. 214-351-4832. Red tea, aka oolong, has less caffeine than black tea. It is partially dried, then fire-roasted to create a delicate fresh-peach flavor. $6.94 (4 ounces) at Inessa Stewart’s Antiques, 5201 W. Lovers Ln. 214-366-2660. Naturally caffeine-free, sweet, and slightly nutty, Rooibos—although not really tea since it’s made from needles, not leaves—isn’t just delicious, it’s also loaded with minerals and antioxidants. $4.90 (2 ounces) at Yasemin Tea, 2632 Thomas Ave. 214-871-0253. Lightly scented with hibiscus and mallow flowers, Mariage Frères Éros has a sweet, round finish that goes great with dessert. $8 (4 ounces) at The Cultured Cup, 5346 Belt Line Rd. 972-960-1521.
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Afternoon Delight
Tea houses are popping up all over Dallas, and with styles and menus as varied as their names, there’s one to suit your every mood.
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| NEXT GENERATION: Tea houses are already popular with the local high school set. |
Tucked in the corner of Inessa Stewart’s Antiques, Renaissance Garden Cafe (5201 W. Lovers Ln. 214-366-2660) offers a traditional, three-course afternoon tea. Chef Dagmar Carruth serves dainty sandwiches, scones and tea breads, pastries and truffles, and a choice of eight teas. Thu-Sun, 2-4 p.m.; $16.95.
At the Hotel Adolphus (1321 Commerce St. 214-742-8200) attentive tea captain Manuel Adame, attends your every need, stopping just short of wiping the crumbs from your lips. The Adolphus afternoon tea, served in the lobby living room, includes finger sandwiches, scones with Devonshire cream and marmalade, and the renowned pastries and chocolate truffles of chef Jean-Francois Suteau. Thu-Sun, 3-4:45 p.m.; $35.
Long popular for baby and wedding showers, the La Duni (4620 McKinney Ave. 214-520-7300) afternoon tea menu includes small pressed sandwiches, lovely canaps, and Dunia Borga’s tasty pastries. Tue-Sun, by reservation only; $15.
In a garden setting, Lady Primrose’s (3631 W. Davis St., Ste. C. 214-871-8334) tea sandwiches, warm scones, and pastries make for a charming departure from the quotidian. Regulars vouch for the signature Tryst Kiss, a blend of cranberry and raspberry juices and champagne. Mon-Sat, 3-5 p.m.; $12.50-$26.
Though Lavendou (19009 Preston Rd. 972-248-1911) calls it high tea, their service is the equivalent of afternoon tea. The difference? Afternoon tea originated in 18th-century England with the aristocratic class, who needed a snack to tide them over until dinner. Tiny sandwiches, tea breads, and mini-pastries were typical fare for afternoon tea. High tea emerged later, as a workingman’s evening meal, and included meats and cheeses. Mon-Fri, 2:30-5 p.m.; $14.95.
Afternoon tea is an early affair at Rosebud (2701-A Guillot St. 214-468-0919), where iced-tea punch and hot tea du jour accompany finger sandwiches, scones with homemade jam and clotted cream, and petit fours and cookies. With the addition of a fourth course of cheese, afternoon tea becomes high tea. Mon-Fri, 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.; Sat, 11:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Four courses, $22; three courses, $18.
Jody and Brian Rudman’s Tempest Tea (5600 W. Lovers Ln., Ste. 111. 214-351-4832) reminds us of a hip coffeehouse—without the coffee. Afternoon tea, served morning till night, consists of a two-cup pot of tea, finger sandwiches, a scone with clotted cream and jam, and a slice of cake, a cookie, pastry, or two truffles. Mon-Thu, 8:30 a.m.-9 p.m.; Fri & Sat, 8:30-11 a.m.; Sun, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.; $10.95.
Tea Tips
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Serve lemon slices, not wedges, with hot tea, and never use milk and lemon in the same cup. The acid in the lemon will cause the milk to curdle.
Tea will become too bitter to drink if loose leaves are left in the pot. If you don’t use a filter, use a strainer and decant the tea before covering the pot with a cozy.
Mix fruit tea with sparkling wine to make a tea spritzer. Serve in a martini glass and garnish with a strawberry.
For a perfect pot of tea, use bottled or filtered water.
Black, red, and herbal teas generally brew longer and hotter than more delicate green or white varieties.
Infuser baskets and tea filters are convenient, but tea balls compromise your brew because leaves don’t have room to fully expand.
