Personal Yummy #5
For my most recent birthday, which was not too long ago, my older brother and his girlfriend sent me the perfect gift: a beautiful box of Taylors of Harrogate assorted speciality teas—48 tea bags in all—individually wrapped in sturdy and appealing pouches with colorful labels highlighting the name of each tea. The assortment includes teal-labeled decaffeinated breakfast tea (bright and refreshing black tea), yellow mustard–labeled lemon and orange tea (zesty and vibrant black tea), purple-labeled earl grey tea (light and fragrant black tea), red-labeled English breakfast tea (rich and bright black tea), olive-labeled green tea with jasmine (fresh and floral green tea), gold-labeled organic chamomile (a gentle and soothing caffeine-free infusion), mint-labeled (of course!) organic peppermint (a fresh and vibrant caffeine-free infusion), and burnt orange–labeled Assam tea (strong and malty black tea).
Even though I love each and every one of these teas, I am particularly enjoying the Assam tea, and not just because it is full-bodied and intense, but because it reminds me of one of my stays at the Eden Roc hotel in Miami quite a few years ago. I traveled there to compete with my pro partner in the International-Latin division of the pro-am circuit of the ballroom dance competition world. Upon arriving in my fancy room—tired from my flight and from dragging my luggage in the hot sun to the hotel (I took a bus instead of a cab from the airport)—I was greeted with a teapot and a few packs of Taylors of Harrogate Assam tea, which were elegantly presented on a waist-high shelf in a small mirror-lined alcove in the hallway.
I was so happy and grateful to be at that stunning place and to have a weekend of dancing ahead of me, but for reasons I won’t address here (I’m thinking that it may be better to use those details for another post or for one of my dance stories I’m working on), I was feeling a bit lonely and emotionally wounded.
Therefore, as soon as I got settled in my room, I walked over to the alcove and brewed myself a cup of the Assam tea, which was held in a similarly distinct, but somewhat different, package as the tea in the assortment I received for my birthday. In fact, the tea bag was encased in a delicate and shimmery black foil wrapping, with the words “PURE ASSAM TEA … A rich, refreshing Indian tea from the Brahmaputra Valley” in white against a dark reddish-brown background.
Not one to rush unless I have to, I gave my tea plenty of time to steep in the dainty white circular cup that was provided, and I sweetened it a bit with the raw sugar from one of the unique sugar sticks that were held in the glass sugar bowl. I was even more impressed when I looked in the refrigerator and realized that there was a teeny-tiny glass carafe of whole milk waiting there for me to add it to my tea, which is exactly what I did. And then, with lots of anticipation—the sight and aroma of my tea just perfect—I sat down in one of the form-fitting chairs and savored my Assam delight, focusing on its warmth and richness.
You know what? I actually kept that empty little foil package that held that Assam tea bag, and I placed it in a small drawer in the kitchen of my New York City apartment, where I also keep menus and birthday candles and other items. And it never fails: Every time I open that drawer and spot the glistening wrapper, I am reminded of that particular trip and of my first experience with that brand of tea, and all that it represented to me.
I had been enjoying the companionship of tea for years but had never had the opportunity to try the Taylors of Harrogate variety until my arrival at the Eden Roc. And at that exact moment—as surrounded by beauty and excitement as I was—I needed some comfort, and that feisty cup of Assam gave it to me.
personalyummy.com 