What is Old is New Again
CURIOSITEA... JUST
OUT OF By Archana Pyatt
What do your plants prefer - a java jolt or a spot of tea?
This was the topic of my daughter’s science fair project. We planted sweet basil seeds in three different pots of organic soil. One contained coffee grounds, another contained tea leaves and the last one contained only the soil. Once the plants sprouted, we noticed that both the pots containing coffee grounds and tea leaves did better than the one containing only soil. However, the pot containing the tea leaves had more leaves per sprout as opposed to the pot with coffee grounds which had greater height. In conclusion, the addition of tea leaves produced a healthier and fuller plant. So sit and sip and let your plants enjoy the leftovers!
The history of tea cups spans hundreds of years and several continents as the popularity of tea spread from China and India to England and the West. Over time, tea cup designs changed as different cultures embraced tea. The original tea cups were Chinese tea bowls with no handles, potters made these bowls out of porcelain in two colors: white and light blue. As tea spread to Europe, tiny tea bowls accompanied the newly popular tea pot during the reign of George II. Later designs of these cups, especially in England, began to include handles. Tea cups are no longer being solely used for tea, especially vintage tea cups. Many collectors purchase these antiques to use for decoration around the home, some use them as a place for jewelry on an armoire or as a new location for a scented candle. Share your old tea cup with a new friend at the 2012 Houston Tea Affair. The tea cup exchange will include special tea cups along with fabulous tea memories to pass along and cherish. Ticket info on page 2.
“Too hot for tea!?”
It is that time of year again that I will hear many people who I refer to as “seasonal tea drinkers” start saying, “It’s too warm for hot tea!” Do they say that about drinking coffee? I have not found a satisfying answer to this question to this day. What I have found is that it is a southern phenomenon. However, I am glad that they haven’t quite given up on tea altogether. It was in the south that iced tea was “invented.” In any form or fashion, it is nice to know that one cannot give up drinking tea!
Archana Pyatt is a true tea enthusiast. Her passion for tea has served as a platform for writing, traveling and finally opening her own tea room. Serenitea Tea Room, locat- ed in Sugarland, TX is not only a place for lunch and Afternoon Tea but also a venue to share the knowledge of tea and all things related.
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www.teaintexas.com | March - April 2012
Curiositea
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