The Agony of the Leaves

I've been drinking more tea recently since I bought my new Bodum Assam Tea Press Tea Pot, one of the treasures I found last week at my favorite consignment shop. It's a 4-cup glass pot with a tight fitting infuser for loose tea leaves, and reminds me of a French Press coffee pot. I enjoy being able to see through the glass to watch "the agony of the leaves," as tea aficionados describe the leaves as they twist and turn and unfurl in the hot water. I have the book of the same name, "The Agony of the Leaves," in which Helen Gustofson writes of "...the century-old phrase used in the tea trade to describe the transformative moment in preparing tea: when the oxygen of the boiling water allows the tea leaf to release its flavor. The leaves may appear tormented and miserable, like autumn leaves in a storm, but they may also look dancing and fanciful."

I've always been attracted to the elegance and comfort and romance of drinking tea. From the countless cups offered in English murder mysteries to the beautifully photographed spreads in glossy magazines, I'm a sucker for it, and often join in with my own cup of tea. About 8 years ago I spent a great deal of time planning a web business devoted to tea. My plan was to offer all manner of tea things for sale - gourmet teas, teapots and teaware, cozies and napkins, placemats and table runners, invitations and notecards, candles and candle holders, cookies and biscuits, lavender sugars and lemon curds, books and magazines, gift baskets and flowers. I would have articles on brewing, recipes for scones, advice on hosting tea parties, children's parties, theme parties, showers, and hat decorating competitions. I would write about the history of the tea industry and it's historical importance in countries around the world. I would have challenging contests and prizes for the winners.

I even had a business meeting with a small business startup advisor. But, after all the planning and research, I decided it was too much to take on. I was working at the time, and didn't have the time to devote to it. I didn't have the capital I would need to invest, and I didn't know enough about creating a website and making a business out of it. I still have the name I chose - no one has it on the web, I've checked - which I'll keep secret in the event that some day I might pull out my plans, dust them off, and give it another go.

PHOTO: My favorite tea room - Serenity Tea Room in Frederick, MD.