happy 2011 + Tour De Tea

Happy New Year, friends! It’s been a while, hasn’t it? Things have been quiet around these parts lately as November and December are notoriously busy times for those of us who make & sell. The holidays began early as a whirlwind of craft shows (5 weeks in a row, beginning in November) gave way to a whirlwind of holiday celebrations which just wrapped up last week. Life has been so full and busy and I feel incredibly lucky!

I’m excited for what’s in store in 2011; the new year always brings with it a great sense of renewal and possibility and I like to take this time to think big about our little business and life in general. What does the new year mean to you? Does it stand for fresh starts? New resolutions?

One of the things I love most about a new year is trying new things. If you know me (or my Twitter feed) at all, you’ve probably figured out that I truly love tea. Close friends (okay, even mere acquaintances) know that our house boasts over 60 teas, mostly of the loose-leaf variety. They’ve been acquired from places near and far, a spice shop tucked away in a tiny town in Morocco…an insanely lovely shop on the streets of Frankfurt, Germany…and even from right here where I live in Ottawa.

Each of the teas we have here in the house is completely special to me, but I found that when I went to make my morning tea, I often resorted to making the same few favorites over and over again. It’s hard to choose from 60 teas when you’re bleary-eyed in the morning.

So in an effort to establish a new ritual for the new year, I’ve decided to do what I’ve dubbed a ‘Tour de Tea’. I’ll be tasting and photographing a different tea each day and sharing it on a specially dedicated blog, Tour de Tea. I started this little tour with one of my favorite teas, Bamboo Shoots (pictured above). Genmaicha (green tea w/toasted rice and popcorn) with papaya, pineapple, coconut, pink peppercorns, cardamom & more. It’s one of my all-time favorite teas and it’s from right here in Ottawa. I hope you’ll join me for this tea-filled journey over on the blog.