Retailer Spotlight: Thésaurus Tea

As Tea Thoughts grows, so do the number of places where you can find my items! In the last year, I have expanded my retailers and wanted to share a little bit about them. Hopefully you will be introduced or re-introduced to a new tea shop.

I want to introduce you to Thésaurus Tea!

This is an online tea ship based in Canada! If you’re in Canada, they might be the best option to order a Tea Thoughts item to save on shipping! Additionally, Thésaurus Tea has a few items that I don’t have in stock anymore like the Camellia SInensis Necklace and Camellia Sinensis tea socks!

Learn a little more about Robyn, the owner of Thésaurus Tea below!

1) Can you give us a little introduction about you/Thésaurus Tea?

Thésaurus Tea is blended with dainty claws by a geeky dinosaur (that'd be me, Robyn), and then steeped in fandom! While I have all the usual classic blends (and more!) that one might expect of any tea shop, I also host an ever-growing list of original teas based on popular sci-fi shows, movies, books and videogames! On top of all this, I take special care with my impact on the environment: The majority of my teas come from fair-trade suppliers who also prioritize that their products are ethical, ecological, and economical.

2) When did you start drinking tea?

When I was a little girl, my father used to take me to a tea house (sadly long gone) called Franny's. Their specialty was cheesecake, but I loved it there for the tea. They had one that I THINK was called the Hobbit's blend, or at least it should have been. I always imagined that the softly floral tisane was surely what Bilbo or Frodo might have drank in the Shire, and was utterly hooked from then.

3) What inspired you to start Thesaurus Tea?

I had always thought I would want to open a tea shop after I retired, but when I was about to end my maternity leave, my husband asked me what I was waiting for. From there, everything came together very quickly. I suppose I had always had an image in my mind of what I wanted to do. I even had a dream about it, when I was trying to pick a name, and dreamed of a tea house run by dinosaurs...and thus Thésaurus. (Thé is tea in French, and as my fans know, I live for a good pun!).

4) What does your personal tea ritual look like?

When I take a moment to make tea for myself, I spend almost as much time trying to pick a tea cup as I do the tea itself. I have a huge collection of tea cups, stemming to back when my grandmother gave several to me. I've collected them ever since, and each one has a special meaning to me. That said, once I've chosen a cup, I will often match it to a tea, though sometimes I pick the tea, and THEN the tea cup to match. From there I suppose it is no different than anyone else, in terms of heating the water as needed, and steeping.

5) Do you have a current favorite tea?

You want me to pick between my babies?! I suppose I would have to say that the Silver Wolf and Leader of the Pack are my two favorites for the moment.

6) Where do you draw inspiration from for your blends?

Everywhere, but especially anything science fiction related. Most often, I will watch through a show, or a movie, or read a book, and ask myself what those characters or moments, or even songs, might taste like.

7) What do you envision down the road for Thesaurus Teas?

It has long been my plan to open a physical location for a real tea house, but the pandemic interrupted those plans. That said, once things are calmer, I still fully intend on moving forward, as I feel that having a place that I could host people for tea, as well as for the geeky community in general, would be a wonderful and fulfilling experience for me. I have so many ideas for events and I look forward to sharing them.

Tea Infused Product Spotlight: Few Spirits

I am always on the look out for tea infused products. I am a huge bourbon/rye lover and while I have infused bourbon with tea on my own I have yet to taste a great infused spirit. Enter, Immortal Rye. I first saw Few Spirits at a local Whiskey Saloon called Jack Rose. I later checked out their site and was so excited to find that they had a tea infused rye and even more excited to see that it was an 8 immortals tea! I am a huge fan o dancongs so I had to give it a try. Check out my instagram for a reel with a quick cocktail to make with this rye!

Get to know a little more about Few Spirits below and check them out HERE .

1) Can you give us a little introduction about Few Spirits?

FEW Spirits is an innovative and creative grain to glass distillery. We focus on making bold, Chicago style whiskies, full flavored and strong and with subtlety and depth.

2) Are you a tea drinker? If so what does your tea ritual look like?

I’m an occasional tea drinker, generally lapsang souchong or black teas, although i’m a incessant coffee drinker. My tea rituals are rather simplistic and utilitarian- hot water and steep, with minimal ornament.

3) What inspired you to make a tea infused rye?

We are always working to create and add unexpected flavors into whiskey. Whether that is a fruity note in our rye to cinnamon notes in our bourbon, or 8 Immortals tea in the Immortal Rye!

4) What inspired you to choose 8 immortals for the rye?

We chose 8 Immortals after extensive experimentation to see what we liked. We tried probably 30 different teas, from black to white to green to chai, as well as different preparation methods and intensity. We found that this was what we liked best - the cold extraction of the 8 Immortals, while rather non-traditional, accentuates the fruit and really enhances the fruitiness of the underlying rye whiskey. We found the flavors very balanced and rich and complex. While several other teas were exceptional as well (I personally really liked the lapsang souchong), our entire team just knew this was right.

5) What is your favorite way to enjoy the Few immortals rye?

Responsibly, of course! But I’d say i find myself drinking it most often on the rocks or in a Boulevardier.

6) What is your favorite spirit in the Few Spirits line up right now?

I can never pick a favorite - it’s just like my kids. But I am definitely reaching for the Immortal Rye frequently these days.

Shop Update: Overjoyed October!

I’m excited to share more about the October Update! I’ve named it Overjoyed October because I am overjoyed to share all these new & fun products with you!

In September, the theme was stationery. This month, there isn’t as much of a connecting theme but one thing all these items have in common is the holiday season. A lot of these items are things that have been on my wish list to make! I will also have some deals for the update, many are based on the first orders so I highly recommend signing up for my newsletter if you haven’t already!

WINTER/ADVENT COUNTDOWN BOX!

I haven’t posted too many previews of the box yet except this one reel where I show how I’m making the tags! Here are some details for the countdown box!

• 12 days of goodies to open

• Ships in early November

• Combination of loose tea and compressed tea + one festive tea blend

• Matching teaware set

• 6 teas

• 6 days of non tea items

• Cute penguin design !

• Edible item: Unfortunately, it is hard to find tea themed things that are also allergy friendly. This item is not gluten free or vegan friendly. Made in a facility that has peanuts, tree nuts. Contact me before the update (earlier the better) if this is a concern!

• This box will be $68, this includes free shipping for US Orders

• ***The first 20 box orders get either an extra of day 3 or day 5! ****

HIGHBALL GLASSES

One thing I want for Tea Thoughts as I grow is to keep designing but to have those designs on more functional items that you can use everyday! While I do have some of these items in the shop, this update will bring more of them like these highball glasses. I know it’s not really ice tea season anymore but I often like to make tea cocktails and mocktails and why not have a tea themed glass to make them in!

This photo shows the glass filled with cold brewed da hong pao!

WRAPPING CLOTHS

Inspired by furoshiki, I’ve designed two wrapping cloths just in time for the holidays! These are the two designs that will be available - Camellia Sinensis and a tea pot & tea tray design. Each cloth is a 60cm square and made with 100% cotton. The fabric is soft and have a tiny bit of stretch. You can easily wrap small to medium objects like a book, tea tin, short bottle of alcohol and more! I shared one reel so far wrapping a book but will continue to share more examples while this is in stock in the shop. These cloths are also good for other uses if you don’t want to wrap a gift with them. Try using them to wrap a tea cake or as a neck tie!

BAMBOO MATS

Another item that I found while researching products that can be used daily are bamboo mats. These bamboo mats are exciting because they can be used for tea sessions! I have my own bamboo tea mat that I enjoy using for some tea sessions and when I found a printer, I was excited to get two designs printed. Each bamboo mat is 60 cm X 30 cm and provide a good amount of space for your teaware. I shared two reels hat show the entire bamboo mat!

Peach Mat

Leaf Mat

FUZZY SOCKS

Fuzzy socks, finally! I searched and searched for a manufacturer that didn’t have a ridiculous minimum order and finally landed on one. I chose to go with simplicity here and have the plain socks with a small embroidery. The tradeoff with where I got them made is that these socks are a bit smaller than some of my other socks fitting us women’s sizes 5-10. I hope to find a more inclusive solution in the future! These socks are snug when you first wear them and loosen up a little bit and are really cozy. These will have directions on the packaging but please know that these socks are handwash only!

SPIDER TEA CUP

Since this update is in October and I’m not doing a Halloween Countdown, I thought it might be fun to include these spooky spider tea cups I found! The black portion is smooth, almost matte and the gold parts are raised slightly, providing some texture. I will have a limited amount of these in the shop update!

TEAPOT VASE TOTEBAG

Some of you might have been following along long enough to see my other tote bags and its been far too long since I had one in the shop. I thought about what design to use and landed on this teapot vase from the stationery update! You may have read about supply chain issues and well, I had a lot of trouble finding the right kind of tote bag. This one is a little thinner than my previous camellia sinensis one and has shorter handles but it is much wider and still does fit over your shoulder thankfully!

Small Business Spotlight: Topaz Tea Co.

When one of my dear customers, Shaylee reached out to me about her new endeavor Topaz Tea Co, I knew I had to do a spotlight post! One of the fun things about being a small business and using social media to communicate with people is that you get to forge connections and friendships, like I did with Shaylee! Shaylee has so sweetly cheered me on and now it’s my turn!

Normally, I purchase the items in my small business spotlight because that is my way of supporting the business I’m spotlighting in addition to sharing about them. To be transparent, the 3 teas I was given from Topaz Tea Co were gifted to me but I will definitely be back for more.

Topaz Tea Co is launching on 10/15 and you can use code TOPAZLAUNCH for 15% off from 10/15 to 10/17! You can check out all their offerings on their site now though!

I was gifted the Evening Zen, Pumpkin Spice Chai and Beauty & Balance. It’s really hard to choose my favorite. The evening zen and beauty & balance were both brewed before bedtime and gave very different feelings. The evening zen was definitely more chamomile forward and mellow. The beauty & balance was nice and tart due to the hibiscus. I loved them both and I think choosing between then would depend on my mood before bed. Sometimes I just need something mellow but sometimes I want something with a strong punch of flavor even though I want to go to sleep. Last but not least, the pumpkin spice chai! I made this on the stovetop adding a little honey and milk. I used a bit too much water but even still I got a nice pumpkin flavor that wasn’t too overwhelming :)

Want to learn more about Topaz Tea Co?! See what the founders have to say!

1) Can you give us a little introduction about you/Topaz Tea Co?

We're a team of two (Shaylee and Alison), launching our first business. Officially, we've been working on launching Topaz for a few months, but it's been a dream of ours for quite a bit longer. We really became friends through our shared exploration of tea, and it has become something sort symbolic of our friendship as well as our individual journeys. Because of that, we began dreaming of having our own tea shop long before we had the knowledge or experience to really give it a shot. Topaz Tea Co is the culmination of a lot of work, a lot of learning, and a lot of love.

2) When did you start drinking tea? 

Both of us are sort of late arrivals to the tea scene. Because of our upbringings, neither of us had even tasted tea until adulthood. Prior to the age of 24 or so, Alison's experience was limited to tisanes and the occasional Starbucks chai latte. Shaylee had sipped a small selection of tisanes as well, but only for medicinal purposes, until she took the plunge at age 26 and tried Earl Grey and English Breakfast tea bags for the first time. Shortly after that, we were trying new teas together as fast as we could get our hands on them.

3) What inspired you to start Topaz Tea Co?

We’re both rather ambitious, so as we fell in love with loose leaf tea we decided we wanted to learn how to make our own. As we considered the idea of creating tea blends, we immediately started dreaming about opening a tea shop together despite now living across the country from each other. With our own past experiences with being new to tea culture, we also wanted to create a space for other beginners to find answers to their tea-related questions and feel a sense of solidarity as they embark on their tea adventures. We’re both very passionate about tea, as a beverage and a philosophy, and while we have a lot yet to learn we’re eager to share what we do know so that others can enjoy the beauty that tea has to offer. 

4) What does your personal tea ritual look like?

Shaylee: Honestly, I haven’t really established a ritual yet, but I do try to make each drink special. Each morning, I choose teaware that fits my mood for the day, and then select a tea to match. I try to remember to inhale the aroma before I take a sip, and when I do remember that deep breath can be magical. In the future, I plan to incorporate aspects specifically related to witchcraft for more intentional tea sessions.

Alison: A lot of the time I’m drinking tea on the go, or while multitasking elsewhere, so my personal rituals tend to be a bit scattered and hectic. However, the part of the process I enjoy the most is selecting and brewing my tea. Aroma is a huge part of the tea experience for me, so I always try to be present and mindful during the brewing process when the complex aromas are changing and growing so rapidly. 

5) Do you have a current favorite tea?

Shaylee: It’s hard to choose a favorite because everything I have in my tea drawer is so delicious, but my top three go-to teas are Lavender Earl Grey from Hackberry Tea, Ya Bao Silver Buds from Curious Tea, and our Lavender Berry blend at Topaz Tea Co (can you tell I like lavender?).

Alison: I love mint in my tea blends, so my favorites would probably have to be Hackberry Tea’s Pomegranate Mojito (which is unfortunately no longer being sold), and our own flavor, Vanilla Mint. I also love just about every chai I’ve ever tasted.

6) Where do you draw inspiration from for your blends? 

More than many other senses, scent and flavor are tightly tied to memory. Think about walking into the kitchen as a child and smelling your favorite meal cooking--for most of us, smelling that same dish again, in any context, can transport us back to those happy childhood memories. This is part of why there are certain seasonal flavors that get so popular every year, such as pumpkin and turkey over the holidays. These sensations can remind us of the past, and help us to create new memories in the present. When we’re thinking about creating new flavors, the question for us is always “How can we use these scents and flavors to make us feel a certain way?” You’ll notice if you read some of our product descriptions that we like to mention some of the moods and memories that we are trying to evoke with that blend. 

7) What are your hopes for the future of Topaz Tea Co?

It would mean a lot to us if Topaz Tea Co became a place that was known for helping people to learn about and explore loose leaf tea for the first time. We’ve worked hard to create blends which provide familiar and accessible flavor combinations, while still celebrating the unique flavor of our teas and other ingredients. Many of these blends would be a fantastic early step into the world of tea. We’re also working hard behind the scenes to develop a lot of short and easy-to-understand articles to help people learn more about tea, from tea science to tea history and culture. As we grow, we hope to provide more and more options that are appealing to just about anyone; delicious, interesting, and made with love. 

September Stationery Update Details

Fall is almost here and this month’s shop update is focusing on stationery. Stationery is special to me because it marked the start of Tea Thoughts. Back in my etsy days when I started, I hand made cards with tombow markers!

As I taught myself graphic design and tried out other products, I didn’t forget about cards but they weren’t a main focus. I started picking up interest in stationery that I love like sticky notes and washi tape. I decided it was time to make a shop update dedicated to my love of stationery.

On Friday September 24th at 11 am ET, the products shown below will be available in the shop. I want to go through some of these designs and tell you why I created them.

In this shop update, you will find 4 greeting card designs and these designs will also be represented in other products. Let’s start with the TEArarium. This teapot terrarium is an old pin design that was pretty popular and instead of just using the same design, I wanted to redo it. I kept the glass teapot exterior but changed the plants inside. Like my original design, I chose succulent and cacti. Mostly, I chose these because they are what I know best since they are what I can keep alive (mostly!). I started looking up different cacti and succulents to choose different types to include.

After redesigning the TEArarium, I decided I wanted to make a few other designs where a piece of teaware would be used in another way besides for drinking tea. My thought was that I could design some plants which is what I am best at and what I enjoy the most. I also wanted to expand the designs to something that anyone, regardless of their place on a tea journey could enjoy and use. I have a lot of designs with gaiwans for example so I wanted to use teaware more people would recognize, even if you aren’t a tea drinker. I made the tea cup with flowers first using some of my favorite colors and then decided to make a birthday card using the mug as a cake with candles. Finally, I wanted to add another teapot to the mix so I went with something simple and used peace lily flowers to represent peace and calm for the coming season. The fall and winter season can be so fun but also hectic and it’s also a tough time for my family as we’ve lost many family members at this time of the year.

Magnets have been on my mind because I ran out of what I had and because I had several people ask about magnets and lots of people tell me they love them! I first decided to keep the theme and use the same designs as my cards. I didn’t want to make a birthday magnet so instead I revamped a sloth design I had to hold a gaiwan and cup and decided to make that a magnet as well!

I’ve also been wanting to make new washi but wasn’t feeling inspired. After creating these cards designs, I knew they would be perfect for washi tape. I chose to make washi with two of the card designs, the sloth design and a new pear gaiwan design I made! I always think about pears around the holidays because we would often be sent a harry and david box of fruit from a family member as a christmas present, the boxes always had pears! I also love pears. In farsi we call them gol- ahbe. This gol is flower and ahb is water, pretty fitting name right?! I’m not sure if I’ll make a pin of the pear gaiwan but I wanted to at least create a matching sticky note!

Last, but not least, I decided to finally take a leap and make something I’ve always wanted to. Planner notepads! I love having paper to write down quick notes, reminders and to do lists! I go through phases where I use a proper notebook and others where I just reach for what I have. I chose to have a whole slot for Monday, reminders and the weekend and then have shared space for the other days. Often on Mondays and the weekend we are looking forward to the week and write more or we feel super motivated to be organized but then it fades. This is often how I feel and I designed these pads with this in mind.

Everything here will be in the shop on 9/24 and will be included in the normal stationery volume discount when adding 3 or 4 products or more to your cart! If you have any questions feel free to leave a comment or send me an email: hello@teathoughts.com

Small Business Spotlight: The Silk Tea Co

I’m so excited to share the incredible MJ of The Silk Tea Co with you! I’m currently sipping on the Zen & Tonic herbal blend as I write this. I first found MJ on Instagram and while I’m not usually a blended tea fan, I decided to give The Silk Tea Co a try because I heard so many raving reviews and also MJ is just a lovely person. Not only is she blending up tea, she’s supporting causes she cares about as well!

Check out this reel I made showing off her beautiful packaging!

1) A short intro about yourself/ The Silk Tea Co

Thank you for inviting me to this interview. So honored to have this opportunity to share a bit of my journey with you, Nazanin, I’m very grateful for all you do for our tea community. 

I’m MJ Pham and I’m committed to leading a business for social good. I identify with being a maker — a maker of beauty, unforgettable moments, and transportive experiences. My current medium is tea. I founded The Silk Tea Co in the midst of the uncertainty and fear that came with the COVID-19 lockdown in New York City in April 2020. I want to empower all of our tea drinkers to travel the world with just a sip, while giving back to communities in need.

I create powerful and luxurious teas found nowhere else. Each blend is inspired by desire and ancient cultures. I’m so fortunate to have the joy of dreaming up all of our luxurious tea blends and the excitement of running a very small business. As a former U.S. diplomat and news reporter who’s won two national U.S. journalism awards, I’ve worked at the intersection of identity, culture, narrative, and history my entire life. As a first-generation Asian American, I’m honored to own this business as a woman of color. 

2) When did you start drinking tea? 

The role of tea in my life is ancestral. I grew up with tins of loose leaf tea from the local Asian grocery stores in Springfield, Massachusetts. My mom is a refugee from the Vietnam War and I was fortunate enough to be born in the US, thanks to the kindness of the Skruches, strangers who became family to us when they sponsored my mother to this country. 
Tea brought my mom the comforts of her native Saigon. As a child, it was something that connected me to my mother tongue and one of my cultures. Today, it still connects the both of us to our roots. Growing up, trà sen, or lotus tea, as well as trà lài (jasmine tea), were always available in our kitchen. I witnessed how these teas marked the passage of time and solemnized important Vietnamese rituals, including weddings, the lunar new year, and paying respect to our ancestors. 

Yet, it wasn’t until I was studying abroad and learning Mandarin at Zhejiang University in Hangzhou, China that my tea journey took a more serious turn. I discovered the beauty of the famous 龙井茶 (Longjing cha or dragon well tea) straight from local farms thanks to the community of professors and friends I encountered there. Every day I would bike around West Lake and go past a number of gorgeous tea fields, marveling at the beauty of it all. My classmates and I visited the tea museum and learned more about China’s incredible tea history. I fell in love. It was just before I turned 20 and I could finally appreciate the wonderful experience of steeping tea — the boiling of fresh water, the fragrant steam, the ritual itself. And I was able to finally taste a rich range of flavors that unfurled — a lovely floral bouquet in the tea, a certain grassiness, a slight astringency, and a sweetness I’d never before appreciated. 

While I’ve inherited a respect for tea with my own culture as a Vietnamese-American, it was in China that I first took a deep-dive into tea. 

3) What inspired you to start The Silk Tea Co?

My love of travel and desire to make others feel their best, wherever they are. Tea has made me feel so welcomed and seen in so many countries. Saudi Arabia comes to mind, especially. That’s where the inspiration for my Desert Rose blend comes from, and there’s a greater story behind it (two incredible women!). 

I began The Silk Tea Co because I was craving teas that I couldn’t find online. I thought to myself, Well, if I’m going to make my own teas, I should find a way to share them. It’s been such an adventure since, and I’ve been so humbled and touched by the outpouring of love and support in our community. This is truly the greatest reward I’ve gained since starting this business — the warmth of new friendships, the incredible stories people have shared about our teas helping them and their loved ones through difficult times, surgeries, cancers, and more. There’s no greater honor than gaining the trust of each Silk Tea collector.

While I work in tech full time today, my passion is always centered around the table — and how we can come together. I’ve always been interested in food and I’ve spent a few years discussing gastrodiplomacy before. How are we connected? What do we have in common? What nourishes us? Tea connects each one of us; it’s rooted in the survival of humanity and civilizations. With The Silk Tea Co, it’s such a joy and honor for me to craft exquisite, luxurious blends that bring the ancient magic of tea alive with a modern twist. 

4) What does your personal tea ritual look like? 

There’s something freeing in the flow of tea, the pouring out of one’s self, the filling up of a cup, to replenish your own or to nourish another. I’m very experimental in how I brew. While I don’t adhere to any particularly strict brewing practice, I care deeply about the quality of the tea leaves and the blended ingredients — if I’m drinking a blended tea — and of course the temperature of the water. I like to say, once that’s all accounted for, brew however suits your life and flow. And I’m always experimenting with blends at home, too. 

5) Do you have a current favorite tea?

Can I share a secret with you? Lately, I've been savoring a delicious, highly-prized aged oolong that I will share with everyone in the coming months as part of an upcoming product launch (!!). Every tea drinker has a certain palate, and mine loves highly oxidized teas.... 

Also, as the season changes, I've been drinking a lot of our own On the Rocks tea blend — made with sliced whole vanilla beans from Madagascar, a Rwandan black tea as well as two oolongs, one a dark pearl oolong from Taiwan and the other a jinxuan oolong cultivated in Thailand. I love how versatile it is, it's lovely hot, iced, and as a latte. Kenny Wu from @mr.yumtums just made scones with his On the Rocks tea blend, and I'm excited to craft more blends with food and culinary delights in mind.  

6) Where do you find inspiration for your blends? 

It all comes down to the feelings I feel in the places I go and have been. Sometimes these blends are inspired by a certain nostalgia, and sometimes they’re inspired by a certain idea I have about a place, an interplay of fragrance and flavor, and sometimes, even by a person. I’m inspired by so many places where I’ve lived and visited — Cambodia, Vietnam, Jamaica, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Morocco, and Italy to name a few. These have truly shaped the arc of my tea drinking practice and my tea making journey. With each blend, my aim is to curate a sense of wellbeing for our Silk Tea collectors, and to empower them to travel the world with just a sip while making a social impact with their purchase.

7) What are your hopes for the future of The Silk Tea Co?

To keep making teas with a positive social impact. Since our founding, we have donated 5% of profits to the UN Trust Fund to Eliminate Violence Against Women. As a survivor of domestic violence and abuse in my former marriage, this is something that’s so close to my heart. It’s my personal mission to empower women everywhere. And most recently, in August 2021 after the crisis in Afghanistan and Haiti, The Silk Tea Co made a two-week call to fundraise for Save the Children and Mozaic DMV, a non-profit in the Washington, DC area resettling 2,500 Afghan refugees. We managed to raise $4,712 thanks to the generosity of our community as well as to our donors, including a third-party donor who helped us make this impact. I’m so grateful and inspired by everyone in our tea family.

8) One more thing to add…

Just as often as I'm drinking the teas I make, I'm always enjoying and in awe of the work of other teamakers and purveyors. There are so many I appreciate. I love offerings from Kiani Tea, TWG Tea, Chiki Tea and Naoki Matcha. I put in a massive order for White2tea recently and can't wait. And I hope to discover more brands to cheer on this year. We’re all in this together!

Small Business Spotlight: Priya’s Teas

Introducing Priya’s Teas! What’s your sign? Well, you can find a tea that matches your sign at Priya’s Teas! I’m born in January so I’m a Capricorn and as luck would have it, I love the Capricorn blend! It’s black tea with rose and cardamom! Check out the questions below where you can learn a little more about Priya’s Teas!

1) Introduce yourself/ Priya’s Teas

Here at Priya’s Teas, we’re all about balance. For us, this means embracing our duality, both astral and terrestrial – inviting the earth into our homes through the ritual steeping of leaf teas, while opening ourselves up to the wisdom that the stars offer us.

Priya’s teas draw on the power of plants and spices. She uses the age-old practice of astrology to uncover which herbs enhance your personality, and which spices help balance you out. When you prepare a tea crafted for your zodiac sign, you create a ritual and deepen your relationship with yourself.

2) When did you start drinking tea?

Hmmm maybe when I was 7 or 8! I remember sipping some from my mom’s or dad’s cup. Later when I was in college I would drink teas regularly.

3) What inspired you to start Priya’s Teas?

Tea and Astrology have been part of Indian culture for a long time and through our zodiac teas I have tried to tie these beautiful experiences together!

The teas draw on the power of plants and spices( based on Ayurveda meaning knowledge of life). Growing up in a multi-generational family in India,I learned about the different styles of tea-making from my mom and grandmother. They would hand-craft different tea blends of the sweet, savory, and nutty spices for each occasion.

When I came to US my friends loved the teas I made. It was over one of these chai conversations that we decided to start Priya’s Teas and during the pandemic lock down,I used all my energies to find the right blends for each zodiac sign!

4) What does your personal tea ritual look like?

Rituals ground us and stabilize us, making it easier for us to feel intentional. My morning starts with the ritual of chai. This process involves being mindful and present during preparation of tea ,drinking the tea and being aware of the effects of tea on your body and mind! This is the reason why I carefully chose the spices for each blend keeping in mind that these tea blends will nurture you from the inside out!

5) Do you have a current favorite tea?

It’s hard to choose but I think I am enjoying our cinnamon blend (gemini) these days as it is perfect for this fall season, cozy and warm!

6) What is your sign and what inspired each blend for the matching sign?

My sun sign is Leo and I chose the saffron blend for those born to this sign. The exquisite and the most expensive spice is known for its enticing flavor and rich color.

Leos shine bright everywhere they go, for they are the life of a party! They are bold, fiercely optimistic, and enigmatic leaders. Fire is their element and Sun is their ruling planet. Leos deserve a tea blend to match their royalty! I chose the most expensive of all spices, Saffron, for me and for every Leo tea-lover out there! Like our personality, Saffron is fragrant and rich in color. Above all, it has a luxurious feel – perfectly suitable for royals!

This was my first blend and when I shared the story and idea with my friends/family about this tea, they loved it. They also were curious to know what blend would suit their personality and so I got inspired to come up with different blends!

7) What are your hopes for the future of Priya’s Teas ?

There are challenges and advantages of starting a small business.

The advantage small businesses have is their ability to provide niche and differentiating product to customer. The challenges we face in a small business are many but during pandemic, the biggest challenge is to prepare for the unpredictable future.

We have taken our first steps and I would love to see our business grow and connect with more and more customers with time. It needs a lot of patience, perseverance and nurturing and I am ready to take this opportunity to share my story with people through our teas!

Spotlight: The Oolong Owl & Owl Spun

Something I’m trying to do more of is purchase from some fun places and then ask the artist/business owner questions so you can get to know more shops and see what they have to offer!

I’ve been following the Oolong Owl on social media and reading their blog posts for a while now. Char has wonderful insights on tea and she also creates the cutest crochet tea owls over at Owl Spun! I finally decided to get one made and it’s the cutest. I have been so swamped that I have not yet named her but I will certainly take suggestions :D Comment your suggestions on this post!

Isn’t she the cutest? I had to get a beautiful green color because it’s my favorite and the scarf is just so cute. I have her on my bureau where all my shop supplies are so she’s supervising me when I pack orders!

Learn a little more about Char and check out Owl Spun and the Oolong Owl below:

Owlspun
instagram owlspun
Tea Dyed Owl

The Oolong Owl

1) Tell us a little bit about yourself! Maybe a couple fun facts?

I'm Char, the writer at Oolong Owl and crafter of Owl Spun. The Tea Owl shop is the nest of my hand crochet Tea Owls, whereas Owl Spun is my knitting/ crochet patterns and handspun yarn. My crafting used to be under a different name until very recently, as I've fully embraced the owl, LOL. Besides tea and crafts, I enjoy cruising, cooking, and powerlifting. I have a permanently grumpy Holland lop rabbit named Benson, and a handsome but silly Satin Angora named Lucien.

2) When did you start drinking tea or when did your passion for tea start?

My family always drank tea - my mum always stove boiled oolongs and my dad loves his earl grey and chai. Growing up, we would go for Dim Sum regularly and get served puer in impossibly hot water glasses. The hardcore tea passion started around 2011 and I just started buying a lot of tea to keep me grounded and caffeinated at work.

3) What inspired you to start your tea owl shop?

Around 2008 I started designing my own crochet patterns. Back then, there weren't many cool crochet amigurumi options as everything was in Japanese. I picked up most of my skills learning off Japanese books, then I started designing my own and selling patterns to crochet your own or I make the finished item. Tea Owls is my favorite creation and quickly became the Oolong Owl mascot. I have a new crochet doll coming out this summer that is going to be featured in the Seattle yarn shop crawl!

4) Do you have a favorite owl that you've made before?

I have so many favorite owls! There are a few Tea Owls that I feel a special connection with as it was some of my first yarns I spun on my spinning wheel. I love my Thrawn Owl, which is based on my favorite Star Wars character. Though I will give the best owl award to Black Tea Owl - I dyed the yarn with rose congu black tea. He smelled lovely for a few months and I cannot resist having him join me for black tea drinking sessions.

5) Do you have a favorite owl?

It is a tie between the Spotted Owl (a local PNW owl) and Northern White Face Scops Owl (aka, Transformer Owl). The former is where the owl obsession started - I got a cool plushie of a Spotted Owl and fell in love with owls. The Transformer Owl is just so cool, check them out on Youtube!

6) What does your personal tea ritual look like?

My tea ritual starts with lazy / grandpa style black tea, matcha, or both if I am tired. I then have another round of matcha as a preworkout. Around 2 or 3pm, I sit down and do gongfu style, either for myself or to drink for my blog. My guilty tea pleasure is in the evening when I have iced hibiscus or Harney and Son's decaf Paris. When I leave the house, I take a thermos of shou, aged white, black, or oolong with me.

7) What is your current favorite tea? (if it's possible to choose)

My answer can change multiple times a day, but right now it is Wuyi Origin's Shuixian white.

UmiTeaSets - Teapot & Yellow Tea

As I focus mostly on my shop these days, my collaborations have decreased because I just don’t have the time! When I say collaboration, I mean when a company offers me free product in exchange for a review or post.

Sometimes though, I get offered something really fun and it’s hard to turn down the opportunity to get it and also to share it!

As my cabinets overflow with tea, I am more partial to teaware nowadays even though I have a huge collection there as well. When UmiTeaSets reached out to me they kindly offered to send me something of each of my choice.

I chose this cute mini clay pot (style A) and yellow tea! Ever since trying and loving slow mellow yellow from Grass People Tree, I have been trying all the yellow tea I can. It’s intriguing because not every sight has this tea and I have tried many types, some good and some bad. Not really bad, but not super flavorful. Truly a mellow tea. The yellow bud tea has large buds and a light flavor when brewed for as long as a minute. The taste is vegetal but also refreshing like a green tea. When I cold brewed it, the flavor was more similar to hay!

If you’re interested in learning more about yellow tea, check out Tea For Me Please’s post about it!

I also made a little video brewing this tea on instagram if you want to check that out.

The tea pot is a “mini” teapot made of purple clay and I think it’s the perfect size for a solo session! The lid also fits well so there was little to no drip. While I am totally a gaiwan gal, I really enjoy using this tea pot. It’s a bit chunkier than some of my other pots so it gives my collection a good variety!

They have a large selection of both tea and teaware, so if you’re in need check them out!

Bite Me DMV Tasting Event

I’ve had some pretty cool opportunities since starting Tea Thoughts and I am always grateful for each one! While most of the things I post on Instagram are related to Tea Thoughts in some way, I also sometimes post personal things that are usually related to tea. This is how I got looped in last year to a cool tasting event at a local ramen restaurant opening.

A couple of weekends ago, I had the pleasure of being invited to go to another food related event. While this event was not tea centric, I still got some tea themed goodies. The event was by BiteMe DMV which is an up and coming app that will connect local restaurants with potential patrons and reward patrons as well as let them know about upcoming events.

This event was held at The Spot which is a really cool SPOT which several different food/drink places. My favorite part of The Spot is that each vendor has a different experience of Asian themed food. This specific event was to kick off the opening of a new Asian- Mexican taco fusion vendor called Tacos by Leon.

Here are some of the delicious treats I got to enjoy!

First up we had this delicious shrimp appetizer. It was like picco de gallo but with shrimp and pepers that paired with chips, guacamole and a salsa that is not pictured. As a shrimp lover, this was a treat and I liked that it was in a format that allowed me to “build my own” putting as much or as little as I would like on my chips.

Next we got an assortment of fried goodness. Our dish contained both fried chicken and fried squid/calamari + chicken. This was probably one of my favorite parts. This food is from CheersCut which features Taiwanese Street Food. Whatever is in this batter is amazing. The batter alone was so flavorful and the meat in both the seafood and chicken was tender even though this is a fried dish. I will definitely be ordering some of this for myself soon!

I tried two different tacos that were very different but both very good. I’ll admit that up until the last few years I was a bit of a baby mouth because the Iranian food I grew up with favored more tart and herb flavored dishes. In recent years, I have really branched out and I enjoy and welcome all the spice! Both of these tacos were spicy but the one on the right was VERY spicy and also my favorite. The one of the right took on more of a classic Mexican style taco I thought with meat, cheese and other fixings. It was cheesy and melt in your mouth. The taco on the right has more of the Asian fusion style because it’s a bulgogi taaco! The bulgogi meat was so well seasoned and because it has a bit of sweetness it paired well with the spice of the sauce. I also enjoyed the cabbage inside of this taco. I can’t wait to go back and have more!

The Spot is located in Rockville, MD and there is also a “mini” spot in College Park, MD. They have a great assortment of places to get everything from Fried Chicken to Bubble Tea to Taiyaki! I ended up opting to get a Taiyaki which was matcha flavored with chocolate on the inside. It was delicious!

If you’re in the DMV I highly suggest checking out The Spot and also keep an eye out for the BiteMe app!