Time (and Rita) Flies!

My, how time flies! Can you believe October is coming to an end already?!  I've been busy traveling, attending food shows, tea events, taking tea workshops and visiting tea shops since my last post.  I've been to Seattle, Vancouver, Montreal and now getting ready to go to Vancouver again for the inaugural Vancouver Tea Festival this Saturday!  And after that, who knows, maybe Ottawa for their tea festival too!

I'm also busy sorting through my Spring China Tea Tour photos looking for worthy candidates to submit for the Tea & Art section for next year's Toronto Tea Festival.

I thought I'd share some of my photos from the travels with you here.

 

 

You might recognize some of the people in these! More details and pictures to come!

Vancouver in the Springtime

On my way back from China, I will be stopping off in Vancouver to visit some good friends and take in some of that city's beautiful scenery.  If you've never been out to this West coast city, I highly recommend it, especially during the spring when the cherry blossoms are in bloom.  It's so pretty that it almost makes one forget how wet, cold to the bones, grey and dreary a Vancouver winter can be...I've experienced their notorious winters before, can you tell?!

Photo: Drew Taylor

 I'll be looking forward to visiting some of the cool tea shops out there!

Pekoe Tea Lounge

 Tower of tea to sniff before you decide which one you'd like

Pierre, the owner (soon to be Certified Tea Sommelier)

 Soon to be Certified Tea Sommelier, Del Tamborini

 Well, with service like this, how can a girl refuse...

O5 Rare Tea Bar - stop by for a flight of teas or see if I am in time for a tea and food pairing event

pick up some great Kale + Nori bitters or a cool tea bowl

Pedro, owner of O5

See you in a few weeks, Vancouver

Toronto Tea Festival!

Hope the new year's been treating you well so far.  I was out in Vancouver at Christmas time and checked out the tea scene as usual - including a visit to Kitsilano's O5 RareTea Bar for one of their 2 Alchemists + 2 Tea Hunters's Tea, Cocktails & Tapas event!  I finally got to taste some of O5's teas and Kale+Nori's tea inspired cocktails and tapas first hand...and it was delicious!  I'll be steeping a post on the event in the near future, stay tuned!

2013 has been very busy so far.  The Toronto Tea Festival will take place next Saturday, February 2nd at the Appel Salon of the Reference Library.  Yes, Toronto will host its first ever tea festival!  I've had the honour of being part of the organizing committee and helping out with marketing, from flyer distribution (great way to get to know the neighbourhoods in town) to social media efforts, ticket sales and planning.   

 The Toronto Tea Festival will be a great opportunity for people of all ages, newbies and aficionados to gather and learn more about tea and tea cultures. 

The already nearly sold out event will feature some big name speakers from the world of tea such as Camellia Sinensis's Kevin Gascoyne from Montreal, Seven Cups' Austin Hodge from Tuscan, and Shabnam Weber of Toronto's own The Tea Emporium and more.   Lectures will cover topics such as "An Introduction to Tea", "Tea and Health", "The Myths of Chinese Tea Culture", "Tea Mixology 101: Preparing Tea Cocktails",  "Cooking with Tea", and "A Consumer's Guide to Blended Teas and Herbal Infusions".

Tea is a full sensory experience.

There will be Korean and Chinese Gongfu tea ceremonies and tea tastings will be presented and offered throughout the day.  There will be artworks on display created by local artisans and a traditional musical performance by a prodigy trained in China.

With at least thirty confirmed vendors and Chinese New Year and Valentine's Day just around the corner, the vendors area is a must!  

If you don't have your ticket yet, a limited number of tickets will be available at the door for $15.  

Tea is the second most popular drink in the world after water.  

Come to the inaugural Toronto Tea Festival next Saturday and be part of history!  

See you there!

O5 Tea + Kale & Nori = Cocktails, Tapas and Tea Event (An Impression)

On the lovely dry fall evening of October 17th,  my impromptu field reporter Drew Taylor walked into the O5 Rare Tea Bar in Vancouver as part of a birthday gift from me.  

 Some readers may recall Drew from a previous post, when my coffee drinking friend joined me at the Urban Tea Merchant for their Sakura Westcoast Tea Service.  Little did he know what he was in for as he took another leap into the world of fine teas.  

 What happens when you add a rare tea hunter, a creative mixologist, and a talented chef?   

A collaboration of fine teas, cocktails and culinary delights!   Pedro Villalon of O5 Tea, Lauren Mote and Chef Jonathan Chovancek of Kale & Nori Fine Culinary Arts joined together to combine each of their special talents and showcase the beautiful teas of Yunnan, China. 

You can find the full menu and tea influenced cocktail recipes here.

Drew's impression of the evening, in his words: 

"The drinks took the edge off the gathering and allowed the ensemble of tea enthusiasts to relax and meet while enjoying succulent dainties, all infused with many fine teas.  All the hosts were passionate, articulate and informed.  For the ticket price of $50, people definitely got their money's worth."

Photos by: Drew Taylor

Kale & Nori's line of bitters created by Lauren Mote

That's a matcha tea grinder on the left

Pistachio crusted turkey marble, Moondog spice, apricot - Moonlight tea puree (paired with the "Moonlight Desires")

"Moonlight Desires" (Gin & Marigold Flower Cordial with O5 "White Moonlight" tea syrup)

Kombucha Squash-tea emulsion, sherry-maple-pecan glazed pork belly (paired with the "Hekou-Lao Cai")

"Hekou-Lao Cai" (with Bison Vodka influenced by "Golden Curls" tea)

hmm, this must have been good, Drew had seconds!

O5 Tea Hunter - Pedro Villalon and Kale & Nori Chef - Jonathan Chovancek

Silver needles braised mushroom and rice croquette, wild ramp kim chi, green onion tofu aioli (a vegetarian addition to the menu paired with the "Misterios")

"Misterios" (Mezcal with Silver Needle & Rosemary Syrup component)

Silver Needles tea steamed Gulf Island mussels, Chinese sausage, Indian carrot pickles (also paired with the "Misterios")

 Sakekasu beef kababs, sweet & hot peppers, rockets, coronation raisin (paired with the "Ushky")

 

The "Ushky" (with a pu'er component)

Kale & Nori mixologist - Lauren Mote

O5 Tea Server (Kendra)  and Event Photographer (Issha Marie)

Teas from Yunnan - the Inspiration

 

 Oh snap!  I should have been there!  Maybe next time...