Creativity and Tea: Companions for Centuries
Tea and creativity enjoy close and durable bonds. Poets, writers, scientists, scholars, sculptors—all who pursue creative endeavors have engaged with the glories of tea. The beverage offers small, yet powerful, jolts of stimulation. A painter at her easel savors the insights that tea helps deliver—and so does the scientist for the occasional “a ha!” moments.
But so many things inform our creative energies. One of them? Seasons. That first whisper of fall—the cool breeze, leaves just beginning to drift away from green. Spring’s dance with summer—that morning when you wake up, slip into flip-flops and shorts, and realize that, at least for this day, profound warmth will prevail.
And then there’s late February. It’s winter—the depths of winter. Yet sometimes spring whispers into the season’s cold chambers, bringing with it reminders of the big thaw to come. And as it’s the calendar’s shortest month, it plays footsie with the flower-spangled and green world that’s just around the corner. And persuades us to dive into seasonal creativity.
Sometimes tea and creativity turn us toward writers. We have blends that align with fantasy novels. Teas that embody mystery—Agatha Christie-style!—and that also compel us to read, if not write, haiku poems.
Get those creative juices flowing—and bring along some tea for the party!
Teas for Creativity: Smoky Dragon Tea
Some teas bring on the smoke—including this lovely black tea, which tea artisans perfumed with lovely wisps of smoke. We loved it on its own, but also decided it would turn ambrosial with the addition of vanilla. Our instincts paid off—this beauty is made for savoring before a fire, and thinking about the wild place of dragons in world history. So many cultures conjured dragons—and so many writers, including Tolkien, enthroned dragons as especially powerful and meaningful fantasy beings. The connection to this tea? Smoke! Dragons dwell comfortably in the land of smoke.
Teas for Creativity: London Fog
This precocious blend of dark vanilla and light lavender— resting with majestic sturdiness on a luxurious bed of Earl Grey—makes for dreamy, soft mornings. And the tea’s mysterious components—floral lavender and calendula, beautiful vanilla—make it a fine brew for any aspiring writer of whodunnits!
Teas for Creativity: Chrysanthemum Green
We adore poetry—especially haiku. It’s so right-brain oriented—less about deep thinking than about experiencing. Reading superb haiku delivers us, through feelings and visuals, to specific places, even states of being. We think our Chrysanthemum Green serves as an ideal haiku-reading accompaniment. It’s pure Japanese—with green tea and a favorite Japanese botanical, chrysanthemum. It also contains peppermint. Sip this while reading some of Rong’s favorite haiku poet, Kobayashi Issa!
Teas for Creativity: Matcha
Many of us know all about matcha tea. Matcha lattes. Matcha cupcakes. Foods from all corners, turning emerald thanks to additions of matcha! Some of its ubiquity derives from the brilliant green color that powdered tea can lend to just about anything that it touches. We love its color power—but more importantly, we thrill to its truly special flavor. Nothing else is quite like matcha. Green tea, yes. But when brewed the flavor is just so distinct, full of herbal, citrus and umami notes. The tea is especially high in caffeine, and a perfect partner for creative pursuits. Creative folks have leverage matcha for centuries—and now it’s time for you to explore its grandeur, too!
Teas for Creativity: Cloud Forest White
The very idea of a cloud forest—just the words alone!—inspire and spark enchanting dreams. And sipping this white tea blend will transport you to that special place. With white tea, rosehip, hibiscus, sunflower, cornflower, osmanthus, rose, safflower and calendula, our Cloud Forest White blend serves as a powerful vector for creative inspiration—as well as for exceptional deliciousness! Consider reading Rong’s favorite essayist, Charles Lamb, while sipping this dreamboat of a tea.
