Diane Eddy
Yes, it’s tea time again in Sun Lakes! Our first tea tasting class is November 17 at 10:00 a.m. in the Sun Lakes Country Club Navajo Room. Bring your teacup and saucer and be prepared for a rollicking good time as we sip and slurp teas from all around the world.
Our first class, “Good Tea Gone Wrong,” will highlight why tea sometimes tastes bitter or off-putting and how to correctly steep your tea to produce the pleasant, sweet drink that has been so beloved for centuries. We will learn the differences between the four types of tea—white, green, oolong and black, as we sample some of the world’s most exquisite tea leaves.
Tea tasting classes will be held on the third Tuesday of each month from November 2015 through April 2016:
November 17 – Good Tea Gone Wrong
December 15 – Brew Up a Stunning Holiday Tea Party
January 19, 2016 – Carson’s Guide to Tea at Downton Abbey
February 16, 2016 – The Romance of Tea
March 15, 2016 – Ooh! Those Delicious Oolongs
April 19, 2016 – And Then Tea Came to Japan
Although tea seems like such a plain beverage—a paper bag filled with tea “dust” dunked in hot water that produces a dark reddish brown or green liquid, there is a vast world beyond the everyday teabag — the world of fine, loose leaf tea. One of tea’s most intriguing, centuries-old stories is how so many different teas are produced from the same plant, Camellia Sinensis.
In every cup of seemingly simple and unimposing tea lies a tale of romance, war, elaborate rituals, poetry and religion, international trade, poisonings and heart-stopping clipper ship races, smugglers, delightful afternoon tea, health fads, and even entire civilizations.
The joy of tea begins with knowledge, and if you find a flavor that makes you smile, then indeed, you have found a personal treasure. This tea-tasting class will give you a more nuanced understanding of premium tea, aiding in your search for teas you can enjoy for a lifetime. What better way to spend a morning than sniffing and sipping teas steeped from some of the world’s most famous tea growing regions, visiting with dear friends and taking a journey into the little-known world of fine tea?
Whether you are a tea enthusiast or a tea novice, you are invited to join us on November 17 as Diane Eddy, Certified Tea Professional from our local tea store, Global Tea Mart, facilitates this unique and fun tea tasting that explores the history, origins, and production of these intriguing teas.
Class is from 10:00 a.m.-noon in the Sun Lakes Country Club Navajo Room. The cost is $5 and each student should bring a cup and saucer.
Reservations are a must and can be made by calling Diane at 480-266-5562 or sending her an e-mail at [email protected].