A great reason to NOT use tea bags…

Green Tea

By  Dale Ritterbusch

There is this tea

I have sometimes,

Pan Long Ying Hao,

so tightly curled

it looks like tiny roots

gnarled, a greenish-gray.

When it steeps, it opens

the way you woke this morning,

stretching, your hands behind

your head, back arched,

toes pointing, a smile steeped

in ceremony, a celebration,

the reaching of your arms.

Reprinted from Far From the Temple of Heaven, Black Moss Press, April 2006. Copyright © 2005 by Dale Ritterbusch.

I found this ode to love at poetryfoundation.org, and it’s the best reason I’ve ever heard of to only use loose tea.  But there are other great reasons as well, all relating to the quality and flavor of the end beverage.  Simply stated, tea makers tend to put torn or shredded teas in bags, where they know you won’t see them.  Tea – whether it unfolds as sensually as the one above or not – is generally better left whole and allowed to blossom or unfold in the water.

We’ve got some great sensual, curled teas at the Cup – including Jasmine Pearl, Budding Flower and a lovely new one, Bi Luo Chun (which also goes by the easier to pronounce name of Green Snail…)

We knew you’d want to know.  In case you’d like to have your own poetic moment:)