This week I’m taking a break from beer blogging because this beer geek has fallen victim to the back-to-school cold. Therefore, thoughts of drinking beer are not only repulsive but counter-productive to fixing my congestion. The only thing I want to drink in large amounts is tea.
When I first moved to Ottawa three years ago (how has it been that long?) I pretty much immediately began to explore the tea scene. Yes, Ottawa has a tea scene, and a pretty extensive one at that.
This was fostered by the fact that my roommate and best friend adored tea—and by adored, I mean this woman could fill cupboards with tea. So naturally, our outings consisted going out for tea. I know—how very first-year university of me.
For anyone new to the tea scene, your first stop is going to be David’s Tea. David’s is a friendly chain, with fun flavours such as Love Tea #7, which tastes like chocolate-covered strawberries. David’s was a gateway into the tea scene for me. The flavours are easy to access and the staff are willing to let you sniff the variety of flavours.
As the semester wore on, my roommate suggested a cute little place that specialized in scones, and, of course, tea to accompany them. That place was Scone Witch. I could have my pot of tea with some roasted tomato soup and, get this—a sandwich made with a scone: a sconewich. This is probably one of the best inventions ever.
But by far, my favourite place has got to be Tea Party. Just past the Byward Market, this quirky teashop is my go-to place for tea. It’s a guaranteed great tea, and in my experience, great conversation. I have celebrated signing a lease there, cried over my father’s cancer diagnoses, and gone on many feminists rants—all in the same tea shop. Of course, the tea is excellent fuel for all these life events.
Tea Party has shelves filled with jars upon jars of tea leaves from green tea to many types of rooibos. It’s the type of place were you can spend hours chatting, while other patrons do the same or sit typing their literary works.
I’ve only been back in Ottawa for three weeks and I’ve already been to Tea Party twice. While I do love chatting over beers, there is something wonderful about having tea with someone. I think I owe that trait to my mother who asks daily if I’d like tea and has an entire cupboard dedicated to tea things. This is also the woman who would have her friends over for afternoon tea, complete with sandwiches and fine china.
This is probably the reason why I have so many friends who love to go out for tea. Before I came back to Ottawa, I must have made plans to go for tea with at least three different people. In my current snotty state, tea is the perfect antidote, but even in less icky times, tea is something I do with my good friends.
