I’m a confirmed java junky, but after my two cups of morning wake-up brew, I generally don’t drink coffee. Not that I wouldn’t like to, but there was a long period in my life when I lived on coffee 24/7, and it didn’t do my stomach any good—nor my sleep. So when I want a pick-me-up during the day, it’s tea I crave. This is especially true when I’m outdoors, whether on a bike trip, on a long hike, or when paddling the weekend away.
Brewing up a cup or two of tea isn’t very much trouble. A small pot of water, a small fire or a camp stove, and a few tea bags will bring a soothing, warming cuppa to your lips in very little time, except perhaps under the worst conditions. But that’s where the storm kettle shines, and I sure am glad to have discovered my Kelly Kettle. (It’s great for heating up a can of soup, as well.)
Tea bags will do in a pinch. But for a really good cup of tea, nothing beats loose leaves. If you don’t mind the leaves getting stuck in your teeth, you can rough it by simply throwing the loose tea into the boiling water (either in the pot or in individual cups) and allow it to brew the proper amount of time. Stir, then decant from pot to cup, or let the leaves settle in your cup, and drink. But with a small mesh strainer, you can pour tea through the strainer while filling cups. Or you can make individual cups of tea with individual strainers—put the tea into the strainer, place in the cup, pour boiling water over, cover if possible, and let steep. When steeping is complete, lift out the strainer and dispose of the leaves undercover somewhere where they won’t leave an unsightly pile for the next person who comes along.
Loose tea is available from a wide variety of sources. The local food co-op here has a good supply, but for the best range of choices, one company stands out above the others in my experience: Upton Tea Imports. Their service is very good. Online ordering is a cinch, and within a couple of days the tea is at the doorstep.
For folks who want to minimize packing waste, there’s a bonus when ordering from Upton. The packing material they use is made of biodegradable cornstarch. Just hold the “peanuts” under a stream of water to prove it:
These peanuts dissolve in water
English poet William Cowper spoke of tea as “the cups that cheer but not inebriate.” I couldn’t agree more, especially when energy flags and there are many more miles to travel. Treat yourself to some good loose tea. You will never willingly go back to bag tea again.
Tags: tea
If the urge to see and do new things hasn’t deserted you—and if you’re reading this, it probably hasn’t—it’s mighty hard to go wrong with something called “journey cake.” The name sounds great tripping off the tongue, and the taste of the real thing is even better. Don’t restrict yourself to cornmeal cakes, though. Experiment. Explore. Try something different. The way I see it, this is what going on a journey is all about. Discovery. Adventure. Pushing out beyond the limits of the known. But that’s alimentary, right? Read more about journey cakes and how to make them…
