What's Steeping: The Coldest Night of the Year

The last few nights have been the coldest nights of the year. Good timing, then, that recently I've been revisiting the delights of steeping tea by the pot. If tea is the drink of the contemplative, and coffee is the drink of the active, then drinking tea by the pot is particularly soothing in the dark days of the midst of January.

This has led to my crafting of exactly half a tea cozy. I plan to get around to the next half soon - as soon as the quiet, indoor days of January allow; like perhaps when I finish the 2,000 piece Van Gogh "Starry Night" puzzle that I just started.

Several kinds of tea have been inhabiting my pot of late: in fact, I just got a new shipment of Upton.

Though I ran out of Scottish Breakfast, Melange de Chamonix, and Tippy Orthodox Assam, I replaced them with one standby and two new replacements: an Assam, Orange Spice Imperial, and a delightful dessert tea, Creme Caramel. The new Assam is passable, but basic, sturdy, nothing eye-opening. Imperial Orange Spice is a nice fall or winter blend; as it were, Constant Comment on crack. Creme Caramel is as sublime as any tea swirling in your cup can get - and is now sold out. (An interesting Earl Grey Creme Vanilla is still "on tap," though.)

So put a bit of milk in a small creamer or measuring cup with a spout; slide the sugar bowl or Splenda over; and savor a few cups of your favorite Assam, Darjeeling, or blend. If you need to slow down from a hurried schedule, or warm up from a frigid outing, it's the best thing for the body - and spirit.