It was early afternoon when I got home from school — my last class of the day, French, had dragged on for what seemed like hours, and while groups of students amassed on the front steps afterwards, someone had mentioned America and a plane crash. I was too tired to chat, and walked home.  As I opened the front door, I heard my mother sobbing.  The scene is etched in my mind now: From the threshold of our small living room, I see her framed by the large window, the light falling with an orange glow. She was kneeling in front of the TV with her hands clasped, watching avidly with wet cheeks and…

I was in college when I first stumbled across my "magic miracle drink." I had a vicious cold and was short on money. I couldn't afford to buy Lemsip, which is a cold therapy brand used in the U.K. It comes in pouches of powder that you mix with hot water, tastes delicious (although opinion varies), soothes a sore throat, comforts aching muscles and contains a decongestant. Until then, I had sworn by it. But on this occasion, my nose was running and my cupboard were bare. I decided that I would have to make do with my own concoction. I sliced up a lemon and threw it into a mug. Then I …

If there is one human being who can be trusted to provide a detailed and accurate analysis of what it takes to make a really good cup of tea, it's George Orwell. The man was intelligent, well-traveled, and loved his nation's beverage with the strong pride of a habitual Englishman.  In fact, his 1946 article in the Evening Standard — "A Nice Cup of Tea" — is still renowned as one of the most insightful pieces of tea-related literature out there.   If you're interested in trying a truly English cup of tea — the kind that comes with milk and has been the cornerstone of an empire — follow the …

We all know that sugar is bad for us. It rots teeth, increases risk of heart disease, causes obesity, has no nutritional value and gives our taste buds a craving for the sweet life.  Artificial sweeteners also have no nutritional value and perpetuate sweet cravings. After all, Splenda, Equal and Sweet 'n Low are derived from sugar itself. But the health risks seem to be minimized when we opt for these alternatives — right?  Perhaps not.  One of the most controversial sugar alternatives on the market also happens to be the most widely used. Ever since the '90s, the artificial sweetener …

At L’Amyx Tea Bar on Piedmont Avenue one afternoon, there was a man sitting looking out of the window. Before him lay an open book, his glasses placed on top. Cars sped back and forth in the street and people hurried past. The sunshine peeked out from behind a cloud and no one but the man seemed to notice. He lifted his eyebrows and spoke a silent word or two. Slowly, after many minutes of peaceful people watching, he put on his glasses and lifted his book. The book was titled simply, Portuguese.Now, here is a man who understands the necessity of personal relaxation time, I thought. What …

I am fortunate to have a sister-in-law who happens to be a barrister at Peet’s. She is always introducing me to new teas or new ways to drink certain teas and (regardless of my bias) is also one of the best tea-makers around. One day we were getting a drink at Peet’s and she suggested I try one of her favorite concoctions: Red rooibos tea with steamed soy milk and honey. I had never heard of “rooibos” (pronounced "roy-bos") but was avoiding caffeine at the time due to the season of Lent, so a herbal tea sounded great. The cup landed all hot and frothy on the counter and I let it cool down …

I love tea. And I don’t just mean I’m addicted to it. It’s more than a habit. It’s a lifestyle. You’ll find me huddled up around a steaming mug every afternoon, around 3pm, searching for revival. I have even been known, upon occasion, to carry tea bags in my purse. Just in case. The reason for this stems from growing up in England, in a series of small towns along the “green belt” outside London. It was here I learned that tea not only embodied centuries of cultural tradition, but also served as a form of social glue. It brought people together, and it kept them in each others’ company. My …