Tea Stains on Parchment

Happy World Chocolate Day! I hope all of you celebrated with some form of chocolate, but I doubt many of you celebrated a day as chocolate filled as the one I had at Markham & Fitz. Markham & Fitz is a local chocolate maker that sources cacao from all of the world, curating unique flavor combinations in the form of bars, truffles, desserts, and beverages. I had been familiar with the expensive chocolate bars of this company formerly known as Hello, Cocoa, but I was excited to see a new storefront and cafe. What had once been just chocolate and a very tasty cocoa tea had expanded to include three sipping chocolates and a few pastries when I visited for the first time a few months ago. Coming back to Markham & Fitz for world chocolate day, I found a chic cafe filled with a much wider variety of treats. The world chocolate celebration began with a tasting of chocolates made with cocoa beans from different countries, highlighting the differences in taste based only on whe...

When I made this blog, I promised three things: literature, cuisine, tea. I have kept my word on the first two, but I have really dropped the ball on the supposed namesake of my blog. In an attempt to fulfill my promise and prove my honesty, I am writing about my favorite teas for spring. Spring teas can be a tricky thing. They breach the transition from piping hot, earthy winter teas and cold, fruity summer teas. So, here are my picks for tea* this spring. Jasmine Pearls: This classic tea is perfect for spring. Earthy and warm, but floral and slightly fruity. The flavor is the embodiment of winter meeting summer, combining the best qualities of each. Green tea is the supporting role alongside aromatic jasmine flowers. And what is more fun than tea rolled into beads (aesthetic>price)? London Fog: In the winter, I enjoy this tea as a latte, steeped in milk, but this is a little heavy for breezy spring days. But I am getting ahead of myself. What exactly is London fog? This deli...