That first cup of tea in the morning

Usually, it's a cup of Yorkshire Tea (should either be Gold or for Hard Water), brewed for 4 minutes. Califia Barista oat milk. Raw cinnamon honey. The health benefits are NOT the point with the honey, the flavour is! 

Committed stirring is needed to make the honey do its job and harmonise with the tea brew, in readiness for the arrival of the oat milk into the mixture. With a teaspoon, I get a teensy whirlpool going and enjoy the tiny bubbles that froth up. 

Carefully, carefully, I pour in enough oat milk to cool and counterbalance the tannin intensity and give it another thorough stir. Sometimes, I find myself leaving the tea too long as I become absorbed in other things. However, when I can lift the mug without the heat being too much for my palm - when it is hot but not scalding - I know the time is right. I take a sip and then it is an absolute joy. The flavour permeates my mouth, the temperature perfect, a little sweet, a little creamy, the hint of cinnamon sharp enough to be true (not cassia), but not overpowering.

 Some mornings, this doesn't happen and I could write another post for the coffee joy I have, which is not the same. Nonetheless, when I can have these moments of joyous synchronicity, they feel like a  welcome to the day. Perhaps I didn't sleep well, as has been happening recently. Maybe I feel dread lingering nearby, waiting to subsume in relation to the climate, or work, or relationships that are causing me stress. Maybe my stomach is upset, or I have allergies. For the moments whilst I'm preparing and brewing that first cup of tea, I'm experiencing magic. I know it's magic because I can almost never replicate the feeling with a 2nd cup, whether decaf or caffeinated. The spell reaches its zenith with the sipping and savouring of the tea, which will feel like 15-20 minutes so lovingly used. The ritual of it is something I enjoy so much, and secular ritual is something I want to do more of. 

Adding to the sense of magic is the knowledge that some substitution is possible. Good tea leaves are non-negotiable, but maybe I might have linden honey, or wildflower. Perhaps the tea will brew for a little longer. Maybe a different kind of milk will be used, although this can add some unwelcome notes of chalkiness at times. Perhaps someday, I will try hazelnut milk, and I would definitely like to try chestnut honey.