If you're a tea drinker...

One of the fondest memories I have of being a child was going to the local Chinese food restaurant called Imperial Gardens with my mother. It was a beautiful place with wonderful atmosphere and the waitresses knew us by name. It wasn't like the buffet style places these days. You took your time there and enjoyed every taste and flavor. I loved the art on the walls of dragons and cranes. I was in a trance when I gazed up at  the beautiful lighting fixtures that looked like lanterns and had silky red tassels. I think we went once a week. It was a bonding experience. We would always get a cup of hot tea along with the meal. It was really something special to drink the hot, golden liquid from a cup with no handles. The tea would warm your hands.  I can remember the taste of the tea like it was yesterday.

I've longed for the taste of that tea for years. I searched high and low for something comparable. So, when I tried the Iron Goddess of Mercy oolong tea that Rishi Tea sells, I was taken back to those afternoon visits to the Imperial Gardens with mom. The flavor is so delicate and floral. It's light on the tongue and has such a lovely bouquet. I recommend this to anyone who loves tea. This is liquid gold. If you normally drink black tea (the kind most people make iced tea from) I think you'll be pleasantly surprised. What's better than a hot cup of tea, a snuggly quilt and curling up on the couch to read a book or watch TV? Not much. I think I'm going to have some now...in my beautiful, new Asian style cup. Isn't it pretty?