Was recently in Santa Fe, NM for my cousin’s wedding and while on Canyon Road which is known for it’s world-class art galleries my friend and I stopped at the Tea House for lunch. It was a comfortable and warm afternoon with the sun shining (Though that is normal for Santa Fe, it wasn’t normal the week we were there. It was overcast and rainy most of the week!) so we sat outside in their patio/garden area. After placing my order for lunch I went inside to sniff some teas and make some purchases. The staff was more than happy to help reach teas that were placed on the higher shelves and were understanding when some just “weren’t me.” I landed on three different kinds of which I decided to take samples home.

The first was the Russian Samovar. It’s a brilliantly smoky tea. It’s like a well-worn, but not particularly aged leather chair. Greatly satisfying for a chilly Autumn morning. I had mine with a splash of whole milk and a teaspoon of Trader Joe’s turbinado sugar. Was delicious with a couple of shortbread cookies.

Stay tuned as I report back on the two others I purchased! Until then…