Jayne Makes A List

I'm mad as heck and I'm not going to take it anymore. I'm taking names and starting a list.

Let me explain. First, those of you who know my books have probably noticed that most of my heroines (and a lot of my heroes) drink tea. Check out my new Arcane Society novel, WHITE LIES, for an example. The hero and heroine bond, in part, because they both drink tea. This is not a coincidence. My characters often drink tea because I drink tea. So sue me. I like tea. It has been my beverage of choice since college.

I just came back from an overnight jaunt to Charleston, S.C. I was either in an airplane, an airport or a hotel for some thirty-six hours straight and during that whole time I was only able to get one decent cup of tea. (Found a Seattle's Best Coffee in the Atlanta airport, thank heavens. They do a very nice tea service even though the name on the sign says coffee). The rest of the time I was forced to put up with the ground tea dust most tea companies put into their tea bags. I can deal with tea bags provided the tea inside is high quality. But most isn't. By the way, have you ever noticed that tea bags are almost always served with tepid water, even in fine restaurants? Trust me, if, by any chance, there happens to be some good tea inside the bags there is no way you're going to extract the flavor with water that is barely hot.

Okay, so I live in Seattle and I should have learned to love coffee by now. I don't. Get over it. Yes, once in a great while I will down a cup of the stuff for medicinal purposes only: say, for instance, I am facing a long night of hard driving on the Interstate and I need something that will really get my heart rate up and keep it there. But on those very rare occasions I sure as heck don't drink the stuff with any degree of pleasure and I certainly don't want it gummed up with a lot of foamy milk, whipped cream, caramel or chocolate. I'm only interested in the shot of caffeine.

Tea I drink both for the delicate lift of the light dose of caffeine and for the sheer pleasure of the experience. For me, a day cannot be properly begun without a couple of cups of tea. I look forward to another cup or two in mid-afternoon. I savor good tea when I visit with friends (you Quills know who you are). I want my tea done right. I want whole leaf tea (preferably green or white or oolong) not ground up dust. Furthermore, I do not want the purity of the indulgence sullied by various flavorings, sugar or milk, thank you very much. (No, I don't like Earl Grey, either).

I buy my tea at an excellent tea shop here in Seattle named Perennial Tea Room. It is located in Pike Place Market and they take their tea as seriously as the big name local coffee houses take their coffee. I spend good money on my tea. I am currently drinking a mix of two China Whites, Snow Dragon and Silver Needle and, yes, they are expensive. But I can guarantee you that a couple of cups aren't nearly as pricey as one of those four-and-a-half dollar "latte-grande-mocha-cappuccino-with-whipped-cream-and-caramel" concoctions they sell in the coffee houses!

And, no, herbal teas don't count. They aren't even teas, for crying out loud. Technically speaking they are "tisanes" and "infusions". True tea is made from the leaves and leaf buds of the Camellia Sinensis plant. Rose hips, herbs and flowers may be drinkable but they do not qualify as tea.

Let's see, where was I? Oh, right, I'm making a list of establishments across the country that sell or serve serious tea. If you know of any, please add their names to the list. I can't be the only tea drinker who gets desperate for a good cup of tea while traveling.

Just to get things started, here are some establishments that I have discovered:

Halekulani Hotel, Waikiki, Hawaii
Perennial Tea Shop, Pike Place Market, Seattle, WA
Seattle's Best Coffee, Atlanta Airport, Concourse B

I eagerly await your suggestions....

Sincerely,
Jayne