We are back in the midst of a cold winter and warm beverages are a must. While coffee and hot chocolates are classic standbys during the frigid winter weeks, the constant caffeine and sugar injections required to keep plugging along through the work week can be a lot to keep up with.
Enter: tea. We aren’t talking the typical, generic tea of the Lipton variety. We’re talking about quality, loose leaf herbal tea that smells and tastes like relaxation.
Want to pour up with a little rest and relaxation? We’ve filled your cup with everything you need to know about where to go, what to buy, and how to steep your way into becoming an herbal master.
Taste from some of the hot tea spots around town:
Clara J’s
219 W. Wayne St., Maumee. 419-897-0219. clarajsat219.com
Clara J’s Tea Room Hours: Sunday–Monday: Closed. Tuesday–Saturday: 11am-2pm
Neapolitan Hours (Gift Shop): Sunday–Monday: Closed. Tuesday–Saturday: 10am-4pm
Tea is for relaxing, so why not grab lunch while having a cup of tea? Clara J’s offers a restful atmosphere to enjoy your favorite premium teas. They also offer a wide range of loose premium tea, and will personally package it for your home use. With monthly events, and a gift shop that has all the necessities for home brewing, it is great for all levels of tea enthusiasm.
Sweet Shalom Tea Room
8216 Erie St., Sylvania. 419-297-9919. sweetshalomtearoom.com
Wednesday-Thursday: By reservation, 11am-4pm. Friday: Two seetings 11am & 2:30pm. Sunday: Two seatings 11am & 2:30pm
Friends Sara Velasquez and Chris Kruse transformed the house, originally a small farmhouse, into a tea haven. Offering monthly themes and menus, Sweet Shalom Tea Room not only offers an experience, but also all of the premium tea you can drink. The gift shop has all the baked goods, and all the tea accouterments one would need.
Elaine’s Tea Shoppe
3115 W. Sylvania Ave. 419-885-1515. wildorchidteas.com
Tuesday-Thursday: 10am-5pm. Friday-Saturday: 10am-4pm
Elaine’s Tea Shoppe has a stunning variety with over 150 different kinds of premium loose-leaf tea. Elaine’s priority is to find “your perfect cup of tea” and with 16 years in the business, her shop might be a great place to start. Take advantage of free samples everyday and tasting classes to try all the variety that tea has to offer.
The Flying Joe
2130 Preston Pkwy., Perrysburg. 419-931-0273. theflyingjoe.com
Monday-Thursday: 6am-7pm. Friday-Saturday: 9am-8pm. Sunday: 9am-5pm
The Flying Joe coffeehouse has a full range of loose leaf tea. In addition to purchasing crafted tea beverages in-house, customers can also purchase loose-leaf tea that comes with specific instructions for each brand of tea sold. The Flying Joe also additionally has seasonal tea blends and seasonal matcha drinks.
Plate 21
3664 Rugby Dr. 419-385-2121. facebook.com/PLATE21
Monday-Friday: 6:30am-7pm. Saturday: 7:30am-3pm
Enjoy a wide variety of loose leaf tea with up to a dozen offerings at any given time that rotates frequently. Tea drinkers can relax with a cup or pot in Plate 21’s comfortable atmosphere, or take a cup to go in their specialized to go tea cups and bags. Plate 21 also offers organic matcha that can be purchased for home use.
Bleak House Coffee
612 Adams St. 419-740-1125. bleakhousecoffee.squarespace.com
Monday-Friday: 7:30am-4pm. Saturday: 9am-2pm
With emphasis on in house crafted blended teas, there are always new and flavorful options at Bleak House Coffee. Customers can enjoy their organic tea in store, or take individually wrapped blends home with them. Additionally, Bleak House also makes itsown chai tea and offer organic matcha for those looking to broaden their tea experience.
Flatlands Coffee
138 N Main St., Bowling Green. facebook.com/FlatlandsCoffee
Monday-Friday: 6:00am-3:00pm. Saturday: 10:00 am-4:00 pm
Flatlands Coffee is known for premium coffee products, but also offers premium organic loose leaf tea. They have a steady rotation of various organic leaves, and an environment that makes it easy to sit down and have a pot in. By taking the same care with their tea as they do with their coffee, customers are guaranteed a top tea drinking experience.
Handmade Toledo
1717 Adams St. 419-214-1717. handmadetoledo.com
Wednesday-Saturday: 11am-6pm. Sunday: Noon-5pm
Handmade Toledo is a great place to get a uniquely crafted mug for you personal tea drinking. They offer around a dozen different blends from The Tea Dude himself who is based out of Medina. At Handmade Toledo, tea enthusiasts have a great opportunity to get the full locally crafted experience.
Phoenix Earth Food Cooperative
1447 W. Sylvania Ave. 419-476-3211. phoenixearthfoodco-op.com
Monday-Friday: 10am-7pm. Saturday: 10am-7pm. Sunday: 10am-7pm
The Phoenix Co-op is the place to go to get bulk free trade and organic loose-leaf tea. They also have matcha available for those looking to enjoy it at home. Additionally, Phoenix offers an assortment of herbs and ingredients to personalize your own blended tea, and has all the related gear to assist in creating a blend that suites your taste.
Quick guide to the varieTEAs:
Fun fact: Although there is an almost endless variety in the types of tea, tea leaves generally come from the same plant, Camellia Sinensis. The process the leaves undergo after they are picked, and what ingredients are added to these leaves create the variety in tea.
White tea leaves are the least processed of all tea, and contains the least amount of caffeine. Associated with a subtle fruity or floral taste.
Recommended steep time: There should be a small amount of steam, 155-165 degrees, and the steeping window is 2-3 minutes.
Green tea leaves are heated right after picking to prevent oxidization. This is the reason the leaves remain a prominent green. Premium green tea can have a subtle earthy taste with hints of sweetness.
Recommended steep time: Water should have a gentle steam without bubbles, 60-180 degrees, and it should be ready in 2-4 minutes.
Oolong tea leaves receive a partial amount of oxidization, which places it between green and black tea in that respect. The flavor is not as robust as black tea, but has a more prominent floral taste than white tea.
Recommended steep time: The water should be steaming, but not at a full boil, and there should be little bubbles. The water temperature should be between 190-200 degrees, and the steeping window in between 5-7 minutes.
Black tea leaves are rolled and then dried to oxidize, which turns the leaves dark in color. Black tea also contains the highest percent of caffeine, and has a more robust flavor than other varieties.
Recommended steep time: Water should be at a full boil, and the water temperature should be at 212 degrees . The recommended steeping window is 3-5 minutes to prevent a bitter taste.
Herbal tea, also known as tisane or infusion tea, is not technically tea, as the ingredients do not all come from the specific plant as the above-mentioned varieties. Herbal tea ingredients can include leaves, flowers, roots, berries, and even bark to achieve their desired taste.
Recommended steep time: Since the ingredients greatly vary with herbal tea, the general rule is bring the water to a full boil, 212 degrees, and let them steep anywhere from 5-7 minutes.
​
Matcha is powdered green tea leaves. Often consumed with just water, many tea and coffee shops are creating unique beverages using milk and seasonal flavors.
Recommended steep time: General rule is to use 1 teaspoon of powder per cup. Water should be just short of boiling, and slowly add it to the powder while stirring or whisking it to break up clumps.
