For many years, the tea readily available at your local supermarket was a lower quality, generic product, and it turned people off. For a truly good cup of tea, people visited a tea house or restaurant like The Empress, Murchie’s or Butchart Gardens. Today, an increased demand for healthy, organic food has even more people making time for tea, and more shops offering fresh, tasty blends. Companies like Silk Road have helped pave the way for a new generation of tea drinkers in Victoria. When Daniela Cubelic and coowner Nancy Larose opened their tea shop in Chinatown in 1992, one of the challenges they faced was educating customers about tea: how to brew loose leaf tea and the variety of tea available. “As individuals who are passionate about tea, we feel that part of our role is to also educate others about tea, and have made that an essential part of our business, says Cubelic. “Communicating our passion and enthusiasm for tea is part of who we are, and what we are about.” Sisters and co-owners of Mela’s Tearoom, Caroline Macey-Brown and Elizabeth Levinson are also passionate about tea. The tearoom shares its elegant, sophisticated new space with Winchester Galleries. “We really focus on the tea itself and what you eat with it,” says MaceyBrown. Because the sisters are “real foodies”, they couldn’t compromise on quality. They serve 14 Silk Road teas (most of which are customblended) and classic afternoon teas with home-baked goodies. “We see tea as a gathering,” says Macey-Brown. In line with this philosophy are their diverse evening soirees: “These are intimate groups coming together to focus on a topic with the opportunity for discussion and interaction,” explains Levinson. From the art of tea to fine art,
these casual presentations offer a chance to learn in a relaxed, social environment while enjoying the delights of tea. With Victorians rediscovering the uncommon value of this ancient brew, it was quite a surprise for Luc van Hanuse and Lisa Stekelenburg, back in 2006, to discover that the city didn’t have a tea festival. Stekelenburg and the fundraising committee for Camosun College Child Care Services were looking to start a premier fundraising event. Tea was a perfect fit. “The tea business is very big in the US and in other parts of Canada; it’s sort of just splashing the West Coast now,” says Stekelenburg, who, along with Luc van Hanuse, organizes the Victoria Tea Festival. In 2008, the festival tripled its profits and number of vendors and sponsors, and quintupled attendance. This year, the festival expects 3,000 attendees at their new location in the Crystal Garden, where 75 years ago ladies sipped tea from dainty teacups and nibbled on scones dolloped with clotted cream and jam. “Victoria has a reputation with tea, and we want to celebrate that heritage while introducing people to both the traditions and the trends of tea,” says Stekelenburg. It’s just one of the many local settings ideal for exploring the diversity and universal pleasure of tea. t The Victoria Tea Festival happens February 14 and 15 from noon to 5 pm at the Crystal Garden. For more information phone 250-370-4880 or visit victoriateafestival.com. The Victoria Tea Festival raises much-needed funds for Camosun College Child Care Services. Julie Nixon vividly remembers “afternoon tea” with her grandparents: they’d sip orange pekoe tea from Norwegian teacups and munch on rye crispbread topped with chunky slices of caraway havarti cheese.
tantalizing Tea Whether we need to be warmed up, calmed down or simply refreshed, tea has always been the universal answer. From traditional black teas to herbal and floral teas — you’ll find them at the Market. And don’t forget to stop by our bakery for a few treats to go with that cuppa! At the Market stores we carry an amazing array of the freshest organic fruits and vegetables, herbs, meats, poultry and seafood — as well as exotic spices, vinegars and oils from around the world! So if you’re looking for those special and sometimes hard-to-find ingredients, shop at The Market on Yates or The Market on Millstream. Chances are, it’s the only stop you’ll need to make.
903 Yates Street 250-381-6000 Flower Shop 250-721-1113 2401 Millstream Road 250-391-1110
Tableware courtesy of Muffet & Louisa
boulevard 93