The great thing about tea is that it always has a time or place. Need a pick-me-up in the morning? Choose a black tea. Need a midday cup to warm you up? Choose whatever variety suits your fancy. Need to wind down and relax before you sleep? Choose herbal tea. Zhuzh up your giftee's humble tea collection with some items that will make them look like a tea sommelier in their own right.
MATCHA TEA SET
Matcha has been used for hundreds of years in Japanese tea ceremonies. This matcha tea gift set will put some more intentionality into your giftee's tea prep, while also allowing them to make their favorite matcha latte from home. The traditional Japanese matcha process follows chad, or "the way of tea." The gift set includes a 20-ounce ceramic matcha tea bowl (chawan), a ceramic whisk stand (kuse naoshi), a bamboo matcha whisk (chasen), a bamboo matcha scoop (chashaku) and a stainless steel tea sifter. $44 • The Kitchen Engine • 621 W. Mallon Ave. • thekitchenengine.com
MONTHLY TEA SUBSCRIPTION
Maybe you aren't a tea enthusiast yourself, and it'd be easier to let the pros do the picking. Sign up the tea lover in your life for a monthly tea subscription with Lunarium's Tea Club. Each month, the store surprises subscription holders with a carefully curated selection of loose leaf tea, bringing it right to their door via delivery or an in-store pickup option. To sweeten the deal, Tea Club members also get 10% off all in-store purchases. $30 per month • Lunarium • 1925 N. Monroe St. • lunariumspokane.com
VINTAGE TEA SET
What's a proper tea experience without a tea cup? Make every at-home tea time special with a vintage tea set. Like all vintage items, each tea set is one of a kind and will show sincerity via the thoughtfulness of whatever you choose for your giftee. Porcelain cups can elevate the experience — the nonporous material doesn't absorb flavors or odors, allowing the tea's true taste to shine — and also retains heat well. There's nothing more disappointing than when your tea gets cold! Prices vary • Boulevard Mercantile • 1012 N. Washington St. • 509-327-7547
AFTERNOON TEA
Pinkies up! It's time to get fancy by gifting your friend or loved one a tea experience at Brambleberry Cottage. Enjoying Brambleberry's afternoon tea, served Fridays and Saturdays at noon, offers the chance to slow down and sip craft tea while savoring a three-tiered service that includes finger sandwiches, scones and crumpets with cream and jam, cake, tea cookies, and a mini pastry. $38 per person • Brambleberry Cottage and Tea Shoppe • 206 E. Pacific Ave. • brambleberrycottage.com
LOCALLY SOURCED HONEY
If your giftee likes to sweeten their tea, locally sourced honey might be just for them. As opposed to sugar, honey is great for its antibacterial and antioxidant properties, boosting the immune system. Better yet, some honey in tea is a great way to soothe a sore throat or help with seasonal allergies by slowly building a tolerance to local allergens. Citrine Honey is made by a passionate family of local beekeepers who partner with miFLAVOUR bakery. Citrine's smooth — but not overly sweet — honey can complement most tea varieties. $10-$22 • miFLAVOUR • 3403 E. Sprague Ave. • miflavour.com ♦
