"It was less about the tea itself and more about the ritual"
Can you share your earliest memory of drinking tea and how it made you feel?
Tea played a huge role in morning and evening rituals with both of my parents, but with my mom especially. The intention was always made to sit down and have a cup of tea before we left the house for the day, whether it be work (for my mom) or school (for me), and later on in the evening to wind down. And well, of course, my earliest memories of drinking tea is tied to a feeling rather than just the taste—the warmth, the scent, the comfort of it. I remember being handed a mug that was almost too hot to hold, the steam rising up in little spirals. It was probably some kind of hibiscus, ginger, or an english breakfast tea with a splash of milk—something soothing. I remember how it wrapped around me from the inside out, making me feel safe and settled. It was less about the tea itself and more about the ritual—someone making it for me, the quiet moment of sipping, the way time seemed to slow down…
What role does tea play in your daily life or routines?
Tea is a big part of my daily life. During the winter months, I prioritize starting my day with something warming. My favorite immune boosting ritual is a simple blend of turmeric and ginger—with black pepper to activate the turmeric—and some manuka honey. On warmer mornings, I still reach for hot tea, but usually a hibiscus or punchy herbal blend. Mid-day, I might pick up an iced herbal tea blend at a cafe if I haven’t brewed one at home.
Throughout the day, I’m often sipping on peppermint tea—it’s a constant companion.
Is there a particular tea or tea moment that holds special meaning for you? Why?
I am particularly fond of herbal teas, specifically, hibiscus and lemongrass—”bush tea.” They remind me so much of my childhood in Antigua.
Anyone with a deep connection to a Caribbean island would likely be familiar with the fragrance of bush tea, always brewing on the stove and then served with a bowl of porridge in the mornings. The aromatic flavours of the tea would swirl around your mouth giving you the energy to start your day.
Bush tea is exactly what it sounds like—infusions made from whatever the land provides. Herbs, flowers, fruits, tree bark, weeds, leaves—nature’s medicine chest steeped into something powerful. More than just tea; they’re remedies, passed down through generations, whispered about as cures for everything from the sniffles to sleepless nights.
How has your relationship with tea evolved over the years?
Growing up, drinking tea was a ritual, a moment of connection with my parents, a way to start and end the day with warmth and intention. It was simply a given, woven into the rhythm of daily life.
As I’ve gotten older, I appreciate it on a different level—not just for the nostalgia, but for the way it supports my well-being. I have become more intentional with the teas I choose, recognizing their properties and how they nourish my body.
It’s still about comfort, but it’s also about care, mindfulness, and honoring a connection that has always been there.
If you could share a cup of tea with anyone—past, present, or fictional—who would it be, and why?
I typically get stumped by questions like this, overwhelmed really. There are so many people who come to mind. But after talking today, I think I’d choose an ancestor—someone I never got the chance to meet (which, for me, is most of them). I’d want to sit with them, pour a strong cup of bush tea, probably lemongrass, and listen. Listen to their stories, their laughter, their lessons. I’d want to know the plants they cherished, the remedies they swore by, and the rituals they passed down that still linger in the steam of my own cup today.
For me, tea is a thread connecting generations. And to share that moment—to steep in their presence, to sip on history—would be the most delicious experience of all.
