To a Tea

When it comes to tea, I’m undeniably spoiled. My father used to take frequent business trips to China, and he’d return laden with loose-leaf greens, blacks and oolongs that tingle the tongue. And now it’s possible to get high-quality Chinese tea right here in Denver: You’ll find it at Seven Cups Tea House, 1882 South Pearl Street.

What’s more, every Friday, Seven Cups hosts tea tastings to introduce customers to new teas. Today’s tasting will feature two Yunnan black teas. “They’re similar to each other, but they also have their own unique characteristics,” notes Seven Cups owner Greg Fellman. “It’ll be a good compare-and-contrast study; I think it’s good to pair similar teas together in order to really learn how to appreciate the different flavors.”

You’ll get a full rundown of everything you need to know to enjoy a good cup of tea. “We sit down and talk about the teas first — where they come from, any legends behind the names, how they’re processed, what makes these special and unique,” explains Fellman. “We’ll let people smell the dry tea leaves, and then we’ll brew them and taste them side by side and talk about them.” Sounds tea-riffic!

The free tasting takes place today and every Friday at 3 p.m. Call 303-777-2877 or visit www.sevencupsdenver.com.
Fridays, 3 p.m., 2008