You can learn so much about a person by what kind of tea they order. Don’t get me wrong – I was definitely a peppermint Stash kind of guy when I walked into Samovar for the first time on a man-date with one of my best friends. It was his secret date place, and, as it is for many people unaccustomed to camellia sinensis, the tea and herbal selection was quite intimidating to me at first. I knew I wanted to be adventurous, however, I had no idea how to even begin saying the word pu-erh, let alone know how to order or drink it (pooh-air, as it turns out).
My first hot sip at Samovar Tea Lounge was of the 8 Treasures, a sweet and refreshing mix of dates, berries, rock sugar and schizandra. It was served gong-fu style, which was handy to learn given I would begin my love affair with oolongs not long thereafter. Following that first experience I was hooked, and it was only a matter of time before I became interested in learning more about tea and joining the Samovar team.
I’ve learned loads about tea and the people who love it so much the past year that I’ve been working here. I’ve learned what I like to drink, what kind of tea should be paired with what kind of food, and how to make recommendations to people based on what they tell me they like. This last skill that I’ve acquired, however, has proved to be the most beneficial to me in my personal life, for reasons other than the soothing sedation or captivating charge that most turn to tea for.
Before working at Samovar, I had a job in a café where we served ice cream, and let me tell you, you can tell a lot about someone by what kind of ice cream they order (if they choose sorbet or non-fat yogurt – well, then, that says something, too.) As an active dater who has adopted my friend’s habit of taking prospective soul mates to Samovar for a calming brew, being a server at Samovar and knowing tea has made my dating life so much easier. Their |
