Farsighted Fly Girl

It may be March but that simply translates to a little less snow in Chicago. It's still cold and will probably remain on the frosty side until the end of April. I am not familiar with that thing called Spring. Doesn't exist in these parts. So how do I survive through long months of cold? I follow the example of people who know a thing or two about brutal cold; Russians. No, I'm not talking about downing bottles of vodka but there's another quite popular local beverage, Siberian ginseng .  A native shrub, Russians first used it to strengthen astronauts and athletes in training. Famous for boosting energy and stress relief, Siberian ginseng is a daily tonic tea for Russians and anyone trying to build stamina. You can buy different versions of the tea, sometimes called Eleuthero root, but I really appreciate my imported Russian brand, complete with Matryoshka doll and Russian wording. Nothing kicks the mighty Chicago hawk like a hot cup of Siberian ginseng.

So I love tea. I won't have anything to do with coffee but tea? I have a special cabinet crammed with dozens of boxes and I never pass up a chance to sample a new flavor.  When the opportunity to explore a tea tasting trip arrived, you know I was there. A handful of countries  are noted for excellent tea. No, I didn't visit India, China or Japan, this trip unfolded on a frosty winter day in Chicago, at the Loose Leaf Lounge. I've experienced all sorts of tastings, from chocolate to conch but I never tried a tea tasting. There were many categories to choose from, including tea for health, unusual teas and intro to teas but I couldn't pass up dessert teas.  Just look at the teas we sampled above. I don't know about you but names like Chocolate Indulgence and Almond joi  are tempting just from the names alone. Our guide was the genial Lester, owner of the Loose Leaf Lounge. He informed us that his original idea was for a Kool Aid Cafe but I'm...

I am an American anomaly. I do not do coffee. In this land of latte-laced days and frappachino-fueled nights,I prefer the gentle ritual of tea. Not the Brisk or Lipton nonsense but aromatic, expertly blended leaves and spices in a decorative cup. The tea should be preferably accompanied by cinnamon scones with heaping dollops of Devonshire cream and melodic classic jazz but that's besides the point. I have a cabinet dedicated to my tea habit and it holds at least 50 varieties. I lean towards Indian teas and herbal tisanes that aren't technically tea at all. My favorite is Madagascar Vanilla Red tea. It's a deep burnished red color layered with vanilla and rooibos flavor. Rooibos is a South African plant that's also called red bush. It's noted for it's healing properties and antioxidants but I just love the rich flavor. Red Chai Masala is another stand-out for me. It's chai without the caffeine, loaded with ginger,nutmeg, clove, chicory and black pepper for a...