Well, first off, when our city was on high broil recently, the only thing that refreshed me was a constant, intravenous supply of bracingly cool iced tea.
The second reason's even more compelling. It had to do with the fierce new cafes where I've been procuring my gourmet iced teas.
In days gone by (well, until this year), the tea salon was the province of mothers, daughters and others of delicate constitution seeking civility in the form China teapots, accompanied by crustless sandwiches and crumpets. Not so much anymore. Tea has come a long way, baby.
Take the scene at Tavalon (22 E. 14th St.; [212] 807-7027), a 4-month-old tea bar in Union Square where a deejay spins reggae and hip hop from morning to night. As the beat goes on, friends toast frigid glasses of fresh-brewed, premium loose-leaf teas like the Chai Seduction, a traditional Indian Masala chai with milk, cane sugar and chocolate, and the Lemongreen -- a blend of Chinese green tea and Thai lemongrass ($2.75-$3.75 each). There's not a lifted pinky fingers in the place.
No, this is not your grandma's tea house. And that's the thing. This is Tavalon's mission -- to break down the taboos of drinking tea and make it more mod. "Our goal was to revamp as young, fun, hip and approachable," explains John Paul Lee, who owns Tavalon with partner Sonny Caberwal.
"In the United States, people perceive tea as foreign and too feminine, too pretentious," he says. "Tea, for me, is an obtainable luxury. We've created a fun environment and the music element drives it home" But the attention is not just on the vibe, there's also substance. Tavalon has a staff tea sommelier, Chris Cason. To keep the quality high, Tavalon import the finest premium loose-leaf teas from around the world -- South Africa, China, Korea, Japan, Egypt, India -- and brew their hot loose-leaf teas fresh per order, with specific brewing temperatures and steeping times for every kind of tea.
Iced teas are also treated with care. They're never held overnight, but rather are made several times daily and cooled by a special process that regulates water temparature to prevent bitterness and ensure freshness. The iced teas at both tea houses are radically different than your run-of-the-mill stash. Take the best seller at Tavalon, The Genius ($2.75-$3.75). This cool, white tea, freshened with mint and lightly sweetened with plums, acts like an internal air conditioner, cooling you from the inside out.
by:ANDREA STRONG
