I have a tea I return to more than any other. It is not rare. It is not expensive. In fact, most people would probably pass it by without a second thought. And yet, somehow, it has become a quiet companion over the years.
I first drank it on a rainy afternoon. I had been traveling for weeks, exhausted and unsettled, and the leaves happened to be the only ones I had at hand. I brewed it without much care, poured it into a chipped cup, and sat by the window, listening to the rain tap softly against the glass.
That cup felt like home.
Since then, I have brewed it countless times. Sometimes alone, sometimes with friends. Sometimes the cup is hurried, poured between tasks, and sometimes it is deliberate, a small ritual that stretches over hours. Each time, it reminds me why I continue drinking tea even after decades of tasting the rarest and most celebrated leaves.
It is not the flavour that makes it remarkable. It is the memory it carries. The comfort it brings. The subtle sense of calm that seems to settle over me the moment I hold the cup in my hands. There is no pretense. No need to impress anyone or adhere to any rules. Just tea, quietly grounding me.
Perhaps this is why I love tea so much. It is capable of being both ordinary and extraordinary, depending entirely on how we choose to meet it. That unassuming oolong, or a simple black tea at the kitchen counter, can feel like a meditation, a pause, or even a companion when the world feels hurried and unkind.
I do not always share it with anyone. I do not always document it. I simply drink it, remember it, and return to it again and again.
Some teas are extraordinary in ways that demand attention. This tea is extraordinary in ways that do not. And perhaps that is why it has stayed with me for so long.
— Maria Tan
On tea, culture, and everyday rituals.
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The Best Everyday and Gift-Worthy Blends from Gryphon Tea Singapore
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We Talk Too Much About Tea and Not Enough About Drinking It
Tea culture has become remarkably good at talking about tea. We discuss origins. Elevation. Harvest seasons. Processing methods. Water temperatures. Brewing vessels. There are endless conversations about tea. And yet I sometimes wonder whether we spend enough time simply drinking it. This may sound like an odd criticism coming from someone who enjoys learning about…
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High Tea St Regis: A Grand Afternoon Ritual at Regis Singapore
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Why We Keep Looking for the Perfect Tea
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Darjeeling First Flush: Capturing the Himalayan Spring in a Teacup
I still remember the first time someone handed me a cup of Darjeeling First Flush, a prized form of black tea, and asked me, quite seriously, not to add milk. I almost laughed. Tea without milk felt like toast without butter. But I humored my friend, took a sip, and paused. The liquid was pale…
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What Kopi and Tea Say About Singapore
One of the things I love most about Singapore is that we never really chose between kopi and tea. We kept both. Walk into almost any hawker centre or coffee shop and you’ll see it immediately. One person orders kopi-o. Another asks for teh-c. Someone else is drinking Chinese tea from a flask they brought…
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The Tea We Keep Saving for Later
Many tea drinkers have a tea they are saving. A special oolong purchased during a memorable trip. A rare tea gifted by a friend. A tea that feels too valuable, too limited, or too meaningful to drink casually. So it waits. Days become weeks. Weeks become months. The tea remains carefully stored while more ordinary…
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Earl Grey Tea Benefits: What Is Earl Grey Tea and Why Has It Endured for Centuries?
Introduction Few teas are as instantly recognisable as Earl Grey tea. Even among people who do not regularly drink tea, the distinctive citrus aroma of Earl Grey often feels familiar. It appears in tea shops, cafés, afternoon tea menus, and kitchen cupboards around the world, yet many people still ask the same question: what is…
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Is Tea Acidic? Understanding Tea Acidity and What It Means for Tea Drinkers
One of the most common questions among both new and experienced tea drinkers is surprisingly simple: is tea acidic? The answer is yes, but the reality is far more nuanced than a simple yes or no. Most teas fall on the mildly acidic side of the pH scale, yet they are generally far less acidic…
