"Greek Teas"

   

            When we lived in Dover, Delaware, Mom and her friends gathered most mornings for coffee and gossip. Each woman served from lovely china sets that included coffee pots that matched their cups and saucers. Mrs. Hurley, who was born and raised in Wales, always steeped a cup of tea for me. Her hospitality warmed my five-year-old soul as much as the savory brews.

            By the time I was nine, my mother purchased all kinds of teas for me to try. Her favorite, Constant Comment, always resided in the pantry. Sometimes she prepared a black tea as dark as coffee and laced with milk and sugar. She picked up different mint teas and green teas that stayed light with gentle flavors. My love of teapots sprouted when we moved to Illinois and became entwined with my passion for tisanes.

            My delight with teas and teapots makes me an easy person to shop for when it comes to my birthdays, Christmases or anniversaries. Finding teas from other countries to bring to me became a quest for my husband and son. The internet and Amazon opened up a plethora of options with them researching the health benefits of various infusions. Their passion for all things Greek led them to discover their most recent gift to me: Greek Mountain Tea, Diktamos, and a Greek herbal cocktail of Marjoram, Sage and Diktamos. These ancient teas medicinal benefits include relieving respiratory infections, easing stomach and digestive problems, and lessening rheumatism. If you want antioxidants, just steep a cup each day. They’ve become a family favorite already.

Copyright 2022 Elizabeth Abrams Chapman

           

 

           

                    

“Sweet Tooth”

 

            My quest to limit daily sugar intake means I travel a rough, temptation strewn road. A couple of years ago, I edged away from sweet iced tea by ordering half-n-half. I ran victory laps when “unsweet” became my go to order. At home, my Earl Grey hot gradually shifted to less sugar, then honey, and finally nothing but the wonderful blend on its own. We’d dropped all sodas about six years ago, but the urge to down a hot Dr. Pepper when my throat burns with an infection lingers in my memories. Dad’s remedy remains warm and comforting when fever devils me. When COVID-19 invaded our home right before Christmas, I begged for ginger ale and Dr. Pepper to soothe my symptoms. That influx of sodas has left me craving sugar again.

            I noticed a few weeks ago that my tea order at restaurants had relapsed to my sweet addiction. My morning Greek teas, usually brewed without honey, had crept back to a dollop each morning. My eyes draw to pictures of desserts when I browse online, and I shoot furtive glances at the donuts when at HEB. My determination to dodge candy bars and chocolate entered the maximum level of stress when Girl Scout cookies hit the streets. Every night, I allow one indulgence—either a single Blue Bell Krunch Bar or their Fudge Bar. My goal remains focused! I will wean off of that nightly treat and return to my pre-illness status of a monthly sweet treat from our neighborhood Dairy Queen.

            As I struggle to avoid the bombardment of delicacies that constantly barrage my daily routine, I focus on a plan of action that takes me away from the cravings that batter me at the moment. For my benefit, my mantra “Less is more” becomes the chant that pulls me away from reaching for a Milky Way!

 

Copyright 2023 Elizabeth Abrams Chapman