The Right Speed

Some processes can’t be rushed. We shouldn’t even attempt to rush them.

Carl Honore, celebrated author of “In Praise Of Slow”, advocates doing everything at ‘just the right speed’. Savouring the hours and minutes rather than merely counting them. Doing tasks as well as possible instead of as fast as possible.

For about eight years, since leaving Singapore and coming to England, I’ve been on a journey, exploring the world of tea, the delight of tea, and the whole universe of tea cuisine. From initially a part-time interest, tea and tea cuisine have moved to being centre stage in my life, a full-time occupation and a passion.

I’ve travelled to Hainan, to Tokyo, to Los Angeles and to San Francisco in search of knowledge and understanding about tea. I’ve studied tea in Malaysia, researched tea houses while in Beijing, visited tea factories in Kyoto, and performed the “gong fu cha” at The British Museum in London, as well as at the Royal National Institute for the Blind. And shortly I am off to Hangzhou in China to further my studies.

Now with the launch of this blog I am ready to start sharing my ideas, reflections and experiences with you. With the blog up and running, I’m excited about the conversations you and I are going to have about that wonderful phenomenon, Tea.

Tea is known and appreciated universally as the very best way to take a breather, to rest, to break off from everyday humdrum difficulties, to warm the cockles of the heart and to massage the soul and the spirit. Tea is taking time out to smell the flowers or to watch the clouds. You can’t rush tea, you can’t panic with a cup of tea in your hand. Tea’s the antidote to racing through life, feeling like a robot, being enslaved to cold efficiency. We cannot be reduced to components. We deserve our tea! We need it – more than ever!

I’ve loved my engagement and learning about tea over these eight years. I’ve been going at ‘just the right speed’ for me. I’m going to share in these regular blogs my memories and thoughts about foods and faraway places, and about my tea friends and my personal dilemmas, and about the arduous profession of being an expert but still humble tea artisan.

I feel so content and gratified that this blog is finally online. I bid you welcome!

Warmly,

Pei
~~ Serene and fragrant TEA entices with promise of rapture in STORE ~~
chaya teahouse . @teanamu . FB page . @teanamu