This week’s Way of Tea Wednesday is a little different. Instead of our usual format, we’re pausing to share a few of our favorite things: simple ways to connect with people, small rituals to slow down, and seasonal treats that make life feel a little brighter. In the midst of holiday busyness, these practices are reminders that presence, nourishment, and connection matter most.
This Week in Practice: Sharing Tea & Seasonal Treats
Gathering with others is one of the most potent ways to ground yourself and experience joy. Even in the busiest weeks, a cup of tea can be an anchor, a way to pause and truly show up. Whether it’s a neighbor, a friend, or a loved one, inviting someone over for tea is a practice in presence, generosity, and connection.
We’re pairing this practice with a few favorite recipes to make sharing easier—and sweeter.
Shou Puerh & Chen Pi Cinnamon Rolls
There’s something undeniably special about mornings that feel slow, warm, and full of intention. These cinnamon rolls combine buttery Swedish-style dough with cardamom, tangerine peel (chen pi), and a hint of shou puerh. Perfect for Thanksgiving morning or any weekend gathering, they’re a treat that pairs beautifully with a robust, earthy tea.
Puerh Tea-Infused Shortbread Bars
Once a favorite at our Telluride teahouse, these shortbread bars now live in our kitchens. Layers of buttery crust, shou-puerh caramel, and a delicate glaze make them perfect for gifting, dessert tables, or a quiet afternoon with tea.
Oolong Tea Mocktail
Bright, aromatic, and lightly sweetened, this non-alcoholic mocktail is perfect for holiday evenings, cocktail hour, or a midday refresher. Fresh ginger, grapefruit, oolong tea, pure grape juice, sparkling citrus water, and mint make a simple yet memorable drink.
Five Element Insights: Water Element & Forest Bath Salt Ritual
Winter invites deep, Yin energy, a time to replenish, reflect, and restore. Water governs this season: our Kidneys and Bladder, our capacity for stillness, depth, intuition, and emotional resilience. One way to connect with Water energy is through a forest-inspired bath ritual.
Enchanted Tea Forest Bath Salts
These salts combine Epsom and Dead Sea salts with rosemary, helichrysum, pine, star anise, cardamom, orange peel, pine-infused olive oil, and essential oils of cypress and black pepper. Added to warm bath water, they create a grounding, aromatic experience that reconnects you to your body, senses, and inner rhythm.
Water Element Prompt:
This week, notice where your energy feels tight, contracted, or overextended. Consider where you could let it move, soften, or deepen—physically, emotionally, or in your daily rhythms.
Use this prompt as a guide during your bath or any quiet moment this week. Let the warmth, scent, and presence of the ritual support reflection, replenishment, and connection to your inner wisdom.
Art & Inspiration
To accompany your tea, your gatherings, or your quiet moments, we’re loving Colin’s Water Element playlist, curated to encourage reflection, calm, and presence. Whether you’re soaking in the bath, sipping tea, or sharing a treat with someone you love, let this music underscore the season’s deep, reflective energy.
This week, we hope you find small ways to connect, share, and slow down. A favorite treat, a quiet bath, a reflective moment, or a shared cup of tea—these are the practices that make the season meaningful, joyful, and full of presence.