This post is about a dear friend, our love for TEA, and a Collaboration! Whether gathering around her dining room table, her kitchen island, or on a walk in her waterfront neighborhood - my dear friend Anna is welcoming and gives me a big shot of CALM whenever I see her. Over the years of friendship, each time we gather, there is tea. I like PG tips and Jasmine teas, and take milk with the black tea. Anna love mint and ginger tea, and does not take milk. Our tea tastes come together, however, over Earl Grey. At Anna’s home tea is often served in hand spun pottery that SHE made and I adore it. We hold our mugs in both hands, savoring the warmth and the presence that comes from this act. As we sip we talk, laugh, and often watch a kid or 6 run around the house.
One of the many things we have talked about over cups of tea is our common experience of forming relationships with two different newly arrived refugee families. Anna shared the experience of beautiful hospitality she felt in the home of refugee friends. Though they had only just arrived, with very little to their name, tea was always served. A beautiful black tea brewed with whole cardamom pods. The act of making and pouring tea, of sharing this warmth, even when we shared very few common words-brought us together.
This love of tea, and care of refugees led Anna to discover Refutea, a local tea brand with a heart for refugee families and their resettlement. Autumn, the founder and owner of Refutea shares our love of hospitality and sees sharing tea as an experience that transcends language and difference-that brings people together. This beautiful company currently donates 10% of its proceeds each quarter to local refugee resettlement agencies, with big beautiful dreams of someday soon opening a tea shop that would allow newly settled refugee friends and neighbors to pour cups of tea, to share hospitality and stories.
On a sunny afternoon recently, Autumn, Anna, and I gathered around my dining room table. We shared no-bake cookies and cups of Refutea Colombo Crème Earl Grey (amazing!). While the new puppy wandered at our feet, and even settled on Anna’s lap, we held our mugs in two hands and dreamed of how we could take our love of tea, hospitality, and people and work together. At that table the Refutea/Lark collaboration was born. And today, we present to you the first Refutea/Lark cocktails. In this season of busy and hustle, we wish we could share it with you around the table, or in front of the fire. I would invite you to Anna’s house if I could. But, the next best thing would be for you to gather with a few people that feel like home, like warmth, that nourish you. Hold your cups in both hands, distraction free. Be present to each other, to the flavors, to the meaning behind the ingredients. Think for a moment of the neighbors who are receiving support because of your Refutea purchase. Talk about things you love, that are important to you. We invite you to linger over this beverage, your long list of holiday to-dos will still be there when the cup is empty. Cheers, friends.
On a Lark,
Kate
Try the Cocktails I created for this collaboration HERE!