Sunday, March 6, 2011

loving: korean tea

Meet Willa. She's my frolleague. Friend + colleague = frolleague. And a very sweet one at that.

Willa is holding something I've been loving lately and which she introduced me to... Korean tea.

Don't know what that is? That's okay, I didn't either until recently.


Korean tea is definitely not your Orange Pekoe.  It's a thick, marmalade-like syrup and is considered a tisane. The idea is to mix a few tablespoons into a cup of hot water. Easy peasy and delish!



On the left is citron and on the right, pear ginger. In Korean: yujacha and saenggang cha (cha meaning tea).

And no, citron is not a fancy-schmancy way of saying citrus - which is what I thought at first. Heh. It's actually a tangerine-sized citrus fruit found in east Asia.  It's also called yuzu, or yuja in Korean, hence the name of the tea, yujacha. I love learning about new fruits. 
  


Yuzu isn't usually eaten whole because it's quite sour. Instead, it's used like a lemon and
can be found as juice, vinegar, paste, powder (dehydrated rind) and of course, as Korean tea.

While reading about yuzu, I learned that during winter solstice in Japan, people throw in a bunch of whole yuzu into the bath so it releases its lovely aroma, which in turn, is believed to bring about a sense of wellbeing. I just love the Japanese. What a super idea! Got extra lemons in the house? Throw them into your bath peeps!



And I'm not sure if you noticed but my frolleague has the cutest lil' baby bump hidden underneath that awesome Anthropologie Southward Stop Dress she's wearing. Yes, she's with child! Yay! :)

Lately, Willa's been really digging the pear ginger tea, because it eases, as she calls it, her "morning, afternoon and evening sickness."  Poor lady.

Y'know, Willa isn't just cute, in the pudding club and my frolleague. The girl is also really flippin' talented.

Check out her knit veggies. The eggplant rocks my world.


Wanna read more about Willa and her crafty skills? Take a gander at her blog, the disheveled designer.

And if you're looking to try Korean tea, don't take my word for it, head on down to your local Asian supermarket to taste it for yourself. If you live in Edmonton, try T&T Supermarket, 99 Supermarket (99 St. & 107 Ave) or Lucky 97 (97 St. & 107 Ave).

Happy cha time, friends! Hope you're having a lovely weekend!

Dajana

6 comments:

  1. Yipes, maybe we should've scheduled our impromptu photo shoot earlier in the day, since I look like I obviously needed a nap here :). Just kidding...it was fun to play along. And I like the research you did on the subject...I'm loving that you're loving it too! Hmm...lemme see what else do I have for you....?

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  2. Whatcha talkin' about Willa? You look super-cute and always do lady! :)

    Thanks again for introducing me to Korean tea. It's a new favourite in our house. Excited to see what our next culinary adventure/photo shoot will be!

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  3. Thanks for the info on the tea! I'm going to definately try it now.(Did you know Yuzu fruit is also used in skin care as a brightening ingredient!)

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  4. Lizzy - Try it at my house during our next visit!
    And I didn't know yuzu was used in skin care. That's très intéressant! I've learned so much by doing this post. Thanks for visiting lady! :)

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  5. I've never heard of Korean tea, I'll be adding this to my list of things to try! Thanks Willa and Dajana for the tip!

    P.S. I also love the "Southward Stop Shirtdress" Willa is rocking :) I wish I had frolleagues at my office we shared my Anthro love!

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  6. You're welcome for the cha tip C! We need to have you and Mikey over for brunch and then you can try some Korean tea.

    p.s. It IS nice to have frolleagues who are fellow Anthro-lovers. There's about four of us at work who often get together to speak of our love for the whimsical. :)

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