Tè verde

Tea, a drink that has spanned centuries and miles.

Tea is certainly one of the most popular and consumed drinks on the planet. Although there are legends that trace the discovery and use of tea back to protohistory, its history probably begins in China around the third century, initially used as a ritual beverage, and then ended up being known and used on a large scale throughout the Asian continent and quickly in the rest of the globe. The first mention of tea in a European text dates back to the 16th century, when the tea ceremony (Cha no yu) was developed in Japan. Contrary to what one might think, in Europe the first to consume tea was not the English, but the Dutch, who were the first to import it into the European and American continent at the beginning of the seventeenth century.

 

There are countless types of tea available on the market, but they all come from the same species, Camelia sinensis. The difference between the different types is mainly due to the post-harvest treatment carried out on the leaves. The name of the type of tea therefore depends on the oxidation of the leaves, so we will have green tea from unoxidised leaves, black tea from completely oxidized leaves, and an intermediate variant between the two oxidations called oolong. There may be other variants and names always given by the particular type of oxidation. While the name of the variant is usually given by the growing region, such as Darjeeling, black tea grown in the Indian region of the same name, or by other important factors such as Lu Mu Dan, which owes its name (“Green Peony”) to the characteristic shape in which the shoots are woven.

 

We are often used to preparing tea in the same way, regardless of type or variety. Actually, every tea releases the best of its characteristics if properly infused. Black tea loves a decidedly high water temperature (even over 90°), while green and white teas are best enjoyed when poured into water at temperatures not exceeding 70°/80°. The same goes for the infusion minutes, which, although varying from a few seconds to well beyond 10 minutes depending on the specific variety and traditions, should be approximately 1-2 minutes for green and white tea and 2-3 minutes for oolong and black tea.

 

tea infuser

 

In addition to its ceremonial and recreational uses, tea has also been an important protagonist of historical events. As in 1773, when in the port of Boston, in protest against British taxes, some American settlers poured all the cargoes of tea from ships. Even in literature, tea is often an important element, as in the case of “Alice in wonderland” Lewis Carroll, where the mad hatter and white rabbit are intent on drinking (or not drinking) tea. Or as in the novel “In Search of Lost Time” by Marcel Proust, where tea can even lift the mind and self-respect, to name just a few examples. And if it’s charm is unquestionable, tea is equally loaded with beneficial properties, some of which are scientifically proven. Theanine for example, with its psychoactive properties, is able to reduce stress and perhaps, although not yet scientifically proven, has a positive impact on the immune system.

 

So all we have to do is drink a good cup of tea, be it 5 pm, as the British or at any time it’s more congenial!
If you want to give a new touch to your tea infusions, you could use one of my custom tea infusers. Take a look at my shop.

 

What kind of tea do you prefer? Do you have your own personal tea ritual? Do you drink it straight, or with milk or lemon? Tell me about your relationship with this noble and ancient drink.

Orecchini e Phone strap boccino Harry Potter

Harry Potter Golden Snitch style earrings and Phone strap

Golden Snitch is a special ball used in the magical Quidditch game by Harry Potter, now you can always bring one with you like the Earings or the Phone strap.

For those who don’t know what Quidditch is: it’s a magical sport in the fantastic Harry Potter universe created by the writer J. K. Rowling. It is played on a flying broom, on an oval field in which three circles are placed at the end, similar to rugby.
Balls with different peculiarities are present in the field:

  • The Quaffle, red leather ball that is used to score points by passing it through one of the three circles at the end of the field.
  • The Bludgers, iron balls that serve to hinder players and even unravel them to make the game more difficult.
  • Our dear Golden Snitch, a magical winged ball of very small size and very fast in movements. If captured it gives the right to 150 points, declaring the victory of the team.

Seven players are needed for each team:

  • 3 Chasers, with the task of launching the Quaffle into the opponent’s rings.
  • 2 Bathers, engaged in the defence of his companions from the Bludgers. They are armed with a bat and sometimes they can use the Bludgers to their advantage by directing them towards the players of the rival team.
  • 1 Keeper, with the aim of defending their rings from the quaffle pitched by the other team.
  • 1 Seeker, tasked with chasing and grabbing the elusive Golden Snitch.

 

The most complete book on Quidditch is the pseudobiblion (a book that doesn’t really exist but is mentioned in a real book)”The Quidditch through the ages” later written for charitable purposes by J. K. Rowlins in 2001.
There is also a “Muggle” (people without magical powers and often unaware of the magical presence in the world) version of Quidditch in the real world. Since 2005, Vermont’s Middlebury College has been playing it as a sport in all respects and spread it to an almost global level, with tournaments and championships. So if your dream has always been to play, in a way, you might be able to make it happen! For more information, you can take a look at Quidditch page on Wikipedia, where you can also find some international teams.

 

But to capture the Golden Snitch it is not necessary to play Quidditch, nor to chase it for long and wide. Simply go to my Shop on-line and choose the version you prefer the most, among the Earings or Phone Strap. To create them I used ceramic beads, which thanks to their shine reproduce the effects of the Golden Snitch. Share your passion for Harry Potter with me and the rest of the world with these articles, and if you haven’t yet entered the magic world of Harry Potter, what better time to do so?

dreamcatcher necklace

Dreamcatcher Necklace: a new start full of positive energy

Dreamcatcher Necklace: this is a special post because I consider it the official launch of my online Shop – Now You 2 and, in general, my Now You 2 project which I refer to in my presentation page.

The first article that I propose and that I put on sale, in the hope of a good start, is the
Dreamcatcher Necklace.

It’s a stainless steel necklace, with beads and colored tassels, entirely assembled by hand, that’s inspired by the ancient tradition of dream catchers: notoriously attributed to the Native Americans. From recent studies it seems that they were also present in the Indies several centuries before. It is said that dreamcatchers have the ability to attract positive energies and drive away negative ones, to preserve good dreams, keeping nightmares and nefarious thoughts at bay.
Although their existence is probably more pragmatic than we believe, the appeal they evoke in us is undeniable and very often what counts is the hope, and the positive thought that a given thing can work; so the dream catcher can serve as a catalyst for a newfound optimism or to instill confidence that a current nightmare can change into a shining dream. So, in addition to wearing it on every occasion, it is excellent as a gift for a special friend.

What else to say.. follow my blog, my YouTube channel and come visit me on Now You 2 – Everything you don’t expect to find, in the place you weren’t looking 🙂