Tea rituals extend far beyond pouring water on a tea bag or leaf. There are many benefits of taking time to enjoy tea culture's ceremonial aspects. From preparing your tea in a way that encourages mindfulness and presence to the act of inviting another into your home to share a connection and a cuppa. With each tea ritual, there is beauty and splendor created with teatime.

Here are essential ways to elevate your teatime rituals with Fairmont Store and Lot 35 teas.

Marry your Mood with your Tea

Wintertime and cold temperatures can have you making a beeline for the comfort of your home. Cultivate some hygge - the Scandinavian term for coziness and conviviality - by tapping into the indulgent seasonal teas from Lot 35 featuring bolder spices and flavours. Enamour your guests with the gorgeous fragrance and sweet notes of Chocolate Truffle Chai - a blend of strong spice flavour, sweet caramel notes and the chocolatey goodness of truffles. Or cozy up with a book or board game while sipping on Cinnamon Orange Blossom, with its inviting aroma, which doubles as the ideal base for the perfect hot toddy. Or reap the heart health benefits of the pu-erh fermented tea with Creamy Bergamot Pu-erh featuring cornflowers petals for a note of bergamot.

Get Whisk-ed Away

A tea whisk may be the most underrated tool in your teatime toolbox. If you are craving frothy milk for your tea, the Milk Foamer will whisk your milk into a creamy thick foam in seconds, with no steam (or barista) required! 

For matcha tea, the whisk is the single most important tool. The Fairmont Store’s Matcha Whisk is made of bamboo, designed to mix matcha powder, water and air into a frothy beverage. The act of whisking is not only meditative; it helps to release aromas and essences into the foam of the matcha beverage, creating a sublime cup of tea.

Perfect your Tea Timing

Don’t just set it and forget it; timing is as essential as the water temperature in making the perfect cup of tea, helping to enhance the flavour, and steep your tea to perfection. A longstanding part of the hundred-plus-year-old tradition at Tea at the Empress is the 345 Tea Timer - the tool will allow you to customize the strength of your tea from 3-5 minutes. Pro tip: we recommend a shorter duration of three minutes for green or white teas, three to five for black teas and five for herbal teas. This device will surely be a sleek addition to your solo tea ritual or tea party.

Teaware as Art

Take a page from Marie Kondo’s book and choose a teapot or cup that sparks joy. Your teaware should be an object of beauty you enjoy using daily or with friends. Whether you invest in a stunning set of Collection de porcelaine with intricate detailing, such as The Royal Empress Afternoon Tea Set hand-painted with 22 karat gold selected by Queen Elizabeth and King George VI, or you opt for the Cyprus Mug with double-walled glass designed for comfort and extra big sips, make it a cup that elicits delight every time.