A Nice Cuppa

There???s little in the food and beverage world that has not been revitalized in recent years with an ???artisan??? approach. Perhaps this is because revisiting inspired homemade cooking or brewing conjures nostalgia, quality, authenticity, and a certain kind of emotion. We can eat ???artisan??? pizza and imagine little old ladies kneading dough in tiny countryside kitchens in Tuscany. We can eat ???artisan??? chocolates and relish the sexiness of each hand-crafted piece, glossy and indulgent. And, one of my all-time favorites, we can drink ???artisan??? tea ??? Mighty Leaf, to be precise ??? and savor that extra little something that is created when a gorgeous assortment of robust tea leaves swim about in a pretty, silken tea bag, marbling a pot of hot water with ochre swirls.

I???ve mentioned Mighty Leaf before (if you recall my Mother???s Day gift segment), but it warrants another nod because they make the most fabulous tea I have encountered in a bag. Founded by a husband-and-wife team in California, circa 1996, the company prides itself on redefining the ancient traditions of tea with innovation, quality and passion. Their leaves come from a wealth of sources around the tea-drinking world, and new flavors are often added to the repertoire.

Start with their black teas, for the traditionalist. A heady, perfumed Earl Grey is rich and pure. Vanilla bean is a little sassier and sweeter. If decaf or organic is your bag, they???ve got you covered, too.

But of course it doesn???t stop there. Herbal and fruit teas span ginger, mint, and lemony flavors, among others. And with the pink and purple buds scattered throughout the African Nectar variety, you???ll think the bag is almost too pretty to get wet.

You may think you???ve tried green tea before ??? say, in the little chipped cups that accompany your General Tso???s chicken at the corner Chinese restaurant? Well, green tea that may be, but the four green tea pouch varieties from Mighty Leaf are bound to altogether change your definition of the jade brew. It???s no longer a weak and bitter tea, but rather a surprisingly pleasant yet complex concoction. Their offerings draw on unique scents that reflect the care and consideration that goes into each tea selection. I???m particularly fond of Marrakesh Mint. And, a recently-introduced white tea pouch selection, White Orchard, takes heed of the zeitgeist. They also offer several other white teas in the loose.

Certainly, the loose teas are a requisite for the emphatic tea drinker, yet what makes Mighty Leaf so appealing is the thoughtfulness of the pouches they???ve designed. They???re not only bio-friendly (having just won the Best New Green Bio-Packaging award at the Specialty Coffee Association Show), they???re also artistic and convenient. Ingenious.

So check them out. With a plethora of purchasing options (sampler tins, foil-wrapped, boxed teas, loose tea) there???s something for everyone. Teaware, too (featuring their trademark clean, simple and artistically minimal design). You can find them at MightyLeaf.com.