When Worlds Collide

Those that know me well, know I have two great passions in life; Fragrance and Tea. Maybe to be more descriptive, I should say two great preoccupations. For most things I pursue in life ... I pursue with passion.

To be fair I have much more passion for life and my family and God, but I do pursue my hobbies with a driving passion. A passion that divides my time and pulls me each from the other. But sometimes ... sometimes there is an entanglement; a beautiful entwining of the two.

Such as happened recently with one of my favorite tea vendors and blogger: Stéphane from Tea Masters Blog. When placing an order for some of the premium oolong he sells, the talk turned to fragrances. Stéphane had noticed my blog and offered me a very special tasting, a wonderful sample of orchid oolong. This tea had been especially made for the premiere of a Guerlain event showcasing their Orchidée Impériale. The tea, a premium oolong, had been infused with orchids.

What a kind gesture and a truly unexpected treat to have the opportunity to taste this lovely tea. Guerlain has always been my favorite house and Taiwanese oolong my favorite tea. The anticipation of receiving this rare sample was so exciting, something only a fragrance lover could understand.

When I prepared this tea, there at that very moment in my cup, my two worlds collided; the enduring and driving passion for fragrance and my ongoing pursuit and love of tea, combined in one swirling golden cup of delicately scented liquor. As I enjoyed this simple pleasure, this extremely well crafted tea tenderly infused with flowers, I felt perfect bliss. A decadent indulgence of my two loves. It was truly a lovely cup and one I will always remember.

Thanks again Stéphane.