S*TEA*P: A delicious Michigan tea company with blends inspired by the Mitten State

S*TEA*P teas offer a variety of blends, including Michigan-themed teas such as "Soo Locks".

S*TEA*P is a Michigan-based tea company that has several Michigan-inspired tea blends. It's delightfully delicious fun to see our home state so wonderfully represented - although the Mitten State teas are not all S*TEA*P offers, 

I was introduced to S*TEA*P just recently when gifted "Soo Locks" from daughter, Rachel, and son-in-law, Sean, upon their return from touring the historical landmark in Sault St. Marie. 

After brewing up a pot for our latest Barb's Tea Service's podcast, both Chris (husband/co-host) and I really liked this "Soo Locks" blend, an oolong tea with orange flavoring, orange peel and safflower. 

Oolong leaves are rolled into tiny balls.

Add hot water, the leaves unfurl, quite a show!

S*TEA*P states that this oolong blend is "affectionately named for the engineering marvel, the Soo Locks". S*TEA*P also describes the tea as "smooth and delightful".  

We agree!

And, like its namesake, Soo Locks tea puts on quite a show. The leaves are rolled into tiny balls and once the hot water hits, they unfurl in a mesmerizing display. 

Quick to check out S*TEA*P's website for more, we were excited to see they have an impressive line of Michigan teas, including, Belle Isle Breeze and Pictured Rocks (both rooibos), Michigan Strong (pu-erh), Lighthouse (herbal) – which would have paired well with our Grand Traverse Lighthouse visit last fall.

In a S*TEA*P blog story from 2022, owner, Samantha Musli, explains how the Michigan tea line was created. When Covid hit, S*TEA*P could no longer sell at farmer's markets and shifted their focus to wholesaler relationships. One customer in mid-Michigan, specialized in local products, which inspired  S*TEA*P to develop teas that had ties to the Great Lakes state like "Cherry Capital" and "Green and White".

Visiting Soo Locks in early 1990's.

Musli found she not only enjoyed coming up with the names but it served its market well. Bottom line, the Michigan connections "make. . . people feel good".

Again, we agree!

Just seeing the "Soo Locks" listed on the sleek black packaging with a Detroit-area map label brought back memories of taking our children to the Locks. For three kids under ten, it was remarkable how it held their interest for the roughly 45 minutes it took a ship to pass through.  Today, accompanied by a cup of Soo Locks, I retrieved some photos from that trip in an "old school" photo album (no smartphones yet).

Friends Rik and Carol visited Soo Locks this fall. 

Though Rachel and Sean, didn't take any pictures in November, good friends, Rik and Carol were there in October. They shared their highlights of that trip with us when they came back (and I called upon them for a few of their photos for today's blog).

We're anxious to sample more Michigan teas, already seeing our next purchase for February:  S'mitten. This is a dark tea with rose petals packaged in heart-shaped tea bags. Per their website, S*TEA*P "loving named this. . 'mini-cake' for [their] love of Michigan".

We 🩷 Michigan (and S*TEA*P), too!

For more information on S*TEA*P Michigan blends and other teas, visit their website at: Home | S•TEA•P

Merry Chrismukkah and Happy New Year from Barb's Tea Service!

Seasons Greetings from Barb's Tea Service. It really is the most wonderful time of the year!

 

The holiday season, with all its bows and wraps, is, bowing out and wrapping up for another year.  Our December calendar was filled with traditional celebrations as well a few new ones, including Chrismukkah. 

This weekend, we're taking down the trimmings (and making resolutions for our own "trimming down") with a freshly brewed cup of Harney's Holiday spiced black. While we're packaging up the ornaments for next year, we're reflecting on some wonderful memories of the past few weeks.

Last stop of this year's tour. Three stops, three games, one winner.

Family standards for December are the Christmas tree tour and Fun-due! and we continued those last month with a few new twists. The first, "the tour", is our annual trek to a few of the homes of our local family where we stop to not only view the decorated tree, but to have a light repast and engage in some friendly competition. This year, entertainment hosts, Glenn, Marti, Rob and Megan, brought their A-games to their respective games (Christmas Jeopardy!, Feely Meely and Santa Baby) and, kudos to Rachel for the Triple Crown win.

One week later, our favorite New York couple, Matt and Jenna, joined us for our annual Fun-due! (like Jeopardy!, the exclamation point is requisite). This genius strategy and delicious dinner was orchestrated by Chris a few decades ago to keep the "kids" close to home for NYE and, now, Chrismukkah.

While the term - and celebration - have been around for over a century, it's become much more popular in the new millennium.

Chrismukkah is a portmanteau of Christmas and Hanukkah. The word first came about in German-speaking countries within middle and upper-class Jewish communities of the 19th century, per our go-to authority, Wikipedia. 

The lighting of the menorah, tradition calls for all to join hands.

Many of current-day Christmas traditions - indoor trees, decorations and gifts -  came to Germany and Austria in the 1800's and were perceived more as seasonal, rather than strictly religious, customs and were adopted by many Jewish families.  The proximity of Hanukkah and Christmas also added to the blending of holiday rituals. 

After World War II, Chrismukkah immigrated to the United States but it would take another half a century before it gained wide-spread awareness. 

Thanks to "The OC", the teen drama that ran from 2003 - 2007, Chrismukkah entered into the modern-day lexicon via the fictional character, Seth Cohen, who's father is Jewish and mother is Protestant and with much youthful enthusiasm, he plans to maximize both holiday celebrations.

And, might I add here, I witnessed the phenomenon first-hand, as I used to watch "The OC" regularly with, then teenager, Rachel. 

Every ten years or so, Hannukah and Christmas intersect on the same day, when the Gregorian and Hebrew calendar align for both holidays and that makes an extra special Chrismukkah - which is what we celebrated last week.

Matt and Jenna brought their menorah and candles to our New Year's Eve dinner. It's tradition for those around the menorah to hold hands while the candles are lit and that's just what our family did - and, in true Chrismukkah fashion - with the Christmas tree beaming in the background.

Like one of my favorite tea mugs advertises, it really is the most wonderful time of year; when we get together with family and friends to share some old traditions and make a few new ones (and maybe unseat the Triple Crown winner this year!😉) 

From Barb's Tea Service, a very Merry Chrismukkah and a Happy New Year!

🩵💚🧡