Enjoying Life Sip by Sip

To energise your day or calm you down, nothing beats a good spot of tea. Day or night, a cup of brewed tea is suitable for any time and guaranteed to provide what your body needs.

Inspired by its magical, medicinal remedies, tea connoisseur Jacqui Mighty set up The Teapot in Sovereign Centre to ensure that all tea devotees like herself were being served and not overlooked because of the dominance of coffee shops.

"There was no need for another coffee shop, but every need for a tea shop," said Mighty, a trained artist. "However, the true essence behind why I open The Teapot is due to my beloved sister, Simone, who I lost to cancer. She always encouraged me to live my dreams and, before she transitioned, she made me promise that I would open the shop. Like me, she loved drinking tea, but what we liked most was each other's company. Our companionship is what always made a perfect brew - tea, cake and dreams. Tea is great to drink on your own, but even greater when shared with company."

Dubbed 'the best in town', it is an ideal place to watch the sun set from the comfy seats provided. Sip fresh brewed chai lattes with a slice of home-made banana bread or bread pudding. The Teapot offers its customers an array of accessories such as pots, cups, flasks, tea infusers, tea balls and sweeteners, plus unusual artistic ceramics and objects that can help create a perfect tea party.

Always unearthing new leaves from around the globe to ensure that her customers get the best cuppa, Mighty told The Gleaner, "Tea is such a wonderful beverage. It has the ability to heal and energise the mind and the body, making the drinker feel refreshed and fulfilled. Whether you have a hot cup or an iced-tea delight, the outcome will always be the same ... refreshed."

Revealing that tea is the second most consumed beverage in the world - second to water, the options of teas in The Teapot are endless, ranging from chai, jasmine, hibiscus, peppermint, mint, rooibos, hemp, soursop to moringa and guinea hen weed. A variety of green, black, white and oolong leaves is also on sale, not forgetting good old-fashioned boxes of English brews.

Adding to its tea repertoire, The Teapot also exclusively sells the famous Elsa's menstrual cramps tea, renowned for reducing menstrual pain throughout the body.

Art showcases

However, away from tea, Mighty is also planning to utilise her shop to showcase art by holding several chic private tea soirÈes where she gives up-and-coming artists the opportunity to illustrate their work. "Every tea lover who comes to The Teapot will have the opportunity to sip some of the world's finest tea at one of my exclusive tea events, in order to raise money for cancer and help create awareness towards Jamaican art," she said.

So, is there a perfect way to drink tea? Mighty opines, "It's all about personal choice." She says it can be had sweet, strong, with or without milk, with lemon added or simply black. "However, I do recommend that, if you use teabags, brew for two and a half to three minutes allowing the flavour to develop for up to seven minutes if you use loose leaves."

She added, "The milk first or last rule is an individual preference; there's no right or wrong. Historically, tea lovers added the milk first to protect the fine bone china."

Best Teas for Health

For the skin, drink white tea; for energy, try rooibos tea; for healthy teeth - it's oolong tea. For high blood pressure, chamomile tea is said to work wonders. For best all-round health, try black tea. To control your weight, have green tea, and for indigestion, have some peppermint tea.