One of my great joys has always been the wonderful occasions spent with my daughter. As with most fathers, I have struggled over the years for those quality father/daughter times and the older we both become, the harder it has been to find interests we can share together. Mostly it is because I have become an old fuddy-duddy while my daughter is at the age where she has an active, vibrant social life.
Then I was researching a potential article which included interviewing Sue Ann Cordell at her new Shineworthy Tea shop where I was struck with an epiphany. Sue Ann brewed up a pot of Irish Breakfast tea and we sat down to chat about her journey into the tea business. It was a very enjoyable experience and when we were finished it hit me, I just had to share the same experience with someone else. As it so happened, my daughter was in town for the holidays and she thought the idea sounded great. So, we made a date.
The tea experience at Shineworthy Tea starts with selecting the right tea or teas. This task is not as easy as it sounds as Shineworthy Tea has more than 50 types of teas including several of Sue Ann’s own proprietary blends. There is a lot of sniffing, a little sampling and consideration has to be given to what will accompany the tea. Oh yes, Shineworthy Tea has a case full of cakes, candies and other delicacies to enhance the flavor of the tea and the tea experience which includes, you guessed it, Sue Ann’s special recipe Scottish scones. The Shineworthy Scottish scones come in several flavors and can only be purchased at Shineworthy Tea. Selecting what will go with the tea can be as difficult as choosing the tea but fortunately, the Shineworthy staff is very knowledgeable in all matters of the tea experience.
We selected Chocolate Wish Mint to go with the Scottish scones and A Cup of Serenity to savor after the scones just because we could. Then came the most enjoyable part of the tea experience; we sat in the sofas arranged around a low table while the staff brought us our scones and tea in glass pots so that we could see the brilliant colors of our teas. One helpful hint; let the Shineworthy staff pour the first cup, there is an art to pouring. For the next hour or so, we sipped tea, munched on the scones and talked. Maybe it was the relaxing quality of the tea or the tranquil atmosphere of the Shineworthy Tea shop but we shared a wonderful hour or so catching up on life. After thanking the staff, we returned home only to realize that we had spent over two hours at Shineworthy Tea.
In this fast paced world, let me recommend to fathers who want to reconnect with your children or just catch up with their lives, you should try the tea experience at Shineworthy Tea. And yes, I mean children. One little known phenomenon of our society is that preteen boys are interested in knowing and learning about tea. Gentlemen, the tea experience is for all your children. Ladies, you could not ask for a better opportunity to get to know your children. However, be prepared to take some time. The tea experience is to be savored like a fine Shineworthy Tea not done hastily in a rush to get to something else.
Oh, you don’t live in Nashville, Tennessee where Shineworthy Tea is located? Sorry…
Post Script; thanks to that marvel called the Internet, you can order teas from Shineworthy Tea along with all the accessories for brewing and serving a great cup of tea at shineworthytea.com. It is almost like being there.
Then I was researching a potential article which included interviewing Sue Ann Cordell at her new Shineworthy Tea shop where I was struck with an epiphany. Sue Ann brewed up a pot of Irish Breakfast tea and we sat down to chat about her journey into the tea business. It was a very enjoyable experience and when we were finished it hit me, I just had to share the same experience with someone else. As it so happened, my daughter was in town for the holidays and she thought the idea sounded great. So, we made a date.
The tea experience at Shineworthy Tea starts with selecting the right tea or teas. This task is not as easy as it sounds as Shineworthy Tea has more than 50 types of teas including several of Sue Ann’s own proprietary blends. There is a lot of sniffing, a little sampling and consideration has to be given to what will accompany the tea. Oh yes, Shineworthy Tea has a case full of cakes, candies and other delicacies to enhance the flavor of the tea and the tea experience which includes, you guessed it, Sue Ann’s special recipe Scottish scones. The Shineworthy Scottish scones come in several flavors and can only be purchased at Shineworthy Tea. Selecting what will go with the tea can be as difficult as choosing the tea but fortunately, the Shineworthy staff is very knowledgeable in all matters of the tea experience.
We selected Chocolate Wish Mint to go with the Scottish scones and A Cup of Serenity to savor after the scones just because we could. Then came the most enjoyable part of the tea experience; we sat in the sofas arranged around a low table while the staff brought us our scones and tea in glass pots so that we could see the brilliant colors of our teas. One helpful hint; let the Shineworthy staff pour the first cup, there is an art to pouring. For the next hour or so, we sipped tea, munched on the scones and talked. Maybe it was the relaxing quality of the tea or the tranquil atmosphere of the Shineworthy Tea shop but we shared a wonderful hour or so catching up on life. After thanking the staff, we returned home only to realize that we had spent over two hours at Shineworthy Tea.
In this fast paced world, let me recommend to fathers who want to reconnect with your children or just catch up with their lives, you should try the tea experience at Shineworthy Tea. And yes, I mean children. One little known phenomenon of our society is that preteen boys are interested in knowing and learning about tea. Gentlemen, the tea experience is for all your children. Ladies, you could not ask for a better opportunity to get to know your children. However, be prepared to take some time. The tea experience is to be savored like a fine Shineworthy Tea not done hastily in a rush to get to something else.
Oh, you don’t live in Nashville, Tennessee where Shineworthy Tea is located? Sorry…
Post Script; thanks to that marvel called the Internet, you can order teas from Shineworthy Tea along with all the accessories for brewing and serving a great cup of tea at shineworthytea.com. It is almost like being there.
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