The Bolder Life: 13th Annual Rocky Mountain Tea Festival →

 

Tyra Sutak

Published on: July 24th, 2012

Shortly after The Bolder Life was born last summer, I got an email from the editor of Yellow Scene asking if I wanted to go to the Rocky Mountain Tea Festival at the Dushanbe Teahouse in Boulder.

“I can get you a media pass, if you’re up for it,” she said.

Although she had me a “media pass” (media passes are always just really fun things to have), I was so intrigued by the fact that I’d been living in Boulder for the past seven years and had never heard of anything like the Tea Festival, that I would have gone anyway.

I was in. My name was added to a list somewhere and I showed up on a bright summer day and took my seat in on the beautiful south patio seated just above a peaceful babbling creek in the heart of downtown Boulder’s bustling Farmers’ Market. The beyond-stunning hand-crafted Teahouse offered cool relief from the hot summer sun and I was quickly served a refreshing cup of tea as I waited for the first in a series of tea-tastic events to start.

Last year, my favorite event at the Rocky Mountain Tea Festival had to be the class hosted by Boulder herbalist, Brigitte Mars. Brigitte not only taught me which types of herbal teas offer the most benefits, but I also learned that if you’re living on a commune and your husband gets bit by a venomous snake, it’s totally cool to break out the vacuum cleaner and use it to suck the venom out. The more you know, right? It was an incredibly interesting session, to say the least, and full of samples of tasty teas.

This year marks the 13th year of the Rocky Mountain Tea Festival, and I’m most excited about the Tea and Cocktails class taught by Teahouse General Manager and exceptional cocktail-crafter, Kassi Tenborg. Kassi is mixing up a selection of tea-infused cocktails that pair perfectly with a warm summer afternoon and the serene décor of the Teahouse. Her Boulder Tangerine Bourbon Sour is kind of to-die-for, and she’s not only ready to show you how to make it during her four o’clock class on Saturday, but she’s also been generous enough to share the recipe!

Other popular classes include Cooking with Tea with Lenny Martinelli—the very passionate and energetic owner of the Dushanbe Teahouse and the rest of the Three Leaf Concepts restaurants.

And if you have a little princess (or prince) at home, be sure to take them to the Mommy and Me Princess Tea Party on Sunday, July 29th. Get your adorable on by dressing up in your Sunday best and enjoying a tea party fit for a princess complete with mini scones, cucumber sandwiches, and of course—tea. Reservations are required be sure to RSVP today!

Click here for a complete schedule and more information on the Rocky Mountain Tea Festival.

Boulder Tangerine Bourbon Sour
1 ½ oz Maker’s Mark Bourbon
1 oz Sour Mix
1 oz Boulder Tangerine Syrup
Rocks Glass
Add ice to rocks glass and add bourbon, sour mix and Boulder Tangerine Simple Syrup. Shake. Pour into rocks glass. Garnish with cherry and orange.

The Bolder Life: Pinkies Up! →

 

Tyra Sutak Photo by Steve Z

Published on: July 25th, 2011

As an avid coffee addict, I found myself a little out of place this weekend at the 12th Annual Rocky Mountain Tea Festivalhosted by the Dushanbe Teahouse in beautiful Downtown Boulder.

Now, I know what you’re thinking—“There’s a Tea Festival in Boulder?”—and the answer is yes. Yes, there is. And this weekend couldn’t have provided more beautiful weather for sitting on the outside patio of one of the most beautiful buildings in Boulder, listening to the sounds of the nearby Farmer’s Market, a stray harmonica and the consistent rings of bicycle bells floating over a nearby bridge. Inside, the Teahouse was busier than ever, but outside on the southwest deck, white tents dotted the space between the beautifully hand-crafted exterior tiles of the building (built in Tajikistan in the late 1980’s and gifted to Boulder by its sister city, Dushanbe) and a steady stream that appeared to have lost its way from the mighty Boulder Creek. Curious people dressed in Keen sandals and hemp fabric strolled from tent to tent, sampling tea from local vendors. Tea workshops, readings and demonstrations were held on Saturday and Sunday, and eager tea-enthusiasts learned how to cook with tea, read their fortune in tea and blend tea. A Children’s Teddy Bear Tea Party was also held on Sunday, giving quarter-pint tea aficionados the chance to dress up in their best party attire, bring their favorite plus-one teddy bear and enjoy a little afternoon sippin’.

The most tea-tastic part of my festival experience came at the hands of Boulder’s own Herbalist Extraordinaire, Brigitte Mars—a local author, instructor and fierce protector of the dandelions. Brigitte served us a special tea blend that she had created specifically for the Dushanbe Teahouse, and in an hour, walked us through the benefits and physical traits of the herbs that were used in the tea along with some of her other favorite garden staples. Throughout tea time, I picked up a common theme about the herbs on hand and discovered that my findings might be beneficial to people currently out on the dating scene. Here is what I learned:

1.)   Fennel helps women find dates by giving them fresh breath and by stabilizing their blood sugar, which keeps them skinny.

2.)   Day Lilies are good for those dating on a budget because not only are they a pretty flower to give your date, but you can save money by adding this edible flower into the salad course at dinner. (They only live for a day, so you should get your money’s worth).

3.)   Mint tea makes you kissable.

4.)   Rose petals open the heart centers and evoke feelings of empathy and love.

5.)   Lavender should not be used as an aphrodisiac because chances are, it will remind your date of her grandma’s linen closet.

6.)   Hawthorne soothes an emotional heart break.

7.)   Stinging nettle can be used as a weapon to inflict pain on the jerk that caused No. 6.

8.)   Lemon balm maketh the sad heart merry.

9.)   And raspberry leaf makes labor easier. (From what I’ve heard, nothing makes labor easier, but maybe this is worth a shot).

Sadly, the Tea Festival is over, but be sure to check out other upcoming Boulder festivals that are currently flying under the radar, such as—The 13th Annual Aerial Dance Festival, the Boulder Asian Festival, the Boulder International Fringe Festival andthe 64th Annual Chautauqua Barbershoppers Harmony Festival.

Photo courtesy of Steve Z at SteveZPhotography.com