Living abroad in London during a study experience, Cass Ruhlman found very little that whetted her appetite until someone served her a “cuppa,” the British term for a cup of tea. It came with a sweet cookie, and very soon, Ruhlman was hooked on the tradition of tea time.
An avid gardener who moved to Hamilton after a childhood in Florida and college in Kentucky, Ruhlman began experimenting with how the herbs and berries she grew in her backyard garden could become part of the wide variety of tea blends that have been popular for over 5000 years around the world.
“It’s amazing that it all comes from this one plant that grows almost exclusively in Asia,” she says. “It’s one plant, two varietals, but thousands of ways that single leaf is cooked, sun-baked, dried, oxidized, all creating different flavors.”
Ruhlman develops new tea blends in her basement, creating tiny brewed cups for each potential mixture until she gets one that tastes just right. She will experiment with dehydrated fruits, flowers, herbs, and other edible plants with wonderful tastes and aromas, either creating entirely herbal blends or mixing them with green tea, black tea, or yerba mate, a South American herb that packs an energetic punch. She tests the blends out with her husband and her young son, who give her feedback.
“He is four and a half, and he tells me if he doesn’t like a tea,” she says. “He once asked me for a banana tea, so I found a way to make it.”
The ‘banana tea’ is called “Banana Choco-Nut” and is just one of the unusual flavors that people discover when they stop at the Hamilton Farmer’s Market to speak with Ruhlman about her blends.
“When someone isn’t sure if they like tea, I make sure they know that they probably haven’t had this kind of tea,” says Ruhlman. “I’ll share one that has green tea with honey, lime, lemon, and orange; it tastes like citrus punch more than a tea. It’s really good for you, with antioxidants and nutrients, but it also tastes good!”
In the future, Ruhlman intends to continue learning as much as she can about tea: she has been to tea festivals and takes courses whenever she can to learn more. She has simple advice, however, for those who want to try their hands at tea blending.
“Growing mint in your backyard is easy, and there are so many varieties: pineapple mint, chocolate mint,” she says. “Throw a few fresh mint leaves into a regular cup of green tea for a minute or so for a really refreshing beverage.”
You can read more about her tea blends at https://www.antiquityteahouse.com/.