Thursday, March 28, 2024 | Ramadan 17, 1445 H
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EDITOR IN CHIEF- ABDULLAH BIN SALIM AL SHUEILI

For the love of tea

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MUSCAT: The ritual is seen all over the world and across cultures. If you state that you’re not feeling well, the chances are that you will be offered a cup of tea. We all find tea physically soothing and emotionally comforting; perhaps that’s where the association of health and the tea-making ritual began.


The simple act of brewing, sipping, and savoring a good cup of tea calms your senses in the fast-moving chaos of life in the modern world. That magical cup full of flavour, serenity, and vitality brings both inner peace and health, and encourages interpersonal connection and happiness but finding that perfect blend of unique flavors can be hard.


This passion for tea made Latifa Al Bimany launched her very own brand of tea blends ‘Teaqueen’ in November 2019.


“I have always had a passion for tea but found it hard to find the different types of blends that I wanted in Oman. So rather than continue to always shop online for tea from around the world, I decided that I should fill this gap in the local market and create and Omani company that makes the best blends locally. I was in a very successful position in one of the government entities so taking this step was a huge leap of faith but it was one I am very proud of,"’ Latifa said.


“One of my favourite times of the day is when I am brewing the perfect cup of tea. Watching the water turn into a beautiful shade of amber while the lovely aroma of tea fills the air and then looking at the beautiful sight of milk filling the dark voids in a cup of tea is both tranquil and calming. In a world of social media and streaming platforms we spend a lot of time online, so having 20 minutes to disconnect and unwind by brewing a cup of tea is both beneficial and delicious!,” she added.


Imported from all over the world and blended with local spices and herbs, Teaqueen offers unique blends, created to fit every tea lovers’ taste buds and all of Teaqueen’s recipes are a result of Latifa’s passion for tea.


Environmentally-friendly


Other than the bespoke blends of tea, another aspect of the brand is its packaging.


Latifa shared with us, “With the rapid increase in global warming we all have a responsibility to protect our planet and reduce pollution which is why having quality tea, sourced sustainably in packaging that’s better for the environment was very important to me and this resulted in a delay in the launch but was one of the aspects that I would not compromise on and I am proud that all the ‘Teaqueen’ packaging is biodegradable. There is absolutely no plastic in any of the packaging including the window of the barrier bag, which is made of special biodegradable PLA.”


Learning-Curve


There’s a lot more to blending than we think. Latifa explained, “I had to learn a lot about tea blending. Every supplier I looked into would have over 20-30 different kinds of similar quality teas and to find the right blend, you would have to sample them all to see if they were the right colour or flavour profile and to see if it had blend-ability. When blending, what you think might work, may not work or you could make a blend and try it and it’s lovely, but when you add sugar or milk, it doesn’t taste as good - people take their tea differently, and this is something you have to bear in mind when making blends.”


Teaqueen is located in Boushar at the Saeed Al Barwani Building near Al Amin Mosque. You can also order the Teaqueen blends online via the Drewel App. To find out more details, be sure to follow them on Instagram on


@teaqueen.oman.


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