Jan 7, 2009

Fit to a tea: Genteel beverage is carving out a niche in MadisonBy Susan Troller77Square.com

Madison, Wisconsin — Tea time is starting in Madison.

Although tea is the world’s most commonly consumed beverage next to water, in Madison, like much of the rest of the United States, tea has been a distant also-ran in any beverage popularity contest.

This city continues to celebrate its long-standing love affair with beer, and in the last decade we’ve also enthusiastically embraced dozens of coffee shops as popular annexes to the office. Coffee, and lots of it, is seen as an essential fuel that drives both morning meetings and late-night study dates.

But one doesn’t have to read tea leaves to predict that the popularity of the beverage is only going to grow in Madison. Joining the traditional-style Legacy House Imports Tea Room are the newer Ma Cha and Dobra teahouses, offering a slower-paced alternative to the drive-through Starbucks of the world. One of the hardest-to-get tickets at last year’s Wisconsin Film Festival was for a documentary called “The Meaning of Tea.” And local businesses say they’re seeing an uptick in interest in exotic teas, whether in-store or online.

Tea has plenty going for it. There’s little question these days that tea — particularly green tea, a source of beneficial antioxidants — provides some significant health benefits. It’s also a beverage with a rich, complex cultural history, inviting study and experimentation much like wine does for oenophiles. Another bonus is that even high-quality tea is generally less pricey per cup, which resonates with consumers tired of paying $4 for a latte in this recessionary economy.

But the current interest in tea drinking seems to go beyond practical considerations. A growing number of young and not-so-young devotees appear to be choosing sit-and-sip culture over grab-and-go.

“It’s hip, it’s modern. It’s interesting and it’s fun. This isn’t just your grandma’s cup of tea,” said Maleah Moskoff, owner of Cha Cha Tea, a local online company that began selling tea and tea accessories earlier this year.

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