The inaugural Michigan Tea Week, which is taking place Nov. 2-8, aims to educate the community and boost appreciation for the tea plant — Camellia Sinensis — by celebrating its culture.
“What we want Michigan Tea Week to be about is telling the story of tea in Michigan,” says Elias Majid, owner of Eli Tea Bar in Birmingham and founder of the celebratory week. “How are people drinking it? What are they eating with it? And what does that mean in modern-day America? We’re a heterogeneous culture from around the world.”
Majid and his tea enthusiast friend, Jamie Mosteller, organized the weeklong series of events to include tastings of teas from across the globe, food pairings, etiquette education, preparation and infusion techniques, and a yoga and meditation session.
“We want to connect all the tea companies together and highlight some of the tea companies that are in the woodwork,” Majid says. “We found one great afternoon tearoom in West Bloomfield called the English Tea Garden, and they’re kind of hidden away, but they have a great product and we want people to find them.”
Events include a Korean tea tasting, a food pairing session by Detroit Vegan Soul featuring a new menu with 100 percent plant-based tea-inspired foods, and Majid’s demonstration of pink-colored, salted Kashmiri chai — green tea that turns pink.
Majid says most of the host companies — including Eli Tea Bar, the Townsend Hotel, Socra Tea Detroit, Goldfish Tea, Detroit Tea Traders, Our/Detroit, Nirvana Tea, the English Tea Garden, Always Brewing Detroit, Drifter Coffee, and Cheung’s Trading Company Ltd. — will also be offering some type of special throughout the week.
The full schedule of events is listed below. For more information, visit michiganteaweek.com.
Monday, Nov. 2
About Korean Tea – 6:30 p.m. – $10
Learn about Korean tea, its preparation, tea ware, and the Korean tea ceremony while tasting several different kinds of Korean tea.
Goldfish Tea, 117 W. Fourth St., #101, Royal Oak
Tuesday, Nov. 3
Tea 101 Tasting – 6 p.m. – $10
Check out Detroit’s newest cafe and enjoy four rounds of tea. Limit 14 people.
Dessert Oasis, 1214 Griswold St., Detroit
Wednesday, Nov. 4
South Asian Tea Tasting – 6:30 p.m. – $10
A cupful of tea adds zest, color, and creates a sense of well being. Join Elias Majid for a special tea tasting featuring teas from his adventures on Indian and Himalayan tea trips.
Eli Tea Bar, 108 S. Old Woodward Ave., Birmingham
Thursday, Nov. 5
Morning Tea Tasting – 11 a.m. – $5
Start your day with a special morning tea 101 tasting and try eight different teas.
Always Brewing Detroit, 19180 Grand River Ave., Detroit
Friday, Nov. 6
Yoga, Meditation, Tea – 7 p.m. – $20
Get together in a calming space, relax, and warm up with soothing tea.
The Gypsy Loft, 1301 W. Lafayette Blvd., #306, Detroit
Saturday, Nov. 7
Boiled Chai with Eli Tea – 9 a.m. & 11 a.m. – Free
Join Majid for a demo of brewing a traditional Indian chai tea and pink salted Kashmiri chai from the Himalayas.
Eastern Market, Shed 3, 2934 Russell St., Detroit
Herbal Infusions Demo with Nirvana Tea – 10 a.m. & 12 p.m. – Free
Eastern Market, Shed 3, 2934 Russell St., Detroit
What is Tea? with Barb Gullery – 11 a.m. – $5
Socra Tea, 71 Garfield St., Detroit
Tea Lattes New and Fun – 12:30 p.m. – $5
Socra Tea, 71 Garfield St., Detroit
Sunday, Nov. 8
Vegan Afternoon Tea – Detroit Style! – 4 p.m. – $30
A special afternoon tea featuring 100 percent plant-based tea-inspired foods paired with tea from Eli Tea.
Detroit Vegan Soul, 8029 Agnes St., Detroit
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