Today’s guest is Cynthia Glanzberg who I first met behind the counter of a tea house on a cold, snowy New York night. We chatted tea and travel for hours and I learned about how she left a solid marketing job to hop from country to country learning about the world of tea for more than a year. She has since returned and started her company, One Tea, that sources unique teas from all over the world and creates experiences akin to a roaming tea house. She’s worked with yoga instructors, sculptors, candle makers, and yes, yours truly in an attempt to create more connections between people through the humble tea leaf while also educating them about a beverage that has deep cultural ties in many countries.
We first talk about Traveling:
How to pull off long-term international travel,
Checking your privilege and traveling responsibly,
Working abroad,
The value of relationships on the road,
And getting comfortable with discomfort
We then do a deep dive into Tea:
What is Tea,
How does one navigate the sometimes confusing terminology,
The questions to ask when buying it,
And how tea can really bridge the gaps between people and their tribes by creating shared spaces
Tea can be as varied and rich as wine, even if it comes from the same plot of land. So if you’re looking for something that fuels a good conversation or Netflix binge session that isn’t alcoholic and is shared by more people around the world as the #1 consumed beverage, this episode is for you.
HIGHLIGHTS & LINKS
“The last drop of tea holds the essence of the universe”
9:00 - Cynthia pre-trip
12:45 - Why Travel
16:00 - Biggest Travel Misconceptions
On Funding: Woofing, Workaway
On Relationships; Asking harder Questions
20:15 - Traveling Responsibly; Checking your Privilege
23:45 From Travel to Tea: the One Tea Origin Story
"The Tea House in Myanmar"
"The Jordanian Uber Driver
35:30 Creating approachable, enjoyable, educational Experiences vs. Selling a Product
42:30 What is Tea?
46:00 Tea Taxonomy
Categories: Green, Black, White, Oolong, PuErh/Fermented, Herbals, Yellow
Terroir, Varietal, Production Process
"There is Freedom in choice"
54:00 Buying Tea: Questions to Ask
Tasting Notes, Time/Intention when drinking, Seasonality
59:30 Preparing Tea
Water Temperature
Brewing Time
Water Quality
Re-steeping
“Enjoy Tea as you wish"
1:05:00 Does Tea belong in the Age of Busy?
1:08:45 Shared Spaces in the Age of Tribes; Balancing Comfort and Education
Rapid Fire with Cynthia:
Most Influential Person: Parents
Best Tool Ever Purchased: Bonavita Gooseneck Kettle
3 Teas That Describe Cynthia: Taiwanese High Mountain Oolong, Gong Mei (Chinese White Tea), Ripe Pu Erh
Resource(s) for the Common Person: The Geography of Bliss - One Grump's Search for the Happiest Place in the World by Eric Weiner
If Cynthia's Story was Written in One Sentence: "Seeing the World Through a Cup of Tea"
Foods & Companies Referenced:
Sakurai Tea Experience - Tea Shop/Bar in Tokyo with unique tea tastings
Gyokuro - Type of Japanese Green Tea
Kyusu - Japanese "Teapot"
Gaiwan - Chinese "Teapot"
Tea Plant (Camellia Sinensis)