San Francisco is one of my favorite cities in the U.S.  As a New Yorker, I appreciate every aspect of San Francisco’s unique charm and its ability to inspire endless curiosity. 

Many years ago, while meandering in and around Pac Heights, I ventured out and found my way to Chinatown. As I strolled along Grant Street, I came across a tea shop. Always drawn to efficiently designed, small spaces I entered the shop and was warmly greeted by the owner’s son.

He introduced himself and asked me about my favorite teas. What? Favorite teas? At that point in my life, I bought bagged teas from the supermarket. I did not know any tea beyond the highly flavored fruity “stuff” from my chain supermarket.

With kindness and grace and the supreme knowledge of a 3rd generation tea purveyor of Chinese teas, the owner’s son spent the entire afternoon introducing me to white teas such as Bai Mudan and Silver Needle, high mountain oolongs from Formosa, Phoenix & Wuyi. With the introduction of each tea, each one advanced to my new favorite. Dragon well was my preferred tea, followed by Lapsang Souchong, a sultry, smoldering loose black tea, and the Pu’erh. Each having a wildly different flavor profile, I was hooked on the varying experiences and could not decide. I was incredibly stunned to learn that there were so many options to consider.

We discussed the art of tea, the history of tea, the cultural and ceremonial aspects of tea, and its global influence. He introduced me to mythical legends and fables of how tea was discovered and shared around the world.

From that day on, I became incredibly curious about tea. I was curious about its journey through history and its impact on the world. I began reading books about the history of tea, the art of tea, and the culture of tea. As I networked with other tea connoisseurs, I was introduced to other tea-producing regions of the world. I took tea certification classes.

Like a wine sommelier, my palate matured and while there were thousands of tea options for me to select, I understood that I was only interested in teas grown sustainably by small farmers. The authenticity of artisanal teas grown by farmers who only use traditional, natural, clean practices, valuing the long-term soil and surrounding environment health.

There is a universality of tea being recognized and accepted by everyone. Initially, I started by sharing my tea-learning hobby by gifting teas. The gifting was successful because the teas were well received. As I began to ponder a “career shift” to become a small business owner. I sought advice and help from friends. They were instrumental in helping me establish a brand, a name for the company, and a logo that reflects my values and would be welcoming to customers.  From that, I took my hobby and transitioned it into a business.

The craftsmanship behind artisanal teas and the stories they carry brings me joy and I am thrilled to be able to share these carefully sourced teas, each with its own history and flavor profile.

Thank you for joining me on this beautiful tea journey.  It’s amazing how a chance encounter in a small tea shop ignited such a passion. 

If there is a tea that you are interested in that you do not see on the website, please contact me so that I can procure the tea that you want. Renee.rubens@symphonyofleavestea.com

Regards,

Renee