My daughter Katelynn and I enjoyed a farewell tea to celebrate her trip to Peru. She has taken a 6 month volunteer position with a non-profit organization called Seeds of Hope -Peru. She will be the International Volunteer Coordinator for the organization.

For our tea, we enjoyed the Pineapple Blooming Tea from the set she presented to me on my birthday earlier this year. This snugly wrapped bulb bloomed into a cluster of three dainty, yellow chrysanthemums sitting atop a basket of green tea leaves. The citrus tone of pineapple did emerge in our cups to transport us to our own tropical retreat. Our Kansas humid weather helped to encourage this illusion!

While in Peru, Katelynn promised to look for local Peruvian tea for me. My research finds that Peru has had tea plantations in the past but these have mostly been abandoned. There are a few small tea farmers who are trying to rekindle the trade but there are many obstacles to this endeavor. I look forward to visiting my daughter in Peru and searching out a local tea grower and hopefully a few beekeepers too. Stay tuned for those adventures.