ISSUE NO. 002
In This Issue: Moroccan Mint • The Story Behind the Cup • The Art of the Pour • Classic Moroccan Mint Tea • Set the Table • Print & Keep
September has always felt like a month standing between two seasons.
Summer hasn't completely packed her bags, but autumn has started knocking at the door. The mornings begin to change. The light feels a little different. Gardens start preparing for what comes next, and somehow we begin doing the same.
We clear things out. We reorganize. We reconsider what we want to carry into the months ahead.
And sometimes, we let things go.
That sounds beautiful when it's written neatly on a page, but letting go doesn't always feel beautiful while you're doing it. Sometimes it feels uncomfortable. Sometimes it leaves an empty space where something familiar used to be.
But eventually, something shifts.
You realize the space isn't empty.
It's room.
Room to breathe. Room to notice what's around you. Room for something new to grow.
Maybe that's why mint feels so perfect for September.
There is something unmistakably refreshing about it. Before you've even taken the first sip, the fragrance reaches you. Fresh. Green. Clean. Almost like opening a window after the rain.
So for this issue of The Tea Journal, we're filling the table with mint.
Fresh bundles of it, Beautiful glasses, A silver teapot.
Something sweet on the side.
And we're traveling, at least through our teacups, to Morocco to discover one of the world's most beautiful tea traditions.
More Than Mint in a Cup
If you've never had traditional Moroccan mint tea, you might assume it's simply mint leaves steeped in hot water.
There's a little more to the story.
Moroccan mint tea is traditionally prepared with green tea, fresh spearmint and sugar. Gunpowder green tea is commonly used, giving the drink a slightly stronger, more structured base beneath all that beautiful fresh mint.
And the tea itself is only part of the tradition.
In Morocco, tea is closely connected with hospitality. Preparing and serving it can be an act of welcome, generosity and gathering. A pot of tea arriving at the table isn't something to rush through on the way to something else.
It is the moment.
Perhaps that's one of the reasons I love tea traditions from around the world so much. They remind us that something as ordinary as pouring a drink can become meaningful when we give it our attention.
The Mint Behind the Cup
Spearmint is the star of this tea.
Compared with peppermint, spearmint generally has a softer, sweeter character. It gives Moroccan mint tea that wonderfully fresh aroma without completely overpowering the green tea beneath it.
Fresh mint is especially lovely here because this is a tea you experience before you ever taste it.
Rub a mint leaf gently between your fingers and you'll understand.
That fragrance is immediate.
It's one of those herbs that seems determined to announce its presence.
When you're choosing mint for your pot, look for leaves that are vibrant and green rather than wilted or heavily bruised. Wash the sprigs well and don't be afraid to use a generous handful. Moroccan mint tea isn't the moment for three lonely mint leaves floating around the pot.
We want mint.
Classic Moroccan Mint Tea
There are many family and regional variations of Moroccan mint tea, and that's part of what makes traditional foods and drinks so interesting.
For our Tea Journal kitchen, we're keeping this version simple and approachable while honoring the classic combination of green tea, fresh mint and sweetness.
You'll Need
Serves approximately 4
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1 tablespoon Chinese gunpowder green tea
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4 cups hot water
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1 large handful fresh spearmint, plus extra for serving
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Sugar to taste
To Prepare
Warm your teapot with a little hot water, swirl it around, and discard the water.
Add the gunpowder green tea to the pot.
Pour in a small amount of hot water, gently swirl, and pour it away. This quick rinse can help open the tea leaves.
Add the fresh spearmint generously to the pot.
Pour in approximately four cups of hot water and add sugar according to your preference.
Allow the tea to steep for several minutes.
Gently mix the tea before serving so the flavors and sweetness are distributed throughout the pot.
Then comes the beautiful part.
Pour.
The Art of the Pour
If you've ever watched Moroccan tea being served, you may have noticed something rather dramatic.
The teapot starts close to the glass and then rises.
Higher.
Higher.
And somehow the tea still lands beautifully inside.
That elevated pour isn't merely beautiful to watch. It can help aerate the tea and contribute to the light foam that appears at the top of the glass.
You certainly don't have to start practicing from three feet above your kitchen counter.
Please spare the white blouse.
Start comfortably.
As you become more confident, raise the teapot slightly higher and enjoy the ritual of it.
There is something wonderful about taking an ordinary movement and doing it with intention.
Set the Moroccan Mint Table
Now that the tea is ready, we have to talk about the table.
Because this is The Tea Journal, and we're never going to leave a beautiful pot of tea sitting lonely on the kitchen counter.
For this table, begin with cream or white linen and allow the fresh mint to provide most of your color.
Place overflowing bundles of mint in small bowls or glasses along the table. Add white flowers such as roses or jasmine, keeping the arrangements loose rather than overly formal.
If you have decorative tea glasses, bring them out.
Use a beautiful tray for the teapot.
Then add something small to eat.
Dates and almonds are easy additions. Fresh figs are gorgeous when they're in season. A plate of pastries adds warmth and makes the table feel generous.
You don't need to recreate a Moroccan dining room.
The goal isn't imitation.
It's inspiration.
A little silver.
A little green.
Beautiful food.
Fresh flowers.
And enough room around the table for someone to join you.
What to Serve With Moroccan Mint Tea
Mint tea loves company.
For an easy afternoon table, try serving it alongside dates, figs, almonds, honeyed pastries or a simple citrus cake.
The brightness of citrus works beautifully beside fresh mint, while dates and honey bring sweetness and warmth to the table.
You don't need five desserts and an elaborate menu.
One beautiful cake sliced at the table with a pot of mint tea can be enough.
Actually, that sounds like a pretty wonderful September afternoon.
Print & Keep
Classic Moroccan Mint Tea
This month's addition to your Tea Journal collection is our Classic Moroccan Mint Tea Recipe Card.
Print it.
Tuck it into your recipe binder.
And the next time you find yourself with an overflowing bunch of fresh mint, pull it out and put the kettle on.
[ DOWNLOAD YOUR MOROCCAN MINT TEA RECIPE CARD ]
A Little Room for Something New
Maybe that's what I like most about mint.
Cut it back and somehow it finds its way forward again.
Fresh growth appears.
New leaves unfold.
And before long, what looked bare isn't bare anymore.
Life can be a little like that.
There are seasons when we have to clear something away without immediately knowing what will take its place. We release what has become too heavy, too crowded or simply no longer belongs at our table.
Then we wait.
And somewhere in that newly opened space, something begins to grow.
So perhaps September doesn't need to be about having everything figured out.
Maybe it can simply be about making a little room.
Opening the window.
Clearing the table.
Putting fresh mint in the pot.
And allowing yourself to discover what comes next.
Until Next Issue
Maybe letting go isn't always about losing something.
Sometimes it's simply clearing the table so there's room for what comes next.
And if you happen to have a beautiful pot of Moroccan mint tea waiting on that table?
Even better.
Until next issue, may your kettle stay warm, your table stay welcoming, and your cup always remind you to leave a little room for something new.
The Rooted Vines Tea Journal
Before You Go
🍵 Brew Next
Discover Moroccan Mint and explore the Rooted Vines tea collection.
📖 Print & Keep
Download this month's Classic Moroccan Mint Tea Recipe Card and add it to your Tea Journal collection.
🌿 Set the Table
Fresh mint, white flowers, cream linen and something sweet. Sometimes that's all a beautiful table needs.