Tea Is A Good Friend of Mine - Celia Carmen Aceae

November 20, 2019

Here's another great interview - meet Celia Carmen Aceae!

What’s your name and what part of the world do you live in?

Hi! My name is Celia Carmen Aceae and I live in Montreal, QC, Canada

How long have you been drinking tea? What’s the story, morning glory?

I’ve been drinking tea since I can remember. In my house, we never drank water and there was no rule against children consuming caffeine at all! I’ve only recently realized that the reason my sister and I were always labeled as crazy, wild and hyper at school, was probably because my mom sent us to class every day with a giant jug of tea. We were constantly caffeinated!

Tea also means more than just Camellia sinensis for me. I’ve been reading about medicinal herbs since I was eight. My mother forbade all forms of medication in our household, so I learned at a young age how to cure small ailments with plants and tisanes. My sister was very prone to headaches and anytime she started to get one, I would hop on my bike, pedal to the neighbour’s house down the street, and harvest some branches to brew her up a cup of willow bark tea.

Do you currently work in the Tea industry and if so, what do you do?

Using the herbs and plants around me to make tisanes helped me a great deal in my first career as a Park Ranger and essentially led me to pursue a second career in Horticulture. After an internship studying tea and microgreen production in Japan, I applied to work for DAVIDs TEA. I am very fortunate to have been hired, and I am currently employed as a Tea Research and Development Specialist. I spend my days coming up with new ideas for blends, researching benefits of plants for new concepts, and tasting new teas - LOTS of new teas.

Why do you enjoy drinking Tea? How does Tea make you feel?

Because of the use of plants as remedies in my household, I have always regarded tea blends and tisanes as being extremely powerful. Even though I am now an adult, and can buy an Aspirin if I want, a cup of hot water and the right herbs always feels more comforting and more reliable.

When it comes to C. sinensis, I drink it because I love the flavour and the cozy feeling I get as soon as I take those first few sips. Sometimes Camellia and I have a difficult relationship because tea often triggers my anxiety, especially if I don’t have an outlet for the caffeinated energy I experience. That being said, I sometimes really need the energy, and I could definitely never stop drinking tea. The love is just too strong.

Any special practices or customs you adhere to while drinking your Tea?

I drink tea everywhere, all the time. The only rule I have is that if I am with someone while drinking tea, I must share. I always, always offer up a cup or a sip of my tea, especially if it’s something my companion has never tried before.

What’s your all time favourite kind/blend of Tea?

While studying tea and herbs in Japan I was very fortunate to get to spend some time with a matcha and gyokuro producer. Since then, Gyokuro has been my favourite type of tea, but recently I’ve been drinking our new Anji Green every single day (I’m actually sipping it right now).

Finally, what book are you currently reading?

Oooohhh… I’m actually reading four right now.

1. The Rosie Result – Graeme Simsion

2. La Bible au Féminin – Marek Halter

3. High School – Tegan and Sara

4. Three Cups of Tea – Greg Mortenson, David Oliver