Often, during work, I'm asked if I genuinely still enjoy drinking tea in my free time, after spending my entire workday surrounded by it. My answer is that you never get tired of tea, because there's always something new to learn in the world of tea!

Today, I'm already in a completely different mood – the last working hours before going on holiday are upon me. I thought I'd drink – surprise, surprise – a lot of tea on my holiday. Tea is a truly relaxing drink because even though it contains caffeine, the L-theanine it contains takes the edge off the caffeine. Your alertness remains steady, but your mind can still calm down. The more infusions you drink from the same leaves, the more calming it is.

There are many reasons, but here are the two most important: When you use the same leaves many times, the amount of caffeine in the infusions decreases, but the leaves still release a lot of flavor and other calming compounds. Drinking tea is also a calming activity in itself! It forces you to stay still and focus on the moment. I warmly recommend trying Ying Guang oolong or Pai Mu Tan white tea, and infusing the same leaves an outrageously many times. I usually do about ten infusions myself! By raising the temperature, much more flavor can be found, and the leaves can even be boiled at the end. It does require some effort, but the end result is definitely worth it.

Have enjoyable brewing moments! Remember, the best cup of tea is always, in the end, the one you enjoy the most.