While tea traveling in Paris, Victoria Goods and Trading Company’s goal was to locate tea rooms that specialized in favorite teas of the world. We discovered Lupicia, which has a sleek and modern tea room near the medieval cathedral of Saint Germain Des Pres in Paris in the 6th arrondissement. Lupicia is based out of Japan and has over more than 400 teas and many tasting rooms around the world.
Its just a few stores away from Les Deux Magots, which was the hangout of legend and my hero, Ernest Hemingway. When I think of who I want to become as a writer, it’s Mr. Hemingway, who was dedicated to his art and lived a life of storytelling and adventure. The two are not related, but I loved that they were practically next door to each other and found it quite inspirational. I had just been to Musee D’ Orsay to see the Berthe Morisot exhibition and was taking the long back to the Luxembourg Gardens. It was warm, since the last days of summer continued to linger and the skies this afternoon were clear, blue and not a cloud in sight. I was on foot, because when you are in Paris, it’s fabulous experience to walk and be able to soak in the beauty of the architecture and art around every corner. Then, suddenly, there appeared like an emerald green jewel, Lupicia Teas. Visions of refreshing Matcha popped into my head and I headed in to see the tea room and hopefully refresh myself with some delicious Matcha.
For those of you who are not familiar with Matcha, it’s origins are Japan and is a traditional Japanese drink that is hundreds of years old. The tea is grown in shade, which results in a sweet tea leaf. The leaves are ground with a stone mill into a fine powder, which is stored in powder form, until it is ready to be prepared for drinking. Matcha is currently taking world tea drinkers by storm because when it’s ingested you absorb vitamins, minerals, catechin, theanine and many other nutrients. Matcha powdered green tea has 137 times more antioxidants than regularly brewed green tea. Matcha is calming, relaxing, boosts metabolism, detoxifies and enhances mood and concentration.
As I entered the tearoom, I immediately knew I had made the right decision. The atmosphere was calming and cool. The showroom was bright, with a well designed lay out for showcasing cutting edge tea making supplies and the exquisite teas that Lupicia sources from around the world.
I was greeted by a friendly, attractive staff that was multilingual. I had noticed this visit to Paris, that people who worked in the shops, hotel and and transportation, quickly picked up on my accent offered to speak in my language. They were extremely accommodating about it and it was very nice to have that option. I was seated in the tearoom which was designed to provide comfort and not distract from the tea and food. I ordered a a Matcha Satsuma and the patisserie of the day , Natsu Matsuri. A mouth watering concoction consisting of fine layers of buttery sponge cake layered with fresh cream and strawberry gelee.
The Matcha was sweet, cooling and refreshing with a slight bitter under taste. It was a beautiful hue of dark green and the aroma was vibrant. The accompanying dessert was exquisite and treat to the palette. Sweet, light and gluten free, it paired quite well with Matcha.
After taking tea, I took a tour around the showroom. There was a great selection of teas and supplies for tea making and
the hosts were really helpful. There was a beautiful array of tea pots and devices from around the world for making tea. It was all beautifully designed in a contemporary setting.
By the time I left Lupicia, I felt completely refreshed and excited with a host of new knowledge about teas of the world. I would highly recommend stopping in while in Paris, it’s a fresh alternative to the traditional sights of Paris, but at that same time compliments the experience so well.
