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Around we go - by Heidi Dixon

In my hands, the clay feels foreign, unimaginative — a blob of undetermined value. Like an amateur in front of a blank canvas, my mind can’t begin to comprehend how to fashion this 2 1/2 pound brown mass into a bowl or a mug. While the process is relatively simple, it’s long and mesmerizing. Observing the clay change on the wheel is like watching a flower bloom within your palms. It’s resilient, yet fragile. One wrong move can compromise the integrity of the piece, but adding more clay, or starting over could rectify a mistake.My husband and I sit at our respective wheels in our three-hour pottery class. It’s our first time throwing clay, and everything is new: learning how to push...

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Rein (by guest blogger Heidi Dixon Kwon)

  Outside, fallen leaves peek out from the thinly layered snow. I’ve moved all my summer clothes back into their respective boxes, and have pulled out my woven sweaters and thick winter jackets. Sitting cross-legged in our spare room, surrounded by random appliances, I wonder how quickly a year came and went. I wonder how many times I’ll think this throughout the years.  If you blink, you’ll miss December. The holiday season is hectic and dizzying. There is family and friends to see, holiday parties to attend, dinners to host, and gifts to buy, wrap and send. But, there’s also something sweet and resonating about this season. In the last month of the year, it can be an opportunity to...

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Lemon Ginger Glazed Pumpkin by FLT co-founder Donna Lo

Autumn is here, with the abundance of all sorts of delicious squash in the markets.  I am always on the look out for delicious ways to enjoy squash.  In the recipe below, I combine one of my favorite cold-weather non-caffeinated organic herbal tea blends, Lemon Ginger, with pumpkin (which can be replaced with any kind of squash or root vegetables like sweet potato) for a comforting (with a bit of a kick!) side dish, or snack, perfect for autumn.   Ingredients: 1 pumpkin  (3-4 lbs), cut into wedges with seeds removed 1 tbsp olive oil 1/2 tsp salt 2 tbsp ground Lemon Ginger tea blend in a tea bag 1 cup water 1 cup brown sugar 1/2 tsp chili flakes ...

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Crazy Love (by guest blogger Heidi Dixon Kwon)

Voices overlap as our rented van zips through the rainy streets of Seattle. My dad is driving and everyone else is joining in as the chorus of backseat drivers: “Take a left here!” “There’s a spot over there!” “Turn your wheel more to the right!” “Watch out there’s a car here!” There are eight polarizing personalities confined to this van, embraced only by blood and marriage, and it’s absolute chaos. My family is spread across the United States; most are sprinkled across the west coast, while a handful of us live in the east coast. It’s a rare treat when we get to be in the same city, but it can also be strenuous. Time spent with my family, like...

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TEA MAKERS PROFILE: WRITER & PROFESSOR JEN

At Far Leaves Tea, we call those who drink loose leaf tea, Tea Makers, because they don't just drink tea as a beverage.  They take the time to make and experience loose leaf tea through the numerous different infusions as the tea leaves unfurl.  In the spirit of learning more about how these Tea Makers began their tea journey and their tea rituals, we are, of course, sitting down and having tea with them.   Following chef Mark Gordon as our first Tea Maker Profile guest, we were excited to invite our long time fan Jen, writer and professor of journalism, join us for a tea dialogue on her loose leaf tea journey. Q: Why do you drink loose leaf tea, Jen? A:...

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