17 April 2011

Le Temps Suspendu

"D’où avait pu me venir cette puissante joie? Je sentais qu’elle était liée au goût du thé et du gâteau, mais qu’elle le dépassait infiniment...." -Marcel Proust


C'est bien d'être pragmatique, je pense que je le suis souvent, surtout en comparaison avec mes amis français qui adorent le débat et la théorie au point parfois d'oublier d'agir. Mais la vie sans une bonne dose de poésie de temps en temps ne vaudrait pas vraiment la peine.

I like to consider myself a pragmatic person, culturally an American quality, and especially in comparison with the French, who adore debate and theory so much that they sometimes forget to actually do something. Of course compared to Americans I'm not sure I could be considered pragmatic. I did major in French and Creative Writing after all, and I think, life without a good dose of poetry from time to time would be no life at all!


Un des bons endroits pour se plonger dans la poésie quotidienne (à part dans les pages de Proust, mais vous savez déjà mon avis sur ce sujet) est le magasin de thés Bonthés et Accessoires, 157 rue Marcadet dans le 18e, que nous avons déjà visité ensemble et dont le thé a servi pour plusieurs recettes comme mon chai fait maison. C'était lors d'une de mes visites là-bas, en parcourant la grande liste des thés, que je suis tombée sur "Le Temps Suspendu". J'avoue qu'à ce moment mon côté pragmatique s'est envolé plus vite qu'un oiseau, et j'ai dit, "je ne sais pas ce que c'est, mais j'achète 100g de celui-ci pour le nom."

There are lots of great places to get that dose of poetry in Paris (besides in the pages of Proust - but we all know how I feel about that). One of my favorites is the tea shop Bonthés et Accessoires, 157 rue Marcadet in the 18th arrondissement, which I've visited with you before, and whose tea I've used in quite a few recipes, including my homemade chai. On one of my visits there, as I was browsing the list of teas, I stumbled upon one called "Le Temps Suspendu" (literally "Time Suspended" and a reference to Proust's A la recherche du temps perdu of which the final volume is called Le Temps retrouvé -- what? I did warn you you'd be reading along). I have to admit that my American pragmatism disappeared faster that you could say "Jiminy Cricket" (does anyone actually say that?), and I immediately bought it for the beautiful name.


J'ai eu raison d'écouter la voix de ma poète intérieure. C'est le thé parfait pour un dimanche après-midi, pour accompagné quelques pages de Proust (disons deux ou trois phrases), ou autre chose (non, je ne suis complètement obsédée). Ce thé rooibos (naturellement sans théine) est parfumé de noix de coco et de framboise avec des accents de vanille, des feuilles de mûrier et des pétales de bleuets. Délicieux !

And I was quite right to listen to my inner poet. It's the perfect tea for a Sunday afternoon to accompany a couple pages of Proust (you know, a sentence or two), or some other book or activity (see, I'm not completely obsessed). It's a redbush tea (caffeine free) with coconut, raspberry, vanilla, mulberry leaf and cornflower petals. Delicious!


Donc pour revenir à mon côté pragmatique : si je vous en parle, ce n'est pas juste pour vous rendre jaloux, c'est parce que Bonthés et Accessoires vient d'ouvrir un superbe site de vente en ligne ou on peut voir toute leur séléction de thés avec leurs descriptions, photos, conseils de consommation ainsi que leur confitures maison, théières, chocolats, etc !

So back to my pragmatic side: I'm not telling you all this so you can drool over it theory. Bonthés et Accessoires just recently opened an online store where you can browse their large selection of teas - complete with descriptions, photos and brewing instructions - their beautiful teapots, homemade jams, chocolates, etc. Happy shopping!

(And no, I'm not in any way affiliated, nor do I receive free merchandise from them - although that would be cool!)

6 comments:

Rosa's Yummy Yums said...

A great way of spending your Sunday. I drink tea a lot.

Cheers,

Rosa

Cicero Sings said...

There is a great place to buy tea very close to the condo in Vancouver. I am well stocked with all manner of leaf teas as I buy one or two new ones almost every time I go down. I do miss my tea drinking buddy however.

Anonymous said...

Very good to know. Especially now that I'm down here in the wilds of the Left Bank!

Hopie said...

Rosa - I know tea is so perfect for so many times of day :-)

Cicero - Glad you have a good tea provider. Very important! My D. doesn't drink tea, but luckily it's a pleasure one can enjoy alone. I like to make a pot just for me. It makes me feel like I'm spoiling myself. Of course I'm big on inviting friends over for tea as well!

Camille - Yes, I can't believe you've been exiled so far away from civilization, but at least you can still get good tea without a long trip ;-) Are you liking your new apt?

Caroline said...

I love tea, this would be absolute heaven for me!

Anonymous said...

That looks like a perfect afternoon - pragmatism and all. I love tea and poetry!