If you’re a fan of Joy McCarthy and her holistic nutrition business, Joyous Health, then you may be aware that she’s also a tea lover. She once shared a list of some teas she was currently loving, and I’ve been following her blog ever since! From creating and selling her own herbal tea, to sharing recipes for her joyous style London Fog, Joy promotes guilt-free tea moments. However, she didn’t start drinking tea for the health benefits. In fact, Joy has been a tea drinker way before she became a certified holistic nutritionist. At the tea table we discussed her earliest tea memories, one of her favourite recipes to pair with tea, and some Toronto cafes that she recommends for a tea break, and of course, London Fog lattes.
The kettle is on and I can hear it about to sing. What tea are you going to steep for us today?
An organic green rooibos tea with milk thistle, lemongrass and ginger!
I think it’s safe to say that it’s no secret you’re a big fan of London Fogs. I have tried your own recipe before and it was delicious! But, can you go back and recall one of your earliest tea memories?
My first tea memories are with my maternal grandmother. She loved her orange pekoe tea with milk and sugar. It was always so comforting sharing this experience with my grandma along with some cookies and wonderful conversation. And it always felt like a treat because we didn’t use sugar at home!
How would you describe the connection between your health + wellness profession and your love for tea?
I’ve always been a tea drinker, even before I became a holistic nutritionist. I remember as a teenager, drinking green tea because I was sure it would boost my metabolism (and it does!). Drinking tea is an extremely healthy beverage and also a wonderful way to up your hydration assuming you’re having caff-free tea. Being healthy and drinking tea go hand and hand. There are so many health benefits to tea that it just makes sense if you’re taking care of yourself, then you’re drinking tea!
If you could pair a tea with one of your joyous recipes on your website what would that pairing look like?
Any and all of my recipes go well with tea! But if I had to pick just one, I would say my carrot cake balls. I love tea and cookies, but healthy cookies of course so my carrot cake balls are incredibly flavourful and super good for you, too! Find that delicious recipe here.
Those carrot cake balls definitely sound like the perfect tea time treat! Take us on a tour of your city’s cafes. What are your favourites and what would you recommend there?
There are many wonderful cafes in the city of Toronto. I go to the Good Neighbour in the junction, Fantail on Roncy and Nut Bar in Summerhill (when I’m in the area) – those are some of my fave places. I often get London Fogs, that’s my go-to. But if it’s 12pm or later, I skip the caffeinated teas and go for a rooibos tea.
Get Joy’s London Fog recipe on her Joyous Health blog here.
Speed Round:
Black, Green, Yellow, White, Oolong or Puerh?
Black in the morning, herbal tea in the afternoon.
Hot, Iced or Cold?
Both. If it’s hot out, then cold brewed tea, but never if it’s a London Fog, always warm.
Teapot, Infuser or Gaiwan?
Teapot and infuser. I use both.
Straight, Sweetened or Latte?
For a London Fog I add a little bit of maple syrup, herbal teas I sometimes add raw honey but more often then not I don’t add anything.
Cheese or Chocolate pairing?
Yes to chocolate! I like any and all tea with a square or 2 or 3 of Giddy YoYo or ChocoSol raw chocolate.
Choose one person, living or passed, celebrity or family, that you would like to have tea with.
I would like to have tea with my grandma again just so I could tell her how much our grocery shopping excursions and sitting in her backyard meant to me. She was so incredibly loving and sweet, just like my Mama 🙂