“At no other time (than autumn) does the earth let itself be inhaled in one smell, the ripe earth; in a smell that is in no way inferior to the smell of the sea, bitter where it borders on taste, and more honeysweet where you feel it touching the first sounds. Containing depth within itself, darkness, something of the grave almost.”
― Rainer Maria Rilke, Letters on Cézanne
It happens to be the case that autumn is referred to as the season of wilting and dying within the field of literature. Yet at the same time this season has an unbelievably romantic aspect to it as well. This is the dual aspect of the autumnal season that results in a bewildering combination of, for example, the joyful act of carving pumpkins with family and friends but the ubiquitous scary faces often seen fashioned into them for today’s Halloween parties. Autumn is more colourful and less mysterious than winter as a feeling of both beauty and sorrow lingers in the air while the excitement builds towards the festive celebrations at the end of the year.
In certain parts of the world such as Japan and the New England section of America, autumn is very much hailed as a popular time to visit in order to appreciate the vivid beauty of nature like the turning of the colours of the leaves on trees. The rich combinations of red, orange, gold, brown and green provides a visual warmth as the weather cools. Equally, certain cultures like that of Japan place an emphasis on seasonal sensitivity with respect to decoration in the context of aesthetics. With each change of season, households will now change the decorative elements in their homes to display autumnal colours and objects, seasonal foods like pumpkins and chestnuts are offered and even greeting cards and letters will be designed with autumnal images, motifs and hues.
But one need not necessarily be Japanese to have this intense appreciation of seasonality. When engaged in hospitality of your own, why not also incorporate this sensitivity of the seasons with even the drinks that are offered to yourself and any guests you may invite over? When considering herbal infusions, the focus is normally on the flavours of the infusions with not as much regard for the striking visuals they can also offer in glass teapots during entertainment.
Within the Nazani Tea collection, you will see certain herbals produce intense colours when brewed and certain products are perfect to match with autumn. These include Safflower, Olive Leaf, our brand new Wild Rooibos that has just arrived, any of the herbals combined with cocoa beans and the accompanying pumpkin crystals we offer for everyone to naturally sweeten our herbals. Herbal infusions not only have health benefits, calming aromas, relaxing feelings and various flavours but also offer a delight for the eyes whether as teas, mocktails or cocktails.
