This being Southern California in the mid 1960 s, tea wasn t
the most currently trendy stimulant on offer, but Richard found a
ready acolyte for his tea companion in me. I ve always appreciated those who
take what they do seriously, no matter what it is and Richard treated the
creation and serving of tea as an art form, comparable in rigidity and
understated elegance to the Japanese tea
ceremony. After establishing that
I was worthy of instruction, he took me on a grand tour of tea, encompassing the entire oeuvre from Oolong to Lapsang Souchong, Lung Ching to
Jasmine, Herbal tea to Chai. All prepared meticulously and served with an