If there is something that is practiced by every culture I’ve ever encountered is boiling leaves, herbs and/or flowers to make comforting or delicious drinks. In my household my mother preferred teas over conventional medicine : anis estrella for the stomach, manzanilla for insomnia and bugambilia to scare the flu away were amongst the many “creations' that she came up with over the years to alleviate even the most stubborn of pains.

But it was not until I tried tea in Taiwan that I found an amazing array of flavors connected to the different leaves, processes and ways to prepare it. Tea leaves, just like agave, are great and ancient storytellers. Not only have humans consumed tea for thousands of years but some of the trees used to make puer can be more than hundred years old. When I met Mónica Favila, today’s invitee, I was thrilled at the prospect of better understanding this medium and trying some of the delicious expressions that she collects.