Sipping Tea: Intro to the Chinese Herbal Pantry + DIY TCM Tea Workshop

the vibe

Presented as part of tiat's Chinamaxxing exhibition programming, Sipping Tea is a beginner-friendly introduction to the modern Chinese herbal pantry. Traditional Chinese Medicine is a living, everyday practice; this workshop invites participants to explore, touch, and taste new and familiar ingredients to develop a deeper understanding of how TCM can be brought into one's daily life. The session will open with a short grounding in the core tenets of TCM, including yin and yang and the five flavor system that organizes Chinese herbal medicine. From there, participants will learn to recognize and understand the medicinal qualities of 10+ common TCM herbs, alongside a flight of accompanying caffeine-free herbal teas. After the tasting, participants will blend their own custom herbal tea mixes based on palate and health interests at the DIY tea bar. Each participant will take home ~8-10 tea bags. 20% of the ingredients on the bar are organic. This workshop will focus not only on education but also community building, encouraging participants to trade stories and practical experiences of how to fit TCM into your life. Participants leave with custom tea blend, a working vocabulary to understand Chinese medicine herbs, and new friends in the community. Featuring: Unlimited caffeine-free herbal tea Guided intro to 10+ common TCM herbs Light snacks and accompaniments DIY tea bar with a custom blend and take-home samples -------------- Schedule 7:00-7:10 — Introductions and Setup…