A CUPPA WITH KIMBERLY HASSELBRINK

Kimberly Hasselbrink is a friend, fellow photographer, recipe developer, lover of the freshest produce, biggest mountains and creator of a beautiful blog, The Year in Food. I forget how we first met, but I'm so glad we did. Every time I find myself in San Francisco, we make time for a great meal and a flood of conversation (I think we talked about life, picture making, food and the rest of it for 8 hours straight during one particluar visit!). Kimberly makes an annual road trip to Montana and stops by in Portland for a little reprieve, berry picking and laughter. My friend also has a cookbook on deck with Ten Speed Publishing and I couldn't be more excited for what this lady brings forth into the printed world-- her passion for color, simplicity and relentless elegance in every recipe she cooks and shoots is undeniably inspiring.

What is your favorite type of tea and how do you take it? Right now I really love Tazo's Awake Tea ... it's a bracing black tea and perfect first thing in the morning. I put a little honey or sugar and some almond milk in it.

How does tea punctuate your day? Somehow, I stopped drinking coffee about a month ago, because I ran out of coffee beans one day and tea was around, and I haven't looked back. It's fun to develop a new ritual and explore all the myriad tea varieties. I like that I can drink cups of it throughout the day without feeling super jittery or wound up. So I guess I'm kind of newly enamored and always looking forward to my next cup.

My tea accompaniment of choice is: In the morning, it's with a bowl of oatmeal or eggs. Throughout the day, I have it on its own. At night, ginger tea or some kind of yummy dessert-ish tea with popcorn or fruit or chocolate.

NPR most of the time, or minor-chorded folky somethings like Neil Young or Phosphorescent; Ahmad Jahmal or quiet piano-y stuff when I need to focus  . . . is on when I'm having tea.
I first started drinking tea when . . . Probably when I was a kooky teenager trying to be bohemian and cool.

My dream tea party would include . . . . A bunch of smart, hilarious, vibrant folks who make me laugh and think.

When I sip from my tea cup, I . . . Take a pause, a moment, a breath.