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Jolene's Tea House in Banff: A Life-Long Passion for Tea

Jolene's Tea House in Banff: A Life-Long Passion for Tea

With a vision of sharing the charming beauty of the Rocky Mountains through a cup of tea, Jolene’s Tea House has been hand-blending delicious organic teas in Banff National Park since 2005. Offering over 60 unique tea blends, this woman-owned business offers a variety of black, green, oolong, and white teas, as well as Pu-erh, yerba mate, matcha, and caffeine-free options.

Jolene’s inspiration and drive to start the company sprouted from a childhood tradition; “I grew up on a farm in rural Alberta and the tradition of tea is a wonderful memory from my childhood. Our home, like most households of that time, had a hutch where we stored our special china sets and crystal glassware. When family and neighbours stopped in for a visit, my mother would always put that kettle on, retrieve our china cups, and we’d gather in a room reserved purely for tea and conversation. This simple ceremony was a great pleasure of mine, and it sparked my life-long passion for tea.”

Inspired by the mountains, Jolene’s hope is that her passion for Banff, hospitality, and tea will shine through in every cup. Jolene’s Tea House is nestled in one of Banff’s most historic buildings; the Old Crag Cabin, which was built in 1890, and you will want to add it to the “must visit” list next time you are in Banff to get the full experience.

Below is a recipe that uses one of our favourite teas from Jolene's Tea House, the Creamy Earl Grey!

Earl Grey and Vanilla Sugar Cookies

Recipe from Baking Bites

Ingredients:

  • 2 ¼ cups all purpose flour*
  • ½ tsp baking powder*
  • ½ tsp baking soda*
  • ½ tsp salt*
  • ¾ cup butter, room temperature
  • 1 ½ cups sugar*
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 2-3 tsp Creamy Earl Grey (finely ground)*
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract*
  • 1/3 cup sugar, for rolling*

    • *Available package-free at The Apothecary in Inglewood and through Mobile Refill

    Method:

    1. Preheat oven to 350. Line your baking sheet with parchment paper.

    2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

    3. In a large bowl, cream together butter & sugar until light and fluffy.

    4. Beat in your eggs, adding them one at a time, followed by the tea. Add in the vanilla extract and mix well until combined.

    5. With your mixer on low speed, gradually incorporate the flour mixture until the dough comes together and no streaks of dry ingredients remain.

    6. Place the 1/3 cup sugar in a shallow bowl and shape the dough into 1 inch balls, and roll in the sugar to coat completely.

    7. Arrange your cookies on the prepared baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches in between each ball.

    8. Bake for 11-14 minutes, until cookies are set and very light golden around the edges. Allow to cool for 3-4 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

    Posted by Ryliegh on 9/25/2023 to Promotions