To celebrate our 125th anniversary, we will explore some of the most fascinating tea rituals in the world. The Tuareg ceremony - the Asarouf in the desert - the Chàn Chá of the Shaolin monks, the preparation of tea with butter and salt typical of Tibet and the Indian Chayakada. The English Victorian ceremony closes the cycle of events, faithfully reproduced in the sweet and savory menu and in the choice of teas, with tablecloths, cups, teapots and period plates in a splendid Christmas setting.

On October 15th the five appointments led by tea experts and organized by Carla Massi, journalist and tea sommelier, and by Chiara Bedini, owner of Babingtons together with her cousin Rory Bruce and great-granddaughter of one of the founders of the tea room.

Tea ceremonies will be held on Monday (15 and 29 October, 12 and 26 November, 13 December) from 19.00 to 21.00 and during each meeting tea will be served in combination to sweet and savory foods. Price per person: € 30 for the first four events, € 48 for the English royal ceremony, € 150 to attend all five events. For information and reservations write to [email protected] or call 06 6786027.

PROGRAM OF TEA CEREMONIES IN THE WORLD

Monday 15 October: desert tea

The first of our five trips takes us to the Sahara desert, with the Asarouf Ceremony, the ritual with which the Tuareg wish good wishes to their guests and to the travelers they meet on their way. Drinking tea for nomads means relaxing, making friends and alliances. Refusing a cup in the desert is considered hostility. Thanks to Sedik, it will be like sipping a cup of tea while relaxing in a tent under a starry sky, just like in the middle of the desert. Furthermore, Stefano Ardito, one of the biggest names in journalism and travel books, will illustrate the land of the nomadic people and their tradition.

Monday 29 October: Shaolin monastery tea

The second appointment will lead us into Chinese culture, with a trip to the Shaolin monastery in the company of Master Shi Yan Hu , a 34th generation Shaolin warrior monk. A cup of tea to demonstrate how Zen philosophy meets traditional medicine and culture. In fact, for millennia this culture has believed that physical and mental well-being is achieved through meditation, the practice of martial arts and the observance of the principles of the ancient art of healing.

Monday 12 November: tea at high altitude

For the third appointment, we invited Nyima Dhondup, a genuine Tibetan, who, sipping traditional black tea with salt and butter, will take us to the roof of the world in the Tibetan plateau. Accompanying us along the Himalayas was Stefano Ardito, mountain expert, who has just returned from those enchanted places.

Monday, November 26: Chayakada is served!

In the fourth appointment Melania Lopez Francis, sensory analyst and historiographer, expert Master Blender, specialized and certified in Tea and Coffee, will take us to India, in the Kerala region, the cradle of Ayurveda to get to know the magic, sacred and fascinating world of Indian tea.

Together with Vimal Arackal we will discover the most wonderful customs and traditions of the Kerala hearth and the authentic preparation of Masala Chai, the queen of spices, sweet, very popular in the whole india is known throughout the world.

Thursday 13 December: the royal ceremony

The last meeting of the tea ceremonies will make us relive the unique atmosphere of the English Victorian era. The story goes that in 1837, when Queen Victoria took the throne, she first asked for a cup of tea. Since then, Afternoon Tea, in all its nuances, has been the time of day most loved by the British. And also that of Babingtons. Jane Pettigrew, one of the greatest tea experts and writers in the world, will be our guest in Piazza di Spagna to celebrate the tea ceremony in the magical atmosphere of Christmas.

We are waiting for you to experience the most fascinating and magical tea ceremonies together. To request information or to register, you can write to us at [email protected] or call us at 06 6786027.