TEA JOURNEYS OF ADON ASH, GENERAL MANAGER OF STEEP MOUNTAIN TEA HOUSE
My first memories of tea are my mother making me the occasional cup of chamomile before bed when I was young. However, my love for tea didn’t start until high school. My best friend loved coffee and dragged me to every cafe across Green Bay and the surrounding communities. I was never a fan of the strong bitter brews but I very much enjoyed the sweet, yet spicy chais. From there, I branched out to fruity and floral herbal teas where I stayed for the rest of high school.
Starting fresh in Missoula for college sounded like an exciting new adventure, but moving over 18 hours away from my family and friends had me feeling extremely isolated and depressed… and not at all excited. Without my support system to lean on, I did my best to find a temporary replacement. For me, that became the outdoors. I will always remember my first hike; I felt so accomplished and hopeful, like I was on top of the world (and not just because I summited Lolo Peak). After that, the rugged Montana landscape had its hold on me. The rivers hugged me close, encouraging and soothing me while the mountains raised me up, energizing and inspiring me.
A year after moving to Montana I was completely engrossed with the wild, natural world around me. Obsessed with identifying every tree and wildflower, I soon became fascinated with foraging! The idea of being able to go on a hike and finding local plants I could steep into a tea resonated with my soul. Slowly, my apartment became stuffed with jars full of various dried flowers, leaves, and roots as I grew my home apothecary.
Years later, I feel very fortunate that my support system has moved out to Montana, and to have added one more special person to the mix, my partner Michael. I feel even more fortunate to share this incredible passion I found with all the important people in my life. I love all the wellness benefits tea has to offer, and the ability to remedy all kinds of ailments with the various local flora I’m able to sustainably forage for myself! I’m incredibly grateful to be working at Steep Mountain, where I can continue to grow my passion for teas, and expand my knowledge of herbal remedies. If you stop in to the tea house, I look forward to helping you find the right tea!
