Senior Connections Senior Connections May 2019

GARDEN NOOK from Pg 5 their community to be strictly Dassel, but it also in- cludes Cokato, Litchﬁ eld, Hutchinson, Howard Lake, Waverly, Annandale, and Saint Cloud. “We get people from everywhere,” Kaiser stated. “It’s all about the people who walk in the door and get to experience the joy of tea.” The art of tea When it comes to serving tea, Kaiser and Hoffman said they are all about quality; what goes into it and what doesn’t go into it. Most of their tea comes from two main vendors: Tea- Source (based out of Minnesota) and Adagio (based out of New Jersey). The sisters thought it was neat how their companies of choice ended up being from the states each of them resided. They also have a few products from Ashbys of Lon- don and PG Tips. About 130 teas are available at the Garden Nook, and Kaiser said they have the option of getting at least 400 more. “People will come in, say, ‘We’ll I’ve had this in a bag,’ [and we ask,] ‘Well, what’s in it?’ So, they list off the ingredients, and we do some investigating, and we’ll ﬁ nd one,” shared Hoffman. Kaiser estimates at least 30 of the shop’s teas are from customers’ personal requests. The option to try some of the shop’s teas is available every Tuesday from 4 to 6 p.m., where ﬁ ve teas can be tasted for $5 (plus tax), and includes a snack. Four of the teas will already be brewed, and the cus- tomer gets to select the ﬁ fth tea off the menu, if he/she would like. An important aspect of tea brewing that some may not realize is that each type of tea has its own prepara- tion process (even though most of them are made from the same tea leaf). For instance, a white tea is best when brewed between 160-170 degrees Fahrenheit (not boiling; 212 degrees Fahrenheit). It’s the same with green tea. “Most people think green tea is a bitter tea,” said Kaiser. “Well, it is if you boil the water, cause it burns the leaves. If you do it at 170, 175, 180 [de- grees], it’s a very smooth cup of tea.” “So, it’s been a learn- ing process for the com- munity,” Kaiser contin- ued, “and we will not brew it inappropriately. We had a person who wanted a green tea, but she wanted it boiling. I said, ‘I will not do it boil- ing. I will microwave it if you want me to,’ but nei- ther of us will brew it at a temp it doesn’t say.” Something to nibble In addition to its large assortment of teas, the Garden Nook also offers some sustaining foods to pair alongside them, such as soups, salads, and sandwiches. One of the most pop- ular menu items is the chicken salad sandwich. “We wanted some- thing different,” shared 6 Senior Connections May 2019 Kaiser, “So, we took about four or ﬁ ve different recipes, took what we liked out of them, and played.” “And we don’t measure,” added Hoffman. “People like it – a lot,” said Kaiser. Recently, the sisters have started supplying Mary Pekkala’s (of Dassel) My Kitchen products, such as pastries, cinnamon rolls, caramel rolls, and gluten-free buns for sandwiches. They hope to eventually add My Kitchen bread and pies to their menu. Daily soups and scones are posted on the Garden Nook Tea and Gifts Facebook page, and take-out is available for those on the go. Gifts all around Making up much of the Garden Nook’s decor and atmosphere are the gift items available for purchase. “Dassel’s small,” commented Kaiser. “Not every- body wants to drive to Saint Cloud or Hutch for a gift. So, we thought, let’s add some gifts.” The Garden Nook is now switching over to its spring collection, and hopes to have some baby-shower gift items available in the near future. First communion and conﬁ rmation gifts have ar- rived, and graduation gifts are expected to be ready for sale soon. Bags of the teas and coffee the Garden Nook serves can also be purchased. If customers cannot ﬁ nd the item they had in mind, Kaiser and Hoffman said they are willing to seek it. “The gifts are really really taking off,” Hoffman commented. The Garden Nook has also been contributing to the Dassel community by being open during its occasional shop weekends, the Fall Art Tour, and Dazzle in Das- sel. In the future, they hope to help organize a Women’s Night Out in Dassel, as well as make their tea and gifts available for ordering online. “We have a lot of goals,” shared Kaiser. “We’re al- ways told, ‘Don’t leap in; start slow and build.’ So, that’s what we’re trying to do.” “But we’re having fun, and that’s the thing: we’re sis- ters having fun,” said Hoffman. Garden Nook Hours Tuesday – 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tea Tasting Tuesdays – 4-6 p.m. Wednesday – 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday – 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday – 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Sunday, Monday – open for private parties, occasional sale weekends (9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.), and special events. Tuesday, April 2- Friday, April 5 In celebration of Garden Nook Tea & Gifts’ ﬁ rst anniversary, special events will be taking place at the shop daily. These events will be announced on social media. Senior Connections HJ.COM

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