The CIA supports local charities with “A Cup of the Valley”
This Sunday, April 28, coffee and tea lovers attended the 2nd annual “A Cup of the Valley” festival. The event was hosted by the Culinary Institute of America, and featured beverages and pastries from local venders of the Hudson Valley.
The festival held multiple events throughout the day, including a Tea Duel, a performance by the Culinary Institute’s band, and a traditional Japanese tea ceremony. Nick Olgee, a participant of the Tea Duel, says more people should come to events like this one. “I knew I had nothing to do this Sunday, so I went online to look for something fun to do,” Olgee said. “Now I’m wearing a balloon hat, became a finalist in a tea duel, and I’m about to look at some latte art.”
The Tea Duel was hosted by Dolly and Birdie, two steampunkers. To win the duel, a competitor dunks a biscuit into tea for five seconds, and eating it without Tea dripping tea, losing biscuit fragments into the tea or on the table, and doing so after your competitor.
The attendees were able to finish their caffeine-filled day with a Japanese Tea ceremony. The traditional ceremony involved a host, and two guests. The ceremony was described to the guests as it was occurring. Eliza Hartford, an audience member, described the experience as calming. “It was relaxing to watch how meticulous the ceremony is, and I find it so interesting that every movement the host makes is necessary to making the tea,” Hartford said. “I make tea every day, and it was cool to see how a mundane activity to me, has the potential to be so special.” The participants in the ceremony were in silence, and the ceremony lasted 45 minutes.
The festival was presented by the Poughkeepsie South and Wappingers Falls Rotary Clubs. The profit from the ticket sales was donated to local Hudson Valley communities.
