Jaho's Coffee & Tea

I hate winter, and after New England was hit by Storm Juno last Monday, my distaste for the season has grown even more so. One of the best tweets I have ever read has been: ‘why is that February drags along like a sloth tugging a garbage truck, but I blink and June is over?’ Excellent question! But something that has been making this winter more bearable has been coffee shops. Central Perk may have been the favorite spot for the characters from Friends, but for me, Renee Zellweger, and Angie Miller, the second-runner up from season twelve of American Idol, it’s Jaho’s Coffee and Tea in Salem, Massachusetts. 

Celebrities enjoying their Jaho's fix. Pictures courtesy of Jaho's Twitter. 

Founder Anil Mezini was inspired to start his own business after traveling the globe. It was in Italy where he grew to understand fine brews, and in Japan, Thailand, Taiwan and South Korea where he became passionate about tea. Recently, Jaho's was awarded the Best Coffee Shop 2014 by North Shore Magazine. Besides their over fifty fair trade beans and loose leaf teas (impressive number there!), Jaho’s also serves bagels, baked goods, gelato, and artisan sandwiches. You can also purchase paintings their, and online you can order their drinks and tea accessories.

The most unique thing about Jaho's is they have Zodiac Tea! Here is what is inside each sign’s signature tea. 

Capricorn (December 22- January 19): Even the most stubborn Capricorn cannot resist this unique blend of Coconut black tea.

Aquarius (January 20-February 18): A spiritual blend of black tea, wild berries, strawberries and blueberries that only an Aquarius could handle.

Pisces (February 19-March 20): A smooth, fruit blend of plum and cinnamon for the sensitive Pisces. Caffeine free.

Aries (March 21-April 19): This is a fine energetic blend of black tea flavored with Apricot Brandy, perfect for the courageous Aries.

Taurus (April 20-May 20): Heavenly combination of black tea and lemon for the traditional Taurus.

Gemini (May 21- June 20): A clever blend of Mango and black tea, sure to impress even the most discerning Gemini.

Cancer (June 21-July 22): Inspiration. Sensitivity. Evasiveness. This is what a Cancer experiences upon tasting this tropical blend.

Leo(July 23-August 22) This special blend of the finest Masala Chai is a perfect match for the powerful Leo.

Virgo (August 23-September 22): A logical combination of black tea and vanilla will delight the always logical Virgo.

Libra (September 23-October 22): The Libra will enjoy this harmonious blend of ginger, fruit and black tea.

Scorpio (October 23-November 21): A mysterious blend of oranges, black teas and spice to satisfy the thirst of the Scorpio.

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21): Strong and flavorful, this blend of Passion Fruit and black tea should do justice to the Sagittarius. 

While I don’t believe we should live our lives according to alignment of the stars, I do believe I possess the main characteristics of my sign, Libra, and funnily enough my two favorite types of tea are what make up a Libra speciality. During my latest visit, I tried Sagittarius and it was divine! 

Sagittarius Tea- half Passion Fruit, half Black Tea. I loved the color the water turned to when the tea steeped. It reminded me of beautiful,burning fall leaves. 

The chocolate chip cookie is the official cookie of Massachusetts,

and Jaho's knows how to make them. Look at the chunks!

I think the hardest thing about February is the cabin fever. It’s been scientifically proven that soldiery confinement is one of the worst things you can do to your body, and going to Jaho’s lately, whether it’s been to catch up with friends or get some homework done, has been lovely. The other day on Facebook, my friend’s mom shared a post from the page, Humans of New York. The person profiled was a 93-year-old women named Mary and she had this to say: "If you force yourself to go outside, something wonderful always happens!" I can’t wait for spring and summer when I can enjoy my beverage at Jaho’s outdoor seating, but I think it’s essential in the winter that everyone takes the extra measure to brace the cold and get out because being at home on your laptop all day is deteriorating to your overall well-being. I would like to end this blog post with a quote from Jaho’s website: 

“We love coffee, we love tea, we love great food. We love sitting in a relaxing café and watching the world go by. And, most of all, we love trying new things, meeting new people and traveling to new, exciting places.To us, life is a journey filled with beautiful pictures, far-away places, new tastes, good friends and the stories that we all share. We hope you’ll join us in our journey and share your own experiences. Finally, we hope you’ll enjoy everything you try at Jaho's as much as we do.”

Jaho's Coffee & Tea
197 Derby Street 
Salem, Massachusetts 01970 
#978-744-4300

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