The most successful pirate in history was Ching Shih, a cunning and calculating 19th century Cantonese magnate that commanded over 70,000 pirates.

In a ten-year span, Ching’s “Red Flag Fleet”, a pirate armada consisting of somewhere around four hundred Chinese twenty-gun junks and several thousand men, sailed up and down the coast of Imperial China kicking asses, sacking towns, breaking necks and cashing cheques.

Few pirates ever enjoyed such unbridled financial and military success as the Red Flag Fleet, thanks in a large part to the cunning and ruthlessness of Captain Ching Shih and her desire to be the most feared pirate in history.

She had the profound influence on the history and modern popular culture, appearing in several pirate-themed books and movies.

Most recently, powerful female pirate with the name Mistress Ching appeared in the third movie of the popular Disney movie franchise “Pirates of the Caribbean”.

🍵 Our tea honoring Ching Shih is called Buddha Blend White

▶︎In this variation of this wonderful tea we’ve added our all natural flavoring to a superb white Pai Mu Tan from Fujian province in China. The resulting cup exhibits a full body drawn out with underlying notes of vanilla hinting at cream and round touches of pomegranate. Brew a pot today, savor the delicate aromas!

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The birth of Rose Fortune in 1774 is celebrated on this date. She was a Black Canadian law enforcement officer and businesswoman.

Fortune was born into slavery in Virginia, owned by the Devone family. In 1783 when she was ten years old, they escaped to New York City, then the Nova Scotia (Canada) town of Annapolis Royal.

Fortune came from a family of Black Loyalists (escaped slaves and free Blacks who joined the British army during the American Revolution). The British army promised any slave freedom in return for their loyalty.

⭐️ In the late 1700s, she appointed herself policewoman of the Annapolis Royal, located on the north shore of Nova Scotia.

👗 Although Fortune carried no badge, she had a unique way of dressing. Her petticoat showed under her dress, and over her dress, she wore a man’s waistcoat and an apron. She wore a lace cap tied under her hair and a straw hat on top of the lace cap. Her painted shoes had heels that were several inches high. She usually carried a straw basket and wore white gloves or mittens. Her dress was later adopted by many of the Black Pioneer women when they went to market.

🚚 Fortune also started a trucking service for ferry boat passengers using a wheelbarrow to carry luggage to their homes or hotels.

The Association of Black Law Enforcers has created a scholarship in her name, and her descendant Daurene Lewis became the first Black female mayor in North America.

🍵 Spicy Ginger Rose Herbal Tea is feisty, spicy and cleansing.

▶︎ Spicy Thai Ginger meets Rose Petals and White Tea leaves, and has light black pepper notes.

The post Spicy Ginger Rose: Rose Fortune appeared first on Tea and Strumpets.