Do you get excited to drink tea?
Though it doesn’t happen everyday, I do get excited for my afternoon steepings. What adventure will we have today?
What flavor will pop out or what will surprise me today?
Our adventure today begins in the Zhejiang Province in China. This huge, one time zone country is known for its tea but it is farmers like Mrs. Li that are keeping the true spirit of tea alive. Sustainable farming practices with no pesticides and years of research into how to make it work properly has helped this family achieve tea that truly takes you to China when you drink it.
The dry leaves smell of grass and hints of veggies. The sweet but astringent grassy flavor carries into the after taste. There is a trifling of minerality but honestly the grass is so strong I can’t quite decipher any mineral specifics. They are definitely there though. The area it is harvested from is known for its rocky, clean soil. Makes one want to visit.
Where does your tea adventure take you?
Want to Know More About This Tea?
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Verdant Tea
Description:
Mrs. Li’s fresh 2019 Shi Feng Dragonwell is here! Mrs. Li is one of the few farmers fortunate enough to have several plots of land on the famous mountainside of Shi Feng, where her original cultivar (Longjing Qunti) Dragonwell is fed by sweet mountain spring water, picked by hand, and crafted one leaf at a time by her husband. She cultivates her world-famous tea using entirely organic farming techniques.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Lemongrass Marigold/India’s Tea. . . .
Lemongrass Marigold Green Tea is a traditional Indian tea and is available from several different companies.
Some of the information I found online for this new-to-me blend said the following: The marigold is an esteemed flower and is called “the birth of the sun.” It is regarded as a great detox agent. Lemongrass is believed to have anti-inflammatory properties and is regarded as a headache treatment, while green tea is lauded as a detox agent and a great source of anti-oxidants, as well as possibly assisting with weight loss.
Whether these statements are true or not, what I can tell you is that this is a beautiful blend. It reminds me of a brightly colored sari. The green tea and lemongrass have a vivid green color and the flower petals are bright orange. The smell of the dry leaves is primarily invigorating citrus, bright and sunny.
One teaspoon, low temp, just over two minutes. . . . the perfect steeping parameters! Recommended not going over the two minutes. The green tea and lemongrass are making my tongue puckery and dry. The lemongrass is sparkling and the floral aspect is rather muted to me.
This tea is recommended to pair with things like baklava and rice crackers. Could two things be more different? But I can absolutely see drinking this with rich desserts or with a spicy Indian dinner.
It will definitely stand up to any of it!
Want to Know More About This Tea?
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: India’s Tea
Description
An indulgent treat for Tea lovers with its startling blend of yellow and soft orange petals of marigold flower along with tangy Lemon grass.
Besides serving as a cuppa, Lemongrass relieves cough and nasal congestion. This brew also captures a hint of marigold- known to be good for your heart and eyes.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Roasted Vanilla/Perkse. . . .
This tea comes in cute little twisty balls that remind me of armadillos curled up. As the tea steeps, they charmingly stretch out. (I’ve probably mentioned this in previous posts, but I’d like to mention for the record that UNFURLING TEA IS A BLESSING UPON THE EARTH. Thanks for the fun, meditative watch, tea!)
This tea has a beautiful vanilla/white chocolate flavor. Tasting it is the equivalent of listening to a harp. It’s delicate. It’s ethereal. It’s pale and sweet and floaty.
The green is a subtle counterpoint, so if you do want the benefits of green tea without that “green” flavor, try hitting this up!
Want to Know More About This Tea?
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Perkse Tea
Description
This tea is no longer available but click below for teas that are.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Shire Green / Geek and Tea
The moment I set eyes on the title of the tea (before even reading the name of the company) I knew they were referring to The Lord of the Rings.
This Canadian based company is owned by a lady who is a botanist and a geek who loves tea. Pairing the geek with the tea is a win in my book. If you are a geek you have to give their website a gander.
Now all that being said I’m disappointed in the packaging. One should never package in plastic. Especially clear plastic. Tea can be highly influenced by other aromas around it. And if not sealed tightly will quickly lose its freshness. I can tell just by smelling the dry leaf that it has been sitting a bit too long. It still brews up fairly well.
A bit astringent and a bit lax on the grassy flavors but I intend to save this company and order from them to give them a nice fresh taste.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: green
Where to Buy: Geek and Tea
Description:
Delicate with a surprisingly fresh and grassy quality, this organic green Ceylon tea will transport you to a in time in The Shire where friendly Hobbits roamed the country side covered with cotton-grass, moss and bracken.
Fresh, grassy and earthy aromas will delight the senses of this light amber green tea.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Organic Gunpowder / Bare Leaves
Your zest is but that of a fresh summer rain. The astringent label, given to you by sailors, is to be ‘savored’ only in the after taste. Liquid clear and cunning with golden hues so vibrant you would think they dipped the tea in gold.
Your fresh dry leaves, tightly rolled balls of love and affection, show the care your makers had in your processing. Wet leaves dance in the water and open up with beautiful hues of green. With a few over oxidized here and there that make them appear black. Aroma of wet leaves; a bitter scent with hints of earth.
If your nostalgia for summer has peaked to a depressive state, grab a cup of this tea and savor the thoughts of a sunny day with light rain showers.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Bare Leaves
Description:
Organic green tea from China. The leaves of this famous Chinese green tea are hand-rolled into pellets that resemble gunpowder. It produces a bolder flavor than most green teas.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!