Out of the package it smells a little intoxicating but drop a teaspoon in a cup of almost boiling water and let it steep for 3-5 minutes and the scent mellows to a luscious honey aroma. It's sweet and sensual and absolutely delicious!
White tea is grown almost exclusively in China, (this particular blend is organic and Fair Trade Certified) and refers to the youngest leaves of the camellia sinensis shrub which are allowed to wilt naturally in the sunlight before being lightly roasted to stop the fermenting process. This results in the light, delicate flavour that makes it perfect for pairing. The name white tea comes from the fine silvery white hairs on the buds of the tea plant and also for the whitish gray colour of the infused tea.
Although white tea is usually paired with fruit, the roses are a very nice accompaniment to the tea as the flavour and scent really are very mellow and don't overpower the tea. I've added another favorite to my list.
Thoughts?
We were out and about this weekend, and I found two different tea shops. Of course they were both very expensive, but cool to look around in. I think I like that tea is becoming popular but do they have to jack up the prices? I mean we all know how much tea should cost, right?
ReplyDeleteAlicia
I think people are becoming more aware of where their tea comes from. Fair working conditions and wages means plantations spend more money on their workers. It's not always the case and many specialty tea places can be snobby like that and jack up prices but most of the major tea corporations are feeling more pressure to ensure their tea is cultivated responsibly.
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