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A Jasmine using the tipmost leaves of the tea bush
Jasmine teas fall into what the tea experts call “scented” teas. I just call them “flavored” teas, since items used to create the scents usually affect both aroma and flavor.
Whether you call it “flavored” or “scented,” jasmine tea has been around a long while, starting some time during the Song Dynasty in China (960-1279). The best grade is supposed to be from the Fujian Province, but versions are also available from Guangdong, Guangxi, Hunan, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, and Zhejiang provinces.
Tea leaves are harvested in Spring and stored until the jasmine flowers are in bloom in early Summer. The flowers are then picked when the petals are tightly closed (usually in the early morning) and kept cool until night when they begin to open. It is at this time that the tea leaves and those little white flowers are combined and stored overnight while the tea gets infused with the scent of the blooms, a four-hour process that may get repeated as many as seven times.
Jasmine teas come in a bunch of forms, including:
- Pearls (full leaves hand-rolled into little pearl shapes), also called “tears”
- Needles (full leaves processed into long, thin shapes)
- Blooming (full leaves and often flower petals sewn together in a “bud” that opens up as it steeps like a flower blooming)
- Full leaf (often this is the two-leaves-and-a-bud picking from the very end of the tea bush branches)
- Broken leaf (leaves from further down on the branch or that have been machine harvested and processed either by hand or machine and possibly further broken)
- Fannings (machine processed tea leaves ground to smaller pieces but larger than dust)
- Dust (machine processed tea leaves ground down really fine for easier bagging and/or steeping and usually flavored with jasmine oil instead of real blooms)
- Compressed shapes such as hearts
Jasmine with Flowers Green Tea
Black, green, white, and oolong teas are all used as the tea base, although green tea is by far the most common. Expect to pay a bit more for the better quality jasmines from vendors with a good reputation like Golden Moon, Harrisons & Crosfield, and Harney & Sons.
My favorite jasmine is dragon tears (or pearls). For one thing, it’s easy to measure out the right amount. I just count the pearls (2-3 per 8 ounces of water) and toss them in a cup of hot water, watching them unfold as they steep. Blooming jasmines are alright, but I find they are more fun to watch than to drink and can often be overly strong on the jasmine. Which brings me to another issue…
The floral aroma of jasmines can be quite overwhelming to those of us with sensitive sniffers. While I enjoy the flavor, which is often much milder than the fragrance, I have to be careful not to inhale too deeply when preparing the tea so that my nose doesn’t go into overload mode. Of course, this also means that jasmine teas need to be stored properly, that is, in air tight containers away from your other teas, or you could end up with a whole cupboard or tea pantry full of jasmines, whether you intend it or not.
Jasmine tea is said to have numerous health benefits, including:
- destroys free radicals and helps to slow aging
- lowers the risks of developing cancer
- helps keep bad cholesterol levels down
- is effective for dysentery, influenza and cholera, and in preventing colds
- stimulates the body to burn calories which encourages weight-loss
- has a calming and soothing effect
Jasmine Blooms (Photo by Maria Brzostowska from Fotolia.com)
Give jasmine tea a try and you could get a very pleasant surprise!
Disclaimer: This is not intended as medical advice. Please consult your physician for your particular needs.
See also:
Review — Jasmine with Flowers Green Tea
Jasmine Dragon Tears and Michael Williams’ “Trajan’s Arch” — Magical Realism and Real Magic
Review — Golden Moon Jasmine Pearls
Jasmine Tea Choices
The Tea Provinces of China, Part I
The Tea Provinces of China, Part II
© Online Stores, Inc., and The English Tea Store Blog, 2009-2014. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this article’s author and/or the blog’s owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Online Stores, Inc., and The English Tea Store Blog with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
Lapsang Souchong
Busy lives need fuel to get the day started out right. For tea devotees, no breakfast is complete without a brisk cuppa. “Gulper” teas are best, usually having a bigger caffeine punch and stronger flavor that goes well with many typical breakfast foods like waffles and eggs and bacon.
Awhile back I divided teas into two general categories: sippers and gulpers. Now, that’s not official, of course. If you take a course on tea, they will probably not mention this distinction. I, however, consider it fairly important. You need to know which teas are deserving of your extra time and attention, deserving of lingering sip by sip on your tongue so you can absorb and be aware of every bit of flavor and aroma. You also need to know of the teas that are robust and impact the interior of your mouth full tilt.
The word “breakfast” comes from “break the fast,” where “fast” refers to the time between your last meal of the previous day until your first meal of the current day. The foods that constitute this meal vary greatly across countries, cultures, and time. My father, raised on a farm during the Great Depression, had a pretty robust breakfast with fried eggs and ham, melon slices, toast with slatherings of butter and preserves, fried tomatoes, and sometimes a big bowl of oatmeal. Then, it was back out to the fields, the barn, the chicken coop, etc. During my years dating a man from India and even for many years afterwards, I would often reheat leftover curry for my breakfast with white rice or chapatti. In Germany, various breads from rye to pumpernickel to whole grain wheat and spreads like braunschweiger (liver wurst) and Nutella plus fresh fruits were typical day starters.
Some good “gulper” teas to start your day:
- Highlander Blend – 25 teabags pouch — Highlanders are hardy Scotsmen who live in the highlands of Scotland. The highlands are the mountainous areas. No, they are not immortals wielding swords and battling other immortals for “the quickening.” They do, however, know a tasty cuppa tea when they gulp it.
- Yorkshire Harrogate — This is the one that makes the scone mix jump out of the cupboard and beg to be baked so they can be enjoyed alongside this tea. Great for breakfast. Make extra ’cause you’re gonna wanna gulp it! (my review)
- Kenyan black teas — Rich and caramelly with a hefty dose of caffeine.
- Sylvakandy Estate Orange Pekoe tea — Can’t get enough of this tea, with its strong, full body. A 6-cupper potful at breakfast is one of those things whose anticipation is more effective than an alarm clock to rouse me from my night’s slumber. (my review)
- Indian spiced chai — Spiced tea with some milk and sweetener is quite exhilarating first thing in the morning. (my review)
- Lapsang Souchong China black tea — The smoky allure will wake up your tastebuds and make you fit to face whatever the day has in store. (my review)
- Young Pu-erh Tea — A bit of an unusual flavor for a U.S. style breakfast, but nevertheless a great option. You may even find yourself craving this earthy fragrance and flavor on a daily basis. (my review part I and part II)
- Assam Tea— Of course you don’t want to leave out a tea that serves as the basis of a number of chais and breakfast blends.
Indian Spiced Chai Tea
More options abound, but any of the above will go with your menu of choice for that first breaking of the fast that starts your day.
© Online Stores, Inc., and The English Tea Store Blog, 2009-2014. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this article’s author and/or the blog’s owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Online Stores, Inc., and The English Tea Store Blog with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
Flowering Tea - 3 Flower Burst - Green Tea
The last chorus of “Auld Lang Syne” has drifted off into the night air, the last balloon inscribed with “Happy New Year” has popped, the confetti has been swept up, and Dick Clark has been put back in cold storage for next year’s dropping of the big ball in Times Square. Time to close the door on the old year and start off the new year with a new tea!
“New” is a pretty relative term. For many people in their 30s, 20s, and teens, the music of The Beatles is “new” since they weren’t around when “Hard Days Night” and “8 Days a Week” were first performed to a large crowd of screaming adolescent females. To me, watching Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers on cable TV is new, but not to my parents who grew up going on dates to the cinema to see this star couple glide gracefully through their routines. Thus it is for tea.
The New Year is a great excuse to shake things up a bit, so why not with tea? We tend to be creatures of habit, and thus can slide into ruts both in our lives in general and in such things as our tea enjoyment. So, we need to make the effort to pick something new.
Jasmine Delight Bubble Tea
A few options:
- 100 Monkeys White Tea — A nice way to take the plunge away from black and green teas into the wonderful world of white teas. This is a premium grade, loose leaf white tea from China, and a best-seller. Prepare with care, though. This tea needs water that is heated to about 170-185° F but a longer steeping time of 15 minutes is recommended to let the flavor fully develop.
- Bubble tea — A treat with its origins in Taiwan, where some of the world’s high-end green and oolong teas are grown. This beverage mixes tea, milk, and tapioca balls into something quite unique and very popular in many countries.
- Oolong Orange Blossom Estate tea — A “twofer” that’s great to get you to try oolong and also get a refreshing burst of fruity jasmine notes. Perfect for those who like jasmine but want to explore oolongs.
- Flowering Tea – 3 Flower Burst – Green Tea — A “threefer” not only by design but by effect. The dry tea “bud” contains lily, osmanthus, and jasmine blooms, and is tied together with steamed full leaves of Yunnan green tea. As it unfolds, you will see an impression of the Yunnan Province countryside in China, with its perfect climate for growing flowers. You get a full green taste with peach, lily and jasmine notes. Use boiling water and infuse about 5 minutes.
- Izu Matcha — Powdered green tea from Japan with a bright Spring green color and a rich planty aroma. Go all the way and prepare it in true Japanese fashion, complete with bamboo whisk.
The bottom line is to get out of your tea “comfort zone” and go for something completely new. Who knows, you could like that new flavor so much that it’ll become your new daily cuppa!
© Online Stores, Inc., and The English Tea Store Blog, 2009-2014. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this article’s author and/or the blog’s owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Online Stores, Inc., and The English Tea Store Blog with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
Nutcracker soldiers guard the cuppa!
Tea Name: Pomegranate Rosehip Black Tea
Tea Type: Black tea from Sri Lanka with pieces of pomegranate and real rosehips
Awhile back I swore off of flavored teas. For the most part, they were disappointing. Many used low-grade tea and then heavily flavored them. The tea was usually second or even third consideration, leading me to ask, “Why bother putting tea in the mix at all? Why not just throw in the fruits and flowers and nuts, etc., and call it a ‘tisane’?”
There are exceptions to everything.
The tea company started with a nice quality Ceylon black tea, one of my faves, and then added in real pieces of pomegranate and rosehips (a great source of Vitamin C). The aroma was a wonderful blend of that jammy smelling tea and a fruity tang from the pomegranate and rosehips. Hubby and I always take a few moments to enjoy the tea leaf fragrance before beginning the tasting.
The directions online say to use water brought to a rolling boil and steep 2-5 minutes. We did two steepings ― one for 3 minutes and the other for 4 minutes.
The first steeping was a beautiful reddish-brown color liquid with a pomegranate/jammy/tangy aroma. The flavor had a cocoa-like quality with plenty of pomegranate fruitiness but no bitterness. The second steeping was a lighter version but still quite satisfying. This is what a flavored tea should be like: great tea flavor balanced with the flavors of the items added to it.
While hubby and I still prefer straight teas (those without non-tea stuff added to them), we find this one an exception.
One final note: being the type who likes a bit of milk and sweetener in my black teas, flavored or not, I tried this one that way. Wonderful! The milk adds a rich texture, and the sweetener heightens the hit of the pomegranate and rosehips on the tongue.
Ready for that first fruity sip
Disclaimer: This tea was provided by the company named. However, any opinions concerning this tea and the company are always strictly objective.
© Online Stores, Inc., and The English Tea Store Blog, 2009-2014. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this article’s author and/or the blog’s owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Online Stores, Inc., and The English Tea Store Blog with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
Peppermint Oolong
I am amazed at where my tea journey takes me and several weeks ago, I was fortunate enough to trip to Adelaide and meet with like-minded tea folk. My tea journey stopped at a cross roads where I was invited to choose between flavoured teas or loose leaf tea with no flowers/herbs added. I’ve often tried flavoured teas and felt the experience equated to drinking out of my perfume bottle and so I tend to steer away from flavoured teas. However on this occasion, one flavoured tea jumped out from the tea menu: Peppermint oolong. Peppermint is an amazing herbal infusion and if you’re lucky to find one that is so minty, it needs its own cupboard space; it is a wonderful herb for settling the stomach and to aid digestion. Oolong is a wonderful category of tea from lightly oxidised to heavily roasted goodness. The two of them together I thought, fascinating. I had to try it out.
After sipping the tea, I often take a closer look at the leaves.
Peppermint Oolong Leaves
Despite the ratio of oolong to peppermint leaves, the peppermint still overpowered the aroma and flavour of the oolong, but it wasn’t a bad experience; at least it wasn’t like drinking perfume 
Lavender Oolong was the next flavoured tea I tried, recommended by a Twitter friend of mine. Lavender is an herbal infusion that has its own set of health benefits and smelling the tea took me to a wonderful memory. It reminded me of a walk I took with my husband once through a lavender garden in South Africa. Ahh the memories…but I digress. Back to the tea and tasting the tea was an equally pleasant experience as the floral aroma of the lavender really brought out the floral notes of the oolong.
Lavender Oolong
So there we have it. My re-acquaintance to flavoured teas was certainly a pleasant experience. What flavoured teas do you like and why?
See more of May King’s articles on the wonders of tea.
© Online Stores, Inc., and The English Tea Store Blog, 2009-2014. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this article’s author and/or the blog’s owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Online Stores, Inc., and The English Tea Store Blog with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
Tea Name: Chocolate Mint Flavored Black Tea
Tea Type: Flavored black tea
A perfect flavor combo that is a true seasonal favorite
This flavored tea is a classic. The vendor does not specify which black tea is used, but it is most likely Ceylon which pops up in many blended teas. It makes an excellent base for two flavors that most of the civilized world loves together: chocolate and peppermint. I have to say “most” because sadly peppermint is one of those substances that sees my tummy as some sort of battle zone. Hubby, though, can gobble it up all day with no ill effects, so he did the taste testing here.
Flavored teas offer flexibility. The longer you steep them, the stronger the flavoring is and the more it dominates the tea flavor, so you can adjust steeping time to suit your preference. Also, some can endure multiple steepings while others cannot. We went for the maximum steeping time the vendor recommended of 5 minutes in boiling water. Might as well go all out here.
I kept my distance but even so could still perceive the minty aroma. Hubby confirmed that the ruby colored liquid did indeed have a strong minty aroma as well as a minty flavor that lingered on the back of his tongue (not to mention helping his breathing). He stated that the chocolate flavor was not the sweet kind, more like the semi-sweet or even unsweetened kind of chocolate, and that neither it or the mint overwhelmed the tea flavor. A good balance all round.
Just for the heck of it, hubby tried a cuppa with milk and a bit of sweetener (we use an artificial kind most of the time). He said it was like chocolate mint ice cream in a cup and more balanced than when he drank the tea straight.
If you’re a fan of that chocolate and mint flavor combo, this is a good one for you, especially as a dessert tea to have instead of a calorie laden bowl of fat-filled ice cream.
Disclaimer: This tea was provided by the company named. However, any opinions concerning this tea and the company are always strictly objective.
See also:
Tea Can Keep You from Overindulging During the Holidays
© Online Stores, Inc., and The English Tea Store Blog, 2009-2014. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this article’s author and/or the blog’s owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Online Stores, Inc., and The English Tea Store Blog with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
Tangiers Lemon White Tea
Name: Tangiers Lemon Flavored White Tea
Brand: English Tea Store
Type: White Tea, flavored
Form: Loose leaf
Review: I’ve long said that white peony tea and lemon are a natural pairing: While I love the fruitiness of unflavored white peony, a little kick of lemon is sometimes a welcome addition, adding a bit of tang that does a great job of perking up the taste buds.
The English Tea Store caters to my longings by offering this blend of white peony and lemon flavoring. The tea itself brews up to a pretty, pale gold liquor with a medium-light body. While some lemon-flavored teas can sometimes have a stale quality to them, Tangiers Lemon isn’t one of them. Instead, the lemon flavor is quite snappy, making it a pleasure to drink.
Tangiers Lemon is a decidedly affordable option for those who like flavored whites or who are simply serious lemon-heads. Recommended.
Preparation Tips: The flavor in this tea is strong, so watch both your leaf amount and steep times. I’d recommend about 5 grams of leaf to eight ounces of water that has been cooled to 180F/82.2C. Let it steep for about a minute. Warning: White peony tea is quite light and fluffy and sometimes the leaf will float on top of the water as it infuses, staying bone dry. To avoid this waste of tea leaf, and to get rich flavor that you want, carefully pour your water into the pot or infusion basket, making sure that it saturates all of the leaves and buds.
Serving Tips: This lemony, crisp tea is quite neutral, making it easy to pair with many types of foods. I wouldn’t serve it with a super-heavy or rich menu, but I think it would be awesome with sandwiches, chicken, or fish. Tangiers Lemon is also quite delicious on its own. Do try it iced: There are few things more refreshing than this tea on ice.
© Online Stores, Inc., and The English Tea Store Blog, 2009-2014. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this article’s author and/or the blog’s owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Online Stores, Inc., and The English Tea Store Blog with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
Organic Wild Blueberry Black Tea
Name: Organic Wild Blueberry Black Tea
Brand: English Tea Store
Type: Black tea, flavored
Form: Loose leaf
Review: Now this is the sort of flavored tea that I like: It doesn’t club me over the head with flavor, and I can still taste the tea. At the same time, it is unmistakably a “blueberry” tea: I like the flavor of blueberries, and this tea has that flavor, which is a very tasty thing indeed.
In fact, this tea reminds me a lot of a blueberry wine that I tried many years ago. The wine wasn’t sweet (and neither is this tea) but it possessed the rich flavor of blueberries nonetheless. I particularly like this tea as something to sip first thing in the morning
One bit of warning: Many people are disappointed with fruit-flavored teas because they expect the tea to taste similar to the fresh fruit or fruit juice. Keep in mind that fruits and their juices contain sugar. If you want your Organic Wild Blueberry Black Tea to taste like sweet blueberries, be sure to add a bit of sweetener to your cup.
Preparation Tips: This is a pretty straightforward tea as far as preparation goes: Add a teaspoon of leaf to eight ounces of freshly boiled water and let steep for three minutes. I do not advise the addition of milk to this tea, but a bit of sweetener would probably work well (see my warning about fruit teas above).
Serving Tips: While this tea could make a great “snack” during the day, you may also want to try pairing it with a breakfast of pancakes, waffles or sweet rolls, as the black tea and fruity blueberry flavors could compliment these foods nicely. Another option would be to brew it up as an iced tea and serve it with meals that include beef or game meats, such as venison.
© Online Stores, Inc., and The English Tea Store Blog, 2009-2014. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this article’s author and/or the blog’s owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Online Stores, Inc., and The English Tea Store Blog with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
Jasmine with Flowers Green Tea
Name: Jasmine With Flowers Green Tea
Brand: English Tea Store
Type: Green tea, scented
Form: Loose leaf
Review: This is a ridiculously inexpensive tea ($3.89 for four ounces as of November, 2011) and, for the price, brews up a respectable cup of jasmine green tea that should suit jasmine lovers well. The dry leaf itself is made up of dark, twisted leaves scattered with dried jasmine blossoms. The jasmine scent dominates, although it isn’t overpowering, even after steeping to a medium-bodied liquor.
In the cup, the tea is dominated by the sweet, floral jasmine, and I don’t taste that much green tea. The tea has some mild astringency which is not unpleasant: Brew this tea right and you’ll have a nice cup that makes for nice sipping as your afternoon winds down.
As its price suggests, this is not a “gourmet” tea, but rather a good workaday alternative to more expensive jasmine teas, such as the English Tea Store’s Jasmine Dragon Tears. Still, it remains an economical alternative to expensive teas, without tasting cheap or artificial.
Preparation Suggestions: For the best results, use a light hand when preparing this tea. A teaspoon of leaf to eight ounces of 190F/87.7C water should do nicely. Check the tea after letting it steep for a minute: If it isn’t strong enough, let it continue steeping for another minute. A too-long steep, or too much leaf, can produce a tea with bitter notes that don’t work well with the jasmine flavor.
Serving Suggestions: Many Chinese restaurants serve jasmine green tea with meals, and it can be quite refreshing when served with Chinese food. The English Tea Store also recommends serving it with cucumber sandwiches, and I can see this tea going well with a traditional afternoon tea service of sandwiches, scones and sweets. Jasmine green teas are also great on ice, so don’t be afraid to experiment with this tea.
© Online Stores, Inc., and The English Tea Store Blog, 2009-2014. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this article’s author and/or the blog’s owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Online Stores, Inc., and The English Tea Store Blog with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
Genmaicha Japanese Green Tea
Name: Genmaicha Japanese Green Tea
Brand: English Tea Store
Type: Green tea
Form: Loose leaf
Review: Genmaicha has long been my “go-to” tea for initiating green-tea newbies. It combines sencha with roasted rice, producing a unique flavor: The rice mellows out the sencha, while the tea itself produces a pretty, light green liquor and a slightly spinach-y flavor. I’ve heard some people call genmaicha “popcorn tea” because some of its roasted rice has “popped” to look like tiny popcorn kernels. This makes the tea fun to look at, and the flavor of roasted rice mellows out the grassy notes that often characterize Japanese greens, making this tea palatable to folks who would otherwise shy away from green tea.
The English Tea Store’s version of genmaicha is clean tasting, not too vegetal, but also a good balance between rice and tea: Some genmaichas are not so well-proportioned, and contain too much rice, producing a soupy cup of tea. This tea is a bit more refined, and I very much enjoy drinking it first thing in the morning before I have my breakfast. It also works well as a mid-day snack, as it also has a decidedly savory, “brothy” quality: If you are at the office and think that you are getting hungry around 3pm, have a cup of this before you head for the vending machine. You might save yourself some money and a couple hundred calories!
Preparation Suggestions: I prefer to brew this tea for about two minutes in water heated to 180F (82.2 C). Japanese greens can get very astringent if brewed in too-hot water or for too long, so experiment with the temperature and infusion length to get this tea to the strength that you prefer.
Serving Suggestions: Genmaicha is great on its own, but it also goes well with food. I like it paired with sushi/sashimi and other Japanese foods. Works well with Korean dishes too!
© Online Stores, Inc., and The English Tea Store Blog, 2009-2014. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this article’s author and/or the blog’s owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Online Stores, Inc., and The English Tea Store Blog with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
