Monday, July 04, 2005

Flowering tea

I was re-flipping through the pages of May 2005 issue of delicious. the other day when I spotted a short story ‘Green brews’ in the foodie file. section. The piece says: ‘You’ve got to be as mad as a hatter if you replace your builder’s for the pricey Anhui Jin Shang Tian Hua tea. The green tea leaves are steamed to make them supple, then hand-stiched into straw sunhats with a pod at the top containing dried chrysanthemums. The second infusion is better than the first as it’s more subtle. £47.50 for 125g, from Fortnum & Mason.’ Ouch. My dear friend Ryoko was teaching Japanese language to Chinese university students for the last two years, and has just brought me a lovely box of that very tea as a present after returning to Edinburgh:
I know that it was cheaper in China, but I’m nevertheless not sure if I dare to drink it just like this any more :) But it is stunning to look at when the tea leaves and the flower bud open in a teapot, and it tastes like a good jasmine tea does.

(Sorry, my only see-through tea pot is an ancient Bodum with a red plastic lid and is totally unsuitable for public showing. I’ve chosen the replacement (staying with sleek Danish design, it’s going to be an Eva Solo tea maker), but now need to wait for a flight connection at Kastrup airport in Copenhagen in order to buy it duty free…)

6 comments:

eat stuff said...

Hi!
Oh these aren't quite the same as the balls I was looking at.. but I have always wanted to try them!
here is my post.

http://eatstuff.blogspot.com/2005/08/good-tea-bad-tea.html

Anonymous said...

"The green tea leaves are steamed to make them supple, then hand-stiched into straw sunhats with a pod at the top containing dried chrysanthemums...."

Wow! What a nice gift for your friend to give you.

I also like the new tea maker that you plan on buying.

Enjoy!
Paz

Pille said...

Hi Clare Eats - I've read your post and must try to hunt down some of those jasmine tea pearls now. I guess they're both really nice..

Paz - thanks for stopping by! It was a lovely gift indeed - and that was actually second time Ryoko did it. About a year ago I got similar tea balls, just slightly smaller, but just as beautiful. She's a good fried:))
I still haven't got the tea maker (flying home via Frankfurt this time), but am so determined to get it soon..

santos. said...

hello pille! i love these, they are as entertaining as they are tasty. the eva solo tea maker is beautiful, i hope you get one soon.

Pille said...

Hi Santos! I know - I've entertained many a dinner guest recently with my fancy flower tea at the end:)
Unfortunately I haven't had any luck with the teapot yet - myself and my friends seem to avoid Copenhagen airport these days, as there are lots cheaper airlines around in addition to Scandinavian Air...

Anonymous said...

Hi Pille, got to your site through pussycat.shauny.org/.

Was this how the tea balls turned out?
http://santap.somethinghantap.net/2006/05/02/ping-pong/

Nice site. I love food sites! Yum.