Thank you TeaFairy for this lovely sample
I do love Pu’erh’s no matter how it’s spelled! TeaFairy put a note on this tea package (cause you are such a pu’erh Diva!) which I think is far from the truth and it got a chuckle out of me. I would love to climb in that direction I’ll admit to it, and learn more about pu’erh’s.
I’ve never known anyone other than myself who liked really good and tangy marmalade either. The U.S. bland and sugary types are aweful but the imports with rind and all are Um so good! I would get the crock of Dundee in the market years ago, and then I learned how to make marmalade myself. The three fruit sort with orange, lemon and grapefruit. There is something so grand about stirring a pot of jam or making your own cranberry sauce or pickles. Anyway, this packet held the two favorites of mine, the tangy orange and the pu’erh which was going to be fun to experience.
The dry aroma was heavy with bitter orange. When the steeping was done after 6 minutes, the steam from my brew basket smelled like a combination of the jam making pot and the scent of a friend sitting at a kitchen table with a cup of coffee. The coffee and the marmalade scent were mixing together.
My first sip was not sharp or rough but smooth, round and juicy, tasting of citrus orange without astringent assertiveness. The flavor was naturally sweet and mellow. I was quite surprised that I wasn’t running to the sugar bowl right off…and would drink this straight up on any occasion. Adding a tad of sweetening was very nice (I tried this on a later cup).
There are a couple of things I tried with this Pu’erh (me being me).
1. If it’s breakfast time, you could put a little (1TB. or so) marmalade in the cup and a teaspoon and snack on it while sipping on the tea, or as Scott Tea Man does sip through a Twixx candy bar.
2. I have been filling water bottles with Pu’erh’s to chill them for when I’m out and about and find this one especially tasty. These Pu’erhs are the healthiest tea’s and I’ve never seen any iced ones commercially so I make-um! I make the Verdant ginger pu’erh iced also.
A bonus to this pu’erh is how refreshing it is. It is not a straight pu’erh. There is hibiscus (which you can’t taste) and black tea (orange pekoe). The orange lingers in a lovely way for a long time and is not artificial tasting. A great hot day choice.
One of my favorite Italian Groups Il Volo…(My granddaughters love them!) O Sole Mio
http://youtu.be/lw3c5d3aBSE
