Ok..I will admit I sometimes cring when asked to cup or drink flavored teas. I am so in love with the natural flavors that manifest from terrior, translations of unique places, climates, cultures, companion plants, hand-craft and care. This love often causes me to overlook so many modern adaptations to marketing that I admit that perhaps I overlook experiences and miss out on sharing opportunities with a broader range of tea lovers. So instead of using this as a hard demarcation line, I do save the later part of the day to revisit and cup the scented, flavored, and spiced brews that I sometimes instinctually overlook.
So many of the steepsterites that I follow wax so magically about exotic blends of tea, fruit, and flavoring that I feel to honor them that I should share in some of those experiences. Here is one:
Pomegranate scented White tea.
I was first introduced to this tea as a promotional gift that was donated to a charity event that I have done now for 4 years – the Groveport Ladies Spring Tea Fling. Its a community supported fundraiser that is done through a church group each May here in Ohio. I was initially contacted by the pastor, who found me through being a tea nerd at Staufs. She was a regular at the shop and a new member of the Groveport community and thought I might be able to deliver a tea talk and replace the bagged teas the ladies typically shared from thier closets and cupboards. One of my wholesale tea contacts was smitten with my being part of the event and donated a few teas to the cause and the ladies went wild for this one. It was so popular that it became a permanent part of the tea collection and has been for a number of years.
I will admit the first thing that grabs you is the aroma, its intensely fruity and tart, and once the bag is open or the jar is unstopped, the scent will flow around the room looking for a place to flower. Its soon to be added to the Staufs website, but I thought the least I could do is cup it again and share it with all you lovely steepsters, who are inspiring me with your passion and causing me to reconsider my ‘puritianical’ leanings..
Thank you for reminding me, its more than what in the cup..its also the fellowship of sharing…and the passion of the community
Pomegranate scented white tea
Fruit White Blend by Staufs Coffee Roasters
Pomegranate White Tea
Dry Aroma: Tart-fragrant fruit notes, with undertones of wild flowers and red currant
Wet Aroma: Bright pomegranate, stewed fruit, and floral accents
Cup: Sunny-yellow liquor with fruity sweet fragrance. A wonderful blend of Bai Mudan white tea leaves and dried pomegranate, flavoring, and flowers. Mellow, light body dancing with fruit notes, soft peppery hint, and a long sweet, floral-fruity finish. A juicy mouth feel envelopes and a faint astringency merges with it, creating a mouth watering and yet clean sipping experience.
Directions: Try using 3g (1tbsp) of leaves per 8oz in 185-190 degree water and steep for 3-4 minutes. Expect 2-3 extractions with the fruit flavor being most intense in the 1st and floral and vegetal flavors being more predominate in later extractions. Makes a refreshing iced tea and is best if 1oz of leaves per 1 gal of cold water is used; let steep 6-8hrs refrigerated.
