Description
Cup Characteristics: Wonderful orchid oolong notes fill the cup. Smooth and satisfying with a hint of fullness. A tea for lovers.
Ingredients: Oolong tea, Amaranth + Nasturtium blossoms.
Ingredients From: China
Region: Yunnan Province
Growing Altitude: 1500 – 4900 feet above sea level
Grade: Artisan Handcrafted
Manufacturing Type: Non fermented, Traditional hand tied, Small batch crafted
Antioxidant Level: High
Caffeine Level: Medium
Vegetarian: Yes
Vegan: Yes
Infusion: Pale green with yellow notes
China, with its 1 billion people and 5000 year old civilization, is a land of history and mystery. From one end of China to the other, layers of earth and stone conceal traces of the past that seem to stretch beyond time itself. Many of these can be explained, but just as many cannot. One such unexplained story is that of a pair of 2000 year old mummies discovered along the ancient Silk Road. The mummies, a man and woman, were dated back to the Han dynasty, a period that saw the establishment of Confucianism as China’s official ideology. They were dressed in very fine, brightly colored silk fabric and buried with a map of the stars, cosmetics, a bronze mirror and a double-edged comb. These facts in themselves aren’t mysterious. Bronze was known at the time, as were the workings of the heavens, mummification and fine-toothed combs. The mystery is that the man and woman were western Caucasians. What were they doing there? Caucasians weren’t thought to have reached China until after the Han dynasty. Where did they come from? Were they nomads? Mummification would seem to indicate that they were settled in China rather than just passing through. How did they get there? Written history has no explanation. The answers will probably be forever lost to the mists of time, pondered upon by scholars, history buffs and now, customers of Metropolitan Tea.
We’ve got the perfect accompaniment to an afternoon spent pondering the mystery of the Silk Road Mummies – Oolong Mystere Flower artisan tea. Like a tiny mystery itself, each pod conceals the blooms of Amaranth and Nasturtium just waiting to be discovered by a tea lover. As hot water is poured over the tea, the oolong casing loosens leaf by leaf, slowly releasing its floral treasure in the same way the secrets of the past are uncovered layer after layer by an archaeologist. The cup is as intricate and colorful as the ancient silks of the mummies. Honeyed oolong notes cascade over the tongue with hints of peaches and rose. The finish is long with a pleasing astringency that lingers in the mouth like a fine wine. Make a discovery of your own by unlocking the tea-secrets of one of the world’s most unique offerings today.
IDEAL BREWING TEMPERATURE: 85ºC/185ºF. For Food Safety reasons bring water to 100ºC/212ºF and let it cool down to 85ºC/185ºF.
HOT BREWING METHOD: Place 1 tea ball into a 3-4 cup glass teapot and add freshly boiled water. Allow the tea to brew for at least 5 minutes. Initially the tea ball will float but as it loses the trapped air during the steeping process it will sink if you have used boiling water. Once the tea ball has opened to its full potential the tea can be consumed.
ICED TEA BREWING METHOD (Pitcher): (To Make 1 Liter/Quart): Not generally consumed iced but if you do: Place 3 tea balls into a heat resistant pitcher. Using filtered or freshly drawn cold water, boil and pour 1¼ cups/315ml over the tea. Steep for 5 minutes. Quarter fill a serving pitcher with cold water. Pour the tea into your serving pitcher straining the tea or removing the tea bags. Add ice and top-up the pitcher with cold water. Garnish and sweeten to taste. A rule of thumb when preparing fresh brewed iced tea is to increase the strength of hot tea since it will be poured over ice and diluted with cold water. (Note: Some luxury quality teas may turn cloudy when poured over ice. This is a sign of luxury quality and nothing to worry about.)
FOOD SAFETY ADVISORY: We strongly recommend using filtered or freshly drawn cold water brought to a rolling boil when brewing all types of tea. Today’s water has been known to carry viruses, parasites and bacteria. Boiling the water will kill these elements and reduce the potential incidence of water-borne illnesses.
RECOMMENDATION: We recommend the use of our ‘1 Cup of Perfect Tea’ measuring spoon (Item# 11MS-1370) for best results.
ANTIOXIDANT BENEFIT: For a greater antioxidant benefit brew longer and use more tea.
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