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Jasmine Pearl (Buddha’s Tears) Teas

Our Jasmine Pearls tea comes directly from China, where it is harvested at Fu Ding in the Fujian province. We offer two varieties of Jasmine Pearl tea: Jasmine Pearl in a white tea base and Jasmine Pearl in a green tea base.  As with regular teas, the Buddha’s tears tea with the white tea base is quite a bit more expensive than that with the green tea base. Currently we have the Jasmine Pearl tea in a green tea base in stock. This is the tea I am featuring today.

Order Jasmine Pearl from our online shop here

For US and Canada customers teas can be ordered here: Zi Chun Teas Online Shop 

This tea is known by quite a few different names, here is a list of what you may see it called – rest assured, no matter what name is used, the tea should be the same type of tea—though some may be made with white tea, others with green tea.

  • Jasmine Pearl Tea
  • Buddha’s Tears Tea
  • Jasmine Dragon Pearl Tea
  • Jasmine Dragon Pearls
  • Dragon Tears Tea
  • Jasmine Pearl Green Tea

Jasmine Pearl Tea in Green Tea Base

Rolled Jasmine Tea Balls — Tear Shaped ‘Buddha’s Tears’

The tea we stock is grown at a fairly high elevation of 1,200 metres. Basically, it consists of spring harvested green tea leaves that are hand rolled into tight balls resembling pearls (or Buddha’s tears).  Once the balls are made, they are left to dry until the Jasmine flowers are in bloom. The tea, which remains rolled into a ball shape, is then scented five to six times with Jasmine flower petals. It is a natural tea, made from freshly harvested tea and jasmine petals.

I am often asked about the concept of scented teas – how the process is accomplished and how natural it is. In essence it is an extremely easy step.  You may have heard, or read elsewhere, how important it is to keep your teas sealed well and set away from other food substances such as coffee, herbs and other aromatic food stuff. The reason for doing so is that tea very easily and naturally absorbs odours. Flower petals are very fragrant (as are many herbs and spices used to scent tea – think of the peppermint or ginseng scented teas).  Mixing odour absorbing tea and fragrant flower petals is the perfect way to come up with a natural, organic tea blend.

Once the tea is infused, the balls unfurl and a delightful jasmine aroma is released. Although most of the jasmine leaves are removed once the scenting process is completed, high quality Jasmine pearl tea should retain the subtle Jasmine flavour and aroma even after several infusions. Usually, the brewed tea is a soft yellow-green in colour. A good tea should have a mellow taste that lingers gently on your tongue.

How to Brew Jasmine Pearl Green Tea

With this green tea base, the water temperature should be around 95-100 degrees or just under boiling temperature. (If you are brewing Jasmine Pearl White tea, the water temperature should be lower.) About 4 gm of loose tea is sufficient to make 100 ml of tea. A common mistake, when making this tea for the first time, is to put too many tea balls into the teapot. You do not need many, as the leaves are tightly rolled. Steep for about three minutes.  You should be able to get two or three infusions from your initial brewing. This tea is best brewed in a glass teapot, that way you can see the leaves unfurl and enjoy the whole experience of not only tasting the tea but also watching it steep.

Other Interesting Facts

The dry leaf used to roll into balls is pale green and covered with a fine white “down”.  These leaves are tightly rolled into round shapes of a consistent and uniform size. You should clearly smell the jasmine aroma when smelling the dry tea.  Once infused, the leaf unfurls and is a yellowish-brown colour.  Again, you should be able to smell the jasmine aroma in the brewed tea.

Health Fact—Jasmine Pearl Tea Health Benefits:  We all know the benefits derived from drinking organic green, white, oolong or black tea. But, did you know that there are also health benefits attributed to Jasmine?  Jasmine is purported to have been used as a treatment for depression and anxiety. It is also helpful for women going through menopause, apparently lessening certain symptoms.  Not only is it helpful in treating these conditions, but it also helps boost your body’s immune system making it less likely that you will catch all those pesky colds and flus as they go around!

In summary, this is a delightfully refreshing green tea – a real favourite for those who like to drink moderately priced jasmine scented teas. It’s healthy, affordable and a great tea to drink any time of the day. Try pairing it with a summer salad, or a chicken dish (it’s especially good when served with a Chicken curry dish!) Or simply enjoy it on its own.

For US and Canada customers teas can be ordered here: Zi Chun Teas Online Shop 

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Tea Tasting Party Options

blooming tea cup

Are you looking for a novel idea for a bridal or baby shower?  Or are you part of a group who meet together regularly and occasionally share social occasions together?  One idea that is quickly gaining popularity is that of including tea tasting at your social event or party.

Tea Tasting?

Wondering what tea tasting is?  After all, don’t all black teas taste pretty much the same?  Do green teas actually taste different from oolong teas? (By the way, what is oolong tea?) When thinking of tea tasting, think in terms of wine tasting as it’s a very similar experience.

There is definitely a difference in taste between black, oolong, green and white teas.  Learn to tell the difference and become a tea expert.  Learn to differentiate between different green teas or different oolong teas and become a tea connoisseur.

Perhaps you and your friends have heard about the benefits of drinking loose leaf teas such as green tea or oolong tea but don’t really know where to start when it comes to selecting the right tea for you.  People definitely have personal preferences when it comes to the type of teas they enjoy (my favourite, for example, is oolong tea – High Mountain Oolongs, in fact!) Some people love the more earthy taste of green teas while others prefer the taste of oolong tea.  If you are transitioning from drinking black tea, made from off the supermarket shelf teabags with added milk and sugar, there are teas that make the transition much easier.

Love the ease of preparing teas from teabags, but have heard that “real teas” can’t be enjoyed that way?  Wrong, there are healthy and delicious options available.

Are you fascinated with the concept of switching to drinking loose leaf teas but don’t know where to begin?  How long do you steep them?  How do you make them?  What is needed to prepare these teas?

All of these concepts, and more, can be explored and explained in a fun way during a tea tasting party. For specific details check out this page.

What Happens at a Tea Tasting Party?

Usually, you need to set aside a minimum of one hour for the tea tasting of Chinese origin teas.  To begin, a brief summary is given of the more common types of teas, how they are made and what makes each different from the other.

Then the tea tasting begins.  Normally I like to provide six different types of teas (often two types of black tea, two types of green tea and two types of oolong tea – though this can be tailored to the audience participating in the tea tasting.) A tasting sheet or card is handed out to each participant. This card lists the tea name, where it is grown and a brief description of the tea.  After sampling each tea, guests evaluate the tea using guidelines provided. Participants will be asked to describe the tea’s aroma, flavour, appearance, and texture.  Don’t worry – copies of the tasting terms to use in the description are handed out along with the tasting sheet. If you want to use your own terms to describe the teas you are totally welcome to do so. (Hubby drinks a very old tea which has a musty, very earthy flavour. Not my favourite so I have termed it “mud tea”.)

Finally, I am also happy to devote some time to answering people’s questions about tea, how to prepare it, the health benefits, etc.

Free samples of your favourite tea are always provided to each guest as a thank-you for participating in the tea tasting!  Simple tea-tasting games can also be added to the presentation.

Basically, at the end of the tea tasting session, everyone participating should have enough information to make an informed choice on what type of tea they would like to drink and how to prepare it – even if they knew nothing about loose leaf teas prior to the tea-tasting.

How Many Participants?

Ideally the number of people sampling tea should 10 – 15 (no more than 20 people, more than this and the tea tends to get cold before everyone is served J ) If you would like to provide tea tasting for groups larger than 20, please get in touch.  Prices will vary for more than 20 participants as I may have to bring a helper along with me and more tea and other items will need to be provided.

More Alternatives

If you wish to spend more time on the theme of “tea”, there are optional activities that can be enjoyed. In fact, these are often enjoyed as much as the tea tasting. Here are some other ideas of what can be included as a part of your tea tasting party:

  • Explanation of the utensils used for brewing loose leaf tea and examples of how to use them.
  • Additional tasting of some of the more unusual loose leaf teas (yes, I can bring along some of hubby’s “mud tea” if you like J )
  • Examples of loose leaf tea in tea bags.
  • How to prepare iced teas.
  • How you can take loose leaf teas to the office or anywhere, and prepare them ‘on the go’.
  • What I Will Leave With You
  • Everyone will receive a sample of their favourite tea.
  • Fact sheets are provided that go over the benefits of tea and summarise how to make the different types of teas.

How Much Does it Cost?

I charge a $100 per hour booking for the tea tasting plus $10 flat rate/person, with an additional charge ($25 – flat rate per party) for parties held on the weekend – providing the party is held within the Western Sydney Suburbs*. (Travelling Sydney takes time so additional costs may be incurred if I have to travel outside the areas listed below.)  Payment is due on booking.

Any tea parties cancelled at short notice (within 7 days of the party) will generally not be refunded the booking fee, though all monies paid for additional items or services will be refunded in full. Cancellation fees ($20) are deducted from your full refund for any parties cancelled from 7 to 14 days of the party.  No cancellation fees if you give me at least two weeks’ notice of your cancellation – that gives me enough time to schedule another booking.

Finally, there is a small fee per item consumed or left with the participants (not including the free sample giveaway) including a minimal cost for the teas used for sampling – a price list is provided when booking the party and you can choose the options you would like.  For example, some hosts like to include small tea-oriented items in gift packs for their guests or buy items that are given as prizes.

For a basic one-hour tea tasting party within easy driving distance of my location, the average cost would be from $150-$200 depending on which day of the week the party is held. Naturally, if you choose additional teas to taste or items to give to your guests, the cost will be added to this standard fee.

Do It Yourself Tea Party Packs

If you would prefer to host the tea-tasting yourself, I also have prepared tea tasting party packs that come complete with instructions and a video on how to prepare the teas, the fact sheets for each of the teas, and tea pots, tea cups and other items needed for preparing the tea.

Contact Me

If you are interested in discussing this option, please contact me via my contact form or phone me at: 04 321 15563

Bookings are best made at least one month in advance if you wish to secure the day you would prefer.  Weekends and evenings are usually fairly easy to accommodate, daytime bookings (before 4 p.m.) require a little extra juggling on my part—the more advance notice I have, the better.  Week day evenings are charged at the regular rate, daytime or evening weekend bookings incur an additional $15/booking.

I will do my best to accommodate any special requests you have. Again, timing is important if you have special requests. More detailed explanation of what is presented is provided here.

* Standard fees in place for:

  • Annangrove
  • Baulkam Hills
  • Beaumont Hills
  • Bella Vista
  • Box Hill
  • Carlingford
  • Castle Hill
  • Cattai
  • Dural
  • Glenhaven
  • Glenorie
  • Kellyville
  • Kenthurst
  • Leets Vale
  • Lower Portland
  • Maraylya
  • Maroota
  • North Parramatta
  • North Rocks
  • Northmead
  • Winston Hills

(Will also consider parties in the greater Parramatta area.)

For pricing on other Sydney suburbs, please contact me—prices will be adjusted only according to the time needed to travel to the location.

More details on tea tasting parties can be found here: Tea Tasting Party

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Introducing Rose Oolong Tea and Strawberry Green Tea

Two great new tea products I am promoting this month include a new green tea; Strawberry Green tea and a scented oolong; Natural Rose Oolong tea. As the names imply, both have subtle flavours with the Strawberry Green tea being a scented tea (the strawberry scent is added to the green tea) and the Rose Oolong a natural tea that has rose petals added in with the oolong tea.

Strawberry Green Tea

The packaging of both teas (which sell in 100 gm packs) is great with the Rose Oolong vacuum packed and the Strawberry Green tea loosely packaged. For anyone who likes scented or flavored teas these would be an ideal choice.

The flavouring of the green tea minimises the ‘green tea’ taste that many green teas have. While some people enjoy the more earthy flavour of green tea, many people would prefer something a little less strong. Let’s face it, lots of people drink green tea or oolong tea because they know they are a healthy drink alternative and they actually benefit a person health-wise, being full of anti-oxidants and having little to no caffeine. Still, the taste can be a little off-putting for people at first, especially those who have been drinking coffee or black tea all their lives. This green tea is lightly blended with strawberry essence to bring out the light aroma and taste–a simply delicious, healthy tea!

The Rose Oolong is a fresh, naturally cultivated tea. Rose petals are added to  premium hand-picked Jin Xuan

Rose Oolong Tea

Oolong tea. The process requires 2 to 3 days for the tea to properly absorb the aroma from the rose petals. The Jin Xuan Oolong tea used in this batch is freshly harvested spring 2012 oolong tea from the Nan Tou tea growing region in central Taiwan. While the aroma and taste add to this already excellent oolong tea, one of the things that I love about the tea is that you can see the small rose petals in the tea — it really is a very pretty tea, as well as being a healthy choice for those who like the slightly more oxidised oolong tea.

The product page will include more details regarding where the tea was grown, at which elevation, etc. I am also including photos here of the packaging and a sample of the actual Rose oolong tea in which you can see the rose petals blended with the oolong tea. Unfortunately, at present, I do not have a clear photo of the green tea however in general the leaves are unfurled which is why the packaging appears larger — it is loosely packaged as opposed to being vacuum packed. Both packs contain 100 gram of tea however.

The Rose Oolong tea is more costly than the Strawberry Green tea, mainly because the tea base is a very high grade tea.

Prices:

Rose Oolong Tea – 100 gm: $15.99
Strawberry Green Tea – 100 gm: $10

Orders for these teas will be shipped within 1 to 2 working days, with shipping to most parts of Australia only taking a couple of days.

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Have You Tried Bubble Tea?

Photo: © Shanewar | Dreamstime.com

Bubble tea may be a new and novel idea for some people.  While not common here in Australia, it can be found at many tea stands, especially those featuring Asian teas and drinks.  Usually served cold, it contains rather large tapioca balls and is enjoyed through a very large, wide straw.  Having spent many years in Taiwan, where Bubble tea originated, my kids and I enjoyed it on a regular basis—especially during the hot, muggy days of summer.  It is a fairly new drink, having first been served in the 1980’s.  Claims of who first made the tea are made by two different tea houses in Taiwan and to date I do not believe either has been successful in proving they came up with the original Bubble tea recipe.

Green, Red or Black Tea Base

As the name implies, it is usually made from freshly brewed tea –either green tea or black tea though these days there are quite a few variations on the original recipe. In fact, when first made it was served hot rather than cold. Milk and either tapioca balls or candied taro are added to the tea. You can also buy it with small, hard jelly cubes added. Fruit flavours are often added to the teas as well. Like I said, there are many different variations available and most tea houses will strive to come up with something unique to their particular shop.

A Bubble Tea By Any Other Name is Still Bubble Tea

You may find it called a number of different names including foam milk tea, pearl tea or Boba tea. Most people, at least here in Australia, simply ask for Bubble tea. Tea containing large sized tapioca balls is by far the most commonly served.  Incidentally, it was not named Bubble Tea because of the tapioca balls; which is what I originally thought.  The tea is usually made in a large disposable cup and sealed tightly over the top with plastic. Before serving, it is shaken quite vigorously which results in a thick top layer of foam – and that is why it is called ‘Bubble Tea’.

Home Made Bubble Tea

If you like to experiment with making different teas, you may find it fun to make your own Bubble tea. It is really not very difficult to do, and in order to make it even easier, it is possible to buy “Bubble tea” kits online that are shipped complete with the right kind of tapioca and even a specific tea mix.

With a little ingenuity and shopping around you can also find the ingredients here in Australia fairly easily. While using a kit to make it may be simple, you will find that you can experiment much more if you search out the ingredients and make it yourself.  Whether you purchase an online kit or buy the separate ingredients yourself, your main challenge will be cooking the tapioca so it is just right. (“Just right” can be somewhat subjective, though most Bubble Tea enthusiasts agree that the tapioca should not be overcooked, nor should it be too chewy! As I said, while it is very subjective, people will often return to the same tea shop or tea stand time after time in order to buy tea with tapioca that is, to their taste, perfect.)

Bubble Tea Ingredients

First off, track down a local Asian store of which there are usually one or two in most of larger shopping centres, and look for some large tapioca balls (1/4 inch tapioca). If you do not see them on the shelves you should ask if they are available. If not, they will probably be able to tell you where you can find them.  You may also find some stores stock a tea mix or tea blend that is specifically made for Bubble tea. You may want to try it, but it is not essential. You should also buy the large sized straws as well – remember the straws need to be large enough for those ¼ inch tapioca balls to fit through.

It is possible to buy these ingredients online, on eBay for example, however I could only see white tapioca balls and not the usual black coloured tapioca. Other online stores sell it also, but you need to buy quite a large quantity – something you may not want to do if you simply want to try it out first.

The other ingredients can be bought in any supermarket. You will need:
– Sugar or fructose syrup
– Tea – preferably loose leaf tea.  As mentioned above you can use green tea, read tea, black tea or even oolong tea. If you can’t find loose leaf tea a teabag will suffice.
– Dairy creamer, milk or cream
– A cocktail shaker

Now, Onto the Bubble Tea Recipe

Here is a very basic Bubble tea recipe you can start off with. Once you are more adept at making it and you know exactly how long to cook the tapioca balls for, you may have fun experimenting with different recipes.

¾ cup of tea for each Bubble tea you serve
milk, cream or dairy creamer
ice cubes
¼ cup of cooked tapioca per serving
syrup—either fructose syrup or syrup made from dissolving sugar in boiling water.

Using the cocktail shaker, first of all shake together the brewed tea, milk and syrup till it is all mixed together.
Add your ice cubes to the shaker and shake until you see froth on top.
Add the tapioca balls into the tall serving glass and pour the tea into the glass.
Place the large straw in each glass, and serve.

Variations to the Bubble Tea Recipe

As mentioned above, there are quite a few variations to this recipe.

* First, try using different teas. You may find fruit teas are quite tasty. Some people enjoy Bubble tea made with ginger tea or with ginger flavoured loose leaf tea.

* For a slightly different taste, try using evaporated milk instead of regular milk or creamer.

* Finally, see if you can find some candied taro balls or small cubes as a substitute or make agar-agar squares.

Footnote: Cooking Perfect Tapioca

This is the most important step in making Bubble tea—properly cooked tapioca! While hard to explain the texture it should be, in essence it should not be too hard and chewy but not too soft or jelly like either. Of course, it will take longer to cook the larger sized balls of tapioca than it does regular minute dessert tapioca.

You should generally allow 8 cups of water per cup of tapioca balls and make sure the pot you use for cooking the tapioca is large as the tapioca expands quite a lot while cooking. Boil the water first and then add the tapioca to the boiling water. If the balls seem to be stuck together you may want to stir the mix to separate them. One way to tell that they are separated is if the tapioca begins to rise to the top of the boiling water. Boil for 20 to 25 minutes, turn off the hot plate and let the pot sit for twenty minutes more.

When ready, you can pour the tapioca balls into a strainer and then rinse them with barely warm water. Stir in some fructose or syrup—this helps to keep the tapioca balls separate. It is recommended that you cook only what you are planning on using as cooked tapioca should not be stored in the refrigerator – this ruins the consistency of the balls. You can apparently store them in a Ziploc bag, flatten them out and freeze them. When unfreezing, you simply put the frozen tapioca balls into already boiling water and boil for a few minutes.

Is it Worth The Effort?

Yes, it does take a bit of effort to make Bubble tea. First you have to track down the ingredients and then it takes time to boil the tapioca. The main advantage to making it yourself is that you can tailor your recipe to your particular taste, you can experiment with different ingredients and you don’t have to go out to enjoy it.  It also is a fantastic drink to serve to visitors on a hot day and quite a good conversation starter especially if served to people who have never tried it before.

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Blooming Tea – Flowering Tea In Stock

I have just received my stash of blooming tea (also known as flowering tea) and I’m thrilled! There are ten different varieties, some with a green tea base but most with a white tea base. They’re beautiful.

You can see them all here.

They are not only a very pleasant tea drink but also a real attention getter when entertaining. Just stick one in a glass teapot,  pour on hot water and watch your guests become enthralled at the display. Honestly, even if you don’t drink the tea, the sight of the flower unfurling will be enough to wow most guests. Every one is hand made and each has its own personality. It takes between 5 to 10 minutes for one to totally unfurl.

If you are a tea lover, my suggestion is to let the tea make its presence known, let everyone have a sip of tea and then unveil your ‘best tea’.  For example, you could say, “Oh, wasn’t that great. How about tasting one of my premium white or green or oolong teas?” Then serve your best organic loose leaf tea. A winner. I’m sure.

If you have die-hard black tea drinkers (think Lipton and the sort) you can bring out your premium Red Jade tea and let everyone sample it. I have never added the ol’ “milk and sugar” to it, but I am confident that it would live up to the ol’ cup of Lipton 🙂

Honestly, tea is like wine. Once you have had a good one you will scorn everything else.

Aside from the fact that organic loose leaf teas actually do taste great, they are also very healthy for you. Think of these teas like coffee. Once everyone just drank instant (yuk). Now people buy coffee makers — even drip coffee makers, and enjoy a decent cup of coffee. Tea is the same. Introduce your friends to loose leaf tea and they will be hooked. Nothing quite tastes as good once you have had a decent, freshly brewed loose leaf tea. You can choose: green tea (with its earthy flavor), black tea (which tastes better than any teabag, oolong tea (same health benefits as green tea but a little less organic tasting), or white tea (served to Chinese royalty ONLY for many years.)

Do They Always Work As Expected?

And, back to blooming teas. Not only are they a delight to drink but they are fascinating to watch. Just think, each flowering tea is hand-made.  Most work as they should and (the first disclaimer along these lines I think) you do have the occasional dud. Yup, just like fire-crackers. Sometimes you will drop your tea ball into the boiling water and only half of it will unfurl.  OK, so the fire-cracker doesn’t go off–but the duds are VERY few and far between. We had one on the weekend; it didn’t live up to our expectations. Having said that, it is the only one so far (of many) that has not performed as well as we had hoped. That is probably why we sell 5 in each pack. All 5 should work as planned. If one doesn’t, send me a video of your fail and I will replace your tea x 2.

Blooming teas are exquisite. They are attention getters. They are hand-made, each one. They are a work of art.

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Portable Tea Infusers – A Handy Alternative To The Teapot Infuser

Portable Infusers

Just recently I have been experimenting quite a bit with a couple of different portable infusers, which while very popular in other countries are not that easy to find here in Australia.  Consequently, we are trying out different portable tea infusers so we can get a good idea of which ones to import and sell.  So far we have a couple that are in the running, a selection of glass portable infusers and a very nice metal portable infuser made from brushed stainless steel.

While they appear to have more of a golden glow in this picture, unfortunately that is because of the limitations of the lighting in our kitchen in late afternoon and our camera.  Actually the stainless steel sections are grey not golden — but at least this gives you a fairly good idea of what they look like in general.

They are definitely very handy items to have on hand, great because they are very portable, enabling you to brew tea on the run, in the car, while at work, on holiday etc. without having to take an entire tea set with you. They are made so that you can drink out of the bottom section of the infusers if you want to, meaning that you do not even need to take a tea cup or mug with you — this (and your loose leaf tea of course) is really all that you need, providing you have access to hot water. You can even make your tea in advance and because of the nature of the infusers they will keep your tea warm for you for a while.

Open Infuser

How To Use A Portable Infuser

They are very simple and easy to use.  The infusers unscrew into three separate parts. The top section is the lid.  The next section has a metal infuser at the bottom. This is where you place your tea. Finally the larger bottom section is where you pour in your hot water.  Once the tea leaves and water are in their respective sections, you screw the infuser back together and then reverse it so the infuser with the tea leaves is sitting on the table. The water pours into this section and very effectively brews your tea.  After a few minutes–depending on the type of tea you are making–you can turn it back the other way, unscrew the middle section and sip your tea.

In theory and in principle this generally works very well. There are a few things you need to be aware of when using the infusers but once you have used them a couple of times you should not have any difficulties with them at all.

Pros and Cons of Portable Tea Infusers

Although we have only tested a smattering of portable infusers, we have noted some disadvantages or things to be aware of — although this does seem to be based more on the actual portable infuser rather than portable infusers as a whole.

The portable glass infuser is made from double glass. This makes it very easy to use even when filled with hot water. You do need to remember, however, that although you can hold the glass infuser comfortably the tea on the inside can be very hot.

Another problem we have seen is that sometimes the glass infuser at least can be a tad difficult to get to screw together properly, with the resultant effect being that the hot water pours out onto the table rather than into the bottom section of the infuser when you turn it upside down. Naturally, that would be a bother if it happened on your desk at work, or in your car and it is fairly disagreeable when it happens at home too!

Finally, the glass in particular seems to tighten once the hot water is poured into it and it is a little harder to undo though that is not really a problem as such–it merely requires that a little more effort to open it afterward.

The advantages are many. They are very easy to use.  They are extremely portable, enabling you to make tea on the go at any location providing you have access to hot water. They also brew a very nice cup of tea; just as good as those you would brew at home with a regular teapot. The infusers we have are also very nicely made and they look great with artful decorations on the exterior of the infuser.

Cost Of  Portable Infusers

Another advantage is that they are relatively inexpensive, though the stainless steel infuser is more expensive than the glass kind.  The stainless steel infuser is virtually indestructible and while the glass infuser made with two layers of thick glass is fairly sturdy it would potentially break if dropped on a hard surface.

We are still finalizing pricing for these items although we will offer a selection of different portable infusers, both medium and large sizes which will be priced according to both size and the materials they are made from. They make an interesting gift idea for any tea lover and as such we will be preparing a gift set as well that is artfully presented in a nice case.

I will keep you updated as we finalize our decisions on these infusers. Meanwhile, if you have any questions or comments please feel free to comment on this post or send me a note via my contact page. We’d love to hear what you have to say or any comments you have on these items as it will help us in making our decisions on what you are interested in.

 

 

 

 

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New To Asian Teas–Try Oolong Milk Tea

If you are interested in trying different Asian teas but are not really sure where to start, you may want to take a look at the selection of milky oolong tea. You will often hear this tea referred to as milk oolong tea, milky oolong tea, or simply milky oolong.  However, it is important to realize that there are definitely differences in the quality of the milk oolongs that are sold these days. Some are grown from the Jin Xuan varietal of tea plant; they are organically grown and naturally processed. Others are flavored teas that are also labeled as milky oolongs.

For US and Canada customers Milk Oolong can be ordered here: Zi Chun Teas Online Shop 

What Is Oolong Milk Tea ?

Even though the name implies that there is milk in this tea that is not the case at all.  It is a pure oolong  Jin Xuan tea, that when organically grown and processed simply has a subtle milk flavor. This flavor can be enhanced if the tea is lightly roasted or if the tea is given a longer oxidation period.  Changes in temperature can also sometimes affect the flavor as can the actual altitude at which the Jin Xuan tea plants are grown. In other words, the milky characteristic is due to the varietal of tea plants used to make the tea.

Buy Milky Oolong Tea Here

Because of the initial popularity of this type of tea, some tea merchants and even some farmers hoping to replicate the aroma and taste of the tea actually began adding milk flavor to the teas. These days it is still possible to find blended teas that have this flavor added, however if you want the best type of milk oolong go for the organically grown Xin Xuan non-blended milky oolong tea.

What Does It Taste Like?

An organically grown Milky Oolong tea will not have an over-powering milky aroma or taste. A high quality tea will have an almost buttery taste which actually complements the regular oolong tea taste nicely. It is also naturally slightly sweet. This aroma of milk and slight sweetness make it a great tea for regular black-tea-with-milk-and-sugar drinkers to begin their journey into the discovery of Chinese teas. It also blends well with other flavored teas.

 

How Can You Be Sure You Are Buying The Natural Milky Oolong Tea?

An honest retailer or merchant should state whether the tea is a blended tea or a natural and organically grown Jin Xuan Milk Oolong.   The leaves of the Jin Xuan plant are different to other trees, they are light green and are oval shaped although it is hard to tell that when buying tea that is already dried and processed.  Generally, the aroma from an organic milky oolong tea is fresh without much hint of a milky aroma. On the other hand, one that has been flavored will have more of a milk aroma.

Some people actually prefer the flavored teas and according to my husband, who sells both types, they sell well. The main thing is to buy from a reputable source that specifically states whether the tea is blended or flavored, or not.

Buy Milky Oolong Tea Here

For US and Canada customers Milk Oolong can be ordered here: Zi Chun Teas Online Shop 

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What Is Gaba Tea and Why Is It So Good For You?

 

What is GABA tea?

Discovered over twenty years ago in Japan, GABA tea is made by exposing tea leaves to nitrogen during their processing. At the time this discovery was made, Japanese scientists were experimenting how to better preserve food. During their experimentations they discovered that exposing tea leaves to nitrogen actually increased GABA levels in tea.

That’s Fine…But What Is GABA Anyway?

GABA (Gamma Amino Butyric Acid) is one of the main neurotransmitters for the CNS (Central Nervous System).  It acts as a kind of brake, in that it prevents over-excitement of the nervous system. For example, many common medications prescribed for stress or anxiety actually stimulates GABA receptors to provide greater relaxation. Decreased GABA levels in a human brain have been well documented by medical studies to be associated with many psychiatric or nervous system disorders.

GABA not only works on the nervous system, but it also affects the endocrine system as well. Human Growth Hormone has been found to increase naturally with people taking GABA supplements.

One hundred grams of GABA tea contains around 150 -250 milligrams of GABA. In comparison, regular green tea only contains six milligrams per 100 grams! Melon juice, also high in GABA, has 100-150 milligrams per 100 millilitres of juice.

Organic GABA tea is usually made from oolong tea though it can also be made from green tea and black tea.

Popularity of GABA Products in Japan

Because of the many benefits found in GABA tea, it is very much promoted in Japan. In Japan you can not only readily buy GABA tea, but you can also buy GABA soft drinks and even GABA chocolate! In fact, you will find GABA supplements included in all kinds of food that is sold in supermarkets there.

While less well known in other parts of the world, it is beginning to increase in popularity. It is fairly easy to find a GABA supplement, such as GABA capsules or other related items in pharmacies and health food stores, and even GABA soft drinks in some countries. However, as stated above, one of the best sources of GABA, and one of the cheaper sources, is GABA tea.

So, What Does GABA Do Exactly?

While there are many benefits attributed to including GABA rich foods in your diet, one of the main benefits is that it increases alpha brain waves. This, in turn, will help to improve a person’s mental focus and activity. In other words, it will promote a greater sense of well-being. Following is a categorized list of some of the documented benefits of GABA:

Circulatory System
– Lowers blood pressure, making it perfect for people suffering from high blood pressure.

Mental and Stress Related
– Provides stress relief, lowers anxiety levels
– Helps alleviate symptoms of bipolar disorder and depression
– Aids in better memory retention
– Is said to also increase overall mental alertness
– Has been proven to help people undergoing alcohol detox programs by making the withdrawal symptoms lessen.

Health and Beauty
– Aids in weight loss (as does most oolong teas)
– Has natural anti aging properties and as such helps to improve the elasticity of skin and prevent wrinkles  from forming
– Is a natural sleep aid, not only helping you go to sleep faster but also ensuring that your quality of sleep is great

Other
Aside from those benefits, there are a few other advantages enjoyed when your GABA nutritional requirements are met.
– Hangover cure – Yes, GABA Oolong is being hailed as the new beverage of choice the morning after. its soothing calming and healing properties really do make a difference

– Increases your energy levels- Great for providing extra endurance when needed
– Has anti bacterial properties
– Increases sexual performance (perhaps that goes along with the extra endurance and energy levels?)

The great thing about GABA is that these benefits are actually very well documented through years of scientific study. Because there is valid proof of the health benefits of GABA, and no side effects, supplemental GABA is increasingly being prescribed by workers in the health industry.

In summary, aside from the regular health benefits that all organic tea has, such as the abundance of antioxidants and other healthy compounds, GABA tea also has exceptionally high levels of natural GABA. This combination makes organic GABA tea one of the healthiest choices available when it comes to organic tea.

Update: We apologize that we no longer sell GABA Oolong tea online here. We do however Organic GABA Oolong as well as some other Robyn Lee Teas available on Amazon Australia. Feel free to take a look at our teas and order directly from our Amazon Australia Tea Store Free shipping available when you start an Amazon Prime membership

US and Canada customers can buy our teas here: Zi Chun Teas

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Blooming Tea — Flowering Tea Choices

 

 

Looking for Blooming Teas?

Buy blooming tea here.

 

 

Photo By: Catherine Bulinski

If you are looking for tea that perhaps epitomizes all that tea is about, you could look no further than the blooming tea or flowering teas. They are, perhaps, the most beautiful of all beverages as they are not only pleasant to look at but they have a delightful taste as well.

What Are Blooming Teas?

Blooming teas, or flowering teas as they are also called, are special blends of teas. Commonly, green tea is combined with naturally herbal flowers or buds. Black tea and oolong tea is also sometimes used. The way they are made is quite unique. Most are handmade, in that a bundle of flowers and tea leaves are tied together with thread into a tight ball. The bundles are made in such a way that when brewed the leaves and flowers unfurl into amazing designs where the tea leaves form the leaves of the flower and the bud or flower unfolds at the centre. In some instances the flowers unfurl into an arch, a dragon’s eye, or even a small boat. To give you an idea of some of the designs, here are some photographs of blooming teas in all their glory!

 

 

The Best Way To Showcase Flower Tea

Usually, blooming teas are steeped in glass teapots so the artistic designs can be easily seen. Some people prefer to brew tea in a glass teacup instead. Often it is served at the end of a meal where the teapot is set in the middle of the table so everyone can appreciate it. You will also find it served with a light afternoon or morning snack, again placed on the table so everyone can enjoy watching the flower unfold.

Our Blooming Teas

We have a selection of blooming teas available now. These teas are made using green tea or white tea as the base.

Our selection includes teas made with jasmine flowers, Osmanthus, Lily, Globe Amaranth, Marigold and possibly chrysanthemum and marigolds! If you are interested in buying blooming teas please take a look at the flowering teas now available in our store.

How To Brew Blooming Teas

There are a couple of different ways you can prepare your flowering tea, however most recommend that you first pour the boiling water into a glass teapot and then drop the blooming tea into the water. Naturally, you will want to prepare the tea in a heat resistant glass teapot. Another suggestion is to place the tea pot over a tea warmer and light small tea candles. The light from the candles will shine up into the blooming tea, making it even more unique and exquisite.

If you wish to prepare a blooming tea for each guest–which really is a great way to end a meal with friends–you can also prepare the tea in separate glasses or cups. Because you will want to see the blooming tea unfold completely it is recommended that you use large sized glass cups or even large wine or martini glasses (providing they are heat resistant).

Normally you would use one ball for about 500 ml. of water or for a less strong tea, up to 1 litre of water. With this tea you let it steep for at least three minutes as that gives the flower long enough to unfold. Though you may be tempted to do so, don’t try to stir the water in order to hasten the process as it will not have the desired effect.

As with other loose leaf teas, you can reuse the blooming tea and make several different steepings from it, however you should not keep the bloom to reuse the following day for making tea. You can, however, place the blooming tea in a vase or glass and admire it for several days until the flowers begin to wilt.

Some people mention that they prefer to place the blooming tea into the already freshly boiled water as small pieces do not break off as easily; you can always experiment to see what you prefer and what gives you the best tasting tea.

In Conclusion

I recently read an article from Hsiao-Ching Chou, written for the Seattle PI website, that I thought perfectly expressed the reason why blooming tea is such a wonderful addition to the table. As he said, ” This is definitely not a grab-and-go drink. Enjoying a flowering tea requires time and contemplation — and a glass teapot.”

Here is a quote from his article. Think about it, and then watch the video, courtesy of House of Blossoms, included at the end of the article. You’ll soon see why blooming teas or flowering teas are becoming so popular!

“I steeped two of the teas, one in each pot, and watched them reconstitute and relax in the hot water. It was a visual reminder that I need to soak in the comfort of a quiet moment, sipping green aromas and allowing the calm to blossom.”

 

 

Organic GABA Oolong

Organic-Gaba-Tea-360-300x300-organic sticker

Our top selling tea!

A Taiwanese Organic Oolong tea, uses nitrogen rather than oxygen to replace regular oxidation phase which causes it to be naturally rich in GABA content. Rich, full bodied Oolong tea with a slightly, honey tasting profile. GABA tea has many health benefits aside from the standard benefits gained from most loose leaf teas.

Read More About GABA tea HERE

 

Update: We apologize that we no longer sell GABA Oolong tea online here. We do however Organic GABA Oolong as well as some other Robyn Lee Teas available on Amazon Australia. Feel free to take a look at our teas and order directly from our Amazon Australia Tea Store Free shipping available when you start an Amazon Prime membership

US and Canada customers can buy our teas here: Zi Chun Teas

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Why Opt For Organic Loose Teas?

You may be very familiar with teas or you may be just starting your journey into exploring the delightfully fragranced and flavored teas that are available. Either way, chances are that once you have sampled some of the different organic loose teas that are now readily available worldwide you will never turn back!

My Introduction To Tea

Photo By: David Menino

In my home, when young, my parents and sisters loved their cup of tea–as they do to this day.  Being dedicated tea drinkers they refused to make their tea from teabags but instead bought Lipton tea (made from broken leaves, not whole leaves). Their tea ceremony began by pouring hot water into the small, well used teapot in order to ‘heat up the pot first.” Next several teaspoons of tea were tossed into the pot and boiling water poured over. It sat for several minutes and was then poured into cups–not mugs. Everyone in my family had their tea with milk. Sugar was an option, depending on who was dieting at the time! Long gossipy conversations usually ensued, especially when the aunts were visiting. That was the extent of my knowledge about tea. I drank coffee instead.

Learning About Asian Loose Leaf Teas

Upon moving to South East Asia, suddenly my knowledge of tea was expanded. I noticed that men, not women as was traditional in my home, prepared the tea. It was brewed in tiny, rotund pots and served in small cups without handles. You never added milk or sugar!

Photo By: Krista

In Myanmar, in a northern city, Mandalay, I was served tea leaf salad–apparently a rather famous dish made with fermented green tea leaves and other additives. I was surprised at how good it actually tasted. So, there was more to tea than I had originally thought.

It wasn’t until I went to live in Taiwan, however, that my tea education really began. My husband became fascinated with the whole concept of Cha Dao, or the ‘way of tea’. He learned about tea from various tea masters, participated in tea ceremonies and ended up drinking it frequently throughout the day. In Taiwan, oolong tea (or wulong tea, as it is also known as) is usually served. He has become so enthused with tea that he has started his own tea export company–it looks like tea has really become a part of my life!

But What Is All The Fuss About Organic Loose Leaf Teas

Here is where I get to explain why organic loose teas are far superior to tea made from broken leaves, or worse yet tea brewed from teabags made from tea fannings or dust.

We all know why organic is good right? Organic tea is grown without any pesticides or chemicals. It is simply much healthier to eat organic food of all kind than to eat food from animals that have been injected with hormones or crops that have been sprayed with insecticides and other chemicals. Following the same reasoning, drinking organic tea is a more healthy choice.

If you want to really taste a tea–just as you would taste a fine wine–you want to try loose leaf tea. The flavor is richer, there are more health benefits gained from drinking tea made from loose leaves and you will able to sample the true taste of the tea as it was meant to taste.

Aside from that, it is also a lot of fun to watch loose leaf tea brewing. The tea itself is dried yet when you pour water on top of it, the leaves gradually unfurl in a very beautiful and impressive manner. Try making a pot of blooming tea–you’ll be thrilled with what you see as it is guaranteed to impress.

Another reason for choosing loose leaf tea is that you can reuse the tea leaves several times over, up to around three times. How nifty is that? The flavor gradually lessens the more cups of tea are brewed with the same tea leaves but even after several cups you can still experience the unique taste of the particular tea you are drinking.

My Favorite Loose Leaf Teas

Everyone has their own favorites when it comes to tea. My husband is a great fan of GABA tea (more on that in another post). I prefer oolong tea to green tea, mainly I think because that is what I was first introduced to. Green tea, to me, tastes a bit–well–green and leafy.

Some of my favorites at the moment include JinXuan Oolong, Osmanthus oolong and Jasmine oolong. Of course, there are so many different oolong teas that it is difficult to choose only one or two–and my preferences also tend to keep switching from one tea to the other.

If you are new to drinking oolong tea I would definitely recommend the JinXuan Oolong which is also known as milky oolong tea. It really tastes great and has a slight hint of a milk tea flavor which makes it a perfect choice in many ways for someone transitioning from drinking black tea and milk to oolong tea.

The Red Jade tea is one of the more expensive black teas sold as loose leaf tea but it is, not so surprisingly, becoming very popular amongst tea lovers.

If you love teas with a flowery taste, you would probably like the Jasmine oolong and Jasmine green tea choices. Osmanthus oolong is another great choice as the blend of the Osmanthus flowers with the oolong tea is a perfect combination–giving off a beautiful, almost heady apricot aroma with a delicious taste.

More On Loose Leaf Teas

I will be doing specific updates on each of the teas mentioned above, as well as some other teas that I am able to supply. I hope you enjoyed reading about my personal ‘tea journey’ and my favourites. I’d love to hear about yours too! Also, if anyone has any specific teas; herbal, green or oolong that you would like me to review and post more information on please just get in touch and let me know.

 

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Teapots With Infusers: When To Use Them

Photo By: Rob Chant

If you look at the variety of different glass teapots, ceramic teapots or metal teapots available you will find many come with an infuser. Oftentimes the teapot is designed so that the infuser can actually lift out of the teapot if you like. Why would you want to invest in a teapot with infuser and when would you use it?

What the Tea Infuser Teapot Is Useful For

Many people prefer not to have tea leaves swirling around in their cup of tea. This is especially true for those who drink loose leaf tea as the leaves, when unfurled, can oftentimes take up a lot of space inside the teapot. It is also quite a bother if they get stuck in the spout of a teapot as, unless you have the right accessories, they can be quite difficult to dislodge. This is where the teapot infuser comes in very handy.

Photo By: Lucius Kwok -- Loose Leaf Tea in a Teapot Without An Infuser

How To Use The Teapot With Infuser

They are very simple to use. All you need do it put the same amount of tea leaves in the actual infuser that you would have placed directly into the teapot. Pour boiling or just boiled water–depending on the type of tea you are drinking–over the tea leaves and allow it to brew as you normally would. The water will mingle freely with the tea leaves and you will have a nicely brewed pot of tea usually within minutes.

 

One thing that some people can tend to do is pack the infuser too tightly with tea leaves. This will not make for a better cup of tea. Instead, the water will not be able to freely mix around the tea leaves and you may well end up with a weaker tea than you  would have had you packed the tea leaves less tightly. In summary, usually you need to place the same amount of tea that you normally would for the amount of cups you will be pouring.

 

Another thing to determine before buying your infuser teapot is that the infuser is actually large enough for the teapot. This is not normally a problem when the teapot is sold with the infuser, but I have seen problems when people buy an infuser to use with their teapot and they end up buying one that is too small. For this reason, unless you are sure what you are doing, you may want to opt for the teapots with infusers rather than buying a separate loose tea infuser for your pot.

Cleaning Your Loose Leaf Tea Infuser

They are really very simple to clean. Once you have finished serving tea you should be able to detach the infuser unit from the pot. From there you simply tap the infuser on the side of the trashcan or food disposal unit till the leaves come out. Some people don’t mind pulling the leaves out with their fingers; others prefer to use some sort of tongs or other accessory so they don’t have to touch the limp and usually cold tea leaves. After that, rinse the infuser out under the faucet and pop it back into the teapot.

If the infuser does not come out of the teapot you’ll have to resort to using either fingers or tongs to get the tea leaves out. Again, rinse the infuser and teapot under the tap and set it aside to dry.

It is not recommended to leave the tea leaves in the infuser as tea can be a great thriving ground for mould–now, getting mouldy tea leaves out of an infuser is much more unpleasant. Believe me, I’ve experienced it!

 

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What To Look For When Buying Glass Teapots

I love watching a blooming tea expand in a glass teapot. I am also fascinated when I see the loose leaf teas unfurl while brewing. One of my main problems is deciding which type of glass tea pot to choose as there are so many options to choose from. If you are thinking about buying one, here are a few things to keep in mind as not all glass teapots are the same quality and even though one particular design may look great you will want it to also brew a fantastic cup of tea and be easy to use and clean. You may also find the best teapots for sale wherever you buy tea from.

The best glass teapots are made from high quality borosilicate glass, just as Pyrex kitchenware in Europe is.  (Not all Pyrex is made from borosilicate though–in the US it is made from soda lime glass instead.) This glass is heat resistant, and while lightweight it is also very durable. Most of the teapots made from this glass are crystal clear however you can find some beautiful amber coloured glass teapots as well. Because they are made from borosilicate glass they are safe to use to brew tea and they are generally dishwasher safe as well. Some caution may be needed if the dry heat in your dishwasher is extremely high–but in general they are safe to use in most home and commercial dish washers. I would only recommend buying teapots made from top quality borosilicate glass–it should be clearly labelled as being made from this material.

What Style Of Glass Teapot Is Best?

Now, that is out of the way we can talk about what else you should look for when purchasing a teapot. What style of glass teapot is best? It really depends on your personal preferences and the type of tea you are planning on brewing. If you want to show off your blooming tea you will probably want to look for a teapot that is either tall–so the flower can expand up, or fairly rotund leaving lots of room for expansion inside the teapot.  If you love loose leaf teas you may want to opt for a glass teapot with infuser. Tea leaves are popped into the tea infuser and boiled water is poured on the leaves. The tea brews nicely but you do not have to worry about tea leaves getting stuck in the spout when you are pouring the tea–and glass teapots with infusers are also quite a bit easier to clean in some respects. Maybe you love watching the tea leaves unfurl to their full size–then buy a teapot that either has an infuser that you can take out if you want, or buy a simple glass teapot without an infuser.

Photo By: Lucius Kwok

You can also find some teapots that have a removable strainer in the actual spout of the teapot. These allow you to brew the tea without needing an internal teapot infuser so you can see the tea as it expands yet it will keep the tea leaves out of your teacup. While a glass teapot with strainer will work well with a blooming tea they are not as useful if you are using loose leaf tea as the tea leaves tend to clog up the strainer fairly quickly.

Another very neat design that I saw recently was a glass teapot that actually sits on top of the cup while the tea is brewing. When you lift up the teapot the tea pours into the cup. This unique design could come in very handy–and it is also a bit of a novelty if you are looking for something a little unusual.

Best Size Teapot To Buy

What size teapot should you buy?  How many people will you brew tea for? If you are brewing a cup or two for yourself then a smaller sized 400 ml. teapot may be sufficient. If you are planning on brewing enough tea for your family to sip after dinner you may want to look at the larger 1000 or even 1200 ml. teapots.

Some teapots are fairly simple in design, beautifully showcasing the tea inside. Other designs are more intricate. For example, it is possible to buy double walled glass teapots. These are designed to keep the tea warm while keeping the teapot itself cool enough to handle. Some are styled after Japanese teapots, Arabic teapots or the small Chinese teapots. Most have a smooth glass surface but you can also find some where the glass surface is faceted to where the teapot has a jewelled appearance. Again, you will probably have your own preference.

Other Features

Photo By: Rob Chant

Other features, relating to how well the tea pours, are also important to consider. In general, the spout of the teapot should be slightly higher than the lid. This allows for optimal pouring.  The lid should be tight fitting, with some kind of seal around it so that it does not come off while you are pouring the tea–loose lids really are awkward as you have to keep your finger on the lid when serving tea. On the other hand, the lid should not be that tight fitting that you have to struggle with it to get it off as that can result in damage to the teapot and lid. Another area to pay attention to is the handle of the teapot. The joins should be smooth–with some teapots you cannot see any join at all, and the handle should look sturdy and secure. This is especially important if you purchase a larger capacity teapot.

How To Care For Your Glass Teaware
We had a kettle; we let it leak:
Our not repairing made it worse.
We haven’t had any tea for a week…
The bottom is out of the Universe.
~Rudyard Kipling

Some are designed to be used directly on either a gas or electric burner, while others are not. Pay attention to the instructions for use as improper treatment of your teapot could cause it to break. Following are a few tips on caring for your glass teapot as proper care and handling will be sure to prolong the life of your tea pot.

Unless specifically stated, the teapot should not be placed over direct heat or a flame. In other words, if the instructions do not implicitly state that it can be used in this way that means that it cannot.

When placing in the dishwasher, do not leave it in for too long–drying time should only be around 15 minutes maximum. You may need to adjust your dishwasher settings if you regularly use high temperatures for longer periods of time.

Although I do not see the need for doing so, still you should not place your teapot in the refrigerator or freezer if the internal temperature is set to maximum coolness. If you want to cool down your iced tea I would suggest transferring it to another refrigerator safe container, or making sure the temperature is not too low. Remember too, it is not a good idea to place a hot or very warm teapot directly into a cold refrigerator.

Finally, when cleaning your teapot do not use abrasive cleaning agents or abrasive cleaning pads as they will scratch the surface of the teapot and not only mar its looks but also damage the teapot.