Blending Up Surprises
I’ve always liked stronger flavors. Maybe it comes from growing up in a Lapsang Souchong-drinking family. When I hear someone say that tea is bland or weak, I hope to introduce them to its intrigue and surprise.
That sense of surprise is what guides my blending process. Sometimes I look at a flavor that might seem a bit pedestrian and I want to make it feel new. Chamomile is a good example. There are many places to get a good chamomile, but it isn’t always a tea that stands out. I thought it would be interesting to start with an organic chamomile and add citron, hibiscus, rose, and mint. Suddenly we had a light minty flavor to complement the chamomile and a gorgeous pink liquor. I wanted to be sure it was memorable.
I must confess that once in awhile my blends are developed from a name. That is what happened with my personal favorite, White Ginger Pear. I fell in love with the music of the name and I wanted to create a tea that tasted like that sound. It’s like cooking -- a pinch of this and a pinch of that, trying to find a sense of balance. The flavors can’t battle each other; they have to meld.
In a few weeks we have a new line of teas we’ll be introducing to our line. We hope you find them intense, flavorful, and memorable and give yourself a moment to pause, a moment to retreat from your busy day.
That sense of surprise is what guides my blending process. Sometimes I look at a flavor that might seem a bit pedestrian and I want to make it feel new. Chamomile is a good example. There are many places to get a good chamomile, but it isn’t always a tea that stands out. I thought it would be interesting to start with an organic chamomile and add citron, hibiscus, rose, and mint. Suddenly we had a light minty flavor to complement the chamomile and a gorgeous pink liquor. I wanted to be sure it was memorable.
I must confess that once in awhile my blends are developed from a name. That is what happened with my personal favorite, White Ginger Pear. I fell in love with the music of the name and I wanted to create a tea that tasted like that sound. It’s like cooking -- a pinch of this and a pinch of that, trying to find a sense of balance. The flavors can’t battle each other; they have to meld.
In a few weeks we have a new line of teas we’ll be introducing to our line. We hope you find them intense, flavorful, and memorable and give yourself a moment to pause, a moment to retreat from your busy day.
Labels: chamomile citron, hibiscus, lapsang souchong, mint, rose, white ginger pear
