A truly unique synthesis of flavors, yielding a rich chocolatey sparkling clean brew. . . . This blend is inspired by the connection we see between fine chocolate and fine tea. Our Laoshan Black and Wuyi Big Red Robe have strong natural notes of cacao that we wanted to bring out and play with. The end result is a rich, sweet and sparkling brew that brings out the best in both the tea and the cacao nibs. Marigold provides a richness that complements the sweet flavors of chamomile cinnamon and fennel, while the mint gives just enough of a clean sparkle to counterbalance the flavor of raw cacao. Enjoy this curious brew hot or cold and add a touch of buckwheat honey for a real treat.
Ingredients: Wuyi Big Red Robe, Laoshan Black, Spearmint, Cinnamon, Fennel, Peruvian Cacao Nibs, Marigold, Chamomile.
ICED: Like very good mint chocolate chip ice cream.
Using freshly-filtered boiling water, rinse two teaspoons of leaf in a gaiwan, or brew basket. Steep for one minute in an eight ounce vessel. Enjoy multiple infusions, increasing steep time by 20-30 seconds per infusion.
For iced tea, use two teaspoons of leaf per cup of water. Add leaf to the brewing vessel, fill with cool filtered water and refrigerate overnight. Enjoy cold-brewed tea the next day.
Making Concentrated Tea for Summer Drinks"Concentrated tea shots make for a very flexible flavor to have on hand for summer drinks from tea soda to martinis....
Verdant Tea on Ice"Every one of the teas that we prepared on ice was exceptionally good, and a number of them were downright magnificent. The truth is, in every case, we found the iced treatment to reveal previously unseen facets and dimensions of each tea....
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