Tea Time in Feb 2024 Box

Welcome to this month's splendid showcase of teas and pastries, where the essence of tradition and taste beautifully merge, presenting an enchanting selection of flavors and cultural delights. Dive into the luxurious world of our Hand-rolled Black Tea, sourced from the verdant Nilgiri Highlands of India. This tea, with its rich and aromatic profile, is meticulously paired with our distinctive Hazelnut Honey Croissants and the indulgent Cocoa Almond Cookies, offering a harmonious blend of taste sensations. For those who favor a combination of fruity and floral notes, our Apricot Brandy Tea stands as a captivating choice. This delightful brew, with its infusion of apricot and brandy notes, is perfectly complemented by the sweetness of our Strawberry Tart Cookies and the unique flavor of Whipped Strawberry Tarts, crafting a melody of sweet, natural flavors. Completing our selection is the Explorer tea Apple Empanada, a caffeine-free option that envelops you in its comforting warmth, making it a perfect choice for any moment of the day. Embark with us on a sensory journey that explores the rich depths of flavor and tradition, found in every sip and bite of our carefully curated collection.

Follow our My Tea Time blog series to explore your monthly tea experiences. Without further ado, let's start our February tea experience! 

Origins

Get to know your Origins Tea!

Take a journey to the South Indian Nilgiri Highlands with our Origins Handrolled Black Tea. This extraordinary tea stands as a tribute to tradition and craftsmanship, meticulously created by skilled farmers. Each leaf is carefully handpicked and gently rolled to maintain its natural flavors and essence. This product provides not only a rich, full-bodied tea experience but also advocates for environmental stewardship and wildlife conservation. Savor the taste of India and contribute to a meaningful cause with every sip.

Tea Name: Handrolled Black Tea – India

Teamaker: Teas For Wildlife - A dedicated community of tea artisans in Nilgiri, South India.

Origin: The lush, vibrant hills of the Nilgiri region.

Elevation: Nestled at high elevations, providing the ideal climate for tea cultivation. (1000 to 2500m)

Cultivation: Each leaf is handpicked with care, ensuring the highest quality.

Harvest Date: Spring 2023

Brewing Instructions: For a perfect cup, use 1 tablespoon of tea leaves per 8 oz (about 240 ml) of water. Steep for 180 seconds, adding an additional 60 seconds for the second infusion, allowing up to 2 infusions. The ideal water temperature is 212°F (100°C). Experience the best of this tea's rich profile with these simple steps.

Tea Aroma and Taste

Our Handrolled Black Tea, originating from India's Nilgiri region, stands as a tribute to the artistry of tea-making. Every leaf, carefully handpicked, unfolds into a rich and full-bodied flavor, offering a robust experience. Its smoothness and deep, satisfying aroma reflect the skill and traditions of the local tea artisans. Each sip is a celebration of their craftsmanship and commitment to quality

Appearance: The leaves present a rich, dark hue, indicative of their full-bodied nature.

Smell: Once steeped, the tea exudes a warm, inviting aroma, reminiscent of the earthy tones of the Nilgiri hills.

Taste: A sip reveals a deep, robust flavor profile. This full-bodied tea offers a rich and smooth experience, leaving a lingering taste of traditional Indian black tea. 

About the farm and Farmers!

At teas for wildlife, nestled in the heart of India's lush landscapes, our farm is more than just a place for growing tea; it's a sanctuary where the commitment to wildlife conservation and sustainable agriculture coalesce. Our farmers, stewards of both the land and its traditions, cultivate our teas with reverence for the environment, ensuring that every leaf tells a story of conservation and care.

Background on the Farmers:

The farmers are the backbone of Teas For Wildlife. With generations of knowledge passed down, they work harmoniously with nature, adopting practices that not only yield exceptional teas but also contribute to the preservation of wildlife and their habitats, embodying the true spirit of coexistence. 

Pastry Pairings

Pairing our Handrolled Black Tea with the Hazelnut Honey Croissant offers a sublime tea experience. This French pastry, with its flaky layers and a heart of rich hazelnut cream, harmonizes with the tea's robust profile. The subtle sweetness of honey in the croissant complements the deep flavors of the tea, creating a luxurious and indulgent moment.

Cocoa Almond Cookie (Japan)

The Cocoa Almond Cookie from Japan offers a unique taste experience, its delicate balance of almond and cocoa flavors creating a fragrant, not overly sweet treat. Its crispy and delicate texture contrasts beautifully with the robust, full-bodied nature of  this month’s black tea from India. The light yet rich flavor of the cookie complements the deep, earthy tones of the tea, enhancing the overall tasting experience. The refreshing hint of orange in the cookie pairs exquisitely with the tea's natural flavors, making it an ideal accompaniment for an afternoon of indulgence.

Green Tea Milk Cookie (Japan)

The Green Tea Milk Cookie from Japan offers a sublime taste experience that complements the robustness of the black tea perfectly. The delicate green tea flavor, infused with the creamy richness of milk, creates a harmonious balance with the tea's deep, full-bodied taste. The addition of fragrant almonds introduces a subtle crunch, enhancing the cookie's crisp texture. This combination of the cookie's light yet rich flavor and the tea's traditional robustness makes for an exquisite pairing where each enhances the other's complexities.

Palate Cleanser (for taste testing): Saltine crackers are provided in our tea box to clean the taste of your mouth, including spicy, bitter, or sweet.

(Read more about Tea J Tea’s recommended way of tasting: Sip-Bite-Sip)

Fruity or Floral

Take pleasure in the juicy, colorful flavor of Apricot Brandy Tea, a delightful treat for tea lovers. This exceptional blend harmonizes black tea with apricot pieces, providing a naturally sweet and fruity escapade in every sip. Immerse yourself in the taste of summer with this delightful infusion, a true testament to the excellence of fruity teas.

Tea Name: Apricot Brandy Tea

Processing: Infusion of black tea and apricot pieces.

Year: 2023

Caffeine Content: Low

Brewing Instructions: For the perfect cup of Apricot Brandy Tea, begin by using one tablespoon of tea leaves for every 8 ounces (approximately 240 ml) of water. Bring your water to a boil at 212°F (100°C). Steep the tea for two minutes, and if you desire a second infusion, steep for an additional one minute. This method allows for up to two delightful infusions from the same leaves.

Tea Aroma and Taste

The scent and flavour of Apricot Brandy Tea as they come together to create a sensory symphony. The rich, fruity fragrance is matched by a palate of natural sweetness and depth, embodying the essence of ripe apricots. Each sip promises a refreshing and invigorating experience, leaving a lasting impression of fruity sophistication

Appearance: The Apricot Brandy Tea, a premium black tea blend, presents a rich and inviting color. Upon brewing, this tea displays a deep golden hue, accented with bright orange highlights from the apricot bits.

Smell: Rich, fruity fragrance.

Tasting Notes: Sweet, natural fruity notes with a depth of flavor from the black tea base.

Pastry Pairings

Pair the Apricot Brandy Tea with either a Strawberry Tart Cookie from Korea or a Whipped Strawberry Tart from Japan for a delightful culinary experience. The vibrant, fruity notes of the tea complement the sweet, fresh strawberries in both pastries, creating a harmonious blend of flavors. Enjoy the contrast between the tea's smoothness and the pastries' rich textures for a truly indulgent treat.

Strawberry Tart Cookie (Korea)

The Strawberry Tart Cookie, with its vibrant strawberry essence, offers a taste that is both exquisitely sweet and refreshingly tangy, mirroring the natural fruity notes of the Apricot Brandy Tea. Its texture, a perfect blend of a chewy fruit puree center enveloped by a soft, moist tart base, provides a delightful sensory contrast to the smooth, rich depth of the tea. This combination enhances the tea's apricot flavor, creating a harmonious balance between the tartness of the berries and the sweet, mellow undertones of the tea.

Whipped Strawberry Tart (Japan)

The Whipped Strawberry Tart, with its high-moisture strawberry content, offers a taste experience that is both rich and lusciously sweet. Its texture, smooth and velvety, creates an irresistible mouthfeel that complements the natural sweetness and fruity depth of the Apricot Brandy Tea. This pairing enhances the tea's fruity notes, making each sip a perfect blend of tea and tart flavors.

Explorer

Explorer Tea: Something New

Experience the delightful fusion found only in Explorer's Apple Empanada Tea. This exquisite blend infuses each cup with the aroma of warm, freshly-baked apple pastries. Crafted with a mix of red rooibos, apple pieces, cinnamon chips, and honeybush tea, this soothing, caffeine-free beverage is perfect for any time of day.

Tea Name: Apple Empanada

Processing: This tea is a skillful blend of natural ingredients including honeybush tea, red rooibos, apple pieces, cinnamon chips, and natural flavors to create a harmonious and inviting brew.

Year: 2023

Caffeine Content: Naturally caffeine free

Brewing Instructions: For the perfect cup of Explorer: Apple Empanada tea, use one tablespoon of tea for every 8 ounces (240 ml) of water. Heat the water to 212°F (100°C). To fully unlock its flavor profile, steep the blend for exactly 240 seconds. This blend also provides the delight of a second infusion, prolonging the enjoyment of its comforting warmth. It is best enjoyed hot, with a spoonful of honey and a touch of cream added to enhance its natural sweetness.

Tea Aroma and Taste

Take a journey through the senses with our Apple Empanada. This unique blend marries the tartness of apple chunks with the sweet, comforting flavors of red rooibos and honeybush tea, all enhanced by the warm, aromatic presence of cinnamon chips. Its natural flavors meld seamlessly, creating an infusion that evokes the taste of a freshly baked apple empanada. It's a guilt-free indulgence that soothes and delights the palate, all while being caffeine-free.

Appearance: The tea presents a visually appealing mix of honey bush tea and red rooibos leaves, interspersed with generous chunks of dried apple pieces and speckles of cinnamon chips. Its warm, earthy colors evoke the cozy essence of a homemade dessert.

Smell: The smell is warm and cosy, with undertones of red rooibos and honeybush tea that provide a rich, somewhat earthy texture.

Tasting Notes: This tea's flavour notes are a well-balanced combination of notes. The apple flavour comes through first, crisp and somewhat tangy, then smoothly gives way to the blend's silky, pastry-like sweetness. 

Are you interested in previous Subscription Boxes from previous months? Check out Last Month’s box (January Month Tea Time in A Box).