Tea Time in October 2023 Box

Delve into an extraordinary world of flavors and traditions with our meticulously curated selection of teas and pastry pairings. Our Handrolled Green Tea, sourced from dedicated farmers in the high-elevation regions of Nilgiri and the Himalayas, presents a rich tapestry of smoky and grassy notes. Complement your tea ritual with a Jasmine Tea Cream Filled Biscuit Sticks or a Pandan Cake for a harmonious blend of taste and texture. For tropical escapism, our Mango Coconut Sencha Green Tea pairs beautifully with Mango Chamoy Crystal Candy and Chinese-Style Coconut Cookies. Finally, indulge in guilt-free decadence with our Chocolate Mint Rooibos tea—a heady blend of dark chocolate and peppermint. 

Follow our My Tea Time blog series for an immersive exploration of your monthly tea experiences. Without further ado, let's start our October tea experience! 

Origins

Discover the authentic taste and exceptional craftsmanship behind our Handrolled Green Tea, sourced directly from a community of 20 dedicated tea farmers in Nilgiri, South India, and high-elevation plantations in the Himalayas. With each sip, you'll experience the rich, smoky flavor and health-boosting antioxidants that come from the leaves being carefully handpicked, dried, and then skillfully hand-rolled using traditional techniques. Elevate your tea ritual and relish the grassy, vegetal notes that unfurl with every steep, offering not just a cup of tea, but an artisanal experience.

Tea Name: Handrolled Green - India

Teamaker: 20-tea farmers community in Nilgiri, South India and Himalayan high-elevation plantations

Origin: Nilgiri, South India & Himalayas

Elevation: High-elevation

Cultivation: Handpicked and Handrolled

Harvest Date: Spring 2023

Brewing Instructions: Begin by bringing water to about 185 degrees fahrenheit. Allocate a spacious brewing vessel to allow the hand-rolled leaves ample room to unfurl. Add 3-5 grams of tea leaves and steep for 1-3 minutes. For added flavor, consider mixing in a dash of lemon or a spoonful of honey.

Tea Aroma and Taste

Each leaf unfurls beautifully during steeping, releasing a blend of vibrant flavors and aromatic notes. This green tea strikes a remarkable balance between its slightly vegetal and mineral notes. It’s a green tea with a rocky, metal flavor and a pleasant dry finish. 

Appearance: Large leaves resembling whole black tea leaves but much brighter green showing it’s unoxidized characteristics.

Smell: Slightly astringent, herbal aroma.

Taste: Airy flavor, delicate mouthfeel, and a pleasantly dry finish.

About the farm and Farmers!

Located in the lush hills of Nilgiri, South India, our farm is a collective of 20 passionate tea farmers dedicated to the craft of handpicked and hand-rolled green tea.

Our community of tea farmers in Nilgiri, South India, boasts years of experience in traditional tea-making methods. Each farmer is an artisan, skilled in the meticulous processes of hand-picking, sun-drying, and hand-rolling green tea leaves. Our united goal is to offer a tea experience that is both healthful and exquisite. 

Pastry Pairings

The Jasmine Tea Cream Filled Biscuit Sticks and the Pandan Cake both offer unique flavors and textures that complement hand-rolled green tea. These pairings provide a balanced and indulgent experience, highlighting both the tea's health benefits and intricate flavor profile.

Green Tea Jasmine Sticks Biscuit (China)

These cream-filled biscuit sticks are a delightful fusion of floral flavors and crunchy textures that pair exceptionally well with premium hand-rolled green tea. The biscuit is crispy on the outside, while a creamy inner filling carries the fragrant aroma of jasmine tea. This unique combination complements the smooth, rocky, and slightly astringent flavor profile of the hand-rolled green tea.

Pandan Cake (Thailand) 

This light, fluffy, green-colored sponge cake is infused with the unique aroma of Pandan leaves. Its cake texture offers a moist, spongy character paired with a slightly nutty, vanilla taste. The mild yet rich flavor of the cake makes it an ideal counterpart for the nuanced flavors of hand-rolled green tea.

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 a journey to the tropics with our Mango Coconut Sencha Green Tea—a divine blend that marries the sweetness of mango with the creaminess of coconut. This unique blend offers a burst of tropical flavors, turning every sip into an exotic getaway, all while benefiting from the healthful properties of green tea.

Tea Name: Mango Coconut Sencha Green Tea

Processing: Green tea leaves are combined with shredded coconut, mango pieces, cornflower petals, and natural flavors.

Year: 2023

Caffeine Content: Medium 

Brewing Instructions: For the perfect cup of this tropical delight, use freshly drawn cold water and bring it to a boil. Allow the water to cool for about 3 or 4 minutes to 80°C. Use one teabag per cup or per person if using a teapot. Brew the tea for 1 to 3 minutes to capture its delicate flavors. Do not add milk, although a slice of lemon can enhance the experience.

Tea Aroma and Taste

Our Mango Coconut Sencha Green Tea provides a symphony of flavors, creating a luscious yet balanced sensory experience. Infused with the tropical notes of ripe mango and creamy coconut, each sip invites you to a world of taste that is both sweet and pleasantly complex, grounded by the earthy and vegetal nuances of quality green tea.

Appearance: Green tea leaves, shredded coconut, mango pieces, and cornflower petals.

Smell: A rich aroma that combines the tropical scents of mango and coconut with the earthiness of green tea.

Tasting Notes: This tea offers a light-bodied infusion, capturing the sweetness of mango and the richness of coconut. The undertones of green tea provide a vegetal and slightly umami character, creating a harmonious and invigorating blend.

Pastry Pairings

Both of the pastries pair wonderfully with the Mango Coconut Sencha Green Tea for a culinary experience that engages all the senses. Whether it's the tropical exuberance of the Mango Chamoy Crystal Candy or the subtler, yet equally delightful, Chinese-Style Coconut Cookies, these pairings will transform your tea time into an occasion for true sensory exploration.

Mango Chamoy Crystal Candy (USA)

The Mango Chamoy Crystal Candy from the USA is a sweet journey of tantalizing flavors and textures. At first glance, the candy glistens with its sugar-crystal coating, and upon tasting, the outer crisp shell gives way to a soft, mango-flavored gel-like core. When paired with Mango Coconut Sencha Green Tea, the experience goes beyond simple enjoyment. The mango in the candy resonates with the mango notes in the tea, creating a symphony of tropical tastes. Additionally, the light-bodied green tea infused with coconut helps balance the candy's sweetness, offering a hint of complexity and a clean finish to each sip.

Coconut Cookies (China)

These Chinese-Style Coconut Cookies boast a crumbly texture and a well-balanced flavor profile. Made with shredded coconut, the cookies carry a subtle yet unmistakable tropical note that is both comforting and exciting. When enjoyed alongside Mango Coconut Sencha Green Tea, the coconut in the cookies is amplified, harmonizing well with the tea's own coconut and mango notes. The medium caffeine content and vegetal undertones in the green tea blend seamlessly with the cookie, making for a pairing that is both indulgent and revitalizing. The optional sesame seeds, if included, could add an additional layer of texture and nuttiness, making each bite and sip a multifaceted treat. 

Explorer

Immerse yourself in an unexpected journey of flavors with Chocolate Mint Rooibos, a fusion of rich dark chocolate, invigorating mint, and the smooth earthiness of Rooibos. This blend is not just a drink but a decadent experience, balancing the indulgence of dessert flavors with the healthful benefits of antioxidant-rich rooibos. It's an adventure in a cup, perfect for both newcomers and long-time tea enthusiasts.

Tea Name: Chocolate Mint Rooibos 

Processing: 

Year: 2023

Caffeine Content: None

Brewing Instructions: Begin by boiling water to 100°C (212°F). Use one teaspoon (3g) of Chocolate Mint Rooibos blend per 6-ounce cup of water. Once the water reaches the appropriate temperature, pour it over the tea and let it steep for 5-8 minutes. Adjust steeping time according to your personal preference for flavor intensity. This tea can be enjoyed hot or on ice.

Tea Aroma and Taste

Indulge your senses in a bouquet of complex aromas and flavors. The first thing you'll notice is the alluring scent of sweet chocolate followed by the vibrant freshness of peppermint. The first sip is like diving into a chocolate mint dessert, but without the guilt. The earthy rooibos base adds depth and complexity, making this an exquisite blend that satisfies both your sweet tooth and your desire for a refreshing, healthful drink.

Appearance: A visually stunning blend of rooibos, peppermint and spearmint leaves, cocoa nibs, cornflower, and calendula petals.

Smell: A tempting aroma of dark chocolate, intertwined with fresh peppermint and subtle hints of earthy rooibos.

Tasting Notes: This tea delights the palate with its rich flavors of hot cocoa, buttercream vanilla, and mint-chocolate chip. The rooibos adds a nutty backdrop, while the peppermint invigorates the senses.

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