(Tea Times Blog) I took a trip to Washington Square Mall on Monday evening. After a too-large meal at the Cheesecake Factory, my mother, daughter and I decided to walk some of it off in the mall.
The first thing I saw was the Teavana shop. I had to stop. They has samples of several teas throughout the store, including Peach Momotaro, a blooming tea. The tea is a hand-tied art piece made of white tea leaves, and chrysanthemum and jasmine flowers. The shop had the tea “blossom” in a clear glass teapot on a candle teapot warmer. The candlelight made the clear tea glow.
The salesperson helped us each sample the tea. It had the heavenly smell of ripe peaches. The sample was slightly sweetened. It was delicious.
While my daughter went around tasting all the other samples (I’m doing a good job raising a tea lover), my mom and I went to the counter to look at the Peach Momotaro tea. The salesperson took the big metal canister down from the shelf and showed us the balls that the blooming tea start out as. It is when you put them in water that they “bloom” in all their glory. We were advised that the blossom teas are great for traveling because you don’t need a strainer, and each ball can be infused several times. Mom and I were sold.
And then came the sticker shock . . . $18 for 2 ounces, the mimimum amount they will sell.
We decided to buy the 2 ounces and split it. Sigh . . . what I do in the name of research.
By the time my daughter was on her third round of samples, the transaction was complete. Both my mom and I took home our treasures.
So the plan was for me to try the tea at home on Tuesday, but that didn’t happen. Wednesday came and went, and I still didn’t try it.
Thursday, I decided I had to take the tea to work. Now, I didn’t have any fancy glass teapot; just a mug. I plopped the ball in, and poured hot water over it. (Yes, I should know the exact water temperature. I am working toward obtaining the appropriate equipment. But, for now, its just “hot water.”)
Immediately, the lovely aroma surrounded me. The instructions were to steep for 5 minutes. I kept looking in to the mug as the ball blossomed beautifully into the shape of a flower: the chrysanthemum in the center, the white tea leaves encircling the chrysathemum, and a jasmine flower garland. But then I also noticed loose leaves, flower petals and some other tea debris floating in the water. This disappointed me, because the sample at the store was crystal clear. I tried to skim off as much as I could with my spoon.
Hot, this tea was lovely in all it peachy wonder, with the floral note of the jasmine flowers. But as the tea cooled, it had an off flavor. I suspect that the white tea leaves made the drink bitter because of my unregulate use of hot water.
I have three more balls to try. I plan to buy a thermometer, a glass teapot, and a small strainer before trying it again.
