jasmine flowers and petals
very mild with slight floral notes reminiscent of gardenia

origin
china

infusion
very slightly yellow but virtually clear

information
the difference between the hundreds of teas available and herbals such as this, is that all teas are made from camellia sinensis. herbals, fruit infusions and tisanes are not. they are made from various parts of other plants which have their own characteristics, flavors and purported medicinal values. jasmine flowers for instance are consumed by some because they feel it imparts a soothing aroma and flavor that calms the nerves. for whatever reason, these jasmine flowers are virtually flavor neutral and add a lovely dimension of flowers and white coloration to a tea blend without affecting the taste profiles of the tea.

ironically these same jasmine flowers would have been used in china to make jasmine tea, delicately scenting the fresh green tea with their ethereal character. the best jasmine flowers become available in early may in fujian province. during this time the aroma in the fields of jasmine can be intoxicating and probably one of the most memorable scents to which you could be exposed. it is when these flowers become available that they are used to scent green tea - resulting in jasmine tea.

the flowers are used up to 9 times (depending upon their flavor and the time of year they are plucked). the process is: a layer of fresh jasmine flowers, tea, flowers, tea etc... between each layer there is a fine mesh which keeps the flowers separated from the tea. since jasmine flowers are very expensive they are used repeatedly but by the 9th time  the flavor in the flowers is virtually exhausted. at this point they are useable in this particular form - blend components for visual presentation of tea.

tea uses - as previously mentioned, since the these jasmine flowers are flavor neutral they can be used to decorate any tea blend. in fact for tea shops that want to create their own signature blends, jasmine flowers can make your blend distinctive and a blend that only ‘you’ can create. this special blend helps build loyalty amongst your customers and is well worth the effort.

hot brewing method
use 1 or 2 teaspoons per one cup of boiling water. pour boiling water into pot and let it steep for 5-10 minutes. add a dash of sugar to bring out the mild character.