3 Flower Burst Artisan Flowering Tea

3 FLOWER BURST (Artisan Handcrafted China Green Tea)

Grade: Artisan Handcrafted

Manufacture Type: Handmade and hand tied.

Cup Characteristics: Smooth and satisfying green tea notes. The peach character of osmanthus comes to the fore with hints of jasmine and lily. Bright, golden infusion. Ingredients: Luxury green tea, Lily + Jasmine + Osmanthus blossoms.

Information: Yunnan, the southernmost province in the People’s Republic of China is also the country’s largest producer of flowers. And, like everything produced in China, when we say large, we mean large on a scale the likes of which you’ve never seen before.

In 2003 the province, which covers roughly 394,000 square kms or 4.1% of China’s landmass, grew more than 3 billion flowers commercially! 3 billion! That’s the equivalent of 3 stems for each of China’s 1 billion citizens. Now that’s a lot of flowers. The high production numbers have secured Yunnan’s position as China’s top flower producing region for more than 10 years straight. During those years, the province’s Carnations, Forget-Me-Nots, Lilies, Osmanthus and Jasmine flowers have account for 45% of China’s total annual floral exports.

So what makes the conditions in Yunnan so ideal for growing flowers? The answer lies in its geographical location. Yunnan sits directly below the Tropic of Cancer, the farthest northern latitude at which the sun can appear directly overhead, an event that occurs once a year on the 21 st of June. In short, Yunnan gets a lot of direct sunlight. And, as every good schoolchild knows, flowers love the sun and lots of it. Couple that with an average rainfall of between 1,000 to 1,9000 mm annually, and you’ve got ideal conditions.

As every good tea-drinker knows, Yunnan is also famous for growing tea. So it seems only natural that given the prominence of the local floral industry, tea artisans would create a tea in its honor, 3 Flower Burst. The idea behind the tea is that as it brews, it unfolds and mimics the way the lush Yunnan countryside bursts open with color in the springtime. The tea is produced by tying Lily, Osmanthus and Jasmine blooms together with steamed full leaves of Yunnan green tea. As the tea dries, the flowers are held inside the way seeds are concealed in the damp earth. Drop the tea into a glass pitcher, infuse it and watch the miraculous bloom unfold. The cup, like springtime in Yunnan is bright, with a very full green taste layered with overtones of cut peach and layered undertones of jasmine and lily perfume. Makes a perfect gift for mother’s Day - an absolutely wonderful tea!

Hot tea brewing method: Place one ball in your teapot (ideally clear glass for maximum visual effect), and add boiling water. (Very hot or boiling water allows the ball to open, which allows you to see the art of tea better). Infuse until the ball is fully open, usually about 5 minutes. Watch the long leaves unfurl to reveal the hidden flower treasure. Note: Do not remove the leaves after infusing - contemplate life and enjoy a rare Chinese floral Tea. If you wish to have another cup of tea, simply pour more water on the leaves and infuse for another 1-3 minutes.

Iced tea-brewing method: Not generally consumed iced but if you do, (to make 1 qt/lt) Place 3 Flower Burst pods in a heat resistant pitcher. Add 1¼ cups freshly boiled water. Steep 5 min. Quarter fill a serving pitcher with ice water. Add steeped tea and fill with ice water. Garnish with 1 opened 3 Flower Burst and sweeten to taste.