Country of Origin: China
Region: Hunan
Shipping Port: Shanghai
Grade: Japan Sencha style
Altitude: 2500 ft above sea level
Manufacture Type: Pan fired
Cup Characteristics: Like being carried on trade winds, notes of mango create an exotic fruit pungency. Pineapple cubes added highlight to the mango character and mallow petals accent a clean finish
Infusion: Bright, pale green to yellow, light colored cup
Ingredients: Luxury green tea, Natural dried pineapple, Mallow flowers, Natural flavors

Information:
The Blue Mango. Even the name of this fruit sounds mysterious. Throughout recorded history the Blue Mango appears to have held many people in its sweet grasp. Included among them is an Indian writer named David Davidar who recently published a book called The House of Blue Mangoes. In it he describes the blue mango as, "astonishingly beautiful" and recounts how the fruit glints blue against the dark green leaves of the tree. In Thailand the fruit is called, (in translation) "The Brahmin Who Sells His Wife". This name commemorates the legend of a Thai man who fell in love with the fruit and sold his wife for a basketful another victim of the Blue Mango's sweet embrace. Eastern legend, (no one is sure from where exactly since mangoes have been widely exported and cultivated for millennia,) says that the meat of the blue mango is so sweet that after eating just one, you won't be able to taste sugar for three days. After trying the pulpy sweet blue mango for ourselves we just knew that we had to blend some with tea.

We decided to blend the tea using a Sencha style green tea manufactured in Hunan Province in South Eastern China. The reason for this choice was that this particular tea has a very smooth, sweetish taste with an almost honey like finish that truly enhances the natural Mango flavoring. Interestingly, the base Sencha derives its smooth character from the way it is processed. The green tea leaves can be plucked from the same plants as black tea but forgo black tea's fermentation process. Once they are plucked and chosen for green tea production, the leaves are immediately steamed and bruised either by machine or by hand. They are then pan fried or basket fired giving the tea its distinctive glossy look and feel. The lack of fermentation, steaming, and firing results in teas that have a fresh, almost full of life character. We're sure you'll agree that the flavor profiles blended together in this tea are out of this world. Try some today, and if you become tempted to sell any family members in order to purchase more, don't say we didn't warn you!

Hot tea brewing method: When preparing by the cup, this tea can be used repeatedly - about 3 times. The secret is to use water that is about 180�F or 90�C. Place 1 teaspoon in your cup, let the tea steep for about 3 minutes and then begin enjoying a cup of enchantment - do not remove the leaves from the cup. Once the water level is low - add more water, and so on and so on - until the flavor of the tea is exhausted. Look at the pattern of the leaves, they foretell your fortune.

Alternatively as with all top quality teas, scoop 2-4 teaspoons of tea into the teapot, pour in boiling water that has been freshly drawn (previously boiled water has lost most of its oxygen and therefore tends to be flat tasting), steep for 2-4 minutes (to taste), stir (virtually all the leaves will sink), pour into your cup but do not add milk or sugar since green tea is enjoyed 'straight-up'.

Iced tea brewing method (to make 1 liter/quart): Place 6 teaspoons of tea into a teapot or heat resistant pitcher. Pour 1 1/4 cups of freshly boiled water over the tea. Steep for 5 minutes. Quarter fill a serving pitcher with cold water. Pour the tea into your serving pitcher straining the leaves. Add ice and top up the pitcher with cold water. Garnish and sweeten to taste. [A rule of thumb when preparing fresh brewed iced tea is to double the strength of hot tea since it will be poured over ice and diluted with cold water.]