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Country of Origin: China, Guatemala
Region: Anhui Province, Suchitepez
Shipping Port: Shanghai, Puerto Barrios
Grade: FOP(Flowery Orange Pekoe)
Altitude: below 5000' ft, 1500' ft. above sea level
Manufacture Type: Orthodox
Cup Characteristics: Full bodied with excellent burgundy notes. Light oaky finish
Infusion: Lovely orange hue tending bright
Ingredients: Luxury black tea
- Organic Credentials:
- The Metropolitan Tea Company Ltd.
Certified Organic by QMI Organic Inc.
Certificate #: 150 - 2008
Information:
They say everything is bigger in Texas. The hats are bigger, the boots are bigger, the wide-open plains and star-filled night skies are bigger, the barbecue pits are bigger and the tall tales of the West are bigger. What's also bigger, as any visitor to Texas will discover the first time they stop for something cool to drink, is that the flavor of Texas style iced tea is bigger and more robust than anything they've tasted anywhere else. Really, one can surmise that it has to be. As mentioned, one of the biggest things in Texas is the barbecue pit, long a Texas mainstay and source of some of the smokiest, spiciest barbecue anywhere on the planet. Barbecue like that need something sweet and cold to wash down, it's a simple fact. If you need empirical proof, take a voyage down the famous Barbecue Trail from the town of Round Rock, just north of Austin, to Luling or pay a visit to the International Barbecue Cook-Off. Both experiences guarantee numerous excuses to quench your thirst with tall glasses of sweet tasting Texas tea.
So, just what do they do in Texas that makes their iced tea so spectacular? To find out, we went straight to the source - or rather, our Master Blender went straight to the source: Brownsville, the southernmost city in the State. Down in Brownsville he met with an elderly woman who claimed to posses the best iced tea recipe in all of Texas. Who was he to argue? He went with her to her home, settled into a porch swing and took out a pad of paper and pencil: To make one and a half quarts of tea, she began, put one quart (4 cups) of fresh cold water in a kettle and put it over heat. When the water comes to a boil, infuse 5 grams of black tea in a teapot. (We recommend measuring the tea with the Metropolitan Perfect Tea Measure.) Now, she continued, Here comes the tricky part. Don't pour the hot water gently, really let the water splash down and agitate that tea - get it mad y'all! Then, set the tea aside and let it steep for at least an hour. Once it's done, strain it out into a pitcher, add cups of sugar and stir that tea until it's dissolved. Finally, add a couple of cups of cool water and set it in the fridge until it's nice and cold. When you're ready to serve it, garnish with a big ol' slice of lemonbig enough that y'all can squeeze the juice right out of it! And that's that!
To complement that fantastic recipe, we've developed what we think is the world's greatest tea blend for brewing world famous Texas iced tea. Brew a pot for you and yours today. Enjoy y'all!
How is organic tea grown?
Abstinence from using any synthetic fertilizer or pesticide.
Protection of lands surrounding the gardens.
Minimize pollution and optimize biological productivity.
Replenishment and maintenance of garden soil fertility.
Promotion of biodiversity in and around the tea gardens.
(This includes working to protect natural wildlife habitats.)
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Hot tea brewing method: Bring freshly drawn cold water to a rolling boil. Place 1 teaspoon of tea for each cup into the teapot. Pour the boiling water into the teapot. Cover and let steep for 3-7 minutes according to taste (the longer the steeping time the stronger the tea). Even though milk and a dash of sugar help enhance the character o this tea, it is perfectly acceptable consume d '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]. Please note that this tea may tend to go cloudy or 'milky' when poured over ice - a perfectly normal characteristic of some high quality black teas and nothing to worry about!
