You, Me and Tea

Country of Origin: Sri Lanka

Cup Characteristics: A great black tea blended with natural  LICORICE oil perfectly captures the subtleties of freshly produced LICORICE.  An exceptional smooth drinking tea.  Great with a little honey

Ingredients: Ingredients:  Luxury black tea, Licorice root, Safflower petals, Anise seeds, Mallow flowers

• 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 flavor character on this tea, it is perfectly acceptable to consume this tea ‘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!

Licorice, derived from the licorice root, has been consumed for millennia. The root was particularly prized in ancient Greece, China, and Egypt for its restorative qualities. These ancient cultures believed that the licorice root was an effective ingredient in making cough syrups, and tonics. In fact, King Tutankhamen was buried with a supply of the root to sustain him in the afterworld. How many roots can make that claim? For most people in the modern world however, licorice is simply a delicious confection that hints of sweet anise. Luckily for us, and for you, it also compliments this high grown Ceylon beautifully.