So about two maybe three years ago, before I had moved out, my Mom spent a couple of weeks in China. This was well before I had any interest in tea. Of course, she brought some tea back with her at the end of the trip, but I never really thought anything of it.
This weekend though I took the time to really raid through her tea cupboard; mostly it was the same ancient teabags that had always been in it when I was growing up – peppermint, chamomille, a generic breakfast blend (all of which are probably pushing 20 years old) and then some of what I had given to her last time I was visiting; assorted teas from DT, a couple Teavivre samples, and a tiny pouch of matcha. There were a few new bagged teas like the Maple Cider one from Stash I reviewed earlier this weekend. And then way, way in the back were the teas she had brought home from China.
One is a herbal; I remember thinking it smelled wonderful back when I was a non-tea drinker but now it just stinks of hibiscus to me. Noxious, foul hibiscus. The other is a green tea in a solidly coloured plastic bag held together with a chip clip; all the writing on it is in Chinese except for the words “Bi Luo Chun” printed in red down the side of the bag. I have no idea what the company is or any other information about this tea – just that this is the type. Te leaves don’t look too broken up though, and they’re a beauitful, deep emerald green. This tea is easily two years old – if not older.
My family has really gotten into the whole “teapop” thing since I’ve been here, and since for the most part I didn’t bring large amounts of anything on the trip, it was decided we were gonna use one of Mom’s teas. Honestly; out of green tea and hibiscus I was really leaning towards hibiscus but everyone else wanted green tea so that’s what we went with. I used extra sugar to make the simple syrup for this one. Heh…
Taste wise; everyone thought it was a smashing success except me. I’m still really on the fence about what I thought of it; I mean, mostly I tasted the sugar used to sweeten it, and not so much the tea itself. The green/vegetal flavour actually did make the sugar (which was just normal white sugar) taste more like cane sugar or even unflavoured agave? Hmmm, I guess I’d call it Agave and Snap Peas? That’s not really so bad as a flavour, but relatively weird carbonated in my opinion. But they liked it so I’ll just call it a success I guess.
I stole a tiny bit of the leaf; I’m gonna try it straight. Why not challenge my tastes? It’s been a little while since I had a truly straight green tea; even if it’s not my favourite I’m sure there’s something I can learn from it!
