‘Leave the Blending to the Artists’
At The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf®, we consider blending teas an art form, with the unique ability to engage all five senses in perfect harmony. Mastering how to combine the specific characteristics of different teas, herbs, spices or botanicals takes exquisite skill and practice.
Green, black and oolong teas all have very distinctive flavors and aromas so it’s critical to understand how each will react to the other as we hand-blend them to create adventurous new flavors.
Our exclusive blends are crafted to bring out the singular flavors in each component of our teas. Take Pomegranate Blueberry, one of most beloved blends, as an example. Pomegranate Blueberry combines three high quality teas (Ceylon, Oolong, and Lung Ching), all with distinct color and flavor attributes. Ceylon tea gives the blend the body and color, oolong gives it the floral notes, while the Lung Ching, with its earthy and grassy flavor, counterbalances the other two to perfection.
When we blend teas of different origins, it’s vital to maintain taste consistency from season to season. Our tea tasters have cultivated a vast sensory memory, which ensures the flavors and characteristics of our tea blends are consistent throughout the year. |
Flavoring and Scenting: Romance In a Cup
Requiring no less mastery is the art of flavoring and scenting teas. It’s another way to add complexity and nuance to the tea or tea blend in ways that complement its essence. While not regarded as actual ingredients, flavor or aromas in the form of liquid, powder, or flakes can be added to tea.
Teas are very absorbent so they’ll easily take on the flavors and scents of flowers or other organic materials around them. A great example is our delightful Jasmine Dragon Phoenix Pearl Green Tea, produced in China. Jasmine Pearl Green can only be produced from March through April when jasmine flowers are in bloom. The fresh blooming jasmine flowers never touch the tea, but scent the plucked tea leaves as the two are laid next to each other. Kind of romantic, don’t you think?
Blending, flavoring and scenting teas can create endless and exquisite possibilities for innovative teas. It’s another way that The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf® continues to delight and enchant its customers!
|
