We feature Vietnam's finest coffees, grown in the ideal conditions of the Vietnamese highlands. They produce exceptionally flavorful gourmet coffee in almost all coffee-makers.
We feature Vietnam's finest coffees, grown in the ideal conditions of the Vietnamese highlands. They produce exceptionally flavorful gourmet coffee in almost all coffee-makers.
We looked at dozens of teas in evaluating the Tra Tien teas. We even purchased samples of $60-lb. whole leaf teas from the leading teahouse in Chinatown, NY, to compare with the Tra Tien teas. After comparing the appearance, freshness, aroma, brewing times and taste, we decided that the Tra Tien green teas (including the Jasmine and Lotus flavors) rated the highest in overall evaluation of these characteristics. These are truly exception teas, minimally handled in the Vietnamese "healthy tea" tradition. The leaves are small and relatively light in color.
True Lotus Tea is a rare thing in the USA. The lotus is a waterlily that forms tuberous roots that are eaten as a vegetable in much of Asia, as well as producing stunningly beautiful pink flowers with a golden center. Lotus tea captures the scent of the lotus, which is reminiscent of anise, or the delicious anisette cookies at Italian bakeries, and feels unusually rich in the mouth. This is an excellent tea for enjoyment during meals of Asian cuisine, or at teatime with biscuits or pastries.
The brewing of Lotus Tea is a controversial thing in our office. Some staunchly prefer the robust tea produced after 4 minutes of brewing, while others are much more pleased with the milder tea produced by a 3 minute brewing time. Your own preference will have to determine your brewing time; we suggest trying it at both times to decide for yourself.
To retain the maximum antioxidant health benefits, keep the bag tightly closed using a bag clip. While whole leaf tea will keep for a long time, its antioxidants will gradually lose potency if left exposed to air.