Vacation in a Tea Cup
The experience of drinking a fine cup of tea can be expressed in many ways. Terms often used include: relaxing, refreshing, intoxicating, invigorating, soothing and… transporting. Perhaps it is genius then that Harney and Sons Master Tea Blenders has chosen to create a line of teas named for famous destinations.
In need of a vacation but too busy with life, home and work? You are not alone. If you are craving a bit of an escape without being able to actually take the time off and leave, there is still an opportunity to be transported to Paris, Florence, Tokyo and Bangkok. These delicious flavored blends vary from green to black with fruity, rich and sweet tastes for the palate.
Paris (Paris Tea Gift shown in image, $45) has become one of Harney & Sons’ most popular flavored tea blends, not surprising considering Michael Harney blended this one with his French wife, Brigitte Harney, in mind. It is a black tea flavored with fruit and lemon bergamot (different from the orange bergamot used in earl grey). It is sweet with a fruity taste and is a great choice for those who enjoy and cannot get to Paris for Mariage Freres’ Marco Polo.
Florence is a black tea blended with rich chocolate and hazelnut flavors. When first smelling the leaves, the meaty aroma of a flavored coffee comes to mind. The taste on the other hand is more elegant, with an essence of chocolate and hint of nuttiness.
Tokyo is a green tea option offering up earthy sweetness. The base for this tea is Bancha, which is a highly palatable green tea. It has been blended with sesame seeds and caramel.
Bangkok is a green tea blend offering citrus and floral notes. It has been enhanced with Thai flavors of coconut, lemongrass and ginger.
Image property of Harney & Sons Master Tea Blenders
Not only do these teas ‘take you away’, but somewhere exotic…places most people only dream of visiting. For me, I do need to rely on my favorite warm beverage of tea in the morning to help me escape to a lovely place! Vacation is a foreign word to me!