The Tea Journey: Jasmine Silver Needle Tea

22 Jan

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I’m starting the Tea Journey with Jasmine Silver Needle. But why jasmine? It doesn’t seem like an entry level tea, with its exotic connotations and the fact that it’s made with flowers. But it’s a natural start for me, as I love all things jasmine – scented candles, shower gels, the tiny white climbing flowers and their scent in summer. I have tried jasmine tea before, and it’s the only herbal tea I’ve enjoyed rather than struggled through.So at this stop in the Tea Journey I dip my toe at the shallow end of the pool. If you’ve not tried jasmine tea before, or you’ve been put off herbal teas by those dusty-tasting fruit versions, I really recommend it as an introduction to the world outside of milk and two sugars.Here I’ll tell you how to make the perfect cup, how it tastes, and how to really enjoy it.

The preparation

First of all, jasmine tea deserves more than a novelty mug. For the best flavour and temperature, use a glass cup, or exquisitely thin china. The tea deserves it, you deserve it.Heat the water to 80 degrees. If you don’t have a fancy thermostat kettle, you can use a meat thermometer, or any type of thermometer. If you are thermometer-less, add a little cold water into the cup just to take the temperature down.Infuse the tea for 3-5 minutes. I prefer to infuse for the shorter amount of time as it keeps the flavour lovely and light. You can also re-use the Jing teabags a couple of times, so don’t just bin them!

The experience

Preparing this tea is mesmeric. Watching the sands dribble through the timer while the tea gently stains the water like watercolour paint, building a kind of ritualistic tension. Making it properly, with time and attention, definitely adds to the overall experience.The first thing you get, as you cradle the cup under your chin, is the aroma. It’s otherworldly almost, hypnotising you into thinking, for just a second, that you are elsewhere. It evokes gardens and greenhouses and the act of parting leaves and flowers as you explore deeper. It smells like a memory I can’t quite place – happy, yet mysterious.The taste is gentle and floral, but in a really decadent way (I always think ‘floral’ as a flavour makes it sound soapy, but that couldn’t be further from the truth). It is a multi-faceted tasting experience, where the first sip feels light and clean, yet it mellows into a rich heaviness which lingers on the tongue. This makes it feel totally luxurious. When drinking this, you know how good it is for you (see below), but the flavour tricks you into thinking it’s sweet and naughty.

The rituals

In northern China it is customary to serve jasmine tea as a welcoming gesture to guests. How lovely is that?! I think it’s a wonderful ritual to adopt. Why not plan a slow afternoon with friends, to craft, chat and drink tea in a beautifully jasmine-scented room?For centuries jasmine tea has also been used for stress relief and as an anti-depressant, which makes sense when you think that jasmine is also commonly used in aromatherapy.Perhaps if you’re not feeling particularly social, you can drink your jasmine tea meditatively. Feel the warmth of the liquid in your hands, and take long, deep breaths of the fragrant steam. Allow the aroma to seep into you, and lose yourself in it. Spend a little time doing something for you – get out of your head with a craft project, or a new book. Let the tea do it’s work.

The story

Jasmine tea is first recorded in the Song Dynasty in the 13^th century, but then it was reserved for royalty alone. Nowadays it is still made in the traditional way.The tea is picked in April in dried in the sun in Yunnan province in the south of China. In August, the tea is laid beneath a bed of jasmine flowers (I wouldn’t mind lying in a bed of jasmine flowers…) for seven nights, infusing the fragrant aroma with the tea.If you’re looking for something to help you detox (without lowering yourself to diet teas), jasmine tea is pretty perfect. It’s a natural anti-oxidant, it increases your metabolic rate to burn fat faster, and its anti-bacterial properties can help prevent and relieve colds. What a super tea.

Over the course of exploring, I’ve come to think of jasmine as a happy tea. From the dainty little white flowers of the plant, to the light, bright flavour of the tea, through to its social connotations and stress-busting properties, it’s definitely a drink that embodies and promotes happiness. It may seem summery, but this makes it perfect for this dark, wintery days.Get some happiness for yourself and check out Jing’s jasmine range here.*