Have Fun With Delicious Summer Floral Teas
The heady, intoxicating floral scents, the sweet, fragrant notes of seasonal blooms, colorful flowers in all of nature’s summer splendor….all rolled up into a glass (or cup) of flower tea. Ahhh, summer! Yes, flower (floral) teas can be whimsical and charming, unique and satisfying. And, yes, they are FUN to feature in your warm weather teatimes and parties. Floral teas come in so many varieties and types that you can easily spend the entire summer taste-testing to decide which one is your favorite. Just as we are wowed by the beauty and scent of flowers in our gardens, window boxes, neighborhoods, parks and public gardens, you can make today a flower tea day and partake in the joy of the season. Considered a “seasonal tea,” floral flavored teas this time of year are nice iced. If steeping tea served hot, allow for some cooling time appropriate for the temperature of your location, and your personal preference.
Whether using a delicious peach blossom organic white loose leaf tea or white rose sachet teabags, your choice can be based on a flower tea flavor you already love, or you can branch out and try something new. When choosing a loose leaf tea for your summer pleasure, be sure to have the right utensils and serving tea ware. For a solo cup fill your tea strainer/ball, place it in a pretty teacup from your collection, and pour hot water over it, filling cup, and steeping about 3-5 minutes. The ratio of loose tea to water is approximately 1 teaspoon of tea leaves to 8 oz of water, according to Tucson Tea Company loose leaf tea brewing blog instructions. In the end, however, it’s all about your personal taste preference when it comes to steeping time. For iced tea, simply let your tea completely cool before pouring the tea into a tall, ice-filled glass. Add a straw and sip away!
When making loose leaf tea for a group, have the right infuser teapot to handle the number of cups you’re making. A ceramic teapot with a stainless steel infuser makes 6- 7 cups and is just right for serving larger parties. Place approximately 6-7 teaspoons of your flower loose leaf tea into the infuser and pour 6-7 cups of hot water into the pot. Steep and serve.
Using flower tea bags or tea sachets? Simply follow instructions on the tea box to make your perfect concoction. Tea bags make for a quick brew, and with so many flowerflavored teas, you’ll enjoy browsing and choosing for your own enjoyment, and for the enjoyment of your friends and family when entertaining.
Five Refreshing Flower Teas to Love
Hibiscus Flower Tea
Natural and USDA certified organic, this caffeine-free tea is simple and pure, containing only organic dried hibiscus flower petals and calyces (the inner portion of the flowers that holds the seeds). Eco-friendly biodegradable tea sachets make this the perfect floral tea choice for both person and planet. Steep and ice this herbal tea and feel transported to Hawaii (home of the beautiful hibiscus), which is its state flower. Although hibiscus has health benefits, you will enjoy it for its rich color and tart, “fruity” flavor, reminiscent of cranberry.
Jasmine Green Tea
This tea features hand-picked, organic jasmine green tea shoots, plucked at just the right time in spring in south China tea gardens. Next, the green tea shoots are gently united with hand-harvested, fresh jasmine buds. They are allowed to marry and comingle, with the tea shoots becoming infused with the rich, sweet, sensual fragrance of the jasmine flower. The buds are then removed, but their scent lingers, creating the deliciously floral tea which is a perfectly balanced infusion. Filled with antioxidants, this is a caffeinated tea that is delicious hot or cold. Enjoy your fragrant jasmine tea in a favorite teacup that is as special as what fills it. Jasmine tea is served in many Asian restaurants, and is noted not to be served with milk or sugar.
Red Rose Tea
Nothing says romance like red roses, and nowhere on earth is romance in the air as in Paris, City of Lights. Now close your eyes and imagine the scent of silky rose petals blended lovingly with a hearty Ceylon black tea, and you have Paris in a loose tea…La Vie En Rose. Make an “any morning” a special morning for yourself (or for your sweetheart and yourself) by brewing up a pot of this charming, elegant tea. Drink from your red rose Paris teacup to add to the experience, or let the pot cool, and pour this alluring concoction into iced tea glasses. Pick a few rose petals from your garden to garnish and let your imagination take you away as you dreamily walk along the Seine, with the scent of roses in the air. Sip….le joie de vivre
White Rose Tea
Understated, fresh and new, roses represent unconditional love. To fill our hearts with that love, white rose tea can become a gift of love we give ourselves of compassion, as well as tenderness. Spring-picked white tea leaves and tender rosebuds fuse to harmonize and uplift our state of being with every sip. Savor the moment, sipping your tea from a delicate pink rose teacup, enhancing the calming, centering and rejuvenating of your Being. You deserve it!
Cherry Blossom Tea
This special and wild-crafted tea, which has a black tea base blended with cherry blossom flowers, creates a delicious sweet blended tea. The crisp leaves of Japanese black tea combined with fragrant sakura petals results in a deep, rich brew, accented with sweet floral notes. Petals are selected from a specific area of Japan which brings about the exotic, enticing floral aroma. Perfectly balanced, the black tea is light enough so as to not overpower the delicate blossom flavor. Serve in a beautiful Japanese Cherry Blossom teacup for the full effect of this tea, which provides you with all the best nature has to offer.
Adding Flowers to Your Tea
Another great way to enjoy summer “flower tea” is to add fresh, edible flowers from your garden to your favorite iced tea. Check your garden and pick, wash and place any edible blossoms that you have growing into the top of your iced tea at the top of the glass near the straw (one top of ice). Examples of edible flowers include nasturtiums, borage blossoms, pansies, viola, rose petals and citrus blossoms, to name a few. For a lovely presentation, make “flower ice cubes” by freezing fresh into your ice cube tray when you are making ice. The flower cubes will add a colorful floral element to your iced tea. Family and friends will love your creativity!
Like fruit teas, flower teas are chock full of antioxidants and add variety to your iced tea flavor and ingredient choices during the warmer months. So gather ideas and let flower tea ideas blossom and come to full bloom. Summertime is here and now is the time to set yourself apart as the hostess or host with the most to offer in sweet, flavorful seasonal iced teas to sip all summer long. Cheers!