Sparkling Jasmine Iced Tea

In honor of the first day of summer here is a refreshing green tea with a light sparkle.  Give yourself the gift of an afternoon to sit in the shade, sip this delicate treat, listen to the birds, and enjoy the day.

(and no, those are not jasmine flowers in the photo…)

For centuries jasmine tea has been made by infusing tea leaves with jasmine flower petals letting the tea leaves absorb the sweet flower scent.  The tea leaves are re-dried, and the whole process is repeated numerous times to give it that famous fragrant quality of jasmine tea.  Most jasmine teas use a base of green tea, but some are made with black, oolong or white teas, and all have the delicate and distinct flavor of that pale yellow flower.

Brew time and water temperature are important for all teas, but in particular when brewing the sensitive green tea.  Many a bitter cup of green tea has turned people off, but the potential for imbibing its subtle sweet flavor is definitely worth the extra attention.

The water should be between 160-180 degrees and steep for 2-4 minutes, depending on the kind of green tea and your preference.  High-alkaline or chlorine water can also give it a bitter taste, so filtered water would be ideal.  Check out Leaf and Learn About Tea for more about brewing green teas.

Speaking of experiencing great teas, Gong Fu Tea shop in Des Moines is a delight of a destination. Mike Feller and Rusty Bishop have created a Sanctuary of the Leaf—a check out these photos of their shop in Des Moines, Iowa.  Incredibly fresh and fragrant teas from all over the world, this is truly an inspirational place to hang out.

If you’re looking for a truly sparkling Jasmine tea check out the Golden Star Tea company for a great wine alternative.

Sparkling Jasmine Tea

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Brew Time: 2-3 minutes

Heat water to 160-180 degrees, or until the tiny bubbles or ‘fish eyes’ begin to float to the top but before the ‘string of pearls’ brings numerous bubbles to the top.

Steep together in a warmed teapot for 2-3 minutes:

4 cups water

2 1/2 – 3 Tablespoons loose leaf Jasmine tea

Remove the tea ball or strain the brewed tea to remove the tea leaves. 

Chill.  When ready to serve, mix with:

2 cup Sparkling water

Dash of honey water (honey water—mix boiling water with honey at a 1 to 1 ratio)

Serve with a Fresh Mint sprig or a slice of Cucumber.

Other brew possibilities with Jasmine Tea:

Coriander Seed

Thyme

Lemon

Raspberry

Ginger

Tonic Water (instead of honey and sparkling water)

In honor of Father’s Day here are some quotes my father copied (from Murphy’s Law) and kept handy in his notepad when he needed some pithy wisdom to relay:

and his favorite