Has anyone tried jasmine green tea balls, I bought some that opened up
into a large carnation and also a packet that opened into lilies. The
taste was very different depending what on the flower. I bought them
from http://www.anbartaste.com I have never seen these before has
anyone else tried them? what did you think? I am currently buying
another batch from this company the tea makes great birthday presents
and is small so is easy to store (does anyone know how long tea lasts
if unopened?)

(Mousieek) writes:

> Has anyone tried jasmine green tea balls, I bought some that opened up

Little balls? You might be talking about Buddha's Tears.

> into a large carnation and also a packet that opened into lilies. The
> taste was very different depending what on the flower. I bought them
> from http://www.anbartaste.com I have never seen these before has
> anyone else tried them? what did you think? I am currently buying

I like this tea a great deal, although I might have just been lucky to
get some of reasonable quality. It might be heresy, but I find the
flavour so delicate that I just leave the tea in there, and it doesn't
seem to oversteep. The unfurling also indicates when the tea is
ready.

Cheers,

- Joel

"Mousieek" > wrote in message

> Has anyone tried jasmine green tea balls, I bought some that opened up
> into a large carnation and also a packet that opened into lilies.

I love them. I have tried hundred sorts at least. Some are very spectacular
with a collar of jasmin flowers. Others have leaves that stay vertically and
flowers floating under, so it looks like lawn reflecting in a pond.

>The
> taste was very different depending what on the flower.

But you said there were all "jasmin" ? There exist balls that don't contain
jasmin but green or white tea + litchi juice, or rose, or lotus, or
chamomille, or mint, etc.

>I bought them
> from http://www.anbartaste.com

US$ ? That's not cheap.

>I have never seen these before

Most Chinese tea shops have some. Flower teas are served in Chinese
tea-rooms with Asian desserts or if it's not meal time with dry fruits. For
a nicer effect, they brew them in large glasses (ice-cream cups or wine
degustation cups), but...the water is too hot, so that damages the cups,
they rarely break the first time, usually after 6 to 10 times. Now, I brew
in a nice pirex carafe.

> (does anyone know how long tea lasts
> if unopened?)

It lasts...but natural flavors of fruit and flower go away quickly. If the
ball dries, the colors also fade and the leaves become breakable. I use keep
them in a metal canister and use them in the month after buying.

Kuri

Joel 4/16/04


> (Mousieek) writes:
>
>> Has anyone tried jasmine green tea balls, I bought some that opened up
>
> Little balls? You might be talking about Buddha's Tears.
>
>> into a large carnation and also a packet that opened into lilies. The
>> taste was very different depending what on the flower. I bought them
>> from http://www.anbartaste.com I have never seen these before has
>> anyone else tried them? what did you think? I am currently buying
>
> I like this tea a great deal, although I might have just been lucky to
> get some of reasonable quality. It might be heresy, but I find the
> flavour so delicate that I just leave the tea in there, and it doesn't
> seem to oversteep. The unfurling also indicates when the tea is
> ready.
>
> Cheers,
>
> - Joel


Not only is it *not* heresy, according to my understanding, but its SOP
among those Chinese guys who run around all day with their gaiwans adding
water as they go. (Nowadays, I'm given to understand, it's a glass or
plastic cylindrical contraption with a screen thingy that contains the
leaves, separating them from your mouth.) Leaves stay in the water. I've
tried this and have amassed a great collection of broken gaiwan lids to
prove it.