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Big flakes of snow float to the ground outside the window signaling that the winter weather is once again upon us; but inside our house, it is warm and cozy… The Christmas tree is lit, the faint smell of freshly baked cookies drifts from the kitchen, the sound of laughter and friendly chit-chat fills the air, tea blossoms bloom…

Tea Blossoms Bloom???

This weekend we had a few friends over for dinner to kick start our seasonal celebrations. Dinner was delicious, the cookies were a hit, but the star of the show was surprising. It was a tiny green ball – no bigger than the size of a walnut. A colourful mystery, wrapped inside a tiny package of dark green leaves.

We were amazed that no one else at the table had ever heard of flowering tea. They were shocked that such a large flowery bloom could come out of such a small package and make a refreshing tea. At first our guests thought that they were just looking at an entertaining decoration – that is – until they sipped the warm fragrant liquid from their cups, and quickly changed their minds.

The artisan tea that we chose to display last night was Oolong Mystere. It is a hand made, hand tied, partially oxidized green tea with hibiscus. It is a simple refreshing tea with a light lemony flavour.

In China, these types of artisan, or ‘presentation’ teas are known as “hui fa cha”. In North America they are called a number of things including flowering tea, blossoming tea, blooming tea, decorative tea, tea balls, tea bundles, and artisan tea. Supple tea leaves and flower buds are carefully tied by hand with silk thread into tiny tea bundles that transform into blooms, blossoms, and other beautiful shapes when they are steeped in hot water. They are definitely great conversation pieces, and I’m glad we thought to use one. Everyone seemed entertained by the idea of a tea ball that blooms like a flower, and they were amazed as they watched the little leaves slowly unfold to reveal a bright pink center.

Another great thing about these teas is that they can be kept as a centerpiece, much like fresh flowers, in a clear bowl for up to a week if they are refreshed daily with cold water.

To see flowering teas that we offer, visit:

Herbal Infusions Flowering Teas