Long Island Strawberry

Description

Luxury Ingredients: Green tea, Papaya + Strawberry pieces, and Natural flavors.
Ingredients From: China (Hunan Province)
Shipping Port: Shanghai
Grade Composition: Sencha – Made to Japanese specifications
Growing Altitude: 1500-4500 feet above sea level
Manufacture Type: Traditional Pan Fired Green Tea
Infusion: Bright, pale green to yellow, light colored cup.
Pairing Suggestions: Quiche, Cream cheese pastries, Chocolate croissant, Fruit yogurt, Macaroni and cheese, Pie

Long Island has been famous for its strawberries for as long as people have lived there. Local history books describe people going on picnics and nature hikes to pick the wild berries as far back as the 1850’s – and that’s only recorded history. Archaeological records show that the Native Americans who inhabited Long Island centuries ago were also fond of the sweet summertime fruit.

After the Civil War, commercial farming on Long Island began to develop rapidly. Among the new cash crops was the wild strawberry. It didn’t hurt that the local farms were generally within a day’s drive of New York City. Farmers began hauling their produce to markets around the City, spreading the word about the exceptional Long Island quality. The strawberry’s popularity grew quickly and as time wore on, and car culture began to develop, roadside fruit stands popped up to cater to city folk partaking in the new found pleasure of the country drive. To this day a journey out to Long Island will take you past many such stands and pick-your-own berry patches.

A stop at such a stand was the inspiration behind this blended green tea. Company mythology has it that our master taster stopped to buy some berries one summer and was so dazzled by their sweet juiciness that he immediately called back to the office to declare a tea-eureka moment! A decision was quickly made to develop Long Island Strawberry tea. After experimenting with a number of teas, a Sencha style green from Hunan, China was chosen. The reason? It’s a perfect match for the sweet flavor of strawberries. Green tea forgoes the fermentation process required to produce black tea. The leaf is steamed after plucking, then bruised either by machine or by hand. After that it’s pan or basket fired, leaving it with a distinctive glossy look and light sweetish flavor – an almost perfect match for the strawberry in terms of character profile.

Blended together, the combination of strawberry flavoring and green tea produces a cup that is light and fresh, tempered with delicate notes of juicy sweet strawberry. (The juiciness has been further enhanced by the addition of dried papaya pieces.) Brew yourself a pot today and dream of a relaxing cruise through the countryside. A fabulous tea!

Hot tea brewing method: Traditional method (see note below): When preparing by the cup, this tea can be used repeatedly – about 3 times. The secret is to use water that is about 180°F/82°C. Place 1 slightly heaping teaspoon in your cup let the tea steep for about 3 minutes and then begin enjoying a cup of enchantment – do not remove the leaves from the cup. Adding milk and sugar is not recommended. Once the water level is low – add more water, and so on and so on – until the flavor of the tea is exhausted. Look at the pattern of the leaves in the brew, not only do they foretell your fortune but you can see the bud and shoots presenting themselves, looking like they are about to be plucked.

Modern Method: Bring filtered or freshly drawn cold water to a rolling boil. Place 1 slightly heaping teaspoon of loose tea for each 7-9oz/200-260ml of fluid volume in the teapot. Pour the boiling water into the teapot. Cover and let steep for 3-7 minutes according to taste (the longer the steeping time the stronger the tea). Adding milk or sugar is not recommended.

Note: Traditionally, the recommendation has been that green tea be brewed at 180°F/82°C. Regretfully, modern society makes it necessary to consider that water may not be free of harmful bacteria and other impurities. Therefore you need to boil water to kill bacteria. If you wish to use traditional brewing temperatures bring the water to a boil and allow it to cool to the desired brewing temperature – it’s the food safe thing to do!

Iced tea brewing method (Pitcher): (to make 1 liter/quart): Place 6 slightly heaping teaspoons of loose tea, 6 tea bags or 6 Q3 single serve packets into a teapot or heat resistant pitcher. Using filtered or freshly drawn cold water, boil and pour 1¼ cups/315ml over the tea. Steep for 5 minutes. Quarter fill a serving pitcher with cold water. Pour the tea into your serving pitcher straining the tea or removing the tea bags. Add ice and top-up the pitcher with cold water. A rule of thumb when preparing fresh brewed iced tea is to increase the strength of hot tea since it will be poured over ice and diluted with cold water. (Note: Some luxury quality teas may turn cloudy when poured over ice. This is a sign of luxury quality and nothing to worry about!)

Iced tea brewing method (Individual Serving): Place 1 slightly heaping teaspoon of loose tea, 1 tea bag or 1 Q3 single serve packet into a teapot for each serving required. Using filtered or freshly drawn cold water, boil and pour 6-7oz/170-200ml per serving over the tea. Cover and let steep for 5 minutes. Add hot tea to a 12oz/375ml acrylic glass filled with ice, straining the tea or removing the bags. Not all of the tea will fit, allowing for approximately an additional ½ serving. A rule of thumb when preparing fresh brewed iced tea is to increase the strength of hot tea since it will be poured over ice and diluted. (Note: Some luxury quality teas may turn cloudy when poured over ice. This is a sign of luxury quality and nothing to worry about!)

ANTIOXIDANT BENEFIT: More antioxidants are extracted from tea (L. Camellia Sinesis), or rooibos (Asphalatus Linearis), the longer it is brewed….and the more tea or rooibos that is used, the greater the antioxidant benefit.

Ideal Brewing Temperature: 100ºC/212ºF. Minimum Brewing Temperature: 90ºC/194ºF.