Flowering Tea

Wonderful, captivating and engaging; flowering teas transform the simple act of drinking tea by producing an aesthetically rich experience full of color and vibrancy. Hand-sewn flowering teas are produced in remote tea gardens in southwestern Yunnan province in China near the borders of Laos and Vietnam. White, green and black teas are picked in the early mornings. While damp, the tea leaves are flattened and sewn with cotton thread into the various shapes and bundles. (Tea leaves may also be scented with jasmine blossoms before sewing begins for a more floral flavor.) Some shapes take about one minute to sew while other more elaborate designs may take up to 10 minutes. While still moist, the leaves are shaped into balls, mushrooms, cones, etc, and finally, the teas go through the usual drying, oxidation and firing process which closes the process and provides the finished product.

I bought mine at Linen's and Things but they can also be purchased on the internet. LaDonna