Maldives

Maldives

The Maldives are an independent island country in the northern Indian Ocean. Information on tea took a little research. I found a recipe for black tea simmered with spices and mixed with sweetened condensed milk and extra sugar. Imagine teh tarik with spices added. I was looking for something a little different. 

I found a reference to jasmine tea being popular in the past. The resource I found stated that people used to soak jasmine flowers in water overnight, and then strain them out and brew black tea with it. They said jasmine flowers are very rare on the islands now (I don't know why), but I liked the story. I don't know how accurate this is, but I decided to venture into the world of jasmine tea. Now I will say that my first exposure to jasmine tea was bad. I tried a generic brand of jasmine green tea, and it was so perfumy that I couldn't stand to drink it. I felt like I was drinking perfume, not tea. Most resources say that tea leaves should be laid out with jasmine flowers overnight for several nights to absorb the perfume of the jasmine flowers. The jasmine flowers are removed from the tea leaves before consumption because they would make the tea bitter. There are other, faster methods to impart jasmine flavor into tea, but the results are less than desirable. I think I know what method was not used in the tea I tried. 

Since I can't find jasmine black tea, I had to settle for jasmine green tea. Since I like to spend time looking in the bulk spice section of any grocery store that has such a department, I found loose leaf jasmine green tea...

This jasmine green tea drinking experience was much better than my first. The jasmine flavor is very subtle, and comes out more in the aftertaste than hitting you as you drink it. While the tea does smell of jasmine, it is not too strong, and I did not feel like I was drinking straight perfume. I'm glad I have enough tea for a few more cups, because it is nice to have a little bit of summer in my teacup after an interminable winter. 

Comments

  1. Poppy CrockerMay 6, 2018 at 6:10 AM

    Yum! Perfume!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Lace makerMay 6, 2018 at 7:51 AM

      Rosewater and orange blossom water are also used for food and perfume.
      Of course our culture uses vanilla for food, perfume, and bug spray. I don't think Victoria's secret intended for their perfume to be used as bug spray, but it's really funny to see manly outdoors-men with their "sexy (but not to gnats) perfume.

      Delete

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