Last week was full of appointments and social events. By the end of it, I felt exhausted and drained. John arrived home on Saturday after a business trip, travelling between New York, Boston and San Francisco for a week so the energy in our house felt very, very low.
Halfway through Sunday afternoon, we quietly made our way into one of the guest rooms and I brewed JING's beautiful flowering teas in a JING "tea-iere" - like a cafetiere, but for tea, which is genius for people who like to drink loose leaf teas like me!
Have you ever tried a flowering tea before? They're also called "blooming" or "artisan" teas, and originate from Fujian province, China. Flowering teas are made with green tea buds and are hand tied with aromatic flowers. When you pour boiling water over them, they slowly unfurl and make a beautiful display in your cup (along with the tea-iere featured here, JING also makes these fantastic twin-walled cups that would give the same effect). Sometimes, I order these flowering teas as a treat when I'm having dim sum.
But on Sunday, I decided to pull them out at home because John and I both needed to wind down. As the tea brewed and we watched the flowers magically bloom, suspended in hot water, John and I chatted about our ongoing garden works and our travel plans for the rest of the summer. I realised that we often talk to each other while doing something else at home, like a chore or cooking. How nice is it to just sit down and chat without any distractions in sight? We're both so busy that sometimes we need to force ourselves to put down our phones and just take the time to relax.
We tried the Flowering Jasmine and Lily and Flowering Osmanthus teas from JING. Both have a wonderfully fragrant but subtle taste - perfect for unwinding after a busy day or week. I love the idea of having a mini "tea ritual" every weekend, especially when I'm feeling low in energy or anxious about the upcoming week. Just the sound of tea being poured is sometimes enough to calm me down.
How do you like to unwind on the weekend? Are you a fan of flowering teas? I'd love to know!
My flowering teas and tea-iere were generously provided by JING, a company whose products and ethos I love. Thank you for supporting the brands that support Angloyankophile! You can buy your own JING tea here. All opinions are my own.
Your mug is gorgeous as well!
ReplyDeleteHi Sarah! Thank you! They're from NOM living on Columbia Road and I love them.
DeleteGorgeous photos, Jaime! I love the look of those teas - so so beautiful! Sometimes it's just what you need to sit down and just relax! xx
ReplyDeleteThank you, Lauren! They are beautiful and so lovely to drink as well. Even John was a huge fan! xx
DeleteI admit to being a die-hard English Breakfast kind of girl .... but your whole approach sounds wonderful. Living with The Boy Child makes it hard for The Brainy One and me to find time to just sit, chat and be still during the daylight hours.
ReplyDeleteI love a good, strong cup of Yorkshire Gold myself, Ruth! But you're right - what I found most valuable about trying these teas this weekend was being able to sit face-to-face with John. He'd been travelling so we hardly got to speak when he was away, and although I sit down with my friends to chat like that, I seem to be on my phone or washing up or doing something else when we're talking to each other. Which is fine, but it's a different level of "connecting" - you know what I mean? Hope you and The Brainy One get to have that time together soon. x
DeleteI've seen them around but never actually tried them! I'm a super boring tea drinker, I just have black tea haha. Seconding that the mug is gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteI'm pretty boring when I think that any other type of tea requires any kind of effort (I'm lazy like that)! Not saying that you are - that's just me! But with these, you literally just pour hot water over it (and don't add milk) which is amazing. My dad brews loose leaf Chinese tea but I have to wait ... and wait ... and wait ...
Deletep.s. so glad you like the mug! I LOVE them and want to get a few more!
I am such a fan of blooming tea! I used to drink this all the time in Russia - they do love their tea there - but I've yet to find it so readily available in the States.
ReplyDeleteThat's so cool that they drink it in Russia too, Polly! How long were you there for? It's been wayyyy too long since I've been and I really want to go back. I agree that it's hard to find blooming teas in the US ... I feel like people tend to drink herbal/fruity teas in the States more than anything else.
DeleteI just started drinking tea and I'm intrigued by these loose teas. They are so pretty! I love just sitting with my husband and having a drink or snack. It's such a great way to unwine, unplug, and reconnect.
ReplyDeleteOoh, what kind of tea have you been drinking, Carolann? These are lovely - and there are 2 per pack so they're perfect for a treat!
DeleteHi Maya! I'm a big fan of good ol' English Breakfast too! Let me know what you think if you decide to give these a try! I think you'll find them a lot more subtle in flavor that herbal teas. They go well with cakes or before or after meals - or even on their own. x
ReplyDeleteI absolutely love these tea buds, especially Jasmine. They incredibly aromatic and brew a flavorful tea, plus are esthetically so pleasing. I have often caught myself being mesmerized as it unfurled in my glass tea pot. Perfect way to unwind and relax. Lately, I have Sunday rituals with a fresh croissant, matcha tea and a movie on our couch.
ReplyDeleteThat sounds like the ideal Sunday ritual, Nano! Do you whisk the matcha the traditional way as well?? I would be so impressed!
DeleteI actually do! When I was in Kyoto I got the entire set: clay mugs, whisk, even the bamboo scoop, and premium grade matcha powder. I watched more than one tutorial on YouTube, it is really not as hard as it looks. Hope to host you one day and make you a cup... or you ;) xoxo, nano
DeleteThat's AMAZING. I tried it once at a JING Tea event last year and really loved it! Oops - I still need to email you re: John's trip to Tokyo soon! xoxo
DeleteI adore flowering teas, but for some reason - I only ever have it when I'm out at restaurants or cafes! Love the thought of keeping a batch at home, it sounds like such a soothing pick me up :) xx
ReplyDeleteME TOO, Ayushi! It was a special treat for me - I remember bringing some back for John when I went to a Chinese tea shop in Vancouver. It's a lovely little luxury to enjoy at home and just feels so special (but isn't as "naughty" as a hot chocolate or mocha!). xx
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