Guide to Jasmine Pearls: Tea of the Month
Jasmine Pearls is the most aesthetically pleasing and flavourful Jasmine tea; green tea leaves are infused with jasmine blossoms and rolled into pearls that produce a floral, honey-like liquor as they unfurl.
The History of Jasmine Green Tea
The art of infusing tea leaves with jasmine dates back to China’s South-Song dynasty in the 12th and 13th centuries, when the process was developed.
Jasmine infused tea first appears in historical accounts after the jasmine flower was brought to China from Iran along the Silk Road during the Tang dynasty, which occurred between the 7th and the 10th centuries.
Jasmine Pearl tea is sometimes called, ‘Emperor’s Blend Tea,’ because during the South-Song dynasty, it was reserved for the emperor; tea farmers would compete to produce the best blends to be judged by him.
The best jasmine green tea comes from Fuzhou in China’s Fujian Province, where the tea is believed to have originated.
Jasmine pearls is Fuzhou’s official local tea, and jasmine blossoms are its municipal flower, as its inhabitants used to consider this tea an antidote to poison.
In the Fuzhou dialect, the word for buying medicine translates to ‘buying tea’, ‘brewing medicine’, ‘brewing tea’, ‘taking medicine’ and ‘drinking tea’.
In China the fragrance of jasmine is believed to be of heaven, and in southern parts of the country serving Jasmine Pearl tea to welcome guests is a custom.
By the early 20th century Jasmine Pearl tea had become popular enough to become a fast-moving trade item, which is why all 200 species of Jasmine blossom currently grow in Europe, Africa and Asia.
The Legend of Jasmine Pearls Tea
Chinese mythology accounts of a real dragon playing a part in the creation of this tea.
When a young boy fell seriously ill near Fuzhou, his sister was desperate to find cure. She heard of a mystical dragon that could help people in need and went to look for it.
She travelled through the mountains until she reached a cave that was surrounded by fragrant jasmine bushes. The dragon lived in this cave, and she begged for his help.
In response, the dragon soared into the sky, and a beautiful pearl grew on his chest. From this pearl, a drop of water fell to the ground, where a bush sprouted instantaneously.
The dragon told her to take care of this plant as it would save her brother’s life. Through heavy rain, the girl looked after the plant and never left its side.
Later on, small leaves started to grow from the bush. The girl picked and dried them next to the jasmine flowers. She then rolled the leaves to make pearls, just like the one the dragon had on his chest.
Once she’d returned home, she brewed tea from the pearls and the entire house was filled with the scent of Jasmine. Having tasted this tea, her brother quickly recovered and jasmine pearls have been made ever since.
How are Jasmine pearls made?
Jasmine flowers are some of the oldest ingredients that are added to traditional Chinese tea.
There are different methods for scenting tea with jasmine, but to create the finest, most naturally flavoured jasmine pearls, a meticulous process is needed.
Before scenting the leaves with jasmine flowers, they’re picked and shaped. For Newby's tea, only the bud and first two leaves are picked.
The best leaves for jasmine green teas are grown at high altitudes; these produce sweeter, fuller-bodied teas. Once the young leaves have been picked, they’re individually hand-rolled into tight pearls and dried in an oven with hot air circulation.
The tea leaves are harvested early on in spring; after processing, the tea is stored till July, when jasmine plants produce flower buds.
Natural scenting process of Jasmine Pearl Tea
Next, the dried tea pearls are transported for scenting. The scenting process is done at night when Jasmine flowers bloom and release the most fragrance.
Tea experts blend the green tea pearls with jasmine flowers. Tea is a natural odour absorber, so it naturally scents itself with the jasmine aroma while intermingled in the blossoms.
In the morning, a special sorting machine separates the jasmine flowers from the pearls of tea, and the process is repeated with a fresh set of jasmine flowers.
The scenting process is repeated for up to 8 nights. Each night, workers turn over piles of tea pearls and flowers to achieve an even scent.
The longer the tea is scented for, the more expensive it becomes. To scent 1kg of tea, approximately 10kg of jasmine flowers are used, but none of the flowers are visible in the end product, as they are removed.
Jasmine pearls tea benefits
As they unravel in water, Jasmine Pearls produce a gently sweet, honey-like liquor with a jasmine aroma and an aftertaste of nutmeg.
Jasmine pearls have multiple health benefits which is why they are often used as holistic medicine.
Polyphenols are micronutrients that occur naturally in plants. Because of its green tea content, jasmine pearls contain special kinds of polyphenols, called catechins, which act as powerful antioxidants.
Caffeine provides an energy boost that can speed up the metabolism. It can also act as a mood enhancer by encouraging the release of dopamine and serotonin.
Green tea also contains L-theanine, an inhibitory neurotransmitter that puts you in a relaxed yet attentive state. When consumed with caffeine, L-theanine is even more effective at improving general brain functioning.
The mood enhancing scent of jasmine combats anxiety and acts as an aphrodisiac; inhaling it calms the central nervous system.
Jasmine tea also has sedative effects that can combat insomnia, as its adaptogenic qualities can either up-regulate or down-regulate the nervous system as required.
How to brew Jasmine tea?
To make one cup of Jasmine green tea, use about 5-10 Jasmine pearls; infuse them in fresh spring water, heated to 80c, for 2-3 minutes. Don’t discard the tea leaves, as these will continue to open and can be used later for several more infusions.
Jasmine pearls are hard and compact; when submerged in water, they slowly start to unfurl.
Watch our video to discover how to brew jasmine tea.
Buy Jasmine pearls tea
Our delicate green tea leaves have been hand-rolled and infused with fresh jasmine flowers to bring you the finest version of this gently sweet, traditional delight with a lasting floral finish.
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