Product Overview
BLOOD ORANGE
(Black Tea with natural flavors) Small Batch Blended and Packed in Canada at The Metropolitan Tea Company. HACCP Certified.
INGREDIENTS FROM:Sri Lanka
REGION(S):Nuwara Eliya + Dimbula + Uva
SHIPPING PORT(S):Colombo
GRADE(S):OP (Orange Pekoe)
GROWING ALTITUDE(S):4000 – 8500 feet above sea level
MANUFACTURE TYPE(S):Tea : Orthodox (Traditional leafy)
CUP CHARACTERISTICS:Intense and flavorful fresh citrus character with a delicate sweetness reminiscent of freshly squeezed oranges.
INFUSION:Bright and Coppery.
INGREDIENTS:Black tea, Orange pieces, Blackberry leaves, Safflower petals, and Natural flavors.
INFORMATION:No, blood oranges are not wounded oranges. They are however a mutated version of traditional oranges. The first blood oranges appeared in the sunny groves of Sicily in the South of Italy sometime during the 17th century. Legend there has it that the fruit was named after the blood spilled in the streets by local Mafioso, the casa nostra, who ruled the streets of the Italian province. Over the centuries the fruit gained popularity throughout Italy - in fact, if you are ever in Rome and order an orange juice, chances are it will have a delicious looking, deep red hue and be made from blood oranges. The flesh of the fruit itself, as its name infers, is deep red on the inside and is much juicier than that of regular oranges.
Bite into a fresh blood orange and you'll also find that the taste is slightly sweeter than their more common counterparts. As a sweet all natural addition to our high-grown Ceylon tea, the blood orange infuses pleasing citrus notes that help round out the natural astringency of the tea. Brew yourself a pot, pour a cup, and toast the sun-drenched coast of Sicily. As with most of our flavored teas, this one is superb when poured over ice. Buon Appetito!
What type of tea do we use, how do we flavor the tea and why do we use natural flavors?
Firstly... we only use high grown teas from the top 3 tea growing regions of Sri Lanka - Nuwara Eliya, Dimbula and Uva. These three high-grown districts produce flavorful teas that have classic 'Ceylon' tea character which is noted by floral bouquet and flavor notes, touches of mild astringency, bright coppery color and, most importantly - perfect for use as the base tea of our flavored teas. (We have tested teas from various other origins around the world as base stock for our flavored teas, but none of these teas made the grade.) Dimbula and the western estates of Nuwara Eliya have a major quality peak during Jan/Feb, whereas Uva and the eastern estates of Nuwara Eliya have their peak in July/Aug. This 'dual peak period' allow us to buy the best for our flavored tea blends several times during the year, ensuring top quality and freshness.
Secondly...we use flavoring oils not crystals to give the tea drinker an olfactory holiday before indulging in a liquid tea treat. Thirdly we specify natural flavors. High quality tea tastes good and natural flavors do not mask the natural taste of the high grown Ceylon tea. (The norm for many making flavored tea is to use overpowering artificial flavors, which can be used to hide lower quality tea). Natural flavors do not leave an aftertaste giving the tea a clean and true character. It should be noted that natural flavors tend to be somewhat 'soft' and the flavors slightly muted, but for many this is a refreshing change and one of the desired attributes of our naturally flavored teas.
HOT TEA BREWING 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). Add milk and sugar to taste.
ICED TEA BREWING METHOD (Pitcher):(to make 1 liter/quart): Place 6 slightly heaping teaspoons of loose tea 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. Garnish and sweeten to taste. 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 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. Sweeten and/or add lemon to taste. 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!)
RECOMMENDATION:We recommend the use of our 1 Cup of Perfect Tea measuring spoon for best results.
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.
FOOD SAFETY ADVISORY:
We strongly recommend using filtered or freshly drawn cold water brought to a rolling boil when brewing all types of tea. Today's water has been known to carry viruses, parasites and bacteria. Boiling the water will kill these elements and reduce the potential incidence of water-borne illnesses.
IDEAL BREWING TEMPERATURE:100C/212F.
MINIMUM BREWING TEMPERATURE: 90C/194F.
