Jasmine tea is the most popular variety of flavored tea. This is, in part because Jasmine has been used to scent and flavor every variety of tea: white, black, green and oolong. So, no matter your preference in tea, there is a Jasmine tea for you.
Jasmine tea dates back to the Sung Dynasty.
To make this delicious blend, tea artisans plucked jasmine blossoms just as they were beginning to open. Then the petals were stored in a cool place until nightfall, when the blossoms began to release their fragrance. They were then added to dry green tea leaves, to allow the dry tea leaves to absorb the fragrance. Ordinary grades of tea were scented two or three times; the special grades even more.
Today, most jasmine tea is still made with green tea, though the process is no longer carried out by hand. Most believe that the Fujian region of China produces the best jasmine tea because it is this area of China that produces the largest and most heavily scented jasmine blossoms and the loosest green tea leaves.
The looser the tea leaves, the better they are able to absorb the jasmine fragrance. The first plucking of green tea will produce the best jasmine tea...