Sip for the Cure................ Pink Grapefruit (50 Tea Bags)

The Republic of Tea's original blend of China green tea enriched with the bright and lively notes of sweet-tart pink grapefruit and pink peony petals. This cup is delightful and refreshing.

$1 from the sale of this tin will support Susan G. Komen for the Cure in their fight against breast cancer.

Peonies make me want to cry but bring calmness to my soul. They make my heart skip a beat. I feel major pain when they finally die. I hope there are peonies in the after life......

Botany's Desire.

Available @Botany's Desire next week. This is a wonderful addition to a Mother's Day Gift. Mention the blog and get 10% off of purchase at the shop.

By Peony Passions

What Sets the White Peony Tea Apart

"White peony tea, generally referred to as Pai Mu Tan in China, is a delicate tea deriving from the tea buds gathered and withered before opening. The most current research studies indicate that white tea may be more successful in warding off cancer compared to green tea, which has for a long time been revered to fight against cancer. These studies have increased the popularity of white peony tea.

Similar to the silver tip white tea, white peony tea is usually produced at Furding and Zhenghe locations in the Fujian province. White peony tea is a palatable white tea that comprises of buds and leaves that are picked in the early spring and in some cases mixed with the buds and leaves taken from the daffodil. The silvery bud is wrapped up in green leaves, and it appears to be a flower. When steeped, the green leaves open up and unfurl, akin to the petals of a flowering peony. White peony tea is naturally fresh in fragrance, orange yellow or light yellow in color and invigorating and mild in taste. The tea can also be used for medicinal purposes, especially in preserving a healthy stomach and driving out excessive heat.

Tea has been a well-liked drink in different parts of the world for hundreds of years. Europeans have usually sipped on black tea. More and more people have embraced Green and Oolong teas recently. All tea actually derives from the plant known as camellia silensis. Although there are different types of this plant, tea varies usually by the way it is processed. White tea is plucked before the leaves of the plant have unfurled completely. At this point the buds are enclosed in fine white hair, providing the tea its name. It is highly unfermented. The leaves are plucked and left to wither, instead of being cooked fry. The fraction of buds to leaves establishes the type of tea. For instance, white peony tea has one bud for every two leaves.

White tea in general is dissimilar to green and black tea in a way that it is not furled. The fresh leaves are allowed to wither for a number of days. Because it is not cooked, so to speak, white tea may have more effective antioxidants compared to other kinds of tea. While there is still no concrete conclusion on the positive effectives of white tea, more and more are beginning to embrace it as a possibly immense health enhancer. White tea is known to have high levels of catachins, which are recognized for aiding in the reduction of cholesterol levels and blood pressure.

To brew white peony tea, begin with a good quality loose tea and clean, filtered water. Peony white tea is best brewed with warm water: anywhere between 170 and 185 F. Cautiously take out the top of your kettle. When little bubbles are developing on the surface or when they are traveling up from the bottom, this is when you have reached the right temperature. Usually these teas are very lightweight and you have to make certain that you employ sufficient amounts of leaf to the container. The next step is to steep for approximately 4 to 5 minutes. Enjoy your white peony tea in the evening after a light dinner."