Green Tea Pearls from Teavivre

I was lucky enough to receive some complementary tea from the good people at Teavivre. This is one of the undeniable perks of having a tea blog; sometimes nice people send you tea.

Jasmine tea pearls are one of my favourite ways to enjoy tea. Green tea is consistently in the news alongside various claims of its health properties and weight loss benefits. This means that many people are left with the impression that green tea is for the health conscious and fad dieters. People don't expect 'diet' things to taste nice, so they are happy enough to tolerate bitter and dull green teas. This does green tea a great disservice, as it should be enjoyed for its delicate taste and soft aroma.

Tea pearls themselves are a beautiful and traditional way to enjoy green tea. Placed in a cup of hot water they gradually unravel as they infuse.

Unlike teabags, the leaves can be used over and over again. A few pearls should be enough for 4 or 5 cups of tea throughout the day, just add new hot water.

The instructions on the pack of the Teavivre 'Dragon Pearls' are to infuse in hot water for 1-2 minutes. It is important not to over brew the leaves to avoid the bitter taste that results. The green tea is accompanied by jasmine, which also helps prevent the bitterness that can plague green tea. Once the pearls have brewed for a minute or two, then scoop them out and set them aside. The pearls can be used again after the cup is finished.

Don't forget that although believed to be healthier than other sources of caffeine, green tea still contains a relatively high amount, so try not to over do it all at once if you don't want to be wired all day!