Tea Time with Ollia Macaron & Tea

Gatherings of any sort are lovely, however when combined with delicate, pretty details, an event can go from expected to elevated quickly. Vintage, mismatched tea cups set the stage for high tea and conversation around a beautiful table. Raid your mother, or grandmother’s cupboards, or venture to an antique store for a grouping of cups and saucers, you simply can’t have one without the other. Add in petit fours, macarons and any small bites to serve your guests, and watch their eyes light up with delight while enjoying this unexpected treat. A polished, formal tea party is fit for a queen, so why not gather together the special women in your life, put on your Sunday best and let your pinkies do the rest.

WORDS BY: Lindsay Rousseau

Owner of Ollia Macarons & Tea

INTERESTING TEA FACTS:

Tea is the most consumed beverage in the world after water, with almost 4 billion cups drank daily! From the development of ancient trade routes to the bringing down of empires; elaborate ceremonies to afternoon tea and biscuits; teas served to forge business deals to tea rituals to celebrate marriage; herbal infusions to heal illness to high energy teas to boost stamina; the history of humanity is steeped in tea.

All 'tea' actually comes from the same evergreen plant Camellia sinensis, originating from China and India. Similar to wine, there are regions of tea production around the world that vary in terroir, or the environment in which it is grown.

Oxidation of the tea leaf after it is picked determines the type of tea that ends up in your cup: green (no oxidation), oolong ( a range of low to high oxidation), or black tea (fully oxidized). Similar to oxidation of a banana or an avocado, oxidation of a tea leaf changes the chemical properties, affecting flavour, and colour. Tea masters also control oxidation with how the leaf is treated and dried: rolling, crushing, cutting, steaming, or firing are all examples of how different teas are created.

White tea is made from harvesting new leaves as they are emerging from their growth cycle and before they've unraveled. These downy, delicate leaves make for a subtle, slightly floral infusion, and are often used as a base for flavouring due to the lack of overpowering tannins that are found in other teas.

What makes a herbal tea:

What we call 'herbal tea' isn't technically a tea as it doesn't come from the tea plant, Camellia sinensis! Rather, herbal teas are infusions of botanicals and herbs like chamomile, lemongrass, rose hips, lavender, or any ingredient that isn't tea; this is why 'herbal teas' don't contain any caffeine.

Black Tea:

One of the most popular types of tea, black teas often maintain a bold flavour profile. Hailing from the Camellia sinensis plant, black tea leaves are fully oxidized, resulting in their darkish colour. Black teas are often enjoyed both hot and cold.

Green Tea:

Originating from Asia, green tea is created through the harvesting of the Camellia sinensis plant. The leaves are quickly heated so as not to over oxidize the leaves - this is what lends their greenish colour. The flavour profile of a green tea can range from a grass-like taste to a vegetal and sweet one. Green tea is also what makes the popular drink, matcha. The whole leaves are ground to a fine powder and are mixed with water or milk.

Rooibos Tea:

Rooibos is a popular 'herbal tea' that comes from southern Africa. The needle-like leaves of this bush are oxidized and dried similar to tea leaves, and an unoxidized version is called 'Green Rooibos'. It has a fresh, grassy flavour that is similar to green teas, making it a good substitute without the caffeine.

Oolong Tea:

Oolong leaves are traditionally curled, rolled or twisted, though the shape is largely dependent on the tea master making it. Leaves from the Camellia sinensis plant are partially oxidized and depending on the level of oxidation can take on a flavour profile closer to a green or black tea.

TIPS FOR BREWING THE PERFECT CUP OF TEA:

Water:

Start with pure filtered water for the best flavour.

Weight:

The ratio of tea to water is very important. If you want to be exact with your tea the best way is to use a small scale to measure your tea. The average is about 2.5g of tea per 12 oz (or a small cup). When you purchase loose leaf tea there should be a guide for how much tea to use. If you don’t have a scale then roughly 1 tsp of tea per cup will suffice.

Vessel:

The most important thing to remember is that tea is dried and therefore when you add water it will expand! Whatever you choose to make your tea in you need to ensure that the tea has enough space to expand and that the water can flow over the entire surface area of the leaves, thus extracting the best flavour possible.

Temperature & Time:

The temperature of the water is of utmost importance. Too hot and you’ll burn the leaves, leaving a bitter taste; too low and you won’t extract the flavours of the tea. If you are serious about your tea there are temperature controlled kettles for the perfect cup, or use a thermometer. How long you steep your tea will determine the outcome of your cup. Same as with temperature, too long and you’ll end up with a bitter tea, too little and you will be missing the best flavour.

TIPS & INSTRUCTIONS FOR MAKING CUSTOM BLENDS AT HOME:

It's simple and rewarding to make your own flavoured tea blends at home and they make a lovely gift when packaged in a glass jar.

Start simple by adding an ingredient or two to a tea you already have: a pinch of lavender to Earl Grey, or crush some cardamom pods to steep with a black tea.

If you want to get a little more experimental, start with 1/4 cup of tea 'base' like a green or black, and add 1-2 tsp of other ingredients that would work well together. Mix well and steep a cup to see how your flavours balance. Remember, you can always add more of something but you can't take it away. Tea blending at home is a bit of an art and a science, but anyone can do it. I love browsing my pantry for inspiration, and using the bulk bins at health food stores to buy small quantities of ingredients to start with. If you're a gardener, try growing ingredients like lemon verbena, rosemary, or chocolate mint to take your blends to the next level!

A few ideas to get you started:

Green tea + rose petals
Black tea + toasted coconut + dried pineapple
Chamomile + dried mint + lavender + rosemary
Oolong tea + chopped dark chocolate + cinnamon bark

Interested in learning more? Join us for an online tea blending workshop where you'll receive a tea blending kit, a recipe work book, and one hour of instruction and tasting. For more information please visit www.byollia.com/tea-blending

PLACES IN YYC TO SOURCE TEA:

My go-to shop in town for premium single origin teas is The Naked Leaf in Kensington. Just down the road from there you'll find the Oolong Tea House; it's my favourite place to go for a sit down tea and they always have the most creative tea lattes. Of course we also stock some great teas at Ollia, including the French tea brand 'Kusmi', our own custom Ollia blends, and other Canadian tea brands like Sloane and Sarjesa.

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