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Iced Tea Recipes!

For rooibos or herbal teas: infuse 3 tbsps of tea in 1/2l of boiling water for 10 minutes. Strain and pour in a jug filled with ice cubes. Add lemon slices, mint leaves, fruit juices….to jazz it up a little and make your very own mocktails!

  For an iced green tea: infuse 4 tsps of tea in ½ l of water at 75োºC for 3-4min. Strain and pour on a jug filled with ice cubes. Like for rooibos/herbal teas, you can add lemon slices, mint leaves, fruit juices…

  For an intense flavour, infuse 3 tbsps of tea in 1l of cold water for at least 5hours in your fridge.

Find our selection of iced teas here! 

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Raviolis of exotic fruits with rooibos syrup

Serves 4. 

24 squares of chinese raviolis

3 small bananas

1 small pineapple

2 passion fruit

4 tbsps demerera sugar

150g brown sugar

3 tbsps rooibos

1 pink grapefruit

2 satsumas or tangerines

Peel the bananas et slice them. Peel the pineapple and slice it. Cut each slice in 4. Cut open the passion fruits and remove the juice and seeds. Place 12 squares of ravioli on a board. Place 4 pieces of banana, 3 slices of pineapple, a bit of passion fruit and a tsp of sugar on each. Using a brush or your fingers, brush the sides of the raviolis with some water, and cover with another square of ravioli. The water will act as glue on the ravioli squares. Use cutters to shape your ravioli if needed. 

Bring 1l of water to the boil with the brown sugar. Add the rooibos and leave for 5min. Peel the grapefruit and satsumas, and remove the quarters without the skins. Place them in 4 bowls. Filter the syrup, and put it back on the hob under low heat. Plunge the raviolis for 3min, and place them in the bowls. Cover with the tea syrup. 

We recommend using our Wild Rooibos tea, or any rooibos from our range! Mango, peach, lemon rooibos, Banana, coconut, pineapple rooibos, Wild rooibos, Strawberry, Vanilla rooibos, we've got lots of rooibos to tempt you with! 

Find them on http://www.equalitea.co.uk/shop/

(Recipe taken from “Version Femina”, March 2014)

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Caesar Salad in smoked tea

Serves 4.

4 chicken breasts

3 tbsps Grand Lapsang Souchong tea leaves

4 romaine lettuces

20 cherry tomatoes

1/2 baguette

100g parmesan shavings

6 tbsps olive oil

2 tbsps balsamic vinegar

salt, pepper

Fill your steamer with water and add the smoked tea leaves. Cook your chicken breasts in the steamer for 15min. 

Meanwhile, wash the salad and place them in 4 plates. Wash and dry the tomatoes, cut them in half and add them to the salad. 

Slice the baguette finely, and fry them in a pan with 2 tbsps olive oil until you have croutons. 

Once the chicken is cooked, slice it finely and place it in the plates along with the parmesan shavings. Season with salt and pepper, add the rest of olive oil and balsamic vinegar. 

We recommend using our Lapsang Souchong tea:

Find it on http://www.equalitea.co.uk/product/grand-lapsang-souchong

(Recipe taken from “Version Femina”, March 2014)

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Gravlax Salmon infused in Earl Grey

Serves 4 to 6.

500g salmon steak with skin

3 tbsps Earl Grey tea leaves

1 lime

5 tbsps sugar

5 tbsps coarse salt

Rince and pat the salmon dry. Remove all bones. In a bowl, mix the salt, sugar, earl grey tea leaves and the zest of the lime.

Spread 1/3 of the mixture on cling film, and place the fish on top. Spread the fish with the rest of the mixture and wrap the salmon tight in the cling film.

Poke a few holes through the cling film on the skin side, and place the fish in the fridge for 48h. Empty all juices coming from the fish on a regular basis.

When ready to serve, quickly rinse the fish and slice. 

We recommend using our Finest Earl Grey: 

Find it on http://www.equalitea.co.uk/product/finest-earl-grey/

(Recipe taken from “Version Femina”, March 2014)

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Chocolate Truffles with Litchi Pear Green Tea (by EqualiTeaUK)

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Duck breast in Earl Grey

Serves 2. 

2 duck breasts

1 shallot

20cl single cream

1 cup of Earl Grey

1 tsp of vegetable stock powder

salt & pepper.

Gently pan fry both duck breasts: 10min on the skin side and 2 min on the meat side. Discard the fat as it melts in the pan. 

In a pan, reduce the Earl Grey, stock powder and shallot. Add the cream, salt and pepper. Bring to the boil. 

Slice the duck breasts, pour the sauce over the slices and serve.

We recommend using our Finest Earl Grey tea: 

Find it on http://www.equalitea.co.uk/product/finest-earl-grey/

(Recipe taken from "Papilles Magazine", Apr-May 2013)

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Parsnip veloute in Oolong tea

Serves 4.

400g parsnips

45cl single cream

25g butter

20cl milk

25g oolong tea

Salt.

Put in a pan the cream, the tea and salt and bring to the boil. Put a lid on the saucepan and leave the mixture to infuse for 15min. Sieve and leave to cool down.

Peel and dice the parsnips. Put them in a pan with the butter and cook for 10min. Add the milk and 60cl of water. Add salt and cook for a further 10min.  Blend the veloute in a food processor. 

Make a chantilly with the tea cream and shape in quenelles. Serve with the veloute. 

We recommend using our Tra To Quy Oolong tea: 

Find it on http://www.equalitea.co.uk/product/tra-to-quy-oolong

(Recipe taken from "Papilles Magazine", Apr-May 2013)

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Darjeeling Tea Tart

Serves 4.

1 shortcrust pastry

2 eggs

110g butter

80g sugar

6tsps darjeeling tea.

The day before, brew the tea leaves in 10cl of water for 30min. Strain. Mix the infusion, the eggs and the sugar in a bowl. Cook slowly in a bain-marie, stirring on a regular basis. Cool down, add the butter in small pieces, and mix with a hand blender for 5 minutes. Leave to cool down in the fridge overnight. 

The following day, line the pastry in the tin and leave for 30min in the fridge. Bake for 25min in an oven heated at 160 degrees. Once baked and cooled down, garnish with the tea cream and serve. 

We recommend using our Mon Amour Darjeeling tea:

Find it on http://www.equalitea.co.uk/product/mon-amour 

(Recipe taken from "Papilles Magazine", Apr-May 2013)

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Lapsang Souchong Tuna Rillettes

Serves 4.

300g tuna in brine

1/2 lemon

chives

2 small tubs of fromage frais

2 tbsps creme fraiche

1 tsp mustard

1 tsp lapsang souchong

Salt & pepper.

Drain the tuna. Mix all the ingredients together with a fork. Add salt and pepper. Leave in the fridge for 30min. Serve with hot toasts.

We recommend using our Lapsang Souchong tea:

Find it on http://www.equalitea.co.uk/product/grand-lapsang-souchong

(Recipe taken from "Papilles Magazine", Apr-May 2013)

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Assam Tea Creme Brulee

Serves 4. 

5 yolks

40cl single cream

50g caster sugar

1tsp (2g) Assam tea

Icing sugar.

Pre-heat the oven to 160C and a bain-marie. Warm up the cream and tea. Leave to infuse with the lid on. In a bowl, mix the yolk and the caster sugar. Add the warm cream to the yolk mix and keep stirring. Divide the mixture in 4 ramequins for creme brulee. Put in the bain-marie, cook for 30min. Remove from the oven, cool down and stick in the fridge for 1 hour. Just before serving, caramelize the top with some icing sugar.

We recommend using our Banaspaty Assam tea:

Find it on http://www.equalitea.co.uk/product/banaspaty

(Recipe taken from "Papilles Magazine", Apr-May 2013)

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Pears poached in Jasmine tea

Serves 4.

4 pears

100g sugar

15g jasmine tea

Heat up the water and the sugar in a saucepan on the hob. When the water starts boiling, remove the pan from the hob, add the tea leaves and leave them to brew for 5 min. Strain the leaves and put the syrup back on the hob at low heat. When the syrup starts boiling again, add the peeled pears and leave them to poach for 25min. Leave them to cool down before serving with shortbread biscuits

We recommend using our beautiful Organic Jasmine Mao Feng tea: 

Find it on: http://www.equalitea.co.uk/product/jasmine-mao-feng/

(Recipe taken from "Papilles Magazine", Apr-May 2013)

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It's #FairtradeFortnight! How about learning about Fairtrade? Find out about all the teas we offer on www.equalitea.co.uk

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Oolong? Wu Long? Blue tea?...a bit more on the versatile semi-fermented tea.

Known under various names such as oolong, Wu Long or "semi-fermented tea", Blue-Green tea is the outcome of an interrupted fermentation process. It is a delicious compromise between green and black tea and has several thousand varieties. Originally from China (Fujian) and Taiwan, blue tea is nowadays produced in many other countries (India, Laos, Vietnam...). In China, blue teas are known as "balance teas". This is because blue tea combines the properties and the freshness of green teas to a flavour reminiscent of the best quality black teas. The tea plants used are large leaves varieties and despite a wide range of products coming from numerous countries with varying types of soil, blue tea follows a manufacturing process which uses the original Chinese and Taiwanese techniques.

Withering: after the picking, the leaves are withered for a very short time. The essential oils contained in the leaves start to oxidise: this is the beginning of the fermentation process.

Fermentation or oozing: in a closed room maintained at a high humidity level (more than 80%) and at a constant temperature, the leaves are stirred in baskets. During this operation, the edges of the leaves are damaged. These edges take a red colour whereas the inside of the leaves remain green. The length of this fermentation phase varies, according to the techniques, from 30minutes to 2 hours. During this operation, the leaves start to lose part of their moisture.

Jardins de Gaia - Tra To Quy Oolong - Da Nang, Vietnam. Copyright © Les Jardins de Gaïa. Tous droits réservés. All rights reserved.

When using the Chinese method, the fermentation process reaches 12 to 20% of the leaf and lasts 15 min to 1hour. The taste of the teas obtained is thus close to the taste of green teas. As for the Taiwanese (also known as Formose) method, it can last up to 2 hours, causing the fermentation of the leaves to reach up to 70%. These teas are closer to black teas.

Like green teas, blue teas then undergo stages of rolling, drying (or desiccation) and sorting.

The quality of blue teas varies according to the leaves, the harvest time, the altitude, the climatic conditions, the soil, as well as the skills of the grower. The colour of the brew ranges from light yellow to honey yellow.

Jardins de Gaia - Selimbong Blue Second Flush - Darjeeling, India. Copyright © Les Jardins de Gaïa. Tous droits réservés. All rights reserved.

Source: Jardins de Gaia

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Our day in Bray, the 7-Michelin star village, which did appreciate our teas very much! :-p More Christmassy pix coming soon! 

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What type of superpowers can I actually expect from biodynamic tea? he he!

Ah!! We often get asked about the Demeter logo on some of our packets of teas...hence this post! It is much more popular across the channel, but is slowly reaching Great Britain. When we tell customers that Demeter is the brand for biodynamic agriculture, the generic answer is: "what type of superpowers can I expect??". Ah! If only! Well I am sorry to have to crush hopes  so  early on in the post, and destroy grand ideas of overtaking the world or everlasting youth thanks to a cup of biodynamic tea!

So for those of you who do not know about it, Demeter is the brand for products from biodynamic Agriculture. In the UK, the biodynamic association is the main source of info. Biodynamics is a whole farm approach that seeks to manage the soils, crops, and animals on a farm in such a way that the enterprises on a farm strengthen and support each other.

A comprehensive verification process insures strict compliance with the International Demeter Production and Processing Standards, as well as applicable Organic regulations in the various countries; without a gap, through every step, from agricultural production to processing and final product packaging. Not only do Demeter requirements exclude the use of synthetic fertilisers and chemical plant protection agents in agricultural crop production, or artificial additives during processing, but also require very specific measures to strengthen the life processes in soil and foodstuffs.

Demeter farmers and processors actively contribute toward the shaping of a future worth living for, creating healthy foods of distinctive tastes, truly "Foods with Character".

According to Demeter International, products carrying this label meet the following standards:

- Healthy foods of distinctive tastes, truly "Foods with Character"

- Preservation of the rural culture based on local farming traditions and crafts, and enduring security for regional structures are guiding principles everywhere in the world where Demeter is active

- Consistent standards require highest uniform standards from production of crops to final processed and packaged product, and compliance with these standards is independently controlled

- Producers, processors, handlers and consumers co-operate in the spirit of partnership in the formation of the marketplace

- Fair prices and social obligation is Demeter's response to the flooding wave of mergers and conglomeration

So all in all, biodynamic tea won't give you superpowers indeed, but will be super good for the soil and the people who are involved in growing and processing the teas! Worth it, isn't it?

Key also to remember, any biodynamic tea will automatically be organic to start with. The added holistic approach to growing and processing the teas is what makes it biodynamic! Only good stuff then. :-)

Bearing all that in mind, have a look at our fabulous  biodynamic range: Fancy something to wake you up in the morning? Our gutsy BOP English Breakfast will do the trick! More of an all-day kind of tea needed: indulge in our very lovely and loving BOP Mon Amour black daarjeling blend! Adventurous with your teas? Then our spicy Bollywood Flush is definitely for you! Green tea and cardamom for a hot and warming cuppa!

For tea connoisseurs, our range of Selimbong teas from the biodynamic Selimbong estate in Daarjeling is ideal. Black, blue and green, we have a variety!

And let's not forget a personal favourite of ours: our heavenly With the Angels tea, ideal for the afternoon/evening, it's an oh so light white tea with vanilla and flower petals. Not only it is a pleasure for the palate, it is also very pretty to look at with all the colourful petals. Now if that is not going to give you a massive super boost, what will?? :-p

Bon Happy Tea!

The EqualiTeam

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A little bit about Rooibos Tea...

We are very keen at EqualiTea to tell you more about our products and where they come from, what they are, etc...so after lapacho, we move on to Rooibos! All our Rooibos teas come from the Heiveld and Wupperthal projects in the Cedarberg area of South Africa.

Want to know what exactly rooibos is? Read on!  

"Traditionally labelled as red tea, rooibos (lat. Aspalathus linearis) bears no comparison to tea in terms of taste or properties. Rooibos, literally "red bush" in Afrikaans, is a leguminous shrub from the Cedarberg region in the south-west of South Africa. Rooibos follows a similar transformation process to that of black tea. This process, combined to the characteristics of the shrub, gives the infusion its distinctive red colour which has contributed to Rooibos being marketed as red tea.

The rooibos shrub grows above 800m altitude in an arid climate on a sandy soil. It lives on average seven years. The shrub is made of tiny needle shaped leaves grown on many small branches and it starts producing enough needles for transformation after a year and half. Maximum quantity is reached when the bush is 3-years old, at which point the quantity of needles gradually decreases and the needles turn red, hence the name red bush.

The harvest occurs once a year from January to March in the midst of the austral summer. The arid climate where temperatures reach 45 degrees during the day and 20 degrees at night enables a natural transformation process. The fermentation and drying stages take place outdoors under the sun. In this desert region, the air is free of dust and industrial chemical gases.

Bushes are pruned with a machete to a 30cm height. Whole branches are cut out in 5mm pieces which are then spread out in 50cm-thick layers in a tea yard under the sun. Water is sprayed over the leaves to start the enzymatic reaction which will begin the fermentation process. This helps the leaves stock up on flavour and change from a tender green to a gilded red colour. After a few hours, the leaves are spread out in thinner layers to dry. They are next sorted by grade and pasteurised with hot air. Four tons of fresh rooibos plant will yield 400kg of the best grade rooibos!

Rooibos is the national drink of South Africa. Completely free of any stimulating substances, this soft and rounded beverage bursts with sunshine; it can be drunk at any time of the day and by everyone from infants to the older generation. Rooibos has been the main subject of many studies because of its high content in mineral salts such as iron, calcium, copper and zinc, vitamins C, E and A, and other antioxidants. Various studies have shown that rooibos may have beneficial effects on arthritis and rheumatism, as well as heart health. It is also believed to help those who suffer from spasms, allergies, acne and hypertension. According to Daniel Ferreira, a chemist, flavonoids contained in rooibos contribute to slowing down the ageing process."

Source: Jardins de Gaia

If you feel that's not enough info, check out the Red Tea section of our website! We currently stock a selection of red teas, such as Asimbonanga (with Mango, Peach & Lemon), Sounds of the Forest (with Wild Berries), Springtime by the San (with Raspberry & Chocolate), The African (with Coconut, Banana & Pineapple) and Zulu Digest (with Digestive Spices).

Now... do you know about Honeybush too? It's very similar to Rooibos. Learn more here, or hang on, there'll be a post about it soon! 

Bon Happy Tea!