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Jasmine tea

For centuries there has been a flower scented tea in China. At the end of 19th century, to improve the taste of roasted tea, several kinds of scented tea were made as an experiment. Jasmine tea was a one of them. It was soon widely accepted by people for its rich taste and the gorgeous fragrance. To make Jasmine tea, place alternate layers roasted green tea leaves and flower buds in a container. Cover the box, so the flowers bloom with full fragrance over night. The next morning, open the cover, and take flowers and tea out from the box and separate them. Repeat this procedure several times. At last, dry the tea leaves completely, and then add some dried flowers into the tea and mix them well. Because tea is volatile, the fragrance can stay for a long time after being processed. Jasmine tea is mainly from Fujian province and Jianjian province in China where is famous for growing jasmine flowers. The production of Jasmine tea coincides with the growing season of jasmine flowers.

(Tadakazu Takeo)