Country of Origin: China
Region: Hunan
Shipping Port: Shanghai
Grade: Japan Sencha style
Altitude: Above 2500 feet above sea level
Manufacture Type: Sencha
Cup Characteristics: Flavory Summer sweet strawberry and papaya pieces round out an exceptionally smooth green tea.

Memories of strawberry picking in Sag Harbor.
Infusion: Bright, pale green to yellow, light colored cup.

Ingredients: Green Sencha Tea, Papaya and Strawberry pieces, Natural flavors.

Long Island has been famous for its strawberries for just about as long as people have lived there. Local history books tell of people going on picnics and nature hikes to pick wild strawberries as far back as the 1850's - and that's only recorded history! Archaeological records also show that Native Americans who inhabited Long Island centuries ago were also fond of the sweet summertime fruit.

After the Civil War, farming on Long Island started to develop rapidly, a development that saw the wild strawberries being cultivated commercially for the first time. It certainly didn't hurt that the local farms were generally within a days journey from New York City. The popularity of the fresh fruit grew quickly and as time wore on, and suburbs and cars grew in prominence, roadside fruit stands began to pop up just about everywhere. These fruit stands are ubiquitous to Long Island to this day. A drive out into the countryside will take you past many such stands and the pick-your-own berry patches the region has become famous for.

A stop at one of these was the inspiration behind this blended green tea. Company mythology has it that our master taster stopped to buy some berries, was hooked, and immediately called back to the office to declare his discovery - a real eureka moment! He decided to blend the strawberry with a very fresh tasting Sencha style green tea manufactured in Hunan Province in South Eastern China. And why a green tea for the blend? Well, green tea is produced by forgoing the fermentation process required to produce black tea. Instead, the leaves are steamed as soon as they are plucked, and then bruised either by machine or by hand. The leaves are then pan fried or basket fired - a process that gives the tea its distinctive glossy look and feel. It is this manufacturing process that also gives green teas, and this Sencha in particular, their light sweetish flavor – a perfect match to the fresh flavor of the Long Island strawberry. Brew a pot today, smell the aromas of the green tea, natural flavorings, and real strawberry and papaya pieces (added to enhance the profile of strawberry), and imagine yourself cruising through the countryside. This tea is perfect hot, and over ice!

Hot tea brewing method: Bring freshly drawn cold water to a rolling boil. Place 1 teaspoon of tea for each cup into the teapot. Pour the boiling water into the teapot. Cover and let steep for 3-7 minutes according to taste (the longer the steeping time the stronger the tea). Even though milk and a dash of sugar help enhance the flavor character on this tea, it is perfectly acceptable to consume this tea ‘straight-up’

Iced tea brewing method: (to make 1 liter/quart): Place 6 teaspoons of tea into a teapot or heat resistant pitcher. Pour 1 1/4 cups of freshly boiled water over the tea. Steep for 5 minutes. Quarter fill a serving pitcher with cold water. Pour the tea into your serving pitcher straining the leaves. Add ice and top-up the pitcher with cold water. Garnish and sweeten to taste. [A rule of thumb when preparing fresh brewed iced tea is to double the strength of hot tea since it will be poured over ice and diluted with cold water]. Please note that this tea may tend to go cloudy or ‘milky’ when poured over ice; a perfectly normal characteristic of some high quality black teas and nothing to worry about!