New Tasting Notes
Although extremely hot when I first tried it (not a fault of the tea, just Starbucks), once at an acceptable temperature the tea became quite enjoyable. The lemon flavors give the tea a refreshing punch that cleanses the palate without overpowering the tea. The subtle mint flavors are a nice touch as well. It is a little generic in flavor as far as green teas go, but it seems like a decent option if you’re looking for a green tea.
My family actually brews Loquat tea in our house. My mom, after having been advised by a colleague of its health benefits, decided to gather Loquat leaves and brew the tea personally in a big double dutch oven pot in out kitchen. There is hardly any preparation of some sort, the leaves are as they are from the tree. They are not dried, fried, mortared and pestled. It is a simple preparation but long nonetheless. The fresh leaves of the Loquat tree are boiled for several hours resulting in a clear peach-colored substance.
The tea itself should be enjoyed without additives. It is best served hot, because the aroma itself is very inviting. It has a warm, vanilla-esque scent when it’s boiling. Very very mild flavor, a little woody (but maybe because it’s fresh…).
It’s good for you! It can cure some cancers!
Mugicha at my house, is often drank cold during meals in the summertime. It helps with digestion especially when you’ve eaten too much during dinner. To prepare Mugicha, the tea bag is cooled in a container for two hours then with boiling water brewed for about 15 minutes. Then the tea is cooled once again with ice. Once the process is finished the tea looks orangey-brown. This tea should not be drunk with any additives because the taste is so mild that any other additional flavorings will overwhelm it. Korean restaurants serve Mugicha or Boricha, it’s Korean name, to patrons who ask for tea.
