Vanilla Apple Green Tea, autumn in a cup.

This lovely composition of Japanese Sencha green tea, apple, currants, pieces of vanilla and red cornflower petals is a favourite winter warmer at theuklooseleafteacompany. The woody creamy taste and seasonal aroma makes for a very dreamy, restful and relaxing experience. With a brewing time of 2-3 minutes, it's a quick fix. I personally find a flavoured tea more relaxing, it's probably the look of the colourful ingredients and aroma, as well as the taste sensation; which takes my mind away from what ever it was………. However, back to reality and the job in hand. The long green (literally) tea leaves, red cornflower petals and pieces of apple, visualise the colour and look reminiscent of a magical Japanese Autumnal forest floor, which comes alive when thinking of from the beautiful country where the green tea base originates. An organic Japanese Sencha is high in vitamin C, there are reports which can be investigated concerning the health benefits (including antioxidents) of Sencha, which do make good reading. The ideal colour for a good Sencha tea is a greenish gold.

The first step after harvest involves the steaming process, this produces a difference in flavour between Japanese and Chinese green teas; a Japanese green tea has a more grassy earthy flavour, some have likened the taste to seaweed! I personally have never experienced this – I suppose it differs from taste bud to taste bud, Japanese green teas are also darker green in colour, and again some say, slightly more bitter (I say more flavoursome) than a Chinese-style green tea.

Vanilla Apple is available now from the uklooseleafteacompany while stocks last.