Oolong Mojito

The Rare Tea Company: The pot of gold, or silver tip

The Rare Tea Company specialises in, as the name suggests, teas that are only produced in small quantities by farmers who are, as Henrietta described them "tea obsessive" and they are packed on site to protect from damaging air and light before being sea freighted to the U.K.

The result is tea that is as fresh when the smart packaging is opened by the customer as it was on the day it was picked and, as Henrietta took me through a tasting of some of her teas, her genuine passion for them and their producers was obvious.

"All tea" Henrietta explained "comes from the same plant, which confuses some people. It is just the way it is processed which decides if it is white, green or black tea" Green teas, becoming well known for their anti-oxidant properties are simply dried but not left to oxidise. Black teas, developed so they could be stored on the long journey back to Britain, are cut and almost fermented.

The end results are very different and Henrietta is determined to have as many people as possible try the very best explaining "once they try it, they understand" and she can often be found spending hours offering tastes at supermarkets and delis around the country or giving tutored tastings for hotel and restaurant staff.

While the simple cup of tea is a British institution to be cherished, Henrietta is keen for people to use fine teas in more unusual ways too and is looking to develop a range of recipes, which will highlight the subtle flavours. Everything from tea smoked duck to green tea ice cream. Before I left my tasting session with her, she shared the following recipe for a refreshing cocktail bringing the bright, clean taste of Oolong tea to the classic Mojito.

OOLONG MOJITO
(Makes two) Ingredients:
2 measures of your favourite rum
Juice of 1/2 lime
2 tsp unrefined sugar
2-4 sprigs of fresh mint- (just the tips not the bigger leaves.)
1 cup of Oolong (left to cool – this is very important as you do not want to "cook" the mint leaves".

First "wash the leaves" by pouring hot water over them and then quickly discarding the water. This will soften the leaves and allow them to infuse better.

Use 1 dessert spoon of oolong to 1 tea cup of hot water and infused for one minute (not a small pinch of tea left to infuse for several minutes). Leave to cool.

MIXING INSTRUCTIONS: Muddle the sugar and mint leaves together in a cocktail shaker. Add the tea and stir until the sugar dissolves. Squeeze in the lime, add the rum and shake with ice. Strain into chilled cocktail glasses.

The Rare Tea Company
www.rareteacompany.com
TEL: +44 (0) 207 681 0115