Orient Express Tea Brick
A neutral taste character with no distinction one way or another. Tea bricks are not noted for their complex flavor profile and this one is no exception.
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Information
INGREDIENTS: Black tea
INGREDIENTS FROM: China
REGION(S): Hubei Province
GROWING ALTITUDES: 2000 - 4000 feet above sea level
GRADE(S): Compressed OP (Orange Pekoe)
MANUFACTURE TYPE(S): Compressed tea - Silk Road traditional style
ANTIOXIDANT LEVEL: Low
CAFFEINE LEVEL: Medium
KOSHER: Yes
VEGETARIAN: Yes
VEGAN: Yes
ARTISANAL NOTES: Small batch packed in Canada
INFUSION: Tending black with russet highlights
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Description
One of the most storied rail lines in history, the Orient Express didn't actually go all the way to the Orient. (Well, it did once. more on that below.) The story begins in 1883 when a Belgian businessman by the name of Georges Nagelmackers began offering sleeper car-based passage from Paris to Istanbul, then known as Constantinople. Nagelmackers' service featured unsurpassed luxury and comfort - feather pillows, gourmet meals, fine wines, sumptuous bedding and of course, fabulous teas. The train ran twice weekly, leaving Paris' Gare de l'Est and heading first to Strasbourg and then on through Munich, Vienna, Budapest, Bucharest and Giurgiu, Romania. At Giurgiu passengers would alight from the train and board a ferry across the Danube to Ruse, Bulgaria where a second train would be waiting to take them to the city of Varna, seven hours away on the Black Sea. At Varna, passengers would then board an Austrian built Lloyd steamship for the fourteen hour journey to the terminus in Istanbul.
The exceptionally high level of service and romance of the rails attracted Europe's finest for many years. Dukes, duchesses, actors, artists and writers alike looked forward to making the special trip across the European content. (Speaking of writers, Agatha Christie wrote "Murder on the Orient Express" about the famous train.) To say that one had crossed the continent on the Orient Express was to mark oneself as a cultured, savvy adventurer. Over the years, the service has been interrupted completely 2 times, during WWI and WWII and the route has been shortened, lengthened and altered. Today the famed service still operates in a truncated form from Strasbourg to Vienna, (thousands of miles from the Orient!)
Now, as we mentioned, the Orient Express did make it all the way to the Orient, once. In September of 1988, a Japanese film crew spearheaded a non-stop voyage from Paris to Hong Kong. The crew filmed the entire voyage to commemorate the 20th anniversary of a Japanese TV station. The trip, aside from finally bringing the Orient Express to the Orient, was also awarded a Guinness World Record for the longest train voyage in history.
The Orient Express Tea Brick commemorates the train's vaulted position in the golden age of rail travel. What's more, the brick celebrates the important position railways still hold today throughout much of the world. (For example, in China, rail travel counts for 1.2 billion individual trips per year.) Comprised of 100% pure black tea that s steamed and pressed under extremely high pressure, this tea brick will make an easy conversation starter, art piece or great cuppa! Hint: Tea bricks make an excellent sales piece. Customers can't help but ask about them!
Where was black Pu-erh developed? Good question. While the exact origins of most Chinese Pu-erh teas have been lost to the mists of time and place, the origin of black Pu-erh can be pinpointed directly to the Kunming Tea Factory in the year 1972. In that year, the government of China, seeking to broaden its economic base, mandated that the Kunming factory develop a new, delicious tea that could be widely marketed. Drawing on centuries of experience, the tea masters of Kunming determined that a black Pu-erh was the ticket. (They were right, to this day black Pu-erh is the world's top selling variety.)
What makes black Pu-erh tea different from other black teas? Great question. The answer is real fermentation and aging. Black Pu-erh undergoes a fermentation process in which the tea is processed and stored for a set period of time without being dried completely. The tea is usually either buried in the ground, stored in caves or under damp heavy tarps. Fermenting over time imparts the earthy character typical of most Pu-erh teas.
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Allergen Declaration
Allergens controlled by robust HACCP and GMP manufacturing protocols.
SCROLL SIDEWAYS OR USE SLIDER AT THE BOTTOM TO VIEW FULL CHARTPRODUCT NAME: Orient Express Tea Brick
PRODUCT TYPE: Loose - Formed - China Black Tea
KNOWN OR CLAIMED SOURCES OF FOOD ALLERGIES AND INTOLERANCES
Present in the product
Present in the same manufacturing factory
Tree Nuts and Derivatives of Tree Nuts
No
Yes
Almonds
No
Yes
Brazil Nuts
No
No
Cashews
No
No
Chestnuts
No
No
Coconut
No
Yes
Hazelnut
No
No
Hickory
No
No
Macadamia
No
No
Pecan
No
No
Pine
No
No
Pistachio
No
No
Walnut
No
Yes
Peanuts and Derivatives of Peanuts
No
No
Peanuts
No
No
Peanut Oil
No
No
Sesame Seeds and Derivatives of Sesame Seeds
No
No
Sesame Seeds
No
No
Sesame Oil, refined
No
No
Wheat and Derivatives of Wheat
No
Yes
Wheat Starch Hydrolysates
No
Yes
Egg and Derivatives of Eggs
No
No
Milk, Dairy and Derivatives of Dairy
No
No
Soybeans and Derivatives of Soybeans
No
Yes
Soy Oil/Soybean Oil
No
No
Soy Lecithin
No
Yes
Crustaceans and Derivatives of Crustaceans
No
No
Abalone
No
No
Clam
No
No
Crab
No
No
Crayfish
No
No
Cuttlefish
No
No
King Prawn
No
No
Krill
No
No
Lobster
No
No
Mussels
No
No
Oysters
No
No
Scallop
No
No
Shrimp
No
No
Snail
No
No
Squid
No
No
Fish and Derivatives of Fish
No
No
Anchovies
No
No
Bonito
No
No
Coal Fish
No
No
Mackerel
No
No
Perch/Tilapia
No
No
Salmon
No
No
Cod
No
No
Tuna
No
No
White Fish
No
No
Fish, unspecified
No
No
Mustard and Derivatives of Mustard
No
No
Sulfur Dioxide and Sulfites at concentrations of more than 10mg/kg expressed as S02
No
Yes
Gluten and Derivatives of Gluten
No
Yes
Gluten from Barley
No
No
Gluten from Kamut
No
No
Gluten from Oat
No
No
Gluten from Rye
No
No
Gluten from Spelt
No
No
Gluten from Triticale
No
No
Gluten from Wheat
No
Yes
Celery and Products thereof
No
No
Lupin and Products thereof
No
No
Column 'Present in the product' indicates the allergens that may be found in the product, from addition or cross contamination. Column 'Present in the same manufacturing plant' indicates whether any allergens are present in the factory.
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Steeping Instructions
PRODUCT TYPE: Loose - Formed - China Black Tea
IDEAL BREWING TEMPERATURE: 100ºC/212ºF
TEA CUP 8oz (237ml) 10oz (296ml) 12oz (355ml) AMOUNT Break tea to get roughly 1 heaping teaspoon of "The Perfect Measure Spoon" Break tea to get roughly 1 heaping teaspoon of "The Perfect Measure Spoon" Break tea to get roughly 1.5 heaping teaspoon of "The Perfect Measure Spoon" MILD 2-3 min 2-3 min 2-3 min MEDIUM 4-5 min 4-5 min 4-5 min STRONG 6-7 min 6-7 min 6-7 min TEA POT 18oz (532ml) 36oz (1064ml) 48oz (1419ml) AMOUNT Break tea to get roughly 2 heaping teaspoons of "The Perfect Measure Spoon" Break tea to get roughly 1 heaping teaspoon of "Pot of Perfect Tea Spoon" Break tea to get roughly 2 heaping teaspoon of "Pot of Perfect Tea Spoon" MILD 2-3 min 2-3 min 2-3 min MEDIUM 4-5 min 4-5 min 4-5 min STRONG 6-7 min 6-7 min 6-7 min MILK SUGAR LEMON MINT NO NO NO NO
ANTIOXIDANT BENEFIT: For a greater antioxidant benefit brew longer and use more tea.
FOOD SAFETY ADVISORY: We strongly recommend using filtered or freshly drawn cold water brought to a rolling boil when brewing all types of tea. Today's water has been known to carry viruses, parasites and bacteria. Boiling the water will kill these elements and reduce the potential incidence of water-borne illnesses.
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Epic Iced Tea Instructions
Tea isn't just served hot! Iced tea is one of the most refreshing and natural thirst quenchers around the world. Here is our suggested method of brewing the best iced tea.
ICED TEA BREWING METHOD (Pitcher): (To Make 1 Liter/Quart):
- Place 6 slightly heaping teaspoons of loose tea or 6 tea bags into a teapot or heat resistant pitcher.
- Using filtered or freshly drawn cold water, boil and pour 1¼ cups/315ml over the tea.
- Steep for 5 minutes.
- Quarter fill a serving pitcher with cold water.
- Pour the tea into your serving pitcher straining the tea or removing the bags.
- 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 increase
- the strength of hot tea since it will be poured over ice and diluted with cold water.
Note: Some luxury quality teas may turn cloudy when poured over ice. This is a sign of luxury quality and nothing to worry about.
ICED TEA BREWING METHOD (Individual Serving):
- Place 1 slightly heaping teaspoon of loose tea or 1 tea bag into a teapot for each serving required.
- Using filtered or freshly drawn cold water, boil and pour 6-7oz/170-200ml per serving over the tea.
- Cover and let steep for 5 minutes.
- Add hot tea to a 12oz/375ml acrylic glass filled with ice, straining the tea or removing the bags.
- Not all of the tea will fit, allowing for approximately an additional ½ serving.
- A rule of thumb when preparing fresh brewed iced tea is to increase the strength of hot tea since it will be poured over ice and diluted.
Note: Some luxury quality teas may turn cloudy when poured over ice. This is a sign of luxury quality and nothing to worry about.
HERB & FRUIT ICED TEA BREWING METHOD (Pitcher): (To Make 1 Liter/Quart):
- Place 12 slightly heaping teaspoons of herb & fruit blend or 6 tea bags into a teapot or heat resistant pitcher.
- Using filtered or freshly drawn cold water, boil and pour 1¼ cups/315ml over the herb & fruit blend.
- Steep for 5-10 minutes.
- Quarter fill a serving pitcher with cold water.
- Pour the tea into your serving pitcher straining the tea or removing the tea bags.
- Add ice and top-up the pitcher with cold water. Garnish and sweeten to taste.
- A rule of thumb when preparing fresh brewed iced herb & fruit tea is to increase the strength of hot brew since it will be poured over ice and diluted with cold water.
HERB & FRUIT ICED TEA BREWING METHOD (Individual Serving):
- Place 2 slightly heaping teaspoons of herb & fruit blend or 1 tea bag into a teapot for each serving required.
- Using filtered or freshly drawn cold water, boil and pour 6-7oz/170-200ml per serving over the herb & fruit blend.
- Cover and let steep for 5-10 minutes.
- Add hot tea to a 12oz/375ml acrylic glass filled with ice, straining the tea or removing the bags.
- Not all of the tea will fit, allowing for approximately an additional ½ serving. Garnish and sweeten to taste.
- A rule of thumb when preparing fresh brewed herb & fruit tea is to increase the strength of hot tea since it will be poured over ice and diluted.