Freeze Dried Apricot Pieces

Description

While an apple a day might keep the doctor away, an apricot (Latin: Prunus Armeniaca) or two might actually help you develop the smarts required to actually become a doctor, or keep him or her away forever! It sounds a little farfetched perhaps, but in China, reputed to be the birthplace of the sweet little fruit, apricots have long been associated with education and medicine. (Speaking of the fruit's origin, you may have noticed that the Latin name appears to indicate that apricots originated in Armenia. For many centuries, this was the general consensus among arborists but recent research places the true origin in China, somewhere in the Himalayas.) We digress.In China, this link between apricots and education stems from an ancient story that Confucius, one of the greatest teachers ever to live, taught his students under the shade of an apricot tree. The medicinal connection probably stems from the fact that the fruit is high in beta-carotene, fiber and vitamin C and was a staple of the ancient Chinese medicine cabinet.

Interestingly, the health giving properties of apricots are also thought to be responsible, at least in part, for keeping some of the world's longest living people alive and kicking enough to work seven days a week. The people are the Hunza, a tiny tribe of roughly 60,000 living in the remote mountain passes of Northwestern Pakistan. (And it's true, the Hunza work ethic allows not one day of rest!) Even with all that work, the average lifespan of the Hunza is around 90 years, with some claiming to be over 120 years old! The tribe has an almost zero rate of cancer, virtually no hereditary illnesses and zero obesity. How do they do it? Like we mentioned: apricots. In the same way that many nomadic tribes in Africa measure wealth by the number of cattle a family may own, the Hunza measure economic prosperity by the number of apricot trees a family has growing on their property. The fruit of the trees is consumed in a myriad of ways, jams, stews, juices and anything else you can imagine.
Well, we can't promise that you'll live forever or obtain a medical degree, but we can promise that our freeze dried apricot pieces are delicious, sweet and make an excellent addition to herbal teas, blended teas and fruity infusions. Give them a shot. If the Hunza are any indication you've got nothing to lose!

Steeping Instructions

PRODUCT TYPE: Loose - Herbal Tea

IDEAL BREWING TEMPERATURE: 100ºC/212ºF

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.

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):

1. Place 6 slightly heaping teaspoons of loose tea or 6 tea bags into a teapot or heat resistant pitcher.
2. Using filtered or freshly drawn cold water, boil and pour 1¼ cups/315ml over the tea.
3. Steep for 5 minutes.
4. Quarter fill a serving pitcher with cold water.
5. Pour the tea into your serving pitcher straining the tea or removing the bags.
6. Add ice and top-up the pitcher with cold water. Garnish and sweeten to taste.
7. A rule of thumb when preparing fresh brewed iced tea is to increase
8. 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):

1. Place 1 slightly heaping teaspoon of loose tea or 1 tea bag into a teapot for each serving required.
2. Using filtered or freshly drawn cold water, boil and pour 6-7oz/170-200ml per serving over the tea.
3. Cover and let steep for 5 minutes.
4. Add hot tea to a 12oz/375ml acrylic glass filled with ice, straining the tea or removing the bags.
5. Not all of the tea will fit, allowing for approximately an additional ½ serving.
6. 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):

1. Place 12 slightly heaping teaspoons of herb & fruit blend or 6 tea bags into a teapot or heat resistant pitcher.
2. Using filtered or freshly drawn cold water, boil and pour 1¼ cups/315ml over the herb & fruit blend.
3. Steep for 5-10 minutes.
4. Quarter fill a serving pitcher with cold water.
5. Pour the tea into your serving pitcher straining the tea or removing the tea bags.
6. Add ice and top-up the pitcher with cold water. Garnish and sweeten to taste.
7. 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):

1. Place 2 slightly heaping teaspoons of herb & fruit blend or 1 tea bag into a teapot for each serving required.
2. Using filtered or freshly drawn cold water, boil and pour 6-7oz/170-200ml per serving over the herb & fruit blend.
3. Cover and let steep for 5-10 minutes.
4. Add hot tea to a 12oz/375ml acrylic glass filled with ice, straining the tea or removing the bags.
5. Not all of the tea will fit, allowing for approximately an additional ½ serving. Garnish and sweeten to taste.
6. 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.