Tea Lust

Anyone who has been to Paris knows that standing in line is just part of being there.  But for me, standing in line for food is not the torture one might think!  In fact, I realized that I like a bit of a line when having to decide what to order (and how to say it in French!).  One day, Mr. V and I stood in line at the Pierre Hermé on Rue Bonaparte, waiting to buy some of his divine pastries and some gifts to bring home.  This tea was one treat that we brought back for ourselves!  It is one of Monsieur Hermé's signature teas and he calls it Jardin de Pierre (Pierre's Garden).  It is a black tea infused with the essences of citrus, jasmine, rose and violet!  We first drank it as an iced tea for our first anniversary tea.  It is deliciously surreal to drink (or eat) something tasting of the scentflavors of flowers (Yes, I know that scentflavor is not actually a word, but just eat or drink something like this and you will understand!).  But as I warned one of my friends later, do not add too much sugar or it is like drinking a liquid gardenia!  However, the small notes of citrus in the tea do go nicely with a very thin slice of lemon or lime.

On that rainy afternoon of our first anniversary, this was the menu of our tea:

tea sandwiches on thin slices of baguette-

cucumber with dill butter

egg salad with dill and mustard

smoked salmon with wasabi mayonnaise

proscuitto with cream cheese

mixed fresh fruit served in margarita glasses

homemade mini strawberry tarts

iced Jardin de Pierre tea with sugar and slices of lemon and lime

the final bottle of Dolce Stilnovo Rosso 2005 saved from our wedding