Strawberry Shortcake White Tea from The NecessiTeas

Scent in package: Deliciously sweet strawberries
Ratio: about 4 tsp. to 60oz water (full pot)
Steeped: 5 min. @ just under boiling (180 degrees or so).
Enjoyed iced.

I didn’t snap a photo of this flavored white tea before brewing, but Linsey has a photo posted on her site. It doesn’t really look much different than any other white tea (a few bits of dried strawberry here and there), really – the scent/flavoring is what makes this tea shine. I’m giving away a sample of this tea as part of my monthly drawing over at The Variety Pages if anyone’s interested in guessing at the mystery photo.

As you may have noted, I’m on an iced tea kick here in the middle of summer. Plain iced tea is wonderful, but a little fruity flavor really makes it pop, in my experience. This particular tea is fabulously refreshing and even a bit stimulating, pairing well with a lighter meal such as shrimp or chicken. Dare we discuss dessert? I haven’t tried it, but I bet this would be great reduced down into syrup and poured over ice cream.

In any case, there are several things I look for in a good flavored tea – the most important being that you can still taste the actual *tea*. Flavors should enhance rather than overwhelm the base tea, in my opinion, and over ice, this is still very much a light, delicate white tea, just with the extra zing of fresh strawberries and a hint of sweetness. Perfect for an afternoon gathering on the back patio, or even a morning spritzer. Would make a great gift too, in a pretty tin or a glass jar.

I’ll definitely make a point of trying the hot version of this eventually. I’ve found that tea takes on vastly different flavor profiles when iced as compared to freshly brewed. But I’m confident in recommending this for the summer – throw a party, invite your friends, and make this one of the iced tea choices. I guarantee compliments will be flying your way.