A quick guide about making the best cup yet is included below so read carefully before enjoying another sip or two...
Who is Madame Flavour and how did she come to be?
Madame Flavour is an enigma. She exists somewhere between who I was at the start of my journey and who I aspire to be. She’s passionate about travel and nature, exploring all flavours, committed to supporting others, creating connections – and of course, obsessed with tea.
What does Madame Flavour believe in and why should consumers care?
Our community isn’t profit oriented. Madame Flavour is all about the journey of finding incredible teas with others. My daughter Sienna is 15 now and her life has been intertwined with Madame’s; with trips to the hills of Nuwara Eliya and being one of my first taste-testers of most of my brews. As a local family owned business, it’s highly personal for me.
When did you discover Lemon Myrtle & Anise Myrtle and what was the driver to use it in your teas?
We have since expanded to include several other indigenous flavours; Anise myrtle which is the perfect partner to the licorice root and round leaf mint, adding complexity to peppermint and spearmint in our Organic Mints blend.
What type of flavour does each deliver to a tea? How does it differ from other citrus type teas?
Aniseed Myrtle is one of my favourite Australian flavours – it amazes me that the natural world evolved an Australian tree whose leaves taste of aniseed; the baby leaves are so sweet and delicious to chew. It pairs perfectly in our Luscious Licorice, balancing and adding complexity to the earthy, sweet licorice root. I also add fennel and a touch of peppermint to reduce the sweetness.
What’s the secret to the best cup of tea?
- Use high quality tea: larger loose leaves are best as they retain more essential oils and therefore have more complex flavour than tea in paper teabags, that generally contain very fine tea fannings and dust.
- Make sure the tea is fresh. Once opened, store in an airtight, opaque container. Light and oxygen cause tea to lose the volatiles that give it flavour.
- If you are using pure loose leaf, ensure you use the correct amount. Our leaf tea pyramids contain the perfect amount of loose-leaf blend for a large cup.
- Particularly for green tea, it is important not to use boiling water or you will ‘scald’ the tea, causing more of the bitter tannins to be released. Water temperature for green tea should be around 70-75 degrees depending on the tea. You can achieve this by adding a dash of cold to the cup first.
- Go through the process of making and drinking your tea mindfully. Notice the warmth of the cup as you pour, the leaf opening as it infuses, the aroma and then that first sip. This all helps you to become more present in your tea-tasting experience.