we begin our story with a chance encounter in the kitchen cupboard; 'whats this?' is usually the way these things start out.
I found a tin on Peet's Tea 'Yin Hao Jasmine' loose leaf green tea, originally sold by the 1/4 lbs. Upon opening the tin I was assailed by the perfumey jasmine flowers that arose and more so when I steeped it in my favorite glass; it was almost like some soft of aroma therapy even before I took a sip.
Less was more in this case and I could scale back and the amount but one day when company from out of town came over I found the tin emptied and the supply.... gone. (at this point in the tale, with the discovery of the empty tin in the recycle bin, I hung my head a bit).
I knew that it was a kind of trick, this Jasmine Tea, too strong a perfume, too intoxicating, not esp balanced at all- but so much fun to steep and enjoy. (When was the last time _you_ anthropomorphized some tea leaves, huh?)
Some days later, while making a speed run through the local Safeway I came across the Tea & Coffee isle. (You know this isn't going to end well, already.) Knowing that time was short to catch the next train, I snapped up a box of 'Twinnings of London Green, Pure & Natural Jasmin Green Tea', in the bags.
Oh the disappointment, the contrast & compare, the buyers remorse. Why, oh why... OK- enough w/ the melodrama, even I'm getting tired of it at this point.
Bottom line, I can't even _tell_ that Twinnings even waved a branch of the Jasmine bush anywhere _near_ this batch of Tea that is Green. <harrumph>
Next paycycle I'm going Jasmine Tea hunting.
berk