White tea has a delicate flavor and when mixed with fruit it really adds a nice dimension. The mint and lime flavors are cooling and refreshing as well.  Although key limes are preferred you can use regular lime if you can’t find them.

If you are looking for a refreshing drink to serve for your Fourth of July celebration check this out.

Lime, and Mint Iced Tea

• 1 quart of water
• 4 white tea bags
• 1  1/2 cups fresh mint leaves
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup key lime juice
• Lime slices for garnish

1. Bring the water and sugar just to a boil.
2. Stir until sugar is completely disolved.
3. Remove from heat and add tea bags and mint.
4. Steep for about one minute and remove bags.
5. Allow to come to room temperature.
6. Remove mint and add lime juice.
7. Stir well and refrigerate. Serve  in frosted glasses over ice

image:sxc

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White tea. Adding the tea gives the flavor another depth and it is really good. White tea is very delicate so it doesn’t overpower the flavor of the fruit, in this case honeydew.

For an added intensity try this with Republic of Tea’s Honey Dew White Tea

Honeydew-Lime Iced Tea

• 6 cups cubed honeydew melon
• 2 cups water
• 1/3 cup sugar, more or less to taste
• 2 tea bags of white tea, or amount of white tea leaves to make 2 cups of strong tea
• 1/2 cup lime juice

1. Bring water and sugar just to a boil. stir until sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from heat.
2. Add tea or tea bags and allow to steep for 3 to 5 minutes.
3. Let come to room temperature.
4. Check to make sure there are no stray seeds on melon. Blend the melon in a blender with the white tea until it is a liquid. Blend in the sugar and lime at low speed, just until sugar dissolves.
5. Pour over ice and serve with a lime wedge.

Makes about 6 servings depending on size

image:marye audet

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Now it seems that white tea is the magic melter of fat cells.  Researchers studied people and found that those who drank four or more cups of white tea a day lost an average of four to eight pounds with out making other dietary changes.

White tea is said to increase the metabolism and decrease appetite. Perhaps it does.  If you want to give white tea a try be sure to use organic and you will need to drink over four cups per day.

I could find no information on how long it took to see weight loss.  I would be curious about this. personally.  I still think that the only reason to drink tea is because you enjoy it.

White tea has a more delicate flavor than other teas.  If you are going to try this let me know if it works!

image:maryeaudet (c) 2009

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In drinking the tea I was surprised by the lightness and delicacy of the flavor.  I think I would have preferred a little more apricot flavor but all in all I thought the tea was a nice afternoon tea- something that would go well with shortbread cookies, or a light snack.  I think it is too light for a breakfast cup and not rich enough for an evening cup, if that makes sense.

The liquor is pale golden with a delicate apricot flavor which is followed by lasting notes of light vanilla.  Not theheady bourbon vanilla, but just a hint of vanilla flavor that enhances the sweet peachiness of the apricot. I do not think i would hold up well for iced tea.

I am most impressed by this tea in its ability to flavor baked goods from frosting to scones.  I am thinking of  making a mousse with it.

All of my kids are tea drinkers as you know, and all are sold on this tea.  If you like a flavored white this is a good one to try.  I do not like it as well as I like their blueberry white tea that I reviewed last year, but it comes in a close second.

Image:Amazon

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I was looking through the tea melange in the pantry on friday. I wanted iced tea that was flavored but different. Sometimes we get into an iced tea rut in the summer. Peach tea, raspberry tea, orange or lemon…you know how it is. God forbid that someone would think that we were boring and predictable around here.

I had picked up a box of Celestial Seasonings Powerfully Plum White Tea meaning to try it and review it. When I saw it on Friday I was pretty sure that it was going to make an amazing iced tea.

It did. Because it is a white tea we used extra tea bags. For one gallon of water we used 2 cups sugar (see how to make sweet tea) and about 10 tea bags, and let them steep longer that you normally would.

The tea is delicate and light with a distint plummy flavor. It is great as is but if you made a soda with it, half club soda/half tea it would be incredible. I can also see it with fresh berries added to it, strawberries, blueberries, etc.

Anyway, give it a try. I loved it and I think you will, too.

Image:Marye Audet

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This is described by Tazo as a “delicate white tea with enticing hints of blueberry and white cranberry.

This is how I describe it….

Imagine sitting on a white wicker chair, on the wide front porch of a Victorian beach house. The white of the sand, and blues of the ocean and sky are spread before you like a huge palette, and the sea birds cry out in the distance. The sound of the wind blowing through the dry coastal grasses, coupled with the crash of the waves as they hit the shore has lulled you away from the book you were reading, and it has dropped, unnoticed, to your side.

You stare off at the horizon dreaming dreams and seeing visions…relaxed, inspired, and content. In the kitchen the smell of an apple pie mingles with the homebaked bread cooling on the counter. Life is good.

I loved it. I really love the delicacy of the flavor..blueberry is the dominant flavor here. I needed to use two tea bags in one of my cups, but it was an 8 oz cup and I like a stronger infusion.

Tazo did an awesome job on this one. I can see it as being an ingredient in blueberry muffins, a base for a tea punch, or iced tea…it is great hot.

The scent is strong and it smells stronger of blueberry than it tastes…the smell is almost like warm blueberry muffins.

Tazo Berry Blossom White Tea deserves a special cup. It is definitely a “time for me” tea.

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