COMING SOON!

Behind thick grey clouds the sun still remains, just as young buds rest hidden beneath bare winter branches. This is for those who understand that the most beautiful things are often unseen.

This one holds a bit of Manderley’s soul. A forgiving jasmine green tea is thoughtfully paired with a vegetal tieguanyin (iron goddess of mercy) oolong. While the jasmine green tea is straightforward, the tieguanyin invites contemplation. Pakistani rose petals elevate floral notes. Elderflower delivers finishing touches of savor and body. Unseen layers unfold with each steep.

Serving Suggestion: start with 3-4 grams or 1 teaspoon in 8-10 ounces of water at 185-195 degrees Fahrenheit then steep for 3-4 minutes.

Unusual, perhaps, but only because it’s never been done before. So here, we call it intriguing instead. Black goji berry, peppermint, ginger, blue cornflower.

Serving Suggestion: steep away to your heart’s desire. Or to help you get started, take 4 grams or 1 teaspoon in 8-10 ounces of water at 212 degrees Fahrenheit (boiling) then steep for 5 minutes. But don’t worry, we won’t hex you for going over or under.

Crushed olive leaves. This one will fool you. It wants to please. It will become whatever you want it to be. Does it remind you of streamed green tea? Yes. Or more like a palate cleanser? Yes. Just trust that it’s an energy booster without the caffeine and packed with antioxidants.

Serving Suggestion: steep away to your hearts desire. Or to help you get started, take 4-5 grams or 1 teaspoon in 8-10 ounces of water at 212 degrees Fahrenheit (boiling) then steep for 5 minutes. Or you like to do things differently you say; then grind the leaves to a powder and steep it like a matcha.

When you dream of Manderley, do you dream of me?

The year 1934 is just one of many golden years during Shanghai’s Haipai era. When East met West. Qipaos are accessorized with finger waves and fur coats. Busy streets paving way to sleepless nights.

Here we have a darkened Chinese oolong from Guangdong Province matched with muscat grapes. Save the sweetener because you won’t need it. Big leaves are seeped with flavors from grapes. Caramel and nutty base notes of oolong remain warmly lit in the background while muscat shines on the main stage.

Serving Suggestion: start with 3-4 grams or 1 teaspoon in 8 ounces of water at 185 degrees Fahrenheit then steep for 4 minutes.

Manderley’s Secret Suggestion: using a ratio of 4 grams for every 6-8 ounces of water, let the tea leaves steep in room temperature or cold water for 24-48 hours. This gradual steep while avoiding high heat allows the more delicate notes to linger, bringing forth more sweetness. Can be used as a base for your own cocktail recipe. This method may yield to higher caffeine levels.

In the early 20th century, English speaking Westerners called the Xujiahui neighborhood of Shanghai “Siccawei.” Originally established as a Catholic sanctuary for must of East Asia, its fate was overturned by history. With it came the rise and fall of the Jesuits’, followed by fire and persecution in the mid-century.

A quiet hymn to martyred saints. We chose congou, or more accurately gongfu, black tea as the base. A tea that demands skill and patience to shape its long, wiry strands without breaking the leaves during oxidation. Flavored with lychee, then blended with rose and lemongrass to temper any hints of “soapiness” that sometimes lurk in floral/fruity black tea blends.

Serving Suggestion: start with 3-4 grams or 1 teaspoon in 8 ounces of water at 195-205 degrees Fahrenheit then steep for 3-4 minutes.

We pay homage to Zhou Xuan, China’s “Golden Voice” of the early 20th century. She passed at the age of 37 or 39 in a Shanghai psychiatric institution. Some say she was led there by heartbreak and betrayal. We wind back to her best known song, “The Wandering Songstress,” immortalized in a 1937 Chinese classic film “Street Angel”. Zhou’s voice haunts the screen as she sings of a distant soul mate waiting just beyond the horizon.

Here we present a refreshing reimagining of oolong. A green oolong base from Fujian Province entwines with twists of lime and cucumber dices. Take this unusual union even further by icing it with sparkling soda or stirring in something more sinful. It’s Prohibition down here, so we’re not allowed to say with what.

Serving Suggestion: start with 4 grams or 1 teaspoon in 8-10 ounces of water at 185 degrees Fahrenheit then steep for 3-4 minutes.

Manderley’s Secret Suggestion: using a ratio of 4 grams for every 6-8 ounces of water, let the tea leaves steep in room temperature or cold water for 24-48 hours. This gradual steep while avoiding high heat allows the more delicate notes to linger. Can be used as a base for your own cocktail recipe. This method may yield to higher caffeine levels.