Bruits de Palais n°83

The magazine from Palais des Thés

Issue 83

Summer 2021

EDITORIAL

A life of tea Many of us at Palais des Thés have chosen to make tea a life-long career. And many more of us became passionate about tea after starting to work in the industry—in other words, we knew nothing or little about it before joining the company, and then realised over the days, weeks and months that followed that it had become a central part of our lives.

Sometimes we describe this love of tea that unites us and that we want to share with you in a way that might surprise you at first. We talk about our role of supporting you, our customers, in your “life of tea”.

Mathias Minet Co CEO/Creative Director and flavoured tea blender at Palais des Thés

Cover

In Sri Lanka, in the middle of the day when there is the most light, the pickers harvest the tea leaves by hand and place them in large bags on their back.

Opposite

On tea plantations (pictured: Assam) you often find large trees from the legume family. They provide some shade for the tea plants while helping to keep the soil in good condition.

This reflects the idea that tea is one of the good things in life and that it’s more than just an infusion of leaves.

The times we are living through now offer us many opportunities to experience this. How many of us have found that tea has been a reliable companion or even comfort of late? Many of you have told us how important tea is to you, the pleasure it provides, the virtues it possesses and the opportunity it gives us to find some time for ourselves, which is not the least of its benefits.

A life of tea means a life with tea. Throughout life, tea makes us happy, it comforts us and is always there for us.

We think this makes tea pretty special. We can compare it to music, dance or books, all of which, if we were deprived of them, would make our lives less rewarding.

So we are always here to help you keep tea in your life.

For some of you this will be a journey, for others a constant source of pleasure. We offer you our passion, knowledge and experience to guide you through your own life of tea.

Issue 83 • Summer 2021

CONTENTS T R AV E L J O U R N A L

PLANET TE A

G R OW I N G T E A

B y F rançoi s-Xavier D elma s

B y Bénédicte Bor toli

In the land of storms

Organic tea

6

14

The socio-economic structure of the tea industry

Growing organic tea

20

18

ONE TEA , ONE TE A SOMMELIER

T E A I N T H E K I TC H E N

TELL ME MORE

Balinese Detox

Tasting Long Jing Impérial

Financiers with matcha and raspberries

26

28

E XC E P T I O N A L T E A

NEWS

Grand Yunnan Impérial, the must-have morning tea

Black Friday For Good

B y Yann Sowin ski

30

34

32

CONTRIBUTORS

François-Xavier Delmas

Bénédicte Bortoli

Yann Sowinski

François-Xavier is the founder of Palais des Thés and one of the world’s best-known tea experts. He has been travelling around the world’s plantations for more than 30 years.

Bénédicte is an editor who also writes illustrated books on food.

She often writes for chefs.

A tea sommelier and a teacher at the Tea School, Yann joined Palais des Thés in 2003. Since 2013, he has been the manager of the Rennes store.

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TR AVEL JOURNAL

7

In the land of storms Covid or not, I’m taking you to Darjeeling. On 14 March 2020, I left the “land of storms” (Dorje-ling in Tibetan) with a gun to my temple. I never imagined that more than a year

By François-Xavier Delmas later I still would not have returned.

T

o say that I love Darjeeling is an understatement. How many times have I been there in 30 years—25, 30, 40? I know the journey by heart.

So to go back, I just close my eyes. I forget the thermometer gun that was pointed at my head by an official dressed in white to check my temperature. By chance, on that day, when the health authorities had blocked all access to the mountain to carry out checks, I was leaving Darjeeling, without a fever. I’d reached the plain, the town of Siliguri, which you must pass through when you come from Bagdogra, the airport, or from New Jalpaiguri, the railway station.

Once, to climb the 2,000 metres from the plain, which is at sea level, and travel the 80 kilometres to Darjeeling, I took the “Toy Train”. My backside still remembers it; so do my lungs. The view is breathtaking from the tiny wooden and steel carriage, in which I couldn’t stand up, and the unique experience of the steam locomotive that huffs, spits and whistles for eight hours is worth its weight in tea leaves. There are plenty of stops for water, coal and traffic. The train doesn’t just climb the mountain on its vertiginous route, it also crosses the road repeatedly, and is often held up by a truck or jeep. Eight hours on a hard seat, swallowing soot…

On the way to Darjeeling!

Darjeeling’s wet, cloudy weather is one of its main features that allows it to produce such unique teas.

A long time ago, I decided that the best way to travel to Darjeeling was by jeep. It still takes four hours to cover the 80 kilometres, compared to eight hours by train. It takes four hours because the road is potholed and narrow, with frequent hairpin bends and chaotic traffic, and on top of all that, there’s the train to contend with. Most of the journey takes place in first gear. You rarely change down to second, and you can only dream of third.

After a two-hour drive that’s both challenging and enchanting, you leave the heat of the plain behind you and swap banana, bamboo and rubber plants for the tall and fine Cryptomeria japonica, the rigorous architecture of former British schools, and clouds. We arrive in Kurseong. I stick to my habits. For example, I’ll eat a dozen chicken or veg momos, the local dumplings, washed down with my first proper Darjeeling tea. Then it’s back on the road, driving through cold fog and darkness. It feels like night, but we’re just passing through clouds. If you have good karma, you’ll emerge from the clouds at the top just before Darjeeling to enjoy the view of the city stretching before you, bathed in a magnificent evening light.

TR AVEL JOURNAL

8

My days in Darjeeling are similar, and so much the better. I get up with the rooster and head for the first plantation. If it’s Puttabong, the journey will only take an hour; for Sungma or Gielle, it’s three. If the sky is clear, I enjoy a view of the world’s third highest peak, Kanchenjunga.

I love to see the little houses that cling to the mountainside, the schoolchildren in uniform walking two by two, the villagers on their doorsteps who are amused to see me. When I arrive at the first plantation, I find the manager, or planter, as they are known, who looks after an area of several hundred hectares. Lively discussions ensue, with topics ranging from the weather, the political situation and the difficulties of living in the mountains to the price of tea and labour problems. Then we walk through the tea fields and visit the factory and new machines, if there are any. When it comes to the processing, I’m particularly interested in the withering stage, when the leaves lose more than half of their natural moisture content. During the withering process, the leaves give off an incredible intense floral scent. As a tea sourcer, this is what I dream of smelling from the tea in the cup. Next, it’s time to roll the tea to break the leaf structure (not the leaf itself), then it undergoes oxidation, and finally drying, before the leaves are graded and packaged. In the main building, the barefoot workers are busy under the watchful eyes of the factory manager, a chai master of sorts.

Darjeeling, between dreams and a fragile reality The building always has a small room that’s as bright as possible, with large windows and a long white table. This is the tasting room. While the newly produced teas steep, my friend the planter talks about them with the aid of a pale card on which he spreads a few leaves. He praises the beauty of his harvest, the quantity of buds, the quality of his work. We chat away about all kinds of things: the insects that attack the tea plants, the difficulties of using organic methods, the lack of labour because young people no longer want to do the same job as their parents. They just want to go to the cities, the biggest cities possible, and work on computers. What will happen in the future? How can they avoid mechanisation if no one wants to do the jobs, if plantations can’t afford to pay workers any more because they’re already in debt? We also talk about Nepal, the shadow of its mountains visible in the distance, and the quality of its tea. We discuss fake Darjeelings. Much more tea is sold around the world under this name than is actually produced, because crooked dealers and unscrupulous producers buy leaves from further afield, although this practice is declining. Dishonest buyers who, unknown to the consumer, blend all sorts of teas, are also responsible for this scourge.

Then it’s time for tasting. While we were talking the tea has cooled down enough and I walk over to the table. I’m handed a spittoon and I taste cup after

In Darjeeling, the rugged jeeps can handle the pitted roads and act as community taxis.

9

10

11

You literally have your head in the clouds in Darjeeling.

In this photo, taken just before 3 o’clock, the harvest is finished and everyone heads home.

12

cup, my eyes closed, in raptures. So many flavours in one cup of tea.

I taste, I taste again, I spit, I comment. Then I invite the planter to taste and we compare our impressions.

A few minutes later, he welcomes me into his home, where a verit­ able feast awaits me. Delicious vegetables, a multitude of dishes, a variety of spices... A pure delight. Once I’ve signed the guest book, it’s time to head to another plantation, perhaps several hours away. And the next day there are more plantations to visit, more planters to meet. It’s as if I’ve seen them the day before, and when I leave it’s as if we’ll meet the next day. Sometimes I stay overnight because it’s late, or it’s raining, or it’s night, and because we still have so much to talk about. After drinking tea, we move to the fireside and drink beer. There’s always more to discuss.

Other planters join us from neighbouring plantations.

We put the world to rights. The next morning, I wake up in the beautiful bedroom I’ve been given. Someone will have left a teapot and cup beside my bed in silence. When the rooster starts crowing, I’ll already be enveloped in the scent of Darjeeling tea.

So many flavours in one cup of tea.

The four paths Only Sundays differ. Darjeeling is a crossroads, a destination. The heart of the city, its soul, is Chowrasta. The name of this pedestrian square lined with benches means “the four paths”, and for good reason. Ahead lies Tibet, in the north. Bhutan is to the east, Nepal in the west, and to the south lie the vast Indian plains. Four paths taken by villagers in their respective traditional attire according to their ethnicity: some

At midday, the pickers gather for lunch.

These kiosks also serve as an assembly point where everyone brings their harvested leaves.

TR AVEL JOURNAL

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In the brightest room of the factory, the different batches are ready to be tasted.

in colourful skirts, some with gold rings in their ears, others wearing turquoise caps and carrying prayer wheels. They all come to Chowrasta from far away, in packed jeeps. They come for the day to sit on a bench, eat an ice cream, drink a hot tea, treat their children to a pony ride, watch a show, buy and sell fruit and vegetables.

Before the British came, Darjeeling didn’t exist. There was little more than a handful of huts in the jungle. First, they built sanatoriums, then they planted thousands of hectares of tea plants—this was the mid19th century. The British brought in a large labour force, mainly from Nepal. It is their descendants who now make up most of the half a million people who live in this immense district and who would like to see it recognised as India’s new state, Gorkhaland.

In Chowrasta, when evening falls, the shops close one after another and the bells of Mahakal, the temple dedicated to the god Shiva and the goddess Kali, fall silent. The monkeys who live there take back possession of the prayer flags that they like to swing on. The air turns cool as the mist rises. People wrap up in thick blankets while sipping a final hot tea. It’s time to go home. Tomorrow, I must get up early. There are more tea gardens to visit, new planters to meet and delicious teas to taste, and perhaps buy.

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PL ANET TE A

14

ORGANIC TEA For the past two decades, the tea market has seen an ever-increasing number of crops produced using certified organic methods. Many planters have been made aware of the interest in organic teas by their Western customers, and are realising the advantages

By Bénédicte Bortoli but also the challenges of farming in a different, cleaner, way.

W

het her they are growers, merchants or consumers, everyone involved in tea sees different benefits of converting to organic, and inevitably, the disadvantages too. Though organic tea now represents a significant market in the West, conversion to organic methods is a slow process and there still aren’t many certified plantations in tea-producing countries (see map pp. 18-19).

The organic tea market grew by

25 %

between 2020 and 2021*.

The main challenges of organic farming * Source : Agence Bio

When growers realise that chemically treated soils become impoverished due to years of monoculture and the use of toxic products, some turn to organic methods. This means avoiding pesticides, herbicides, fungicides and GMOs. To produce an organic tea, you have to rely on common sense and nature! For example, on organic plantations, you’ll find palm trees, fruit trees or lemongrass growing among the tea plants or on the fringes of fields. This biodiversity serves in particular to keep away insects that damage the tea leaves, such as inchworms. Planting different tree species to absorb pollution (e.g. pesticides sprayed on a nearby plantation that, carried by the wind, could contaminate organic tea plants) also helps to create an ecosystem that’s conducive to the healthy growth of the tea plants.

THE COST OF ORGANIC

By eliminating chemical treatments, a plantation generally reduces its yield by roughly 25% compared with the same area farmed conventionally. Organic plots are often smaller and don’t allow for larger production volumes. The use of natural fertilisers and other organic methods can require more time and labour. Converting to organic practices is a long process—the transition period lasts three years. In addition, certification involves the payment of fees to regulators, as well as the logistics including distribution (as with production facilities, organic and conventional goods cannot be mixed during distribution), which is more expensive. That’s why some small “clean” farms can’t afford to switch to organic, and sometimes even take a step backwards towards conventional methods. In remote Yunnan villages, some wild 100-year-old tea plants, which produce quality teas, have never been treated with chemicals.

However, organic certification, which the producers must pay for, would make no economic sense for them because of the small quantities involved.

15 The sight of insects on tea plants is often a good sign of the cleanliness of the farming methods used.

16

PL ANET TE A

17

At Palais des Thés,

7

out of our ten organic teas are premium and single-origin teas.

To control parasites, growers can also introduce carefully selected natural predators (birds, or tea plant-friendly insects such as ladybirds) onto plantations to prevent the proliferation of species that could disrupt the ecosystem. Hedges must be preserved, as they provide homes for these predators in the vicinity of the tea plants.

Soils can be naturally fertilised using compost made from plants and manure available on site. Another increasingly common method is vermiculture, which involves keeping worms and using their nutrient-rich manure to improve the soil.

Most certified organic tea plantations are in India (mainly in the Darjeeling region), Sri Lanka, China (particularly Yunnan), Myanmar, Nepal, Vietnam, Japan and Kenya.

Organic certification Certification is the culmination of the conversion process, but it also acts as an official endorsement, reflecting the clean farming methods used by those tea gardens. It assures consumers that the tea has been grown in accordance with European organic standards, which are updated regularly. Certification is carried out by independent bodies, authorised by public authorities. After a period of conversion, once the plantation has complied with the specifications, it acquires the organic label that will accompany the products throughout their journey and can be requested at any time by the certifying body, the public authorities and even the consumers.

The certifying body may carry out various checks and analyses on each batch, and every year it inspects the plantation to ensure it is complying with the specifications.

•

In the foreground is a tea garden which is no longer weeded, which is not yet the case with the plantation in the background.

BY 2025, ALL TEAS SOLD BY PALAIS DES THÉS WILL BE ORGANIC Today, 26% of our teas are organic. They represent 19% of the tea we sell each year by weight. Japanese teas top the list, with half of them being organic, followed

by Chinese teas (40%). To offer you certified organic teas and herbal infusions and to fulfil our commitment for 2025, we work closely with growers to raise awareness of issues around organic practices and support them with the certification process.

Our other challenge is to move to organic with our flavoured teas. This is a longer, more complex process. At the end of 2021, new European legislation on organic products will come into force, which will drastically reduce the selection of natural flavours that can be used. So we must recreate the original recipes with a new flavour palette.

PL ANET TE A

18

Growing organic tea For several decades, some tea-producing countries have been making an effort to grow as cleanly as possible to meet European and North American demand. Yet achieving organic certification remains a real challenge for growers financially and in terms of labour.

South America

Organic tea market (2019)

1,833 hectares

A virtuous circle?

78% Overall, certification systems have a beneficial Green tea

Africa

Black tea

Other effect for producers (better working conditions, respect for the environment, access to new markets for tea that is healthier for consumers, etc.) but they must take care to consider local contexts.

Tea-producing countries are also big consumers of non-organic tea, because it is cheaper.

Uganda

Like Rwanda, Uganda has begun producing organic and fair-trade tea.

Rwanda

Kenya Change in area given over to organic

750

(in thousands of hectares) and share of the total area worldwide Maximum 18.9%

700 650

16.5%

600

Area given over to organic tea farming not communicated. Nearly 99% of production meets sustainability standards.

Tea is the main agricultural activity.

Mozambique

5.8 %

Minimum 14.2%

550

4.8 %

of plantations

of plantations

500

First African organic tea farmer in 2018.

450 400 350

In the coming years we will need to monitor the development of sustainable approaches in East African countries.

300 250 200 150 100

Organic tea market (2019)

50 0

2008 2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

Change in area by certification Bio Rainforest Alliance

2014

2015

Fair-trade UTZ

(in thousands of hectares)

Kenya, India and China are the regions with the highest certified tea production across all sustainability standards (organic, Rainforest Alliance, etc.).

Source : Lernoud et al., 2017

Green tea

78% Black tea

Other

Like non-organic black tea, organic black tea is the most widely produced and consumed.

The organic green tea market is growing significantly and rapidly, particularly due to its association with wellbeing and health.

Change in area given over to organic

PL ANET TE A

19

Asia 3.7 % of tea plantations are certified organic Less organic tea is grown than organic coconut, but more than organic coffee.

India

Sikkim

China

of plantations

of plantations

Darjeeling

70 %

of plantations

100 %

5%

The main producer of organic tea.

India produces 9,129 tonnes of organic tea per year.

Pioneering Darjeeling now faces problems due to competition because of its price.

EXPORT : European Union, United Arab Emirates, Iran, Japan, Sri Lanka

Sikkim.

Darjeeling.

Bangladesh 500 hectares

Tea is the second largest organic crop after aquaculture.

EXPORT : United States, Japan, United Kingdom, Germany

Sri Lanka

0.5 % of plantations Tea is the first organic product that Sri Lanka has exported.

EXPORT : United States, Germany, France

Hubei .

Yunnan .

Myanmar

8.6 % of plantations

Organic tea represents 7,700 hectares.

Vietnam

7.2 %

of plantations

Zhejiang .

Fujian .

Miyazaki.

Kagoshima.

.

Shizuoka

Japan

2.5 %

of plantations In 2018, 6.3% of tea farms (99% green) were certified organic. Certification expanded significantly in 2020.

EXPORT : European Union, United States

Oceania

What about the future?

Organic tea cultivation has increased significantly in recent years. The percentages indicated do not take into account plantations currently converting to organic or those that are not certified but do meet sustainability standards.

Sources : FiBL, FAO and Agence Bio.

487 hectares

(including mate)

20

The socio-economic structure of the tea industry From plots of less than a hectare cultivated by a small-scale producer and his family in Nepal to the huge gardens in Sri Lanka via the medium-sized plantations emerging as China opens up to trade, the tea industry covers the whole spectrum of socio-economic models.

21 In Japan, it can come as a surprise that a small family can run a relatively large tea plantation by itself. This is only possible through mechanised harvesting.

GROWING TE A

22

W

h i le low-quality teas destined for the tea bag industry are produced by multinational companies on very large plantations situated at low altitudes or on the plains, where work is partly or even fully mechanised, the production of quality teas covers a wide range of economic models.

The different organisational systems — The producer-harvester In many Asian countries, small family businesses

play a significant role in the tea economy. Producers grow tea plants on their land and harvest their own tea. Sometimes—as often happens in China, Sri Lanka and Nepal—their work stops there. They sell the fresh tea leaves at the local market, usually to another larger producer with the facilities to process the leaves.

— Producers who are part of a cooperative If producers have joined forces with neighbouring farms to invest in processing facilities, they will handle the production side and sell their tea to wholesalers. This is often the case in Japan, India and Nepal.

— Producers who harvest and process their own tea Another model that we see, particularly in China and Taiwan, is where the producer has invested personally in their facilities. They sell their processed tea to wholesalers and exporters, and sometimes directly to shops.

— Large companies that grow and process tea In India, Sri Lanka and China, small family businesses coexist alongside large companies whose plantations cover several hundred or even thousands of hectares and employ thousands of people. On the Indian subcontinent, these very large plantations tend to belong to family-owned groups or multinationals. In India, these corporations lease their land on a long-term basis from the state and must comply with regulations, especially with regard to their employees (schools, clinics, etc.).

— Very large factories In China, in the 20th century, the state organised the production of a number of teas that weren’t consumed locally and were grown for export (gunpowder, black teas, smoked teas), and created large factories for this purpose.

The economics of the tea industry Unlike coffee, tea is not traded on the market as a raw material. Because tea cannot be stored in anticipation of a price increase, the market is not affected by speculation. Essentially it’s an over-the-counter market with two segments, one for quality teas, one for inferior quality.

— The direct over-the-counter market Producers and buyers deal directly with each other. This model is always structured around personal relations built on trust over the years. In the case of prestigious and rare teas, the buyer is assured of receiving samples and the producer is encouraged to produce high-quality teas, because the price offered by the buyer is significantly higher than that obtained by selling the tea to an exporter or wholesaler or at auction. First, the producer sends a sample of each batch to their potential buyers, without necessarily indicating the price. Each prospective buyer has one to three days to sample the teas and state their price, without knowing what their competitors are offering. The highest bidder wins. Before

A small producer comes to sell his tea leaves to the New Vithanakande factory (Sri Lanka).

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GROWING TE A

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Palais des Thés’ three promises to producers 1. We arrange for an agricultural engineer to visit our partner producers to offer in-situ support.

2. We finance and support producers to help them

obtain “corporate social responsibility” certification, which is invaluable for marketing teas in-situ.

3. We support a charity that works to improve the quality of teaching and medical provisions in tea-producing regions.

shipping the batch, the seller sends a second sample to the buyer, so the latter can check the quality of the tea. Transported by air, the tea will reach the buyer in two to three days. It takes a month by boat.

— Over-the-counter trading between brokers and buyers The broker keeps the buyer informed of teas available in their warehouses or for sale at auction.

The broker sends weekly samples of batches to the buyer with an estimated price. The buyer states their maximum price and the broker informs them within a few days whether or not they can buy the desired batches. Most brokers also operate as blenders. They buy up unsold batches at auction and blend them, then offer them to their usual customers. In general, these are

At the loose-leaf market in Fujian, China.

GROWING TE A

25

cheap blends. Lack of knowledge of these systems in the West allows many distributors to claim that they are an importer when in fact they are not bringing tea in from the production regions but simply buying it from a wholesaler on their continent.

Fair-trade tea Working conditions don’t depend on the size or location of a plantation, but generally relate to the quality of the tea produced. With lower-quality teas, cost price is the main factor for the farmer, who seeks to minimise their outlay. They look for buyers whose priority is cheap tea.

It doesn’t matter if the producer invests in the skills or wellbeing of their workforce. On this type of plantation, where harvesting and processing are mechanised and where there is no need for qualified personnel, the manager uses seasonal workers and will readily replace them in the event of dispute. This is where fair-trade has a role to play. Most plantations that produce these lower-quality teas are located in areas where the geographical conditions make them unsuitable for producing premium teas.

Among plantations that produce good-quality teas, however, there is little concern about obtaining the fair-trade label. The production of fine teas is profitable.

It requires extreme vigilance, from caring for the plants and harvesting the leaves to every stage of processing. It is in the planter’s interest to invest in training its workers and forming good relations. This explains why these plantations are also where we find the best nurseries, schools and hospitals, and where accidents at work are rare. They have long practised a form of fair-trade without being certified by any organisation.

Unfortunately, even in prestigious regions (in Darjeeling sometimes, for example), some growers fail to produce quality teas and struggle to sell their tea at a fair price. However, in order to find a commercial outlet for these teas that are lower quality in terms of taste, rather than make an effort to improve the quality of their tea and train their staff better, they turn to fair-trade. A fair-trade label makes their teas more attractive to the consumer but doesn’t take into account the taste qualities of the teas offered.

•

Different tea samples wait to be sampled at a Sri Lankan broker.

ONE TE A , ONE TE A SOMMELIER

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Tasting Long Jing Impérial I’ve chosen to taste with you the most famous green tea from China. “Dragon’s well” (Long Jing) takes its name from the beautiful hills that line the shores of the great

By Yann Sowinski West Lake, not far from the city of Hangzhou in Zhejiang.

Yann Sowinski, a tea sommelier and teacher at the Tea School, joined Palais des Thés in 2003.

He has been the Manager of the Palais des Thés store in Rennes since 2013.

1. Traditional quantity

I dreamed of Long Jing reading John Blofeld’s essential volume, The Chinese Art of Tea, long before I could taste it. As a teenager growing up in the countryside, good-quality tea was out of reach. Since then I have explored many regions and tasted many teas, but I always return to Long Jing. It evokes riverbanks, pebbles and the simple, delicately scented plants that grow by the river, a familiar world to a child who grew up by the Loire. You can discern the human touch on it. The toasting stage gives the tea its mineral character, with

cooked vegetable, nut and floral notes that are more or less pronounced depending on the season. The golden yellow liquor is sweet and comforting.

It’s a faithful companion during solitary studies, heated c o nve r s a t i o n s a n d s i l e n t contemplation.

Through the five movements, which are elemental in traditional Chinese culture, tea is at the heart of a complete artisanal cycle. Wood is represented by the leaves [1] and bamboo accessories, Fire is used to heat the Water in the Metal kettle, then the tea is infused and

ONE TE A , ONE TE A SOMMELIER

27

drunk from ceramic cups made from the Earth.

The whole world in a cup of tea I’ve chosen traditional utensils. A small stoneware teapot from Yixing, the home of pottery on the shores of West Lake, and beautiful cups decorated with fish from Jingdezhen in t he neig hbouring prov ince of Jiangxi, the birthplace of porcelain. The intermediate pot is made of porcelain from Dehua, Fujian, famous for its 3. A moment of shared silence

2. Timeless acts

exquisite Buddhist statues.

Did tea influence the shape of the accessories, or was it the potters’ designs that inf luenced the processing of the leaves?

I’m using a pure, sweet water, filtered by the volcanoes of Auvergne. Too often, it is forgotten that natural spring water is a good companion for tea. The Long Jing would be even better infused in the water of Tiger Spring, which miraculously appeared in the Tang era (ninth

century) next to a temple in the tea gardens. One day, perhaps.

This method, the Gong Fu Cha, “time for tea”, has been practised for centuries [2]. It’s a simple series of short infusions.

It makes me think of the generations of scholars, monks and artists, but also party-goers who use this nectar to sober up, as well as the old chess players who chew their cigarettes between sips in China’s parks. Now, this tea from another world is within reach [3]. What a delight.

All of humanity in a cup of tea Tea makes the ever-present melancholy of the f loating world bearable. To paraphrase Montesquieu, there is hardly any grief that a few cups of excellent tea will not dissipate.

We return to tea, its sophisticated simplicity, to drink in a straightforward way. The journey continues, always the same, always different.

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Long Jing Impérial Origin Zhejiang (China) Harvest Spring Preparation advice

→ Teapot 75°C/175°F 3-4 minutes → Au Gong Fu Cha 75 °C/170°F 4 infusions of 30 to 40 seconds Food pairing Fresh goat’s cheese → Ref. 197 – €19.50 per 100g

TE A IN THE KITCHEN

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Financiers with matcha and raspberries Matcha is increasingly being used in cooking for its subtle bitterness and rich aromas. Its vegetal and iodine notes are a perfect counterpoint to sweet desserts and the acidity of red fruit.

Makes about 20 financiers 100g butter 120g icing sugar 5g matcha tea 80g ground almonds 50g flour Pinch of salt 5 egg whites 2 punnets of raspberries

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (gas mark 4).

2. Melt the butter.

3. Mix together the icing sugar, matcha, ground almonds, flour and salt. Add the egg whites and fold them gently into the mixture.

4. Stir in the melted butter.

5. Distribute the raspberries in the financier moulds and cover with the mixture.

6. Bake for 15-20 minutes, keeping an eye on the colour of the financiers.

7. Take the financiers out of the oven and leave to cool before removing them from the moulds.

Tip Serve with a scoop of raspberry ice cream for a delicious dessert or pair with a cup of tea at any time of day.

MATCHA LATTE → Ref. C243 − €18 per 50g

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TELL ME MORE

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Balinese Detox Inspired by jamu, a traditional Indonesian therapeutic drink made from plants, roots and spices, the new organic herbal infusion from Palais des Thés combines the benefits and fragrances of lemongrass and galangal with exotic fruit. It promises to soothe and support your wellbeing.

Over the centuries, in all regions of the world, people have developed an instinctive knowledge of the beneficial properties found in the natural world around them. In Bali, local plants and spices play an essential role in food and traditional medicine, as well as in the many rituals and cleansing ceremonies that punctuate the days and nights of the “island of the gods”. The first signs of pestles and mortars being used to make jamu date back to the Medang Kingdom between the eighth and tenth centuries.

There are countless different recipes of this iconic Indonesian brew that supports good health and helps relax mind and body.

Beneficial plants and fruit Palais des Thés has drawn inspiration from this holistic

Some of the ingredients that can be found in jamu

approach and has carefully selected organic ingredients that help soothe our senses and bring comfort. The result is our Balinese Detox, a naturally caffeine-free infusion based on a harmonious blend of plants and fruits. It contains lemongrass and galangal, the main ingredients in jamu and widely used in traditional cuisine and medicine in South-East Asia.

A wonderfully fragrant herbaceous plant, lemongrass is commonly used in herbal medicine for many therapeutic purposes, both preventive and curative. Its leaves are rich in antioxidants and contain vitamins and minerals. Lemongrass releases powerful yet subtle aromas that linger after the leaves have been infused, and aids relaxation and digestion.

Galangal, which belongs to the same botanical family as ginger (Zingiberaceae), brings characterful peppery, lemony notes to the infusion. This rhizome is an important ingredient in traditional Asian cuisine and medicine. Rich in antioxidant flavonoids, it is said to have anti-inflammatory and restorative properties as well as a beneficial effect on digestive disorders. Its floral notes add a wonderfully fresh quality.

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An invitation to travel Combined with this pair of detoxifying and relaxing plants are two exotic fruits that offer a delightful evocation of Balinese massage. Pieces of mango and papaya envelop this new Detox infusion with their delicious sweet perfumes.

The blend also has a subtle almond note, evoking the scent of frangipani flowers to transport you to Bali’s picturesque landscapes.

Whether infused hot or prepared iced, our Balinese Detox offers you a moment to release tension and restore wellbeing, with flavours that will awaken your senses.

•

Metal canister → Ref. DV4650Z €15 per 110g

Box of 20 tea bags → Ref. D4650N – €11 Loose-leaf → Ref. 4650 €12 per 100g

E XCEPTIONAL TE A

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Grand Yunnan Impérial, the must-have morning tea The unique bouquet of this delicious Chinese tea with its honeyed scents and round texture robed with tannins is the result of traditional know-how and a terroir that offers ideal climatic conditions.

Yunnan teas are now popular among China’s black teas but were almost unknown in France when Palais des Thés started importing its Grand Yunnan Impérial in the late 1980s. Back then, most French people thought all Chinese tea was smoked. So this new black tea on the market, with its distinctive personality, was a major event. It was also an instant success, and the high quality of Palais des Thés’ Yunnan has led many people to adopt it as their breakfast tea.

Since then, our Yunnan tea collection has been extended with superior grades and special harvests (Yunnan d’Or, Bourgeons de Yunnan and other premium teas) but we have continued to stock Grand Yunnan Impérial, whose quality remains unmatched for an everyday tea.

Its popularity has never waned.

The origins of black tea Black tea came about thanks to a happy accident. When Chinese teas first arrived in Europe by boat in the 17th century, the green leaves had oxidised due to the damp conditions in the hold. The British instantly fell in love with their unique aromas. Those first black teas were processed in Fujian province, then in the 19th century production expanded to Anhui province. Production t hen started up in Yunnan, tea’s original birthplace. Its success was so dramatic that, by the 1960s, the region had become one of China’s two largest producers.

Black tea, which was originally intended to fulfil Western demand, soon became very popular. Today, it is the most widely consumed tea colour in the world.

RED OR BLACK? In the West, Yunnan is described as “black” tea, but in China it is called “Hong Cha” (literally “red tea”) after its coppery ruby-coloured liquor. And in Yunnan, black tea is called “Dian Hong Cha”, which literally translates as “Yunnan red tea” (“Dian” is a diminutive of the region’s name).

Grand Yunnan Impérial, an iconic Chinese black tea Grand Yunnan Impérial is harvested in the tropical mountains at an altitude of over 1,500 metres. The Da Ye tea plants plunge their roots into fertile red soil that is rich in minerals.

Then, in spring, the leaves are

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carefully picked by hand, rolled, oxidised and dried following the traditional methods. It’s a well-balanced tea with sweet f lavours and no bitterness, and is exceedingly drinkable.

Grand Yunnan Impérial can be prepared in a classic Westernstyle teapot or in a small Yixing teapot, using the Gong Fu Cha

method. It’s a pure delight at any time of day. It’s known as “surgeon’s tea” because it stimulates the mind without giving you the shakes!

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Harvesting Grand Yunnan Impérial by hand requires precision and concentration.

Grand Yunnan Impérial → Ref. 220 − €8.70 per 100g

TE A TALK

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Matthieu Ricard and François-Xavier Delmas, founder of Palais des Thés

Black Friday For Good: €38,560 raised for the Karuna-Shechen charitable association In 2020, Palais des Thés decided to support Karuna-Shechen with its Black Friday For Good campaign.

What is the campaign about?

Between 3 and 7 December 2020, Palais des Thés pledged to give every customer who spent at least €50 in store or on the website a €10 voucher and to make a €10 donation to the Karuna-Shechen association for every voucher used.

What does Karuna-Shechen do?

This association, created

by Matthieu Ricard and with which Palais des Thés has been linked for

a few years, carries out humanitarian work to benefit disadvantaged populations in India, Nepal and Tibet.

What project did we support together?

The Black Friday For Good campaign raised €38,560 for the association to fund, among other things, a project to supply electricity to 600 homes in Nepal through solar panels installed by women trained by Karuna-Shechen.

The same women will provide maintenance for the solar

panels, creating further new business opportunities for them. This environmentallyand health-friendly solution offers many benefits to rural villagers in Nepal.

For the women involved in the project, it provides a new source of income and a better standing in society.

To celebrate this partnership, François-Xavier Delmas invited Matthieu Ricard and the Karuna-Shenchen team for a tea-tasting session. www.karuna-shechen.org

TE A TALK

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Palais news PARTNERSHIP

Gin with your tea?

The Jos distillery is located in the Vosges mountains of Alsace at over 400 metres in altitude, in the Val de Villé.

It uses traditional Alsatian methods to craft prestigious brandy and liqueurs that reflect its terroirs. The distillery and Palais des Thés have partnered to develop a tea-flavoured gin based on our Summer Fizz infusion.

This flavoured blend is made from uplifting green tea, lime, ginger, cardamom and cinnamon. It is combined with the botanical plants, wild berries and spices used to make gin and macerated together before being distilled using traditional artisanal methods to produce a gin packed with flavour!

Summer Fizz → Ref. 832 – €12 per 100g

Limited edition of 750 bottles of organic gin available in select outlets (more information on www.jos-nusbaumer.com) – €49 Excessive alcohol consumption is harmful to health.

STORES

Two new stores where we can share our passion for tea with you We are delighted to announce the opening of two new Palais des Thés stores. All our staff are looking forward to welcoming you and helping you choose from our selection of more than 250 teas.

Bordeaux, Mérignac Centre Commercial Mérignac Soleil 52, avenue de la Somme 33700 Mérignac

Amiens 5, rue de la République 80000 Amiens

NEW PRODUCTS

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A cool, colourful summer!

JAPANESE CUPS a Ikebana cup

A

C D

B

→ Ref. N123 – 18 cl – €18

b Shimizu cup → Ref. N134 – 15 cl – €16

c Tottori cup → Ref. N133 – 12 cl – €12

d Fuji cup → Ref. N124 – 15 cl – €16

E

H

ORIGINS OF TEA → Ref. DMB14 – €27.90 per box

MULTI-SACHETS → €6.50 per multi-sachet

→ Ref. DTG460

→ Ref. DTG962

→ Ref. DTG462

→ Ref. DTG862

→ Ref. DTG9810

→ Ref. DTG832

NEW PRODUCTS

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ICED TEAS e Juicy Sunrise G

→ Ref. 9530 – €12 per 100g

f Exotic Party → Ref. 812 – €12 per 100g

g Sweet Sorbet → Ref. 813 – €12 per 100g

h Summer Fizz → Ref. DTG813

→ Ref. DTG9780

→ Ref. 832 – €12 per 100g

F

→ Ref. DTG722

→ Ref. DTG812

→ Ref. DTG461

→ Ref. DTG861

MATCHA LATTE → Ref. C243 – €18 per 50g sachet

→ Ref. DTG4960

→ Ref. DTG964

BUBBLE CUPS Blue → Ref. N363

Yellow → Ref. N364

Pink → Ref. N365 45 cl – €14

Find us at

palaisdesthes

Bruits de Palais is published by Palais des Thés Contributors to this issue

Manuela Leriche (exceptional tea), Sarah Vasseghi (recipe styling) Editorial team

Bénédicte Bortoli, Chloé Douzal, Mathias Minet Art directors and layout

Laurent Pinon and Aurore Jannin at Prototype Illustrations

Stéphane Humbert-Basset English translation

Marta Scott Proofreading

Nicole Foster Printing

Printed in May 2021 by Graphius (Belgium) Imaging & retouching services

Key Graphic

Palais des Thés

All translation, adaptation and reproduction rights in any form are reserved for all countries.

Photos

Loïc Bourgeois : cover • François-Xavier Delmas : p. 2, 4, 6, 8, 10-11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 20-21, 23, 24, 25, 33, 39 • Élodie Ameline : p. 26-27 • Guillaume Czerw : p. 29, 36-37 • Ève Cardi : p. 31 • Kenyon Manchego : p. 28, 32, 35 • Alexandre Denni : p. 34 • Frédéric Lucano : p. 38 Customer service

+33 (0)1 43 56 90 90 Cost of a local call (in France) Monday to Saturday 9am-6pm

Corporate gifts

+33 (0)1 73 72 51 47 Cost of a local call (in France) Monday to Saturday 9am-6pm

“There are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea.”

Henry Ja m es

palaisdesthes.com