farmers’ market find: flowering tea!

the market isn’t all about fruits and veggies.  i’ve been talked into buying my weight in hummus, found really great imported olive oil and fair-trade maca, people even give massages at some farmers’ markets.  there are all sorts of artisan vendors, it varies so much from market to market.

i worked at the new sunday los feliz farmer’s market a few weeks back, and my stand was set up next to a classmate of mine with a tea cart.  she runs a small business that specializes in incorporating chinese herbs into accessible and delicious drink products.  she offered these flowering teas to me, which i had seen but never tried myself.

they are made up of bits of tea – green i think – tightly packed around a dried flower – chrysanthemum i think – secured with a small bit of string to hold it all together.  when hot water is added, the tea brews and unfurls into what looks like a bloomed flower.  for each bulb add about 16 oz (2 cups) of boiling water and let steep 3-4 minutes, enjoy!