Tea Blog

Have you ever heard of yaupon? You’re not alone.

This surprises many as this native plant is North America’s only indigenous source of caffeine and we all know how popular caffeine is!

Thanks to a neighboring harvester in Cat Springs, Texas, Zhi is able to bring you your new favorite tea, grown right here in Texas.

Pronounced “yo pawn,” this tea is well known to native North American Indians and had adapted perfectly to the dry environment in which it grows. This rare caffeinated herbal tea loves time and temperature: give it very hot water and steep it a little longer than average, about 5 minutes. It’s cup is a beautiful amber glow and the taste is superb! Notes of honey and almonds.

Like most tea, flavor is not your only reward. Yaupon has been studied and found to have tons of antioxidants, flavonoids and theobromine, the anxiety free caffeine also found in pure cacao.  This best kept secret is going to be your new favorite tea to share with your friends and family. Try some today!

Naughty, nice, and over ice!

This colorful thai iced tea is the best way to surrender to one’s sweet tooth. While thai iced tea is something one usually enjoys at a restaurant or tea room, here is Zhi’s recipe for you to make at home. We make it with our Austin Breakfast, making it our ‘Texas’ version. We also use coconut cream to make it even silkier, another difference to celebrate in this signature.  Let’s get decadent!

This recipe makes a ½ gallon pitcher. As you can imagine, this is a luxury drink you’ll want to share…or keep sipping on all day long.

Zhi’s Texas Thai Tea

15 minutes, makes 8 servings.

Ingredients:

• 4 oz of dry Sweet Desert Delight tea

• 1 tablespoon dry Austin Breakfast tea

• 6 cups hot water

• 1 cup coconut cream

• ½ cup condensed milk

• ice

• 8 oz vodka *optional

Teaware:

• teapot or strainer

• half gallon pitcher

• cups

Directions:

1. Steep 4 oz of Sweet Desert Delight in 5 cups of hot water for 10 minutes.

2. When done, strain and pour steeped tea into half gallon pitcher.

3. Steep 1 tablespoon of Austin Breakfast in 1 cup of hot water for 3 minutes.

4. When done, strain and pour steeped tea into half gallon pitcher.

5. Pour coconut cream and condensed milk into hot tea combo. Stir to dissolve.

6. Chill by adding a few ice cubes to the pitcher. Stir to dissolve.

7. Taste. You can add more coconut cream and evaporated milk to sweeten further.

8. If you’d like to make it into a cocktail, add some vodka.

9. Now, your pitcher of thai iced tea is complete.

10. Pour over cups filled with ice and enjoy!

11. Garnish with star anise.

Notes:  Keep stirring! The creamy ingredients will want to separate over time. Enjoy!

Imbibe, the national magazine and website of liquid culture, revealed its annual regional issue in March. This year, The Texas Issue was released to celebrate speciality beverages of all kind across the state. From small-batch whiskeys to cocktails, beer, wine and coffee, Imbibe chose our beloved Lone Star state to highlight craftsmanship of all kinds.

“We’ve had our eye on the Texas scene for quite some time,” says Karen Foley, Imbibe’s founder and publisher. “There’s so much happening across the entire state when it comes to drinks. It was time to take Imbibe to Texas.”

We were honored to see our Raspberry Rooibos named one of their favorite things. Have you had this signature blend yet? Made by hand in small batches using organic Texan pecans, we strongly recommend this deep, nutty red tea.

Congratulations to all our neighbors, including our friends at Drink.Well, Southside Espresso, Hillside Farmacy, Coterie Market and the Alamo Drafthouse (all of which also serve Zhi Tea!)

The Texas Issue will be on newsstands from March 1 until April 30. The issue is also available for purchase at imbibemagazine.com/shop. You can also follow @imbibe and #ImbibeTexas.