TWG Tea has created a beautiful rooibos tea to commemorate Canada’s 150th birthday: Jubilee Tea. This limited-edition tea blends notes of maple syrup and cranberry to create a finely-tuned red tea that’s perfect hot or iced (I’ve been drinking it iced at home and it’s lovely in this warm weather).
I sat down last week to enjoy the Jubilee tea service, featuring an array of beautiful, tea-infused delights on a three tiers of fine china. There are two seating areas, one in front near the boutique and another in the back.
Sitting up front, my eyes are drawn to the colourful collection of teas and tins lining the walls and tables of the recently re-opened tea salon (Singapore-based TWG Tea rebranded the former Urban Tea Merchant into Canada’s first TWG Salon in November of last year).
The experience begins with a choice between a pot of this gorgeous theine-free red tea or French Earl Grey iced tea. Five savouries and four sweets are artfully presented on the tiers.
JUBILEE TEA SET MENU
– Miso maple sablefish infused with Caramel Tea
– Salmon confit and Lemon Bush Tea-infused panna cotta
– Wagyu beef slider with maple leaf bacon, Moroccan Mint Tea-infused BBQ sauce
– Tortière with Weekend in Hong Kong-infused rhubarb chutney
– Imperial Lapsang Souchong-infused chicken cone
[Imperial Lapsang Souchong-infused chicken cone]
– Petite maple éclair
– Red Balloon Tea macaron
– Napoleon Tea-infused croque-en-bouche
– Passion Fruit Tea-infused passion fruit and mango tartlet
[Tortière with Weekend in Hong Kong-infused rhubarb chutney; Imperial Lapsang Souchong-infused chicken cone]
[Miso maple sablefish infused with Caramel Tea; Wagyu beef slider with maple leaf bacon, Moroccan Mint Tea-infused BBQ sauce]
Every item’s worthy of being on those plates but if I had to choose, the miso-marinated sablefish and salmon confit with the tea-infused panna cotta are standouts, particularly for seafood lovers.
All four desserts are just divine, their tea-infused components well blended for each as well as with the teas served.
Jubilee Tea is packaged in a beautiful caviar tin ($32). The Red Balloon Tea macarons can be purchased in-store for $3 each (there’s a large selection of other flavours, all tea-infused as well). The Jubilee Tea service is $48 per person.
Feeling festive? TWG sells pretty red and white Vogue teacups and saucers created by Russian artisans using one of the finest porcelains the world has to offer. Complete the look with TWG’s Glamour teapot in scarlet, perfect for your next afternoon tea.
TWG Tea Salon & Boutique offers an intimate tea salon for 50 guests, a retail boutique and takeaway patisserie counter featuring tea-infused sweets and is located at 1070 West Georgia Street (near Burrard) in Vancouver.
Visit TWG Tea online for more tea products and to reserve the Jubilee tea service, on now through August 31.
