Zingerman's

I knew there was a reason this smelled familiar in the store. This is a Rishi Golden Yunnan, which is one of my favorite Golden Yunnans. The leaves have almost a fruit-like smell and it’s a bold black tea that I’d recommend to coffee addicts.

For those unacquainted, the world-famous Zingerman’s is a deli/restaurant/mail-order business in Ann Arbor, MI. You can read more about them in the NY Times: http://bit.ly/6z3j68

I regret only going there once when I was in school at Michigan, but had a chance to stop in again over the weekend (I’m trying to make the most of my last week in Michigan before heading back to New York). It was fortunate, since I haven’t seen Rishi on store shelves (albeit this was dressed in Zingerman’s own playful packaging) anywhere in Southeast Michigan despite the fact that we’re just across the lake from Wisconsin.

So. Yay Zingerman’s!

This makes a great ice tea.

I have had this a few times since I last wrote about it and it is growing on me more and more. A good full-bodied black tea that can hold up to milk and sugar in the morning if I want. It has a lovely smokey flavor that is prominent, but not overpowering. Yum!

First off, let me admit that this is my first Golden Yunnan. It comes from a collaboration between Rishi teas and Zingerman’s (a local foodie gourmet shop). I thorougly enjoyed it. It brews up dark brown when brewed according to package instructions. It has a bold flavor that is smokey…good smokey. Kinda like the brown bits of a toasted marshmallow (without any marshmallow flavor). Oh, how I lack the words to express my tasting experience. It is yummy smokey and so good!

Sadly I think I’ve just encountered the first Zingerman’s product that I didn’t absolutely love. To be fair, I don’t have the right equipment for this tea — you have to use so much of the tea for each 8oz of water that I literally don’t have an infuser big enough to prepare as directed. Thus, unsurprisingly, the tea is watery and doesn’t taste like anything. Too bad, because I generally enjoy Zingerman’s products and am sure this would be good, but I’m not going to buy new equipment just for this!