FRENCH NAME  DARJEELING COUP DE FOUDRE
BLEND NO.  3380
Charged with the distinct Darjeeling character, this second flush is named for the region, as Darjeeling literally means Land of the Thunderbolts. LOOSE TEALEAVES

AROMA: Green and pungent
PALATE: Round and brisk with a hint of muscatel

In 1823, the first native Indian tea bushes were "discovered" growing wild in the Assam region by British Army Major Robert Bruce. This discovery was exciting news for the British as, envious of China's monopoly on tea and resentful of the money they had to spend on their habit, the British had long wished to be able to grow their own tea. Although the British viewed the Indian jat as inferior to the Chinese bush, they thought that the evidence of local plants indicated good soil for transplanting Chinese seedlings. They immediately procured some seedlings of the Chinese variety and undertook growing experiments in the Assam valley and the mountainous Darjeeling region. Fourteen years later, and after many unsuccessful attempts were made, the British resigned themselves to growing the native Indian jat in the Assam region. A hybrid of the Chinese variety went on to become Darjeeling.

Darjeeling & Lemon Tea Granita

200 g sugar  
1.25 litres water  
30 g Darjeeling tealeaves  
juice and grated zest of 3 lemons

1) In a saucepan, heat sugar with 250 ml of water over low heat until dissolved.   
2) Boil syrup 3 minutes and let cool.
3) Boil remaining water and pour over tealeaves and infuse for 10 minutes.  
4) Strain and mix with syrup, juice and zest.
5) Freeze mixture until slushy.
6) Whisk until smooth and freeze again. 
7) Repeat until firm and the texture is grainy.   
8) Freeze for at least 1 hour.
9) Serve piled in chilled stem glasses.