Jasmine Green Iced Tea with Preserved Cherry Blossoms
This unique recipe by Jennifer Amaoko, the winner of our iced tea recipe contest, features the delicate flavor of Japanese preserved cherry blossoms with a beautiful presentation. Are you curious enough to give this recipe a try?
“Sakurayu, or Sakura-cha, literally ‘cherry blossom tea’, is a Japanese infusion created by steeping pickled cherry blossoms with boiled water. The main ingredient, cherry blossom petals, are harvested when the cherry trees bloom from mid to late spring. After the calyxes are removed, the petals are then pickled in plum vinegar and salt and the product subsequently dried. The dried cherry blossoms are then stored or sealed in tea packets and sold.
In order to produce sakurayu, a few such dried, salt-pickled blossoms must be sprinkled into a cup of hot water. Once covered in hot water, the collapsed petals unfurl and float. The herbal tea is then allowed to steep until the flavor reaches its desired intensity. The tea is a very light slightly sweet and salty brew.” – Wikipedia
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- 2 c. hot water
- 2 Numi Jasmine Green tea bags
- 1 tbsp. honey, or to taste
- 4 preserved cherry blossoms ((you can find these at a Japanese grocery store or on Amazon)
- Brew 2 cups of Numi Jasmine Green tea.
- Sweeten with one tbsp of honey.
- Steep 4 preserved cherry blossoms in hot water, then add one tbsp of the liquid to the green tea. Refrigerate to chill.
- Use the remaining cherry blossom liquid to make ice cubes, placing one blossom in each compartment.
- Serve chilled tea over cherry blossom ice cubes (makes 2 servings).