Name of Tea Accessory:
Flowering Tea Gift Set

Available From:
The Republic of Tea and Whole Foods

I have wanted either a glass teapot or glass tea cup for quite some time now so that I had something in which I could watch flowering teas “bloom.”  I use my smart brewer on a regular basis, and because it’s made of clear, heat resistant plastic, it works quite nicely when you wish to watch teas unfurl, however, because of its design you don’t get the full effect of the blooming tea.

So today, while doing a little shopping in Whole Foods, this Flowering Tea Gift Set from The Republic of Tea caught my eye instantly.  And… it was on sale!  So without much hesitation, I placed in my shopping cart, and couldn’t wait to get it home so I could start trying it.

The one thing that I was a little unsure about with regard to this brewing system is the size of it.  The teacup seemed rather small, and I thought that something larger might work better for the flowering teas.   But, after using it with the Flower of Prosperity Flowering Tea (which is also from The Republic of Tea, and is included with this gift set), I can happily proclaim that it’s just the perfect size!

The Republic of Tea describes this gift set as:

This all-glass tea cup with infuser is the ultimate personal brewing system for the tea connoisseur. The wide glass infuser allows the leaves to dance freely and disperse the aroma generously. Contains 7 individually hand-tied blossoms eloquently named Flower of Prosperity. Nicely packaged in a box ideal for gift giving.

The gift set includes a glass tea cup, glass infuser, a lid, and 7 Flower of Prosperity teas (which I will also be reviewing soon).  I like that there is an infuser – which is also made of glass so that you can watch the blooming of the tea – because it allows you to lift the flower out of the teacup so that you can drink the tea while still enjoying the lovely bloom.

Also noteworthy about the infuser is that the drainage holes are quite small – just three teeny tiny slits at each “quarter-hour” of the circumference of the infuser – so the smaller bits of tea leaf do not escape into your cup.  I don’t like to have little bits of tea leaf in my tea, do you?  There is still a very small amount of sediment at the bottom, but not nearly as much as you might experience from your average glass or porcelain infuser, or even a metal mesh strainer.

The lid of the brewing system can be used to sit the infuser upon when you remove it from the cup, minimizing messy drainage.  Another big positive in my book – because what fun is it to brew a blooming tea if you have a big mess to clean up afterward?

I absolutely LOVE my new Flowering Tea set from The Republic of Tea… it would make a fantastic gift for the tea lover on your holiday shopping list!