Happy Mother’s Day to all the awesome moms out there! After what seems like way too long for Williams Sonoma to re-stock their supply, I finally got my hands on a gorgeous tin of Fortnum & Mason’s Mother’s Day Blend this week.
Recently, Williams Sonoma started selling an expanded selection of Fortnum’s teas, and even started carrying some of their gift hampers, jams, and biscuits as well. For those of us who love to enjoy a brand of tea that the Royals do (they are Royal Warrant Holders), we just saved a ton of money on overseas shipping…yay!
Fortnum & Mason’s Mother’s Day Blend is a mix of Chinese Jasmine green tea, a healthy dose of rose petals, and a touch of hibiscus. The tea is flower heavy, resulting in a natural, heady scent and taste. The notes of Jasmine are pronounced, and the green tea base is strong.
Mums are my mom’s favorite flower, so I’m including these yellow and purple beauties along with the tea in this post as a flower gram & virtual sip of sorts. My mom likes her tea on the weak side, so when I do make this tea for her in person soon I’m going to be very conservative about the brew time.
I’m looking forward to trying more Fortnum & Mason tea now that they are so much easier to get here in the US. Visually, this tea is simply gorgeous. If you’re mom likes her tea to taste tart and floral, and if good looks and fancy presentation are also appreciated, this will be a fantastic selection for her.
Tasting Notes for Fortnum & Mason’s Mother’s Day Blend:
BREWING TIPS: Steep this at 160-170 degrees F starting at 2 minutes and testing for preferred strength up to 3 minutes. If you (or your mom) are sensitive to strong-tasting tea, even checking at 1 minute, 30 seconds would be good idea.
THE TEA: Large Chinese green tea leaves, twisted and cut. The blend is very beautiful and almost Victorian looking (lots of roses!). Laden with mauve-pink, dried rose petals with a few larger reddish hibiscus pieces tossed in.
THE SCENT: Heady, flowery, and bouquet-like, although not in an artificial way. You’ll be hit with the calming, alluring notes of jasmine, rose, and hibiscus in just that order!
THE STEEP: A soft pinkish-peach color. I’m convinced that the pieces of hibiscus were thrown in purely for color. The tea is tart and astringent on the palette, and the florals help to soften those sharper notes. Would be nice with a light-bodied honey.
GET IT: Williams Sonoma carries this Mother’s Day Blend and a recently expanded selection of some of Fortnum’s other popular teas (Royal Blend, Jubilee, Queen Anne). Find applicable coupon codes, as they will apply. Order at Williams Sonoma in person to avoid shipping fees (if the store doesn’t carry the item, they will order and ship to you without charging for shipping).
FOOD PAIRING: Hang tight–I’ll be posting a recipe for classic Fortnum & Mason’s scones next week! In the meantime, enjoy this tea with Fragrant Orange English Scones, a version of the scones served at Kensington Palace. If you are short on time, some English shortbread biscuits will also do the trick–get the crispy, buttery kind that you can really sink your teeth into! Also great with typical tea time fare, like Roast Beef Arugula or Turkey Tarragon Tea Sandwiches.
