This is the tea that started it all. The first blend Elena created for The Midnight Bloom, and still our most requested.

Overview

Brew Time: 3-4 minutes
Temperature: 175°F (80°C)
Serves: 1 generous cup or 2 small ones
Best Enjoyed: In the quiet hours, by candlelight

Ingredients

For the Base Blend

1 tablespoon jasmine pearl tea (dragon pearls preferred)
3-4 dried lavender buds
1 small piece dried orange peel (about the size of your thumbnail)
Tiny pinch of pink salt

For Serving (Optional)

Local honey to taste
A splash of oat milk

Instructions

Step 1: Prepare Your Vessel

Warm your teapot or cup by filling it with hot water, letting it sit for a moment, then discarding the water. Cold ceramic shocks the tea and affects the brew.

Step 2: Measure Your Tea

Place the jasmine pearls in your warmed vessel. Add the lavender buds, orange peel, and salt. Take a moment to inhale—the dry blend already carries the promise of what's to come.

Step 3: Heat the Water

Bring fresh, filtered water to 175°F (80°C). If you don't have a thermometer, bring it to a boil and let it cool for about 2-3 minutes. Water that's too hot will make jasmine bitter.

Step 4: The First Steep

Pour the water over your tea and set a timer for 30 seconds. This first steep is just to wake the leaves—pour it off and discard it. Some call this "washing the tea."

Step 5: The True Steep

Pour fresh hot water over the awakened leaves. Now, steep for 3-4 minutes. The jasmine pearls will slowly unfurl, releasing their fragrance. The lavender and orange will infuse gently into the background.

Step 6: Observe

While your tea steeps, watch the pearls open. Each one was hand-rolled around jasmine blossoms, scented over multiple nights. The unfurling is part of the experience.

Step 7: Serve

Pour through a fine strainer if desired, though we like to see the leaves settled at the bottom of the cup. Add honey if you wish, but try it plain first.

Tasting Notes

The first sip should be floral—jasmine forward, with the sweetness of white tea underneath. As it cools slightly, the lavender emerges, rounding out the edges. The orange peel adds brightness without citrus punch. The salt (barely perceptible) enhances all the other flavors.

Tips for the Perfect Cup

Re-steep: These pearls can be steeped 3-4 times. Each subsequent steep reveals different notes. The third steep is many people's favorite.
Time of night matters: We find this blend tastes best after midnight. Whether that's the actual chemistry of exhaustion or pure psychology, we can't say.
Don't rush it: Set your phone aside. This is a tea that rewards attention.

The Secret Ingredient

People always ask about the "secret" in our blend. It's not an ingredient—it's timing. We only blend this tea on clear nights, by moonlight. Call it superstition, call it ritual. We call it the Midnight Bloom way.

Some things can only be made in the dark.

Moonlight Jasmine Blend