Chinese display teas represent a really fun way to astonish your guests at any dinner table or tea party. They come in hundreds of different sizes and shapes, and can be made with an enormous variety of teas and flowers.

Simply place a small flowering tea blossom in a glass teapot, add hot water (approx 80 degrees) and watch it slowly bloom into a stunning floral bouquet. The "tea dance" takes about 3 minutes before the tea flowers have fully unfurled and are ready to drink. These teas are a specialty created in small villages in Fujian Province in China. They are made by local artisans using high quality green tea (or sometimes white tea) which is hand sewn together with flowers like Jasmine or Osmanthus into pleasing rosettes and shapes.

The flowering teas are best served as a digestive after a meal when their light taste and tabletop drama will be most appreciated. Historically, display teas were used artistically to impress royalty and celebrate special Chinese holidays or occasions. Today they are enjoying a rise in popularity in many western countries not only for their sensory appeal and entertainment value but also because they offer the delicious taste and antioxidant benefits of green tea.

A clear glass teapot is the ideal vessel in which to serve a blooming tea. It obviously needs to be big enough to accommodate the final shape of the bloom and most definitely made from heat resistant, borosilicate glass. The final bloom can generally be re-steeped 3-4 times without becoming bitter unlike many green teas.

The choice of water plays an important role in getting the most out of a display tea. Never use tap, distilled or mineral water if possible as they can tarnish the taste. Spring water or even filtered water represents the best option. One final tip - after boiling the water in a kettle, let it cool for about 3 minutes before adding it and the tea blossom to the glass teapot. This should be about the perfect temperature.

Nadia Iliffe is the founder of The Exotic Teapot, a UK based retailer specialized in Chinese display teas and glass teapots and teaware. As an artist/sculptor, she also creates artisan made display tea sets using a variety of precious metals like sterling silver, titanium and mokume gane. Her artwork and specialty teas can be viewed at The Exotic Teapot

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