Daily dispatches on the Washington, DC area's food, restaurant and dining scene.

Blossom Fever at Ching Ching Cha

By Erin Zimmer   Published Tuesday, April 10, 2007

Watching the flowers unfurl in a glass of jade ingot tea is just as relaxing as sipping it.

Watching the flowers unfurl in a glass of jade ingot tea is just as relaxing as sipping it.

Blossoms are all the rage right now. The 95th anniversary of Japan's floral gift to America has inspired a city-wide cherry blossom fever. But after the kite festival, lantern lighting and street parades, head to Ching Ching Cha in Georgetown for a relaxing glass of blossom tea.

Part of the experience is watching the live blooming of each bud. Each of the five flowers—all under the "Artisanal Tea" section—begin as a closed, tightly-knit cocoon and unfurl into a full-bodied bloom. The caterpillar-to-butterfly process takes about ten seconds, revealing a hidden magic in each of the leaf-wrapped buds.

Though cherry blossoms aren't on the menu, the teahouse offers a lineup of family members. When submerged in hot water, the peach blossom matures into a red, strawberry-like bloom. Orange blossom reveals both orange and jasmine blossoms, and has a stronger green tea taste. The jasmine blossom really shows off, with a hidden string of buds opening in a domino effect. Chrysanthemum begins as a mushroom-shaped bundle, unfolding into a daisy-like display. Jade ingot reveals two white Jasmine blossoms and pink petals in the center.

Each steeped artisanal tea is $7, or at Ching Ching Cha's charming tea shop, you can buy a wrapped pack of seven buds for $7.50.
 
Ching Ching Cha
, 1063 Wisconsin Avenue, NW; 202-333-8388.

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