This vibrant blend has been renamed Mackintosh, formerly known as Dots and Loops.
I wanted to make an apple tea with a little pizzazz and sharp flavor. Of all of the apples I’ve tasted, the McIntosh is my absolute favorite.
The McIntosh apple variety, with bright red and green skin, crunchy flesh, crisp aroma and perfect balance of sweetness and tartness, were the inspiration for this tea. The goal in this tea was to use a mild black tea to carry the vibrant, sweet flavor of apple with a little fennel to brighten and a little clove to deepen it. The result is a layered, aromatic, bright green apple tea.
The deliberately-spelled name is a nod to the fantastic apple orchard in architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s Hill House in Scotland. This gorgeous orchard has fantastically-shaped apple and pear trees trained along a brick wall as well as traditional rows in the orchard.
Even if you’re not a fan of fennel seed or clove on their own, please know that they are minor notes in the blend. This blend is not a cinnamon spiced or buttery apple tea. I hope that you enjoy the irresistible flavor of a freshly-baked pie with slightly undercooked apples and a hint of sweet spice.
It’s divine with milk. It also makes a stunning iced tea perfect for a garden party. Please try variations of milk, sweetener and ice, and see what you like best. If this tea is new to you, or you haven’t tasted it in the years it’s been gone, I can’t wait to hear what you think.
Warmly,
Gina Zupsich
Head Blender