We discovered these mini Zongzi teas while on a tea trip to Yunnan this summer, and they brought so much excitement and joy to everyone we gifted them to! This is a very rare form of tea hand-wrapped in bamboo leaf to resemble zongzi, a traditional Chinese glutinous rice dumpling. The bamboo leaves can be steeped with the tea to add flavor.
These mini zongzi are a delicious and delightful way to enjoy tea, and can be re-steeped repeatedly throughout the day up to 6 or 7 times (see instructions below). We have packaged these in a 3” mini bamboo steamer or a mini take-out box. The mini bamboo steamer contains a set of 3 zongzi teas, and the mini take-out box contains a set of 5 zongzi teas. Each zongzi tea weighs approximately 9 grams.
These contain 2022 ripe Pu'er leaves from Lincang (tied in blue string), one of the top producers of Pu'er tea in the world and home to the world's oldest cultivated tea tree at roughly 3,200 years old. Lincang is located in the southwest of Yunnan province, one of the most biologically diversified ecosystems in the world, with over 19,000 plant species and over 800 wild edible mushroom species.
Pu’er, also spelled Pu-erh, is an aged fermented tea from China’s Yunnan province. Not only does the fermentation process lend pu’er its distinct flavor, it also boosts its medicinal properties—pu’er tea is high in antioxidants, and studies show it can fight oxidative stress, promote weight loss, and regulate blood sugar. Pu’er tea also possesses anti-cancer properties. It has a lower caffeine level, less than coffee and green tea, which make it a great choice for drinking late into the day.
It’s also a highly-coveted tea with an obsessed fanbase. As one writer said, “Pu-erh, which is processed in a special way to encourage microbial fermentation after the leaves are dried, ages more dynamically than any tea out there. It does not have fans. It has junkies who buy kilos of the stuff at a time to bliss out on days-long brewing sessions, only dropping out of their highs long enough to argue over the best pu-erh blends, growing regions, and storage methods. There are grasping amateurs who buy, gift, and drink the tea to gain social status among Chinese elite.”
Pu’er has been called China’s best-kept secret for weight loss. Animal and test-tube studies show that it can help synthesize fewer new fats while burning more stored body fat. In one animal study, pu’er was also the only variety of tea capable of raising the level of good cholesterol and lowering the level of bad cholesterol.
Instructions:
Note: You can repeat the above steps and brew each tea cake several times, adding 20-30 seconds to each new steep.
