NARCISSUS OOLONG

Most of us are familiar with the ancient Greek myth of Narcissus the young man who fell in love with his own reflection in a pool of water. Fewer are familiar with the legend of Narcissus Oolong this fabulous tea from the Wuyi region of Fujian Province. A legend told in a handful of villages along the Nine Bend River, Wuyi's famous waterway, tells of a similar tale in which a young maiden who was out collecting flowers happened to catch a glimpse of herself along the banks of the famous river.

Like her Greek counterpart, so taken was the maiden by her own reflection that she remained riveted in place for weeks. No one could convince the girl to leave the river and come home. Finally, a magician who was travelling from town to town stopped by to talk to the girl having heard about her from other travelers on the road. Instantly the magician fell in love with the girl so captivated was he by her beauty. Asking her to come with him to be his bride the maiden refused stating that she could not bear to leave her reflection. The magician countered with a bargain.

He asked the girl if she would consider leaving with him if he returned with something anything that compared to her own beauty. The girl agreed and so the magician set off. Weeks passed and the magician repeatedly came back to the girl only to find his offerings rejected - flowers, jewels, embroidered robes - nothing compared to her beauty. Finally, he gave up hope and decided to go on his way. The very next morning he came across a tea bush growing along a seldom-used trail and plucked a few leaves for his pot. The tea was like nothing he'd ever tasted before full of flavor and deeply refreshing. From the first sip he knew he'd found what he was looking for. He raced back to the girl and presented her with the tea. As she sipped it her heart opened to the magician. She finally turned her back on her own reflection and the two were married that same day.

To this day Narcissus Oolong is considered one of Fujian Province's finest exports. Lovingly crafted by artisans skilled in the ancient arts of Chinese tea this is the type of Oolong you can sip all day and never grow tired of. Perfect on its own or accompanied by light snacks, we know you're going to fall in love with this one.