MONK'S BLEND WHITE

Thinking of becoming a monk but not sure if you're cut out for the lifestyle of a hermit? Well thanks to Saint Pachomius (AD. 292-348) you don't have to live alone. How so? The Saint also known as Abba Pachomius was the first person to establish a monastery where monks could live together communally. His story is an amazing one. Born and raised in Thebes a city in ancient Egypt Pachomius was picked up in a sweep for new recruits by the Roman army when he was about 20. He was held captive by the marauding army but was visited daily by some Christians who brought him food and water. Touched by their generosity Pachomius who was born a pagan decided that when he was released he would become a Christian. Miraculously he was freed without ever seeing combat. True to his word he sought out a nearby Christian hermit and studied with him for some time. Deciding that the solitary life was not for him Pachomius established his first monastery in Egypt sometime between AD. 318 and 323. Word about this new lifestyle spread and soon monasteries were sprouting up throughout the country. In fact within one generation of his death it is estimated that there were upwards of 7000 monasteries in Egypt.Over the ensuing centuries Christian monasticism spread throughout the world most notably in Europe. (And here's where all of this begins to relate to tea.) Confined as they were to their monasteries many European monks began experimenting with herbs spices fruit and just about anything else they could grow. While most of these experiments resulted in beer (especially in Belgium ) in some cases the unique combinations of flavors and ingredients developed into healthy and delicious elixirs. One of the more compelling of these was the mixture of grenadine and vanilla a flavor combo we've grown enamored with and have come to call Monk's blend in honor of the monastic traditions. In this variation of this wonderful tea we've added our all-natural flavoring to a superb white Pai mu tan from Fujian province in China. The resulting cup exhibits a full body drawn out with underlying notes of vanilla hinting at cream and round touches of pomegranate. Brew a pot today savor the delicate aromas and thank Saint Pachomius you don't have to do it alone!