WHITE TEA FLOWER SYMPHONY

Tea for tea's sake. This may have been the credo of James McNeill Whistler, an American born painter of the 1800s, had he worked with tea. Whistler, a flamboyant bohemian, belonged to a group of artists who believed that art should be created for the sake of art, not for the glory of governments or bold ideas. On this subject he wrote: Art should be independent of all claptrap - should stand alone...and appeal to the artistic sense of eye or ear, without confounding this with emotions entirely foreign to it, as devotion, pity, love, patriotism and the like. His work, unlike that of more politically motivated artists of the day, was essentially concerned with the arrangement of color in a beautiful and harmonious way. Which leads us to the reason we're talking about him in the first place: Whistler's series of paintings entitled, Symphony in White No.1, Symphony in White No. 2 and Symphony in White No.3. This series of paintings depict portraits of the women in his life dressed in flowing white gowns, posing in rooms decorated with sumptuously textured fabrics, flowers and bathed in warm afternoon light. These paintings served as the inspiration for the harmonious exploration of texture, floral notes and color found in this wonderful artisan tea.

Flower White Symphony is, as pondered above, tea for tea's sake. Where other Chinese artists may have worked to glorify the government of the day, think of the famous propaganda paintings of the Mao regime, the artisan who created it sought only to glorify the tea of his native Yunnan. One can imagine the artisan, sitting down with his palette of fresh white tea, hibiscus, lavender and a simple roll of string envisioning the subtle mixing of flavor and color as he set to work. Where Whistler worked in light and color, the tea artisan worked in color and flavor, weaving an enticingly round cup, layer after layer of tea and flower. His finished work: a small pod of tea, dried around the lovely blooms just waiting to release their tint and hue.

And what a release. Like a great painting that seems to change as it is viewed, the pod twists and turns in the cup, evolving before your eyes. As the flowers open, watch closely as the color of the hibiscus petals appear to bleed, painting the water. The cup is no less spectacular. Prepare to delight in a symphony of white tea sweetness layered with light honey notes, pale hints of citrus and lilting floral undertones. A true masterpiece!