Firefly Garden Spice 101

This month’s free sample with orders over $35 is Firefly Garden. It’s the first tea I made for World Spice. Lemon ginger was the inspiration, and I wanted to play on it, so the lemon became Lemongrass and the ginger became peppercorns.

The heat comes from Green Peppercorn, picked unripe, so the bite is sharp instead of fruity the way a black peppercorn is. Pink Pepperberry adds color, a little sweetness, and an effervescent bite. Fenugreek Leaf was a happy discovery. I spent an afternoon making simple teas out of all kinds of spices and herbs around the shop, and fenugreek was a surprising delight! Sweet and herbal and exactly right to balance the peppercorns. Chrysanthemum Flower is buttery and floral and deeply herbal, and it reminds me of spas and fancy restaurants. There’s calendula in there too, for color and a little depth. This tea is entirely caffeine-free.

I called it Firefly Garden because that’s what it tastes like to me: a fresh herb garden, green and floral, with pops of brightness going off in it. Fireflies, or lightning bugs, depending on where you grew up. That brightness is the pepper.

How we drink it

I take mine straight and always have. When my partner and I first started dating I gave him a pouch, and he went home and made it with milk and sugar, which had not occurred to me in the slightest. It’s very good that way. It tastes like a spicy candy. I’d love to try it as an ice cream base, as soon as I get an ice cream maker to keep the rest of my machines company.

Nicole drinks hers as a broth. She puts 2 tablespoons Firefly Garden, a teaspoon of Chopped Ginger, and a packet of powdered bone broth into her teapot, pours boiling water over it, and steeps it 6 to 7 minutes.

Brewing it

Two tablespoons per cup, boiling water, five minutes to start. The longer you steep it, the spicier it gets. For iced, brew it at double strength, let it cool, and pour it over ice. It stays peppery cold.

Such a nice, unique tea that tastes as beautiful as it looks. Love the pink peppercorns, they really give it a spark.

— Jenna G.

If you try it with milk, let me know how you like it. I still can’t get over it.

- Aubrey