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Guides to tea and herbal infusions
Mariage Frères teas, the great tea families, Ombelle herbal infusions, preparation and gift ideas: advice from our teams in Bordeaux and Nice, written by the house.
The house of Mariage Frères
Tea jelly: how to serve it, from breakfast to a festive meal
Tea jelly: what sets it apart from a jam, our Mariage Frères jellies compared and how to serve them, from scones to matured cheeses.
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Mariage Frères chai: eight chais compared, from Chandernagor to Chaïwallah Rouge
Mariage Frères chai: eight chais on black tea, oolong tea, green tea or rooibos compared, with their spices, their caffeine and their steeping settings.
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Mariage Frères Earl Grey: 18 versions compared, from Earl Grey Impérial to Rouge Earl Grey
Mariage Frères Earl Grey: tea base, flavouring, caffeine and settings for 18 versions in stock, to choose yours according to the moment and milk.
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Mariage Frères gift sets: the gift sets compared, from the duo to the Grand Coffret Henri
Which Mariage Frères gift set to give? Duos, trios, tea and jelly, music boxes, Grand Coffret Henri: contents, caffeine and who they suit, compared.
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The best Mariage Frères teas, according to our tea advisers
15 Mariage Frères teas recommended by our tea advisers in Bordeaux and Nice: Marco Polo, Earl Grey, Grands Crus, evening teas. Price per 100 g and preparation.
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Marco Polo: the versions compared, to choose yours
Black, Sublime, green, white, blue, caffeine-free red, cotton muslins, jelly, gift sets: the 16 Marco Polo products compared, with prices and preparation.
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Where to buy Mariage Frères tea, and on what terms
Official stockist since 1999: over 400 loose leaf teas, delivery from €4.50, free from €50, free Click & Collect in 2 hours in Bordeaux and Nice.
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Mariage Frères Christmas teas, edition by edition
Esprit de Noël, Bûche de Noël, Christmas Earl Grey, Noël Amour, Noël Rhapsody: all the Mariage Frères Christmas teas, their character and how to prepare them.
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Earl Grey: the guide to bergamot tea
Calabrian bergamot, the story of Earl Grey, black or green tea, steeping between 90 and 95 degrees: the guide to understanding and choosing your Earl Grey.
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Darjeeling: the guide to the Grands Crus of the Himalayas
Himalayan gardens, first flush, muscatel notes: understand Darjeeling, steep it well and choose your first Grand Cru with confidence.
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Tea types
Ceylon tea: the seven regions, the two monsoons and our gardens
Ceylon tea comes from Sri Lanka: its seven regions, the seasons dictated by the monsoons, and our Uva and Ratnapura teas with their brewing settings.
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Matcha whisk and bowl: choosing, using and caring for the chasen and chawan
Bamboo matcha whisk: how to use it, which matcha bowl to choose and how to care for your chasen so it keeps its shape, with our bowls.
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Fine tea: what makes a great tea, and how to recognise one
Luxury or fine tea: origin, harvest, plucking, grade and freshness. The connoisseur's vocabulary, the settings and the grands crus to give.
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Chinese tea: the great provinces, their teas and their names
Chinese tea is read by province: greens from Zhejiang, whites from Fujian, Keemun from Anhui, pu-erh from Yunnan. Names translated, settings given.
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Tea types: the six families, from green tea to dark tea
A tea family depends on how the leaf is processed, not on the plant: green, white, yellow, oolong, black, dark, with a table and a tea for each.
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Tea-producing countries: where tea grows and what each origin brings to the cup
Tea-producing countries, from China to Rwanda: where the tea plant grows, what makes a terroir and the style of 12 origins, each with a tea to taste.
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Lapsang Souchong and smoked teas: from the lightest to the boldest
Lapsang Souchong is a Chinese black tea dried over a pine fire. Our smoked teas compared: smoke, milk, settings, and which to choose.
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English Breakfast: what it contains, and morning teas compared
English Breakfast is a blend of full-bodied black teas for the morning. The role of each origin, the history of the name and breakfast teas compared.
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Black tea: the great styles, from Assam to Yunnan, and how to choose one
Black tea: what sets it apart, its great styles from Assam to Lapsang, water temperature, steeping time and milk, with teas in stock.
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Matcha set: give it ready-made or build it piece by piece
A matcha set brings together bowl, bamboo whisk, scoop and sieve: the role of each piece, our selection by budget and three gift options.
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Rooibos: the guide to choosing and preparing “red tea”
Rooibos, the naturally caffeine-free South African infusion: red or green, pure or flavoured. Preparation, storage and our Mariage Frères selection, loose leaf and tins.
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Maté: a beginner's guide, from gourd to teapot
Plain or flavoured Argentinian yerba maté, Mimaté, organic Ombelle, Mariage Frères: caffeine, preparation with a bombilla or in a teapot, our selection.
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Oolong, blue tea: the guide to semi-oxidised teas
Between green and black, oolong: Formosa, Nepal, Japan, plain or flavoured, Milky Blue, Marco Polo Blue. Preparation, re-steeping, 56 teas.
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White tea: the guide to silver needles and Pai Mu Tan
White tea, the least processed of all teas: silver needles, white peony, flavoured white teas, Rhapsody cotton muslin tea sachets. Temperature, time, 44 teas.
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Pu-Erh: the guide to dark tea, from loose leaf to cake
Pu-Erh, a post-fermented tea: raw or ripe, loose leaf or cake, Mariage Frères or Sinas. Rinsing, short infusions, storage. Eleven references from €10.
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Japanese green teas: sencha, gyokuro, genmaicha, hojicha
The families of Japanese green tea explained, the right water temperatures and our Mariage Frères selection from €11 to €60 per 100 g.
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Matcha: the complete guide to Japanese powdered green tea
Shaded tencha, stone mill, ceremonial, premium and culinary matchas, whisking with the chasen: everything you need to understand matcha and choose it well, with our tea house.
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Ombelle infusions
The difference between tisane and infusion: the words, the methods, the settings
The tisane is the drink, infusion the method. Decoction, maceration, tea or tisane, families and preparation settings in one table.
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The best Ombelle herbal infusions, according to our tea advisers
15 organic Ombelle herbal infusions recommended by our tea advisers in Bordeaux and Nice, sorted by moment and mood, with ingredients and preparation.
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Which evening herbal infusion to choose: the Ombelle comparison, plant by plant
Verbena, lemon balm, lime blossom, chamomile, fennel, mint, apple-cinnamon: Ombelle evening herbal infusions compared by dominant plant, with preparation and prices.
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Where to buy Ombelle infusions, and on what terms
Ombelle organic infusions are sold at La Boutique du Thé, Bordeaux and Nice, and on this website: loose leaf packed to order, 15 g sample, collection in 2 hours.
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Which infusion to give: our Ombelle gift ideas by profile
Evening herbal infusions, fruit infusions, sample trios, matés: our Ombelle gift ideas by profile, mostly organic and caffeine-free, from €5 to €20.
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Ombelle Christmas and winter herbal infusions, edition by edition
Noël Fruité Cannelle Orange, Chai Épices de Vin Chaud, pumpkin chai, Hivernale: Ombelle's organic Christmas and winter infusions, naturally caffeine-free, and how to prepare them.
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Verbena, lemon balm, chamomile, mint: single-herb infusions
Ombelle single-herb infusions, organic and loose leaf: verbena, lemon balm, chamomile, mint, lemongrass, fennel, ginger. Taste, preparation, storage.
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Choose, prepare, give
Gong fu cha: brewing tea the Chinese way in a gaiwan, with short infusions
Gong fu cha means plenty of leaves, little water and infusions of a few seconds: equipment, gaiwan technique, timings and teas to start with.
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Building a tea gift set, step by step
Building a tea gift set: the size, from 4 to 12 teas, the common thread, the balance of flavours and caffeine, and our ready-made gift sets.
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Homemade chai: the spiced winter recipe, and its variations
The homemade chai (masala chai) recipe in a saucepan: black tea, milk, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger. The measures, chai latte and the caffeine-free version.
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Tea and Christmas dinner: pairings from aperitif to Yule log
Smoked salmon, foie gras, capon, cheeses, Yule log: which tea to serve with each course of the Christmas meal, and how to prepare it for a large table.
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Which tea to give at Christmas: our ideas by profile and budget
Christmas teas in tins, made-to-measure gift sets of 4 to 12 teas, Advent calendar, cast-iron teapots, gift cards: our gift ideas by profile and budget.
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Choosing your teapot, and the kettle to go with it
Japanese cast iron, porcelain, glass, clay: which teapot for which tea, what capacity, care, and why a temperature-controlled kettle matters just as much.
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Tea steeping time and water temperature: the complete guide
Water temperatures and steeping times type by type, a measure of 2 g per 200 ml, choosing your water and mistakes to avoid: a tea house's guidelines.
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Which tea to choose? The guide to finding the one that suits you
Tea types, moments of the day, tastes, loose leaf or cotton muslin: our professional advice since 1999 to help you choose the tea that suits you.
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Caffeine-free teas and infusions: what to drink in the evening?
Naturally caffeine-free rooibos, herbal infusions, carcadets and decaffeinated teas: our advice for gentle cups suited to the evening.
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The guide to homemade iced tea: cold brew and express method
Cold brew, hot method over ice, teas to choose: our tea house advice for sugar-free homemade iced tea, perfect in summer.
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Gifts and celebrations
Secret Santa gift idea for a colleague or your child's teacher: tea for under €20
Secret Santa gift idea under €20: tea jelly, cotton muslin tea sachets, shortbread, tea tube, by budget, for a colleague, your child's teacher or the nanny
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A gift for a tea lover: our ideas to suit their taste
A gift for a tea lover is chosen according to what they drink: smoked teas, floral teas, Pu-erh, teaware or incense. Our ideas in stock, profile by profile.
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Giving tea to a beginner: four profiles, safe choices
Giving tea to a beginner: cotton muslin tea sachets, Marco Polo, naturally caffeine-free rooibos, with the settings to slip into the parcel, for every kind of tea drinker.
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Accessories and tea service
Glass teapots: which to choose, how to use and care for them
Glass teapots: microfilter, strainer or tea strainer, our 5 models compared, the teas that suit them, heat, warmers and caring for the glass.
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Tea infuser: ball, tube, paper filter or filter teapot, which to choose
Tea infuser: ball, tube, paper filter, bottle or filter teapot, compared by cup, leaves and care, in one table.
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Tea mugs and teacups: choosing the capacity, material and shape
Tea mug or teacup: the right capacity for each moment, what porcelain, bone china, stoneware and double-walled glass change, and the models on sale.
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Tea service: putting one together for entertaining, from 4 to 50 guests
Tea service for entertaining: teapot capacity for 4 to 12 people, the tea to allow for 50 guests, and how to keep it hot.
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Tea accessories: the essentials, and the ones that bring pleasure
Which tea accessory to buy first: adjustable kettle, infuser, measuring spoon, tea timer, caddy. The role of each and the pleasure items to add.
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How to store tea: what spoils it, where to keep it, which tin to choose
How to store tea: away from air, light, moisture and odours. Where to keep it, which tin to choose, what the date on the packet is worth.
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Cast iron teapot: telling it apart from a tetsubin, preparing it and caring for it
An enamelled cast iron teapot steeps, a tetsubin heats water. First rinse, steeping, drying, rust: our advice and our Japanese models.
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Recipes and pairings
Alcohol-free mulled wine with tea: the recipe for spiced Christmas punch
Alcohol-free mulled wine with black tea or rooibos, with grape or apple juice: the spices, quantities from 4 to 12 cups and serving it hot.
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Tea and food pairing: matching tea with cuisine, from sushi to chocolate
Tea and food pairing: the three ways to pair, what tannins do, and a dish-by-dish table, from sushi to chocolate, with our teas in stock.
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Tea with milk: which teas to choose, and how to make it
Tea with milk: which black teas to choose, milk before or after, which milk to pour, and our gourmand winter teas, with the settings from each product page.
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London Fog: the Earl Grey and vanilla latte recipe
The London Fog is an Earl Grey with frothy milk and vanilla. A recipe for two cups, proportions, and variations with lavender or caffeine-free.
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The essentials in five points
The tea families
White tea, minimally processed, retains a floral softness. Green tea, unoxidised, offers vegetal and marine notes. Oolong tea, partially oxidised, unfolds a broad palette, from floral to woody. Black tea, fully oxidised, gives full-bodied, rounded cups. Pu-erh, fermented, develops forest-floor notes with age.
Water temperature and steeping time
Guidelines to adapt to each tea. White: 70 to 80 °C, 3 to 5 minutes. Green: 70 to 80 °C, 2 to 3 minutes. Oolong: 85 to 95 °C, 4 to 6 minutes. Black: 90 to 95 °C, 3 to 5 minutes. Pu-erh: 95 °C, 4 to 5 minutes. Water that is too hot on a delicate tea draws out bitterness.
Measure and preparation
Allow about 2 to 2.5 g of leaves per 200 ml of water, or one heaped teaspoon. Choose water low in minerals. Give the leaves room to unfurl in a teapot or a wide filter.
Storage
Keep your teas away from light, moisture, odours and heat. An opaque, airtight tin in a dry cupboard is enough. Avoid the refrigerator, which passes on odours and causes condensation.
Pairings and moments
In the morning, a full-bodied black tea goes with breakfast. In the afternoon, an oolong or a Darjeeling pairs with pastries. In the evening, a white tea or a naturally caffeine-free herbal infusion gently extends the day.