A 0.35 litre blown glass teapot, and a fuchsia lacquered box with a double lid: the Coffret Sweetheart from Mariage Frères brings together the object and the tea that brings it to life. Inside the box, nine “cœurs de thé vert”, 75 g in total, hand-sculpted leaves that open during infusion into a fragile bouquet, releasing a necklace of jasmine punctuated by a rosebud.

The glass teapot was chosen for this: watching the heart unfurl in hot water is part of the pleasure, and glass keeps the aromas without altering them. The composition of the hearts is brief: green tea, jasmine, calendula and rose, with possible traces of tree nuts. The whole is presented in a classic black box, ready to give, designed with Valentine’s Day in mind, yet nothing about it confines it to that occasion.

The cup is that of a jasmine green tea: clear, soft, floral, with the rounder touch of rose that appears as the bud opens. One heart is enough for a teapot of this size, and it happily withstands a second infusion. The suggested moment is the afternoon or late evening, for two, with a few pistachio sweets or a lychee dessert.

Before first use, wash the teapot with a soft sponge and soapy water, rinse thoroughly and dry. To infuse, first warm it with hot water, then place the heart in the filter, cover with water and replace the lid. To remove tannin deposits, a mixture of very hot water and white vinegar or lemon juice is enough; avoid thermal shocks. La Boutique du Thé, official Mariage Frères stockist since 1999, offers you this set in its shops in Bordeaux and Nice.