The Blendmaster's Palate
Charlie Baden, Blendmaster
Charlie has been working at Celestial Seasonings for more than 30 years, tasting every ingredient and every batch of tea to make sure the flavor is perfect. His palate is so refined, he can tell you the country of origin of any tea leaf he tastes!
May 1, 2007
The Zinger® Secret
We’ve been making Zingers for more than 30 years here at Celestial Seasonings—Red Zinger®, Lemon Zinger®, Raspberry Zinger®, Cranberry Apple Zinger®, Tangerine Orange Zinger®…the list goes on. The fruity flavors may be different in each blend, but they all have one thing in common, and that one thing is what makes a Zinger a Zinger.
The Celestial Seasonings trademark “zing” comes from hibiscus. We use a combination of tart and tangy Chinese hibiscus and fruity Thai hibiscus to enhance the fruit flavors in each of our Zinger blends for a total flavor experience that is really unforgettable. It’s really important that we get the zing just right every time, so I personally taste every batch of Zinger tea we make to be sure we’ve got the right proportion of Chinese and Thai hibiscus. Because the growing conditions are different for every crop of hibiscus, the flavor profile can be slightly different, too.
We started with Red Zinger in the 1970s, and the success of that blend led us to begin development of a whole line of Zingers in the 1980s. With Lemon Zinger—our second flavor—we decided to include pieces of real fruit in the blend to give the tea an authentic fruity taste. This practice has been maintained over the years and is a feature of every new Zinger we introduce, including the latest in the lineup, Acaí Mango Zinger™. Many Zingers also contain lemongrass, which provides a lemony sweetness that helps balance the tartness of the hibiscus.
Zingers on Ice
I’ve already let you in on one secret about Zingers, and now it’s time to let you in on another: Zingers are really tasty when prepared as iced tea! I’ve always enjoyed a nice, hot cup of Zinger tea, but when the weather turns warm, that hibiscus zing is really refreshing when served over ice. Iced tea directions are printed on every box of Zingers, so give it a try—you’ll be glad you did!
You can also try our recipe for Zingerade®, which is another great way to enjoy Zingers during the summer months, or any time you need a little extra refreshment.
Zingerade
Ingredients
- 4 Celestial Seasonings Zinger Herb Tea bags (any flavor)
- 2 cups boiling water
- 2 Tbsp. honey (or add other sweetener to taste)
- Ice
- 1 cup lemonade
- Lemon slices
Preparation
Pour 2 cups boiling water over 4 tea bags in a heat-resistant container. Steep for 5 minutes, then remove and squeeze tea bags. Stir in the honey while the tea is hot. Add lemonade and ice cubes, then chill. Garnish with lemon slices and serve.
People have been brewing tea for centuries and although it may seem as easy as boiling water and dunking a tea bag, I’d like to share some tricks of the trade that make your cup of tea the best it can be. By following these simple steps, you can turn tea time into something really special!
Charlie's Tea Choice of the Month
Lemon Zinger®
Herb Tea
