Kusmi-Tea's Taste of the Czars
by Beth Zerilli
BeansTalk Contributing Editor
East Coast Correspondent
Toronto, Ontario -- Who doesn't find a relaxing cup of tea luxurious?
The tea's "recipe" may remain a secret, but celebrities -- and now you -- can partake of tea once sipped by Czars. This year, the Toronto International Film Festival DPA 2010 Gifting Lounge was a zen-like experience thanks to KUSMI-TEA. Celebrities and guests steeped and sipped on one of the 12 varieties offered, including the most popular: Detox – a blend of mat`e, Chinese green tea, and lemon grass.
Many visitors to the DPA Lounge took home KUSMI-TEA totes filled with complimentary canisters and boxes.
Founded in 1867 in Russia and then later in 1917 in Paris, KUSMI-TEA continues to carry on its old-age tradition of quality, aroma and taste in each exclusive tea blend.
Kusmi-Tea appeared in the New York Times Dining and Wine section in June of this year, and has also been features in House & Garden, as well as the Daily Mail.
KUSMI-TEA houses can currently be found throughout Paris, Montreal, and its newest store in New York, New York on 1037 Third Avenue, as well as, online at www.kusmitea.com.
From their website:
140 Years of History
The eldest son of a peasant family, Pavel Michailovitch Kousmichoff left home at the age of 14 to look for an employment in St Petersburg. There he found work as a delivery boy for a tea merchant. The shop manager soon realized that the boy had enormous potential and taught him the art of blending tea.
Pavel continued to work for the tea merchant until his marriage to Alexandra, the daughter of a successful paper merchant. His employer was so happy to see him marry into such a good family that he gave him a small teahouse on Sadovaïa Street. And that is how the P. M. Kousmichoff teahouse started in 1867. Alexandra gave him six children, including his son Viatcheslav (1878) and his daughter Elisabeth (1880) for whom he created the special blend that soon became the tsar’s tea: Bouquet of Flowers.
By 1901 Pavel owned 11 teahouses as well as a large building big enough for his entire family. He was very rich and his company was one of the three largest tea companies in Russia.
Kusmi Tea Drinks menu:
Kusmipolitan - cocktail
Kusmiroska - cocktail
Iced tea
Iced tea with Caribbean fruit
French tea punch
Campus Tea (a refreshing and stimulating drink)
Armagnac Grog
Sigiriya Tea
Chocolate Tea
Kusmi Tea Savoury Dishes menu:
Zucchini cream with Green Zoubrovka
Prawns in green tea
Salmon in Samovar tea sauce
Tea-steamed fillets of sole
Salmon escalope in almond and mustard crust, Thai rice with bergamot
Cappuccino-style fish consommé with Russian tea and smoked mussel ravioli
2-way Cornish Chicken
Duck breast in tea sauce
Chicory braised in tea
Kusmi Tea Desserts menu:
St. Petersburg caramel cream
Chocolate mousse with Troika tea
Sorbet with peaches and Lemon-Ginger green tea
Tea ice cream
Tea granita
Grapefruit terrine, tea sauce
Apple compote with tea and cinnamon
Madeleine cakes with tea
Cake with Sencha green tea
Darjeeling Sabayon
Images seen above:
Pack of 24 enveloped muslin tea bags with 12 different teas:
- Prince Vladimir
- Anastasia
- Detox
- Kashmir Tchaï
- Bouquet of Flowers N°108
- St Pétersburg
- Decaffeinated Earl Grey with citrus fruits
- Darjeeling N° 37
- Green Darjeeling
- Russian Morning N°24
- Spearmint green tea
- Sweet love
The perfect item to discover Kusmi Tea best sellers. Retails for $21.20.
And
Selection of 5 different Russian Blends: Prince Vladimir, Anastasia, Troika, St Petersburg, Bouquet of Flowers n°108 and a tea infuser - 5 tins of 0.88 ounce $30.30
