ExoticTeaStore.com

I sell a looseleaf tea called Gunpowder Mint, and it almost never fails to elicit strange comments and snide snickers from my customers. I always have to explain that gunpowder refers to the look of the green tea after it has been rolled into little pellets. I also sell Moroccan Mint tea in tea bags, and the reaction is completely different. “Oh, I love Moroccan Mint!” is quite common.

Well, guess what. Gunpowder Mint and Moroccan Mint are exactly the same tea. The Moroccans are partial to gunpowder green tea with mint added. In their tea ceremony they pour the tea into glasses from a height, which ensures that the minty aroma envelopes the entire room. The little gunpowder pellets unfurl, of course, when the hot water is added. So keep your gunpowder dry and minty fresh, and you’ll always be prepared for a Moroccan infusion.

Roland Petrov