Looking for something to give the tea enthusiast in your life? Whether they’re just starting out their tea journey or are a long-time connoisseur, Farm to Jar’s top 5 gifts for loose leaf tea lovers has something for every tea aficionado. Plus bonus hibiscus herbal tea recipe!
Jump to: RECIPE for Hibiscus Tea | Gifts for Tea Lovers | “Real” Tea vs Herbal Tea | Other Gift Ideas
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Top 5 Gifts for the Tea Lover
Electric Kettle
Although electric kettles are becoming more popular in the US, not everyone has one. If the tea lover in your life is still microwaving their tea water, help them make their life a little easier.
This steel and glass kettle below is the one I use. I’ve had it for years and love that it is simple to use but gives you all the options you need for brewing different kinds of tea.
Features:
- 6 Preset Temperatures;
- One-touch Controls with Blue LED Indicators;
- 30-Minute Keep Warm Option;
- Blue Backlit Water Window,
- 360° Swivel Cordless Connector;
- Stay-cool Nonslip Handle;
- Auto Shutoff and Boil Dry Protection
Herbal Tea Blends (Tisanes)
There are literally endless different herbal tea blends if your “giftee” wants to enjoy cozy evenings without having to worry about caffeine.
We have used the herbs from our organic farm to blend 24 premium teas, 8 of which are tisanes without caffeine. They have been blended for both wellness attributes and for flavor. Check out all of our blended teas at our online tea shop (free shipping!).
Glass Teapot for Loose Leaf Tea
As folks get more and more into the art of brewing a good cup of tea, they often switch from tea baggies to loose leaf teas. To give your loved one a head start, you can gift them this handy loose leaf tea pot.
This is my go-to teapot, as it makes just the right amount for me to enjoy 1-2 large mugs (it is 20 oz) of freshly brewed tea.
Although it’s technically nothing fancy to look at, it is made from healthy and durable borosilicate glass. This thickened glass is lighter than the normal glass, but durable and stable and 100% lead-free, BPA-free. It won’t crack when you pour hot water in it – in fact, it can also go in the dishwasher, microwave or directly on the stovetop.
I also like the stainless steel filter which has a fine mesh to prevent any tea leaves from escaping and is easy to clean.
Tea Infuser Thermos
For some people, tea is a lifestyle, not just something to enjoy at home. And since a good brew can’t be obtained everywhere, a good thermos can be a lifesaver!
That especially applies to the stylish Pure Zen portable tea infuser thermos, which has been designed especially for the serious tea aficionados.
With Pure Zen, your loved one can have the perfect cuppa anywhere, whether on the hiking trails or around a beach bonfire. It is travel-friendly and leakproof with a travel sleeve for easy carrying.
There is no plastic and no waste. It is made with 100% reusable and washable materials, a thick double wall glass, a beautiful bamboo lid, and a stainless steel filter
Small-Batch Loose Leaf Tea Blends
What if you just want to gift some tea, plain and simple? We’ve got you covered. Over at our small organic farm, we mix a variety of different herbs, spices, roots and other ingredients into our small-batch tea blends.
Many of the ingredients are home-grown and dried right at our organic farm, so it doesn’t get more natural than this.
Each packet contains 2 oz. of natural loose-leaf tea. Try our warming raspberry fennel tea for energy spice, or gift the gift of a tasty turmeric latte (just steep the tea in hot (plant-based) milk). Yum!
True Tea vs Herbal Tea (Tisanes)
You’ve seen me mention tisane a few times. If you weren’t sure what that is: it’s just a fancy word for herbal tea! It’s used because officially, a tisane isn’t a “true” tea.
The word ”tea” is actually reserved for blends made with actual leaves of the tea plant (Camellia sinensis), like those containing black, green, or oolong tea.
Don’t let this fool you into thinking that tisanes are somehow inferior. Most tea connoisseurs love a nice herbal tea from time to time.
There are endless variations, and the nice thing is that they don’t contain caffeine. This makes them perfect to have in the evening.
If you like to grow your own, it’s also much easier to grow your own herbal tea garden than to try to cultivate and dry true tea plants.
Festive Hibiscus Herbal Tea
When you visit your loved one to give them that tisane-themed gift, why not accompany it with… some tea? Like pretty much any tea, this super-easy recipe for a hibiscus-flavored herbal brew is a breeze to make.
The result is a festive, bright pink concoction with tangy cranberry notes.
Hibiscus tea likely originated in sub-Saharan Africa, but it’s also immensely popular in Mexico and the rest of Central America.
In Mexico, it’s referred to as Agua de Jamaica (Jamaica water) and usually served cold. One of my favorite Mexican drinks!
If you have a Mexican supermarket nearby, they’re almost guaranteed to carry dried hibiscus flowers. All you have to do with these is place them in boiling water and then strain.
Amazon also carries my favorite brand of hibiscus flowers if you want to order online.
Serve as you prefer: hot or cold, with or without sugar.
Other Gift Ideas
You can find other inspired ideas for gifts for family and friends with special interests on this site!
- Anyone who loves gardening will appreciate these specially chosen gardening gifts.
- For seafood lovers and home cooks, these gifts aim to please!
- And for those who love Mexican food, surprise them with a unique thoughtfully chosen gift.
If you like my articles about cooking and gardening, subscribe to my weekly newsletter, where I share free recipes and gardening tutorials.
Homemade Hibiscus Tea (Agua de Jamaica)
Equipment
- Strainer
Ingredients
- 1 cup dried hibiscus flower
- 4 cups water
- ½ cup sugar (optional)
- ice (optional)
Instructions
- Pour the water into a pot and bring to a boil.4 cups water
- Once the water boils, turn off the stove and add the hibiscus flower.1 cup dried hibiscus flower
- Leave the hibiscus flower to steep for 10-15 minutes. The water should be a deep red in color and be very fragrant.
- Strain the flowers from the water, giving them a good squeeze to get all the liquid out.
- Pour the result in a large jar and add the sugar. You now have hibiscus flower tea concentrate to enjoy hot or cold.1/2 cup sugar
- For hot tea: mix 50% hibiscus concentrate and 50% hot water. Optionally, add a slice of lemon or orange to serve.
- For iced tea: mix 50% hibiscus concentrate and 50% cold water. Pour over ice.ice
Notes
- For a different hibiscus tea, you can add a stick of cinnamon with the dried flowers. Some even add a clove, some nutmeg or cardamom.
- Instead of granulated sugar, you can use piloncillo if your local Mexican store carries it. These blocks of cane sugar have a deeper flavor.
- If you don’t want to use sugar at all, just go for your favorite alternative sweetener or leave it out entirely.
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