Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf's Tea Appreciation Workshop

Tea has been one of my staple drinks ever since I discovered that tea is still delicious even without sweeteners. It helps me unwind and relax and I feel healthier after enjoying a cup or two. But as much as I love tea, I do not know much about it except that it soothes the mind and has anti-aging properties. And so when Foodgrammer.ph asked me to attend a tea appreciation workshop hosted by The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, I immediately said YES.

Hello, Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf!

I must admit, despite being a regular in BGC, it was my first time to set foot inside CBTL’s Bonifacio Stopover branch. It is smaller compared to its bistro counterpart and the one in High Street but it still has the warm and homey vibe that its patrons love. 

After registering and having a small chat with Nella of CBTL, we sat down and enjoyed our complimentary vegetarian sandwich which had a lovely serving of carrots, onions, and mushrooms among others. 

Despite the thickness of the bread, it was served as a light snack because of its filling; hence making this sandwich a lovely morning snack. It’s filling but not too heavy to put weight on those eyelids. We were also given a huge cookie which I wasn’t able to eat as I was saving space for lunch #1 and lunch #2. 

After half an hour, the workshop finally started and we were introduced to the two legends of tea and how tea is planted and cultivated. It may sound boring but it was surprisingly interesting. I am always fascinated by how the food and drinks we enjoy are brought from farm to table. But let me skip the educational part which you could Google and focus on the teas I discovered during the workshop. 

We were given several teas for the tea cupping session. 

The first set given to us was the green teas which we have to submerge in hot water for 3 minutes and later tip horizontally on the rim of our cups. 

Among the three green teas given to us, I liked the Moroccan Mint best with its refreshing and minty taste. 

The Genmaicha though was the crowd favorite as it had the traditional green tea taste. 

Next served were the black teas and this one required 5 minutes wait time. 

I was torn between Apricot Ceylon which had a fruity taste profile and chai which smelled so divine with its spices. Both were my new favorites during the workshop. 

I would love the Apricot Ceylon iced though as it seemed to be a great alternative to the usual lemon iced tea as it had more character while I would prefer chai to be hot. (And I haven’t heard of iced chai before.)

The last set was the herbal infusion teas which do not have a single trace of caffeine as these are blends of flowers, herbs, fruits and spices. 

These are called tea too as the method of preparing it is the same as your regular teas. 

We tried Lemon Chamomile, Ginseng Peppermint and African Sunrise and waited for 12 minutes for it to be ready for tilting.

While waiting, I munched on the dry African Sunrise which had berries and fell in love with its tangy and sweet taste! I never thought I could enjoy dry tea. 

The African Sunrise was also a winner in liquid form but just like Apricot Ceylon, I would love this more iced. 

It was a morning packed with new learnings and discoveries. Thank you, Foodgrammer.ph and Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf! 

Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf is located at Ground Floor, Bonifacio Stopover Pavillion, Rizal Drive, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City.