On World Tea Day, the 19th former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, William Ewart Gladstone said, "If you are cold, tea will warm you, if you are hot, it will cool you down." In a country like India, where everywhere Tea is common and when one gets a chance to sip a hot cup of thick, milky, sugary 'chai', with the temperature reaching record highs, tea is probably the last word on most people's minds. But at a time when people are accustomed to the traditional taste of tea, its experts are trying and tasting many unique teas that cool and refresh the body.

Buransh tea or rhododendron tea is one such drink that is very popular in the northern areas around Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Sikkim. This tea is made from the dried petals of ruddy red rhododendron flowers that bloom in the cool hills of the Himalayan region from late March to May. Buransh tea is also recognized for its anti-inflammatory properties, along with aiding in digestion, fighting allergies and improving lung health.

The petals of rhododendron flowers are hand-picked, then sun-dried and cooked in water mixed with sugar. Before filtering and serving, basil leaves and some green tea are also being added to enhance the taste.
  
On the micro-blogging platform KOO app, Uttarakhand Tourism put up a post of Buransh tea and wrote - "Love at first sip!"

Koo App

Love at first sip! In Uttarakhand the petals of Buransh flower are sun dried and stored in an air tight container to use it to make the refreshing and soothing Buransh tea. Brewing this tea is quite simple, boil water with sugar and buransh petals, take it off the flame and add half tea spoon of green tea. Cover with a lid for few seconds. Add some basil leaves to enhance the taste of the tea do add some basil leaves, strain and serve. #buranshdiaries #buransh #rhododendron #uttarakhand

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- Uttarakhand Tourism (@uttarakhand_tourismofficial) 4 May 2022

Buransh tea can be taken as a cold or hot drink at any time of the day. Like this 'flowery' concoction, 'Frutti' iced tea works fast to attract tea lovers this summer. Especially apple and grape iced teas, which are known for their antioxidant boost.

Indian Tea Board asked ku users about their tea preferences - "Which is your favorite flavor of iced tea?",

Koo App

Which is your favourite flavour of Iced Tea? Let us know in the comments below #IndiaTea #IndianTeaLove #IndiaTeaAndMe

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- Tea Board India (@teaboardindia) 4 May 2022

As a cold drink, iced tea is made by steeping the tea in cold water for a few hours, allowing its flavor to blend well with the water. This process reduces any bitterness caused by tannins, making this blend a great addition, making it a great substitute for soda drinks. In a tea-drinking country, with per capita consumption of around 750 grams per year, refreshing new concoctions are slowly becoming the beverage of choice for tea drinkers, especially Millennials, who want unique, seasonal and local flavors. Looking forward to using and improving the drink.

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