The Name
The name of our tea company, “Té,” comes from the word for “tea” in Taiwanese Hokkien (茶), a Chinese dialect originating from coastal Southern Fujian. It is a dialect spoken by over 70% of the population in Taiwan. Its origin traces back to the Hoklo people, who descended from southern Fujian during the Qing dynasty and migrated to Taiwan generations ago.Bringing Loose Leaf Tea to You
Good quality loose full-leaf teas are scarce in the US – even in a city as culturally diverse as New York City. Most people have limited exposure to anything beyond grocery store tea bags. We want to bring a different perspective to teatime. We source quality teas from small farmers and showcase them in an authentic and friendly atmosphere, preserving the integrity of the teamakers’ craft.What About Taiwanese Teas?
Taiwanese oolong is the darling of the tea world. Taiwan specializes in oolong tea – the production of which requires highly skilled tea makers with centuries of experience. The tea trade first came to Taiwan from Fujian in China, a province known for its oolongs. Taiwan went through half a century of Japanese occupation, which brought scientific precision to the traditional teamaking craft. Less than 1% of the world’s tea production comes from Taiwan and historically the best product is kept domestically. Luckily, one of our owners is of Taiwanese origin! We spend countless hours researching, building relationships, and visiting tea producers to create a tea selection comparable to the finest local Taiwanese tea shops.Our Treats
No teatime is complete without complementary sweets! We take inspiration from traditional Chinese pastry to bring you an array of delicios tea snacks. Our iconic Pineapple Linzer cookies, a reimagined version of the famous Taiwanese Pineapple Cake, is a prime example. Like good teas, handmade Asian treats are hard to come by in the States. We combine traditional methods with the best local ingredients to create delicious and nostalgic companions to complete your teatime.Our Tea
We select teas by asking ourselves three questions.Does the tea represent the island of Taiwan?
Taiwanese tea and teamaking are heavily shaped by its history and people. We look for tea varieties that crystallize various facets of this unique history. Whether originating from the migration from China or influenced by Japanese occupation, we find the stories behind our teas as delicious as the teas themselves. Our Iconic tea set consists of six styles, each representing a part of Taiwanese heritage significant to the local tea industry. Some of our other tea selections showcase small-town tea producers, which mostly sell to the local community. Many also reflect the innovation of a younger generation of tea growers. Tea is a living, consumable artifact – we admire its heritage and look forward to its continuing evolution.Do the teas come from tea makers who care for their work?
Every year, we spend a month getting to know our producers in Taiwan. We visit their land, their processing facilities, and oftentimes their homes. The first step of getting to know a tea is getting to know its maker. We believe teas will taste like the character of their origin. We seldom request production modifications because we want you to taste the teas as intended by their makers. We entrust our highly seasoned and generational tea makers with bringing us the best showcase of that year’s harvest.Most importantly, does the tea taste good?
Deliciousness is a subjective notion, though we believe there is consensus amongst our collective tea palates.- We look for brightness and clarity in the color of the infusion and consistency in shade and size of the tea leaves.
- We seek layered fragrances with a lasting aroma and finish.
- We require a balanced structure and silkiness in the infusion without harsh bitterness.