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| Grapefruit-flavored tea - a gift from the homeland of the finest tea. |
The grapefruit blossoms bloom white in the countryside gardens. Small, delicate clusters of flowers, with their pure white petals embracing golden stamens like drops of early morning sunlight, create a fragrance that isn't overpowering but pure and subtle, enough to make anyone passing by pause to inhale. At dawn, when dew still clings to the petals, the entire garden seems infused with this delicate scent. Bees and butterflies begin to flutter, birds chirp, and the morning sun shines down, making the petals even more pristine.
March heralds the arrival of pomelo blossoms. Throughout the winter, the pomelo tree, bare and silent, bursts forth with fresh green shoots upon the arrival of spring rain. Just a few days later, looking up reveals clusters of fragrant, pure white blossoms. As the petals fall, tiny pomelo fruits begin to emerge, a silent promise of a sweet harvest. The fragrance of the blossoms is carried by the wind, seeping through fences, following the footsteps of early morning market-goers, and permeating every small alleyway.
In the memories of many, grapefruit blossoms are also associated with their beloved homes. Mothers would often pick the blossoms to wash their hair, their glossy black hair drying in the spring sun, emitting a gentle fragrance that mingled with the scent of lemongrass and soapberry. That simple fragrance lingered throughout childhood, silently accompanying each person as they grew up, becoming the scent of their homeland, of love.
And most special of all is the pomelo-scented Thai Nguyen tea that my grandfather and father made. The best pomelo-scented tea is green tea from the midland region, with small, tightly curled leaves, producing a clear green brew with a mild astringent taste. When the pomelo blossoms are just beginning to bloom, the tea makers select the most fragrant, dew-kissed blossoms with thick petals. The flowers are gently separated, the stamens and petals carefully separated, and layered thinly with dry tea leaves in a small earthenware jar. A layer of tea is followed by a layer of flowers, then covered and left overnight to allow the fragrance to gradually permeate each tea leaf.
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The next morning, upon opening the jar, the fragrance of grapefruit mingled with the aroma of tea, creating a delicate yet profound sensation. Boiling water poured into the teapot, the rising steam carried the refreshing scent of flowers, blended with the distinctive, young rice-like flavor of Thai Nguyen tea. Taking a sip, the slight bitterness on the tongue quickly dissolved into a sweet, clear aftertaste. The grapefruit aroma didn't overpower the tea but gently enhanced it, making the tea even more smooth and refined. The small teapot in the middle of the room seemed to hold a piece of springtime, with the early morning sun, the birdsong in the garden, and clusters of pristine white flowers swaying in the breeze.
In today's bustling city, one can easily buy pre-packaged scented teas in luxurious packaging, but few people still have the patience to infuse their tea with freshly picked flowers. The scent of pomelo seems to be fading amidst the city's smog. Every spring, many people surely long to return to their old homes, sit with their parents, and sip a cup of pomelo-scented Thai Nguyen tea, listening to the slow passage of spring in each clear, green drop of water.
Therefore, grapefruit blossoms are not just a flower of March. They are memories, the scent of family, a touch of purity remaining amidst the hurried pace of life. Just a fleeting scent of grapefruit blossoms, and I feel my heart calm down, as if I've returned to a bygone spring – where the tea still steams and the grapefruit orchard is still covered in white blossoms.
Source: https://baothainguyen.vn/dat-va-nguoi-thai-nguyen/202603/huong-buoi-vuong-van-thang-ba-8b55fd8/
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