German flavours for afternoon tea
SERVED only in five-star hotels and in Malaysia for the past 20 years, afternoon tea lovers would almost certainly have heard of this German luxury label.
To see the array of Ronnefeldt teas and infusions that are available locally, head over to The Lobby Lounge at The Ritz Carlton, Kuala Lumpur.
There are no less than 33 flavours. Among them, the observant will notice The Ritz-Carlton Kuala Lumpur Blend, which has been made exclusively for the hotel to pair with the salmon sandwiches in its afternoon tea sets.
Described as having a smooth, creamy taste with a natural sweetness, the blend carries slight hints of lemongrass and jasmine.
It has also been described as having a nice aroma with an alluring and 'addictive' quality.
Jan-Berend Holzapfel, the tea label's owner, who was in Kuala Lumpur, introduced a few more flavours.
Making its debut for the first time in Malaysia is the Colombia Especial and Cacao, which is a blend of organic Colombian black tea with cacao husk.
Coming in with a rich fragrance of maple syrup and vanilla, Holzapfel said it was the red soil, rich with iron, that gave the tea its unique flavour.
To pair with this Colombian blend is a dark chocolate tart with hazelnut praline that unleashes an earthy and nutty aroma from the tea.
Before going on with the next four tastings, Holzapfel, 52, who inherited the business from his father, explained how it came to be recognised as a luxury tea label.
'For one, the teas that we buy are sourced from tea gardens that have been supplying Ronnefeldt for three generations.
'Secondly, only the youngest leaves from the best of season are used,' he said.
'And thirdly, the products have gone through rigorous testing for pesticides and organic standards to meet criteria set by the US, Australia and Japan, where the allowed pesticide residue is 1/10 million parts.'
Holzapfel says to be a tea taster takes seven years of training.
However, the ultimate criteria is in maintaining the continuation in taste, regardless of season and weather.
'For that, we have a team of tea tasters who do not smoke and drink to preserve their sensitive palates.
'Our oldest taster, who is 46, has 25 years of experience.
'And to be a tea taster takes seven years of training,' said Holzapfel.
It was at this juncture, that the No. 1 Rainfall in Paralai, a flavoured black tea from South India was introduced.
Infused with heather flowers, coriander seeds and strawberry pieces, it carries a heady fragrance of roses and the fruity notes of peach.
A spinach quiche was chosen as the afternoon tea item of choice to go with it.
Next was the No. 8 Clouds Over Baiyun Shan, which is a special blend to commemorate the tea label's 200th year anniversary.
As its name implies, the blackberry flavoured green tea with its slight traces of mint and Chinese herbs, evokes the image of a mystic temple on a cloudy, flowery hill.
As it is also slightly spicy to the palate, it was decided that a creamy mushroom and chicken sandwich would be paired.
A raspberry mousse was chosen to pair with the No. 2 Sunrise Over Cederberg, a herbal infusion of rooibos and rosemary because of its prominent natural sweetness.
Ronnefeldt teas for The Lobby Lounge afternoon tea set.
Butter scones with raspberry jam and Devon clotted cream were paired with a fruit infusion of Tibetan goji berries and moringa, aptly called No.3 Winds of Tibet.
It was divulged that the above fruit and herbal infusions are the most ideal companions for sweet items like mooncakes.
The Lobby Lounge and Ronnefeldt are hosting an afternoon tea set promotion until June 30, from noon to 6pm.
The price is RM160++ for two diners, which includes any one selection of these four blends – No.1 Rainfall in Paralai, No. 8 Clouds Over Baiyun Shan, No. 2 Sunrise Over Cederberg and No.3 Winds of Tibet.
THE LOBBY LOUNGE, Level 1, The Ritz-Carlton, 168, Jalan Imbi, Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur. Tel: 018-623 0036. Business hours: 11am-11pm, daily.
This is the writer's personal observation and is not an endorsement by StarMetro.
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