♡ My culture T

What is the difference between green tea and black tea?

Green tea and black tea come from the same plant: the tea plant (camellia sinensis or camellia assamica). But the fundamental difference between them is their manufacturing method. That is to say, the transformations that the tea leaves undergo after they are picked.

In fact, black tea will undergo prolonged oxidation (which will give it its dark color) while green tea will be almost immediately "cooked" with steam or in a wok after being picked in order to stop its oxidation, making it keep its original green color.

This difference in preparation will mean that black tea, contrary to popular belief, is slightly less rich in theine than green tea. Because it is not because it has more tannins (that it is more bitter, thicker, more colored) that it will be more loaded with theine than other colors of tea. A white tea, for example, can be twice as "theinated" as our good old Earl Grey of the morning.

Black tea, which is more oxidized, will also keep much longer than green tea, which will quickly lose its aroma.
Black tea can be prepared with water up to 90°C while green tea, which is more fragile, is infused in water up to 80°C (we prefer 75°C).

These instructions serve to preserve not only the taste of the tea, but also its health-giving properties.

What is rooibos?

Rooibos is a shrub of the acacia family that grows exclusively in South Africa in acidic and poor soil. It is commonly called "red tea", but this is a misnomer since this plant does not come from the tea plant and, therefore, does not contain tannin or theine unlike tea. It can therefore be drunk without risk throughout the day.

Rooibos has a sweet, almost honeyed flavor. It is infused in water between 80 and 95°C for 5 to 10 minutes depending on the desired intensity. It does not develop any bitterness even when its infusion is prolonged. Its liquor is almost brown red.

Rooibos has a strong antioxidant power and therefore slows down the aging of cells. It would reduce stress, skin problems (eczema, skin allergies), infant colic, stomach aches. But no serious research has yet been carried out.

What is Oolong?

Oolong or Wulong is called "blue tea" after the color of its dry leaf of a beautiful dark blue almost iridescent. It is what is called a semi-oxidized tea (or semi-fermented, but this name is a bad translation of the English term: semi-fermented.) halfway between non-oxidized green tea and black tea with advanced oxidation.

Depending on its oxidation (light, medium or strong), it will have a fresh and floral flavor, a buttery and nutty flavor or even a coffee flavor, almost caramelized. Its liquor varies between pale green and dark brown, always depending on its oxidation.
Oolong is a tea that generally has very little theine, so it can be drunk until late afternoon.

What is white tea?

White tea is yet another color of tea. It is a tea that has undergone minimal oxidation, much shorter than black tea. Its more expensive manufacturing makes it a tea often more expensive than its counterparts. White tea is the closest thing to the fresh leaf, it is neither "cooked" nor rolled, so it is the tea that best preserves its vitamins, for example. It has a very mild flavor, sweet for some vintages and its liquor is pale yellow, almost transparent.

What is matcha?

Matcha is a Japanese green tea ground into a very fine powder, crushed between two stone millstones. It is used during Cha No Yu, the tea ceremony in Japan.

Matcha is only produced in Japan from Tencha, a green tea whose leaves are partially covered in order to deprive them of sunlight a few weeks before harvest, darkening the leaves and stopping photosynthesis.
This is to speed up the production of amino acids and give it that special taste that in Japan is called "umami".

Matcha is generally an expensive tea, but its price depends mainly on its quality and the method of production. Generally speaking, the less bitter a matcha is, the better and healthier it is. A powdered tea that is not produced from Tencha leaves cannot normally be called matcha.

Matcha offers all the qualities of a classic green tea, but multiplied, since its leaf is consumed and not just infused.

Preparing matcha:
The matcha is sieved. This is not mandatory, but it avoids lumps.

A bamboo spoon called a chashaku is used to place between one and three spoonfuls at the bottom of the bowl. (Two chashaku are equivalent to a flat teaspoon).

Then pour a small amount of water into the bowl (around 10cl) heated to between 60 and 80°C maximum so as not to burn the tea.

Beat vigorously for a few seconds using a bamboo whisk called a chasen, making “W” shapes.

A well-prepared matcha is one with fine bubbles, no lumps and no powder remaining on the sides of the bowl.

There are two ways to prepare matcha. The usucha mentioned above and the koicha which will produce a very thick matcha with the consistency of honey. To do this, put about three to four spoonfuls in the bowl (a nice rounded teaspoon) and reduce the amount of water by half (about 5cl). The koicha will be mixed more slowly using circular movements without producing foam.

Its taste being slightly bitter, matcha goes wonderfully with sweet things. This is why it is widely used in baking today.

You can also make a “matcha latte” by adding hot milk (animal or vegetable).

What makes a tea good?

There is no secret, a tea is better when you pay particular attention to its picking and processing.

The more buds a tea contains, the higher the quality and health benefits it will have. Because it is in the tea buds that most of its benefits are hidden, such as its antioxidants, for example, or even its theine. And yes! The more buds a tea contains, the more "theinated" it will be.

Hand picking is also a sign of quality in most countries (except in Japan where they use state-of-the-art machines). Because on a tea plant, we generally only harvest the first leaves. More tender and better. Hand picking allows this precision that most machines do not have. Let's not forget that everything that is on and in the leaf passes into the water.

Given all these elements, we can therefore understand that two black teas from the same brand or from two competitors, for example, can have significant price differences.

There is no single quality in tea, just as there is no single price.

♡ My tea

How many cups of tea can I make with 100g of loose tea?

By putting about 5g of tea per cup, you will make about 25 cups.
With 100g of loose tea, you make between 5 and 10L of tea.

How long can I keep my tea?

After opening the bag or metal box, the optimal usage time is six months. During this time, the tea has not had time to lose its flavor.

Please note that tea is a dry product, if well stored away from humidity and light, it remains drinkable for years. If you keep your tea for more than three years, for example, consider increasing the quantities slightly.

Also note that a heavily oxidized black tea or oolong tea will keep its original aromas much longer than a green tea or white tea.

How do I prepare my tea properly?

There is no single rule for preparing tea properly. Each country has its own traditions, but here we give you the different methods tested and approved by the Mademoiselle's.

Note that the lower you go from the recommended water temperature here, on the product sheet or on the packaging, the longer you need to steep the brewing time.

Letting a tea steep longer than recommended can result in bitterness!

The instructions below are valid for infusing flavored teas in a cup or large teapot, but some finer teas, called "grands crus" prefer preparations in a gaiwan or very small teapot.

Green tea
2g of tea for 10cl of water.
2 to 3 minutes in water at 75°C maximum.

Japanese green tea
Japanese teas are more fragile than their other counterparts, particularly early or shaded teas, so pay close attention to their infusion.
2g of tea for 10cl of water.
1 to 2 minutes in water at 65°C maximum. (50°C for Gyokuro).

Black tea
Black tea doesn't mind very hot water, but it's best not to reach 100°C if you don't want to spend 30 minutes blowing into your cup to cool it down.
2g of tea for 10cl of water.
3 to 5 minutes in water at 90°C maximum.

Blue tea (oolong)
2g of tea for 10cl of water.
5 to 7 minutes in water at 90°C maximum.

White tea
2g of tea for 10cl of water.
5 to 8 minutes in water at 75°C maximum.
8 to 12 minutes in water at 70°C maximum for a white tea with many buds that are more fragile and slower to open.

Matcha
Find all the advice for preparing your matcha in the “My T culture” section, What is Matcha?

Infusion and rooibos
There is no rule for infusions. The longer you leave it, the more pronounced its taste will be. We still recommend that you use rather hot water (between 80 and 90°C) and an equally long infusion time (6 to 12 minutes). But with infusions, nothing prevents you from reducing or increasing the infusion time, or even the dosage, according to your taste.

Can you decaffeinate tea?

There is a very simple method for this, since the tea leaves release their theine within the first few seconds.

With simmering water, make a first infusion for about fifteen seconds then throw away the water.

Then add water to the wet leaves and let it infuse for the recommended time. Most of the theine will then be released into the first water.

Note that Pu Erh and oolong are low-caffeine teas, so you can enjoy them until late afternoon or even in the evening if you are not sensitive to theine.

How do I prepare my iced tea?

There are two methods for making iced tea properly.

The hot method which consists of making a fairly strong hot tea (double the volumes of tea) and adding a good quantity of ice cubes for immediate tasting.

The second method, the one we prefer because it does not release any bitterness, is the cold method. To do this, simply prepare a tea as you would for a hot tea, but do it in cold or room temperature water. The infusion will be long, but you will have a more accurate taste.

Green iced tea
15 to 20g of tea for 1L of water.
20 to 30 minutes in cold or room temperature water.
Taste at 20 minutes and then every 5 minutes until the taste of your tea is perfect for you.
Store in the refrigerator for 3 days.

Black, oolong, white iced tea
15 to 20g of tea for 1L of water.
30 to 45 minutes in cold or room temperature water.
Taste at 30 minutes and then every 5 minutes until the taste of your tea is perfect for you.
Store in the refrigerator for 3 days.

Infusion, iced rooibos
20 to 30g of infusion for 1L of water.
From 1 hour to overnight (for all infusions except those containing citrus pieces) in cold or room temperature water.
Taste after an hour, if you want something sweeter leave it a few more hours.
Store in the refrigerator for 3 days.

♡ My order

Is my order confirmed?

As soon as you have validated your order, a confirmation email will be sent to the email address you provided.

Can I choose a different shipping address than the one on my account?

You can have your order delivered to the address that suits you best. When ordering, specify the new delivery address by checking the box at the bottom of your billing information: ship to a different address?

I can't place an order. What should I do?

If you encounter any problems placing your order, we invite you to send us an email via the contact form. In order for the problem to be resolved as quickly as possible, we invite you to explain your problem to us as precisely as possible.

My promo code doesn't work.

First, make sure you are logged in to your account. Sometimes offers have eligibility conditions. An unregistered customer may not be eligible for them.

If you are logged in successfully and your code still does not work, it is possible that you have added unnecessary spaces before and/or after the code.

This is often the result of a copy/paste. Please note, only one promotional code per order.

It is also possible that your code is expired or does not work on certain
products/collections or under a minimum amount. All conditions of use are explained in our Newsletters.

If after checking all these points your code still does not work, do not hesitate to send us a message via the "contact us" page accessible from the site menu.

Can I keep items in my cart and check out later?

Yes, it is possible! This is also an example of what cookies can be used for on the site. Your products will remain in your basket for a while without creating an account. But if you want to be sure to find them again, the best thing to do is to register.

Can I receive samples?

When launching certain new products and collections, in order to help you discover them, we offer you a sample to taste. But this is not systematic with each order.

Unfortunately, our sample stocks mean that not all teas can be sent in small pouches. However, we hope that these one-off gifts will please you and that tasting them will make you want to know Le Jardin de Mademoiselle more widely.

I haven't received my order yet

First check the delivery time. For Metropolitan France, the delivery time for standard delivery orders is 4 to 6 working days. Your package may therefore be in the process of being delivered or already delivered to a post office if you were absent when the delivery person came. You have received a link to track your package by email. Remember to check it carefully.

If, despite all the attention we pay to our shipments, you have no idea where your order is, do not hesitate to send us a message via the "contact us" tab. In order for us to deal with your problem as quickly as possible, do not forget to send us your order number and the tracking number, both of which were sent to you by email.

A product is missing from my order/an item arrived damaged.

If, despite all the attention we pay to our shipments, you have no idea where your order is, do not hesitate to send us a message via the "contact us" tab. In order for us to deal with your problem as quickly as possible, do not forget to send us your order number and the tracking number, both of which were sent to you by email.

How can I change or cancel my order?

In order to send you your order as quickly as possible, it is immediately processed and prepared. After validation we are therefore unable to cancel it.

You can nevertheless refuse the package upon receipt or exercise your right of withdrawal.

I wish to return my order.

If, despite all the attention we pay to our products, you change your mind, you have 14 clear days from receipt of the products to exercise your right of withdrawal. Simply write to us from the “contact us” page asking for the withdrawal form and return it to us by email.

The package will be returned to this address: Le Jardin de Mademoiselle - 69 rue Saint-Dominique - Paris.

Please note that the shipping costs of your order and the return costs will not be refunded.

♡ My account

How to create an account?

Are you new? We'll guide you! On the home page, click on the "my account" icon at the top right. Under "register", enter an email address and a password then click on "register".

How do I log in to my account?

Already registered? Perfect! On the home page, click on the “my account” tab at the top right.
Under "Login", enter the email address you used to register the first time and the associated password, then click on "Login". If you want to log in automatically next time, check the "Remember me" box.

I can't place an order. I forgot my password.

No problem! When you log in to your account, simply click on "lost password?" and enter the email address you used when you registered. Then click OK. After a few moments, you will receive an email with a link that will allow you to create a new password.

How do I modify my account (contact details, email, etc.)?

You can modify your information directly via your account by clicking on the “my account” icon.

A problem with your account?

For any other questions, please do not hesitate to inform us via the "contact us" form located at the top of the home page. We will make sure to process your request as quickly as possible.

How do I subscribe to the newsletter?

Would you like to discover even more secrets in Le Jardin de Mademoiselle? Nothing could be simpler! To be kept informed of our news, our new products, our offers and our favorites, enter your email address in the field located at the bottom of each page of the site.

And what about your personal data?

You have the right to access, modify and delete your personal data.
To do this, you can send us an email using the contact form.

Le Jardin de Mademoiselle is subject to the European General Data Protection Regulation n°2016/679 of April 27, 2016 (GDPR).
Le Jardin de Mademoiselle is committed to preserving the confidentiality and security of your data so that it is neither distorted nor used by unauthorized third parties. This personal information is strictly reserved for internal use.

For more information, please refer to our Privacy Policy.

How to write a product review?

If you want to write a review on one of our products, simply go to the product page in question, click on the “reviews” tab on the right of the screen and write your review.

♡ You didn't find the answer to your questions? ♡

Send us a sweet note. The charming sales team at Mademoiselle's will be happy to answer you as soon as possible. Don't hesitate to include your phone number.

To write to us, it's here !