A Summer in Rivesaltes: The Spark of Creation
The story of this tea takes root in a radiant summer, in the heart of the Pyrénées-Orientales. In Rivesaltes, where orchards stretch as far as the eye can see, the apricot reigns supreme. Every year in July, the Apricot Festival celebrates this fiery-colored fruit, juicy, tangy, and bursting with sunshine. It's an unmissable event for Andrea, who, during a stroll through the market, among the overflowing stalls of ripe fruit, was struck by the intensity of these scents and wanted to take them with him. But not just in his luggage: he dreamed of capturing them in a tea. A tea that would speak of those summer days spent with cousins, playing in the orchards.
A House, an Infusion, a Legacy
Indeed, every summer, Andrea returned to the old family home, perched on a hill on the outskirts of Perpignan. A building with a somewhat sleepy charm, with faded blue shutters, nestled among fruit trees. As soon as you passed through the gate, the air was fragrant with lavender and the almost intoxicating scent of ripe, sweet, vibrant apricot. In the large kitchen with walls whitened by time, his grandmother used to prepare a simple but unforgettable apricot jam. The scent floated through the house like a promise of comfort, and the children settled on the terrace to enjoy their brioche toast, laughing, with bare feet on the tiles warmed by the sun.
Andrea never forgot that taste. And many years later, he made it the raw material for a unique tea.
Return to Origins
Returning to the village as an adult, Andrea brought his creation to the historic tea room, nestled in the village square, in the shade of plane trees. The first enthusiasts, seduced by its fruity sweetness and delicate depth, quickly made it their ritual. One sip, and everything returned: the light of summer, childhood games, the scents of the South. Paired with the local pastry chef's lemony treats, the Apricot black tea revealed a gourmet and refined palette, true to its origins and open to sharing.
