Le Mien

The Sunday Salon – The Art of Sharing

This Sunday, like every other, Mrs. Betjeman places her cup on the table, next to Monsieur's. But here, there is no perfect symmetry:Minedoes not seek itself in a mirror, it asserts itself in counterpoint. Where he loves the full-bodied depth of Sikkim in his favorite teaYours, also tinged with spices and citrus fruits, she chooses the lively freshness of Yunnan.

She only drinks green tea. And not just any green tea. She has always been quietly loyal to Chinese green teas, whose slightly earthy, almost mineral, vegetal profile she appreciates is quite different from Japanese green teas, which are more iodized, more marine, and sometimes more incisive. She loves this muted sweetness, this discreet complexity that evokes sun-baked stone more than fresh seaweed. Her palate knows its nuances, its slightest inflections, a truly intimate language.

Between Freshness and Fire – Another Intimacy

He watches her pour her tea into a thin cup with a pink, almost translucent rim. She, without saying anything, appreciates the diffuse heat rising from the black cast iron. Together, they compose a duet where each note exists for itself, but finds its place in
harmony.

Tea and food pairings
With Le Mien, she appreciates lightness without blandness. A still-warm lemon-poppy seed cake, fresh grapefruit pearls, or a green tea mousse sprinkled with zest. When entertaining, she sometimes offers an exotic fruit salad with pink peppercorns, or a cinnamon-scented shortbread, which prolongs the tea's subtle warmth. And if she feels like shaking things up, she pairs Le Mien with savory elements: a fresh goat cheese from Touraine lightly dusted with ash, coriander hummus, or even a slice of toasted bread with fleur de sel. Anything that illuminates the tea without overpowering it.

Tea-based recipes and cocktails
Make a Le Mien tea syrup (concentrated brewed tea, light brown sugar), mix it with smooth vodka, a squeeze of lime, and a dash of floral bitters. Serve in a frosted glass, garnished with a spiral of zest and a sprig of mint. A refined cocktail, perfect for evenings when you don't want to be flashy, but rather radiate a gentle glow.