Drink a rose

My first trip to China was in 1999. We were treated to a tea ceremony as part of our tour. I know it was probably a tourist trap but the woman who served us was memorizing. She explained every tea, had a story about each one. Her fingers were small and dainty, her face was like a water painting of ladies from the imperial court or maybe like the China doll my father brought me when he came back from the far east. She carefully poured the tea for us lifting it right at the end for effect. She said and I believed her that women for thousands of years drank the rose tea to keep their skin young and smooth. This was  the "ladies tea".  You also drink it to stay healthy she said. Was there something magical about roses? rosebuds. They drink it to keep their porcelain luminescent youthful complexion. 

Rosebuds it turns out are packed full with vitamin C which is essential for ...well everyone knows for your immunity but they put it in face creams and cleansers to gently peel the dead skin cells...maybe that's how the tea works.  It makes an aromatic floral tea...perfect with a small dollop of honey and great for dipping biscotti or shortbread.