The refreshing summer night breeze blowing through the window and a sweet and sour, colorful fruit tea are your companions for this evening.
With Tanabata coming up, why not write a message to that special someone?
Following on from last time, this ninth installment is brought to you from the Weekend Cafe Club Atelier. This time, we tried brewing the "7th" tea from Diaries, a tea brand from MOO:D MARK. First, we'll start with a simple hot one, followed by a tea soda arrangement recommended for summer.

MOO:D MARK x NAVARASA "Diaries Specialty Tea Gift" (5,100 yen)
A lovely tea gift arrived at the Weekend Cafe.

"MOO:D MARK" is an online gift and present store that introduces popular gifts carefully selected by Isetan's gift concierge and also suggests gift ideas. The gift we received was a specialty tea gift from "Diaries," an original tea label created in collaboration between the shop and NAVARASA, a specialty tea store.

All of the Diaries teas are blended with inspiration from "The Diary of Izumi Shikibu." It makes your heart flutter as you wonder what kind of romantic flavor it will have.

Graphic designer Tabei Mina and writer Kobayashi Erika also participated in the Diaries project.
The sweet and nuanced words "Diaries" make your heart flutter.
Of the three diaries, we chose "7th." This is a sweet and sour, colorful fruit tea inspired by the waka poem for Tanabata on July 7th in the "Izumi Shikibu Diary." It's caffeine-free, so it would make a great tea to enjoy before bed, or for pregnant or breastfeeding mothers.

The tea leaves in the foreground are from two tea bags.
The tea leaves come in triangular tea bags, making them easy to brew yet still delivering delicious flavor. The tea leaves are a blend of hibiscus, rosehip, elderberry, orange peel, lemon peel, apple, and more, and have a wonderful aroma even before you pour in hot water.

First, let's brew it hot.

For the purpose of this photo shoot, I removed the tea leaves from the teabags and put them directly into the pot. (Makes up to two tea bags)
When I poured hot water into the pot, the tea leaves jumped gracefully. In an instant, a soft, sweet red color began to seep out.
This is what the tea looks like after steeping for about 5 minutes and straining the tea leaves. A stunning, beautiful crimson color.
The tea is a beautiful ruby color that is much clearer than I imagined.

The brewed tea is a beautiful ruby color. When poured into a clear glass vessel, it shines like jewelry. The colors are so vibrant and beautiful that it makes you think it might be worth buying glass tea utensils just for this.

From the July 7th entry in Izumi Shikibu's DiaryJust as he spoke, the seventh month arrived. On the seventh day, among the people busying themselves, there were many figures such as Weaver Girl and Hikoboshi, but none of them stood out.
(Modern translation: Before I knew it, July had arrived. On the seventh, I received many letters referencing Orihime and Hikoboshi, but I paid no attention to any of them.)
When I put it in my mouth, I first felt a sweet and sour taste, followed by a subtle sweetness in the back of my throat. The sweet aroma and sourness are well balanced, and it has no peculiar taste, so I think it's easy to drink. I would recommend this cup to people who aren't used to drinking flavored tea.

It's also delicious with honey added. Drinking it before bed is sure to bring you sweet dreams.
The official website states that adding honey makes it delicious, so I tried it. If you like your tea sweet, be sure to give it a try. Of course, it's also great when you want something a little sweeter.

Next, we'll turn it into an iced tea soda.

A drowsy night on July 7th. I want to gaze at the Milky Way on the balcony with a refined tea soda in hand.
This variation is also recommended for summer entertaining. It would be great to be able to serve this kind of drink when you have friends over. It might also be a good idea to serve it as a non-alcoholic cocktail for people who don't like alcohol.

Now, let's get started.

First, brew black tea in a cup other than the teapot or the glass you want to pour it into, making it much stronger than before (the standard for this tea bag is to brew one bag with 150ml of hot water, so aim for about one-third of that). Next, mix sugar into the hot black tea. I think it tastes better on the sweeter side, but for now, just add one sugar cube. Adjust to your liking.


Pour the black tea with sugar into a glass filled with ice, filling it to about 70% of its full capacity.

We recommend choosing a strongly carbonated soda, as even a small amount will create a more fizzy feeling.

Add carbonated water to this. Again, adjust the amount to your liking. In this example, we filled this glass about 70% with strong black tea, and then added carbonated water to reach just under 10%.


Finally, garnish with lemon slices and mint and you're done! It might also be delicious to top it with berries or sorbet to your liking.

Although I diluted the hot tea this time, I also recommend adding sugar to the hot tea and then letting it chill in the refrigerator. This way, you won't need to add as much ice, and you can make a tea soda that lets you enjoy the full flavor of the tea more fully.

This tea is very delicious even when brewed simply, so I keep the basics the same. However, it's also nice to add a little extra effort to your own arrangements from time to time. It's so delicious, so I recommend making it and drinking it on a summer night, whether alone or with a special someone. I'm sure it will be a memorable drink, along with the atmosphere.

"Diaries" From left, 10th Mountain Fresh Tea, 7th Fruit Tea, 21st Peach & Bergamot Tea
Mood Mark x Navarasa's original tea "Diaries" currently comes in a lineup of three varieties. In addition to the "7th" (fruit tea) that I brewed this time, they also offer the "10th" (mountain fresh tea), inspired by a poem from around April 10th in "Izumi Shikibu Diary," and the "21st" (peach and bergamot tea / decaffeinated, with a caffeine content of less than 0.01%), inspired by a poem from around September 20th in "Izumi Shikibu Diary."

At Mood Mark, they are selling the various teas individually (1,700 yen, "10th" is 1,900 yen), as well as a 7th & 21st decaffeinated tea gift set (3,400 yen), a 10th & 21st tea gift set (3,600 yen), and a specialty tea gift set of three (5,100 yen).

The culture of "gifts" connects hearts even when we cannot meet. I believe it is one form of consideration that remains unchanged as times change from the past to the present. As a new normal begins, and kindness is no longer just about being close to others, but also about maintaining an appropriate distance from others at times, giving gifts and letters can be an opportunity to think of and feel for others.

Now, I'm thinking about giving a gift from Mood Mark to our loved ones.

That's all from the Weekend Cafe Club.
photography: NATSUME TEZUKA
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