take a seat at porto formoso tea factory to drink tea with the atlantic all over you. this is one of the main tea plantations in the island, also in the north coast like gorreana tea factory, and one of our favourite spots when we are there due the astonish view you have. in s.miguel (azores) you will find the only tea plantations in europe, courtesy of the island’s balmy climate for sure.

“tea varieties are determined according to where on the bush the leaves are picked from: orange pekoe, the most delicately flavored of the three, comes from the bud and first shoot; pekoe, a less-flavored variety, is from the second leaf; and broken leaf, the least aromatic of the three, is made from fragments of the remaining leaves”

tip: 1 teaspoon of leafs for 1l of hot (not boiling water, once this will shrink the leafs) is the key for a perfect tea, which you can enjoy after 3-4 minutes infusing.

s.miguel, azores | may 2015