Green Olive, Mandarin Cake & Dried Pear Tea

Why people make this tea

This is one of the most widely beloved Cantonese family teas for protecting the throat during seasonal infections. Green olives (qing lan) are a different fruit from the Mediterranean olive — a fresh, slightly astringent stone fruit with the highest calcium content of any common fruit, traditionally used to clear throat heat, ease phlegm, and even help with food poisoning. Mandarin cake (ju bing) is a preserved whole mandarin — moist, sweet, and packed with dietary fibre and pectin — used for clearing congestion and regulating digestive qi. Dried pear is gentler than fresh pear; the low-temperature drying process removes some of the pear’s cooling nature while keeping its moistening effect on the lungs and skin. Together these three ingredients make a tea that is easy to prepare, pleasant to drink, and well-suited to the whole family.