This winter, RZSS Edinburgh Zoo is home to The Giant Lanterns of China, an installation of over 450 dazzling giant lanterns that will illuminate the Zoo for 50 awe-inspiring nights. To celebrate the magnificent spectacle, the UK’s leading leaf tea experts, eteaket, has collaborated with Mackie’s of Scotland to produce a refreshing and zingy tea sorbet.
150 Chinese craftsmen from Sichuan create an incredible trail around the Zoo. Working in steel and silk, they have produced 34 bespoke installations featuring 469 gigantic lanterns. The trail through these great sculptures explores three themes: China, Edinburgh Zoo, and the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland’s (RZSS) worldwide animal conservation work.
The award-winning Edinburgh based tea company eteaket was first introduced to Mackie’s of Scotland, a fourth generation family business who have been producing all natural ice cream and chocolates on the family farm in Aberdeenshire since 1986, at a networking event hosted by ETAG (Edinburgh Tourism Action Group). Both home-grown companies have a history of entrepreneurial innovation, and immediately forged a connection.
Putting their creative heads together, eteaket and Mackie’s have produced a sorbet, with a base of eteaket’s Cranberry Apple Riot herb and fruit infusion. The addition of lychee fruit, native to China, and cultivated since 1059 AD, was the icing on the cake.
Kirstin Mackie, Development Director of Mackie’s, was thrilled with the end result: “It’s refreshing and vibrant, with a good balance of flavours and we’re sure it will also be a great hit in our new ice cream parlour 19.2, where we’ll also be serving eteaket tea. We plan to present it during Chinese New Year. We will have a rolling programme of new exciting flavours and this will be a perfect addition.”
eteaket now supply their loose leaf tea to Edinburgh Zoo, being served in the famous Penguins Cafe, Grasslands Cafe and the Hot Drinks Kiosk by the entrance. A selection of eteaket teas are also available to buy and take home.
The Cranberry, Apple, Lychee Tea Sorbet was launched at the opening night of The Giant Lanterns of China and is now available to enjoy in the Zoo’s Penguins Cafe and Grasslands Cafe, as well as eteaket’s Tea Room in Edinburgh’s City Centre.
Benjamin Cochrane, Head of Operations Scotland, Levy UK – caterer to the zoo added: “We have formed a bespoke offering for this event that I’m sure everyone will enjoy. Visitors to the Zoo will be thrilled with the Giant Lanterns and we’re proud to be supporting the venture, in partnership with these suppliers who have created a great product.”
eteaket tea are a team of innovators who are constantly experimenting with their teas. The Cranberry Apple Riot blend makes a great hot brew and now a vibrant sorbet; it can also be cold pressed for a refreshing alternative to sugary soft drinks, and can be heated with wine and spices to make a festive Mulled Tea.
Angela Lyons, General Manager at eteaket said: “We’re always keen to collaborate with other like-minded Scottish companies, and we were thrilled when Mackie’s approached us with thoughts of a tea sorbet. We have been blown away by the end result – this Tea Sorbet is bursting with flavour and zing, with no artificial flavours or colours in sight!”
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