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Feb 28

White Pear from Zhi Tea

Flavored Tea, Tea Review, White Tea, Zhi Tea 11:00 pm | No Comments

Type Of leaves: White Tea
Name Of Tea: White Pear
Available From: Zhi Tea

At first sip, I was not sure if I liked this tea. However, the more that I sipped, the more I began to appreciate the flavor of it.

The organic Bai Mu Dan tea is very soft and gentle in flavor, which is typical of most Bai Mu Dan teas I’ve sampled. And although it is very light-tasting, it seems to be just the right tea to use with this pear flavoring, which is also quite mild. Together they create a very tranquil tea that seems to encourage a peaceful mind and spirit.

These white tea leaves are of very fine quality: large, pale green in color, and covered in silvery white down. Scattered amongst the leaves are tiny bits of dried apple – which I believe is for aesthetic value and doesn’t really contribute much to the overall flavor of the cup. The aroma of the dried leaf is grassy, with a hint of fruit, a scent that seems to mellow as the tea is brewed.

Zhi Tea describes this tea as

Another exclusive Zhi blend. We take our exquisite top grade Organic Fair Trade India white bai mudan tea leaves and blend them with tiny organic apple pieces and natural pear flavor.

The resulting tea is simply divine. Exceptionally light and crisp, this makes an outstanding iced tea, as well.

I agree with the above description, this tea is simply divine! As pear is a fairly subtle tasting fruit, I do recommend adding some sweetener to enhance the pear flavoring, as the unsweetened tea tastes a bit like plain Bai Mu Dan (which isn’t a bad thing, of course, but, if that is all you wish to taste, why not just get some unflavored Bai Mu Dan?)

Interesting to note, and quite unusual: the flavor of this tea seems to intensify as it cools. Usually, the opposite is true – tea tends to become somewhat muted as it cools. For this reason, this is one tea that I would recommend highly as an iced tea. Just as the description above suggests, it is crisp and light, and is very smooth and delicious when it’s chilled.

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Feb 28

Beach Bunny from Compass Teas

Black Tea, Compass Teas, Flavored Tea, Tea Review 4:00 pm | No Comments

Type Of leaves: Black Tea
Name Of Tea: Beach Bunny
Available From: Compass Teas

I must apologize in advance for some of the lingo in my posts. But sometimes using lingo is the best way to describe tea, ya know!?

This is Nummy!

I had a HUGE honkin’ chunk of Papaya in there with other bits of Papaya and Pineapple. The flower buds look like they do in the picture. There is absolutely NO false advertising with this description! I really like this blend, very flavorful both with the tea itself and the other ingredients. And it smells GREAT too!

Compass Teas describes this tea as:

A yummy blend of Pineapple & Papaya flavors. Tastes like summer in a teacup!

Black tea- Antioxidant rich, helps keep body hydrated, may help reduce your daily calorie intake which can lead to weight loss

Pineapple & Papaya bits- Immunity boosting Vitamin C, delicious refreshing taste

Golden Chrysanthemum buds- Contains calcium, fiber, iron, magnesium, potassium & thought to help correct imbalances in liver & kidneys

Flavoring – Enhances the natural goodness of the tea

So there you have it! It’s GOOD and GOOD FOR YOU! Enjoy!

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JenniferB

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Feb 28

Shell Dishes from Pier 1 Imports

Pier 1 Imports, Tea Accessories 8:00 am | No Comments

Name of Tea Accessory:

Shell Dishes/Shell Bowls

Available From:

Pier 1 Imports

Pier 1 has both an online store and bricks-and-mortar store locations all over the United States as well as Canada and Mexico.

Pier 1 says about this item:

They say that if you put one of these Shell Dishes up to your ear, you can hear the ocean. Try it out. Just be sure there’s no crab and artichoke dip in it first. Available in big and little shell, in assorted colors.

Now, why would I say that a dish that’s supposed to be for dips is in fact a tea accessory? Here’s why, in a photo I took of my shell dishes in use:

white shell bowl with tea ball in it

That’s right, the small size shell dishes (or shell bowls; Pier 1 calls them both at different places on their web site) are just big enough to hold a 3-inch mesh tea ball, and easily big enough to hold a smaller tea ball, or other infuser, or tea bag. You may want to hand these to people when you’re serving tea – if you serve it in mugs, as I often do, you don’t have saucers. And if you’re saving the tea leaves for a second steeping, then these dishes are ideal: just pop it in the refrigerator till you’re ready to re-use the leaves. (You might want to remember to write on a notepad on the fridge what it is you’re saving; I usually don’t remember to, and so I often have, three or four days later, mystery tea. Life is an adventure.)

The small assorted shell bowls for sale on Pier 1’s web site are usually $2.00, but the white bowls in my picture are available only in the stores, not on line, and here’s the great thing: the white ones are only $1.00!

Which means you could easily go ahead and buy several, because they have other tea-related uses as well: serving small amounts of whipped butter or marmalade to go with toast, serving sugar lumps or sugar gems, holding a few lemon or lime slices… and of course, if you wanted to, you could also use them for dips, the way Pier 1 intended.

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Feb 27

Troika from Kusmi Tea

Black Tea, Flavored Tea, Kusmi Tea, Tea Review, earl grey 11:00 pm | No Comments

Type Of leaves: Black Tea
Name Of Tea: Troika
Available From: Kusmi Tea

One word to describe this tea is ‘NICE’.

But since I have to elaborate on teas, here goes:

This is NICE!

There – I said it again!

Seriously though, here we go, this Earl Grey is mellowed down by the orange and mandarin believe it or not. If you aren’t fond of Earl Grey teas give this a try, you might like it! The orange and mandarin both pair nicely and are not overly citrusy and do not have an overpowering aftertaste.

Kusmi describes this tea as:

Blend of black teas from China, India and Ceylon flavored with natural essences of bergamot, orange and mandarin. Russian blend.

I know there are Earl Grey purists out there – so this may not be for everyone – but if you are looking for something new or an Earl Grey with a twist (orange and mandarin twist to be exact) take a moment…and take a sip of this!

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Feb 27

Himalayan Apple Spice from Yogi Tea

Black Tea, Flavored Tea, Rooibos, Tea Review, Yogi Tea 4:00 pm | No Comments

Type Of leaves: Black Tea & Rooibos
Name Of Tea: Himalayan Apple Spice
Available From: Yogi Tea

: Buy Himalayan Apple Spice at iHerb.com! Use Coupon Code DUC468 to get $5 off your 1st Order!

“The best way of life is to be, simply be” is the message on this tea bag’s tag.

It seems a perfect sentiment for this particular tea that is so tasty on its own – no additional additives are needed here. The apples and the stevia in the blend provide just the right level of sweetness to make it very palatable without making it taste overly sweet – or artificially so.

What I find especially intriguing about this blend is the spices. Cinnamon, ginger, pepper and nutmeg give this tea a delicious, chai-like flavor, and is in a harmonious balance with the apple of this blend.

The base of this tea is black tea and rooibos. The rooibos adds another level of sweetness, as well as a satisfying nutty flavor that compliments the apple nicely. The black tea used here is an organic Assam, however, this is not a particularly robust Assam. Perhaps this is due to the rooibos, in any case, with this particular blend, I feel that a brisker Assam flavor would interfere with the other tastes going on in this cup, so the mellow Assam flavor is quite agreeable here.

Yogi Tea describes this blend as

Ascend the foothills of the legendary Himalayas, where the ancients created the perfect cup of tea. The journey begins with rich, full-bodied Assam black tea tempered with the sweet and earthy flavor of organic rooibos—also known as the red tea of South Africa—a powerful antioxidant. We’ve blended these delicious teas with a traditional Ayurvedic combination of cardamom, cinnamon and clove, warming spices known for their cleansing properties. Fragrant with the subtle sweetness of apple and pear, this gently invigorating tea refreshes the body and awakens the mind.*

*These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

I didn’t detect much pear flavor, as is indicated in the description. However, the apple is so pleasant that I don’t really miss it. I tried this tea without sweetener (and as I said, it’s quite pleasing this way), as well as with a dollop of honey and a splash of half-and-half, just to see how well it takes to it. Since it is very chai-like in flavor, it goes quite well with these additions, although I will caution you to go lightly with the milk/cream as it can wash away some of the more delicate apple qualities that are so delectable in this tea.

However, if you’re looking for a tea that is deliciously sweet on its own, this tea is just the ticket.

***********
Himalayan Apple Spice sent to us by iHerb.com, a natural products company, with over 200 tea products available. Use Coupon Code DUC468 to get $5 off a first time order!
***********

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Feb 27

Cosy Club Drink from The Tea Set

Flavored Tea, Rooibos, Tea Review, The Tea Set 8:00 am | No Comments

Type Of leaves: Rooibos
Name Of Tea: Cosy Club Drink
Available From: The Tea Set | Blog

I was very excited to try tea from The Tea Set for the first time and I am hoping to try some more soon.

This smells like a mixed drink but I couldn’t tell you which one. There is much mystery to this Rooibos when it comes to smell. It’s not a sweet as I thought it would be…like a Rooibos but a woodsy-alcohol type taste. Regardless it’s a bold and even taste and I think I kind of like it!

The Tea Set describes this tea as:

The Cosy Club Drink from THE TEA SET – NEW YORK is the perfect luxurious beverage to enjoy in your living room or at the club.

Organic. Surprise your date with this scented rooibos that will make our SET members unique.

Rooibos have strong benefits. They are very rich in antioxidants and vitamin C. They have a large numbers of virtues which depends on their fruits, herbs, spices or vegetables compositions. They help iron absorption and digestion, bones and skin, teeth and mouth health, allergies and nervous system. Rooibos are caffeine free so you can enjoy them day and night

I don’t know if I would have the same description in a blind taste test – maybe the idea of a COZY drink at a club played tricks with my mind and made me think I was drinking a-like-drink but this was a FUN cup! Very unique and creative – so thumbs up there!

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Feb 26

Egyptian Mint from Zhena’s Gypsy Tea

Flavored Tea, Green Tea, Tea Review, Zhena's Gyspy Tea 11:00 pm | No Comments

Type Of leaves: Green Tea
Name Of Tea: Egyptian Mint
Available From: Zhena's Gypsy Tea

Some mint teas on the market are overwhelmingly minty, on the verge of tasting a bit like mouthwash. This tea, however, is not. The peppermint is actually quite soft, and very smooth tasting.

What pleases me most about this blend is that the green tea is not masked by an overpowering mint presence. The bright, only slightly vegetative green tea is very prominent in this blend. These fresh, grassy notes work very well with the mint to create a cup that serves as a very palatable after-meal tea, or a great pick-me-up for that mid-afternoon slump.

The description for this tea on the website and the description printed on the sample package that I received do not agree, so I shall provide the description on the package.

Zhena’s Gypsy Tea says this about their Egyptian Mint Tea:

With its heady aroma, this soft steep is flavorful, distinctive and calming. Peppermint is soothing to the digestive system. One of our tastiest and most popular infusions.

Ingredients: Green Tea, Peppermint, Licorice Root.

The website indicates no licorice root in this blend, and instead lists stevia (a leafy herb that is sometimes used as a sugar substitute) as an ingredient. To be honest, I cannot detect a licorice-like flavor in this cup. Generally speaking, I am not particularly fond of stevia, because it often has a funny after taste. I’m not tasting a funny after taste either, just a very pleasant, clean feeling left on the palate courtesy of the peppermint.

So, I’m really not sure which description is correct. What I can tell you is that this is a very lovely mint green tea blend. While it is a bit softer than some mint blends I’ve tried, the flavor is still quite vibrant. It is delicious hot, and would make a very refreshing and invigorating iced tea too.

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Feb 26

Mint Chocolate Chip from SensibiliTeas

Black Tea, Flavored Tea, SensibiliTeas, Tea Review 4:00 pm | No Comments

Type Of leaves: Black Tea
Name Of Tea: Mint Chocolate Chip
Available From: SensibiliTeas

A friend of mine (MandyB) recently introduced me to a tea company that sells blends online and at a shop near Watkins Glen, NY. The company is called SensibiliTeas. They have a wonderful and creative selection of teas.

Mint Chocolate Chip is one of them and, let me tell you, I enjoyed it. It was a bit different that I thought it would be. I was expecting TONS of mint. There is still a fair share there but it certainly isn’t over the top!

Prior to steeping, this tea smells like chocolate chip cookies with a hint of mint. After steeping it morphs into a mint chocolate with no cookie scent. I could taste a very little bit of chocolate and a bit of mint.

SensibiliTeas describes this tea as:

Origin: Sri Lanka

Description: Peppermint Patties, Girl Scout Thin Mints … some of the best things in the world are mint and chocolate. Here’s a nice tea to match! 212° 1 level teaspoon tea per 8 ounces water; steep for 3-5 minutes. Organic.

It blends well. Nothing is too overpowering. Quite tasty, though.

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Feb 26

Love Affair from ESP Emporium

ESP Emporium, Flavored Tea, Rooibos, Tea Review 8:00 am | No Comments

Type Of leaves: Rooibos
Name Of Tea: Love Affair
Available From: ESP Emporium

I have a love/hate relationship with rooibos. I don’t really care for rooibos plain (unflavored), however, I do really enjoy quite a few rooibos blends.

Well, I think I’m having a Love Affair with this particular rooibos blend! It’s outstanding!

Visually, it is a declaration of love. The pink rose petals and dried strawberries add beauty to the rooibos blend, while the little pink candy hearts have their own little whimsical way of saying “I love you.”

And the aroma captures the heart – the fragrance of strawberries and chocolate is delightful, and the faint whisper of roses lingers as you brew the tea.

Of course, chocolate and strawberry is a classic flavor combination, and this blend exemplifies why. I’m not familiar with rhubarb, but as I understand it, it is quite tart. I believe the rhubarb is one of the things that makes this particular chocolate and strawberries blend so uncommonly good.

That’s because it doesn’t have that overly sweet taste that is so common with rooibos. The tartness of the fruit (and vegetable) seem to cancel out the artificial-tasting sweetness of the rooibos, and allows the sweet chocolate flavors to touch the palate. The tart tingle of this tea is also quite enchanting. What a treat!

This would make a wonderful valentine gift for the tea lover in your life!

ESP Emporium describes this rooibos blend as

In flush of the feelings… our tempting tea creation with red sugar hearts and scented rose blossoms lets each tea drinker’s heart beat faster, not only on Valentines Day or in other matters of love! This creamy, sweet composition combines heavenly chocolate, a dash of yummy strawberry tart and is refined by a light dash of the irresistible rhubarb taste!

I don’t generally drink my chocolate teas (or tisanes) iced, somehow, it just seems to me that they should be served hot. I did add a little more sugar to my cup (not much because the little candy hearts add some sweetness, as does some of the other ingredients in the blend) which just gave it a little extra sweetness – making it like a dessert in a teacup. If you’d rather not have it so sweet, it tastes very nice without the sweetener too.

This is really an outstanding rooibos blend from ESP Emporium, one that I’d recommend to any chocolate lover out there! It’s amazing!

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