Where to Buy:  Where Matcha Mountains Products are sold

Product Description:

Rich berry flavour with a hint of chocolate, using fair-trade organic dutch cocoa powder. This all time favourite is perfect for a hot beverage or milkshake. Raspberries and chocolate are a perfect pairing, liquid dessert in a cup!

Taster’s Review:

I held on to this sample for a while … not because I didn’t think I’d like it (the way I often do with samples of herbal tisanes, for example), but because I knew I would.  I wanted to save it for a day when I could really savor it.  Well, many moments like that have passed, but this matcha latte mix didn’t cross my mind until now.

But, I am so happy to be sitting here, tasting it now!  It is so good!  Rich, creamy and decadent.  Just as the description above suggests, this is really a “liquid dessert in a cup!”  Or should I say “liquid dessert in a chawan”?

It has a very good balance of chocolate and raspberry flavor.  I don’t taste as much of the green tea flavor, but it does manage to weave its way in and out of the sip.  Hints of its bittersweet vegetative taste unite so harmoniously with the creamy chocolate and tart and tangy raspberry that tickles the tongue in the aftertaste.  The contrast of flavors is very nice.   Sweet, rich and deeee-lish … and much better than anything I’ve ever ordered from the local coffee shop!

I recommend using a little less milk than called for in the instructions.  I heated up the full 12 ounces, but ended up using only about 10 ounces in my latte, and it came out perfectly.  It froths up to create a very rich and creamy bowl of matcha that’s good to the last bit (and it stayed blended throughout – no need to re-whisk as I arrived toward the bottom of the bowl.

Where to Buy:  Tea Forté

Product Description:

Gingko with the lush flavor of juicy pear will have you revisting your purpose, bringing focus to your mind.

Ingredients:  sorbitol, xylitol, natural flavors, Fair Trade Certified™ organic white tea, organic ginkgo, calcium stearate

Taster’s Review:

Hmm… I like these.  I wasn’t really sure about them at first … I’ve tried tea mints, some I’ve liked, and some … not so much.  But these are quite nice.  Not too sweet, and I like that even though they’ve only 1 calorie, they’ve not been sweetened using aspartame – to which I’m allergic.  I also like that they’re only 1 calorie because they’re quite tasty and I found myself wanting another after the first… and another after that.

The flavor is intense.  The ginger is the strongest note, and the pear comes through nicely.  I don’t get much gingko flavor (which I’m not crazy about anyway, so that’s a good thing), but I also don’t get a lot of white tea flavor.  I can taste hints of both of these flavors, but nothing as strong or pervasive as the ginger.

It has a very zesty taste that leaves the mouth feeling clean and fresh.  It doesn’t taste sweet or like I’ve been eating candy, it just feels clean.  Exhilarating.  The freshness remains a while after the mint has dissolved.

As for the “Regroup” or focus aspect of the mint, it is hard to report on something like that … perhaps because I didn’t feel unfocused before I popped the mint into my mouth.  But, what I can say is that the flavor is zesty enough to really grab my attention.  So perhaps it is doing its job and I just didn’t notice because I was enjoying the flavor.

A tasty alternative to the typical breath mint.

As most of you probably already know, here at SororiTea Sisters, we are all about reviews of all things tea.  But, sometimes, something special crosses our desk that we just have to share with our readers…

We have reviewed several teas from Supple Skin Boutique, like their Chai (mmm… warm and inviting!), their Japanese Sencha (sweet with a light, buttery tone), and many others.

Well, apparently we aren’t the only ones who have noticed that Supple Skin Boutique has some pretty amazing teas!  Groupon has, and right now Groupon subscribers in Houston can receive a 50% discount ($16 worth of teas for just $8!) on Supple Skin Boutique’s awesome teas.  But, why should Houston get all the fun?

To our loyal readers, we are offering you the chance to get in on this special savings too!  And… here’s a special incentive that is available to ONLY our readers:  Order this special offer from Groupon, and when you place your order with Supple Skin Boutique using this discount, add the coupon code:  teareviewer.  The first 50 readers who use this code will receive (absolutely free!) an additional sample (.5 ounces) of their Organic Oolong!

Savings PLUS free tea?  See?  It pays to read our blog!

This offer is available to the first 50 readers who use the special coupon code along with the Groupon discount.  Don’t forget to use the coupon code:  teareviewer for your free Organic Oolong!  Hurry, the Groupon offer expires on October 31, and the free sample of Organic Oolong is available to only the first 50 who use the coupon code!

Tea Type: Black Tea Base

Where To Buy: Marley Beverages

Product Description:

Lemonade & Tea – All Natural Relaxation Marley’s Mellow Mood Lite – Half Lemonade – Half Tea.  Reduces stress & relives tension – decaffeinated.

Ingredients:

Water, Sugar, Erythritol, Black Tea, Pear Juice Concentrate, Lemon Juice Concentrate, Sodium Citrate, Stevia Leaf Extract.

Also contains: Chamomile Extract, Lemon Balm Extract, Valerian Root Extract, Hops Extract (Flower), Passion Flower Extract, Melatonin.

Tasters Review:

Most of you who have been following this site for a while know I am a Bob Marley Fan.  You may also know that we have reviewed other Marley Beverage Products here in the past.  I, for one, enjoy them!

What you may NOT know (yet) is that our Marley’s Mellow Mood Reviews have brought us LOTS of new readers!  We always welcome them with open arms!  Just as Bob would!  You see…Anne and I have the capabilities to see which keywords from which search engines bring us clicks.  TONS of them are because of our reviews on Marley’s Mellow Mood Products – this makes us VERY happy!  This means that LOTS of people out there are thinking and researching these products!  And for them to take the time to visit our site – we are ALWAYS grateful!   So, once again, WELCOME to those who are visiting specifically for the Marley Beverage reviews!  We hope you bookmark us!  And welcome back to our occasional as well as loyal visitors!

Having said all of that – we have another Marley’s Mellow Mood product review today!  This time around we are featuring their Half Lemonade – Half Tea.

It certainly looks like iced tea in the bottle which carries the very recognizable Marley label!  (Yes, I collect the bottles!  I save at least one of each product!)

Once I cracked the cap there was a mellow yet sweet lemony and iced tea aroma coming from the bottle.  It’s very pleasing!

I would say there is more lemonade than iced tea taste – at first taste – but the flavor is perfect!  The Lemonade is a sweeter lemonade not a puckery one.  The lemonade flavor itself reminds me of that fresh squeezed lemonade you get at those street fair stands – the ones where they squeeze it upon ordering and add real sugar to it right in front of you and then drop in lemon chunks to top it off!   Yeah!  That kind of Lemonade!  The tea IS present but underneath.  I can notice the tea taste linger a bit more at the end of the sip and on to the aftertaste.

Years ago my Grandfather used to make sun tea.  I’m not sure if everyone who makes sun tea makes it the way he did but I will tell you it was THAT memorable.  And this reminds me of it a little.  He used to put several plain black tea bags in a glass see-thru pitcher or jug with water and let it sit in the Florida Sun all day…easy as that!  Sometimes he would add fresh, whole lemons halved or sliced, even!  Once the tea water was to the shade of dark he was looking for he would then bring it inside and add ice.  Sometimes he would squeeze more lemon juice in there.  And, of course, sometimes he would make it into his afternoon tonic.  Regardless – this flavor remind me of him.

Even tho this is sweet – it’s fairly smooth, too!  I think that helps with the aftertaste.  Many of you know I am pretty particular about aftertastes!  This is very nice!  It’s gently lingers but it’s not too overpowering and it doesn’t have a funky artificial aftertaste to it…it’s a simple lemon and tea hint.

I really think the market for this product is limitless!  You have those interested in TEA, those into Lemonade, and those who are looking for a combo of the two.  In addition, most people who are fans of Bob Marley – or any of the Marleys and/or the charities they support are apt to try this product!  PLUS…you have the natural and health aspects of the product!  AND…the Marley Beverage Company is doing a lot to promote these great products!  With their internet presence, social media, displays are various health food stores and chain stores, as well as being involved with a few Summer Festivals – they also support various charities – which I have mentioned in my previous reviews.  More recently I read that the Marley’s donated $100,000 to Charity Water!  That’s wonderful!  I’m so happy Marley Beverages is coming out with more Tea Products!  And we are very excited to try them and review them!

This is another winner from Marley Beverages!  The flavor is natural, REAL, flavorful, and darn right tasty!  On a personal level it takes me back to my childhood and memories of my Grandfather who I miss very much.  It also is a wonderful tribute to Bob Marley and he would be proud to have his face on this product!  Another GREAT JOB, Marley’s!  From your friends at Sororitea Sisters!

Where to Buy:  Life In Teacup

Product Information:

These are not just tea-flavored chocolate. They are Green Chocolate – a certified organic product made in German, with Japanese organic green tea powder and 29% cocoa butter!

Ingredients (all organic from natural agriculture)
- Premium, organic green tea powder and green tea leaves (6%) from Japanese Kabushecha (half-shaded grown traditionally)
- Organic cocoa butter (29%)
- Organic raw cane suger
- Organic milk powder
- Emulsifier: soy lecithin, vanille
May contain traces of nuts, gluten and cereal components

European Union Certified Organic Product!

Taster’s Review:

These are AWESOME!

I like Matcha.  I like white chocolate (it’s alright, but, if given the choice, I’d choose real chocolate every time).  But… when the two are brought together like they are in this product, they become amazing!  I can easily say that I prefer this to a cup of Matcha or a piece of white chocolate.  It is absolutely sublime!

The color of the tiny bar (or “kiss”) is olive green, and I can see tiny particles of leaf in the bar.  It is soft to bite into (but then, it is summer!  It might give a bit more of a “snap” if refrigerated or in cooler weather), and immediately, I can feel the creamy white chocolate texture.

The flavor is sweet and it has a nice Matcha flavor – vegetative and smooth, with hints of bitterness that is a very pleasing contrast to the sweetness of the white chocolate.  It is so smooth and creamy.  YUM!  This doesn’t really taste like white chocolate – it tastes like “Green Chocolate.”  It takes on its own unique flavor.

And that means that you don’t have to be a fan of white chocolate to enjoy these tasty bits of joy!  If you are a chocoholic, you really must try this.  It’s a whole new take on chocolate!

This is a Product Review: Tea Crafts

Designer: Corazon Dulce

Where To Buy: MyGrafico

Direct link to this set in their shop is located HERE.

DESCRIPTION:

Where to Buy:  Samovar

Product Description:

The new Breville One-Touch Tea Maker is a revolutionary tea experience. The fully automated tea basket moves down, then up, gently agitating the leaves to precisely infuse your tea. Push the basket button and watch the basket cycle in and out of immersion. Seeing is believing.

Different tea varietals such as Black, Green, White, and Oolong require exact water temperatures and controlled brew times to allow their unique flavors and aromas to develop during brewing. The One-Touch Tea Maker eliminates the guesswork so you can enjoy a perfect cup of tea, every time.

Fully programmable for all types of tea, water temperatures, and steep times. The moving tea basket allows water to circulate freely around the individual tea leaves for maximum infusion. Set the timer and wake up to the aroma of your favorite brew. The German-made Schott glass kettle is durable and stain resistant.

Relaxation – from start to finish.

Suggested Retail Price:  $249.00

Review:

I want to preface this review by saying I have wanted one of these devices for well over a year, but, let’s face it, $249.00 is quite a lot of money to shell out, especially for what would appear to be a uni-tasker (borrowed that term from Alton Brown)  But, since I drink tea all day, every day, it eventually became a price I was willing to pay.  Perhaps the occasional tea drinker may see no need for such a lavish price for a tea maker, but, those of you who drink tea as often as I do, I think you probably know where I’m coming from.

My First Impression:  THRILLED!  I was practically stalking my front window watching for the FedEx truck!  In fact, once while I was waiting, a FedEx truck did drive down my street but was delivering (or picking up) something from the house a few doors down.  So when it finally arrived, I think I actually did a dance.  I can’t tell you if I did or not, because the details are all a little blurry – yeah, I was that excited.  Samovar’s shipping of this product was very prompt, and they have excellent customer service too!

It was simple to clean and prep for the first use, just a quick sudsy bath for the tea basket, tea basket lid and tea pot lid, and then fill the kettle to the max fill line with water and bring it to a boil, discarding the water once it’s boiled.  Then it’s ready for use.  It almost seemed too easy to me, so I decided to do a second boiling, just to make sure I was rid of any production dust.

It’s simple to use too.  Just measure out the desired amount of water in the kettle, and then measure the appropriate amount of tea into the basket, snap on the basket lid, and slide the basket onto the magnetic thingamabob in the kettle.  It’s a strong magnet!  Then click the controls, I used the custom controls for my first steeping as I’m still getting familiar with the device.

The resulting tea?  Fabulous!  Just as good as if I would have poured the boiling water into the teapot, set the timer and allowed the tea to steep, and then strained the leaves from the brewed tea.   Only… I didn’t have to do any of that.  I just had to add water and tea to the device and it did the rest.  It could also be argued that the tea from the Breville One-Touch is even better than the old-fashioned process, because the water retains its heat as it steeps, which in turn allows the leaves to steep properly.

Cons:  Well, having only owned it for a couple of weeks now, I don’t have a lot of cons to discuss, but, there are a couple of things that I would change for future models.  First, I would like a louder chime.  I don’t know if this is something I can regulate myself, I guess I should consult the manual!  The chime is very quiet and unless I’m in the kitchen, I can’t hear it.

Second, I would like better custom controls.  I can only adjust steeping time at 30 second intervals, and I would like to adjust them by 10 or 15 second intervals.  Thirty seconds is a large span of time when it comes to brewing tea.

There are those who might suggest that the short cord is a “con” but, in my opinion, it is a “pro” – I like the short cord, because my kitchen has many outlets throughout the kitchen, and I seem to have an abundance of excess “cord” from the various appliances that I have on my counters.  This cord doesn’t get in the way.  It is the perfect length, and I like that there is a spindle at the bottom of the base that allows me to wrap or unwrap the cord, which allows me to keep the cord at a manageable length.

Overall, I love my Breville One-Touch and I’d recommend it to anyone who drinks more than a pot of tea on a daily basis.  I’ve had my tea maker for less than a month now, and I don’t know how I’ve lived this long without it!  It has not only become an essential appliance in my home, but, it is also probably second only to the refrigerator the most used appliance in my house.

For more information about this product:  Third Street Chai

Third Street Chai products are sold on Amazon

Product Description:

Made with organic lemon juice, luscious fresh ginger & sweetened with 100% real cane juice.

Taster’s Review:

OK, so this isn’t tea.  You’ve probably already guessed that.  But, since it is produced by the same company that creates yummy chai and iced tea concentrates, I felt it was alright to review this product too.

I really don’t drink a lot of lemonade – not just because I’m a fan of tea, but also because I really don’t care for most of the lemonade mixes out there and I don’t like squeezing lemons myself to make my own lemonade.  But that doesn’t mean I don’t like lemonade.  I guess I was just spoiled by my gramma who had a very prolific lemon tree in her back yard and would make fresh lemonade.  That amazing lemonade turned me into something of a lemonade snob.

But this stuff is different!  This is yummy!

The addition of ginger is brilliant as it gives a very pleasing contrast of flavors.  This isn’t your ordinary tart-yet-sweet lemonade.  The light peppery taste of the ginger gives this a very refreshing twist.  It doesn’t taste or feel as cloying as a typical “soft drink” lemonade might.  The ginger cuts through some of the sweetness, although it isn’t an overwhelming presence.  It’s a very light touch of ginger.

This lemonade is so very refreshing and delicious.  The mixing is simple, 1 part lemonade concentrate to 3 parts fresh water.  Much easier than squeezing your own lemons!   And for those who are crazy about tea (like me) try adding this to your tea to make an Arnold Palmer (half tea/half lemonade).  YUM!

Where to Buy:  Sticky Fingers Bakeries

Product Description:

Fresh ginger is the star of this scone, supported by a burst of succulent lemon. Two flavors that are meant to be together…

Taster’s Review:

I’ve had this scones mix stashed away for a couple of months now, just waiting for just the right time.  I guess tonight was it.  I wanted something deliciously “homey” but not a heavy, overly sweet treat, and above all, something that was fast and easy.  That certainly describes these scones perfectly.

The mix is incredibly easy to prepare.  Just add water, stir until moistened and sticky, and then drop biscuit-sized spoonfuls onto the baking sheet and bake for about 15 minutes.  Before baking, I opted to sprinkle a little raw sugar on top of each scone to add a nice texture and sparkle to the finished scone.  While this final step was completely optional, I do like the crunch the sugar topping provides.

The texture of the baked scone is not unlike other scones from this company that I’ve reviewed.  As I said in that review, the texture is “somewhere between a biscuit and a cake” and that is pretty accurate.  It has a nice crumb and has a pleasant moistness.  It doesn’t come off as “heavy.”  The lemon flavor enhances this even further, giving it a light feel.

The lemon is not an overbearing flavor.  The scones aren’t particularly sour, instead, it is more like a sweet lemon-y taste.  The real star of these scones is the ginger – which is a subtle flavor but it adds just the right amount of kick and contrasting flavor to the scone.

I served these scones simply with room temperature butter, and it made for a tasty treat.  A dollop of lemon curd would certainly enhance the lemony qualities of these scones, but, I think it might be a tad too much lemon – so unless you’re really in to lemon, I’d suggest something else.  Perhaps a little raspberry jam?

Of the several flavors I’ve tried from Sticky Fingers Bakeries thus far, this one just might be my favorite.  I love the aftertaste that lingers on the palate – lemony and sweet, with a slight touch of ginger.  YUM!

Where to Buy:  The Groovy Baker on Etsy

Product Description:

The candy base on this one is a nice vanilla cream, sweetened with just a touch of honey

~ flecks of high quality Earl Grey make it awesome.

Added bonus? They look all spooky and cool. =)

Taster’s Review:

Of the six different lollipops that I’ve tasted from the Groovy Baker thus far, this one was perhaps the most confusing.  I think I was hoping for a little more Earl Grey flavor.

Don’t get me wrong, these are still really tasty.  And I love the vanilla/honey flavor of the candy.  But I think that I was expecting it to have a little more tangy bergamot citrus tones, a little more brisk black tea flavor.  Those notes don’t come until you’ve licked on the lollipop for a while and some of the tea leaves that have been embedded in the candy have “steeped” some of their flavor onto the palate.

And when those Earl Grey flavors do finally arrive – YUM!  This becomes a real tea lovers treat.  The vanilla is creamy and smooth.  The honey notes are a delicious addition to this confection, reminding me of my earlier experiences with tea when I still added quite a bit of honey to each cup.  Now that my palate has matured a little, I am adding less of the sweet stuff (and sometimes no sweet stuff!) but my sweet tooth sometimes still wants it!  This lollipop satisfies those sweet tooth cravings while still appealing to the tea lover in me.

On the down side, the larger tea leaves can be a bit rough on the tongue.  I would suggest that the tea leaves be finely ground before sprinkling them onto the lollipops – I think it would also help to distribute the Earl Grey flavoring a little better.  But even with the larger pieces of leaves, these are still really delicious.

Here’s an idea:   use this lollipop as a tea stirrer – letting the lollipop dissolve in the tea.  YUM YUM YUM!