Creme Le Jasmine from BlendBee. . . .

by Sophia

You all know I am a huge fan of Creme Brûlée & Creme Brûlée flavored teas, I’ve talked about them so much! So clearly, this Creme Le Jasmine green tea blend from Blend Bee would be right up my ally. Jasmine is one of those flowers that people usually either love or hate. For me, I generally enjoy it because it tends to relax me. However, it does depend on what it’s mixed with. This specific blend consists of Jasmine Green Tea, Jasmine Flowers, Marshmallow Root, Chamomile, Agrimony Herb, and Custard & Vanilla extracts. Doesn’t it sound delicious?

Well, it sounds delicious AND tastes delicious. The Jasmine Green Tea is actually very light, so if you aren’t always a fan of Jasmine you may still enjoy this. I added a little agave to my cup, but it really wasn’t necessary because the vanilla and custard flavors definitely sweeten it up on their own. Even the marshmallow adds a delicious touch and really helps to resemble that crunchy, burnt sugar signature Creme Brûlée topping! This blend tastes like the inside custard of Creme Brûlée sprinkled with essence of Jasmine! Since it is a Green Tea blend, it’s light enough to enjoy even in the summertime!

Now I wonder how it would taste iced…. Definitely try a cup from Blend Bee today!

Here’s the scoop!

Leaf Type:  Green
Where to Buy: BlendBee
Description

This tea is no longer available but click below for teas that are.

Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!

Sophia

Hi, my name is Sophia. I am a first time mother to a beautiful little girl who will be 1 in July 2017. I spend my days at home with her and when I get a minute to myself, I usually spend that time making, drinking, or researching tea! My love for loose leaf tea is relatively new. When I was pregnant with my daughter, my mother (a tea addict herself) brought me to DAVIDsTEA. I enjoyed a cup of their Coconut Cream Pie Oolong and was instantly hooked! Since then, my addiction has grown to fill entire cabinets, and shows no sign of stopping. I am the creator of the Facebook group CommuniTEA where we have one big tea discussion. It is a great group for those new to the tea-world. I feel strongly about spreading the joy of loose leaf tea. I like making instructional videos and helping those that are new to the art of tea-making so that they, too, can share in the happiness that tea brings. I am excited to see where this hobby takes me and I will continue to spread the joy!

This post was posted in BlendBee, Green Tea

Organic Throat Coat from Traditional Medicinals. . . .

by Sophia

Ever since I was a kid I’ve had throat issues. I got strep throat almost every year. My mother is a nurse and she is really into organic and natural products. One day she came home with this tea and she told me to drink it before bed when my throat was bothering me this one time. The next morning I swear that I felt so much better. Ever since, I have always kept this tea on hand for when my throat started acting up. It works every time. If the issue is strep, it may not rid it completely of course (you need to see a doctor and get antibiotics) but it will definitely ease the pain and make it a little more bearable. This tea is very soothing and it tastes delicious.

This is a blend that comes in a pre-packaged tea bag. Although I am not usually a fan of anything in a tea bag, I prefer loose leaf, but this tea brews strong enough that I truly wouldn’t know the difference. This blend is absolutely delicious, seriously it is! Not only is it soothing on a sore throat or just great for overall throat health, it is tasty and not the stereotypical “medicine tasting” herbal tea. I can taste the marshmallow and licorice the most, followed by the medley of herbs. It doesn’t even need to be sweetened because the marshmallow and licorice root do the job. I think that this could even satisfy a sweet tooth, that’s how yummy it is!

Every household needs to have this in their cabinet. Drink it at night before bed when you feel a sore throat coming on (or daily, for ultimate throat help and protection!) and you will feel so much better in the morning! So many times I have felt a sore throat starting and the morning after I drink this, I feel so much better. Not to mention it’s marshmallow-y goodness is delicious!

Here’s the scoop!

Leaf Type:  Herbal
Where to Buy:  Traditional Medicinals
Description

Slippery elm or Ulmus rubra (Latin for “red elm,” so called for its lovely reddish bark) is a beautiful, native North American elm tree. It’s the inner bark of this tree that is actually called “slippery elm” due to its, yes, slippery, smooth, and slimy-in-a-good-way properties. Combined with licorice and marshmallow root, we think this tea blend is like taking your voice to the spa—because we all need a little comfort sometimes so we can get back to being our best.

Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!

Sophia

Hi, my name is Sophia. I am a first time mother to a beautiful little girl who will be 1 in July 2017. I spend my days at home with her and when I get a minute to myself, I usually spend that time making, drinking, or researching tea! My love for loose leaf tea is relatively new. When I was pregnant with my daughter, my mother (a tea addict herself) brought me to DAVIDsTEA. I enjoyed a cup of their Coconut Cream Pie Oolong and was instantly hooked! Since then, my addiction has grown to fill entire cabinets, and shows no sign of stopping. I am the creator of the Facebook group CommuniTEA where we have one big tea discussion. It is a great group for those new to the tea-world. I feel strongly about spreading the joy of loose leaf tea. I like making instructional videos and helping those that are new to the art of tea-making so that they, too, can share in the happiness that tea brings. I am excited to see where this hobby takes me and I will continue to spread the joy!

This post was posted in Fruit/Herbal Tisane, Traditional Medicinals

Matcha from Pinky Out. . . .

by Sophia

Matcha really is my best friend. I stick to one company and drink their Ceremonial Matcha every morning, via a milk latte with agave syrup. When I saw Pinky Out’s matcha in my sample box I was hesitant

. I’m one of those people that when I find something that I love I stick to it and I don’t really venture away…but I stepped out of my comfort zone and decided to give this stuff a try.

It was definitely different than traditional Ceremonial Matcha. Ceremonial grade is more vegetal and perhaps even a little less sweet than this stuff, but still very smooth. Pinky Out’s matcha was much sweeter generally and almost a little bit more “fluffy”. That is the best way I can describe it. It almost tasted flavored, like vanilla matcha maybe.

It was smooth and sweet, not so much vegetable-y. Which was a nice change from my usual. I definitely enjoyed this and if you are looking for a matcha that is on the different side, give Pinky Out’s powder a dry. I definitely will be enjoying the rest of my sample and possibly even buying more. Sometimes it’s good to switch it up!

A change of pace can always keep things interesting, right?

Here’s the scoop!

Leaf Type:  Matcha
Where to Buy:  Pinky Out
Description

Created during the 12th century by Zen Buddhists in China, Matcha began as a ritual drink known to boast therapeutic benefits. The legendary Shogun warriors would partake in the ceremony of Matcha prior to going into battle to have an edge over their opponents.

As Matcha began to lose traction in China, Buddhist Monk and visionary Eisai brought the tradition of not only Matcha but tea drinking as a whole to Japan. It has since flourished and became a staple of Japanese culture.

Today, Matcha is highly sought after for the same reasons that Eisai realized. Pinky Out sources it’s Matcha powder from Japan to bring you the most authentic Matcha experience possible.

Ingredients: Organic Green Tea Powder from Japan

Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!

Sophia

Hi, my name is Sophia. I am a first time mother to a beautiful little girl who will be 1 in July 2017. I spend my days at home with her and when I get a minute to myself, I usually spend that time making, drinking, or researching tea! My love for loose leaf tea is relatively new. When I was pregnant with my daughter, my mother (a tea addict herself) brought me to DAVIDsTEA. I enjoyed a cup of their Coconut Cream Pie Oolong and was instantly hooked! Since then, my addiction has grown to fill entire cabinets, and shows no sign of stopping. I am the creator of the Facebook group CommuniTEA where we have one big tea discussion. It is a great group for those new to the tea-world. I feel strongly about spreading the joy of loose leaf tea. I like making instructional videos and helping those that are new to the art of tea-making so that they, too, can share in the happiness that tea brings. I am excited to see where this hobby takes me and I will continue to spread the joy!

This post was posted in Green Tea, Pinky Out

Coconut Tea from CaCafe . . . .

by Sophia

This stuff is SO funky! When I saw the name “coconut tea” I was not expecting something that looked like ivory-colored brown sugar! The consistency of this is a powder that is thick and caked like brown sugar. It looks like a bag of powder, not tea. I went onto CaCafe’s website to see what all this is about, and apparently this is coconut and green tea all ground together. It is alleged to help with metabolism, weight loss, hair loss, and skin health. I was immediately intrigued, especially after seeing the consistency! What a funky and unique product.

I mixed 4 tbsp with 12oz of water (directions say 2 tbsp per 6oz of hot water). I let it cool for a bit and mixed it up a little more. I did not add sweetener because I wanted to taste it first, I wasn’t sure whether this was a pre-sweetened variety or not. It smells a little astringent/chemically. I’m not sure if it is a flavoring or ingredient used, but it tastes a little that way too. It is also reminding me of those Necco Wafers. Remember those when you were a kid? I used to eat them all the time. I thought they were so cool. There’s a powdery mouthfeel and that strong taste in this drink that I am associating with Necco Wafers. There is an underlying coconut-y/nutty flavor here that is present in the aftertaste. I can tell there is coconut, more like a coconut milk because it’s milky and creamy. What I can’t tell, though, is that there is green tea. Neither the drink nor the powder is green. So, i’m not sure where in this the green tea is hiding but it isn’t present aesthetically or taste-wise. Now, I don’t want you readers to think that this is bad. Especially if you are interested in the health benefits, it totally is not a bad drink. I keep sipping it because its so interesting and intriguing. I think that I have the sweetened variety because it doesn’t need sweetener. It’s definitely worth a try if you are interested or intrigued about this mix, and I am curious to see how I feel after a few days of drinking it. Who knows, maybe my hair will be shinier! Definitely worth a try.

Here’s the scoop!

Leaf Type:  Green
Where to Buy:  CaCafe
Description

Gourmet U.S.A.-made coconut-infused drinks combining the best of taste and health with cane sugar added

Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!

Sophia

Hi, my name is Sophia. I am a first time mother to a beautiful little girl who will be 1 in July 2017. I spend my days at home with her and when I get a minute to myself, I usually spend that time making, drinking, or researching tea! My love for loose leaf tea is relatively new. When I was pregnant with my daughter, my mother (a tea addict herself) brought me to DAVIDsTEA. I enjoyed a cup of their Coconut Cream Pie Oolong and was instantly hooked! Since then, my addiction has grown to fill entire cabinets, and shows no sign of stopping. I am the creator of the Facebook group CommuniTEA where we have one big tea discussion. It is a great group for those new to the tea-world. I feel strongly about spreading the joy of loose leaf tea. I like making instructional videos and helping those that are new to the art of tea-making so that they, too, can share in the happiness that tea brings. I am excited to see where this hobby takes me and I will continue to spread the joy!

This post was posted in CAcafe, Green Tea

Rose Water Shortbread from A Quarter To Tea. . .

by Sophia

When I saw the name of this tea, I was immediately intrigued. I’ve never seen rosewater shortbread before and, in fact, I didn’t even know that it was a “thing”. To be honest I find it very creative and now I need to find a recipe for this shortbread! Especially after trying the tea because this flavor combo is heavenly!

First off when smelling the dry leaf of this white tea blend, I could instantly smell cookies. Once steeped, that cookie smell stays. There is a hint of that floral rose, but it isn’t overpowering and I think that the vanilla cookie flavor is more dominant. There is also a hint of cinnamon sugar. When it comes to the taste, the white tea is very sweet and fluffy and it compliments the cookie, vanilla, rose, and cinnamon notes. I feel like this is a really well done and realistic tea and it would be a great dessert replacement tea. If you are craving cookies but can’t have any because you’re on a diet, this will totally satiate your craving! It is a delicious blend that is best enjoyed hot on a cool summer evening! A must try from A Quarter to Tea.

Here’s the scoop!

Leaf Type:  White
Where to Buy:  A Quarter To Tea
Description

Sweetly floral white tea with vanilla, butter and a touch of cinnamon.

Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!

Sophia

Hi, my name is Sophia. I am a first time mother to a beautiful little girl who will be 1 in July 2017. I spend my days at home with her and when I get a minute to myself, I usually spend that time making, drinking, or researching tea! My love for loose leaf tea is relatively new. When I was pregnant with my daughter, my mother (a tea addict herself) brought me to DAVIDsTEA. I enjoyed a cup of their Coconut Cream Pie Oolong and was instantly hooked! Since then, my addiction has grown to fill entire cabinets, and shows no sign of stopping. I am the creator of the Facebook group CommuniTEA where we have one big tea discussion. It is a great group for those new to the tea-world. I feel strongly about spreading the joy of loose leaf tea. I like making instructional videos and helping those that are new to the art of tea-making so that they, too, can share in the happiness that tea brings. I am excited to see where this hobby takes me and I will continue to spread the joy!

This post was posted in A Quarter To Tea, White Tea