Apricot Brandy from Spice & Tea Merchants – based out of Michigan – is an organic flavored black tea that is labeled “More Caffeine” on their website and “Most Caffeine” on their package! More OR Most Caffeine…AND Apricot Brandy flavor? I’m game! Bring it on!
This tea has been infused with apricot pieces and natural brandy flavor. It’s full, delicious, sweet, and LUSH! It’s appealing to all of the senses!
The origin of this tea – India. The suggested brewing instructions – 1 teaspoon per 8 ounce water at 212 degrees for 4 to 5 minutes. I, for one, doubled it up to 2 teaspoons, and steeped for 3 and a half to 4 minutes and it was pretty stellar!
When I bought this I only purchased 1 ounce. I should have grabbed at least 5 or 6 ounces so it would last me a while because it’s already gone! It was terrific while it lasted! A definite THUMBS UP!
Want to Know More About This Tea?
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Spice & Tea Merchants
Description
Our apricot brandy tea had been blended with apricot pieces and infused with natural brandy flavor which gives this black tea blend a delicious full flavor and luscious sweetness.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Lemon Tea/Indias Tea – Teaequalsbliss-
This is the first tea I have tried from Indias Tea and I have to say I really enjoyed it! You can’t go wrong with a hefty black tea base and a lovely, puckery lemon flavor to pair along side with it!
Indias Tea says their Lemon Tea ‘swirls up your mood to the brim with its tongue tickling taste alongside a squash of freshness’ and I would have to agree with that!
They also say that their ‘Lemon Tea is here to set your mood rolling with an instant gush of thrill through its tangy surprise in every sip and a hint of spices as you relish on the drink towards entirety’…but I have to say my FAVORITE part of what they have to say about this offering is that it doesn’t have a ‘time stamp’ and can be enjoyed any time of day! YAY!
I achieved the amber hue in my cup after infusing about a tablespoon of the loose leaf for about 3 minutes – just as suggested!
This is a real winner from Indias Tea and a great way to start (or finish) the day!
Want to Know More About This Tea?
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Indias Teas
Description
This swirls up your mood to the brim with its tongue tickling taste alongside a squash of freshness.
Lemon Tea is here to set your mood rolling with an instant gush of thrill through its tangy surprise in every sip and a hint of spices as you relish on the drink towards entirety.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Tea Recipes: BLEND AT HOME- Fruity Kona Pop Riot
It’s been a rough year. I won’t go into that here but I have to say it’s good to be back! I’ve missed blogging the last 6 months or more. I have been sipping on teas here and there but I really have to get back into the swing of things.
I thought an interesting way to do that was to get thru some of my really old teas that I didn’t have the heart to throw away but really need to do the old ‘sip down’ with if you know what I mean.
I thought I would share some of my BLEND AT HOME Tea Recipes with you all.
Today I have combined two of my old Teavana tarts with a random black tea. What I did is take 3 teaspoons of Raspberry Riot Lemon Mate, 1 teaspoon of Pineapple Kona Pop, and 1 teaspoon of a straight-up black tea and threw the loose leaves into a tin and shook it ‘real good’. From that, I then took about a tablespoon and cold brewed a cup.
With what little black tea I did use (and with all of the other ingredients involved) you could barely tell the black tea was present. Other ingredients included: Apple, Marigold, Orange, Pineapple, Rose, Raspberry, Lemongrass, Yerba Mate, Hibiscus, and rose hip peels.
Since you can see most of the other ingredients are sweet, fruity, and citrusy – I found this BLEND AT HOME to be pretty yummy iced. I haven’t tried it hot, to be honest, but it ‘hit the stop’ this late summer and early fall.
It smelled more like a mellow raspberry followed by pineapple.
The post-infusion color was a light brown with hibiscus-type hue. The flavor combo upfront seemed to follow suit with the raspberry and pineapple combo. But in the middle of the sip you could taste the lemon and orange and shortly after that the apple came into play. There was a fruity yet gentle floral flavor to round it all out at the end.
For one of my first official attempts I thought this was a goody!
Shou Pu’erh/Little Red Cup Tea Co
It’s been a while since I have had a decent Pu’erh or even written a review about one. I guess I’m pretty specific in my personal Pu’erh tastes.
Enter Little Red Cup’s Shou Pu’erh.
I have to say I was a little afraid when I infused 1 teaspoon – maybe a little more – loose Pu’erh in my strainer and cup. It was SO dark in color – near black. Normally I would LOVE that for a straight-up black tea – but this was a Pu’erh – and I was pre-judging it before I tried it. Shame on me! I was ‘assuming’ it was going to be SO hardcore and over the top strong that it would be hard to drink. This couldn’t be farther from the truth!
The flavor was smooth, silky, somewhat – but not overly – earthy, and down right delicious! It wasn’t wormy like some Pu’erhs. And it had hints of cream or vanilla, too!
As it cools – naturally – at room temperature – sweeter notes came into play.
This was a tasty and surprising pu’erh that I would certainly have again!
Want to Know More About This Tea?
Leaf Type: Puerh
Where to Buy: Little Red Cup Tea Co
Description
Our Fair Trade Shou Pu’er Tea (熟普洱) is grown and produced by members of the Wa minority in Lincang, Yunnan — about as close to the birthplace of tea as it’s possible to get. This shou pu’er brews smooth and dark, silky and earthy with hints of vanilla. It’s a lovely tea: mellow, moderate, and enormously pleasant.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Beauty Tip: Sage Tea for Grey Hair
When it comes to hair upkeep – I’m not the best or consistent – far from it – actually. On a personal note I have been battling some anxiety issues which have caused me to have scalp issues and I haven’t wanted to color treat my hair the last 8 months. While doing some light research on ‘Grey Hair’ I came across a lot of information about Sage and Tea helping with it. The more I searched it the more I realized there were more and more benefits to combining sage and black tea leaves and using it on your hair and scalp.
To make the basic sage tea all you need is sage leaves and water. But you can personalize the tea rinse by adding other optional ingredients given below.
3-4 sprigs of fresh sage (or 1 tablespoon dried sage leaves)
2 cups water
Optional add-ins:
A handful of fresh rosemary or 1 tablespoon dried rosemary (it works with sage to provide richer color)
1 teaspoon black tea (it darkens grey hair as well as improves shine)
1 clove (strengthens hair and enriches the color)
1 teaspoon henna powder (adds reddish tones)
1 tablespoon vinegar (helps fix the color)
How to make:
Place the herbs and water in a pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 3 to 5 minutes (keeping covered). Remove from the heat and allow it to steep until cool (2-3 hours). Strain the spent herbs.
You can use the sage tea two ways:
Apply it to freshly washed hair. Work it in from roots to ends. Do Not Rinse. Next, squeeze out the excess liquid and towel dry your hair. Do it 2-3 times a week.
You can also massage sage tonic into your scalp and hair every other night.
It takes 2-3 weeks to get rid of the majority of your grey hair.
Once the hair is sufficiently dark, use the rinse weekly to maintain your color.
I haven’t put this to the long term test as of yet but I hope to soon! It seems easy enough and oh-so-NATURAL! No nasty chemicals!
Sage tea is a great rinse for grey hair, but you can also use it as a hair refresher or moisturizer. If you work out a lot, consider using sage tea to replace your shampoo. Being an astringent, it prevents clogged hair follicles as well as revitalizes your hair.
As you may already know – Sage is a common spice used in kitchens all over the world. The Latin name, Salvia officinalis, means “to save,” reflecting the curative properties the herb was believed to possess. Sage is a traditional topical treatment for graying hair, and the herb may promote new hair growth, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Sage has antibiotic, anti-allergic and antiseptic properties and is a source of magnesium, zinc, potassium, and vitamins B and C. Before using sage as a beauty treatment, consult your doctor to diagnose the cause of your thinning hair, as it could be the result of a health condition.
If you have already tried this – let us know about your experiences in comments!