Our Sister’s Thoughts:
I realize that Cranberry and Squash Tea from Handmade Tea was from their November 2015 offerings but I thought it was a fun way to introduce one of many new #hastags we are introducing here at Sororitea Sisters. Soon – you will see which new hashtags we will be doing and if you feel compelled to jump in please do so on your choice of social media!
#MusicAndTeaMonday
#MusicAndTeaMonday: Cranberry and Squash Tea from Handmade Tea is today’s featured tea.
After chatting with fellow Sororitea Sister Nichole and finding out not only do her and I share the same birth year – we share the same birth month as well. I did a bit of word association with this tea. Squash = Pumpkin…Smashing Pumpkins…YAY! I was always a fan of The Smashing Pumpkins! Therefore I thought this would be fitting for #MusicAndTeaMonday: Cranberry and Squash Tea from Handmade Tea.
Cranberry and Squash Tea from Handmade Tea offers a sweet and tart flavor combo along side a sturdy black tea base. My favorite part of this tea is that you can clearly see the ingredients. Large chunks of cranberries and squash! There is an earthy end sip that lasts on to the aftertaste. I think more companies should incorporate squash into their teas! Won’t you join us for #MusicAndTeaMonday? Remember to use that hashtag as well as #sororiteasisters on your social media of choice!
#MusicAndTeaMonday: 1979 by Smashing Pumpkins
The Scoop on this Cuppa. . . .
Leaf Type: Black Tea
Where to Buy: Handmade Tea
Tea Description:
Cranberry and Squash begins with a smooth and creamy black tea base from the Fujian province in Southeastern China. Next, dried cranberry pieces get added to the mix. This adds tart and sweet notes to the blend. The sweet notes of the berries nicely complement the base tea. Finally, fresh dried Butternut Squash gets blended in for an earthy rich flavor that harmonizes beautifully with the sweet notes from our cranberries.
Learn even more about this tea here.
Spiced Coffee From Handmade Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where To Start A New Subscription: Handmade Tea
Tea Description:
Spiced Coffee from Handmade Tea begins with a smooth and silky Chinese black tea as the base. The base tea has sweet vanilla-like notes. Costa Rican coffee beans are blended into the base adding rich coffee flavor without being overwhelming. Lastly, cinnamon chips are blended in for a warm and spicy flavor. Together these flavors work quite well together. The vanilla notes from the base tea plays nicely with the cinnamon and the bold coffee notes balance things out a bit.
Taster’s Review:
Spiced Coffee from Handmade Tea has been sitting in my stash for sometime. I know shame on me but coffee flavored teas are not my cuppa. I’ve tried several in the past and most of them are just meh.
Now let’s put some perspective on this tea. I’m a coffee drinker in the mornings. I start every morning off with 2 cups of coffee then I switch to tea for the rest of the day. So I like the taste of coffee, but I don’t exactly like the idea of mixing coffee and tea together. Those profiles to me really don’t match.
Which is why the fact that I loved this tea so much completely surprised me. This tea is the perfect combination of rich coffee notes followed by a brisk tea malty flavor sweetened by subtle vanilla cinnamon notes. A treat to say the least. The flavors are gentle and bold but on point each sip.
I don’t always like the flavors that I receive from my monthly subscription from Handmade Tea. To be honest, I’ve cancelled my subscription once, but I found that I really missed receiving a uniquely different tea each month. This is just one of the wonderful examples you can expect when you subscribe!
Bananas Foster from Handmade Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Handmade Tea
Tea Description:
Handmade Tea is a once a month tea subscription company. Each month you receive a high quality tea that is unique and fantastic!
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Bananas Foster is a dessert that I just can’t pass up. I love bananas and when you add in caramel and other goodies. . .I’m in! And when tea blends are created with this idea in mind to make a Bananas Foster tea, I just get giddy.
This tea is an oolong based tea with banana slices, butterscotch chips and cinnamon, along with a few other spices. The tea smells amazing and I couldn’t wait to dive into the tea and check it out. I eagerly steeped up the tea. I couldn’t wait to try this. I’m always on the look out for an amazing banana tea.
Brewed with water at about 190 degrees and allowed the tea to steep for about 4 minutes. Once the tea was poured into my cup, I allowed the tea to cool off for a few before trying it. First sip in, I was very pleased by the flavors I was getting. Now I will say, I still haven’t experienced any banana flavor in this tea. I can see the banana chips in the blend but I just am not picking up those notes. What I do get is this amazing silky smooth vegetal flavor with a caramel sweetness that just makes you smile. Every now again I pick up a honey note and butterscotch flavors. I wish I picked up more of that butterscotch and obviously the banana but having an oolong that is sweet and vegetal all in the same, that works for me! The tea is still delicious and I will have no problem finishing it. I had recently cancelled my subscription to Handmade Tea just because of the amount of tea I currently have, but I have to say, I don’t think I can quit them! I can’t miss any of these fun flavors!