Reading Nook Blend Organic Black Cream Loose Leaf Tea from Plum Deluxe. . . .

by ashmanra

Feeling fretful and restless, unable to decide which of the many tasks at hand I ought to start, frustrated over adulting and situations that are somewhat out of my control for now, and tired of the rain, rain, and more rain, I decided not to do anything for now, but to pick a tea that needed reviewing instead. The chores will wait for me.

As I went through my box of tea, the title of this one grabbed me and said, “This is exactly what you need right now. A great book to escape into and a great cup of tea.”

I always listen when tea talks to me, so I headed over to the internet and downloaded a book I have been wanting to read for ages and made a whole pot of this beautiful blend.

Before I even started drinking it, I was already feeling more relaxed. The top of my infuser basket held the loveliest colors of pink rose petals, little lavender blossoms, and golden bits of chamomile floating lazily over the black tea leaves. An aroma wafted up that felt like a gentle hand patting the shoulder with a “there, there.” Now, feet up, tablet on lap, one chapter down, and two cups in me, I have a new attitude.

Ah yes, this was just what I needed, indeed. Every element of the tea is nicely balanced and making me feel more peaceful. The black tea is soft and smooth but still strong enough to make a nice “real tea” base for the blend. The floral elements are soft and sweet. I added nothing to this and it doesn’t need a thing in my opinion. The rose is sweet and creamy and adds roundness to the texture, the lavender is soothing and so much more interesting than just lavender by itself, and the chamomile would be the lightest touch here to me, adding to the sense of peace, as I associate it with unwinding and letting go of worries and cares. The tea says, “Breathe.” So I do, deeply and slowly.

The overall effect is just what I desperately needed – enough of a break to relax and restore the strength to do what needs to be done next. But not tonight. Tonight is going to be just me and a good book and a full pot of Reading Nook Tea. Breathing.

Here’s the scoop!

Leaf Type:  Black/Herbal
Where to Buy:  Plum Deluxe
Description

The reading nook blend is our signature organic tea created for enjoying while perfecting some of our dearest passions: reading, writing, and enjoying conversation with friends.

One needs a touch of caffeine to keep the conversation flowing, the pages turning, or the pen on the move, so we start this blend with a wonderful cream black tea. We then added rosebuds for creativity and sustenance, lavender for flavor and aroma, and top it off with a bit of chamomile which adds a calming balance to it all. Customers often tell us this is our prettiest tea!

Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!

ashmanra

I am a music teacher, tutor, and former homeschool mom (25 years!) who started drinking loose leaf tea about seven years ago! My daughters and I have tea every day, and we are frequently joined by my students or friends for “tea time.” Now my hubby joins us, too. His tastes have evolved from Tetley with milk and sugar to mostly unadorned greens and oolongs. We have learned so much history, geography, and culture in this journey. My avatar is a mole in a teacup! Long story…

This post was posted in Black Tea, Plum Deluxe

William Shakespeare’s Black Tea Blend from Simpson & Vail

by SuperStarling

This tea sample didn’t have ingredients on it, so I took a moment to think about what a Shakespeare tea might taste like.

Probably gloomy, I thought. Murky and sad and full of suicide.
It’d taste like the rocks Ophelia put in her pockets, or the river she drowned in.
It’d taste like the blood that wouldn’t leave Lady Macbeth’s hands.
It’d taste like Skylock’s pound of flesh; shards from Yorick’s skull in Hamlet’s sweaty palms; or the steel and poison of Romeo and Juliet.
I took a sip.
SURPRISE!
This tea isn’t that Shakespeare. It’s the other Shakespeare. It’s comedy Shakespeare. It’s Much Ado About Nothing and Midsummer Night’s Dream Shakespeare.
That side of Shakespeare isn’t really my strong suit. I was a very depressive teen who preferred tragedy. I also think his moody works tend to be more famous.
This tea definitely tastes like a midsummer night’s dream might taste.
It’s a summer-orchard sort of flavor. Citrus and flowers, lots of lilac and roses. And some bergamot, I think. It’s very strong. I don’t drink a lot of flower-tea, so I can’t hop in there with a nuanced critique of how this compares to other flower teas. But if you want a punchy summer black tea, this is definitely one to try.
I would be very curious to see what this company would do with a gloomy Shakespeare tea. They could run both: the Tragedy and Comedy bundle. Put a happy mask on one and a sad mask on the other.
The complete difference between his two types of work is begging for further reflection. I could make a joke about how the two genres of plays were written by entirely different people — and maybe “Shakespeare,” as such, never existed — but there are already pages and pages of literary analysis about that by much smarter people than I am. Have fun researching it, if you’re into that sort of thing.
I’ll stick to writing about tea.
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(Original Artwork Courtney of Super Starling!)

 

Here’s the scoop!

Leaf Type: Black

Where to Buy: Simpson & Vail

BannerNewFont670Description:  

Possibly the most well-known name in western literature, William Shakespeare began his life as a tanner’s son in Stratford-Upon-Avon in the spring of 1564. After a seven year period following the birth of his children in which no reliable records of his life can be found, Shakespeare reappeared in London where he began writing and acting in plays. Initially, his name was relegated to the corners of playbills, but as his productions grew in popularity, theaters began using “written by William Shakespeare” as their main selling point. The plays and poems he produced during the thirty year period when he was writing have endured the test of time and are studied and read across the world. He pioneered many styles and structures that have set the foundations for some of western literature’s greatest achievements. Shakespeare is even credited with inventing over 1700 words in the English language.

Gardens, herbs, and flowers appear in many of Shakespeare’s plays and oftentimes play a critical role in his stories. Our William Shakespeare tea blend is a combination of a few of the many herbs he references: lavender, roses, rosemary. The wit and playfulness of his verse means that Shakespeare’s plays can still be enjoyed today, ideally with a warm cup of tea.

This black tea and floral blend brews to an amber cup with a sweet, floral taste. The slightly earthy and woody notes are rounded out with the citrus taste of bergamot and sweet rose petals.

Ingredients: Rose Congou black tea, lavender petals, rose petals, rosemary and bergamot oil.

Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!

SuperStarling

"Hey, everybody! I'm Leah, a graphic designer from Pennsylvania, United States. I live with my husband and rescue mutt in a house with colorful walls. I love fonts, colors, animals, flowers, novels, illustration, geeking out, and -- obviously! -- tea. I've only been heavily into tea for about a year, but I've found I tend to prefer loose blended black dessert teas. I normally drink them hot western style without anything added; if I add in some vanilla almond milk or honey, I promise I'll mention it! When I'm not blogging here, I'm blogging at leahlucci.com/starling or posting to Instagram (super_starling), so come say hi!"

This post was posted in Black Tea, Simpson & Vail