We at SororiTea Sisters adore our friends at Simpson & Vail so that is why we thought we would dedicate today’s posts to all things Simpson & Vail! We hope you enjoy our reviews and find some goodies to try for yourself! ~The SororiTea Sisters
I was a bit hesitant about jumping right in to Emily Dickinson’s Jasmine Tea Blend from Simpson & Vail Tea. Not because I don’t like Jasmine – it’s just not something I get overly excited and have to run right out and buy. I was torn, too, because I am a HUGE Emily Dickinson fan! Always have been! And I know I should judge a tea by its name but I would be lying if I said a little bit of that didn’t go on here. I knew I HAD to try it!
Emily Dickinson’s Jasmine Tea Blend from Simpson & Vail Tea was more than just Jasmine. This blend of ingredients and flavors also included rose petals, jasmine blossoms, marigold petals, and blue cornflower petals. That’s a LOT of petals! It did look pretty in the bag – I must say. It also had a delicate and ‘pretty’ aroma, too! I’m thankful it wasn’t an overpowering Jasmine aroma!
It brewed to a color of many green tea looking infusions would…a cloudy, pale grey-green. Emily Dickinson’s Jasmine Tea Blend from Simpson & Vail Tea surprised me with a creamier sort of Jasmine flavor. It wasn’t bitter but it wasn’t sweet, really, either. Honestly…the only word that comes to mind while describing this Jasmine is creamy. I don’t know if I have ever tasted a Creamy Jasmine before. As I continue to sip I realize just how much I enjoy this! I’m very surprised! This is a GOOD thing!
As far as Emily Dickinson’s Jasmine Tea Blend from Simpson & Vail Tea being a literary tea and tribute tea this all makes sense. Emily Dickinson often incorporated nature into her poems that is probably one of the many reasons I enjoyed her poetry. Emily spent years away from society and during those years she cultivated an extensive garden. It was said that she grew jasmine flowers, cornflowers, roses, and many other flowers, plants and herbs. I appreciate the research, selection, and effort that went into this tea. It was a pleasant surprise that I will remember for quite a while!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Simpson and Vail
Description
Emily Dickinson was born on December 10th, 1830 and lived in a home that was central to Amherst political society thanks to her father and brothers. Growing up around powerful men prepared Dickinson for a life of the same, but society dictated that, as a woman, she was relegated to seemingly less meaningful ventures. Her anger at this slight comes across in her poetry and letters where she explored complex ideas of meaning and self while examining the smallest details of the world around her. She withdrew herself from society and lived in relative solitude until her death. Only a few of her poems were made public during her lifetime, but four years after her demise, a collection of poems was published and met with popular and critical acclaim. Her poems reveal a complicated mind that examined itself with as much attention to detail as it examined the world. Dickinson’s defiance of categorization and simplification make her a popular poet to study even today.
In the years she spent away from society, Emily Dickinson cultivated an extensive garden. In it, she grew jasmine flowers, cornflowers, roses, and many other flowers, plants and herbs. These flowers appear repeatedly in her poetry so our blend had to be floral. We created a delightful combination of jasmine tea and rose petals that brews to a light ecru cup with long green leaves and rose petal accents. This delicate tea hits you with a strong jasmine taste that’s sweetened and mellowed with the subtle flavors of the rose petals.
Ingredients: Jasmine tea, rose petals, jasmine blossoms, marigold petals and blue cornflower petals.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
#Fantatic Friday: Louisa May Alcott’s Green Tea Blend from Simpson and Vail
We at SororITea Sisters adore our friends at Simpson & Vail so that is why we thought we would dedicate today’s posts to all things Simpson & Vail! We hope you enjoy our reviews and find some goodies to try for yourself! ~The SororiTea Sisters
Louisa May Alcott’s Green Tea Blend from Simpson & Vail Tea smells AMAZING. I mean A….MAZE…ing! Right away the aroma reminded me of strawberry Jolly Ranchers. This was even BEFORE I infused the tea! Once I did that it wasn’t as powerful aroma-wise but it still smelled like candy. This time around maybe more like Mike and Ikes. Regardless it was an impressive sniff!
The ingredients of Louisa May Alcott’s Green Tea Blend from Simpson & Vail Tea are as follows…Green tea, apple pieces, flavoring, strawberry pieces and rose petals. The strawberry flavor is prominent but the apple gives it a nice evening effect much like a teeter-tatter. The green tea base is medium in strength but it works perfectly with this flavored tea. The rose petals give it a bit of floral flavor especially at the end of the sip on to the after taste.
This tea is part of the Literary Tea Collection at S&V. Louisa May Alcott’s Green Tea Blend from Simpson & Vail Tea shows off Alcott’s appreciation of flowers much like many of her works seemed to include. There was also a nod to strawberries in Little Women where this tribute of a tea seemed to stem from. I really enjoyed this flavored green tea. The aroma really sucked me in – I have to say! I played along for the taste and ended up LOVING it! YUM!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green Tea
Where to Buy: Simpson and Vail
Description
Early in Little Women, while visiting a sick Laurie, Jo says that her sister Meg’s blancmange is made “very nicely.” Later, her own attempt turns out “lumpy” and accompanied by strawberries that were “not as ripe as they looked.” Our blend follows Meg’s example and is almost, as Laurie says, “too pretty to [drink].” Combining almond and strawberry flavors, this blend brews to a delicious tea that is fruity and aromatic. It manages to be both sweet and light thanks to the Chunmee green tea base and the gentle floral notes added by the rose petals.
Ingredients: Green tea, apple pieces, flavoring, strawberry pieces and rose petals.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!