Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green with Matcha
Where to Buy: Lupicia
Tea Description:
Green tea with matcha is flavored with sweet fragrance of strawberry and vanilla.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
When you open the bag the aroma that will strike you first is strawberry cupcakes! So amazingly yummy of an aroma to be greeted with! It makes me feel joyful and child like!
I was almost giddy the first time I sipped this tea and months later I still get that same feeling when I treat myself to this Lupicia offering!
I have several teas from Lupicia but to me they are like the champagne of teas and I only tend to bring them out when I have enough time to truly savor the cup! Then I am faced with the dilemma of which Lupicia tea to enjoy! I have yet to be let down by any flavor I have chosen when ordering from them!
Now granted I have not loved every sampler I have received in their tea magazine that comes with any order over 30.00. You will get the magazine for a year. More information on that here.
However, when I have selected my own teas based on my flavor choices I have absolutely never been let down! But I digress, back to this selection.
Strawberry and Vanilla from Lupicia is a delight! If you love strawberry tea I can not stress enough how well Lupicia has captured this flavor in all its natural glory in this and every strawberry tea they create! Add to that a lovely vanilla backdrop and the beautiful presence of roses, a perfect green tea with matcha base, and you have magic in a cup! It takes well to sweeteners although I find them unnecessary. The rose lays perfectly in a gentle unassuming manner gently scenting and flavoring the cup yet would not offend those who are not partial to floral teas. The matcha lends a gentle grassy flavor that is not overwhelming and does not come across as too vegetal. The soft buttery note of the green tea lends toward the bakery sensation this cup provides.
At Lupicia you can opt to get this tea in 50g or 100g in a tin or bagged. Prices vary depending on your choices.
The end result is – I love it – there is no other way to say it other than gentle sweet bliss. Try some. It is light, delightful, and refreshing! Also wonderful chilled!
Blueberry Streusel Honeybush from 52Teas
Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Honeybush
Where to Buy: 52Teas
Tisane Description:
Buttery, cakey, brown-sugary blueberryness in a cup (or a glass). With a tiny hint of lemon. Caffeine-free vegan deliciousness. Get it while it lasts.
Learn more about this tisane here.
Taster’s Review:
When 52Teas announced this one, I knew I’d love it. First of all, I can’t think of a honeybush blend that 52Teas has come out with that I did not like … combine that with the fact that I adore blueberries … and the buttery, cake-y kind of flavors that they do are usually just OFF THE HOOK delicious … I KNEW that this blend would be absolutely sensational.
And it is! The blueberry flavor is reminiscent of the kind of blueberry taste you’d find in the gourmet style muffins from your favorite bakery – you know the kind where you bite into one of the berries that have been baked into the muffin … it is ripe and bursting with flavor. That’s what I taste here. The kind of blueberry flavor that has been intensified by the heat of the oven. So juicy and delectable!
And of course there’s the baked cake-y kind of flavor that 52Teas captures so well. It’s buttery and rich, and there are even hints of that brown sugar crunch topping on top! The honeybush offers a sweet, nutty flavor to the cup that seems to play to the streusel flavor really well. There is also the oh-so-subtle touch of lemon to this, and it while it doesn’t contribute a heavy lemon-y flavor to the cup, it manages to brighten it up and add just the right touch of acidity to this streusel in a teacup.
This is oh-so-yummy! And, sadly, it is also sold out. I don’t know if they’re planning on reblending this one, but if they do, you should really jump on that opportunity and grab yourself a pouch while they’re available. And in the meantime, consider subscribing to one of their money-saving plans. It not only saves you a little bit of money but it will also save you the heartache of missing out on one of their popular flavors (like this one) that ends up selling out before you have a chance to buy it! For this reason alone, it’s definitely worth it!
Gooey Butter Cake from 52 Teas
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: 52Teas
Tea Description:
Thanks to Azzrian for the idea for this blend. I actually think my wife is a little upset she didn’t think of it first. She makes an awesome gooey butter cake.
My wife is fond of telling people that she has no idea how I manage to make such amazing teas since my cooking skills are more or less limited to ramen noodles and microwave popcorn. Likewise, I have no idea what sort of magic she employs in creating a gooey butter cake. Yes, I could look at one of several recipes for gooey butter cake, but I prefer to believe it is magic, because a gooey butter cake (for those of you who have never had one), is one of those beautiful things that shouldn’t be discussed in such muggle terms as a recipe. It’s way better to have someone make one for you and assume they possess magical gifts.
So, this evening, I am here with a big tumbler full of iced gooey butter cake tea, and it is definitely, buttery, sweet, cakey, and just all around gooey-butter-cakey. It kind of reminds me of the Pancake Breakfast, it has the same depth of character, but of course it’s not pancakes, it’s gooey butter cake. Honestly, if I hadn’t just spent so long looking at images of gooey butter cake and writing about gooey butter cake, this might very well satisfy my craving for gooey butter cake, but the truth is, I’m seriously hoping my wife reads this and decides to make me a gooey butter cake. [I love you baby.]
Our Tea of the Week for the week of September 17, 2012
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
So I am very proud to say that I inspired this tea and Frank was gracious enough to whip some up! I was so thrilled when I heard this was being offered I literally ordered it on the spot! After anticipating its arrival I have finally been able to sit and enjoy this tea over several cups, several ways, and It is really quite wonderful.
It does have lemon myrtle in it which lends a lemon zest like flavor to the tea. So its more of a lemon gooey butter cake than a regular gooey butter cake, but that is absolutely fine with me I enjoy the lemon zest flavor.
I LOVE gooey butter cake and snarf up as much of it as I can when we visit St. Louis where they have gooey butter cake places scattered around randomly. Of course you can get gooey butter cake in any flavor the mind can imagine and I try as many as I can so I am somewhat of a gooey butter cake aficionado, haha.
This tea is quite buttery, with a toasty flavor that almost leans to a creme brulee taste. I will say that this tea is much nicer if you add a little sweetener, my choice is german rock sugar. It makes the flavors of the tea pop. Before adding sweetener I took my first couple of sips and it was good but I was not getting that cakey or gooey flavor – added a little rock sugar – amazing! Of course you can use whatever sweetener you wish.
I don’t mind having to add a little sugar now and then to some teas – especially when they are dessert teas like this one. Now if I had to add sugar to a straight tea that would be wrong in my tea world, but this is meant to be decedent so its fine with me.
Also this tea is so lovely iced! I prefer my tea hot, my husband prefers it cold. Either way its wonderful. I did feel that when it was cold it did not require the same level of sugar that it did hot, which is interesting, I do not have cold tea often enough to know if this is standard or not and hubby only enjoys cold tea with me every now and then so he has no opinions. I tell ya though, I really kind of want to grab some more of this before it is gone. I am trying really hard to hold myself back but a blend this good, in a flavor this rare, well you just never know when you may see one like it again and even then if the flavors will even come close to Gooey Butter Cake!
I guess while I don’t mind the lemon zest flavor at all, its quite lovely, I would like to try a blend that was straight gooey butter cake, but that just comes down to my love for gooey butter cake all together, I mean if I had my way Frank would make an entire line of gooey butter cake teas in every flavor I could toss at him.
Hey we can dream can’t we?!?
Carrot Cake Cupcake Green Rooibos from Simpson & Vail
Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Rooibos
Where to Buy: Simpson & Vail
Tisane Description:
The latest addition to our popular dessert teas are these cupcake teas! Available in Red Velvet Cupcake, Carrot Cake Cupcake and Strawberry Cupcake.
I love carrot cake, whether it’s in a loaf or in cupcake form. What I don’t like is that “some” people always feel the need to add raisins to what is already perfection. Don’t mess with success people! And what I do like about this rooibos tea version, is that you get all that lovely carrot cake goodness with none of the calories (and no wrinkled little grapes!). The dry leaf has a delicate aroma of carrot cake spices. The brewed cup is full flavored and fabulous with the smell of just baked carrot cake.
Learn more about this tisane here.
Taster’s Review:
Simpson & Vail has an all-new line of cupcake inspired teas that they’ve added to their dessert tea collection, and I’m so excited to be able to try some of them, because I not only love tea, but I adore cupcakes, too. These cupcake teas let me enjoy them both without all the calories!
But I have to admit I was a little skeptical about the idea of this carrot cake cupcake rooibos. I have tasted some cupcake flavored teas in the past, and even a couple of carrot cake flavored teas … but, I still find myself a bit leery about them … carrot taste … in tea? That might be a little too weird, even for me.
However, this is really tasty! I taste notes of cinnamon along with a hint of fruit as well as the carrot taste. The carrot is sweet, and melds really nicely with the green rooibos which has a lighter, fruitier taste versus the red (oxidized) rooibos. I think the green rooibos was the right choice to use as a base here, because the fruity notes seem to tie in with the carrot-cake-like flavors.
The sweetness of this cup seems to lend a sort of cake and frosting kind of taste to the overall taste. I don’t know that I’m tasting a definitive “carrot cake” kind of flavor here – but, then again, I don’t know that I’m not. I just know that as I sip and I taste the medley of flavors and how they work together, my taste buds get a sense that I’m drinking liquified carrot cake.
This is really yummy, and it’s an ideal way to enjoy carrot cake without indulging in the calories!
Birthday Cake from David’s Tea
Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Rooibos
Where to Buy: David’s Tea
Tisane Description:
What’s the best thing about birthdays? It could be the presents, or spending time with loved ones, but let’s be honest. It’s all about the cake. With vanilla icing, and lots of sprinkles. And this sweet and festive rooibos blend brings the taste of birthday cake to your cup any day of the year – sprinkles and all. Best of all, not only is it low in calories, it also has all the goodness of rooibos. Talk about having your cake and eating it too.
Learn more about this tisane here.
Taster’s Review:
I don’t know if I’ve mentioned this here before, but, those that know me well know that I have a thing for cupcakes. I see a cupcake shop, I get all giddy – and even giddier when my husband indulges me and stops to let me shop for one or two. I even have a cupcake scented lotion that I use daily and it smells so much like cupcakes that my family perks up when they smell it, asking “something smells good. Did you make cupcakes?” Of course, they’re disappointed when they find out that I’m just softening my hands and not baking dessert.
And there’s no doubt in my mind that if I were not the only one awake in the house at the moment, that my family would be coming in here asking me where the cupcakes are … because this tisane SMELLS like cupcakes!
It tastes like a vanilla cupcake, too! It tastes sweet, creamy and like it should be about a thousand calories! However, according to the little nutrition label on the back of this pouch, it is about 1% of that – Just 10 calories! (If my math is way off, forgive me, mathematics has never been my strength). Of course, if you are one who generally sweetens your tea, you’ll be adding more calories to that count – but with just 10 calories in the tea and just 16 calories in a teaspoon of sugar, you’re still at just 26 calories! All that said, the truth is, you don’t NEED to sweeten this. It is sweet and delicious without the sugar.
I’m thrilled that I don’t taste much from the rooibos. Maybe a hint of nutty flavor in the background, but nothing too overwhelming. The same is true of the honeybush. I don’t get a lot of the woody/nutty taste of the honeybush, but I do taste a slight honey-like tone, which enhances the flavors.
But mostly, what I taste is CUPCAKE! This has a rich, creamy vanilla flavor, maybe just a hint of butter, and a distinct freshly baked kind of taste that rounds out the overall birthday cake flavor.
I like this. I like this a lot!