Product Information:
Leaf Type: Green
About This Product:
A zesty blend of chipotle pepper, spices and green tea. The flavor and spice of a Mexican Sopa.
To Learn more about this Millie’s Savory Teas, click here.
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Taster’s Review:
I was excited to try this savory “tea” because I’ve enjoyed the other green tea infused sipping broths that I’ve tried from Millie’s Savory Teas. I felt confident that I’d also enjoy this Spicy Tortilla.
I could smell the spices of this tea the moment I opened the package! It smells like Mexican Food! YUM!
Oh, this is tasty! As I’ve mentioned in the first paragraph, I’ve tried a couple of other tea infused sipping broths from Millie’s – you can read my review for the Indian Spice sipping broth here, and for the Tomato Basil sipping broth here. If you were to ask me before tasting them which of these three I think I’d prefer, without a moment’s hesitation, I would have said the Tomato Basil. But as it turns out, the Tomato Basil is my least favorite of the three. This one might just be my favorite thus far.
It has a nice amount of spice to it, but this isn’t so spicy that it has me running to the kitchen for a glass of water to cool my tongue. It’s zesty, warm and delicious, much like a tortilla soup that I might order at my favorite Mexican Food restaurant. I can taste notes of chipotle, garlic, tomato and onion. All that’s missing, really, is strips of tortilla chips!
Oh … and the green tea is missing, too. As I’ve mentioned in my reviews of the other savory teas, the green tea is difficult to detect in these sipping broths. Of the three, I think I tasted more green tea in the Indian Spice. There isn’t a whole lot of green tea flavor to this.
That is my one big complaint about these blends. I find myself wishing there was more green tea so that I can actually think of it as a “tea.” It’s a bit like adding a little bit of tea to my soup … I’m still eating soup, not drinking tea. That’s what’s happening here too. I’m sipping broth, not tea.
It’s still really tasty, though, and something I’d sip again.
Mad Tea Party from Indie Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Pu-erh
Where to Buy: Indie Tea
Tea Description:
Steeping Steeping Little Pot, How I Love You Quite A Lot, Chocolate, Chiles, Cherries Too, Make A Tasty Pu-Erh Brew!
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I didn’t read the description of this Mad Party tea from Indie Tea before I brewed it, and by a quick look at the leaves, I figured it was a black tea blend … not a pu-erh! Had I known it was pu-erh, I probably would have done a quick pre-rinse, but, as it is, this is really quite enjoyable … even without the pre-rinse. The aroma is quite earthy, the flavor is not quite as earthy … which is usually why I like to pre-rinse my pu-erh anyway … to rinse away some of the earthy flavor.
The first couple of sips – sipped while still fresh from the teapot hot – were earthy … and tasted of strong pu-erh. After the cup cooled slightly, the flavors of chocolate, cherry and chili began to pop. I noticed a hint of smokiness to the cup. The pu-erh base is rich and mellow, and allows the flavors to express themselves in a really delicious way.
The chocolate tastes rich and smooth … the cherry has a sweet yet tart taste to it, and the chili … while spicy … doesn’t attempt to offend the tastebuds by overwhelming them with heat. It’s a gentle heat … and it slowly builds as I continue to sip. But even now, as I pass the halfway point of my cup … the heat is still quite subtle and really very lovely. The back of the throat feels warm without feeling assaulted by chipotle chili.
The chocolate is the real star of this cup … and I suspect this has a lot to do with the pu-erh base as well, because the chocolate really seems to come alive in the presence of the pu-erh. It’s really quite enjoyable.
Really yummy. This is a pu-erh I’d consider keeping on hand … I like the heat level, I love the chocolate-y tones, I love that it is a little earthy and smoky but it never goes overboard on these two tastes. I love the way the sweet-tart notes of the cherry come through … again, subtly … and really beautifully.
Two thumbs up on this one.
Xocolatl From Bird’s Eye Tea
Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Herbal/Spice Melangé
Where to Buy: Bird’s Eye Tea
Tisane Description:
This lovely blend will get your day off to a great start or can be perfect for an afternoon pick-me-up. It satisfies a chocolate craving without overwhelming your body with processed sugars. All it takes is a little honey or agave added to the brewed tea to create a healthy treat for yourself. Calming chamomile and mints in the blend help relax and calm the nervous system while the chocolate gives its characteristic energy kick and mood boost. Rose petals were added to bring out the subtle floral character in chocolate. Chipotle powder increases circulation and adds a slight smokiness to the overall tea flavor. Cinnamon, ginger, and star anise add a dessert like quality, but also support healthy immune function.
To learn more about this tisane, click here.
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Taster’s Review:
Recently, the SororiTea Sisters were introduced to a new tea company that is LOCAL for me – well, kind of local (the same state, anyway!) and I was so excited to learn about them! The company: Bird’s Eye Tea!
They are a subscription tea service – which means that for just $22. every month, they send a box with several different selections of teas in it. This Xocolatl is from the October box, and it is a yummy blend of raw cacao powder, chamomile, rose, mint, cinnamon, ginger, star anise, chipotle powder and roasted cacao nibs. I know, it sounds amazing, right?
Because the ingredients are so different from any other tisane that I can remember drinking, and because it LOOKS so different too, I followed the directions precisely … I even got out a measuring cup and spoon! I measured 3/4 cup of hot water to steep with 2 teaspoons of the tisane, and I steeped it for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, I heated 3/4 cup of milk, and I added the steeped liquid to the warm milk and I frothed it a bit with my handheld frothing tool. I did add a little bit of turbinado sugar to the cup just to enhance the spices, and it created the most delightful tasting cup of Xocolatl!
Oh, my… I have GOT to get some more of this! This is amazing. This tastes so much like the hot chocolate that my Latina friends would serve in their homes! Sweet and chocolate-y, but with just the right amount of warm spice. The rose offers hints of flavor and an interesting dimension to the overall cup. It isn’t too spicy, and it is a gently comforting heat rather than an invigorating spicy-hot taste. Every one of the ingredients is represented in the flavor, but at the same time, they all come together to form an amazing taste that is greater than the individual parts.
Like I said, I want more. MORE of this, please!!!