Adagio Teas is where I credit my loose leaf tea beginnings. They have a variety of teas for both beginners and experts, but their success comes from their lively fandom blend community. There’s a themed-blend for every movie, book, and video game out there. I know I’ve had a great time designing my own flavors, and I’m always interested in trying new blends from other tea lovers.
My favorite summer blend of late has been Forest Friend by Leslie Kiesler. This blend is a homage to the main creature in the film, My Neighbor Totoro, of Studio Ghibli fame. To me, Forest Friend is tea-blending at its best. It is mixed from Adagio’s white strawberry, white pear, and rooibos jasmine flavors. On their own, none of these teas are really my favorite: I found the strawberry to be a bit too sweet, the pear to be a bit too earthy, and the rooibos jasmine to be overwhelming floral. But when mixed together in these proportions, I can’t seem to get enough of this tea. It’s magical, like finding out you have a big fuzzy, forest friend as your neighbor.
I prefer this blend iced, with our without sugar depending on my mood. This is a blend mainly made up of white tea leaves, so keep your water temperatures a little cooler than usual to avoid any harsh notes. The strawberry makes this a delectable summer blend, almost like sugary kool-aid, but the pear and white tea gives the sweetness just enough grounding that it doesn’t become too much like candy. The rooibos jasmine is amazing when added to a blend in smaller quantities. It adds some tart, herbal rooibos flavors, and relaxing floral overtones. There are even blue cornflowers and golden marigold flowers in the dry leaf to make the blend look vibrant in my pitcher as it brews.
Top off the great taste with Leslie’s cute label on the tin and you’ll realize why it is so hard to resist this blend. Forest Friend is always in my wish list for when summertime comes around and I need a sweet, magical way to cool down and brighten my day.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: White/Rooibos
Where to Buy: Adagio Teas
Description: There’s a friend waiting for you in the forest, but he’s snoring the day away. Wake him up with a cup of tea so you can begin a magical adventure!
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Caramel Apple Fun from Blend Bee. . .A Custom Blend. . . .
Who else was a big Charlotte’s Web fan in their younger years? Stay with me a second– I promise I’m going somewhere with this. You know the scene in the book (and movie!) where Templeton the rat has a hay day at the fair and dances around, gluttonously digging his little rat teeth into all the leftover treats and goodies that he can get his tiny talons on? Sipping this tea turned me into a human-Templeton, you guys.
This delightful caramel apple blend is like the best day at the fair– slightly sticky-sweet, with heavily spiced apple in the background and warm, sugary caramel straight up at the front. With a bit of cream and sweet (I highly recommend condensed coconut milk and a tiny splash of maple syrup for a SUPER decadent treat), it’s sugar-magic in a cup. The allspice and cinnamon elevate things just a bit– perhaps this is Templeton’s more refined older adult relative’s fair-food-binge instead.
Regardless, whether you fancy yourself a caramel apple aficionado or a junk-food-lovin’ human embodiment of our favorite loveable trash rat, this tea needs a home in your cabinet!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Custom Blend
Where to Buy: BlendBee
Description
Create your own custom blends at Blend Bee. Click below for more options.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Hidden Meadow from BlendBee. . .A Custom for Me Treat!
A couple weeks ago, I reached out to Jamah at BlendBee and asked her if she could create a flavored green tea for me. I knew that part of her business was based on customizing tea, but I wasn’t sure if she had all the components I was asking for. So we chatted for a bit and about a week later, Hidden Meadow was born.
Hidden Meadow is a marvelous blend of vanilla, green tea, spearmint, and marshmallow root. I was wanting a tea that was a bit different than the other minty teas I had and thought this would be a good starting point. (I’m thinking we tackle a creamy orange dreamsicle tea but I haven’t chatted with her yet about this one.)
Brewed up this tea has such an inviting aroma that I literally huddle over the tea pot while the tea is steeping. I just adore the smell of the vanilla, marshmallow root, and spearmint combination. This is one tea that I allow to cool for a few moments. From my experience with this blend, allowing the tea to cool really helps bring together all of the flavors.
This tea is bright, vibrant, soothing and invigorating. All of the flavors are well balanced and not one overpowers the other. The vanilla is rich and creamy while the spearmint gives the tea a bit of pep. There is a specific taste that I adore that marshmallow root adds to a blend and I can tell its there but I really can’t describe it.
Hidden Meadows is a tea that I will need to have on hand at all times. I just adore it and its one that I’ve found myself reaching for again and again and again. I’ve even drank nothing but this tea for a few days and still can’t get enough of it!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Flavored Green Tea
Where to Buy: BlendBee
Description
Breathe deep & fall in love…A simple yet intoxicating blend of green tea, marshmallow root and fresh spearmint delicately infused with warm vanilla. This is a creamy, minty & dreamy green tea blend for you to savor.
