Day 21-Plum Deluxe Tea Advent Calendar. . .Spoilers!

Day 21 and I’m not going to lie, I was crazy excited about the tea blend just by the name alone. . .Banana Bread Dessert Tea! I mean seriously, does it get any better? I couldn’t wait to check this blend out so I prepped up freshly boiled water, allowed the tea to steep for five minutes and cool for an additional two.  I poured myself a huge cuppa and sat down to enjoy what I thought would be banana goodness.

Upon first sip, it seemed I didn’t really get much in the way of banana but more chocolate.  I noticed that while the tea was steeping I was getting some pretty heavy notes and didn’t really get much in the way of banana there either.  Though I was bummed I didn’t get the banana love I was hoping for, this tea is still rock solid and delicious.  The chocolate, honeybush, and cinnamon mingle together in a wonderful way providing this delicious flavor.

There is a subtle nutty flavor here and there and I think that is possibly where the chestnut essence is coming to play but with the bold flavors going on, I think the banana just isn’t there for me.  Now I do have to say, I’m a banana freak so I was hoping for a blast in your face banana flavor.

Even though this tea didn’t quite deliver the flavor on the label, I’m still devouring this tea down and have had several more cuppas. I’m going to say that Day 21 was a successful blend indeed!


Here’s the scoop!

Leaf Type:  Honeybush
Where to Buy:  Plum Deluxe
Description

This tea is part of the tea advent calendar.

Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!

52Teas’ the 12 Teas of Christmas – Day 5-Spoilers!

Day 5!

The 12 Teas of Christmas has had a nice variety of tea types and flavors so far, so I am never bored with the flavors in store for me. Today is a green tea with fruity, creamy tones: Blackberry Custard Tart Green. There nice purple dried blackberries in the dry leaf and plenty of juicy dark fruit scent in the bag.

Brewed, the creamy, vanilla pudding flavor of the custard comes through more strongly, adding a smooth mouthfeel alongside all the delectable dessert tastes. I appreciate that green tea was used as the base for this blend to give the blackberry and cream more room to shine. A black tea might have taken over with its own tartness and tannins. The green tea adds a gentle vegetal note that compliments the berries, and a bit of nuttiness that feels like the fruit tart cookie crust.

This is a nice blend for midway through your day, when you want something with a little pep but not too sweet or caffeinated. It is bright but decadent and the perfect way to treat yourself during the busy holiday season.


Here’s the scoop!

Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: 52Teas
Description:

One afternoon as I was perusing through my Pinterest feed, I found a recipe for Blackberry Custard. It looked exceptionally good and whenever I see a dessert recipe that looks exceptionally good, I immediately think about how I’d translate that recipe to a tea flavor. Yep, I’m kind of nerdy like that. So I thought … hmmm, blackberry custard sounds like a winning idea for a tea. Then I remembered that there was already a Blackberries & Cream Shou Mei so how different could a blackberry custard really be?

So, I thought, what if it had a delightfully buttery pastry crust? Well, then it would be a Blackberry Custard Tart.

So that’s what inspired me to make this with my green tea base (a blend of organic Chun Mee and organic Gunpowder). I added blackberry, custard and pastry flavors. Then I tossed in some of those big, beautiful freeze-dried blackberries. This is really good!

Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!

52Teas’ the 12 Teas of Christmas – Day 3- Spoilers

Day 3!

Today’s flavor is Raspberry Almond Cookie Honeybush.  Right away I notice the fragrant raspberry scent and see the vibrant color pop of dried raspberries in the dry leaf.

This is an herbal blend that reminds me a bit of those thumbprint jam cookies that pop up on cookie plates during this time of year.  This blend is a bit more marzipan than butter cookie, but the almond nuttiness still pairs well with the natural caramelly, woodsy flavors of the honeybush.

I think this blend is best when brewed hot and strong for maximum flavor from the honeybush. Play up the dessert name by serving it as a foamy latte. Perfect for a before bed brew while putting out the cookie plate for Santa.


Here’s the scoop!

Leaf Type: Honeybush
Where to Buy: 52Teas
Description:

When it comes to my tea flavors, there is usually some sort of inspiration behind it. Quite often, it was a flavor conceived during an afternoon of browsing through Pinterest. (I do like Pinterest!) I don’t really recall where I got the idea for a Raspberry Almond Cookie tea – but if I were to place a bet, my bet would be that I found it during a Pinterest browse.

I’ve never had a raspberry almond cookie. But when I think of “Raspberry Almond Cookie” – my mind evokes a thought of one of those little thumbprint type of cookies, you know, the cookies with a little indentation in the center where you could put a dollop of jam or marmalade? So, imagine that – if you would. A delicate almond shortbread that engulfs a little mound of raspberry jam.

And that’s exactly what this tastes like. I taste a good amount of raspberry and almond flavor and even a hint of buttery cookie. This is a naturally caffeine free treat – so it would make for a perfect dessert-y drink that you can enjoy before bedtime without worry that it’ll keep you up past your bedtime!

Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!

Peppermint Creme Brulee from A Quarter To Tea. . .

I am a creme brulee fiend. It is one heck of a tasty dessert and it is one of those flavors that always ends up in my shopping cart. So when this tea (complete with glitter balls and cute candy cane sprinkles) showed up in my monthly subscription box, I was all too excited to give it a try.

I steeped it per the package directions, in 185F water for 3 minutes. The brewed tea filled the entire kitchen with the smell of bruleed sugar deliciousness.  Flavor-wise, there is definitely a sugar sweetness but as much as I thought peppermint would be a great addition, I feel it is a bit too medicinal for this tea. It takes over and though there is a sweet mint aspect, there is also a burn that is far too distracting. With that, any hope of caramel from a bruleed brown sugar aspect or any creamy custard notes are drowned out.

I had high hopes for this one but it was a bit of a miss for my personal preferences.I want more brown sugar. More custard. Less herbal mint.


Here’s the scoop!

Leaf Type:  Oolong
Where to Buy:  A Quarter To Tea
Description

This tea is no longer available but click below for teas that are.

Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!

White Chocolate Tiramisu from Fava Tea. . .

I accidentally left this in the steeper far too long — which you aren’t supposed to do with green — but it’s still really tasty, so that’s a sublimely positive thing for us scatterbrained tea enthusiasts.

This tea tastes like white chocolate, nuts, and caramel. It’s supposed to taste like Tiramisu, but I’m not sure I’m getting that. Tiramisu, to me, mostly has coffee notes. That said, who cares, a tasty tea is a tasty tea. This is SO creamy and delicious and sweet. It’s a slick mouth-feel (ew, the phrase “mouth-feel” is horrible) that really coats the inside of the mouth.

I feel like I’m in a French patisserie with this tea. Everything is Marie Antoinette pastel. I have a tiny purebred dog upon my lap. My pinky is up. I’m with all of my friends. We’re wearing blush and having a scintillating conversation that focuses on fine arts and gossip.

We might enjoy ourselves so much that we oversteep the tea. But that’s okay. This tea doesn’t mind.


Here’s the scoop!

Leaf Type: Black/Green
Where to Buy:  Fava Tea
Description

This is a green and black tea blend with almonds, coconut, and cocoa pieces. If you like the darker, creamy, savory teas, this is one for you! A popular dessert tea. Blends well with rock sugar. Try Vanilla RocksChocolate Cream Rocks, or Strawberry Rocks, for starters!

Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!