There’s something about the whole “warm milk at bedtime” trope that has always appealed to me. I’m sure I read about it in my beloved Little House of the Prairie when I was a little girl, and ever since, this comforting nighttime ritual spoke the perfect amount of comfort meets romantic whimsy to my bookish heart. Nowadays, tea is most often my nighttime treat– but recently, I was inspired to combine the two (spoiler alert: with delicious results)! I received a sample of Living Book Nook’s Sunshine on the Shire recently– a tea as evocative in its name as its flavors– a simple, but well-balanced blend of chamomile and sunflower petals. I rarely reach for chamomile on its own, but paired with sweet, vanilla-honeyed coconut milk and lightly frothed (no gadgets required!), it takes the nightly cup of warm milk to a whole other level. I’ll be sleeping well tonight!
Honeyed Vanilla Sleepytime Latte: 1 c. steeped chamomile tea (I used Sunshine on the Shire) 1/4 c. milk (I used coconut for a dairy-free treats but feel free to use whatever you’d prefer) 1/4 t. vanilla extract 1/2 t. honey
Froth your milk, either using a handheld frother, or by pouring into a small mason jar, shaking until frothed, and then gently heating in the microwave. While your frothed milk settles, add your honey and vanilla to the steeped chamomile tea. Top your cup with frothed milk, curl up under a blanket with a good book, and enjoy while you settle in for a good sleep!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Herbal
Where to Buy: Living Books Nook
Description
This tea is no longer available on their site but click below for what is.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Love, love, love from Harlow Tea Co.
The last few days have been felt like an overload of sweet, milky teas– to the point that even my beloved English Breakfast with cream and honey was starting to feel too sickly sweet for me. (#teareviewerprobs– admittedly, best. problem. ever.) And so, I knew my body was telling me it was time for a little tea/tummy reset.
I knew exactly what I was looking for, digging around in my sample stash– this blend from Harlow Tea Co has been calling my name for days. A honeybush blend with plum and vegetal, herbal notes, I knew it would hit the spot without feeling like dessert overload. Right off the bat, the leaves smell beautiful– fruity and herbal, balancing the flavor-makers like plum with some more medicinal herbs like lady’s mantle, all juxtaposed against the smooth honeybush.
Brewed, it hits all those same notes for me. Fruity, but not too sweet; just herbal enough to feel like I’m doing something good for my body to boot! The one flavor that seems predominant to me is that of plums– prunes, to be exact. It makes sense, as there are large dried plum chunks in the dry leaf, and I adore prunes as a snack.
That said, if these GI-enablers aren’t your favorite flavor, I’d say this tea might not be for you. For me, though, it’s a home run. My stomach is happy, my tea drinking habits are feeling balanced again, and I’ll definitely be rebrewing my sample as many more times as I can get away with (and knowing Harlow, it’s bound to be at least a few). To balance!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Herbal
Where to Buy: Harlow Tea Co.
Description
This caffeine free tea is a great tea for any tea drinker, someone brand new to tea or have tried it all.
Honeybush tea is vey mild, but gives great flavor without caffeine. Floral hints from rose hips, hibiscus flower, and lady’s mantle is balanced with the fruity aroma of dried plums.
Does not contain caffeine
Lady’s mantle is considered in many cultures to be used as a woman’s healing herb.
Ingredients: honeybush tea, dried plums, lady’s mantle, rose hips, and hibiscus flower.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Calling All Coconut Lovers!! Coconut Breeze from Harlow Tea Co
I find coconut is one of those polarizing flavors. People either love it or hate it. I am on the love it side of things but overtime I learned that there isn’t just one sort of coconut when it comes to tea. Coconut can be sweet and creamy but it can also be reminiscent of body lotion. Personally, I am a lover of coconut in dessert teas though I am wary as it can also go rancid much quicker than other ingredients. Though, when done right, it can be SO RIGHT!
With that in mind, I was both excited and anxious to try this tea. Unlike the coconut blends I tend to reach for, this is a more Island-vibe sort of creation with the addition of lemongrass, orange peel and the floral rose all on a bed of green tea. I worried that that might result in the weird lotion-type coconut flavor/mouth-feel since islands and lotion (or the sun protection variety) just go together. My worries were not eased by the thickness of the steeped tea. The liquid moved as one solid unit in the cup, looking like it had an almost gelatin-like consistency.
My first sip eased my troubles as there was no lotion to be found, and even though it looked thick, this tea is smooth and mellow in texture. However, what I didn’t expect is that not only was the coconut not lotiony but it wasn’t even all that present in the flavor. It is being drowned out by the lemongrass and just a hint of a vegetal green base. I believe the only thing it is contributing to is the texture of the brew as there is a silkiness akin to creamier blends that I would attribute to the coconut.
It’s a pleasant enough tea and more sunshine and brightness than the delectable dessert I hope for when I see coconut in a blend. So, this one maybe isn’t for me but I can see others enjoying it a great deal. If you want something more reminiscent of an island life to escape the dreary winter months, this might be a tea to reach for.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Flavored Green Tea
Where to Buy: Harlow Tea Co
Description
This green tea is light and perfect for a breezy summer day. If that breezy summer day is nonexistent this tea will take you back to those days with refreshing coconut and citrus flavors.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Winter Morning Earl Grey from The Sunshine Cottage
Some of you may already know that I live in the snow belt area of the north east part of the United States. I’m originally from Buffalo, too, which means I’m NOT a stranger to snow and LOTS of it!
I have been drinking Winter Morning Earl Grey from Sunshine Cottage on and off for about a month now. As I write this I am finishing up the bag of tea that I have. It’s ironic because today is our first significant winter storm of the year. Some say we could get 4 to 6 feet of snow in some areas in the next 4 days. I hope that isn’t the case.
Regardless I have the last little bit of Winter Morning Earl Grey from Sunshine Cottage to keep me company for one more day!
I’m a sucker for flavored Earl Greys. I have mentioned that once or twice (or a hundred) times before but I will gladly say it again! There is something special when a tea blended takes the time to go above and beyond your traditional Earl Grey Flavoring and give it an extra ‘sumpin’, sumpin’.
This particular flavored Earl has that stereotypical EG base to start and then they added extra floral notes, creamy vanilla flavors, and a touch of cinnamon to it, too! It’s pretty incredible! The vanilla is a touch more powerful than the cinnamon and I wouldn’t change the flavor ratio at all!
There is just something about this flavored Earl Grey that I adore and the only thing I can come up with is the pure genius of the flavor combo and ratio blending behind it. It’s truly unique, delicious, and a tea I will remember for a long time!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Flavored Black Tea
Where to Buy: Sunshine Cottage
Description
Scrumptious Winter Morning Earl Grey Tea! What could be better on a cold winter’s morning than a steam hot cup of Earl Grey tea? How about adding a splash of creamy vanilla and a dash of cinnamon? Add some steamed milk and you’ve got an Earl Grey Vermont blizzard!!
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Callisto Chai from Moongleam Tea Shoppe
I woke up to a light dusting of snow. It feels like a cozy holiday morning, so of course I’m craving Chai!
I decided to try this Callisto chai and first of all, I have to comment on the beauty of the tea itself. It has so many beautiful cardamom pods. I always know the tea will be amazing when I see cardamom! And it smells out of this world! It smells like a cozy winter morning. I smell nutmeg and cloves, not just the usual cinnamon. It smells much spicier than it tastes.
I’m having mine with a teaspoon of brown sugar and a splash of coconut milk. It’s smooth and delicious. The spice is there, but it’s subtle and sweet, not at all sharp.
I know I keep saying each new chai I try is a new favorite, but I can’t help it, they’ve all been so amazing! This is a chai I would serve to people who are not huge spice fans and might be a little leery of chai or other more “exotic” teas!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type:
Where to Buy: Moongleam Tea Shoppe
Description
This tea is no longer on the site but please click on the link below for what is available.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
