I only recently became a fan of gingerbread and I am a picky one. I like gingerbread just so and I like just enough ginger in food or drink to make it sparkle but not enough to bite!
I am happy to say that this blend is the good kind of gingerbread. I made it as a plain hot tea first in six ounces water with no sugar and it was very good and very flavorful with a steeping time of just over three minutes. Ginger is the main note, followed by cinnamon.
But it is called Gingerbread LATTE so even though I don’t usually add milk and sugar to my tea, I do like lattes – a LOT, even though I rarely drink them. So I heated six ounces of milk with two teaspoons of sugar, and then plopped the infuser basket in for four minutes.
The milk is now a creamy color with little specks of cinnamon and spice swirling in it. Ginger is still up front with cinnamon a close second. The taste and texture of this drink would totally satisfy me as a dessert, no cake or pie needed. The flavor lingers for a long time.
Another A+ for A Quarter To Tea.
Want to Know More About This Tea?
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: A Quarter To Tea
Description
This tea is no longer available but click below for tea blends that are.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
52Teas’ the 12 Teas of Christmas – Day 12
Day 12!
Wow! It’s finally here, Christmas morning! And the final tea of the 12 Teas of Christmas is Gingerbread Brûlée Black tea. It is a perfect choice for the grand finale: after all, what is more showy and celebratory than creme brûlée?
This black tea features fragrant and delicious pieces of candied ginger accompanied by festive gingerbread spices. The dry leaf smells like putting your nose in a tin of gingerbread cookies, dark, spicy, a little peppery, and plenty sweet.
Brewed, this tea is robust and flavorful, don’t let the dessert theme lull you into thinking this is a mild blend. The black tea base has plenty oomph to wake you up no matter how early your family is opening Christmas presents.
I personally love kick-your-tastebuds strong chai flavors, but this tea made me realize that there is more than one way to have a tasty ginger tea. I really appreciate the caramelized black tea tones and I’m glad the ginger isn’t so hot that it drowns out the other flavors.
The molasses tones from the gingerbread are a perfect match for the crispy, burnt sugar flavors of the brûlée. There is just a perfect hint of heat from the candied ginger root, and the comforting warmth of other cookie spices. If you can’t bake a tray of gingerbread cookies, brew a pot of this tea instead and make your kitchen smell like the holidays.
Merry Chistmas!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: 52Teas
Description:
This is a tea that I had planned out way back when I was still in the planning stages of taking over 52Teas – but kept putting off again and again. Why? I don’t know. But I sure am glad I finally blended this because WOW! It’s ah-ma-ZING!
I started out with a blend of black teas (Yunnan, Assam & Ceylon) and added ginger & candied ginger, a bit of cinnamon & cloves, some freshly shaved nutmeg as well as some creme brulee essence to complete the tea.
The cuppa starts out with strong gingerbread notes with mere hints of the creamy brulee. The ginger is definitely present in at the start, so there’s no mistaking that this is, indeed, a GINGERBREAD brulee. As I continue to sip, the custard-y notes of the creme brulee start to emerge and the flavors seem to come together and become more smooth with each sip. By the end of the cup, I find a very lovely balance of both creme brulee (and I even some of that bittersweet burnt sugar in there!) and gingerbread.
And of course, this is organic, VEGAN, gluten-free & allergen free!
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Pumpkin Gingerbread Trifle from A Quarter To Tea. . . .
It’s that time of the year when it is still very much Fall so pumpkin is every which way you turn. You can’t go two minutes without seeing pumpkin this and pumpkin spice that. However, we are near enough to Christmas that those holiday flavors are popping up too. Just two days ago I enjoyed a Gingerbread Lindt Truffle while trying my first ever Pumpkin Spice Latte from Starbucks. It is a flavor experience that I am delighted to try again.
As per usual, A Quarter to Tea has just that combination with one of their teas, Pumpkin Gingerbread Trifle, a flavored black tea with notes of pumpkin, gingerbread, and custard. I steeped this up for 3 minutes in 200 degree water as per the recommended parameters.
The smell as I take my first sip is 98% gingerbread and 2% pumpkin sweetness. It’s got a great spice to it and I am disappointed that flavorwise, it is not as strong. There is still a gingerbread flavor but it is not as sharp as in the scent due to the stronger pumpkin flavor. Tastewise it is like a sweet pumpkin (not to be confused with pumpkin spice) drink with a ginger kick lingering in the background. The aftertaste has the baked good flavor of a gingerbread cookie. Custard seems to be lacking but between the other components there is enough going on that it isn’t missed.
Personally I wish there was more gingerbread and less pumpkin but I can’t fault it for delivering what’s promised due to my personal preferences. It is a nice tea even if it is a little unsure whether it wants to be sweet or spicy. Fall and the holidays are one in this tasty cuppa.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black Tea
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!
Sweet Ghost from Malfoy Tea Emporium . . .
This morning’s tea is a dessert option called Sweet Ghost. The Emporium describes it as “a decadent loose leaf tea blend that is crafted from black tea, natural gingerbread flavor, natural vanilla flavor, natural creme flavor, ginger root, orange peels, cinnamon bark and chocolate chips.”
It’s basically chocolate cream with slight chai spices. It’s a very strong, saturated flavor.
The only thing that bothers me is that it’s called “Sweet Ghost.” Like… why? I could see a delicately-flavored tea as being ephereal. Maybe a white tea.
Also, when was the last time a sweet ghost was featured in a movie? ALMOST NEVER. Ghosts are usually haunting people, screaming with their eyes pure white, crawling out of floors, moaning, flailing — causing an unpleasant ruckus, basically. They’re impolite. They’re horrible houseguests.
Rename the tea something nice, guys! Maybe something Harry Potter themed. There are tons of options! Here are a few freebies: Hogwarts Express Fuel. Hagrid’s Third Dessert of the Night. Mrs Weasley’s Evening Crochet Me-Time.
You’re welcome.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black Tea
Where to Buy: Malfoy Tea Emporium
Description
This tea is no longer available but click below for teas that are.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Ruby 18 from American Gongfu. . .
Today is one of those days where a good cup of tea is needed for the soul. It has been a crazy few months and I haven’t been able to spend as much time on my gorgeous tea stash. Today I was determined to give some love and enjoy a few tea blends while checking off a few odds and ends around the house.
Ruby 18 from American Gongfu stood out to me as being the first one I needed to dive in. I have been a fan of American Gongfu’s gorgeous tea ware and was excited to check out their tea offerings. This particular offering boasts a taste profile of gingerbread. What better compliment to a snowy winter day!
I traditionally western brew all my tea and that is how I approached this tea. Brewed up with water at 195F and allowed to brew for three minutes, this tea is a showstopper that grabbed my heart at the very first sip.
Right off the bat you are greeted with these brilliant gingerbread like notes. The description hits that note perfectly. Towards the middle of the sip you get this slight earthy feel that isn’t overwhelming but compliments that sweet start. At the end, there is a solid malty tone that wraps the sip up nicely without any astringency.
American Gongfu does teaware and tea right. From previous experiences, I knew that they offered amazing high quality tea ware to compliment anyone’s tea needs. But now that I’ve tried this variety, I know that take that same care and passion to their tea offerings.
Highly recommend this marvelous tea! Can’t wait to try this as a cold brew tea. I think that is on the list for tomorrow!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: American Gongfu
Description
This instant crowd favorite has an interesting pedigree. Ruby #18 – also know as Red Jade – is the name of a cultivar developed in Taiwan by pairing a wildTaiwanese tea treeCamellia formosensis with a Burmese Assam (C. sinensis var. assamica.). The best crafted Ruby 18 leaf usually comes from Nantou’s Sun Moon Lake region.
Brewed lightly or at lower temperature, the tea exhibits an aromatic sweetness with hints of gingerbread and other spice flavors. Brewed deeply or at high heat, yields a strong spicy tea, with notes of camphor, allspice, and deep woodiness.
A little goes a long way with this leaf, making it economical as well as delicious. We recommend a lighter brew if you’re new to this tea.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
