I have a coworker that’s always wandering around the office with a bowl of oatmeal. It’s like his familiar — except it’s not a black cat. It’s food.
I’m always jealous of this oatmeal. You might be asking yourself “why don’t you get yourself a bowl of oatmeal?” I’VE HAD THAT IDEA, OKAY? Whenever I try to make my own, it never, ever smells as good as his.
Forget food preparation. I’m over it. I’m just going to make this tea instead.
This tea comes in a packet with real oatmeal and cinnamon and brown sugar in it. My desire is literally to just eat the contents of the bag. However, as someone over the age of 5, I knew I could not make this choice. I had to make the responsible decision. I had to steep it.
And aha! It really does taste like maple syrup, brown sugar, and oats!
There’s also, after you swallow, a little bit of a banana aftertaste. I’m not usually hype about banana flavors, but these are real bananas, not those yucky yellow banana-shaped candies that taste like a dumpster.
Mixed with the oats, the banana is transformed into a banana-bread flavor. And I’ll love the bread form of almost anything. I even like zucchini bread. And this is from a gal who probably couldn’t pick a zucchini out of a lineup. (Isn’t it kind of cucumber-like?)
Mmmm. This is a really nice blend. It’s totally worth a try, especially if you like the ingredients. You’ll be impressing your coworkers in no time.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: The NecessiTeas
Description
Oh, the aroma of banana and maple floating through the house… This oatmeal smelled so good simmering on the stove, I could hardly wait to eat it! And then I had that “Aha!” moment. Why not turn my breakfast into a big cup of morning deliciousness? This breakfast tea has all the yummy flavors of maple donuts mixed with banana bread and oatmeal cookies. Now, THAT is quite the combination!
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Rose City Rooibos from Beach House Teas. . . . .
Spring and summer are my favorite time for drinking floral teas, complementing the flowers blooming outside of my teacup. So this seemed like the perfect time to try a cup of Rose City Rooibos from Beach House Teas.
This is the first tea I’ve tried from Beach House Teas so I took a look at their website. Family-run business in the Pacific Northwest with a focus on organic and wild ingredients, producing hand-blended teas. They also have an Etsy shop, if that’s more your style. They even offer herb-infused sugar for cooking, and herb infused salts and bath bombs for the bath.
Let’s get back to the tea at hand, Rose City Rooibos. Like many tea blends on Beach House Teas, this blend looks great in the dry leaf with beautiful curled rose blossoms in pink and cream, and the rich russet tones of the red rooibos.
Brewed, this tea is smooth and simple, with the nutty, caramel tones of the red rooibos with gentle floral overtones. The ingredients list says there is peppermint in this blend as well, but the mint gets lost under all the rooibos taste and rose scent. I wouldn’t mind more peppermint in the next batch to help add more dimension to the flavor set of this blend. I usually favor teas with a bit more punch to their flavors, so I might not brew this one again. Overall this was very simple and comforting.
This tea’s description calls this a “liquid spa” and I won’t deny that the floral notes are relaxing, and the rose petals are captivating to look at. A good tea for when you need some relaxing aromatherapy.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Rooibos
Where to Buy: Beach House Teas
Description:
Rose City Rooibos is 100% organic loose leaf tea blended with red rooibos tea, rose petals, peppermint, and pure extract. This floral elixir is all about beauty and what better way to surround yourself in beauty than rose petals and rooibos that’s like a liquid spa?
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Scarborough Fair from A Quarter To Tea. . . .
Every single time I am on the A Quarter to Tea website, the name “Scarborough Fair” catches my eye. Every. Single. Time. I have no idea why or what I am always expecting but the name always pulls me in. I keep thinking it is like a berry tea or something like that and I want it but then I click on the page and read the description which calls it “fruity” and “herbaceous”. Though fruity I like, herbaceous makes me hesitant and in the end my hesitation wins out and this tea gets left behind. However, I guess fate decided to intervene because a sample of this Scarborough Fair tea arrived in A Quarter to Tea’s monthly subscription box for August.
I steeped the entire sample in a 16 oz mug according to the recommended steeping parameters of 3 minutes in 190F water.
The description “fruity” and “herbaceous” hit the nail right on the head, to be honest. The fruity raspberry flavor hits your tongue first but the sage quickly comes up from underneath. Somehow the two components intertwine seamlessly while still being distinctive in their own rights. The rosemary also blends with the sage and the two flavors linger on your tongue after the sip is done, all the while the sweet raspberry note still floats on top. This tea is unique to say the least and certainly very interesting but I can’t decide if that is good or bad.
I am enjoying this cup well enough but if I am being honest, “herbaceous” is just not what I want from my teas. I’m more of the dessert tea kind of girl and though this has a nice sweetness, the herbs are throwing me off. Nevertheless, I am glad I got to try it and for those who like a more herbal element or even just anyone wanting to try something new, I wholeheartedly suggest giving this a taste.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black Tea
Where to Buy: A Quarter To Tea
Description
Raspberry, sage and rosemary come together to create a fruity and herbaceous cup worthy of Scarborough Fair itself.
Sikkim is located just north of Darjeeling in India. The only garden there, Temi, does its teas in a Darjeeling style. The base tea here is comparable to a second flush Darjeeling tea
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Pancake Breakfast from 52Teas. . . . .
I’m really excited to be reviewing a tea that is part of 52 Teas’ permanent collection! Its nice that they started this because I like having options that aren’t always Limited Edition. I never tried their Pancake Breakfast Black Tea before, but when I saw it I had to grab a sample pouch because anything that involves pancakes or waffles always peaks my curiosity.
Smelling the dry leaf of this smooth black tea blend I could definitely smell the maple syrup. Now- something that happens with a lot of teas that are created after a pancake or waffle usually end up tasting like maple. It’s hard to capture the taste of a pancake or waffle. I mean, it’s only tea after all and there are only so many options when it comes to flavoring them.
That said, if I did not know that this was called “Pancake Breakfast” I probably would have thought that it was a maple flavored black tea. However, when I think real hard while sipping I can almost taste the pancakes towards the end of the sip on the tip of my tongue. Is it really there or is it my imagination? You can decide that for yourself!
Either way, it is quite delicious and its the perfect tea for breakfast time…which as we all know, is any time you feel like it!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: 52Teas
Description
Because the love for this tea is so strong, we stuck closely to the original recipe.
One difference is that we’re utilizing different teas in our black tea base. I think you’ll notice the difference and I’m confident you’ll feel this was a change for the better! We’ve made a really yummy thing even better!
Ingredients: Organic Black Teas, organic marigold petals and all-natural, organic flavors.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Earl Grey Cider from 52Teas. . . .
The Earl and I have been buddies for a long time. He’s begun, gradually, over time, to let his guard down. This weekend, in fact, he invited me out camping.
“There’s going to be cider,” he said. “I’m going full Johnny Appleseed on this.”
“That’s rustic!” I said.
“The castle’s a little stuffy. I’m branching out,” he said.
“BRANCHING?” I said.
“I LOVE IT WHEN SOMEONE GETS MY PUNS,” he said.
After a long day of hiking around a charming English forest, we set up our tents for the night.
The following morning, he slow-simmered some tea over a small fire. He threw lemon peel into it, apple bits, and a tiny bit of bourbon extract (no alcohol!).
“What do you think?” he asked as I sipped. He was slouched forward, hands clasped. He looked nervous. I could see his knuckles standing out white against his clenched skin.
“I ADORE IT,” I said.
He settled back against a tree, smiling.
“The lemons! The bourbon! Who would have thought you could take your classic recipe and do something so new with it? This is rich, and sweet, but the original is still there, too. It’s like you dropped a sweet, sweet remix on that beat!” I cried.
He blushed.
“You took the tea less traveled — and that has made all the difference!” I said.
“Speaking of which, we are really lost,” he said. “And I hate the woods.”
“Don’t worry,” I said. “It’s 2017. We have GPS now.”
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: 52Teas
Description
This tea is not currently available but click below for teas that are.