It’s been a rough year. I won’t go into that here but I have to say it’s good to be back! I’ve missed blogging the last 6 months or more. I have been sipping on teas here and there but I really have to get back into the swing of things.
I thought an interesting way to do that was to get thru some of my really old teas that I didn’t have the heart to throw away but really need to do the old ‘sip down’ with if you know what I mean.
I thought I would share some of my BLEND AT HOME Tea Recipes with you all.
Today I have combined two of my old Teavana tarts with a random black tea. What I did is take 3 teaspoons of Raspberry Riot Lemon Mate, 1 teaspoon of Pineapple Kona Pop, and 1 teaspoon of a straight-up black tea and threw the loose leaves into a tin and shook it ‘real good’. From that, I then took about a tablespoon and cold brewed a cup.
With what little black tea I did use (and with all of the other ingredients involved) you could barely tell the black tea was present. Other ingredients included: Apple, Marigold, Orange, Pineapple, Rose, Raspberry, Lemongrass, Yerba Mate, Hibiscus, and rose hip peels.
Since you can see most of the other ingredients are sweet, fruity, and citrusy – I found this BLEND AT HOME to be pretty yummy iced. I haven’t tried it hot, to be honest, but it ‘hit the stop’ this late summer and early fall.
It smelled more like a mellow raspberry followed by pineapple.
The post-infusion color was a light brown with hibiscus-type hue. The flavor combo upfront seemed to follow suit with the raspberry and pineapple combo. But in the middle of the sip you could taste the lemon and orange and shortly after that the apple came into play. There was a fruity yet gentle floral flavor to round it all out at the end.
For one of my first official attempts I thought this was a goody!
Nefertiti from Tay Tea- Review by Two Sisters, Not Just One!
We thought it would be fine to start getting multiple Sisters’ thoughts going for one tea. We hope you enjoy!
TeaEqualsBliss: My husband is a bit obsessed with Egyptology and I have to admit I had little to no knowledge of the history until I met him. Now that I have been around him and his love of everything Egypt for years I feel I can I have a fairly decent and somewhat intelligent conversation about a few of their historical figures. When I came across Nefertiti from Tay Tea I knew we had to try it!
CuppaGeek: I am right there with you. I’ve always been intrigued by the gorgeous appeal and fascinating stories that concern all things Egypt. Especially the history behind figures like Nefertiti.
TeaEqualsBliss: Nefertiti from Tay Tea contains organic black tea blends pomegranate, vanilla, blackberry leaves and calendula petals. The dry mix smells amazing! I can smell black tea, a bit of pom pep, and creamy, sweet vanilla.
CuppaGeek: The aroma notes I really feel come through is the black tea base. This has one of those black tea bases that demands attention with a sweet underlying berry aroma. Quite nice for this afternoon’s tea.
TeaEqualsBliss: I don’t know about you CuppaGeek, but once I brewed up this tea I was surprised by how dark the liquor was! The black tea base is more sturdy than I anticipated and for that I am grateful as I am a fan of strong black teas in general! Perhaps that was done on purpose because of Nefertiti being a STRONG woman figure. She has been depicted as a powerful and independent woman in history. So I guess that makes sense that this tea symbolizes her strength in the form of a sturdy tea!
CuppaGeek: Absolutely! This tea does translate into a very strong black tea with a light flavoring. I think you are more fond of those types of tea than I am, but as a “I need perked up” sort of tea, this works. The notes that come across the strongest are those malty black astringent flavors that are slightly sweetened with a light layer of vanilla. I almost wish that the tea wasn’t so heavy in the base but on the other hand, like you said, Nefertiti was a very strong female presence.
TeaEqualsBliss: Many people have said that Nefertiti was also looked at as a sensual goddess. Maybe I am reading to much into this tribute of this tea or maybe that is what Tay Tea had in mind while blending these flavors together.
CuppaGeek: I have a feeling this tea is a fitting tribute to Nefertiti! Strong with a slightly sweet twist.
TeaEqualsBliss; I can’t wait to dive into another offering by Tay Tea. This one is hitting all the right notes. Off to brew up another cuppa!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type:
Where to Buy: Tay Tea
Description
This exotic and luxurious organic black tea blends pomegranate, vanilla, blackberry leaves and calendula petals to create a mellow yet memorable tea experience fit for a Queen!
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Focus from BlendBee
Blendbee has some of the most amazing smelling teas! Focus from BlendBee is one of those teas! Upon opening the package I could smell lemon-orange-chocolate! The second sniff is when I noticed the gently roasted, savory, and floral notes. Usually I would think all of these conflicting aromas would be weird together but they seemed to fit here. I could get over the amazing aroma!
The original reason I reached for this tea today was because I was having a hard time focusing. I’m not going to make any claims or anything here BUT once I smelled this tea I know I couldn’t FOCUS on anything other that how awesome it smelled! I knew I had to take the next step, tho! I added the water and waited 3 or 4 minutes before sipping. Once the tea was infused it was harder to identify each of those ingredients with a single sniff but it still smelled YUMMY.
Focus from BlendBee ‘brewed’ dark brown and I could taste a combo of Yerba Mate, Black Tea, Lemon, and Orange, mostly. In follow up sips I could taste the chicory and it was done perfectly! It was hanging out in the background and wasn’t over powering! The rose and chocolaty notes were more on the end sip and aftertaste and were lovely, too! This is a Yerba Mate/Black Tea blend I could see myself drinking often! YUM!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black/Yerba Mate
Where to Buy: BlendBee
Description
Sharpen your mind & stay focused.
This invigorating black tea & yerba mate blend was specifically designed for a tea lover whose favorite tea was discontinued. We recreated it for her, and to our delight, we loved this blend and decided to whole world should have it. It definitely helps you to stay focused and has a great energy. Enjoy!
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Chocolate Hazelnut Dessert Tea from Plum Deluxe
Chocolate Hazelnut Dessert Tea from Plum Deluxe was one of my samples that I received a month or two ago. I am not a huge chocolate or hazelnut fan to begin with. Mix that with honeybush (which I love or hate) and that tea is bound to hang out in my tea stash for a while.
That is a tragedy and shame on me when it comes to this tea. This tea has me rethinking my whole thought process when it comes to this combo. I could even see stocking this tea in my cabinet for that sweet treat after dinner.
First whiff of this dry leaf and you are greeted with this decadent and dare I say sinful aroma of rich milk chocolate notes and hazelnuts. Using the same brewing method as an herbal (212F-5 minutes), I graciously poured a mug full of this dessert tea and sat down to enjoy.
Immediately I am again greeted with those rich milk chocolate notes. Took my first sip after allowing the tea to cool for a couple moments. Deep lush silky chocolate notes swirl on the tongue with a nice mix of a creamy hazelnut vibe. Both flavors are given a good amount of time in the spotlight and do not overtake each other.
This is one of those gorgeous dessert teas that really transport you. Since this is a caffeine free tea, this would be the perfect way to wind down for the day. I can’t believe how crazy I am about this tea and highly recommend it.
Leave it to Plum Deluxe to create a chocolate tea I love. Simple fresh ingredients blended with love. That is just want Plum Deluxe does.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Honeybush
Where to Buy: Plum Deluxe
Description:
People have been pairing chocolate with hazelnut for millennia. Why not — it’s a perfect pairing. We paired it with honeybush — our favorite herbal tea — to make a decadent, delicious drink. Add a splash of cream and/or a pinch of sugar, or turn it into the most wonderful tea latte ever.
Learn more about this tea here.
