Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Rooibos & Herbal
Learn more about Simple Loose Leaf here.
Tisane Description:
This healthy and harmonious herbal tea blends peppermint, ginseng, cinnamon, echinacea, sarsaparilla, licorice, and organic South African rooibos. The cooling peppermint and warm cinnamon notes pair perfectly with the sweet, soothing finish provided by the other herbs. This special blend is an ideal and tasty way to stimulate your immune system.
Learn more about this tisane here.
Learn more about Simple Loose Leaf’s Co-Op program here.
Taster’s Review:
As I’ve said in the past, I’m not usually a big fan of ginseng, but this blend has enough going on that I barely notice that the ginseng is there! I’m too busy enjoying the contrast between crisp, cool peppermint and zesty cinnamon and snappy licorice to focus on the ginseng. The peppermint, cinnamon and licorice are the three strongest components of this cup.
This is a delightful tisane to sip on this cold winter’s night. The combination of cinnamon and licorice are warming me from the inside out, while the peppermint adds a refreshing element. As I said, I don’t taste much from the ginseng. I also don’t taste a lot from the rooibos or the echinacea.
At first, I had trouble locating the sarsaparilla in this, but if I slurp the sip, I do pick up on a light root beer-ish flavor in the distance, and it’s quite an interesting note to be tasting along with the cinnamon. Peppermint and licorice are both profiles that I’ve occasionally noticed in gourmet root beers, but not cinnamon. The cinnamon and sarsaparilla are quite intriguing and this combination is keeping me sipping.
This is a tisane that was a sample in my last box from Simple Loose Leaf (when they switched from the selection club to the co-op plan), and I held on to it for a while because … well, because it’s a tisane. That’s why. I have admitted before that I’m often skittish when it comes to tisanes and this just goes to show what I mean by that.
But I’m glad I finally decided to try it because I enjoyed this. It’s a wonderful medley of contrasts, and there’s a lot of health benefits in this too!
Peppermint Peace Herbal Tea from M&K’s Tea Company
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Herbal Tisane
Where to Buy: M&K’s Tea Company on Etsy
Tea Description:
Can’t we all just get along? Probably not. But at least we have tea, and in this case, it tastes like honey and peppermint! A great tea to relax with before bed, or a great tea to start your morning off minty. Whatever the case, just give (peppermint) peace a chance and try this blend out.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I love licorice and I like peppermint, so I found myself curious about this blend. They are very “polarizing” flavors – it seems that people either like licorice or they don’t, and the same is true of peppermint. And they are two very strong flavors too, so I found myself wondering how well they’d work together.
The answer: I really like the way these two ingredients work together.
To brew this tisane, I used my Kati tumbler and poured the entire sample into the basket because I generally like to use extra leaf in my tisanes. I suspect that the sample might be enough for two 8 ounce cups with a slightly weaker flavor than I’m enjoying now, but for this 12 ounce tumbler, I think that the sample is just the right amount. I heat the water to 195°F and let the tisane steep for 8 minutes.
As I just mentioned, these two ingredients work very well together. The coolness of the peppermint helps to curb some of the sharper notes of the licorice while the warm licorice notes help to reduce some of the strong minty tones so that this doesn’t taste like toothpaste.
It has a slightly medicinal taste but not in a bad way, it’s soothing. Instead, it’s a comforting yet exhilarating cuppa that’s naturally caffeine free. Like what you’d want to drink if you were feeling a little under the weather. I am tasting that zesty licorice, a pleasing honeyed sweetness and the crisp minty notes of the peppermint. It’s a little sweet and a little spicy.
As I sip it, I was trying to think of the word that best captures this tisane: refreshing!
Mint-Chilla Chai-Nilla Tea from The Spice and Tea Exchange
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Pu-erh
Where to Buy: The Spice and Tea Exchange
Tea Description:
A pu-erh chai tea with creamy vanilla, bright peppermint, and a touch of cinnamon. A rich smooth tea that adds a refreshing minty twist to the traditional chai tea flavors. Contains: organic green pu-erh tea, organic peppermint, organic cinnamon, organic vanilla bean, organic licorice root.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
This is an enjoyable pu-erh blend but I don’t know if I’d call it a “chai.” The only ingredient in this blend that is common in a masala chai blend is cinnamon. There is no ginger, no clove, no cardamom … none of the other “usual” ingredients in this “chai.”
Oh, sure, there’s licorice root and I’m enjoying the sassy flavor that it adds to the cup, but licorice root is not a common ingredient in a chai blend.
But whether or not I’d consider it a chai, it is a tasty blend.
To brew it, I used my Kati tumbler and heated the water to 190°F. I added a heaping bamboo scoop of loose leaf tea to the basket of the tumbler and then I added 12 ounces of heated water. I waited for 15 seconds and then drained off the liquid, discarding it (the rinse). Then I filled the tumbler again with another 12 ounces of heated water and steeped it for 3 minutes.
The pu-erh base is earthy and smooth. No bitterness or astringency to speak of. Just smooth, mellow flavor. The earthiness is complemented by the cinnamon and licorice root. The peppermint adds a burst of fresh flavor while the vanilla adds a hint of creaminess. (No need for dairy to make this a latte! It’s a little bit like a latte without the addition.)
An enjoyable tea that tastes just like the holidays! A great tea for this time of year!
24 Days of Tea Holiday Countdown – Day 16 from Teanzo 1856
It’s Day 16 of this Advent Calendar/Holiday Countdown with Teanzo 1856. There are eight days left to shop! Every year, I tell myself that I’ll start my shopping early, but every year, I end up waiting until the last minute. (Sigh!)
For today’s artistic inspiration, I am turning to another piece that I received in a 12 Days of Christmas mail art swap. The artist I’m featuring today is Gwynn Thoma, and she made this beautiful rustic heart ornament for my tree.
This is another one of those ornaments that’s just FUN to discover every year when I start “unwrapping” all my ornaments for the tree. It’s so cute and there are so many neat little details about it that I seem to keep finding something new about it every year. I also like the bit of rustic whimsy it adds to my tree.
Another thing that really stood out to me about this particular ornament was the packaging. Gwynn stitched together little “envelopes out of Kraft paper and adorned them with bits of aged sheet music and a swatch of the burlap that she used to create the heart ornament. It’s a very clever and lovely package and I love how it “matches” the gift that was tucked inside.
I hope that you guys are enjoying my art “roundup” as well as the countdown to Christmas with teas from Teanzo this year!
Seasonal Relief Herbal Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Tulsi
Where to Buy: Teanzo 1856
Tea Description:
In India, licorice root is used to soothe sore throats, and the tulsi plant is revered for its many health benefits. In this delicious herbal wellness tea, we’ve combined licorice root and tulsi with a powerhouse of helpers: peppermint, hibiscus, honey bee pollen, and eucalyptus. Not only is the tea delicious, but it is soothing too. Enjoy this tea hot or iced.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I suffer from seasonal allergies that seem to last all year long now. I never used to! Before moving to the Pacific Northwest, I didn’t have allergies. But I guess with all the pollen in this area, I soon started feeling unwell in the spring with allergy symptoms, but because I never had allergies before, I thought maybe it was something else.
Then I started taking allergy medication and my symptoms disappeared. At first, I only needed these toward the end of winter, through spring and at the very start of summer. Then I started needing it through summer. Now, I need the medication year round or I start sneezing, eyes start watering and I’m just really uncomfortable with my symptoms.
So, I am always looking for a tisane that I enjoy that might help me alleviate my symptoms so that I don’t have to take so much allergy medication. So when I saw that this was a Seasonal Relief blend, I was excited to try it.
Unfortunately, I’m just not enjoying this one very much. Perhaps it’s the eucalyptus, but I feel like I’m sipping on liquefied VapoRub.
At first, I enjoyed the peppermint and licorice-y notes, and I could taste notes of tulsi that I enjoyed. But after drinking about 1/4th of the cup, the flavor of the eucalyptus seemed to build and it got to the point where all I could taste was the eucalyptus and this does not create a very pleasant cup for me.
On the plus side, the hibiscus is not a heavy flavor or texture. I think that this could be much nicer if maybe there was less eucalyptus, and maybe a little more peppermint and tulsi.
Overall, this just wasn’t my cup of tea. They can’t all be, though. Teanzo has had some real winners with this Advent Calender, this just didn’t do it for me, so hopefully tomorrow, we’ll have something yummy!
Witch’s Brew Black Tea from M&K’s Tea Company
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: M&K’s Tea Company on Etsy
Tea Description:
Broo! Spooked ya, scared ya. This tea doesn’t have real witches inside (apparently that’s illegal), but it does have witch hazel bark! Witch’s Brew combines sweet Ceylon tea and hearty Assam tea with sleepy-inducing chamomile and a host of other herbs in order to blend into this secret holiday brew. Try it with some cream and sugar for a real treat!
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
By now, you may have already read some of my praise of this Etsy company. One of the things that I’m so pleased with is their customer service. But I didn’t go into detail with why I’m so impressed with them. Here’s my tale:
I placed my order with them and the next business day, I received an email telling me that the order has shipped. Along with that email, I was provided a tracking number (I like that. It’s not something that all companies do, but I think they should. It would provide great peace of mind to their customers.)
Later, I received a message from M&K’s that there was a problem with my shipment. Apparently, the package that I was sent wasn’t my order, it was someone else’s, but they were sending out the correct package. They told me to keep the wrong package as well. I told them that to “compensate” for the loss, that I would be writing about the “extra” teas that I’d be receiving.
When the wrong order arrived, I was aghast at how many samplers were inside the box! Wowza! It was an exceptional opportunity to try so many of this company’s teas – teas that I hadn’t ordered in my original sampler.
A couple of days later, the teas that I had ordered arrived. Inside the box was not only the five samplers that I ordered but a free sample as well (I like that too. Again, not something that all tea companies do, but I think they should. It not only feels like a “free gift” for the customer, but it may well turn into additional business for the company. If the customer likes the sample that they try, they might order it again.)
In addition, there was a handwritten note thanking me for my order. I really appreciate those little touches. It makes me feel like I’m buying from a real person and not a company. It makes me feel like that person sees me as a real person and not just a number.
So, even though this company made a mistake with my order, they more than made up for the error. I appreciate that a lot. And while the mistake was an “error in my favor,” I have no doubt that M&K’s made it up to the person who was “shortchanged” with this mistake. That just seems to be the kind of company that they are. And that’s the kind of company that I appreciate and want to do business with. And because it seems like companies like this can be a rarity (I’ve found quite a few WONDERFUL tea companies that are a pleasure doing business with), you want to continue to do business with them so that they stay around!
Let’s get on with this review, shall we?
This Witch’s Brew is actually the first tea from my actual, original order with M&K’s. The ingredient list intrigued me:
CEYLON AND ASSAM BLACK TEAS, TOASTED BLACK RICE, CHAMOMILE, HONEY-ROASTED LICORICE ROOT (LICORICE ROOT, HONEY), CAT’S CLAW, HELICHRYSUM FLOWERS, WITCH HAZEL BARK, SKULLCAP HERB, ENGLISH TOFFEE NATURAL FLAVOR BLEND.
It looks like a recipe straight out of a witch’s recipe book, doesn’t it? Well, except for the Ceylon and Assam tea.
I wasn’t sure how I’d like it, as it does look like a lot is going on with this blend. But, I was intrigued by it so I decided I’d give it a try. That’s one of the cool things about these samplers. You get just enough to “try” out the tea and the cost is minimal.
The black tea offers a solid background of flavor without being too powerful. It doesn’t overpower the herbs and spices in this blend – and this tea does seem to be a little more about the whole of the ingredient list (at least for me!) so I’m glad that I can taste these other flavors.
I am getting a fair amount of flavor from the licorice root and I taste the honey roasted-ness of it. I don’t know that I’ve tried honey-roasted licorice root before, but I do like the way the honey roasting softens the bite that I’d normally experience from licorice root.
Don’t get me wrong, I love that sharp snap of the licorice root, but it’s nice to get a sweeter, more subdued licorice note too. I also am getting a sweet flavor from the toffee notes and the honey notes meld nicely with the toffee. I think that these two components work together to complement each other and bring out the best in one another.
The chamomile is a fairly strong flavor which actually kind of surprised me. I hadn’t expected to taste much of the chamomile in the presence of other strong flavors in the cup, but I am getting that apple-y note that I often get from chamomile. And I think that the floral notes of the chamomile accentuate the helichrysum flowers as well, because there is a flowery note to this as well.
The tea, toffee, honey roasted licorice, chamomile and helichrysum are the strongest notes, but I’m also tasting a light nutty flavor from the rice, and other herbaceous flavors. Notes of bitter that I attribute to the skullcap. I think that the bitterness might be accented by the witch hazel bark and the cat’s claw.
Like I said, this tea has a lot going on. Maybe a bit too much going on, and I could have done without the bitterness that I experienced from a few of the herbs in this. That said, even with the notes of bitter, I’m enjoying this beverage and am nearly finished with the cup. I find that the flavors become smoother and more unified as the cup cools, so if you do get try this one, I recommend letting it cool for a few minutes first.
Steeping parameters I used: 1 heaping bamboo scoop of tea in the basket of my Kati Tumbler, 12 ounces of water heated to 205°, steeped for 3 minutes.