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!
Mintberry Pine Green Tea Blend from M & K’s Tea Company
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: M&K’s Tea Company on Etsy
Tea Description:
Sweet roasted sloe berries doused in honey and liquid hibiscus, tossed with fresh spearmint and 3-distinct green teas, paired with real pine needles. That’s Mintberry Pine. It’s our limited-edition green tea holiday blend that offers a more complex, subtle taste (as opposed to mint exploding in your mouth with the force of a white hot sun). If you’re a green tea lover, mint lover, berry lover, or all three, this tea is perfect for you. Get it while it’s here!
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
When I saw that M&K’s Tea Company had some really intriguing holiday blends, I decided that I needed (yes, needed) to try them! Fortunately, they understood this need and they offered a Wintertime Tea Sampler! This sampler offers five different teas: Moroccan Mint, Pine Needle Tea, Winterwolf Tea, White Vanilla Peppermint and this Mintberry Pine Green Tea. These samples were all packed into a special sampler package that’s just the right size for stocking stuffers. It’s a handsome package, something that Santa would be proud to give!
Before I received my package, I received a message from Marty (the “M” of M&K’s, I think!) explaining that the Mintberry Pine (and the Pine Needle Tea) are both very subtle teas. He recommended steeping them a little longer than the package directs and to allow plenty of steep room for the leaves (let them steep loose in the teapot instead of using an infuser tool).
To steep, I grabbed my small teapot (4 cup size) and dusted it off – it’s been a while since I’ve used this! I have gotten spoiled with my Breville! I warmed the teapot and poured the contents of the sampler into the teapot and heated 16 ounces of water to 180°F. Then I poured the water into the teapot and let it steep for 3 1/2 minutes. The package suggests 2 – 4 1/2 minutes, but I couldn’t bear to let a green tea steep longer than 3 1/2 minutes. I was willing to sacrifice a little of the mint, berry and pine flavors but I didn’t want a bitter green tea.
Yes, the flavors are a little subtle, but I like that I’m tasting all the elements of this tea and that the green tea doesn’t taste bitter.
I like the subtle flavor of the mint here. I like that I have a crisp, cool minty taste without it tasting like I added a shot of mouthwash to my cup of green tea.
The berry notes add some sweetness and not a lot of tartness (which I was a little apprehensive about because I saw liquid hibiscus up there in the description). There is a light, tingly tart tone that tickles the tongue (try saying that five times fast) in the aftertaste, but that’s to be expected with berry blends. I’m also picking up a delightful honeyed note from the honey roasting process. Nice touch.
The pine needles are the softest flavor component of the three elements in the name of this tea. I do get a very slight, resinous pine note to this that hits the palate right at the start and then it quickly disappears and reappears just after mid-sip, just to remind me that it is there. It’s very faint and it’s something that I think I’d have missed if I didn’t search for it.
However, as I continue to sip, I taste more and more of the pine, and by the time I’m halfway through my second cup of this tea, I’m getting a nice pine note. It never becomes a strong presence, but it certainly is a noticeable presence at this point.
And let us not forget that we’re drinking tea here. There’s a soft, buttery note of green tea. It’s lightly grassy (and I think that the grassy tones accentuate both the pine and the mint notes in a positive way), and it has a nice mouthfeel. It’s not bitter nor is it overly astringent, even though I steeped it longer than I typically would steep a green tea. I think that this could have even gone another 30 seconds to 1 full minute longer without bitterness!
Overall, a very unique blend. Certainly festive and definitely different from the other teas that everyone else is producing out there! Bravo M&K!
Black Mint Maté Blend from Because UR Priceless
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black Tea & Yerba Maté
Where to Buy: Because UR Priceless on Etsy
Tea Description:
According to research studies, Yerba Matế (pronounced mah-tay) contain Vitamins A, C, B1, B2, Niacin, and B5 along with Calcium, Manganese, Iron, Selenium, Potassium, Magnesium, Phosphorus, and Zinc. It is also considered a good source of 15 different amino acids and a plethora of antioxidants.
In other words, its good for you. Our BLACK MINT MATẾ tea is an energizing blend of black tea and yerba mate along with a invigorating touch of mint. Refreshingly bold flavor for a happier, healthier you.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I took my first sip of this while the tea was still very hot (just finished brewing!) and at that moment, I wasn’t too sure I was all that excited about what I was drinking. So, I let my cup cool for a few minutes and now that the temperature of the liquid has dropped to a “drinkable” temperature, I find this much more enjoyable! Sometimes, tea needs time to develop it’s flavor – don’t give up on it just because the first sip isn’t all that!
This is an interesting blend of two types of mint – peppermint and spearmint – and yerba mate and black tea. Just as with the Sweet Cinnamon Mate, the yerba mate used for this blend is a green (rather than roasted) yerba mate. The green yerba mate has a fresher taste to it which accents the minty tones in a very pleasing way. Although, it would be interesting to see how the roasted yerba mate would work in this blend. It might enhance the black tea flavors.
The black tea here is certainly discernible, but in the earliest sips, I felt as though it was just a little overwhelmed by the mint notes. It could also be the way I chose to brew this tea: Instead of going with boiling water to steep as I would with most black teas, because this tea also had yerba mate and mint in it, I decided to drop the temperature to my usual yerba mate setting of 195°F. When I brew mate at a higher temperature, the flavor often becomes bitter, and I find this to be true with herbal leaf as well. So I went with a little lower temperature and steeped the tea for 4 minutes.
But now that I’ve sipped past the halfway point in my cup, I’m picking up on more black tea flavor. It offers a nice dimension of flavor and at this point, I’m starting to realize that this blend is more about “balance” than “black tea.” I taste not only yerba mate and mint, but also black tea. It adds a certain smoothness to the earthy notes of the yerba mate and the clean, fresh flavor of the mint.
The mint is prominent. I like the way the mint notes are melding with the earthy/vegetal notes of the mate. The mate seems to subdue the powerful, zesty flavor of the mint in a very favorable way. For those of you who tend to avoid “minty” teas because you don’t want a cup of mouthwash – this is the tea for you! This doesn’t taste like mouthwash – there is just enough crisp, cool mint flavor for that uplifting, invigorating flavor without tasting like a liquefied breath mint. It tastes refreshing!
Overall, this is a very enjoyable cup of tea. I like the balance of this blend. I like that I taste mint but it doesn’t overpower the cup. I like that I can taste the black tea and the yerba mate. And I like how these components compliment each other. I like this!
Keith’s Delicious Tea from Because UR Priceless
Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Herbal Tisane
Where to Buy: Because UR Priceless on Etsy
Tisane Description:
KEITH’S DELICIOUS TEA is a sunny, uplifting combination of lemon balm, calendula blossoms, and peppermint. This blend is particularly good when you add a spot of honey to your tea cup. This is my husband’s favorite herbal tea blend. (I’ll let you guess who it’s named after, lol.)
Learn more about this tisane here.
Taster’s Review:
This is a nice, mild-tasting tisane. It kind of surprises me to say that about a tisane with peppermint in the mix because peppermint can be a very strong and assertive herb. But here, there is a nice balance between the lemon balm and the peppermint.
The sip starts out with an herbaceous note. This herb-y flavor remains throughout the sip, with specific flavor profiles developing as the sip progresses. A moment or two after I’ve taken a sip, I start to pick up on notes of peppermint. Just before the midway point, I can taste the citrus notes of the lemon balm. The finish is crisp and cool from the peppermint and these minty notes linger into the aftertaste. It is in the aftertaste when I can really taste the bright lemon-y notes too.
It’s a refreshing herbal blend that’s naturally caffeine free. It has a soothing quality to it, and the minty notes continue to build as I continue to sip. Now that I’m more than halfway through the cup, I can draw a breathe inward and I taste and feel the minty sensation on my palate. But even though I’m getting a strong essence of mint, the presence of the lemon keeps it from tasting like mouthwash.
To prepare this tisane, I poured the sampler into the basket of my Kati tumbler and my ‘eyeball’ measurement told me that it looked just right. Trust me, I’ve been doing this a while. I heated the water to 195°F and and poured 12 ounces of water into the tumbler and let it steep for 10 minutes. Then I strained the tea and enjoyed. The description above suggests adding a dollop of honey to the cup and I think that would make a very nice addition. I drank the tisane straight up and it was enjoyable but I think that a little sweetness is called for with this. The crisp peppermint and the sunny lemon-y notes of the lemon balm would benefit from the contrast of a little honey.
Overall, an enjoyable cup.
Malibu Beach Beauty Tea from Newport Skinny Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black, Green & White Teas
Where to Buy: Newport Skinny Tea
Tea Description:
Malibu Beach Beauty Tea has ingredients that soothe inflammation in your body, especially your tissues, and regulate the hormones that cause acne and skin irritation to show up on the surface. Ingredients in it strengthen collagen production, eliminate excess water trapped in your tissues and reduce the look of cellulite. After using the tea bags, you can place them on your external skin to reduce redness and inflammation of acne, keep away from your eye area.
Learn more about this tea blend here.
Enter to win a Newport Skinny Tea 21 Day “TeaTox” Pack!
Taster’s Review:
Before I even brewed this tea, I read through the description card that came with my sample of this Malibu Beach Beauty Tea and browsed the ingredient list and this tea has a lot going on! Check it out:
Ingredients: Earl Grey Tea, Young Hysson Green Tea, White Tea, Calendula, Lavender Flowers, Red Clover Blossoms, Peppermint Leaves, Rose Flowers & Hips, Linden Leaf & Flower, Elder Flower, Chamomile, Lemon Peel & Oil, Gota Cola, Honeysuckle Flower, Blackberry Leaf, Privet Fruit, Stevia Leaf, Mangosteen Peel, Natural Flavors.
See what I mean? There’s a lot going on. I hope that it’s not too much going on! But I won’t know until I try it. So, I’m off to go brew it in my Kati Tumbler. I’ll use 2 teaspoons of tea in the Kati basket and add 12 ounces of hot water (but not boiling). The parameters on this description card suggest boiling water but with that many herbs plus green and white teas, I feel that boiling water is going to be too hot. I’ll opt for a lower temperature: 180°F, and steep it for 4 minutes. Let’s see how it goes!
Hmm … interesting. It’s an interesting flavor – in a good way! And as I said, there IS a lot going on. Because of that, the result is a flavor that’s a bit more like an herbal tisane than a tea. But that isn’t a bad thing. I like that I’m tasting the lavender and lemon and honeysuckle! I like that I am picking up on the flavors of peppermint and elder flower and rose! And I can still taste notes of bergamot (which are highlighted by the lemon notes) and the black, green and white teas.
I like that there is a lot going on but it all seems to work together in a way that pleases my palate. When I take a sip, my palate is intrigued and interested in what its experiencing. I find myself wanting to sip more rather than push the cup aside – which is, quite frankly, what I feared! I thought I’d take one sip of this and say NO! No like! But that’s not what’s happening. Yeah, it’s different. Yeah it’s a busy tea. But I like it!
The prevailing note here is floral. The lavender and honeysuckle and rose and linden and elder flowers give this a very floral flavor, but it doesn’t cross the line into perfume-y. It doesn’t even really toe the line because there’s other flavors going on to help it take a couple of steps back and keep it tasting floral/herbaceous without going into the icky area of floral/perfume-ish.
This is something I can see myself wanting to drink on a regular basis. It’s a got a really interesting flavor that compels me to continue drinking.
If the idea of beauty from the inside out interests you, check out Newport Skinny Tea’s complete line of teas. You can even enter their raffle – they’re currently giving away a 21 Day TeaTox package!