It’s been a perfect day so far. My rescue dog (an abuse survivor) was on his very best behavior during our walk AND our fetch session. I have fresh bread for my sandwich later. I’m going on a spaced-out masks-on walk with friends (and my dog!) later. And I’m trying tea!!!
Today’s goodness is Maple Pecan Black/Oolong from Plum Deluxe. I really love Plum Deluxe, as a company. They always list things like “love, gratitude” in their ingredients. Their tea costs more per cup than, for example, David’s Tea, but I feel like they manage to cram a LOT of goodness in there, and it’s worth it. Plum Deluxe is like my bougie treat.
I steeped this tea in boiling-hot water for 5ish minutes in a tea ball. (Sorry, guys, I don’t pay the best attention to the brewing specifics. I leave it in there until I remember to take it out.)
David’s Tea makes a maple chai that’s pretty good, but this one is better. It doesn’t feel as overly-sweet and/or artificial.
This one is rustic — no-nonsense, no pretension, just a nice gift. It’s a warm, chai-like tea with maple and nut overtones. The taste after you swallow is clove & cinnamon, not syrup.
A woods witch would infuse healing magic into this, and serve it to you in a handmade mug. Your skin would seal itself back together; your hair would detangle; your eyes would be 20/20. You would say goodbye to her, and she would hug you. After leaving the cabin, you’d take a glance backwards, and it would be gone.
You’d just have the cinnamon flavor in your mouth to remember her by.
Want to Know More About This Tea?
Leaf Type: Black/Oolong
Where to Buy: Plum Deluxe
Description
Originally featured as a new blend in our 2019 advent calendar, Maple Pecan is back as a wonderful sweet and nutty tea to enjoy during the holiday season. A blend of oolong and black teas, paired with fresh pecans and a hint of real maple syrup, it’s sure to please many palates.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Vanilla Sugar Cookie Herbal Tea/Plum Deluxe
This tea couldn’t have come at a better time. All this stormy weather makes you just want to stay at home with a cup of tea. And I don’t think I could have picked a better “comfort” tea for today.
I usually reserve spiced teas for the holidays. They can be overwhelming year round and aren’t my favorite during warmer weather. But this tea is very lightly spiced and smells amazing—like someone just pulled a tray of snickerdoodles out of the oven. (And it has me really wanting some of my mother-in-law’s snickerdoodle cookies right now!)
This is the perfect tea to brighten up a cold or rainy day. While it smells pretty spicy, the taste is very mild. Just a tiny bit of cinnamon with a vanilla flavor that takes the edge of the spice. It’s made with green rooibos and nothing containing caffeine, so it’s also a nice evening tea if you’re sensitive to caffeine.
The tea itself is lightly sweet on its own, but I added a tiny bit of orange blossom honey to my second cup. I steeped my first cup for 6 minutes and the second cup for 8 minutes. The second cup was spicier, but beyond that, there wasn’t a noticeable decline in flavor, which was nice. I was afraid the light flavors might quickly go bland, but it held up just as well!
This one should definitely go on your list of teas for a rainy day (literally and figuratively!). It’s comforting, even heartwarming, and is just the thing to brighten up an otherwise unpleasant day.
Want to Know More About This Tea?
Leaf Type: Green Rooibos
Where to Buy: Plum Deluxe
Description
We’ve heard some of our teas described like a cookie-in-a-cup, but this tea is exactly that! Everybody loves a classic sugar cookie tea. This one is inspired by our staff favorite – snickerdoodles! – we created a calming herbal tea perfect for an evening night cap or just a smooth afternoon pick me up. We use our favorite herbal tea – green rooibos – paired with a variety of vanilla extras and a unique spice blend that comes together perfectly. It’s just lightly sweet and lightly spiced, making for a great cookie flavored tea.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Brunch in Paris from Plum Deluxe. . . .
If you are looking for a creative, rich, bold, chocolaty blended base to start your day…might I suggest this one…Brunch in Paris from Plum Deluxe!?
I was THRILLED to read that this doesn’t have dairy in it…just stand alone Cocoa Nibs! All-Organic Ingredients – to be exact – Black Tea, Honeybush Tea, Cocoa Nibs, Orange Pieces, Orange Essence. Love, Gratitude. What a great way to start your day…with love and gratitude!
These days it seems like if you say ‘love and gratitude’ it makes you a hippie. And some people think that makes you weak. I say…that couldn’t be further from the truth! And I would take it as a compliment to be called a HIPPIE. Actually, I have been called that…more than once…and I have to say that puts a smile on my face each and every time!
It takes a stronger person to love one another than those who hate. It takes a bolder person to stay positive and a weaker person to be ‘down in the dumps and negative’ all the time.
The same could be said for this tea. The black tea base is bold and rich. The cocoa is strong pretty ass-kickin’ but in a ‘warrior pose’ sort of way (and not a violent way). The orange isn’t as prominent and it’s the only thing I would alter if I was asked what I would change about. But I’m not saying that to complain because I truly do LOVE this flavored black tea/honeybush blend.
And let’s talk about the honeybush, shall we? I’m stoked they used honeybush and not rooibos here! Kudos on that!
I’m VERY pleased with this cuppa. It makes me want to go out and face my day with a smile on my face, love in my heart, and a certain swagger I was lacking before the sipping experience!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Plum Deluxe
Description
We think that a good cup of tea can transport you to someplace special. And that’s what we had in mind when we created our fresh, flavorful blend of chocolate orange tea. It reminds us of brunch in a fine cafe in Paris, the city of light.
To create this magic we pair a simple blend of black tea and honeybush tea with cacao nibs and orange peel / orange extract. It’s delicious and will give you an emotional boost. Excellent with a splash of honey and milk.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Currant Conversation Oolong Tea from Plum Deluxe. . . .
This rich, tasty blend whisks together vanilla, currant, and a deep oolong to form a soothing steep. The berry notes hold hands with the earthy oolong; the vanilla wraps around everything to keep the enterprise running smoothly.
The ingredients also include rose hips, which I didn’t detect at the outset. I also didn’t pick up on the “love” and “gratitude” that are supposedly in here. To me, this doesn’t taste so much like love as it does ACCOMPLISHMENT and DECADENCE.
This creamy and fancy blend tastes like something a VERY rich widow would sip while looking out over her veranda. Her gilded armoires hold her furs; her wine glasses are always crystal, never glass; and her heels click on the marble every time she walks.
Has she had plastic surgery? She’ll never tell. But she looks AMAZING.
Maybe it’s the tea.
It’s probably the tea.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Plum Deluxe
Description
Looking for a conversation starter? We’ve got one right here with our signature vanilla black currant oolong tea. It’s elegance in a cup, a wonderful balance of woodsy vanilla and tart fruit.
This blend relies on its simplicity. The base is a fresh, earthy, and grounding Formosa oolong tea from Taiwan. Our favorite vanilla extract helps bring out the layers of floral notes in the oolong, while rose hips and black currant add wonderful highlights of sweet-tart fruitiness. It’s invigorating and calming at the same time. We can’t decide if we like it more hot or iced, so you’ll have to try both.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Full Moon Chai from Plum Dexlue. . . .
I often find chai a little bit too aggressive. It’s SO. MANY. SPICES. It’s sometimes bitter, or overbearing with the cinnamon. Many people seem to agree, since mixing milk into chai is the typical approach.
Plum Deluxe wondered: What if chai were combined with… cream? Naturally? Without you having to add sugar or milk in yourself?
As a dessert tea aficionado and someone who travels around a bit, let me tell you, I am ALWAYS on board with such a notion. I don’t always just HAVE milk on me. Sometimes I want to throw some loose leaf in a travel container and GO. I want that sweetness, but not that effort.
This is a good solution to a problem you may have not considered. I’m really happy that this happened. Give it a whirl!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Plum Deluxe
Description
Full Moon Chai was one of our original blends, now back with even more creative energy. We’ve taken our classic, signature masala chai and added a splash of vanilla butternut extract. This simple twist adds a depth, warmth, and vibrancy to your traditional chai, and also gives the flavor a hint of sweetness and creaminess without having to add lots of sugar or milk (though we do like this blend prepared as a traditional masala chai or chai latte).
It makes a great pairing for those indoor days where you need something warm and comforting. It’s also a lovely companion for those moments when you need a high-caffeine blend to give you focus and momentum, and it’s even good for a delicious chai cocktail or three!
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!