Blood Orange Black from Prestogeorge. . .

As a profoundly shallow person, I enjoy a nice-looking tea. And this Blood Orange Black is a stunner.

If that tea walked by on the street, I would whistle at it.

I bought this blend because it was pretty. I’ve enjoyed several cups of it so far because it’s tasty. It’s a Darjeeling paired with orange peel, rose hips, apple pieces, safflowers, rose petals and orange, vanilla and lemon flavors. It’s sweet, creamy, and citrus-y.

The citrus doesn’t thwack you over the head with a two-by-four; it’s part of a medley.

The vanilla notes make you think there’s cream in this, even when there isn’t, which is really nice, especially first thing in the morning, when I tend to want something fairly sweet. This goes down easy.

If you’re ever in Pittsburgh’s historical Strip District, you should check out Prestogeorge. It’s very pretty in there. You can look at all the blends and choose them according to appearance, like I did; and possibly luck out, like I did.


Here’s the scoop!

Leaf Type:  Black
Where to Buy:  Prestogeorge
Description

Fine Indian black tea paired with reviving orange peel, rose hips, apple pieces, safflowers, rose petals and orange, vanilla and lemon flavors. Invigorate your senses and stimulate your mind. One of our most popular flavored teas.

 

Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!

Yuzu Berry Sencha Green Tea from Prestogeorge. . . .

I’ve recently begun seriously exploring the world of green teas. They have the best alleged health benefits; they’re springy; they’re tasty. They’re also decidedly not soda, which I have been trying with little success to quit for years.

Greens are not like black teas. One can’t just use the hot water dispenser at work and forget about them and hope they turn out okay twenty minutes later. Green teas require a lower temperature and shorter steep time in order not to singe and taste icky.

I’ve learned the hard way to put an ice cube in the gravity steeper before putting in the water, in order to get an appropriate temperature. I also try to keep an eye on the time in order to only steep for about two minutes instead of, eh, whatever.

Today’s pick: a sencha! Sencha is the most popular tea in Japan. It has very green leaves that are typically plucked while young and full of nutrients. Japanese Sencha tends to be more grassy/vegetal than greens from China.

This particular blend is mixed with yuzu and safflowers. Yuzu is a Japanese citrus fruit. (Tea has me experiencing all sorts of new fruits/flowers/berries I’d never even heard of before.)

The flavor of this blend is very tangy and grassy. The profound green-ness of the tea is balanced out with the sassy citrus of the yuzu, which is a distinctive sort of citrus. It’s zesty, like a lemon or a Mandarin orange.

I’m not sure I’d recommend this particular blend for a green tea newbie, because it has to be handled very carefully and has a REALLY distinctive flavor that one might not like. However, if you’re looking to expand your palate, this is a distinctive pick you might just love. Give it a whirl!


Here’s the scoop!

Leaf Type:  Green
Where to Buy: Prestogeorge
Description

Sencha green tea with safflowers and natural yuzu berry flavor. Yuzu berry is a Japanese citrus fruit similar to mandarin orange. Remarkable flavor.

Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!

Pineapple Coconut Tea from Prestogeorge. . . .

Pineapple, coconut, and vanilla — need I say more?

(How amazing would this post be if I didn’t say any more? Like, if I just ended it right there? Just walked away into the Internet-sunset?)

Ahhhh this is a sweet tropical delight. It smells amazing straight out of the bag. I wandered around my office making people sniff it earlier. No regrets. It’s wonderful. The coconut is the star of the show, followed by a creamy vanilla, with a pinch of pineapple on a soothing black base.

This tea takes me to some kind of alternate-universe Moana-style paradise. If I’m concentrating on a giant crab singing the Shiny song, I won’t have to think about rainy spring days ahead!


Here’s the scoop!

Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy:  Prestogeorge
Description

Black tea, pineapple bits, shredded coconut, vanilla bits, vanilla, coconut & pineapple flavor. Makes a wonderful summer iced tea.

Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!