Product Information:
What It Is: Ready-To-Drink beverage crafted from Red Rooibos
Where to Buy: Goodies Company
Product Description:
Refreshing and delicately flavored with cranberry and pomegranate, Rooibee Red Tea is sure to please. It’s also rich in antioxidants, low in calories, naturally caffeine-free, and certified USDA organic. What’s not to love?
Learn more about this product here.
Taster’s Review:
Recently, I subscribed to a new monthly subscription with Goodies Company, a company that sends out monthly “foodie” tasting boxes. This bottle of Rooibee Red Tea was one of the products in my very first box, which I received a couple of months ago, but am just getting around to trying it now.
I guess you could say that I’m very often reluctant to try Ready-to-Drink teas. I usually find them to be too sweet for my liking, as most of them seem to be crafted with more sugars and sweeteners than actual tea. Add that with the fact that I’m not wild about red rooibos, and you have a product about which I am – at the very least – skeptical.
However, I’m finding this to be quite pleasant to drink. I like that the sweetener used here is Cane Sugar rather than corn syrup, so it doesn’t have that sickeningly, sticky sweet taste that not only sticks to the tongue but to the teeth. The rooibos is naturally sweet, so I think they should have maybe added a little less cane sugar here than they did, because this is still rather sweet.
The flavors of cranberry and pomegranate are not overtly obvious, they meld well into the flavor of the rooibos to create a very unified taste that is part nutty, sweet rooibos, part cranberry and part pomegranate. I notice that the taste of the fruits is most prominent in the aftertaste, where I get a gentle berry tingle on the tongue that tastes very much of both cranberry and pomegranate, but I think that this could be tastier of the two fruits were better represented during the sip and not just after.
Overall, I enjoyed this bottle of RTD rooibos. It is sweet, yes, and a tad too sweet for my liking, but, it was also very refreshing, and nice to drink after a meal. It managed to curb that tendency to hunt down some dessert when I sipped it right after my meal, and I do like that.
Will I buy it again? Probably not. I might try another flavor of the Rooibee Red Tea if I happened to find it while I was out and about, but, I don’t know that I’d go out of my way looking for the product, nor do I think it would be my first choice of beverages if given a wide variety of choices, but if the choices are limited, and the Rooibee Red Tea products happened to be one of those limited choices, I might choose it.
PRODUCT REVIEW: Oribe-Style Chawan from Guerrero Ceramics
Product Information:
Product: Oribe-Style Stoneware Chawan (Tea Bowl)
Product Description:
This handmade, wheel-thrown stoneware “chawan” or “tea bowl” was fired in an electric kiln to 2350°F. It features a clear and green glaze combination with iron oxide underpainting. This is known as Oribe-style. The decoration goes all the way around the bowl.
This style of tea bowl is “closed” with straight up and down walls, as opposed to the “open” style with outwardly sloping walls.
Please note: This bowl is one of my more “sturdy” tea bowls. In other words, it’s a bit heavy.
Click Here to Visit: Guerrero Ceramics Shop on Etsy
Product Review:
You may have noticed that I’ve been reviewing a lot of Matcha lately. Well, that’s because Red Leaf Tea has this amazing offer. Free Matcha? For doing what I do anyway? OK… you’ve got me!
Also, I have noticed that after a few weeks of drinking Matcha on a daily basis, I FEEL better. I have more energy, I feel less sluggish. So, I’m going to try to incorporate Matcha into my daily tea routine, having some every day, rather than once or twice a week like I used to.
A couple of weeks ago, while cleaning my favorite (and only usable) chawan, I accidentally dropped it in the sink and it cracked. (My other chawan was raku fired, and so I wasn’t entirely sure that it was safe to use. It’s gorgeous, but, I was no longer comfortable using it as I feared it might be unsafe)
I was so sad. I loved that chawan. I started using porcelain cereal bowls until I could find a satisfactory replacement. The bowls worked just fine, but they were thinner and lighter in weight than my chawan and I really like the heavier feel of a chawan that was crafted on a pottery wheel.
The temporary bowls just weren’t the same, and it affected my tea experience. Whether I was ready to admit it or not, the simple fact is that the vessel has a little something to do with the enjoyment of the product. That is to say, it matters. The bowl (or cup, when drinking other teas) makes a difference to me, at least mentally. The vessel that I drink from affects the overall experience.
So finally, I decided I HAD to get myself a chawan. I knew that I wanted to purchase the chawan direct from an artisan, because as an artist myself, I like to support other artists with my shopping. I try to avoid purchasing from the big corporations whenever I can, preferring smaller shops and when it comes to products like chawans, I want something handmade and direct from the artist.
After a bit of shopping around, I finally settled on this beautiful chawan from Guerrero Ceramics on Etsy. There are a lot of really gorgeous chawans on Etsy… but the reason I finally chose this one is simply: the seller was nice. I had written to him – admittedly about another bowl which was smaller and was intended to serve as more of a tea cup rather than a Matcha bowl – and he responded promptly and was very nice. He provided me a direct link to his Matcha bowls and while I didn’t see anything that piqued my interest right away, about a week later, I revisited his site and found this beautiful Oribe-Style Chawan.
The Chawan arrived very quickly, and was packaged wonderfully! I’m a sucker for packaging, and I think that when a seller takes the time to put some thought into the way they package your purchase for shipment says a lot about the seller. The chawan came in a postal box, and tucked inside the box, wrapped in several layers of bubble wrap, was a gift box that bore the Guerrero Ceramics stamp, and inside the box, layered with more bubble wrap, was my wrapped chawan. Now, when I say “wrapped” I don’t just mean bubble wrap. Mr. Guerrero took the time to wrap the chawan in a bright yellow fabric – Japanese furoshiki style!
As for the chawan: I just love it! It is a bit larger than my previous chawans, almost the size of a typical cereal bowl. But I actually prefer this size to my smaller chawans because it allows me ample room to whisk without sloshing any of the Matcha out of the bowl in the process. It also allows me to double up on the amount of Matcha I prepare … because, I’ve found that with my smaller bowls, the Matcha just disappears way too quickly! To put it simply, bigger bowl = MORE MATCHA!
If you find yourself in need of a new chawan, please, consider shopping handmade! We artists need and cherish the support, and you won’t find a nicer artist than Jeff Guerrero from Guerrero Ceramics!
PRODUCT REVIEW: Steep & Go from The Tea Spot
Product Information:
Where To Buy: The Tea Spot
*And to save 15% on this product now through August 19th, read the review, and then use the coupon code which is featured at the end of the review!
Product Description:
Steep & Go is designed for the health conscious person on-the-go. It pairs with disposable water bottles and loose leaf teas to make cold-brewed tea on-the-go. With no heat added, in just 10 minutes you’ll brew fresh iced tea packed with antioxidants and great flavor. And with no added sugar or preservatives, you can feel confident knowing exactly what you’re drinking – fresh tea! Simply add more water for multiple infusions, and make this reusable infuser even more economical and eco-friendly. And when cold brewing, tea doesn’t oversteep or get bitter. Steep & Go will transform the way you stay hydrated!
Learn more about this teaware here.
What an awesome little invention, this Steep & Go! It’s a great way to bring a good, healthy drink with you, so that you’ll avoid those temptations of sweet, not-so-healthy beverages when you’re on the go.
I’ve got a confession to make. The first time I used this product, I did it wrong. I did not read the instructions. I just used it the way I thought it was supposed to work… and FAIL!
You see, this device has a nifty little tube that extends into the water bottle, and it has very tiny holes in it, and I thought that this was the infuser, when actually it is the strainer. So I put the tea leaves into the little tube, and let it infuse for about an hour, and then started drinking. It tasted wonderful … except that I was getting tea leaves in every sip. And, I don’t want to drink tea leaves. Unless I’m drinking Matcha … and that’s something different entirely, now isn’t it?
But, the tube that extends into the water bottle IS NOT an infuser, it is a strainer. You put the tea leaves directly into the water bottle, screw on the Steep & Go … and well, go. Let the tea leaves steep for 10 minutes (I do recommend allowing them to steep a little longer for more flavor: flavor was there, but only barely at 5 minutes, more flavor at 10 minutes, but wonderfully delicious after about 15 minutes) and you have your favorite iced tea so that you won’t be tempted by sugary drinks.
I was lucky enough to have a Dasani 16.9 oz. bottle here at home, and so I haven’t tried anything else. However, I do know that TeaEqualsBliss – my SororiTea Sister! – has tried other bottles and they did not work as well, so I do recommend getting your hands on a Dasani bottle, and then just keep re-using it! It’s a great way to reuse the bottle – saving you money and saving the planet at the same time – and offers you a delicious, flavorful alternative to bottled water, and a healthy alternative to soda or other sugar-laden drinks.
The Tea Spot has a nice variety of teas that would work nicely with the Steep & Go. Right now, I’m using it with the Bolder Blues tea (which I’ll be reviewing a little later on!) and it is delicious! Of course, you can use it with any your favorite loose leaf teas that you’d normally enjoy as cold-brewed tea.
When used properly – yeah, don’t add the leaves to the tube like I did! – this is a very economical and EASY way to enjoy fresh and delicious iced tea any time, any where! And now through August 19, 2012, you can save 15% on this cool little device! Just enter the coupon code gosistergo in the coupon field at checkout to take advantage of this discount.
PRODUCT REVIEW: Muscle Pump by Green Tea HP (Sold by Green Tea Pros)
Product Description:
Muscle Pump is another wonderful addition in a line of Green Tea HP products that is a health supplement hat helps with, muscle maintenance, blood flow, & muscle recovery. Healthy blood flow is the key to delivering important nutrients throughout the body. Muscle Pump promotes and Facilitates this objective.
To Learn more about Muscle Pump, click here.
To Learn more about Green Tea HP and Green Tea Pros, click here.
Taster’s Review:
I always find myself slightly cringing at the thought of trying these teas from Green Tea HP. And, the fact of the matter is, the cringe is unfounded, because every single one of the products that I’ve tried from Green Tea HP has tasted really good!
These are instant tea powders that come in little “pixies,” and they mix up quick and easy into a glass of water (filtered please!) … OR for the individual on the go, just pour the pixie into a bottle of water and shake it up. It dissolves instantly, and there’s no undissolved sediment at the bottom of the glass … it all gets evenly incorporated.
This Muscle Pump has a sweet, berry-like taste that tastes a bit more like a berry punch than it does a tea. And I think that this is where I think I tend to “cringe.” It’s because it doesn’t really taste a whole lot like tea. It tastes more like an energy drink or one of those drinks you mix from a powder (think Crystal Light), and part of me worries that it might be sweetened with aspartame – and I’m really REALLY allergic to aspartame. But, it isn’t sweetened with sugar OR aspartame and it is diabetic friendly. I’m not a diabetic, but, when it comes to sugar I like to control how much I put into my body and I like that this doesn’t have any sugar in it. And I really appreciate that there is no aspartame!
And even though it doesn’t taste a whole lot like green tea (I’ve said before that these are more geared toward those who don’t drink a lot of green tea but want to enjoy the health benefits of green tea), I still enjoy the flavor. It is sweet and pleasant, and I think of all the different Green Tea HP flavors I’ve tried thus far, this one might be my favorite. And to think I was so afraid to try it! I’m liking this!
And I now feel like I have enough energy to go and clean the kitchen floor!
PRODUCT REVIEW: Marley’s Mellow Mood Lite – Half Lemonade/Half Tea from Marley Beverages
Product Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Marley Beverages
About Marley’s Mellow Mood:
Marley’s Mellow Mood is a new line of 100% natural relaxation beverages created in partnership with the family of legendary musical prophet, Bob Marley.
Learn more about this product here.
Taster’s Review:
I was a little hesitant to try this one, mostly because when I see the word “lite” on a beverage, I worry that it contains aspartame to which I’m allergic. Having suffered one too many reactions because of this artificial sweetener, I tend to avoid “lite” products all together.
So, I read the ingredients:
water, sugar, erythritol, pear juice concentrate, lemon juice concentrate, black tea, sodium citrate, reb A (stevia leaf extract), natural flavor.
No aspartame. But what was this erythritol? It is a sugar alcohol which is safe … at least, safer for me to consume than aspartame. So, I waited until late evening (as it does say it can make you drowsy), and opened the bottle and started sipping.
The pros: This is pretty tasty. The first few sips had a sort of artificial sweetener sweetness to it, and I suspect that this is the stevia. However, once the other flavors started to emerge, I didn’t taste that funky sweetness anymore, and just enjoyed a very pleasant combination of sweet-tart lemonade and black tea.
The Cons: Because the black tea is sharing center-stage with the lemonade, it is a less distinct (although still quite distinguishable) flavor. And it is sweet. A bit sweeter than I usually would want my iced tea to be.
Overall: I am enjoying it, even though it’s a bit on the sweet side and even though the tea is not as prominent as I’d like it to be. And… the mellow part works. I’m already starting to feel drowsy, and before opening the bottle I probably would have been awake for at least a couple more hours.
So, even with the drawbacks of this beverage, I’d still give it two thumbs up because it does deliver what it promises, which is a mellow mood!