Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Herbal Tisane
Where to Buy: Element Tea
Product Description:
Ginger has been well researched and is known as a common remedy for nausea and indigestion. It is also anti-viral and makes a soothing cold and flu remedy. Our ginger root is a pure and natural ginger root with no added ingredients. Whether you need ginger to heal an ailment or simply want to sip on relaxing cup, there’s nothing like the real thing!
Ingredients: Organic Ginger Root from Indonesia
Taster’s Review:
Over the last couple of days, I’ve been battling a stomach issue. I don’t know if it is a bout with the stomach flu or if it is the result of something I ate (as this did occur after about six hours following a trip to a teriyaki grill place I had never visited before). What I do know is that I feel terrible and have been having symptoms that I am not going to discuss … why? Well, mostly because that’s probably not why you’ve tuned in to this review. Just believe me when I say it has not been an enjoyable couple of days.
One thing that made it a little better is ginger teas. I’ve enjoyed several others that I’ve had in my stash until I came across this package from Element Tea. And now that I’ve found this, I really don’t need anything else. This is just what the doctor ordered! (Assuming, of course, that I’ve seen a doctor, which I haven’t… but just play along, won’t you?)
This is pure, organic ginger root from Indonesia. Nothing else. But then, nothing else is needed. This is delicious just the way it is, and it is incredibly soothing and helps to calm the upset in my stomach. It has that peppery, ginger-y taste that you’d expect, but interestingly enough, it doesn’t taste as strong as some ginger blends that I’ve tasted. There is a mellow sophistication to this ginger that is a welcome surprise.
If you’re looking for a ginger tea to keep on hand during times of digestive distress, I would recommend this one. Infusing this spice for just eight minutes and adding a drizzle of honey makes for a very comforting and delicious cup of relief!
Red Chai Spice from Caraway Tea Company
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Rooibos
Where to Buy: Caraway Tea Company
Product Description:
Like Chai? You’ll love our Rooibis Chai. Add a little milk two cubes of sugar and you got a real treat. Yum!
Ingredients: Red Rooibis, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, vanilla.
Taster’s Review:
To tell the truth, I am rather blasé when it comes to rooibos chai. I have had so many that are rather lackluster that I have come to expect it when I try them. This can be a good thing when I happen to find a tasty rooibos chai – like this Red Chai Spice from Caraway Tea Company – because then I am happily suprised!
And this is indeed a good rooibos chai! The dry leaf offers an aroma of sweet cinnamon that reminds me of the scent of a freshly baked cinnamon roll. This is further expressed in the flavor, as the sweet cinnamon is the dominate flavor of the blend. The cinnamon taste is followed by the warmth of the cardamom, and it surprised me that I could taste the cardamom over the flavor of the ginger! While I do like ginger, it was very nice to experience something just a little different when it comes to chai!
The rooibos base is more detectable in the scent than it is in the flavor, I can smell the distinct scent of rooibos without actually tasting a strong rooibos flavor. There are faint hints of a nutty, woody taste in the background, but this cup is free from that weird sweetness that is sometimes associated with rooibos.
The ginger is quite subtle, offering hints of a peppery note that seem to come and go as I continue to sip. The vanilla lends a sweet, creamy taste to the cup and with this addition of vanilla, I found this to be a perfectly delicious chai without the addition of milk.
I do recommend a drizzle of honey or a little sugar (try some turbinado sugar in this one!) as it helps to enhance the spices a little bit. It doesn’t need much though, as I found this to have a little sweetness on its own.
I like this. It isn’t overwhelmingly spicy, but the level of spices here really works with the light-bodied quality of the rooibos. A very refreshing change on chai!
Be Well Blend from Tea Chai Té
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Herbal Tisane
Where to Buy: Tea Chai Té
Product Description:
Medicinal elixir with rooibos, cardamom, cherry bark, slippery elm, licorice root & clove to relieve sore throats and stuffy sinuses. A terrific evening tea as well. Organic.
Taster’s Review:
As I mentioned in another recent review, I am trying to avoid catching the flu. This is another tea that I’m drinking a lot of lately to help in that quest.
This blend is a little on the medicinal side, but I don’t find it brackish at all. On the contrary, it’s actually rather tasty! The licorice root is sharp and sweet without overwhelming the cup. And, I can barely taste the rooibos – just a slight woodsy tone in the background. In fact, had I not seen the rooibos in the blend (and of course, read the above description), I would not have known that this was a rooibos blend.
The real stars of this cup are the cardamom and clove. I like how they invigorate the flavor of this cup with their warm spicy tone. As a result, this comes across a little like a spice melangé rather than a functional tea. It’s really quite pleasant, with the medicinal taste being more of a background characteristic rather than something that hits you right up front.
This tisane has an agreeable sweetness to it that I choose to augment with a little raw honey. This seems to emphasize the nutty tone to this cup, and makes it even more enjoyable to sip.
PRODUCT REVIEW: Chai Masala Spice Blend from The Chai Cart
Where to Buy: The Chai Cart on Foodzie
or visit The Chai Cart website for more information
Product Description:
Make any tea into “Masala” tea by adding this magical blend of eight spices known for culinary flavors and therapeutic qualities.
When brewed with black tea and milk, this spice blend makes a bold, fragrant and smooth cup of Masala Chai that will transport you to India in just one sip.
The magical mix of eight spices is perfectly balanced so that no single spice dominates the palate. The boldness of cloves and nutmeg with the spice of ginger are balanced with the fragrance of cardamom and the sweetness of cinnamon. Fennel and white and black pepper add further layers of complexity.
This blend can also be used with green tea or rooibos as well as in soups, stews and countless recipes that need to be spiced up!
Taster’s Review:
This blend of spices is so versatile that it could be used in just about anything. I considered grinding it fine and using it as a rub on a pork loin, but then, remembering that I still had a teeny-tiny bit of my Sweet Caramel O’Mine tea, I decided that I would use my sample of this spice blend as an enhancement for a cup o’ Spiced Sweet Caramel O’Mine.
I used three teaspoons of the spices with three teaspoons of the tea blend. This made a very pleasant 3 cups of bold and spicy tea. I added a dollop of honey and found that it was just perfect served this way. To make a latte, I would have reduced the amount of water that I used to brew (only 2 cups of water) so that the milk wouldn’t dilute the flavors.
And … OH MY GOODNESS. This is good. Somehow the spices bring out the burnt sugar aspect of the caramel, giving this an almost sweet-and-savory kind of taste. I think the nutmeg and the caramel compliment each other so well!
The main spice flavor that I’m tasting is the ginger, which when combined with the white and black peppers give this cup a very peppery kick! The cinnamon comes just after the ginger, and the cardamom and cloves add pleasant dimension. I can’t taste much of the fennel here, and while I do like fennel, perhaps it is a good thing that I can’t taste it too strongly with this tea. I think it might taste a little too funky with the caramel.
I really like this blend. I think I may be buying a tin of this in the near future so that I can use it on my next pork loin roast. If I do this, I’ll be sure to post a review and the recipe on my Foodie Blog!
Root 66 Tea from Monterey Bay Spice Company
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Herbal Tisane/Spice Melangé
Where to Buy: Monterey Bay Spice Company
Product Description:
Roasted dandelion, chicory root, and sarsaparilla root get you started towards Root 66 Tea. Creating a robust and dark infusion, this herbal tea exudes a mouth-watering natural earthiness. Good for your liver, Root 66 Tea also twists in a bit of the exotic: the lively sweetness of coconut and the slight chocolate taste of carob. With lingering licorice airiness, this herbal makes a fantastic coffee substitute or a dessert tea!
Ingredients–Sarsparilla root, chicory root, roasted dandelion root, carob pods, cinnamon, fennel, crystal malt and coconut.
Caffeine Free
Taster’s Review:
I’m sure I’ve mentioned this before, but I’m always a little leery of herbal blends such as this. I’m always afraid that they’ll taste too medicinal for my personal taste, so I find myself always putting off trying them.
And I am really sorry that I put off trying this one as long as I did, because it’s rather tasty! It has a sweet, root beer-like taste to it which is enhanced by the spices and malt. It has a slightly roasted taste to it too, and I like how the coconut and sarsaparilla taste together. It’s really much better than I imagined it would be.
The Sarsaparilla root gives this tisane its root beer taste. The licorice-y taste of fennel and the cocoa notes of the carob enhance the sweetness of this cup while the cinnamon gives it a nice warmth in the background. There is a roasted note to this as well from the chicory and roasted dandelion root which adds depth to the cup.
But what really makes this tisane special is the coconut. I love the combination of flavors – it’s sort of like a chocolate and coconut flavored spiced root beer!
This tisane has a little bit of an herbal/medicinal aftertaste that I would define as almost peppery – it’s the dandelion! However, this aftertaste doesn’t linger very long. And because I enjoy the flavor of the tea so much, I can overlook the aftertaste.
I am sipping this now as a hot beverage – it is cold and wet outside and I am enjoying the warm, cozy comfort of a hot tea, but I think that this blend would be even better iced – it would be a great substitute for soda! Just a little pinch of sugar will enhance the sweeter notes and make it an irresistible treat for the kids. It’s naturally caffeine free, so there’s nothing to overstimulate them, either!
This is YUMMY!