Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Herbal
Where to Buy: Karma Blends
Product Description:
Caffeine Free
Contains Natural and Organic Ingredients
Daily Use Recommended» When can I drink it/What is it for?
– Anytime or For Digestion, Flatulence, Bloating, Indigestion, Constipation, Overeating, Losing weight, A flatter abdomen, After meals daily, Early morning as a cleanser
» What does the tea taste like?
– Eaters digest is a mild, soothing tea with chamomile and fennel as the prominent flavors.
» How do the ingredients work in my system?
– The tea is a safe and thoughtful blend of carminative (herbs that expel stomach gas and relieve bloating) and digestive herbs.
• Anise is very widely used as a stomachic and for relief of flatulence and colic.
• Carom Seeds aid in digestion.
• Cardamom is a tonic for the digestive system.
• Chamomile is known to soothe digestion and relax the gastro intestinal tract.
• Dill Seeds work well for the treatment of gas and nausea, especially from sudden changes in diet.
• False Pepper is a stomachic and is used for flatulence, indigestion and bloating.
• Fennel aids digestion, fights abdominal cramps and improves bad breath.
Taster’s Review:
When I first received this tea, I was a little worried that it would end up tasting very medicinal. But it is actually quite tasty!
Yes, it does taste herb-y with a gently spiced flavor, it doesn’t come across as really medicinal to me. It has a pleasant flavor. The chamomile is a delicate, and the star anise (and to a lesser extent, the fennel) offers it an agreeable licorice-y kind of taste that lingers in the aftertaste. I’m enjoying this.
This is an herbal tea that keeps its promise! I am not going to say that it’s my favorite tisane, because it isn’t. But, what I will say is that I would much rather drink this tisane than take some over-the-counter remedy to relieve my discomfort after eating a meal that maybe I shouldn’t have indulged in (we all do that, don’t we?) It does what it is supposed to do, and that makes it alright in my book!
Chai from Supple Skin Boutique
Tea Type: Chai
Where To Buy: Supple Skin Boutique
Product Description:
Chai has long been attributed to its healthy properties. With herbs that naturally promote digestion and balance you can’t lose. Our Chai tea is a burst of spice and ginger aromas that you will love.
IngredientsBlack teas, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, cardamom, peppercorn, star anise, shatavari, natural flavors
Tasters Review:
This is a nice, direct and to the point chai with the addition of Shatavari also known as Asparagus!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asparagus_racemosus
I would classify this as a medium strength Chai…both in black tea strength and in spice strength. I can taste a lemon/orange type citrus hint as well…eventho I do not see citrus in the list of ingredients!
I really like this especially after sitting at room temp for a few minutes! It’s unique!, the leaves have a sweeter-than-I expected aftertaste, and for the simple fact it has Shatavari in it makes it intriguing for me!
If you are interested in different kinds of chai try this one! It’s a good cuppa!
Chai (Full Leaf) from TAZO Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: TAZO Tea
Product Description:
Ingredients: Black Teas, Cardamom, Cinnamon, Ginger Root, Black Pepper, Cloves, Natural Flavors, Star Anise
Taster’s Review:
I bought this tea because of the tin. I admit it. I’m a sucker for tins. I have amassed quite a collection of them, and still they continue to fascinate me.
It took me a while to actually try the tea inside the tin. I didn’t have high hopes for it. I think my apprehension is a combination of my bias when it comes chai (I love my own blend!) as well as my preference of loose leaf. The package calls this a “full leaf” which led me to believe that this would be a loose leaf tea. Alas, it is packaged in sachets. However, unlike conventional tea bags, these sachets are very spacious and offer plenty of room for the expansion of the leaves while they steep.
This chai has a pleasant spice level. It isn’t too hot or spicy, but it offers enough warmth to perk up the taste buds as well as chase off the chill! I really love the star anise in this blend – it isn’t an overwhelming presence of star anise, but it delivers a faint yet very pleasant licorice-y note that tickles the fancy of this licorice lover!
The pepper and ginger seem to work very together very harmoniously in this blend to deliver just the right punch of peppery taste right at the finish, while the cinnamon, cardamom and cloves deliver an agreeable base of delicious spice notes.
The black tea is strong but it is willing to stand aside and let the spices deliver most of the flavor here. It just sits back, in the background, and delivers a steady stream of black tea flavor that is unassuming yet delicious. I actually think I prefer this chai as a non-latte (that is without steamed, frothed milk), because the milk does tend to mute the effect of the spices just a little and I do like the way the spices taste in this blend. A little dollop of honey is all I need to enjoy this warm, tasty blend.
And as much as I enjoyed the tea, I can’t help but feel a little disappointment in TAZO. I wish that TAZO had a stronger devotion to the environment. It’s a company based in Portland (which is local for me, and a city that prides itself on being GREEN). I would feel so much better about buying these products if the sachets were made of biodegradable material (rather than nylon) – or better yet, forgo the sachets completely and go loose leaf. Offer refill packages for the tins so that we can reuse them.
OK… I shall end my rant and step down from my teabox!
Out of Your Gourd from Indie Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Yerba Maté
Where to Buy: Indie Tea
Product Description:
O.K….So You’re A Little Different. That’s Cool. We Understand. As Long As You Don’t Run Butt Naked Through The Produce Aisle Of The Local Grocery On A Regular Basis.
4.65 oz. Organic and Fair Trade Ingredients: Organic Roasted Yerba Maté, Organic Star Anise, Organic Pink Peppercorns, Organic Cloves, Organic Cocoa Nibs, Organic Lemon Peel, Organic Lemon Grass, Organic Coriander Seed, Organic Fennel, Organic Cumin Seed. 4.65 oz
Taster’s Review:
This tea represents the first that I’ve tried from this company, and I’m very happy with it. There is a lot going on with this blend, a lot of different flavors. For that reason, even though it is a chai blend, I chose to serve it not-latte, because I really wanted to experience the different flavors in the cup and I thought that the milk would mask some of the taste.
The first thing that I noticed with this blend is the beautiful dry leaf! It looks like it should be sitting in a bowl as a decoration! Huge, whole pieces of star anise and other whole spices really make this blend visually appealing.
With all these flavors swilling around in the cup, each sip becomes an adventure! Like Forest Gump said “You never know what you’re gonna get.” There are interesting hints of citrus and licorice throughout the sip, with warm notes of cloves and a little bit of smoky heat from the cumin.
There is a solid base of earthiness to the cup, and it seems to really ground the flavors and give them a good foundation on which to build. I like that there isn’t TOO much of any one characteristic here: it isn’t too earthy, it isn’t too spicy, it isn’t too sweet, it isn’t too sharp, it isn’t too smoky. The tisane offers hints of each of these qualities, but none of them are so strong that they overwhelm the cup. There is a nice synergy going on with this tea!
If I were to offer one complaint, I guess it would be that I would like for more of the chocolate-y tones to present themselves. It’s a minor thing, really, because I love this tisane just as it is, however, being the chocoholic that I am, when I see cocoa nibs as one of the ingredients, I get all chocolate-happy, and as lovely a tea as this is, it is not a chocolate tea.
The website suggests a brewing time of 4 – 5 minutes, but because it is a Yerba Maté blend, it won’t get bitter if you allow it to steep for a longer period of time. I think it’s actually a good idea to let it steep for at least 6 minutes (if not longer) because you’ll get the most out of the many spices that are in this blend.
This is an exciting blend – and one I’d recommend to anyone who wants to go a little out of their comfort zone and take a walk on the wild side … get Out of Your Gourd!
Yerba Maté Chai from Tea Chai Té
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Yerba Maté
Where to Buy: Tea Chai Té
Product Description:
Yerba mate blended with cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, black pepper, orange peel, clove, allspice, and star anise. Organic.
Taster’s Review:
I’m always excited when I find a new tea company that’s local! Tea Chai Té has a tea shop that just so happens to be on one of my favorite streets in Portland, so the next time I’m shopping there I will have to stop in for a cuppa!
In the meantime, I will enjoy some of their teas that can be purchased online. This chai blend is incredibly warming and even though Yerba Maté tends to be very invigorating, this blend has a very soothing effect too. Perhaps it’s the warmth of the spices that are lulling me into this unique state of comforting alertness.
The sip begins with a soft earthy flavor from the Yerba Mate and a hint of citrus from the orange. This intriguing combination of flavors is immediately enveloped by the distinctive flavor of the cinnamon, cardamom and cloves. Somewhere about mid-sip, a licorice-y note hits the palate, and seems to disappear just as quickly as it appears. Sort of like now I taste it, now I don’t! There is a strong, peppery flavor coming from the ginger and black pepper that hits the palate at the tail of the sip and lingers through the aftertaste, which is comprised of peppery notes and orange with just a whisper of licorice taste from the star anise.
This chai blend is an interesting adventure that is keeping my attention and my taste buds captivated! I really like this a lot. I like this with a dollop of raw honey (or if you prefer, agave nectar). I found it is delicious as a latte – just add a splash of warmed milk or cream – but it is also quite nice without this addition. It all just depends upon your mood!