This weekend has been a bit hectic with the new addition of our newest furbaby.
Now-mind you we have 4 kids between my husband and myself ranging in ages from our twin 15 year olds to our 7 year old. Needless to say, we have a busy house. So when it was time for me to have a quiet cuppa before anybody else had risen for the day’s festivities, I grabbed this delight. Gokuzyo from Japanese Green Tea In.
I will be 100% honest here and say that I haven’t had a straight green tea in some time. It seems lately my tastebuds have been craving flavored teas. So this particular offering was a very welcomed change of pace.
As soon as I opened up the package, I was ecstatic. There was a definite vegetal vibe and I anxiously prepped up my water. Per the site’s recommendations, I used 2 tsp and water at 175F. Allowed the tea to steep for about 2 minutes and cool for an additional minute.
I was happily greeted with this amazing rich sweet flavor that had a slight vegetal aftertaste. Through each sip, I was greeted with this almost candy green tea flavor that I devoured greedily. This tea is described as having an elegant sweetness and I couldn’t agree more. I happily sipped on this tea for the afternoon while working on a few projects here and there. I was able to get several infusions out of the serving. Just fresh, delicious, sweet with a hint of that subtle vegetal taste that I’ve grown to love.
This tea would be amazing iced and I’m looking forward to those dog days of summer where a shared pitcher of iced tea with friends and family is exactly what is called for. This would be one of those teas that I can see a broad audience really enjoying.
I can also see this tea as being a great starter green tea for anybody that would like to dip their toe into more straight teas. Japanese Green Tea In even gives a great summary of this tea and its background. I’m quite happy with the first offering from this company and I’ll be checking out their other offering soon.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Japanese Green Tea In
Description
Gokyuzyo translates literally to “The Highest Grade” in Japanese. Among all the green tea harvested, Gokuzyo is the section of the best tea leaves based on taste, water level, aroma and the quality of the leaf itself. Trained masters (called chya-shi in Japanese) pick the best tea leaves by hand, one leaf at a time. Please enjoy the best of what we offer.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Raspberry Flavored Tea Anyone? #Tealightful
Raspberry flavors have always been my favorite, from the elementary school era blue manufactured kind of Jolly Ranchers to picking them straight from the vine in a rural southern town. Needless to say, my expectations for this tea were pretty high.
And what can I say? They were MET!
This tea seems unassuming in that it’s just a plain black base and the raspberry flavoring (and a few freeze-dried raspberries thrown in more for aesthetics) but wow, this is a solid blend. The assam is middle-of-the-road in terms of astringency and the raspberry is sweet, sour, and perfectly flavorful all at once. I had a bad experience with a berry-flavored tea a few months ago, so I did not think something like Fruity Raspberry would be my new go-to.
Alas, I blew through 4 ounces very quickly.
My default was to brew 1tsp/8oz for 3 minutes in boiled water. I added a touch of honey and it was on point! This also would be an incredible iced tea for the sweltering months up ahead.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black Tea
Where to Buy: Tealightful
Description
Try this stunning dessert tea with a dash of milk and Amaretto Honey Stix. It’s a fresh and fruity blend of certified organic black tea, luscious freeze-dried raspberries, and natural organic compliant raspberry flavor.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Super Starling drinks English Breakfast from Solstice Tea Traders. . .
After killing myself at the gym this morning*, I needed a little bit of comfort. Black teas are my go-to morning cuddle buddy. They never cause DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness). They never make me sweaty. I never collapse after drinking one.
* (10 flights on the stairmaster, a mile on the treadmill, then a variety of circuit training nonsense that at one point just had me laying on a mat, reaching for my inhaler.)
Comforting though this blend is, it’s still got that black-tea kick. This one’s an eye-opener. It pries your face open, Clockwork Orange style. Are you nodding off at your desk?
NOT ANY MORE YOU’RE NOT. WELCOME TO THE DAY.
The flavor is a nice smooth blend, a bit malty and raisin-y. I have a feeling that, if you mixed some with an herbal tea (maybe berry-flavored), you’d have a great iced tea. This could be a strong backbone for a kickin’ blend.
If you’re the sort of person who does this sort of thing. Which I do. I like to play alchemist all the time. Is it unclassy to throw ingredients into other teas? Probably. But I’ve come up with some awesome stuff. (I have also — full disclosure — completely failed.)
So give this one a try, either straight or with a buddy. At the very least, you’re in for a good morning jostle.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black Tea
Where to Buy: Solstice Tea Traders
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Chestnut Fans. . .Check This Blend Out! #TeaSource
I really love chestnuts. They are truly my favorite nut. I love roasting them at home or even eating them out of a bag pre-cooked. (yes they sell them that way in health food stores) The best, though, is going into the city and getting them freshly roasted from a cart. That is totally a Christmas-time activity and it makes me want to skip summer and go right to the Holidays. Alas, here we are. Its springtime and i’m about to drink Roasted Chestnut tea from Tea Source.
Lucky for me, this tea is very true to its name. Im actually sitting here breathing it in, drinking it in, and pretending that i’m on a snowy street walking up to the roasted nuts cart about to order and then go sit and listen to Christmas carolers while I eat my chestnuts! I added agave to the cup so there is an underlying sweetness that is definitely reminding me of those sugared roasted nuts. The black tea part of this blend is smooth and calm. It goes really well with the chestnut flavor. But there really is something to this blend that reminds me almost of cookies, or sugared nuts. It is so comforting and so delicious. This would be a great wintertime tea and it went through my head to turn it into a hot latte with maybe a dash of hazelnut creamer. That would be such a treat!
I have really been liking Tea Source, lately. They really have some great blends. Thus far I haven’t run into one that I dislike. Gosh I really wish it was wintertime! I love Christmas. But, hot-tea season is almost over so i’ll be cranking my AC and turning my apartment into my own winter wonderland and drinking my Roasted Chestnut tea!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black Tea
Where to Buy: Tea Source
Description
This is a deep, dark, rich black tea blend with a delicious aroma. It has a roasty nut flavor with a little sweet silkiness. This is a perfect cooler weather black tea blend. Contains: China black tea, roasted mate, Houjicha, flavor, and sliced almonds.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Sweet Slo-Sippin’ SimpliciTEA Raspberry Rhubarb from Cup of Love. . .
Sweet Slo-Sippin’ SimpliciTEA Raspberry Rhubarb is a blended Green Tea and Black Tea Duo! The funny thing is I was thinking it was Strawberry Rhubarb but that’s because that used to be my favorite type of pie and I must be hungry for it. Raspberry Rhubarb is just as good and plus I have been gobbling up raspberries like they are going out of style lately!
Enough blabbing and on to the tea, eh? Sweet Slo-Sippin’ SimpliciTEA Raspberry Rhubarb is from Cup of Love. And I’m truly LOVING it!
The Sencha Green Tea is of medium strength and delicious! The Black Tea is second in line and knows how to play well with others. It’s more mellow and quite marvelous in its own right. The dried raspberry pieces are tasty-tart and yummy! The blackberry leaves give it a little extra something – a subtle herb taste. The trio of flowers: Sunflower, Safflower, and Jasmine round it out with a welcomed floral taste. It isn’t a bitter floral flavor but seems to tie everything together.
I have really enjoyed the Sweet Slo-Sippin Series Cup of Love is offering and looking forward to any new flavors they come up with!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green Tea
Where to Buy: Cup of Love
Description
Down-homespun-goodness! Imagine picking raspberries and rhubarb, and baking them into a delicious pie, and then pouring it into a tall glass of front porch, sun-brewed iced tea. It‘ll knock your socks off! That is…iffin’ you wearin’ any.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
