Hello, fellow tea-drinkers! (and non-tea-drinkers too. All are welcome!)
I was going to write an extensively wonderful post on Tea Terminology. However, a quick Google search points out that someone has done that for me far better than I could ever do. So.... I shall link you to it.
Go to THIS WEBSITE. Herein you shall find the necessary information.
I hope this is sufficient.
I am going to go brew myself a cup of tea, as there is a foot of snow on the ground (WHAT), and I am cold.
Sunday, 11 November 2012
Saturday, 10 November 2012
A Newbie's Guide to Tea: Types of Tea and Why It Matters
This is the second part of my "Newbie's Guide to Tea" series.
It can be overwhelming to read about tea and say, "White? Black? Green? Oo-what? What do I DRIIIIINK?!" In this post, I'll get all my information from Wikipedia, condense it into one blog post so you don't have to do all the research yourself, and basically explain the differences between types of tea as I understand it.
The basic categories of tea are as follows:
Black
Green
White
Oolong
Pu'erh
Rooibos
Maté
Herbal
Black Tea
- comes from the leaves of the camellia sinensis plant.
- highly oxidized tea (left to turn black)
- known in China as "Red Tea"
- stronger in flavour
- generally higher in caffeine
- retains flavour longer than most other teas
- has been used as currency in some parts/ times of the world
- best steeped with boiling (98°C) water for 3-5 minutes
- generally from China, India, Sri Lanka or Tibet
Green Tea
- comes from the leaves of the camellia sinensis plant
- minimal oxidization
- rich in antioxidants
- best steeped in ~81°C-87°C water for 2-3 minutes (too hot or too long makes the tea bitter)
- can be steeped multiple times
- generally from China or Japan
White Tea
- comes from the buds and leaves of the camellia sinensis plant
- often slightly more expensive due to the delicate nature of the leaf
- very little processing is used for these leaves
- generally steeped in 94°C water for 3-5 minutes (some white teas are very picky with their water, though, so read the steeping information on your tea)
- generally from China, Taiwan, Nepal or Thailand
Oolong Tea
- comes from the leaves of the camellia sinensis plant
- semi-oxidized
- contains caffeine, but less than black tea
- often rolled into beads or tubes
- can be steeped up to 4 times
- best steeped in not-quite boiling (93°C-96°C) water for anywhere from 3-10 minutes
- generally from Taiwan or China
Pu'erh Tea
- comes from the leaves of the camellia sinensis plant
- considered "post-fermented" because they are oxidized twice rather than only once
- known in China as "Black Tea" (confusing, isn't it??)
- technically, this is green tea that's gone through the tea process twice (that is a VERY BASIC explanation of this. it's way more complicated and complex than I make it sound)
- often pressed into different shapes or bricks
- best steeped in ~95°C water (though higher quality tea requires a lower steeping temperature) for anywhere from 30 seconds to 10 minutes.
- generally from China, Vietnam, Laos or Burma
Rooibos
- comes from a broom-like member of the legume family
- means Red Bush in Afrikaans
- low caffeine
- high in antioxidants
- can be turned into a CapeTown Fog (like a London Fog, which is steeped Earl Grey with milk, sugar and vanilla)
- best steeped in ~98°C water for 4-7 minutes
- grown exclusively in South Africa
Maté
- comes from yerba maté, which is a South American holly
- very high in caffeine (considered a stimulant)
- more bitter than other types of tea
- high in antioxidants
- traditionally drunk out of a gourd or metal "guampa" or "mate" (two words for the same thing) with a straw that looks like a spoon with holes called a bombilla
- has a very particular brewing process for the best-tasting maté - very fascinating, actually. Check it out under "preparation".
- very social tea, especially in South America (considered "the drink of friendship")
- brewed in 70-80°C water. Never boiling. If you use boiling water for maté, it gets very bitter.
- leaves typically left in while drinking
- grown in Brazil, Argentina or Paraguay
Herbal Tea
- catch-all term for any tea or tisane that doesn't fit into one of these other categories
- can be made with herbs, fruit, plants or a mixture thereof
- extensive variety of teas
- brewing times vary. Typically brewed in boiling water for 3-6 minutes.
- grown... uh. anywhere you can grow things.
(Note: I got ALL OF MY INFORMATION from either Wikipedia, or the DAVIDsTEA website. The words are mine. The information is not.)
So why does it matter?
It depends on why you are drinking tea. If you are drinking tea for health benefits, you're going to choose a different tea (most likely herbal or green) than if you are drinking it for flavour. If you don't want caffeine, chances are you'll pick an herbal tea. If you want MUCHOS caffeine, go with a maté or black tea.
Most teas come in a variety of flavours, so if you want to try a maté, but don't want a straight maté, you're in luck! If you want to experiment with oolong, I know that DAVIDsTEA has several varieties that might pique your interest.
If you don't have a thermometer, some of the finickier teas may be "not optimally brewed." (Don't worry, I brew them wrong all the time. They don't taste BAD, just not their best.....)
Your equipment may limit your tea-making experience. If you want to make traditional yerba maté, but don't have a guampa or bombilla, you're not going to be successful. Sure, you can put it in a tea bag or a tea ball and brew it in a cup, but you're not getting the "authentic experience" if that's what you're looking for.
Don't get me wrong. There's nothing WRONG with drinking tea in a tea bag. In fact, it's really very lovely (and entirely convenient!)! But there's something to be said for enjoying traditional tea in the traditional way (at least once, anyway). I know very little about tea ceremonies, or things like that, but I know that you shouldn't put flowering teas in a bag, because it completely defeats the purpose.
I hope this is at least somewhat helpful. Please let me know what else you'd like to see...
Thursday, 8 November 2012
A Newbie's Guide to Tea: Getting Started
This is a request from a reader:
A Newbie's Guide to Tea
So you want to drink tea but don't know where to start.
Let's start at the very beginning - a very good place to start. When you read, you begin with A - B - C. When you brew you begin with.... well, this blog post. (My apologies to The Sound of Music...)
Things you will need:
- Something to heat water with. (I prefer using a kettle, but you could use a pot of water on the stove, or the microwave if you're really desperate)
- Mug (if you're using the microwave to heat your water, make sure it is microwaveable and NOT METAL)
- Tea (in a bag if you don't want to get fancy)
- Spoon (optional, for stirring in sweetner, or removing your tea bag once it has finished steeping to your liking, if the tea bag has no string)
- Sweetener (optional)
Now, when it comes to choosing tea, it TOTALLY DEPENDS on what you like.
If you want to go to the grocery store and pick up some tea just to try it out, that's totally fine. You don't have to be all finicky about your tea, or spend tons of money on loose-leaf tea. BUT, this is what I have to recommend: you have to start with a flavour you like. The Hubby says, "If you don't like mint, you're not going to like mint tea, whether it's green, oolong or some specialty mint-flavoured whatever."
Good Starter Teas:
- Fruit teas - come in many flavours, and they're often not as strong.
- Herbal teas - mint and chamomile are probably the two most popular. Rooibos is also considered an herbal tea, because it's not made from tea leaves (camellia senensis plant).
- Orange Pekoe - one of the most popular straight black teas
Acquired Taste Teas:
- Earl Grey - black tea with bergamot flavouring. Can be considered perfume-y
- English or Irish Breakfast - more robust than orange pekoe
- Masala Chai - spiced tea, traditional in India
- Maté - very strong South American tea
You could start with a box of mixed flavours (for example, Celestial Seasonings Herbal Tea Sampler, or if you're adventurous and would like to try DAVIDsTEA [DO IT!! DO IT!!], the 12 Sachet Box or the Starter Kit) and try them to see which one you like. Use that as a base to build your tea collection.
I will write another blog post on different types of tea, and why the difference matters (fueled by information from Wikipedia). But in the meantime, let's get brewing.
Steps to making tea:
1) Choose your tea bag.
2) Put water in your kettle.
3) Plug in your kettle.
4) Turn it on.
5) Get your mug.
6) Put your tea bag in your mug.
7) Wait until the water is boiling. Turn off the kettle (or wait until it turns off on its own)
8) Let it sit for a second.
9) Pour boiling water over the tea bag. If it has a string, hold on to the string. BE CAREFUL YOU DO NOT POUR BOILING WATER OVER YOUR HAND. THIS IS BAD.
10) Let it sit for between 3 & 5 minutes, depending on how strong you like your tea. You can jiggle the teabag up and down, or you can just let it sit.
11) (optional) Remove tea bag.
12) (optional) Add sweetener, if desired. Stir gently.
13) Sip carefully. The water-that-has-become-tea is still hot.
Let me know what you think of this guide! Was it helpful?
Upcoming installments:
- A Newbie's Guide to Tea: Types of Tea and Why It Matters
- A Newbie's Guide to Tea: Terminology
- Your suggestions/ questions of what to cover next
A Newbie's Guide to Tea
So you want to drink tea but don't know where to start.
Let's start at the very beginning - a very good place to start. When you read, you begin with A - B - C. When you brew you begin with.... well, this blog post. (My apologies to The Sound of Music...)
Things you will need:
- Something to heat water with. (I prefer using a kettle, but you could use a pot of water on the stove, or the microwave if you're really desperate)
- Mug (if you're using the microwave to heat your water, make sure it is microwaveable and NOT METAL)
- Tea (in a bag if you don't want to get fancy)
- Spoon (optional, for stirring in sweetner, or removing your tea bag once it has finished steeping to your liking, if the tea bag has no string)
- Sweetener (optional)
Now, when it comes to choosing tea, it TOTALLY DEPENDS on what you like.
If you want to go to the grocery store and pick up some tea just to try it out, that's totally fine. You don't have to be all finicky about your tea, or spend tons of money on loose-leaf tea. BUT, this is what I have to recommend: you have to start with a flavour you like. The Hubby says, "If you don't like mint, you're not going to like mint tea, whether it's green, oolong or some specialty mint-flavoured whatever."
Good Starter Teas:
- Fruit teas - come in many flavours, and they're often not as strong.
- Herbal teas - mint and chamomile are probably the two most popular. Rooibos is also considered an herbal tea, because it's not made from tea leaves (camellia senensis plant).
- Orange Pekoe - one of the most popular straight black teas
Acquired Taste Teas:
- Earl Grey - black tea with bergamot flavouring. Can be considered perfume-y
- English or Irish Breakfast - more robust than orange pekoe
- Masala Chai - spiced tea, traditional in India
- Maté - very strong South American tea
You could start with a box of mixed flavours (for example, Celestial Seasonings Herbal Tea Sampler, or if you're adventurous and would like to try DAVIDsTEA [DO IT!! DO IT!!], the 12 Sachet Box or the Starter Kit) and try them to see which one you like. Use that as a base to build your tea collection.
I will write another blog post on different types of tea, and why the difference matters (fueled by information from Wikipedia). But in the meantime, let's get brewing.
Steps to making tea:
1) Choose your tea bag.
2) Put water in your kettle.
3) Plug in your kettle.
4) Turn it on.
5) Get your mug.
6) Put your tea bag in your mug.
7) Wait until the water is boiling. Turn off the kettle (or wait until it turns off on its own)
8) Let it sit for a second.
9) Pour boiling water over the tea bag. If it has a string, hold on to the string. BE CAREFUL YOU DO NOT POUR BOILING WATER OVER YOUR HAND. THIS IS BAD.
10) Let it sit for between 3 & 5 minutes, depending on how strong you like your tea. You can jiggle the teabag up and down, or you can just let it sit.
11) (optional) Remove tea bag.
12) (optional) Add sweetener, if desired. Stir gently.
13) Sip carefully. The water-that-has-become-tea is still hot.
Let me know what you think of this guide! Was it helpful?
Upcoming installments:
- A Newbie's Guide to Tea: Types of Tea and Why It Matters
- A Newbie's Guide to Tea: Terminology
- Your suggestions/ questions of what to cover next
Friday, 26 October 2012
Today's Tea: Himalayan Blend
Himalayan Blend from David's Tea
Description: Rich and complex, this blend is specially selected from the season’s best estate offerings, then carefully blended to ensure the perfect balance of flavours. Its aromatic woodsy leaves steep into a clear, golden and satisfyingly astringent liquor, while unique and refreshing mountain air notes mingle with a rich muscatel flavour. Enjoy the taste of the Himalayas at their peak… .
Ingredients: Estate black teas from the Highlands of Nepal and Darjeeling, India.
Caffeine Rating: 2
(From David's Tea: Himalayan Blend)
Steph's Thoughts:
This is the second cup of "straight tea" from David's Tea. It was one of the teas recommended to me by Chris, who is one of the Grant Park store's TeaPeople. (I don't think they're called baristas.... what do you call them? Tea-ple?) His first recommendation was the Jasmine Pearls one, but I'm not a giant fan of jasmine (too perfume-y), so he recommended two others - the Second Flush Darjeeling, which I've already tried, and this one.
I chose this one over the Second Flush, partially because I'd already tried the Second Flush, but also because this one smelled sweeter. It's still definitely a straight black tea, which is more bitter than herbal blends, or even flavoured blacks. But on the smelling scale of EW to YUM, I'd definitely put this closer to YUM. For some reason, I smelled a hint of coconut, but maybe that's just because I had the smell in my nostrils from the Stormy Night I'd just smelled. And maybe because in my head, Himalayas = exotic, coconut = exotic, therefore Himalayas = coconut. I think my brain's gone wonky because there's definitely no coconut in here.
I had this tea served with a bit of milk and some agave. Unfortunately, it was still too hot to drink on my lunch break, so I had to wait until after work to drink it. It tastes alright cold, though warmer is better, in my opinion.
Surprisingly, this tea tastes just as good microwaved, so I could drink it warm for my review. HUZZAH! I did have to add a little more sweetener, as I'm not a fan of bitter tea, and straight black tea is bitter.
Also. With black tea, seriously, pay attention to the steep time. Maybe let it steep a little bit longer, but not all afternoon, or all evening.... Because then you're left with incredibly bitter tea. And the last sip is just BRUTAL. Which is why I took the teabag out of this tea after about 15 minutes. Maybe a little less - however long it took me to get my tea, get back to work, have a few quick sips and put it in my locker. It has made all the difference, though.
I don't know how to describe the flavour.... I mean, woodsy and earthy definitely come to mind. But maybe that's because those are the words in the description. It reminds me of going hiking in the forest.... and then coming home and drinking tea out of china cups to warm up. Or sitting outside by the lake at sunset on a fall evening, air crisp and cool, but not so chilly that you want to go inside. You watch the geese fly in and land on the lake, settling in for the night as the leaves, gold, red, and orange (and brown, if you're in Manitoba) fall from the trees. I think this is the kind of tea you'd drink on an evening like that.
Description: Rich and complex, this blend is specially selected from the season’s best estate offerings, then carefully blended to ensure the perfect balance of flavours. Its aromatic woodsy leaves steep into a clear, golden and satisfyingly astringent liquor, while unique and refreshing mountain air notes mingle with a rich muscatel flavour. Enjoy the taste of the Himalayas at their peak… .
Ingredients: Estate black teas from the Highlands of Nepal and Darjeeling, India.
Caffeine Rating: 2
(From David's Tea: Himalayan Blend)
Steph's Thoughts:
This is the second cup of "straight tea" from David's Tea. It was one of the teas recommended to me by Chris, who is one of the Grant Park store's TeaPeople. (I don't think they're called baristas.... what do you call them? Tea-ple?) His first recommendation was the Jasmine Pearls one, but I'm not a giant fan of jasmine (too perfume-y), so he recommended two others - the Second Flush Darjeeling, which I've already tried, and this one.
I chose this one over the Second Flush, partially because I'd already tried the Second Flush, but also because this one smelled sweeter. It's still definitely a straight black tea, which is more bitter than herbal blends, or even flavoured blacks. But on the smelling scale of EW to YUM, I'd definitely put this closer to YUM. For some reason, I smelled a hint of coconut, but maybe that's just because I had the smell in my nostrils from the Stormy Night I'd just smelled. And maybe because in my head, Himalayas = exotic, coconut = exotic, therefore Himalayas = coconut. I think my brain's gone wonky because there's definitely no coconut in here.
I had this tea served with a bit of milk and some agave. Unfortunately, it was still too hot to drink on my lunch break, so I had to wait until after work to drink it. It tastes alright cold, though warmer is better, in my opinion.
Surprisingly, this tea tastes just as good microwaved, so I could drink it warm for my review. HUZZAH! I did have to add a little more sweetener, as I'm not a fan of bitter tea, and straight black tea is bitter.
Also. With black tea, seriously, pay attention to the steep time. Maybe let it steep a little bit longer, but not all afternoon, or all evening.... Because then you're left with incredibly bitter tea. And the last sip is just BRUTAL. Which is why I took the teabag out of this tea after about 15 minutes. Maybe a little less - however long it took me to get my tea, get back to work, have a few quick sips and put it in my locker. It has made all the difference, though.
I don't know how to describe the flavour.... I mean, woodsy and earthy definitely come to mind. But maybe that's because those are the words in the description. It reminds me of going hiking in the forest.... and then coming home and drinking tea out of china cups to warm up. Or sitting outside by the lake at sunset on a fall evening, air crisp and cool, but not so chilly that you want to go inside. You watch the geese fly in and land on the lake, settling in for the night as the leaves, gold, red, and orange (and brown, if you're in Manitoba) fall from the trees. I think this is the kind of tea you'd drink on an evening like that.
Friday, 19 October 2012
Today's Tea: Second Flush Darjeeling
Second Flush Darjeeling from David's Tea
Description: Darjeeling is known as the “champagne” of teas: if it doesn’t come from India’s Darjeeling region, you aren’t allowed to use the name. That might be why the best Darjeelings taste just like the mountains they were grown on. While the first leaves in the spring tend to be delicate and almost green in flavour, second flush Darjeelings generally have a richer, darker taste. This one is bright, woodsy and earthy, with notes of honey, fresh mushrooms and meadow flowers – like a forest getaway in a cup.
Ingredients: Second flush Darjeeling tea (grade FTGFOP 1) from Darjeeling, India.
Steph's Thoughts:
First reaction: AHHH TEA EVERYWHERE!!!!! My tea steeper got caught on something when I set it down on the table to steep, and I got tea ALL OVER. I hoped I wasn't too late to save the leaves, as I only actually had enough to brew one helping of this tea! So I ran to the kitchen, poured more hot water over the leaves, and cleaned everything up while it was steeping. Note to self: MAKE SURE THE AREA UNDER THE STEEPER IS COMPLETELY CLEAR BEFORE SETTING IT DOWN.
Second reactions: Unflavoured tea actually has some flavour to it. I don't taste the mushrooms - maybe it's because I let the GOOD stuff end up on the floor. Woodsy and earthy, definitely. A little flowery. I didn't use any sweetener of any kind, but it's got a bit of sweetness all on its own.
It's a 2 on the caffeine scale, so if you're looking for a low-dose of caffeine, this isn't your tea. But it's got an okay taste to it. I still like the flavoured stuff a little better, but for plain tea, this is definitely one of the best I've had. I think I'm going to continue to try the other plain teas from DT, just to see what artistry actually goes into creating the exquisite tastes.
This tea tastes a lot better hot than it does cold. It might taste okay as sweetened iced tea.
Other than that, not bad, plain DAVIDsTEA. Not bad at all.
On Tea and Friendship
So, I've been in and out of the hospital this week. Bad things happened, and I ended up needing surgery. The surgery went okay, and I went home to recover.
I haven't been up to making much tea lately, but now that I'm recovering, I'm able to move around a bit more. Which is great, because last night a couple of friends came over and brought me a care package with a handful of tea samples (Ginseng Oolong, Second Flush Darjeeling, Korean Sejak, and White Peony), as well as the "Sweet Indulgence" tea package, and the "Foodie Collection" package, all from David's Tea, as well as some nice lotion, cookies, and chocolate.
I've tried some of the ones in the Sweet Indulgence package. It comes with 12 different teas (Buttered Rum, Coco Chai Rooibos, Coffee Pu’erh, Cranberry Pear, Forever Nuts, Goji Pop, Green Seduction, Jessie’s Tea, Long Life Oolong, Mango Madness, Oh Canada and Read My Lips). I can say right now that I'm not a huge fan of one of them, so I'll probably foist that one off on one of my friends.
The Foodie Collection comes with recipes that all involve brewed tea. BREWED TEA IN COOKING!
I honestly think that tea should go in all care packages. Also, my friends are freaking awesome. They know what I love, and they bring me TEA!
I can't wait to start reviewing.
Also, I would like to say this. Even though I love my tea, I have no problem sharing. Everyone that comes to my house gets offered a cup of tea. Most decline. But I think it's important to share tea with friends. There's something to be said for sharing a good cup of tea with people that matter. Holding your tea as it cools, sipping while you listen, and letting your tea steep as you talk....
I find that tea acts like a wall-reducer. Like having a cup of tea in your hands makes the world a little safer. And so instead of talking about fluff, you actually end up talking about important things. Exclaiming about being pregnant. Mourning a pregnancy loss. Celebrating an engagement. Crying about relationship issues. Rejoicing in a new job. Stressing about work. Making decisions about the future. It's all safe over a cup of tea with friends. And that's one of the greatest things about tea. It makes things ... not OKAY, but BETTER. Safer. A little bit brighter. Deal-able. Tea and friends - there's nothing better.
I haven't been up to making much tea lately, but now that I'm recovering, I'm able to move around a bit more. Which is great, because last night a couple of friends came over and brought me a care package with a handful of tea samples (Ginseng Oolong, Second Flush Darjeeling, Korean Sejak, and White Peony), as well as the "Sweet Indulgence" tea package, and the "Foodie Collection" package, all from David's Tea, as well as some nice lotion, cookies, and chocolate.
I've tried some of the ones in the Sweet Indulgence package. It comes with 12 different teas (Buttered Rum, Coco Chai Rooibos, Coffee Pu’erh, Cranberry Pear, Forever Nuts, Goji Pop, Green Seduction, Jessie’s Tea, Long Life Oolong, Mango Madness, Oh Canada and Read My Lips). I can say right now that I'm not a huge fan of one of them, so I'll probably foist that one off on one of my friends.
The Foodie Collection comes with recipes that all involve brewed tea. BREWED TEA IN COOKING!
I honestly think that tea should go in all care packages. Also, my friends are freaking awesome. They know what I love, and they bring me TEA!
I can't wait to start reviewing.
Also, I would like to say this. Even though I love my tea, I have no problem sharing. Everyone that comes to my house gets offered a cup of tea. Most decline. But I think it's important to share tea with friends. There's something to be said for sharing a good cup of tea with people that matter. Holding your tea as it cools, sipping while you listen, and letting your tea steep as you talk....
I find that tea acts like a wall-reducer. Like having a cup of tea in your hands makes the world a little safer. And so instead of talking about fluff, you actually end up talking about important things. Exclaiming about being pregnant. Mourning a pregnancy loss. Celebrating an engagement. Crying about relationship issues. Rejoicing in a new job. Stressing about work. Making decisions about the future. It's all safe over a cup of tea with friends. And that's one of the greatest things about tea. It makes things ... not OKAY, but BETTER. Safer. A little bit brighter. Deal-able. Tea and friends - there's nothing better.
Saturday, 6 October 2012
Today's Tea: Stormy Night
Hello readers! I've changed the format of my blog slightly, so now anyone can comment. Hopefully it will be all my dear and faithful readers, and not spambots.
AND NOW ON TO THE REVIEW!!!!
Organic Stormy Night from David's Tea
Description: It was three o’clock in the afternoon on a rainy Friday. David was hungry. He needed a nap, a shave, and a hot meal. What he had was a kettle, a pack of matches, and a bag of black tea. So he grabbed some ingredients and threw them in the water. Chocolate, cinnamon, coconut, vanilla – this drink was a real piece of work. He lifted his cup, took a drink and then another. It was hotter than an inferno and smoother than silk. It was good. Almost too good.
Ingredients: Organic: Black tea, chocolate, cinnamon, coconut, vanilla. With natural vanilla flavouring.
Allergens: Dairy and coconut
(From David's Tea: Organic Stormy Night)
Steph's Thoughts:
This was a really refreshing cup of tea after two weeks of lemon ginger and Cold 911. I have been so ridiculously sick, and haven't been able to taste a whole lot of anything lately. Has made for a really grumpy Steph. BUT this tea made up for it.
I had it in the form of a latte, with 2% milk, and honey to sweeten. It tastes a little bit like gourmet hot chocolate. The only downside to this tea AT THIS MOMENT is that it's a black tea, and as such, has a "2" for caffeine rating. I'm not supposed to have a lot of caffeine right now, but I said, "Screw it." So, even though it's not the best for my body, it is SO YUMMY.
And the coconut isn't overwhelming either. I've had a lot of teas where the coconut is all you taste, and it's really very disheartening. But this is nice and subtle. Hubby even said, "huh, not bad for chocolate tea." (Hubby doesn't like chocolate tea, so from him this is an "OMG THIS IS AMAZING" in the way of chocolate teas. Mostly I get a "EWWWWW" face from him when he tries my tea.)
It really is a lovely tea. The vanilla and cinnamon add a little bit of "gourmet" to it. I would compare it to Cocoa Canela actually. It's a scaled-down, black tea version of Cocoa Canela. The flavour isn't quite as strong as CC is - the cinnamon is subtler than in CC, and there's a hint of vanilla with a little bit of Oomph.
All in all, I really do like this. I wonder how it would taste straight, rather than as a latte. Maybe I'll try it someday!
AND NOW ON TO THE REVIEW!!!!
Organic Stormy Night from David's Tea
Description: It was three o’clock in the afternoon on a rainy Friday. David was hungry. He needed a nap, a shave, and a hot meal. What he had was a kettle, a pack of matches, and a bag of black tea. So he grabbed some ingredients and threw them in the water. Chocolate, cinnamon, coconut, vanilla – this drink was a real piece of work. He lifted his cup, took a drink and then another. It was hotter than an inferno and smoother than silk. It was good. Almost too good.
Ingredients: Organic: Black tea, chocolate, cinnamon, coconut, vanilla. With natural vanilla flavouring.
Allergens: Dairy and coconut
(From David's Tea: Organic Stormy Night)
Steph's Thoughts:
This was a really refreshing cup of tea after two weeks of lemon ginger and Cold 911. I have been so ridiculously sick, and haven't been able to taste a whole lot of anything lately. Has made for a really grumpy Steph. BUT this tea made up for it.
I had it in the form of a latte, with 2% milk, and honey to sweeten. It tastes a little bit like gourmet hot chocolate. The only downside to this tea AT THIS MOMENT is that it's a black tea, and as such, has a "2" for caffeine rating. I'm not supposed to have a lot of caffeine right now, but I said, "Screw it." So, even though it's not the best for my body, it is SO YUMMY.
And the coconut isn't overwhelming either. I've had a lot of teas where the coconut is all you taste, and it's really very disheartening. But this is nice and subtle. Hubby even said, "huh, not bad for chocolate tea." (Hubby doesn't like chocolate tea, so from him this is an "OMG THIS IS AMAZING" in the way of chocolate teas. Mostly I get a "EWWWWW" face from him when he tries my tea.)
It really is a lovely tea. The vanilla and cinnamon add a little bit of "gourmet" to it. I would compare it to Cocoa Canela actually. It's a scaled-down, black tea version of Cocoa Canela. The flavour isn't quite as strong as CC is - the cinnamon is subtler than in CC, and there's a hint of vanilla with a little bit of Oomph.
All in all, I really do like this. I wonder how it would taste straight, rather than as a latte. Maybe I'll try it someday!
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