Tea

This tea blends a Taiwanese oolong with orange blossoms. It promises a “light, delicate, brightly scented” cup. The maroon-coloured leaves are interspersed with orange blossom petals. The tea smells strongly of orange oil, somewhat like the softer, sweeter cousin of the bergamot oil used for flavouring Earl Grey blends. I followed the suggested directions, infusing a heaping teaspoonful of leaves in 8 ounces of water heated to 85 degrees Celsius for 2 minutes. The cup is a dark amber colour. It’s quite fragrant, mixing the scent of orange zest and powdered ginger root. Taking a sip, the taste blends the flavour of oranges in many forms: zest, fruit and flower. Again there is the zing of powdered ginger, especially in the finish. The tea is smooth to the taste but leaves an odd drying sensation in the mouth. It’s otherwise quite soothing and satisfying. I brewed the leaves again for 3 minutes. The tea base comes through more strongly this time, lending malt and biscuit notes to the blend. The orange flavours are still going strong. The long-lasting aftertaste is more like orange flower water at this point. Unfortunately the dry feeling is also still present. I steeped the tea again 2 more times, for 4 and 5 minutes respectively. Both cups are thin and watery. No unpleasant element surfaces but the flavour has only a hint of orange to it. I would stop at cup number two next time. On the upside, the waxy orange blossom petals add something special to the look of the steeped leaves in my infuser. Overall I found this tea to be quite flavourful and well blended. It offers complex and soothing fruit and flower notes, as well as a touch of spice. My only caveat would be the dry feeling this tea leaves in the mouth. Otherwise, it’s definitely a good value for the money at its price point.

Here’s a quick look at some tea developments that may not necessarily be new but are still not in the mainstream of tea drinkers’ awareness. U.S. Tea Growers Expanding Nigel Melican reports: “I now have positive responses from tea growers in eight US states - and many more potential growers - that's marvellous [sic] in just 6 days. The inaugural meeting of…Read the rest of the article on The English Tea Store Blog.© 2013 A.C. Cargill photos and text

Here’s a quick look at some tea developments that may not necessarily be new but are still not in the mainstream of tea drinkers’ awareness. U.S. Tea Growers Expanding Nigel Melican reports: “I now have positive responses from tea growers in eight US states – and many more potential growers – that’s marvellous [sic] in […]

I’ve noticed something over the course of the years that I’ve been writing about tea. Actually I’ve noticed quite a few things but the one most pertinent to this discussion is that while there are a zillion and a half tea merchant sites, tea blogs and whatever other Internet stuff related to tea, there don’t […]

Last year I was inspired to design a set of symbols to commemorate Japanese culture in New York and the 100th anniversary of Japan’s donation of cherry trees to the United States. One of the symbols I designed was a teapot. My inspiration for the symbol, which was done in a minimalist style, came from the harmonious forms of Asian teaware as well as the artful craft of the Japanese tea ceremony. My experience with tea actually embraces a couple of cultures: my Macedonian culture and my wife’s Japanese culture. I have a distinct liking for Macedonian mountain tea, some of which my Uncle hand-picked himself. I have always drunk this tea, but I am just learning about its great benefits. I have also become very fond of Japanese green tea, which I very much enjoy with sweets. In fact, I enjoy the flavor of green tea in foods, such as mochi and ice cream. When I drink tea, usually with some honey and lemon, it provides a calming and peaceful moment that helps to restore order. It is this feeling I have tried to evoke with my teapot design. Please enjoy my “Japanese Teapot” design, maybe with a cup of tea. The post Tea as inspiration appeared first on T Ching.

Father’s Day is coming up on Sunday, June 16th.  And for a man who does his best for his family, and deserves nothing but the best in return, let’s go beyond neckties. In fact, Bigelow Tea has the perfect gift for all dads who enjoy a fine cup of tea or a sentimental “tea” token of appreciation! Our “World’s Best Dad Tea Chest with Assorted Caffeine Free Herb Teas” takes this title to another level, tastefully. Priced at $49.95, this beautifully crafted, hinged wooden chest holds 64 tea bags of eight different Bigelow Teas. Inside this chest Dad will find some of his favorites—like Cozy Chamomile—and quite possibly some new tastes he hasn’t tried, such as our delightful Orange & Spice herbal tea. For first-time fathers or long-time pros, our tea chest is also a personal keepsake. Its burled top and light walnut finish is engraved with lettering that he will treasure for years to come. Plus, Dad can restock his gift box with any Bigelow Tea of his choosing, like maybe Earl Grey or English Teatime. So, with this great gift on Father’s Day, we raise our cups to all fathers and thank them for all they do every day of the year! Top image by uzi978 via Flickr.com

Over the years, I’ve tasted a lot of bad green tea. From stale, dusty, teabags sold under generic labels, to stale, crumbling, leaves stuffed into glass jars in upscale/natural grocery stores, I’ve spat out many mouthfuls made from such mistreated leaves. Somewhere along the way, I learned what an excellent, fresh, properly packaged and prepared green tea is supposed to taste like. I can’t remember the where or when of that happy event. What I do know is that it tasted like this Dragon Well from Canton Tea. Co. The uniqueness of this superior (highest grade) leaf was evident at first sight and sound. Shaking the package sounded like I was shaking a box of matches. No other tea leaves sounded quite like this. There were no sticky, smashed-up bits in the package. The small leaves were crisp, folded thin and flat, (designed to look like bird beaks!) and completely individuated. They didn’t cling together like leaves that are twisted during processing. This surprising and fun appearance had a bit of danger, though. If I tipped the package ever so slightly, these dense little beak-sticks would have scattered everywhere.  That would have been a tragedy.  This is a famous Chinese tea–one of China’s “Top 10,”and  touted by many as number one on the list. I easily understood why. The taste was pure, clean, and green. It seemed the consummate balance between sweetness and briskness.  Nothing distracted from that true tea flavor. It takes cooler (about 160 to 175 degrees) water to brew the best Dragon Well.  It tastes divine after about two minutes, and if you keep adding water, a heaping tablespoon (or two) of leaves in a 12 ounce pot will keep you going for several rounds.  Highly recommended.  I rate it a 10.

Tea Information: Leaf Type: Black Where to Buy:  Luhse Tea Tea Description: Story: Queen Song is clearly not your typical gorilla. She’s a risk taker and norm-breaker. She couldn’t just leave traditional Earl Grey alone.  Tea Description: Earl Grey’s flamboyant brother. Added vanilla takes average Earl to a whole new level. Learn more about this tea here. Taster’s Review: Ah, this is nice!  I love Earl Grey – as I’ve mentioned many times! – and I love it when I find a delicious creamy Earl Grey like this Dorian Grey Tea from Luhse Tea.  The traditional bergamot flavored black tea with a touch of sweet, creamy vanilla makes this Dorian Grey different from the classic Earl. It would seem that I’ve tasted almost as many Earl Grey “Creme” blends as I have the traditional Earl Grey teas … because it would seem that for every Earl grey tea that there is out there, there is the creamy counterpart.  But please do not read that as a complaint … just a statement of observation.  I love Earl Grey, and I’m certainly not going to complain that there are too many Earl Grey teas out there – all the more for me to sample, my dear! And I’m really enjoying this Dorian Grey Tea.  I wasn’t too sure about it when I first opened my sampling of this tea, because the aroma was rather muted.  I didn’t smell a whole lot of bergamot, or vanilla … or well, anything.  I was worried that either my olfactory nerves were not operating properly, or maybe the tea was a stale sampling.  However, once, I brewed the tea, the aroma came forward!  Beautiful citrus-y notes, hints of flower, and a lovely vanilla overtone.  My taste buds started to jump for joy. The flavor is really quite delightful.  The vanilla is just a tad stronger than the bergamot … but it doesn’t overpower it.  It mellows out the bergamot – as I expected it to – but I still taste the tangy citrus notes.  The cream adds a lovely sweet note to the cup … and the thing I love about creamy Earl Grey teas is that it’s a built-in “latte” – no dairy required! This is a smooth, wonderful tea.  A great choice for those who find the traditional bergamot tea to be a bit too much … this is softer, creamier, and more decadent!  I love it! The post Dorian Grey Tea from Luhse Tea appeared first on SororiTea Sisters.

Castleton Muscatel 2nd Flush from Darjeeling Tea Lovers Tea Information: Leaf Type: Black Where to Buy: Darjeeling Tea Lovers Tea Description: CASTLETON MUSCATEL is one of the finest muscatel teas that we have come across this season. This tea has been made from selective leaves that come from PURE CHINA BUSHES at an altitude of 6200 ft above sea level which is ideal for the MUSCAT FLAVOUR. When this tea is steeped for 3 mins it gives a very SMOOTH MEDIUM GOLDEN LIQUOR which has a rich fruity aroma. With every sip, you get a very rich fruity flavour and it leaves a ‘twang’ of mint in the pallets. A perfect cup to make your mornings delightful. Learn more about this tea here. Taster’s Review: The moment I removed my brew basket from my cup I could smell the distinct muscatel aroma in this Castleton Muscatel 2nd Flush from Darjeeling Tea Lovers. My mouth watered in eager anticipation for that first sip. Even though this is not the freshest Darjeeling, since I got it as a sample from one of my SororiTea Sisters, and have had it tucked away for awhile now, it is still delicious! The muscatel flavor is simply divine. As my SororiTea Sister LiberTeas said it has such a crisp flavor almost a snappish like flavor to it. Like biting into a fresh juicy grape with a thick skin, you get that POP like flavor in the mouth! Perfection! The taste is lightly sweet which I prefer to refer to as naturally sweet, just as nature intended fresh fruit to taste, this tea exemplifies that perfectly! I can’t believe I have not made any of my own purchases from Darjeeling Tea Lovers, but I need to sometime soon. After looking at their website, I am seeing some of my favorite Darjeeling and some I have yet to try, all in one place, it is like a smorgasbord of Darjeeling, my eyes widened in excitement just browsing the site! Seriously I am having to hold myself back from placing an order until I sip down some of the teas I already have in my stash, plus saving for college for my daughter in the Fall is a bit more pressing right now. Regardless, if a tea from Darjeeling Tea Lovers from their 2012 harvest, which has been haphazardly stored this long tastes this good, I can’t wait to try some of the fresher and better stored teas! As for this tea, well this tea, and me, will be spending some precious time alone with a good book, in the sunshine, while it lasts, both the sunshine and the tea. The post Castleton Muscatel 2nd Flush from Darjeeling Tea Lovers appeared first on SororiTea Sisters.

Does anyone remember that blog “Stuff White People Like”? It always made us laugh, self-stereotyping through gentle jabs. During a recent meeting, Marketing Coordinator Christy Garfield and I were brainstorming so hard that our ears were emitting smoke and we decided we needed a blog post that was our own variety of stereotyping our beloved tea lovers. In fact, “tea” was No. 13 on that list of Stuff White People Like, which was discontinued in 2010. The description included this gem, “If you find yourself in a situation with a white person, acceptable things to say include, ‘I’m really into tea right now,’ or ‘my favorite thing is to get a nice cup of tea and curl up in a chair with a good book.’ But do not remind them about the role of colonialism in tea, it will make … Continue reading →