Tea

The Des Anges from Nina’s Paris Tea Information: Leaf Type: Black Where to Buy: Nina’s Paris Tea Description: Strawberry pieces, vanilla, and strawberry flavors. Learn more about this tea here. Taster’s Review: The Des Anges from Nina’s Paris is a nice simplistic tea with subtle flavors. I can appreciate the way this tea is not over done with flavorings. I can taste the black tea base, the strawberry, and the vanilla, and none seem to be fighting with another for focus. It is a pleasant cup of tea. I am not quite sure that it is strong enough to hold up to creamer or sweetener but I think that it would give it a nice kick and jack it up a notch. It is rather a no fuss, simple, enjoy me as I am tea. That is not to take away from the blend, but if you are looking for an in your face flavor, this isn’t it. However if you often time flavored teas too flavorful and prefer a subtle hint of flavor to your tea, then this is bang on! This tea also is not very sweet, which is nice, a lot of flavored teas are too sweet. This taste a lot more like some fresh strawberries had been infused in the tea with a splash of vanilla flavor. I do not find the vanilla to give the tea as much of a creamy flavor and the mouthfeel is very light as well. Overall a nice change of pace in a flavored tea. The post The Des Anges from Nina’s Paris appeared first on SororiTea Sisters.

Longview Estate is situated at a relatively lower altitude in Darjeeling. The relatively moderate temperatures allow for a slightly earlier harvest time compared to estates at higher altitudes. As a general rule the quality of these teas cannot compete with that of the higher altitudes but they have been know to surprise See three short but nice posts on Longview Estate here.This sample comes from Lochan Tea (surprise). Let us inspect the leaves as the lid of the kettle shakes in the distance...Dry leaves smell of subtle sweet fresh dates with edges of fresh grape and florals balancing out the odour.The first pot delivers medium notes of forest and yams and some perfumey, slightly heavy florals. It has a long distinctly floral-candy sweet aftertaste which lingers on the breath. The mouthfeel is light and leaves a viscus feeling in the mouth.The second pot delivers a gummy, almost rubbery, but distinctly strong perfumey floral taste. The heavy perfume of flowers lingers for a while in the aftertaste with edges of sweet candy-like edges. The mouthfeel is soft and viscus and is mainly located in the mouth and tongue. The qi is uplifting and calms the mind nicely.The third infusion tastes of Thrills gum, a grapey-soapy-floral taste of light, sugary, candy like subtle sweetness. The taste is monotone but enjoyable and creeps into the aftertaste.The fourth offers a bland watery grapey initial taste with still substantial grapey-candy-like sweet aftertaste which lingers minutes later.Peace

A snippet from Anthony Bourdain's new CNN show, Parts Unknown, in which the infamously carnivorous host visits Myanmar and feasts on a salad that includes tea leaves. Adagio Teas - Best Tea Online

Tea Information: Leaf Type:  Green Where to Buy:  Aiya Tea Description: Premium Sencha is one of the most prized Sencha teas available in Japan. Learn more about this tea here. Taster’s Review: This Premium Sencha Green Tea from Aiya is easily the freshest Japanese Sencha tea I’ve ever had the pleasure of tasting!  The freshness is due to the fact that Aiya’s teas are packaged in sealed tins.  Not just a closed tin, not even just an airtight tin … but sealed … like a tin can.  You know, the kind where you pull the ring and peel back the lid.   Aiya takes the freshness of their products very seriously! And while I might have been skeptical before popping the ring and peeling back the seal … after smelling the tea inside the tin and more importantly, after tasting it … I’m a believer!  This stuff is fresh!  The aroma smells like a combination of freshly cut grass and kelp.  Not just “freshly cut grass” but the scent of the air as I mow the lawn.  As in JUST cut grass.  That is to say, it smells very fresh. While it smells like a cross between grass and kelp, it doesn’t taste so much like these two things.  There are grassy notes, yes, and perhaps even the faintest kelp-y note, the overall flavor is much more like steamed green veggies.   A distinct “green” taste. It is sweet, and there is a savory quality to it too, and I’m finding this contrast to be very satisfying.  It has a brothy kind of taste and texture, and it makes for a soothing beverage.   As I continue to sip, I start to notice an astringency to the tea, it is more of a “tangy” sort of astringency rather than a drying astringency … there is almost a citrus-y quality that goes along with it. I’m loving the complexity to this tea … each sip brings with it a new discovery.  It’s a wonderful journey in a teacup – and I expected no less from Aiya.  I’ve always been so impressed with the quality and the flavor of their teas, and they are a company I feel good about recommending to all my readers! The post Premium Sencha Green Tea from Aiya appeared first on SororiTea Sisters.

The Tea Can Company is a company that specializes in tea cans rather than tea. Their focus is on providing private labeling for weddings, parties, businesses, etc. They have a very small selection of only 10 teas, this one being their only oolong option. Their teas aren’t what I’d consider high quality tea, they’re marketed toward the average tea drinker or someone who may not even be into tea at all that is looking for a personalized gift or for a tea tray at an office meeting. I only recieved one bag of Tea Can Companies Raspberry Oolong so I chose to brew for 5 minutes in about 6 ounces of water at 190 F, your typical oolong temperature. There were no brewing times or temperatures listed on the packaging and this tea comes in pyramid sized bags. Surprisingly the tea tag attached had no design or marking on it at all, a bit disappointing. Maybe you can customize this part if you were to order? The ingredients listed are partially oxidized Ti Guan Yin oolong tea with raspberry flavoring, apple bits, cranberry bits and hibiscus. When ever I see flavoring to a tea I get a bit discouraged. You can smell the hibiscus and sweet notes of this cup, as far as flavor this cup is really lacking for me. The flavor is nothing spectacular. It’s not horrible though, it’s a good simple easy drink. The Tie Guan Yin is a faint taste, the fruity flavors take center stage with a strong cranberry bit to it and a hint of sweet apple. I could see this being more of an iced tea for summer with the fruity flavors. Overall, I’m not completely disappointed, but I’m not thrilled over this cup either. I’d give it a 6.5.

Even though I don't use teabags, the machines that make them fascinate me. Imagine a machine that takes the processed tea leaves and dumps a small amount into a little bag, adds a string, adds a tag, and does this by the thousands. Wow!Read the rest of the article on The English Tea Store Blog.© 2013 A.C. Cargill photos and text

Even though I don’t use teabags, the machines that make them fascinate me. Imagine a machine that takes the processed tea leaves and dumps a small amount into a little bag, adds a string, adds a tag, and does this by the thousands. Wow! Of course, teabagging machines are part of a line of machines […]

I drink tea for the taste. Nothing else. Although I’m perfectly fine with all those other reasons why people drink tea. Maybe it’s good for my health in some ways and it seems to give me a boost and whatever else. But I wouldn’t bother drinking it if it didn’t taste good. Which is why […]

Tea Information: Leaf Type:  Green (Matcha) Where to Buy:  Red Leaf Tea Tea Description: Kiwi Matcha’s rich acidic undertones make it a delectable delight when added to many foods and drinks around the home. Its sweet and tart taste make it a great food or drink enhancer because it enlivens the taste buds and makes partaking of the food much more enjoyable. It is an excellent flavor when making culinary delights exciting and more delectable. Its lingering flavor makes many foods and drinks very delicious and appealing. Learn more about this Matcha here. Taster’s Review: This is pretty tasty, although, I must admit that I’m just a tad underwhelmed by it.  I was hoping for more of a true to the fruit flavor with this Kiwi Flavored Matcha from Red Leaf Tea, but, it tastes a bit more like candy.  It still tastes kiwi-like but it’s more like an artificial kiwi flavor than a authentic fruit-like taste. That’s not to say it tastes bad … it’s certainly enjoyable.  But, it tastes more like it was flavored with kiwi flavored candy … rather than kiwi fruit, if that makes sense. The fresh, “green” taste of the Matcha lends some balance to this bowl of traditionally prepared Matcha, though.  It has a bittersweet, slightly vegetative, slightly buttery taste.  The texture is smooth and creamy and I’m glad to report that it is not gritty.  (Yay!) It even stayed mixed all the way to the bottom of the bowl. The kiwi has a sweet, fruity taste, but as I mentioned before, it is not a true fruit kind of taste … more like a fruity candy taste.  It definitely does taste of kiwi, though.  And there is a trace of “chemical-y” taste to this as well, but, I didn’t find it to be a powerful or overwhelming flavor, and after the first couple of sips, the artificial-y/chemical-y taste began to subside. I prepared this traditionally, as I said, but I used slightly cooler water than I normally would, because it’s warmer out these days, and I wanted a cooler drink.  While it terribly hot, it was warm and I enjoyed it that way.  It’s also quite good when added to smoothies! My specifications for this Matcha were my “usual” – the classic grade of green Matcha, flavored with a distinctive level of kiwi flavoring.  This time around, I think that the kiwi slightly overpowered the flavor of the green tea, so you might want to go with the delicate flavoring with this particular flavor.  Or … perhaps try a higher grade of Matcha (which is what I’d recommend!) Good … but, not my favorite flavoring for the Matcha from Red Leaf Tea … but I’m still really glad I had the opportunity to try it, and don’t regret ordering it because I do love the flavor it adds to my smoothies, especially since I do enjoy kiwi fruit but it’s not a fruit I typically keep on hand.  A teaspoon and a half of this Kiwi Flavored Matcha gives my smoothies a nice hint of kiwi! The post Kiwi Flavored Matcha from Red Leaf Tea appeared first on SororiTea Sisters.

Key Lime Pie from Della Terra Teas Tea Information: Leaf Type: Black Where to Buy: Della Terra Teas Tea Description: This tea combines the flavor of delicious Key Lime pie and black tea.  If you love lime, pie, tea… any of those, you’ll love this tea!  Perfect for first thing in the morning or even as a dessert.  Enjoy your day in the sunny Florida keys with this one! Ingredients: Black tea, lime flavor, cream flavor, lime pieces and bits* Allergens: contains dairy, soy. Suggested brewing tips Serving Size: 1 level tsp./6oz serving Water Temp:  210°F Steep Time: 2-5 minutes Learn more about this tea here. Taster’s Review: What can I say about Key Lime Pie from Della Terra Teas, I don’t know, how about YUM YUM YUM!!!! One thing I have noticed with lime flavored things, not just tea, there is more often than not this strange yucky aftertaste that lingers around for a long time. Well you will not find that lingering yuck in this tea! What you do get is a zesty, sweet, limey goodness that lasts and pleasantly lingers on your palate! I love this tea and I can’t wait to try it iced and cold steeped. It is no secret I am a huge fan of Della Terra Teas and have successfully narrowed my flavored tea sipping down to a few very good and consistent companies, Della Terra Teas is one of them. Their teas are always of high quality and true to the flavor description. On the rare occasion their tea is not received warmly by customers they work on the blend and perfect it based on reviews. I respect that. I find lime to be a flavor that is really difficult to get just right but Della Terra has managed to not only do a lime tea but a key lime pie tea and it sure does remind me of a creamy key lime dream. What I love even more is that the black tea base is not lost beneath the flavors. I can distinctly taste the tea in this blend. This tea is sweet but not cloying and there is also no aftertaste from the sweetness. I think this will make a wonderful summer tea and should be served to anyone who usually enjoys those half lemonade half tea blends to convert them! The post Key Lime Pie from Della Terra Teas appeared first on SororiTea Sisters.