Coconut Taste Test from The Tea Spot
Coconut.
As I mentioned in my previous post, I won a giveaway from The Tea Spot. Mary, who I spoke with from the company was gracious enough to send me a few extra samples of tea. I was so surprised to get TWO different coconut teas! I'm still on a long path of discovering new teas and of course have never had coconut tea.
The Teas:
- Coconut Crush Chai: Rooibos, ginger root, cinnamon, shredded coconut
- Smell: Although this tea has shredded coconut, the cinnamon overpowers it. As a chai tea I definitely get the "spicy" type smell.
- Taste: Even with a Rooibos base, this tea is dominated by the cocount even though it wasn't in smell. The ginger and cinnamon give you an aftertaste of spice to remind you that this is a chai.
- Coconut Cabana: Oolong, Shaved Coconut, natural coconut flavoring
- Smell: With less ingredients, this tea truly smells like coconut. When I opened the bag it hit me right on the nose! Once brewed however, the coconut aroma dissipates and only that familiar smell of oolong remains.
- Taste: Much like the smell the coconut flavor is not prominent in the tea but it is there. The coconut is like an after flavor, after a few sips I could still feel it on my tongue. I've had other oolongs before and I wasn't a huge fan. The coconut brings something exciting to the oolong and I really liked it!
Have you ever tried coconut tea? If so did you like it? Share with me in the comments!
Red Hot Chai from The Tea Spot
Winner.
I recently won an instagram giveaway from The Tea Spot. Not only did I get my favorite tea, I also got their cool tshirt :)
I was able to speak with Mary Allard of The Tea Spot!
1) What is your favorite tea?
Like so many tea lovers, that can be a hard question to answer as it depends on so many things. The first whole leaf tea that captured me was Gyokuro. Recently, I am head over heels for Darjeeling.
2) Can you tell me a little bit about The Tea Spot and the story behind it being founded?
The Tea Spot was founded in 2004 by Maria Uspenski, a cancer survivor drawn to the health benefits of whole leaf tea during her recovery. Her message is simple and powerful: tea in its freshest form renders premium flavor and unmatched health benefits. Our innovative Steepware products are designed and developed so as to encourage and enable tea drinkers to infuse the goodness of whole leaf tea into their everyday, seamlessly. With a steadfast mission to foster health and wellness through tea, The Tea Spot donates ten percent of all sales in-kind to cancer and community wellness programs. To date, they have supported over 100 organizations and touched more than 10,000 lives. The Tea Spot is a Colorado-based Certified B Corp, woman-owned and operated philanthropic business.
3) What's the most interesting story you have from working in the tea industry?
A great story is the story of how our Climber's High Tea came about.
“Climber’s High”
Tea is, of course, the traditional go-to caffeinated beverage in the Himalayan Mountain region. Just as every village in India has its own chai recipe, so does every Sherpa family in Nepal have their own, and usually proprietary, “mountain” chai blend.
Many studies have pointed to tea’s ability to fight depression - largely due to the presence of the amino acid L-Theanine. Tea, by the way, is only one of 2 known plants with this AA - the other is a mushroom. A more specific published medical field study on nine male and four female climbers at Mt. Everest base camp also concluded that drinking tea had a positive effect on the climbers’ mood. The research showed that the subjects who drank hot brewed tea as a major part of fluid intake at 18,000 ft showed no evidence of increased dehydration from drinking the caffeinated beverage. In addition, the climbers reported feeling less fatigued when tea was included in their diets - all important benefits for high altitude climbers.
A multiple-time Everest climber (customer of ours) liked our chai, but told us he wished he could get an extraordinary tea he’d had on one of his himalayan climbing expeditions, the only thing that ever got him to adapt more rapidly to high altitude. I was so intrigued by this, that I asked him for contact info and eventually came into contact with a very well known Everest climber (who has asked we not used his name!) who fortunately had gone through the lengths to get the “formula” from his Sherpas for a tea which he also insisted helped him adjust to thehigh altitude of base camp. It’s our most complicated blend (by a long shot!) with 21 ayurvedic herbs and spices, and tastes somewhat like a zippy chai. This tea contains every tea type including Pu’erh, and we add green Yerba Mate to ours, for a little extra zip.
Climber’s High is our highest-energy blend. We’ve never tested the tea at very high altitude ourselves, but climbers going on expeditions in South America often buy pounds of Climbers High and Red Rocks (for re-hydration) from us. We all offer it to out-of-state visitors who come to Colorado from sea-level. Our personal preferred ways to drink this tea is chai-style (Cambric or Latte-style), or chilled. This tea does not cold-brew very effectively, and does need to be steeped with hot water, at least as hot as water can get at 20,000 feet - about 175F.
4) Where did the idea for the new shirt come from?
Being a Colorado company, it was hard to resist. We just had to make a Colorado Tea Spot shirt, the flag and our logo were meant to be paired.
5) I often feel like in the US, coffee reins #1 in beverages BUT I think tea is on the rise. Do you think tea will ever surpass coffee in popularity?
You are right, tea is the second most consumed beverage in the world, second to water, but in the U.S. it is under coffee, soda, orange juice, apple juice, beer, and milk... (not necessarily in order) It is our goal to continue to change tea's rank within the U.S. Hopefully Steepware will continue to make it so easy to drink quality, whole leaf tea, that there will be no excuse, and the continued traction it is getting with all of the incredible health benefits tea has to offer, will propel it forward more and more.
6) What is your favorite tea pun?!
From the late dear friend of our owner, Deven Shah, "If at first you don't succeed, chai chai again."
Gorgeous leaves!
I've been into Chai recently. I've had the red hot chai at my local tea shop. Most chai teas I've had have a black tea base but this one has a rooibos base. I love the combination of the rooibos and the vanilla.
One of my favorite parts of drinking tea is all the wonderful fragrances! This tea has one of the best fragrances I've ever smelled and that's why I enjoyed it so much.
Stay tuned for another post about other Tea Spot teas :)
What's your favorite Tea Spot tea?
Peanut Butter Cookies
Pb Heaven.
I owed some sweets to my brother in law Keenan. He LOVES peanut butter and requested these classic peanut butter cookies!
These are simple and a favorite among most families but I have never made them! They are easy to make and delicious
Recipe
2 cups packed brown sugar
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 eggs
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
- Cream the butter, sugar, eggs and peanut butter in a bowl.
- Combine all the dry ingredients - flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder and add to the wet mixture
- Refrigerate for 3 hours or more if you can!
- Oven should be preheated to 375 (my oven is hot so I did 350) Roll dough balls to desired size and make a cross fork pattern on each by pressing the prongs of the fork onto the cookie. I didn't flatten mine very much because I like thicker cookies :)
- Bake for 8-10 min or until they begin to brown
- Chow down!
Tips
- Because this recipe has a lot of sugar already I used a "natural" peanut butter with very little sugar. I would suggest doing this unless you want uber sweet cookies
- The butter melts quickly in these so make sure to refrigerate until the dough is pretty stiff, otherwise you'll get flat cookies.
Do you have a favorite peanut butter cookie recipe? If so please SHARE :)
Tea Tasting Notes ** PRINTABLE**
Take Notes.
I've been wanting to create some downloadable content for my readers for sometime but I wasn't sure what to make! I don't pretend to be some kind of tea expert but I do enjoy describing the smells and tastes of my tea.
There are some simple ways to describe your tea and I've created a tasting notes sheet for you to try! I've included some of the key things I take note of when I try a new tea. This is by no means a complete list or a perfect list but I hope you enjoy!
Please give it a try and make sure to comment to let me know how it turns out!
Download the Tea Thoughts Tea Tasting Guide :)
Chai Chai baby!
Spicy.
Really excited to try this tea from my home, Maryland! Woot Woot Baltimore!
Thank you Instagram for helping me find yet another awesome company! I was delighted to find Wight Tea Co and their hand blended teas!
You can never try enough Chai teas because I feel like everyone puts their own spin on it. I was really excited to try this tea!
I opened up the package and oh my gosh how beautiful! Full pods of cardamom!
This tea smells AMAZING and Ill tell you why...
Assam, ceylon, cardamom, cinnamon chips, cloves, orange peel, lemongrass, ginger root, ginger essential oil and black peppercorns !
I really love this mixture of spices because not only is the fragrance wonderful but it has a great spicy taste. The fact that all the spices are whole make it so much better. I've had many chai teas that crush up all the ingredients and the flavors just don't come through as well!
This was perfect with a spoonful of honey. I can't wait to try more of Wight Tea Co's teas so stay tuned!
Check them out on Facebook, Instagram & Twitter!
Have you had a chai tea that really rocked your socks?? Let me know about it!
Turvani Tasting Part II: Earl Grey
Citrus.
It's been a nasty week weather wise and today was no exception. The only benefit to this weather is that it's perfect for tea!
Couldn't think of a better way to enjoy a cuppa but with Part II of my Turvani sampler: Earl Grey
Before I read the card for this tea I smelled it...as I do with all teas because honestly that's my favorite part! It had the strangest smell. I had never experienced an earl grey with this aroma. My first thought was LEMONS! Then after several minutes more of smelling I decided that it is somewhat lemony but more so a general citrus smell. I finally looked at the card and saw that it's infused with bergamot oil...DUH. That's really cool though because I've encountered all sorts of fruity tea but not quite like this!
The smell on the dry leaves was quite strong. Not off putting but it made me hesitant about how it would taste.
After brewing the tea, it kept the citrus aroma but in a more mellow way. This was the ideal scent, very welcoming.
If you're a fan of fruity tea or lemon tea this is for you! It has a citrus taste but not a sour taste. With honey it kind of reminded me of the concoction I make when I have a sore throat. I think that the citrus taste wasn't too overpowering but it's definitely present.
Citrus and fruit tasting teas are not number one on my list but I definitely enjoyed this!
What kind of earl grey infusions have you had?
Turvani Tasting Part 1: Organic Gunpowder Pinhead
I had the wonderful opportunity to come in contact with Samir Balwani of Turvani. I received a sampler (which you can purchase here) on Friday and decided to try the green tea first! Before I get into the tea, I wanted to share with you some information about Turvani!
Here are some questions I asked Samir and his answers! You can tell from my commentary after some of the questions that tea drinkers think alike :)
1) How did your love of tea start?
You can thank my dad for that. I started drinking tea with him, and it became a ritual we shared together. It’s the experience that I love. While our tea brews and while we drink our tea– we get a few moments for ourselves, where nothing else matters except for the people we’re with or the time we’re afforded to just enjoy our tea.
Cue all of the feels, he hit the nail on the head!
2) What is your favorite type of tea?
You’re right this is a tough one. I don’t know that I have a forever favorite tea, but I can tell you what’s my favorite right now (sorry if I’m cheating!). I’ve been drinking our Assam Golden Tips a lot lately. I’m a big fan of Assam tea, especially with a light splash of milk.
3) How would you explain the difference between loose leaf and tea bags to a non-tea drinker?
I’ve found the easiest way to explain it is to talk through how tea is produced. When tea is processed, whole leaves are separated from the dust and trimmings. The whole leaves are then graded based on the quality of the leaf. What’s left behind, the dust and trimmings, are collected and used for tea bags. Since they’re smaller broken leaves, they brew extremely quickly and tend to have harsher tastes. If you enjoy drinking tea and want to really taste the subtleties that tea has to offer, you have to drink loose leaf tea.
This is so important to understand, the "left over stuff" is just not as good!
4) What is your favorite type of vessel to enjoy your tea in? (Glass, mug etc)
There are a few mugs that I love drinking my tea in. We actually are in the middle of writing a post about the differences in tea mugs and coffee mugs; and which cups you should be drinking from. I’ll share that with you once it’s done. In general your tea mug should have a flared mouth and the rim should taper. The flared mouth lets your tea cool to a drinkable temperature. The tapered rim lets the tea flow over your tongue and gives you the opportunity to experience every flavor the tea offers. I’ve been using this mug from Crate and Barrel lately for my Assam tea. I have a beautiful black teapot set with smaller teacups for my Green and Oolong teas.
5) What made you start Turvani?
I started Turvani with the mission of making the world a better place, through tea. Everyone is so busy these days. We’re always running around, our calendars are double booked all day, and we’re stuck to our phones – trust. I’m no different than anyone else. That’s why tea became so important to me. The act of brewing tea, the 3 to 4 minutes per cup that you have to wait, the 5 to 10 minutes of drinking the tea, that you can’t help but enjoy – it slows me down and relaxes me. Every cup of tea becomes a few stress free minutes that I could have for myself, or share with a friend. It resets my mind, gives me a moment to take stock of the world around me, and simply makes me happier. That’s why I started Turvani. I want everyone to have the opportunity to enjoy exceptional tea that becomes an experience to drink – making the world a happier place.
Not sure if y'all have been soaking in my blog but THIS is why I swear by tea!
6) How did you pick the name Turvani?
Turvani is loosely inspired by a Sanskrit word that means “victorious”. We knew it was perfect for us because the idea of finding 10 minutes in our day, while seemingly so simple was definitely one where we felt victorious when we did. The idea of Turvani embodied exactly how we felt when we drank our tea, we felt like we could take on the world.
7) What is your favorite tea pun?
Oh tea puns are so much fun and there’s just so many! I think my favorite is the simple “Sup Brew?”
I dig this.
Now to the tea! It pains me to say this but green tea is always a hit or miss. I've only had few green teas that I loved. This has nothing to do with the quality of the tea but I'm just more a black tea person. The green teas I have enjoyed taste much bolder like black teas.
I was a HUGE fan of this tea!
Look: This is probably the most beautiful tea I have ever seen.
Smell: These leaves have a very rich and earthy smell.
Taste: I loved it! This tea was so refreshing. I'm not an expert tea taster but this tea had a much stronger flavor than most of the green teas I've had. I always try teas plain before I add honey. The strange thing was that when I added honey, it didn't make much of a difference in the flavor. Usually when I add honey to tea it not only sweetens it but alters the flavor a bit.
Overall I really enjoyed this tea. I have had so many green teas that were too weak for my taste. I will definitely be enjoying this tea again soon!
What is your opinion on green tea? Have you liked and disliked different kinds or are you ALL about green tea? Let me know!
The Assam Region of India and Its Tea
Assam Tea.
My sister just got back from a work trip to India and she brought me back goodies in the form of leaves....tea leaves! Today I tried the Assam tea. I wanted to tell you a little bit about tea and India that I learned from my Tea Book I mentioned in a previous post.
Tea trees were first discovered in Northeast India. Darjeeling and Assam are two of the most famous tea producing regions. There are many smaller regions that also produce tea to keep up with local demand. The Assam region is close to Burma and Bangladesh.
Assam has large, dark leaves and produces a full body tea. Back in 1860 the Orthodox method of processing tea was created by the British. It is a popular way to process black tea. The orthodox method consists of withering, rolling, oxidation, dehydration and sorting. Now for my impressions of this tea!
This isn't my first rodeo with Assam, but it is with this kind!
Look: The leaves look very similar to many black teas I've tried. In comparison to the tea I drink daily these leaves look a bit smaller and thinner.
Smell: The smell of the dry and brewed leaves was underwhelming. The smell was more like green tea, subtle and mellow. It's definitely not as fragrant as my earl grey and Ceylon mix.
Taste: The package says "English breakfast" and that is exactly what it tastes like! The flavor is very bold and stays on your tongue longer. It's a very heavy tea and a bit bitter. Adding some honey to this tea is PERFECT!
I hear you can try some great Assam tea from this shop :)
Have you ever had Assam? Do you have a specific type you like? Tell me about it in the comments!
Why Drinking Tea With Friends Is The Best
Tea Is Better Together.
Don't get me wrong, there are times where tea time is sacred. It can be a time where I savor every sip and quietly unwind. For me, drinking tea alone brings mindfulness and a time to reflect on my day or anything that is weighing heavily on my mind.
But there's just something about sharing a cup with a fellow tea enthusiast that makes the whole experience the best. I talked about drinking more tea with your mom earlier this week and this goes the same for friends!
Meet Whitney of Brown Books Green Tea! (She's on the left :) )
Photo Credit To Whitney's Guy!
Whitney and I have know each other for many years, and we have both become bloggers! If you enjoy a good book with your tea, her blog is perfect for you!
Whitney and I met at NaTra Tea's, which is a small tea shop in my neighborhood. You might remember the shop from a previous post I made about it. It was great to change my normal routine and meet Whitney at this cute little shop. Supporting a small business was an added benefit!
Sharing a cuppa with a friend does some important things.
Makes you adventurous: Whitney and I share a similar opinion on green tea, it can be hit or miss. We were discussing the good and bad green teas out there and it made me want to try a new one when usually I wouldn't. I took a chance on the Jasmine Pearls! I wasn't totally wowed by it but it wasn't terrible. I usually like a richer green tea and this wasn't it.
You get to catch up: Although Whitney lives very close, I think the last time I saw her was on my birthday back in January! It was nice to sit down and talk about what's going on in our lives and our plans for the future. Catching up is always nicer in person and with some tea.
Lots of Laughs: Part of catching up includes my favorite thing in the world, laughing. A good throwing back of the head in pure joy is good for the soul. Probably my favorite part was when we got into the issue of people (especially strangers) feeling the need to touch our hair? Hint: Don't touch people's hair. It's weird and we're wondering if your hands are clean!
You Get Inspired: Sitting down in a tea shop with Whitney and talking about what we're doing and our future plans gave me a positive outlook on the day. I've been in a rut recently and sitting down with a friend can show you that you're not alone and that it will all be ok! I think I thought of about 5 blog post ideas while we were talking. I hope I can remember them all :)
Oh yea and photo ops!
I would love to hear from you! Comment below with your favorite tea shop, bonus if it's in the DMV (Dc, MD, VA) so I can visit it!
Photo Credit to Whitney!
Baking the night away: Black Tea Cup Cakes
Tea & Honey.
I have one older sister and two younger siblings. My "little" sister just got accepted into a competitive writing residency for teens! I decided to make a sweet treat for her as a little congratulations!
Let me tell you something about tea & honey, It's my favorite combination! I love the flavor that honey adds to pretty much any tea I've tried.
I have recently become obsessed with cookie decorators on Instagram like Tiny Kitchen Treats, Obsessive Cookie Designer and District Baking Co among others! I have been baking sugar cookies and trying to decorate them pretty for weeks. I finally broke my pattern and decided to bake something new.
Enter Pastry Affair, I found this recipe and I had to try it! I decided to make cupcakes because I had some pretty cupcake paper and toppers !
You can find the recipe here! I followed it exactly except I doubled the buttercream recipe because I'm a fatty who enjoys lots of frosting :) Here are some pictures of my process.
Here are my tea leaves, post milk!
I bought these on sale...valentine's day?!
The cupcakes aren't super sweet but the honey really comes through in the frosting and it makes it a perfect combination!