Tea-rrific Tuesday: Ginger Ginger Tea

Ginger Ginger Tea
Manufacturer: INTU Tea
Type: Black tea
Leaves: Long, rolled black leaves mixed with ginger pieces and calendula and sunflower petals.
Liquor: Dark brown
Aroma: Ginger.
Flavor: Ginger with pleasant black tea flavors as well.
Body: Rich and sharp – in a nice way.
Caffeine Level: Low
Brewing Time: 3-5 minutes
Brewing Temperature: 212° F
Sold As: Loose leaf tea
Where To Buy: INTU Tea (I purchase mine at her stall at Eastern Market in Detroit.)
Rating: 

I frequent a farmer’s market where INTU teas are sold and the proprietor, Mary Jones, is one of the nicest people I’ve ever met. She is extremely pleasant and very helpful when it comes to selecting the perfect tea to suit your tastes. Her selection is fantastic and her teas have always been amazing. I’ve yet to drink one that I’d rate below four stars! But this is one of my favorites and one I probably would have overlooked if Ms. Jones wasn’t so enthusiastic about it and offered me a sample on a very, very cold winter day. And on those cold days in the building the market is in, tea is a welcome addition to my day. Ginger Ginger tea is rich and spicy with very strong notes of ginger. While I love that, it might be too much for some. Ms. Jones recommends brewing it with hot apple cider instead of water and that is one of the most delicious things I’ve had!

But, as it’s no longer chilly here in the frigid north, I decided to try it iced instead. And it was just as great! Iced teas are an abomination to some but I think I’m going to spend a lot of my summer trying out my favorites and seeing how well they hold up to being iced!

Do you have a favorite summer tea? I’d love to hear about it!

Tea-rrific Tuesday: Caramel Almond Amaretti

Caramel Almond Amaretti
Manufacturer: TEAVANA
Type: Herbal tea
Leaves: A mix of candied almond bits, cinnamon, dried apple, and coconut.
Liquor: Vibrant red
Aroma: Caramel, almonds, coconut, faintly cinnamon
Flavor: Caramel and almonds with softer hints of sweet cinnamon, candied apple, coconut
Body: Rich and full
Caffeine Level: None
Brewing Time: 5-6 minutes
Brewing Temperature: 208° F
Sold As: Loose leaf tea
Where To Buy: TEAVANA (I purchased mine in their local store.)
Rating: 

When I went to the mall I had no intention of buying any tea but when I saw the wall of wondrous blends at the TEAVANA store I was all but pulled inside.  The staff was very friendly and helped me narrow down two teas to try after offering me samples of a wealth of delicious teas. I almost chose another blend over this one when I was picking out my purchases. However, I am a little biased towards tea with cinnamon or caramel bases and this checks off both those boxes and won out in the end.

It was perhaps one of my best indulgent tea purchases I’ve made. What a delicious tea and a treat to drink! Caramel Almond Amaretti has a very complex flavor profile that left me wanting more when my cup was empty. (And I followed that urge with a second serving!) According to a friend of mine it smells like cupcakes and I find it hard to disagree with such a suggestion. This is a sweet, rich tea that satisfied my fondness for desserts without the crumbs or having to bake anything! (Much less the calories of a cupcake!) I can’t stop recommending it to people. Though if you prefer more earthy notes to your herbal teas or more bitter flavors this is unlikely to be the tea for you.

Tea-rrific Tuesday: Hot Cinnamon Spice

Hot Cinnamon Spice
Manufacturer: Harney & Sons
Type: Black tea with spices and fruit
Leaves: Dark brown tea leaves with chips of cinnamon bark and dried orange peel.
Liquor: A lovely medium brown with faint hints of orange.
Aroma: Spicy with notes of citrus.
Flavor: Cinnamon, orange, and sweet cloves
Body: Medium bodied with satisfying sweetness.
Caffeine Level: Caffeinated
Brewing Time: 4-5 minutes
Brewing Temperature: 212° F
Sold As: Tea bags, loose tea, sachets
Where To Buy: Harney & Sons site, though I purchased mine at Target.
Rating: 

John Harney created this tea in the early 1980’s and, according to the Harney & Sons site, it is their most popular tea. After one cup I know why. This tea is amazingly delicious and one of the finest blends I’ve ever been fortunate enough to try. It is spicy with strong notes of cinnamon but also has a pleasant sweetness that is remarkably sugar free! (Making it safe for those on a no sugar diet!) The first sip was startlingly in the rich blend of cinnamon and cloves that electrified my mouth. It left my tongue tingling but the after taste was sweet and a welcome clash to the spice. This has become one of my favorite teas and one I will continue to drink for years to come.