During a recent visit to LA, I checked out Chado Tea Room in Pasadena. It was cute and fun, but what I'm here to talk about today is the TEA (more specifically, the "wine inspired" Assam Cabernet).
International Tea Importers (ITI) carry six new "wine inspired" teas. I avoid many "trend teas," but I bought Assam Cabernet and Golden Monkey Marsala on the recommendation of a staff person, and I'm glad that I did.
The Leaves
The leaves of Assam Cabernet are small and mostly black, with dark, cinnamon-colored pellets (which I can only assume are the wine flavor EDIT -- THESE ARE CINNAMON BITS.). They have an intense bouquet with notes of dark cherry compote, a big, round California Cabernet, tannins and lots of vanilla.
The Brew
The brew is a bright, coppery color. Its aroma is very full, with notes of stewed cherries, orange rind, malt and ground mace.
The Flavor
Given the bold aroma of this tea, the flavor is very mellow. It's less fruity and sweet than the smell, and is dominated by flavors characteristic of a malty, somewhat tannic second-flush Assam.
The Aftertaste
If the flavor description leaves you saying, "Meh," read on my friend. The lingering aftertaste gets exciting again with floral, fruity, vanilla and tannin flavors.
Had the aftertaste been mediocre, I would not have recommended this tea, but it pulled through and left me a fan. It's not my new favorite, but it's definitely worth checking out if you're interested in both tea and wine. Have you tried it? What do you think?
Showing posts with label flavored teas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label flavored teas. Show all posts
Friday, July 24, 2009
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
New Article: Tea Time in a Hot Town
As many tea business owners will tell you, summer tends to be a slower time for U.S. tea sales. However, tea business owners in Phoenix are finding way to counter this trend. I talked with them about their tactics that beat the heat. Here are a few they shared:
* A focus on health, including organics, natural flavors, general benefits and
overall lifestyle
* Cooling Ayurvedic or Chinese medicinal blends
* European-style teashops
* Frozen tea treats, like slushes, smoothies, ice creams and gelatos
* Locations in artsy areas, or former coffee shops
* Modern, gender-neutral aesthetics
* Pairing tea with desserts and meals
* Partnerships with herbalists, caterers and other tea-related professionals
* Tea body products, like soaps and lotions
* Tea for rubs, marinades, smoking and other outdoorsy recipes
* Tea cocktails, mocktails and sodas
* Tropical and desert flavors, like passion fruit and prickly pear
Sources indicated that these kinds of tactics may work elsewhere, and shared other tea-in-hot-weather advice for World Tea News in my new article, Tea Time in a Hot Town. In a summer slump? Check it out!
* A focus on health, including organics, natural flavors, general benefits and
overall lifestyle
* Cooling Ayurvedic or Chinese medicinal blends
* European-style teashops
* Frozen tea treats, like slushes, smoothies, ice creams and gelatos
* Locations in artsy areas, or former coffee shops
* Modern, gender-neutral aesthetics
* Pairing tea with desserts and meals
* Partnerships with herbalists, caterers and other tea-related professionals
* Tea body products, like soaps and lotions
* Tea for rubs, marinades, smoking and other outdoorsy recipes
* Tea cocktails, mocktails and sodas
* Tropical and desert flavors, like passion fruit and prickly pear
Sources indicated that these kinds of tactics may work elsewhere, and shared other tea-in-hot-weather advice for World Tea News in my new article, Tea Time in a Hot Town. In a summer slump? Check it out!
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Numi RTD Puerh Reviews
Numi recently launched a line of puerh (also spelled pu-erh, pu'er or puer) teabags in controversial flavors like "Chocolate Puerh." This was just crazy enough that I knew it would be either: a) the worst thing I have ever tasted, or b) actually really good for a flavored tea. Thankfully, Numi knew to put in extra effort when taking risks and made Chocolate Puerh (a potential nightmare in liquid form) into a balanced, rich tea in which the flavors (vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon) mimic the tea itself's naturally rich and chocolaty taste. Now, they are launching a line of RTD (ready-to-drink -- bottled/canned) puerh teas. Will these widen our perceptions of puerh and draw new audiences deeper into the world of tea types? Or will they taste like cotton candy that has been used to clean out a garbage can? Let's find out!
"Earl Grey Puerh Black Tea" -- Earl Grey is the starter tea of starter teas, the one tea offered in most Western "one-tea-only" establishments and (occasionally) a decent cuppa. The packaging on this tea is technically correct (It is a black puerh, yes.), but also slightly misleading to noobs (Those looking for a regular black Earl Grey are sipping from the wrong bottle with this one.). That said, it isn't a far cry from what you'd expect from any other "lightly," "barely" or "other-word-meaning-not-absurdly-and-overpoweringly" sweetened Earl Grey RTD. Citrus notes dominate, followed by tannin and honey. (To be clear -- honey notes. It actually contains agave and evaporated cane juice, but no honey.) The citrus notes are in the form of not only aged Earl Grey tea (which has traditional bergamot essence), but also brewed orange peel and lemon myrtle, creating a more nuanced taste than your usual Earl Grey. I'm not a big fan of the aftertaste, but otherwise I am very impressed with this one!
"Moroccan Mint Puerh Green Tea" -- Whoa! EXTREME minty blast like you can only experience in a chewing gum commercial! I love mint in moderation, but this is just out of control. Hands down, my least favorite of the bunch.
"Magnolia Jasmine Puerh Green Tea" -- More magnolia than jasmine, more green than puerh. As someone who was raised in the South, the fragrance of magnolia blossoms holds a special place in my heart. The taste... not so much. To me, magnolia has a bitter taste, kind of like jasmine green steeped in overly hot water. I'm told that this is because I'm a super-taster. Perhaps that is true, but let's just say that this is NOT my new favorite RTD. If you try it, let me know if you get the "sweet floral taste" the label touts.
"Mango Passion Puerh Black Tea" -- When you open this bottle, you are immediately hit with the fragrance of sweet, ripe mangoes, followed by the tang of passionfruit. The tea reveals itself later in the flavor. This is a great intro tea or a tea for a hot day. The label says it is a "freshly brewed white tea and puerh black tea blend," but the ingredients list a black puerh without any other brews. If the latter is correct, Mango Passion and Moroccan Mint are the only two teas in the line with only one tea type used. The rest have several types included. For this reason, the tea profile is simple, leaving the fruit profile to dominate. Thumbs up!
"Peach Nectar Puerh Green Tea" -- White tea, osmanthus, peach puree... this is a fruity-sweet treat. Along with Mango Passion and Moroccan Mint, it's the sweetest of the bunch, but it's not as sweet as many peach teas and the green puerh cuts the stickiness I associate with peach brews. It's refreshing and smooth -- perfect for Summer. I just wish I didn't spill it all over myself while opening the bottle. (This was an ongoing problem. At first, I thought it was me. Now, I think it's the pop-top. Don't open this over your keyboards, people!)
All this said, I'd like to point back to an article I wrote about a year ago predicting the rise of more diverse RTD tea types with more diverse sweeteners. Not that I was the only person saying this, but... yeah, I totally called it. :P
Bonus Review -- Numi's "Honey Lemon Rooibos Teasan" -- First off, what's up with "teasan?" Haven't we confused tea noobs enough with the whole "it's not a tea, it's a tisane/infusion/botanical" thing? (And, for the record, many "infusions" are actually NOT infusions. If they need to be boiled, they're actually "decoctions." The deeper you go, the more complex it gets...) Now we're saying it's a "teasan?" I'm a respected professional in the tea industry and even I have no idea what that's supposed to mean. (It's a tisane with tea-like properties? No... It's a blend of a tea and tisane? No...) Moving on, this one is not kidding about the "Honey" part. It has more honeybush (rooibos' cousin) than rooibos, which gives it a naturally honeyed taste (hence the name). It's also "Barely Sweetened" (No...) with honey and agave. As you may have guessed, this is a VERY sweet brew. I'd recommend it for people who love Southern-sweet iced tea, but want to skip the caffeine.
"Earl Grey Puerh Black Tea" -- Earl Grey is the starter tea of starter teas, the one tea offered in most Western "one-tea-only" establishments and (occasionally) a decent cuppa. The packaging on this tea is technically correct (It is a black puerh, yes.), but also slightly misleading to noobs (Those looking for a regular black Earl Grey are sipping from the wrong bottle with this one.). That said, it isn't a far cry from what you'd expect from any other "lightly," "barely" or "other-word-meaning-not-absurdly-and-overpoweringly" sweetened Earl Grey RTD. Citrus notes dominate, followed by tannin and honey. (To be clear -- honey notes. It actually contains agave and evaporated cane juice, but no honey.) The citrus notes are in the form of not only aged Earl Grey tea (which has traditional bergamot essence), but also brewed orange peel and lemon myrtle, creating a more nuanced taste than your usual Earl Grey. I'm not a big fan of the aftertaste, but otherwise I am very impressed with this one!
"Moroccan Mint Puerh Green Tea" -- Whoa! EXTREME minty blast like you can only experience in a chewing gum commercial! I love mint in moderation, but this is just out of control. Hands down, my least favorite of the bunch.
"Magnolia Jasmine Puerh Green Tea" -- More magnolia than jasmine, more green than puerh. As someone who was raised in the South, the fragrance of magnolia blossoms holds a special place in my heart. The taste... not so much. To me, magnolia has a bitter taste, kind of like jasmine green steeped in overly hot water. I'm told that this is because I'm a super-taster. Perhaps that is true, but let's just say that this is NOT my new favorite RTD. If you try it, let me know if you get the "sweet floral taste" the label touts.
"Mango Passion Puerh Black Tea" -- When you open this bottle, you are immediately hit with the fragrance of sweet, ripe mangoes, followed by the tang of passionfruit. The tea reveals itself later in the flavor. This is a great intro tea or a tea for a hot day. The label says it is a "freshly brewed white tea and puerh black tea blend," but the ingredients list a black puerh without any other brews. If the latter is correct, Mango Passion and Moroccan Mint are the only two teas in the line with only one tea type used. The rest have several types included. For this reason, the tea profile is simple, leaving the fruit profile to dominate. Thumbs up!
"Peach Nectar Puerh Green Tea" -- White tea, osmanthus, peach puree... this is a fruity-sweet treat. Along with Mango Passion and Moroccan Mint, it's the sweetest of the bunch, but it's not as sweet as many peach teas and the green puerh cuts the stickiness I associate with peach brews. It's refreshing and smooth -- perfect for Summer. I just wish I didn't spill it all over myself while opening the bottle. (This was an ongoing problem. At first, I thought it was me. Now, I think it's the pop-top. Don't open this over your keyboards, people!)
All this said, I'd like to point back to an article I wrote about a year ago predicting the rise of more diverse RTD tea types with more diverse sweeteners. Not that I was the only person saying this, but... yeah, I totally called it. :P
Bonus Review -- Numi's "Honey Lemon Rooibos Teasan" -- First off, what's up with "teasan?" Haven't we confused tea noobs enough with the whole "it's not a tea, it's a tisane/infusion/botanical" thing? (And, for the record, many "infusions" are actually NOT infusions. If they need to be boiled, they're actually "decoctions." The deeper you go, the more complex it gets...) Now we're saying it's a "teasan?" I'm a respected professional in the tea industry and even I have no idea what that's supposed to mean. (It's a tisane with tea-like properties? No... It's a blend of a tea and tisane? No...) Moving on, this one is not kidding about the "Honey" part. It has more honeybush (rooibos' cousin) than rooibos, which gives it a naturally honeyed taste (hence the name). It's also "Barely Sweetened" (No...) with honey and agave. As you may have guessed, this is a VERY sweet brew. I'd recommend it for people who love Southern-sweet iced tea, but want to skip the caffeine.
Monday, April 13, 2009
The NecessiTeas Reviews
Today, I'm reviewing assorted teas and tisanes from The NecessiTeas. They are not, by any stretch of the imagination, serious, artisanal teas -- they come in flavors like "Rootbeer Float" and contain ingredients like Andes Mints -- but they are fun and, as far as dessert teas go, very good. My reviews reflect this. After all, I'm not reviewing a rare oolong from a 100 year old tree, so why write about them like I am?
Chocolate Orange -- You know those chocolate oranges they sell during the winter? The ones in orange foil with the segments that you break apart by vehemently rapping the whole foil-wrapped chocolate mass against something hard before you open it? That's what this is like, except without the violence-inducing packaging and with some rooibos antioxidants. Yum!
Chocolate Coconut Lime -- I know coconut is a polarizing flavor, so I'll start off by saying that I love it. The aroma of the dry blend is mostly lime zest. The brew's aroma is more complex, but still mostly lime. The taste has a hint of chocolate and definite coconut notes, but it could still pass as a key lime black tea. For those who love flavored teas with sugar and milk, I strongly suggest this one. It's not exactly what I was expecting from the name, but it definitely is as "exotic" and "tropical" as the label claims.
Strawberry CHEESEcake -- This is a black tea with dried strawberry pieces. The aroma of the leaves is very tart, but, once brewed, it mellows and sweetens substantially. The taste itself is nothing special, but the aftertaste is uncannily like strawberry cheesecake with strong black tea.
Strawberry SHORTcake -- Different from the one above. This is a white tea with dried strawberries and natural flavorings. It doesn't look like the highest quality white tea out there (in fact, I'm not sure it will even meet the new standards of white tea that are being developed), but it DOES smell exactly like strawberry shortcake, and tastes quite a bit like it, too. I'd say this would score 9/10 for a gift to your favorite 20-something female friend who likes cute stuff from the 1980s.
Lemon Raspberry -- Light, refreshing and way less tart than the dry odor of the blend. It's a pretty basic, soothing citrus-berry green.
Caramel Dipped Apple -- I have to admit that I was hesitant to try this one. It smells VERY strong. However, the taste isn't so overpowering as you'd guess. It reminds me of Caribou Coffee's caramel apple cider, but WAY less intense.
Coco La Ven -- I'm not usually big on chamomile OR lavender, yet I love this blend of black tea, vanilla, lavender, coconut and (you guessed it) chamomile. The directions suggest "a touch of sugar and splash of milk," but I think it's great on its own -- rich, complex, sophisticated... This is a fantastic example of the new wave of dessert teas that have been coming out lately. It's not enough to add flavor to a tea and call it a day anymore. Blenders are stepping (and steeping) up to the challenge of making a great dessert tea. It's my favorite of the bunch.
Banana Split, Strawberry Banana and Banana Cream -- Yes, these are three different flavors and, no, I'm not reviewing any of them, as I hate dried banana and feel it would be unfair to review them. Still, I thought those of you who DON'T hate dried banana might want to know that these are offered. :) If you want them, email me your addy at vee (at) veetea (dot) com. The first person to ask gets them.
Orange Glow -- This one smells like orange cheesecake with lots of hibiscus. It tastes pretty much the same, but weaker. With this one (as with the others) I'm glad to see actual orange rind, flowers and flower petals and other "real fruit and flower" means of flavoring for the majority of the taste.
Rootbeer Float -- I recently tried e.lix.r's Rootbeer Tonic for comparison and I like this better. It tastes just like rootbeer, but less sweet, warm and not carbonated. Having reread that last sentence, I feel I should also say that it's way better than that sounds! I don't really get the "float" part from it, but that's probably for the best, as the only time I drank/ate a rootbeer float I vomited almost immediately. (Sorry if that's TMI...)
Mint Chocolate Chip -- Enter the "Andes Mints as tea ingredient." I loved Andes Mints as a child, so this blend makes me all nostalgic and warm inside. That aside, it's a good blend, so long as you don't mind a waxy surface (a pet peeve of mine with many chocolate teas). Refreshing, minty, rich, lightly sweet... I'm a fan.
Have any of you tried teas or tisanes from The NecessiTeas? What did you think?
Chocolate Orange -- You know those chocolate oranges they sell during the winter? The ones in orange foil with the segments that you break apart by vehemently rapping the whole foil-wrapped chocolate mass against something hard before you open it? That's what this is like, except without the violence-inducing packaging and with some rooibos antioxidants. Yum!
Chocolate Coconut Lime -- I know coconut is a polarizing flavor, so I'll start off by saying that I love it. The aroma of the dry blend is mostly lime zest. The brew's aroma is more complex, but still mostly lime. The taste has a hint of chocolate and definite coconut notes, but it could still pass as a key lime black tea. For those who love flavored teas with sugar and milk, I strongly suggest this one. It's not exactly what I was expecting from the name, but it definitely is as "exotic" and "tropical" as the label claims.
Strawberry CHEESEcake -- This is a black tea with dried strawberry pieces. The aroma of the leaves is very tart, but, once brewed, it mellows and sweetens substantially. The taste itself is nothing special, but the aftertaste is uncannily like strawberry cheesecake with strong black tea.
Strawberry SHORTcake -- Different from the one above. This is a white tea with dried strawberries and natural flavorings. It doesn't look like the highest quality white tea out there (in fact, I'm not sure it will even meet the new standards of white tea that are being developed), but it DOES smell exactly like strawberry shortcake, and tastes quite a bit like it, too. I'd say this would score 9/10 for a gift to your favorite 20-something female friend who likes cute stuff from the 1980s.
Lemon Raspberry -- Light, refreshing and way less tart than the dry odor of the blend. It's a pretty basic, soothing citrus-berry green.
Caramel Dipped Apple -- I have to admit that I was hesitant to try this one. It smells VERY strong. However, the taste isn't so overpowering as you'd guess. It reminds me of Caribou Coffee's caramel apple cider, but WAY less intense.
Coco La Ven -- I'm not usually big on chamomile OR lavender, yet I love this blend of black tea, vanilla, lavender, coconut and (you guessed it) chamomile. The directions suggest "a touch of sugar and splash of milk," but I think it's great on its own -- rich, complex, sophisticated... This is a fantastic example of the new wave of dessert teas that have been coming out lately. It's not enough to add flavor to a tea and call it a day anymore. Blenders are stepping (and steeping) up to the challenge of making a great dessert tea. It's my favorite of the bunch.
Banana Split, Strawberry Banana and Banana Cream -- Yes, these are three different flavors and, no, I'm not reviewing any of them, as I hate dried banana and feel it would be unfair to review them. Still, I thought those of you who DON'T hate dried banana might want to know that these are offered. :) If you want them, email me your addy at vee (at) veetea (dot) com. The first person to ask gets them.
Orange Glow -- This one smells like orange cheesecake with lots of hibiscus. It tastes pretty much the same, but weaker. With this one (as with the others) I'm glad to see actual orange rind, flowers and flower petals and other "real fruit and flower" means of flavoring for the majority of the taste.
Rootbeer Float -- I recently tried e.lix.r's Rootbeer Tonic for comparison and I like this better. It tastes just like rootbeer, but less sweet, warm and not carbonated. Having reread that last sentence, I feel I should also say that it's way better than that sounds! I don't really get the "float" part from it, but that's probably for the best, as the only time I drank/ate a rootbeer float I vomited almost immediately. (Sorry if that's TMI...)
Mint Chocolate Chip -- Enter the "Andes Mints as tea ingredient." I loved Andes Mints as a child, so this blend makes me all nostalgic and warm inside. That aside, it's a good blend, so long as you don't mind a waxy surface (a pet peeve of mine with many chocolate teas). Refreshing, minty, rich, lightly sweet... I'm a fan.
Have any of you tried teas or tisanes from The NecessiTeas? What did you think?
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Earl Grey Variations
Earl Grey is, unarguably, a classic. It's a great way for tearooms to comfort inexperienced tea drinkers who just want a "normal" cup of tea. However, twists on Earl Grey can be a crack in the wall to opening more traditional and/or habitual customers up to new and different tea types. I've noticed quite a few variations on the market lately and received samples of two different Earl-Grey-inspired blends in the last few weeks. Here are my tasting notes:
Mighty Leaf's Earl Green: The leaves and the brew are both very dark for a green tea. At first I wondered if I might have received Earl Grey by mistake! Once it brewed, I know it was green from the aroma. The perfumey bergamot tops out the fragrance, but some subtle astringency from the green tea remains. It's a little over-flavored for my tastes, but not bad. I still prefer Rishi's Earl Green, even though it's technically a Pouchong.
David's Cream of Earl Grey: I'm still sifting through a group of samples from David's Tea, a new-ish company out of Canada. Cream of Earl Grey isn't unique to David's, but it's a very good blend. The flavors are balanced and sophisticated. I wish the black tea at the base were of slightly higher quality, but it's a wonderful choice for those who usually prefer flavored teas. I'll be reviewing more teas from David's (including a fantastic Japanese green and a few rooibos blends) soon. And I'll go ahead and say it now: I LOVE their marketing materials and web design!!!
I'm hoping to try a few samples from Serendipitea's Earl Grey variations and from the World Tea Expo soon. In the meantime, what are some of your favorite Earl Grey variations? I'd love to try them, too!
Mighty Leaf's Earl Green: The leaves and the brew are both very dark for a green tea. At first I wondered if I might have received Earl Grey by mistake! Once it brewed, I know it was green from the aroma. The perfumey bergamot tops out the fragrance, but some subtle astringency from the green tea remains. It's a little over-flavored for my tastes, but not bad. I still prefer Rishi's Earl Green, even though it's technically a Pouchong.
David's Cream of Earl Grey: I'm still sifting through a group of samples from David's Tea, a new-ish company out of Canada. Cream of Earl Grey isn't unique to David's, but it's a very good blend. The flavors are balanced and sophisticated. I wish the black tea at the base were of slightly higher quality, but it's a wonderful choice for those who usually prefer flavored teas. I'll be reviewing more teas from David's (including a fantastic Japanese green and a few rooibos blends) soon. And I'll go ahead and say it now: I LOVE their marketing materials and web design!!!
I'm hoping to try a few samples from Serendipitea's Earl Grey variations and from the World Tea Expo soon. In the meantime, what are some of your favorite Earl Grey variations? I'd love to try them, too!
Monday, March 9, 2009
New Zhi Tea Teas
I'm going to try to start posting four times a week again. We'll see how THAT goes, but in the meantime, here's a quick post to whet your whistle:
Zhi Tea has a selection of new teas out now. They were blended in-house and flavors include Mango Black, Ambrosia, White Pear and Tropical Green. Yum!
Zhi Tea has a selection of new teas out now. They were blended in-house and flavors include Mango Black, Ambrosia, White Pear and Tropical Green. Yum!
Monday, February 9, 2009
New Article: Tea in Austin
Some of you may remember my tea and food (and SXSW) trek to Austin last year (scroll down a bit to get to it). Well, my tea research from then (and from the last few weeks... and the last few years...) is now in print in The Austin Chronicle. Here are a few excerpts from my piece on tea in Austin:
(on popular tea types in Austin)
Iced (and often sweetened) tea
Trend starters: Southerners looking for respite from the summer heat
Who's catching on: Northerners and other non-native Austinites who love the icy, refreshing brew's sugar/caffeine boost
Where to buy it: Most restaurants and grocery stores carry bottled iced teas, such as local brand Sweet Leaf Tea. Spots such as the Steeping Room, Halcyon, Galaxy Cafe, and Chado Tea Market offer fresh-brewed, specialty versions of the drink.
Rooibos
(aka red tea or red bush tea) and honeybush (a close relative of rooibos), an antioxidant-rich, caffeine-free tisane from South Africa that's often used in fruity, floral, chocolaty, or otherwise sweet blends
Trend starters: South African expatriates and a new generation of tea blenders
Who's catching on: African-Americans who are interested in their heritage, people seeking an antioxidant boost or who love sweet, flavored blends
Where to buy it: Whole Foods' tea bar, Tea Embassy, Chado Tea Market, the Steeping Room
(on switching from coffee to tea)
The trick, said Amy March, tea sommelier and co-owner of the Steeping Room, is to wean yourself off coffee slowly as you replace it with the right teas for your tastes. She added that the mouthfeel, aromas, and flavors of coffee can be paralleled in tea, but "tea has a mellowing effect from L-theanine. It's never quite the same as coffee, even with the same caffeine level. You're clear and relaxed instead of hyper and jittery." Here are her recommendations for making a successful transition to tea based on your current coffee preferences:
Your coffee craving: Pungency, strong flavor, and full body, but not a lot of complexity
Teas to try: Kenyan black teas or Irish breakfast tea, with or without milk
Your coffee craving: Roasty, mellow flavors, as in South American coffees
Teas to try: Houjicha roasted green tea
Your coffee craving: Extra flavors (vanilla, chocolate, caramel, hazelnut, fruit, mint, etc.)
Teas to try: Similarly flavored teas
Your coffee craving: The richness of lattes
Teas to try: Malty Assam black teas or tea lattes
(on tea tasting for wine lovers)
Jeffrey Lorien, tea sommelier and co-owner of East Austin's Zhi Tea Gallery, said developing a tea palate can be easier than developing a wine palate because, "wine still hasn't been totally democratized here, but there's accessibility with tea. It's the people's drink." Here are some tasty suggestions for wine lovers from Lorien.
Your favorite wines: Spritzers or other wine-based drinks
Teas you'll love: Tea-infused cocktails or flavored teas
Your favorite wines: Assertive, full-bodied reds
Teas you'll love: Lightly oxidized oolongs for mouthfeel or Assam/Sri Lankan (aka Ceylon) teas for flavor
Your favorite wines: Mellow, balanced reds
Teas you'll love: More oxidized oolongs and high-quality, well-aged pu-erhs
You can read the rest of the article in The Austin Chronicle.
(on popular tea types in Austin)
Iced (and often sweetened) tea
Trend starters: Southerners looking for respite from the summer heat
Who's catching on: Northerners and other non-native Austinites who love the icy, refreshing brew's sugar/caffeine boost
Where to buy it: Most restaurants and grocery stores carry bottled iced teas, such as local brand Sweet Leaf Tea. Spots such as the Steeping Room, Halcyon, Galaxy Cafe, and Chado Tea Market offer fresh-brewed, specialty versions of the drink.
Rooibos
(aka red tea or red bush tea) and honeybush (a close relative of rooibos), an antioxidant-rich, caffeine-free tisane from South Africa that's often used in fruity, floral, chocolaty, or otherwise sweet blends
Trend starters: South African expatriates and a new generation of tea blenders
Who's catching on: African-Americans who are interested in their heritage, people seeking an antioxidant boost or who love sweet, flavored blends
Where to buy it: Whole Foods' tea bar, Tea Embassy, Chado Tea Market, the Steeping Room
(on switching from coffee to tea)
The trick, said Amy March, tea sommelier and co-owner of the Steeping Room, is to wean yourself off coffee slowly as you replace it with the right teas for your tastes. She added that the mouthfeel, aromas, and flavors of coffee can be paralleled in tea, but "tea has a mellowing effect from L-theanine. It's never quite the same as coffee, even with the same caffeine level. You're clear and relaxed instead of hyper and jittery." Here are her recommendations for making a successful transition to tea based on your current coffee preferences:
Your coffee craving: Pungency, strong flavor, and full body, but not a lot of complexity
Teas to try: Kenyan black teas or Irish breakfast tea, with or without milk
Your coffee craving: Roasty, mellow flavors, as in South American coffees
Teas to try: Houjicha roasted green tea
Your coffee craving: Extra flavors (vanilla, chocolate, caramel, hazelnut, fruit, mint, etc.)
Teas to try: Similarly flavored teas
Your coffee craving: The richness of lattes
Teas to try: Malty Assam black teas or tea lattes
(on tea tasting for wine lovers)
Jeffrey Lorien, tea sommelier and co-owner of East Austin's Zhi Tea Gallery, said developing a tea palate can be easier than developing a wine palate because, "wine still hasn't been totally democratized here, but there's accessibility with tea. It's the people's drink." Here are some tasty suggestions for wine lovers from Lorien.
Your favorite wines: Spritzers or other wine-based drinks
Teas you'll love: Tea-infused cocktails or flavored teas
Your favorite wines: Assertive, full-bodied reds
Teas you'll love: Lightly oxidized oolongs for mouthfeel or Assam/Sri Lankan (aka Ceylon) teas for flavor
Your favorite wines: Mellow, balanced reds
Teas you'll love: More oxidized oolongs and high-quality, well-aged pu-erhs
You can read the rest of the article in The Austin Chronicle.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Romantic Teas
I know I rarely talk about personal things these days, but this news was too big to leave out: I got married on Friday! Here are a few photos of our little ceremony:
As a small wedding gift to and from my lovely readers, I'd love to start a list of romantic teas here. I'll get it started. Please add any you can think of, and let's get this list going!
Flowering Teas (in general, but if you have any great sources for beautiful, flavorful ones, please add it below!)
Tay Tea's Lovers Tea, Persian Rose, Marry Me Again, Better Than Sex and Duchess' First Love
Petali's Wedding Tea and the similar Rooibos Sweet Heart Tea from Dragonwater
Portsmouth's Love Me Tender
Urbana's Love Potion, Unity, Chocolate & Strawberries and Chocolate Spice
Teality's Romantic Tea Samplers
Adagio's Valentine's Tea and Chocolate Tea
Chocolate Lovers Teas by SBS
Harney & Sons Chocolate Tea and Valentine's Tea
As a small wedding gift to and from my lovely readers, I'd love to start a list of romantic teas here. I'll get it started. Please add any you can think of, and let's get this list going!
Flowering Teas (in general, but if you have any great sources for beautiful, flavorful ones, please add it below!)
Tay Tea's Lovers Tea, Persian Rose, Marry Me Again, Better Than Sex and Duchess' First Love
Petali's Wedding Tea and the similar Rooibos Sweet Heart Tea from Dragonwater
Portsmouth's Love Me Tender
Urbana's Love Potion, Unity, Chocolate & Strawberries and Chocolate Spice
Teality's Romantic Tea Samplers
Adagio's Valentine's Tea and Chocolate Tea
Chocolate Lovers Teas by SBS
Harney & Sons Chocolate Tea and Valentine's Tea
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
New Adagio Teabags
Adagio recently expanded their tea offerings to include pyramid bags of some of their top flavored teas. I tried six and, although I don't usually care for flavored teas much, a few showed some promise. Here they are:
Citrus
A bit strong on the flavor for, but not bad at all. I would be thrilled to see this, say, on an airplane or in a simple cafe.
Apricot
Not too heavy. There's a much stronger aroma than flavor.
Mandarin White
Lightly flavored. It's mellow, and tastes like it may be a Darjeeling white (somewhat earthy). The suggested brew time is 7 minutes, which I found to be a but long. Otherwise, pretty good.
Although none of them said how much water should be used for each bag, I found they were well-suited to a medium-sized pot (about 12 ounces). Have any of you tried these, or other pyramid bags from Adagio? What did you think?
Citrus
A bit strong on the flavor for, but not bad at all. I would be thrilled to see this, say, on an airplane or in a simple cafe.
Apricot
Not too heavy. There's a much stronger aroma than flavor.
Mandarin White
Lightly flavored. It's mellow, and tastes like it may be a Darjeeling white (somewhat earthy). The suggested brew time is 7 minutes, which I found to be a but long. Otherwise, pretty good.
Although none of them said how much water should be used for each bag, I found they were well-suited to a medium-sized pot (about 12 ounces). Have any of you tried these, or other pyramid bags from Adagio? What did you think?
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Mighty Leaf's Chocolate Mint Truffle
I just tried Mighty Leaf's new blend, Chocolate Mint Truffle. It's pretty good and I'm glad to see that they've added it to their line. Right now, it's only available at World Market and online at MightyLeaf.com, but I hope that they will add it to their food service offerings, as so many restaurants only do bagged teas and Mighty Leaf's silken pouches are amongst the best.
However, I've noticed that chocolate-mint rooibos has become quite a popular blend lately, and I think it has been done better before. For example, Tay Tea's Better Than Sex blend made waves as the 2007 and 2008 NYC Coffee & Tea Festivals, and not just because of its name. It has Belgian dark chocolate bits, peppermint, vanilla and marigold petals, plus a fantastic aroma. Yum! I recently sampled a chocolate-mint rooibos Urbana Teas and Tonics is about to add to its offerings that was pretty impressive, too.
I never thought I would say this about a flavored tisane, but I think that Mighty Leaf's new rooibos is not flavored enough. Wait, wait... Hear me out. Hot cocoa (when done well) is rich, satisfying and (some may say) divine. (It was literally considered to be divine by ancient Aztecs.) So why flavor a tea or tisane with chocolate unless you can compete with such a decadent beverage? Lightly flavoring rooibos with chocolate and mint won't cut it for cocoa lovers, especially when you put "Truffle" in the name. You need depth and complexity. It doesn't have to come from the chocolate itself -- it could be from mint, floral elements (like Tay's marigold petals), vanilla or other flavors -- but it needs to be in there for the beverage to be as satisfying as a cup of cocoa.
For all you future chocolate-rooibos blenders out there -- Need inspiration? Check out Vosges' Drinking Chocolates, MarieBelle's Spicy Hot Chocolate or Jaques Torres' Wicked Hot Chocolate for starters. There are lots of flavors that go well with chocolate... I promise.
However, I've noticed that chocolate-mint rooibos has become quite a popular blend lately, and I think it has been done better before. For example, Tay Tea's Better Than Sex blend made waves as the 2007 and 2008 NYC Coffee & Tea Festivals, and not just because of its name. It has Belgian dark chocolate bits, peppermint, vanilla and marigold petals, plus a fantastic aroma. Yum! I recently sampled a chocolate-mint rooibos Urbana Teas and Tonics is about to add to its offerings that was pretty impressive, too.
I never thought I would say this about a flavored tisane, but I think that Mighty Leaf's new rooibos is not flavored enough. Wait, wait... Hear me out. Hot cocoa (when done well) is rich, satisfying and (some may say) divine. (It was literally considered to be divine by ancient Aztecs.) So why flavor a tea or tisane with chocolate unless you can compete with such a decadent beverage? Lightly flavoring rooibos with chocolate and mint won't cut it for cocoa lovers, especially when you put "Truffle" in the name. You need depth and complexity. It doesn't have to come from the chocolate itself -- it could be from mint, floral elements (like Tay's marigold petals), vanilla or other flavors -- but it needs to be in there for the beverage to be as satisfying as a cup of cocoa.
For all you future chocolate-rooibos blenders out there -- Need inspiration? Check out Vosges' Drinking Chocolates, MarieBelle's Spicy Hot Chocolate or Jaques Torres' Wicked Hot Chocolate for starters. There are lots of flavors that go well with chocolate... I promise.
Monday, December 8, 2008
Sale
Urbana Teas and Tonics is having a 15% off sale for first-time online buyers. Just enter the promo code "URB6853" during checkout for the discount.
Those of you who know me or have been reading my blog for a while probably know that I used to be the teabar manager there, and that a large part of my passion for tea grew out of drinking it regularly at their South Charlotte location. My favorites? Darjeeling 2nd Flush Muscatel from Makaibari (where I had the pleasure of visiting last year), Vanilla Cream (I rarely like flavored teas, but this one is fantastic!), Strawberry-Pepper/Unity (complex, piquant tisanes), Kukicha (a very creamy one...) and Spicy Ginger Yerba Mate (with emphasis on the spicy!). If you try them, let me know what you think!
Those of you who know me or have been reading my blog for a while probably know that I used to be the teabar manager there, and that a large part of my passion for tea grew out of drinking it regularly at their South Charlotte location. My favorites? Darjeeling 2nd Flush Muscatel from Makaibari (where I had the pleasure of visiting last year), Vanilla Cream (I rarely like flavored teas, but this one is fantastic!), Strawberry-Pepper/Unity (complex, piquant tisanes), Kukicha (a very creamy one...) and Spicy Ginger Yerba Mate (with emphasis on the spicy!). If you try them, let me know what you think!
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Thanksgiving Teas
Thanksgiving can be an ideal time to share delicious teas with friends and family. Aside from flavored teas, there are a number of rich, warming and even digestion-aiding teas, tisanes and tea cocktails/mocktails you can make for Thanksgiving. This year, I'm making home-blended masala chai, fresh ginger tisane, Superior Pu-erh from Imperial Tea Court and Ti Kwan Yin from Teance. I'm also making homemade rum-spiked apple cider, which I'll also be spiking with black tea. Yum! What are you brewing this Thanksgiving?
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Expo Sample Reviews
Today, I'm going to review samples from Linde Lane. They gave out standardized goodie bags to everyone who came to their booth, which is a good way to get your products out there. Included in the doggie bag were two of their "Kids Tea," their TEAthbrush, and decks of tea playing cards. I'll be reviewing the first three items and giving the last one out to a lucky reader.
Many people want to give their kids tea, but are concerned about which herbs are safe and whether or not they should give their kids caffeine. Once the safety and caffeine concerns are out of the way, they have to deal with kids' finicky flavor preferences--sweet and simple is usually best, but that's not what most adults look for in a good tea. Linde Lane takes the guesswork out off the equation by providing "Kids Tea," which are just what they sound like (and what they would look like with an appropriately placed apostrophe)--"teas" for kids. They have simple flavor profiles and no caffeine. I tried both flavors: Rock A Bye Baby (chamomile mint)* and Strawberry Shortcake (flavored rooibos). Rock A Bye Baby was comparable to a VERY simple version of a tisane I used to serve at Urbana Cityspa & Teabar called Serene. (Serene also has jasmine blossoms, lavender, and lemon myrtle to round out the taste.) Strawberry Shortcake smelled and tasted, well, just like strawberry shortcake without the cream. From Linde Lane's site:
"Now you can have your own Strawberry Shortcake, in a teacup. Our tea taste (sic) like strawberry shortcake without the whip cream; but you can easily fix that. After you have served your warm tea, spray beautiful floral buds of whip cream into each cup to delight children."
Super!
The TEAthbrush was astoundingly popular amongst Expo attendees. It's a nice toothbrush with some text about how tea is good for teeth and regular brushing removes tea stains. The only thing that made the actual toothbrush different from most was its "mouth cleaner"--a ribbed back on the opposite side of the bristles. So, why is it a TEAthbrush instead of a toothbrush? It comes in three varieties: rooibos, black, and green! However, unlike the TEAth Floss, these types are colors, not flavors. Regardless, it will nicely complement your coffee-flavored sleeping pills.
So, who wants some tea playing cards? First to claim them via email or blog comment gets them. (Don't worry--they aren't flavored either.)
*A chamomile-soaked washcloth can help with teething, but if your baby has allergies, it may be unsafe to give him/her chamomile. Of course, kids hate being called babies, so there's an air of mystery surrounding Rock A Bye Baby's name.
Many people want to give their kids tea, but are concerned about which herbs are safe and whether or not they should give their kids caffeine. Once the safety and caffeine concerns are out of the way, they have to deal with kids' finicky flavor preferences--sweet and simple is usually best, but that's not what most adults look for in a good tea. Linde Lane takes the guesswork out off the equation by providing "Kids Tea," which are just what they sound like (and what they would look like with an appropriately placed apostrophe)--"teas" for kids. They have simple flavor profiles and no caffeine. I tried both flavors: Rock A Bye Baby (chamomile mint)* and Strawberry Shortcake (flavored rooibos). Rock A Bye Baby was comparable to a VERY simple version of a tisane I used to serve at Urbana Cityspa & Teabar called Serene. (Serene also has jasmine blossoms, lavender, and lemon myrtle to round out the taste.) Strawberry Shortcake smelled and tasted, well, just like strawberry shortcake without the cream. From Linde Lane's site:
"Now you can have your own Strawberry Shortcake, in a teacup. Our tea taste (sic) like strawberry shortcake without the whip cream; but you can easily fix that. After you have served your warm tea, spray beautiful floral buds of whip cream into each cup to delight children."Super!
The TEAthbrush was astoundingly popular amongst Expo attendees. It's a nice toothbrush with some text about how tea is good for teeth and regular brushing removes tea stains. The only thing that made the actual toothbrush different from most was its "mouth cleaner"--a ribbed back on the opposite side of the bristles. So, why is it a TEAthbrush instead of a toothbrush? It comes in three varieties: rooibos, black, and green! However, unlike the TEAth Floss, these types are colors, not flavors. Regardless, it will nicely complement your coffee-flavored sleeping pills.
So, who wants some tea playing cards? First to claim them via email or blog comment gets them. (Don't worry--they aren't flavored either.)
*A chamomile-soaked washcloth can help with teething, but if your baby has allergies, it may be unsafe to give him/her chamomile. Of course, kids hate being called babies, so there's an air of mystery surrounding Rock A Bye Baby's name.
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
New Honest Tea Teas
Honest Tea (who recently had 40% of their shares purchased by Coca Cola) launched a new line of flavors and packaging designs with "brighter" tastes and colors. The packaging looks great, but what's going on beyond basic appearances?
They tout higher levels of EGCG on the bottles with a bar indicating the levels in each drink. Their website doesn't list ingredients, but I have the feeling the "significantly higher (level) than most other brands" are from an extract, which has questionable benefits compared to the real thing. (I wish I'd had time to check the label when I saw it in a store recently! If any of you see it in person, will you let me know?)
They also added the words "energy tea" to two flavors' names. One is a blend of green tea and yerba mate, which makes sense, but the other is a blend of green tea and white tea... ??? They claim it is because they use green energy, but I find it very misleading to call it an "energy tea."
Their Consumer Reports award-winning flavor, Lori's Lemon, was reincarnated as Lemon Black Tea, this time with more cola... I mean sugar!
They also modified Peach Oo-La-Long to make a new flavor, Peach White Tea. I seem to remember that Peach Oo-La-Long was a sweeter-than-usual flavor created to satisfy the sweet tooth of the comic artist who draws "Bloom County," yet, like the lemon black tea's changes, the new variation on it has 10 (rather than 8) grams of sugar per 8 ounces. With two servings of tea in each bottle, that's an increase of 4 grams of sugar per bottle. Correspondingly, the calories jump from 63 per bottle to 85 per bottle. Not so bad as a Coke, but not so (comparatively) healthy as Honest Tea's teas used to be.
On the one hand, I hate to see Coke mess up a good thing. On the other, if this is what the market wants, it's better than people drinking soda, right? It's a tough call. I try to stand by the idea that quality tea doesn't need a lot of dressing up. However, Starbucks isn't just popular for its burnt beans--it's also the sugar syrup and whipped toppings that keep people craving more. There's a lot of room to move around between a pure, unflavored tea and Snapple's overpowering sweetness. I guess Honest Tea is, ultimately, just expanding its range within that area (albeit in one direction!).
If any of you readers have tried them, please let me know what you think! Do you prefer the old flavors or the new ones? What do you think of the packaging? Is the EGCG an extract? Is Coke making cola out of Honest Tea, or are these flavors true to your own idea of what tea is about? I'd love to hear your thoughts!
Honest Tea's new packaging and Citrus Green Energy Tea in action at an NYC bodega.
They tout higher levels of EGCG on the bottles with a bar indicating the levels in each drink. Their website doesn't list ingredients, but I have the feeling the "significantly higher (level) than most other brands" are from an extract, which has questionable benefits compared to the real thing. (I wish I'd had time to check the label when I saw it in a store recently! If any of you see it in person, will you let me know?)
They also added the words "energy tea" to two flavors' names. One is a blend of green tea and yerba mate, which makes sense, but the other is a blend of green tea and white tea... ??? They claim it is because they use green energy, but I find it very misleading to call it an "energy tea."
Their Consumer Reports award-winning flavor, Lori's Lemon, was reincarnated as Lemon Black Tea, this time with more cola... I mean sugar!
They also modified Peach Oo-La-Long to make a new flavor, Peach White Tea. I seem to remember that Peach Oo-La-Long was a sweeter-than-usual flavor created to satisfy the sweet tooth of the comic artist who draws "Bloom County," yet, like the lemon black tea's changes, the new variation on it has 10 (rather than 8) grams of sugar per 8 ounces. With two servings of tea in each bottle, that's an increase of 4 grams of sugar per bottle. Correspondingly, the calories jump from 63 per bottle to 85 per bottle. Not so bad as a Coke, but not so (comparatively) healthy as Honest Tea's teas used to be.
On the one hand, I hate to see Coke mess up a good thing. On the other, if this is what the market wants, it's better than people drinking soda, right? It's a tough call. I try to stand by the idea that quality tea doesn't need a lot of dressing up. However, Starbucks isn't just popular for its burnt beans--it's also the sugar syrup and whipped toppings that keep people craving more. There's a lot of room to move around between a pure, unflavored tea and Snapple's overpowering sweetness. I guess Honest Tea is, ultimately, just expanding its range within that area (albeit in one direction!).
If any of you readers have tried them, please let me know what you think! Do you prefer the old flavors or the new ones? What do you think of the packaging? Is the EGCG an extract? Is Coke making cola out of Honest Tea, or are these flavors true to your own idea of what tea is about? I'd love to hear your thoughts!
Honest Tea's new packaging and Citrus Green Energy Tea in action at an NYC bodega.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Microencapsulation
There's a new product called Spun Matrix that uses microencapsulation to make terrible tea taste almost drinkable. I quote, "Spun Matrix is also a great tool to mask off flavors and can be used to incorporate particularly harsh ingredients with the chosen flavor system." It's basically granulated flavor particles that are mixed into low-grade teabags for a stronger not-tea flavor to cover up the already-present bad-tea flavor. Wow, I am SO unimpressed. I'm sure the bulk of the tea industry will love it, though. Sadness...
Read more on this depressing innovation here.
Read more on this depressing innovation here.
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Halloween Teas
In honor of Halloween, here are a few of the pumpkin teas on the market:
Rooibos Pumpkin (Dragonwater)
Pumpkin Spice Tea (Adagio)
Pumpkin Cream Spice Tea (SBS Teas)
You can also make your own pumpkin tea by either boiling or baking sliced, seeded pumpkin until it's soft, juicing or pureeing it, and then blending it with sweetened, spiced black tea. Use a masala chai base or add your own spices (cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, cardamom...) to a robust black tea (such as an Assam). Serve hot or iced.
(The pumpkin Yi Xing teapot is available here.)
Happy Halloween!!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
