Upton Digital Pocket Tea Scale/Upton Tea – Ashmanra

Photo Credit: Upton Tea

One thing teaheads love almost as much as tea is tea accoutrements, all the little doodads and helpers and tea making paraphernalia that money can buy. Some tea people specialize in Chinese or Japanese accoutrements, some in Yixing clay or Korean ceramics, but most have an eclectic array of helpers, like timers and infusers of every size and style you can imagine.

I finally purchased an item that I have had my eye on for a very long time. You see, most of the accoutrements are not actually NECESSARY. They can be very helpful and a lot of fun. This one will be helpful. I am sure of it. Also fun, because I will be playing with tea when I use it!

When you are trying to get the very most out of your tea and you have purchased some really fine quality leaf, you want it to taste the very best. But some leaf almost defies measurement. Sometimes silver needle can be too long to rest in your teaspoon. Shou mei can be so large and fluffy that guessing what amount it takes to weigh 2.25 grams can be daunting, and again, it refuses to behave itself in a teaspoon. Loosely pressed puerh and iron cake puerh can be hard to gauge.

I tried measuring tea on my kitchen scale, but it wasn’t sensitive enough and I had to keep piling leaves on before the scale even knew tea was there. That’s when I decided to order the Upton Tea Company scale.

The scale arrived very quickly and was very well packed. I ordered the calibration weight as well, because why have a scale if you don’t know if it is accurate?

The scale was so easy to use, right out of the box. It has a nice little case and feels like it will last. It has a tare feature, naturally, and was easy to check and calibrate. It would fit in most pockets so it isn’t going to be a space hog and is very portable.

In addition to weighing in grams, pennyweight(dwt), and ounces, Upton had it programmed with a cupweight mode, meaning you place the amount of leaf you have or wish to use on the scale and it tells you how many cups of tea you can make with that amount of leaf. That is a great feature when you are determined to do a sipdown or when you just want to know which capacity teapot to pull out.

Is it necessary? No. Is it going to be helpful when I am reviewing a new tea like a super fluffy white or a very compact puerh, or when I have guests and I want to get the proportions right the FIRST time? Absolutely!


Want to Know More About This Tea?

Where to Buy: Upton Tea

Description

The tremendous range of leaf styles in loose leaf teas makes measuring by volume imprecise. Our digital pocket tea scale solves this problem in a unique way, by introducing a special ‘Cupweight’ mode. In this mode, the scale displays the precise number of cups that a portion of tea will yield, based on the industry standard of 2 1/4 grams per 6-ounce cup. Note that this scale will also weigh in grams, ounces and pennyweight (dwt mode). One year limited warranty. Each scale is precisely calibrated at the factory.

Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!

Tea Care Packages/Brewed in Solace -variaTEA-

Photo Credit: Brewed in Solace

Brewed in Solace recently reached out to me via our Instagram asking me if I was interested in one of their Tea Care Packages. My answer was a very fast and excited, “YES!”

The package features a very simple but very pretty teacup and saucer. It is available in a bunch of colours including pink, blue, green, purple, yellow and white. When Brewed in Solace informed me I would get to pick which colour I wanted, I struggled because they are all beautiful. I ended up going with purple, and I am not disappointed.

That was not the only choice I was asked to make. The tea care package I was sent also came with a tea filter in either gold or silver, a candle that was either in fresh linen or lavender, and two different teas. Also, included was a candle label of anything I wanted and a personalized note. These options to personalize make the gift suitable for someone close to you, but it could also work for someone you aren’t as close with since the options are still general enough they should appeal to all!

As for the teas, they are fairly generic tea options. I went with Black Peach and Summer Rose. Nothing truly unique about either, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Today, I am enjoying the Black Peach tea and it is very smooth and with a distinct peach flavor. Basically what you would expect from a tea called Black Peach.

The package costs $65. Given that a teacup and saucer can easily be half that amount, if not more, I would say the price is fair. You get a whole lot of bang for your buck. In fact, the filter was one of the things I was most excited for since I tried to buy something similar and it was going to run me about $20 just for that.

What I really liked about this gift idea was that it was packaged with so much care and love. From the minute I opened the box that it was shipped in, I felt like I was being treated to a beautifully wrapped gift, complete with flowers to make it feel more fun and festive.

The company itself was wonderful to work with – very kind and accommodating. They kept me updated each step of the way, something I did not ask for but made the experience that much better.

So, if you didn’t gather it from this review, I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND Brewed in Solace for your tea gift needs if you are looking for something fun and a bit different for anyone on your list!


Want to Know More About This Tea?

Leaf Type: Package

Where to Buy: Brewed in Solace

Description

All of the coziness in one care package. Included in the care package: tea cup & saucer, gold floral teaspoon, two loose-leaf teas, 2oz natural soy wax candle with custom quote, gift message & tea poem.

Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!

LiberTEAS is Back with Another Tea Box Express Review!

I’m back with a new box (the March box) from Tea Box Express. When I think of March, I think of Easter (can’t help that, even though Easter is the 1st day of April this year, Easter stuff is still everywhere I go) and I think of St. Patrick’s Day. I don’t really think of Earl Grey – even though Earl Grey is a classic fave of mine. I absolutely ADORE bergamot – so long as it’s done correctly, mind you! I have had my share of Earl Grey gone wrong (perhaps even more than my share), but we’re not here to talk about that today. Today, we’re talking the Tea Box Express for March!

This box seems to be all about the Earl! It starts with a slight twist on the classic tea – with Green Earl Grey from BeauTea Studio on Etsy – an online shop that offers not only organic loose leaf tea but also some gorgeous vintage teacups and handcrafted botanical skincare and soy candles – which leads to the second item in this month’s box: an Earl Grey Lotion Bar – also from BeauTEA Studio! Even more than the tea, I love this bar. It smells amazing (because – bergamot!) and it feels even more amazing when smoothed over my skin. I tend to get very dry hands and a quick swipe of this bar over my hands leaves them feeling smooth and silky without them feeling wet or greasy. And the best thing about the bar is it’s portability, it makes this the perfect lotion to tuck inside my purse without worry that it’ll accidentally open and ‘moisturize’ the entire contents of my purse. So right into my purse it goes!

I wish I could say that I’m just as excited about the Green Earl Grey tea (also from BeauTEA Studio). In my many years as a ‘tea taster’ and reviewer, it’s been my experience that when green tea is flavored with bergamot, it results in a somewhat perfume-ish taste. Understandable, I suppose, since bergamot tends to be a favorite scent amongst those that manufacture fragrances – but as delightful as bergamot is to smell, I don’t know anyone who wants to actually drink perfume. The fragrance is where this tea shines: it smells amazing! But to my palate, the flavor ends up tasting too much of perfume and not enough of tea for my liking. Perhaps it is – as I alluded to earlier – the green tea base. Because green tea tends to have a softer, lighter flavor than a black tea base, the perfume-y qualities of the bergamot tend to come forward a lot more. This just isn’t working for me at all – I couldn’t even finish the cup. I’m sure that there are those that probably love this stuff – me, not so much. 

The last three items in this month’s box are not so much “Earl Grey” as they are just fun! There’s a small packet of brown rock sugar from Tea & Spice Merchants along with a pair of sugar tongs to sweeten the tea. The tongs are adorable – but unfortunately, I don’t have a link on them. Finally, as a sweet treat to accompany the tea, there’s Lemon Lavender Chocolate Bark from Ticket Chocolate. While this chocolate is delicious, I was a little disappointed (at least initially) that the curator of this box didn’t go the extra mile and seek out some type of Earl Grey flavored chocolate – hey, I know they’re out there because I’ve indulged once or twice! But that disappointment didn’t last long because – wow! This is an amazing bit of chocolate! The chocolate is rich and creamy with light notes of lemon and lavender. This chocolate is just the *ticket*. 

Overall, I’m happy with the contents of this month’ box even if the tea didn’t exactly do it for me. I had thought that I might end the subscription after the initial 3 months, but I might keep it going because I’ve been pretty happy with everything (with a few exceptions) that I’ve received from Tea Box Express thus far.


Here’s the scoop!

What is it: A subscription box from Tea Box Express
Where to Buy: Tea Box Express
Description: Each month brings a new selection of whole leaf tea and artisan treats.

MrsPremise’s Tea Wish List for the New Year

Some of my holiday wishes have definitely come true, with lots of delicious holiday tea blends in my cupboard.  I was even lucky enough to get a tea advent calendar this year (mine is from Plum Deluxe).  With plenty of festive tea brewing in my mug, my tea dreams now turn towards tea accessories.

Glass Teapot

I feel like I’m taking more pictures of tea than ever (and tagging them with #365daysoftea).  My tea leaves would get to show off their color and shape in a clear glass teapot like this one from Bluebird Tea or this one from Teaposy.  There’s always something cozy about my favorite ceramic teapot, but having a clear glass teapot would make my tea shelf more elegant, and make for more eye-catching tea pictures in the new year.

 

Daruma Good Luck Canister

I was looking into fun tea storage options when I came upon the Daruma Good Luck tea canister— with a face!  Apparently these canisters have a tradition where their eyes are blank at the beginning.  When you first get the canister, add one eye and set a goal for yourself.  When you achieve the goal, you can add the other eye.  It’s never too late to learn more about tea-related traditions.  As we enter the time for resolutions, setting a goal seems like the appropriate thing to do. Maybe I will get some extra motivation from setting the goal with a Daruma’s eyes.

 

Fortune Telling Teacup

Fortune telling and tea leaves have a long history, but I wasn’t aware of just how many teacups are made just for that divining purpose.  There are some great fortune telling teacups on Etsy.  I’m enchanted by the aesthetic of these teacups.  Some cups are laid out with playing card designs, others have zodiac symbols, some have mysterious pictographs I don’t recognize, and some of the fancier ones have full illustrations. I would probably need some tea-reading lessons along with the teacups before I can really look into my future and plan ahead for the new year.

Whether or not I’ll be telling fortunes in the new year, I will definitely continue brewing tea!

The Jam & Tea Collection from CXBO & Kitten and the Bear & Sloane Fine Tea Merchants. . .

So I might have a small collection of Kitten and the Bear jams because they are awesome. And I obviously have a not-so-small collection of tea. So when I found out that three amazing Toronto businesses teamed up to make beautiful chocolate truffles filled with jam and tea infused ganache, I was all over it. After all, what is better than tea and jam? Tea, jam, and truffles, of course. So from the minds of Chocolates x Brandon Olsen, Kitten and the Bear, and Sloane Fine Tea Merchants, I introduce you to The Jam & Tea Collection.

Black Plum, Darjeeling Tea: I decided to start with this truffle as it seemed to be the simplest of the bunch. At first taste, I got a bright plum flavor from the jam but the ganache simply tasted like a rich chocolate. The aftertaste had a lingering bit of spice that is reminiscent of darjeeling

Lemon, Lavender, Citron Calm Tea: This truffle has a great citrus pop from both the tea and the lemon of the jam, though it is balanced by the chamomile-like apple in the ganache. The lavender was very subtle, which for me is a plus but some might find it lacking.

Orange Marmalade, Ginger Twist Tea: Dark chocolate and chunky orange marmalade combine with the ginger in a chocolate ganache. I am not a chocolate orange kinda girl and this reminds me of a Terry’s Chocolate Orange, but the ginger, gently flavoring the ganache, adds a nice depth to the whole experience.

Strawberry, Raspberry, Heavenly Cream Tea: This is one of the truffles I was most excited about because it is one of the truffles where I have tried and enjoyed both the jam and tea being used, surprising given I am not a fan of Earl Greys. This truffle DEFINITELY delivered. It is amazing. Both the jam and tea are sweet and creamy and that is exactly how one would describe this truffle. The earl grey flavor is most prominent and smooth but it is complimented beautifully by a rich vanilla and the sweet strawberry, raspberry, cream jam. This is crazy sweet and screams dessert.

Classic Strawberry, Marrakesh Mint Tea: Strawberry and mint, a wonderful combination and done perfectly in this truffle. For my personal tastes, I would prefer if this were not a dark chocolate since the mint is already very strong and the dark flavors together make this more of an after-eight treat than a bright strawberry and mint yum. Nevertheless, the richness of the other two components make the sweetness of the jam really stand out.

Palace Chai Caramel: Well this was a surprise. Rather than a layer of ganache and a layer of jam like the other truffles, this is just filled with a thick and creamy salted caramel. But not just any salted caramel, a chai caramel with a great dash of cinnamon warmth.

Blackberry, Plum, Violet, Cassis Vanilla Tea: This is a floral truffle. Juicy berry flavors with a bit of crunch from the seeds in the jam. There is not as much vanilla as I would have hoped but the other flavors are present and delightful.

Banana, Jasmine Pink Lemonade Tea: Hello banana jam! How I love thee. That coupled with a sweet and floral jasmine pink lemonade infused ganache. The jasmine obviously is what contributes the floral note but the ganache also has a pink grapefruit flavor that really rounds things out nicely. A little sweet. A little floral. A little tart. All enrobed in dark chocolate.

Pear, Maple, Lapsang Souchong Tea: I saved this for last. Why? The lapsang. I thought the smoke might leave quite the aftertaste and I didn’t want it to affect the other truffles. This is another truffle I was excited to try because unlike Strawberry, Raspberry, Heavenly Cream, this truffle uses a jam I really wanted to try but sold out before I got to it so luckily this was my chance. This truffle is like a sweet campfire. Smoke takes over while the maple coats the tongue. Pear pieces add texture and a bit of flavor but its the maple and lapsang that take over. If you’re not one for smoke this will not be for you but if you’re open to it, it is a great flavor duo done beautifully.

These truffles make for a great treat and I mean really what else would you expect when three renowned Toronto businesses work together.


Here’s the scoop!

Where to Buy:  CXBO & Kitten and the Bear & Sloane Fine Tea Merchants