I have to admit: I had to test this one two nights in a row. The first night, I literally guzzled it. Kind of hard to get the flavor details when you chug your tea! So, night two: I sipped slowly and carefully to enjoy and get the full scoop on this tea.
There is something so soothing about lemon at bed time. On occasion I sometimes just drink warm lemon water; it’s calming and it’s great for digestion (especially if you eat late).
This blend by Culinary Teas brings soothing and calming to a whole new level. Lemon verbena, lemongrass, and lemon peel offer an intoxicating aroma; it’s relaxing just inhaling the steam off of your cup. With this combination of lemon notes, you’re getting some of the best components you could ask for in an herbal tea: bitter-tart from lemon peel, bright herbal from lemon verbena, and a hearty and earthy herbal note from lemon grass. Lemon grass is packed with a ton of health benefits on top of being relaxing.
Finishing it off with my favorite fruit to mix with lemon: raspberry! There’s also apple pieces which are helpful in bringing a good balance to the flavors when you have a lot of ingredients. I’ve heard rumors of cornflowers tasting a little spicy like clove but, I’m not getting that with this tea. However, cornflower mixed with the hibiscus give this liqueur a pretty hue. Pretty tea is more fun to drink!
Altogether, this tea is a good one to keep around. It’s relaxing, it has an amazing aroma, and the flavor is smooth and delicious. I followed the steeping directions the first time with one teaspoon for 3-4 minutes. The second tasting, I did a full tablespoon in a bigger mug and gave it about 5 minutes. It was perfect both times, but I much preferred the longer steep.
Want to Know More About This Tea?
Leaf Type: Herbal
Where to Buy: Culinary Teas
Description
This House Blend will relax and comfort you at any moment.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
**this tea was gifted in exchange for review**
Cacao Tea/MiCacao
If you’re craving something chocolaty in the afternoon at tea time, this is the tea for you. I don’t mean chocolaty like a candy bar, either; I mean chocolaty like baker’s cocoa. It’s definitely not for the “beginner” tea drinker, in my opinion.
Made from the shells of the cacao bean and mixed with cocoa nibs, this tea has a very soothing aroma once brewed but the flavor…WOW. Imagine just dabbing your pinky finger into the tub of baking cocoa and licking it. Bitter, right?
The flavor of this tea does not match the aroma in the least, but it is an AMAZING sip. Although it does not contain caffeine, it does have some naturally occuring mood boosters and antioxidants that just might give you the push you need to get through the rest of the work day.
I always give my new teas the opportunity to impress without adding any sweetener or milk/cream. While this cuppa had an impressive flavor on it’s own, I enjoyed it much more with the smallest drop of agave and about a teaspoon of cream which smoothed out the bitterness just enough. If you like tonic water or a dry, “oaky” red wine or other bitter flavors, you will probably enjoy this tea.
I followed the recommended brewing instructions, using 2 teaspoons and steeping for 8 minutes. It probably would have been just slightly less bitter if I had gone with the lower amount of 1 teaspoon or only steeped for 6 minutes but, I’m afraid it would have been too bland.
Want to Know More About This Tea?
Leaf Type: Tisane
Where to Buy: MiCacao
Description
Our tea comes from small family-owned farms in Ecuador, known for their famous “Arriba Nacional” cacao trees. These small farms grow, harvest, and prepare the cacao at their own micro-wet mills where they naturally ferment the beans using banana leaves. The beans are then left to dry on elevated tables, using solar dryers in order to protect against the rain. We use the shells of these beans as the base for our cacao tea. It’s completely natural and without any artificial preservatives, flavors, or starches. Organic. Sugar-free. Gluten-Free. Vegan.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!