Mate and pu’erh are the two types of teas that I usually try to avoid. Mate tastes like the rainforst and pu’erh tastes like mud (well what I would expect those thing to taste like since I have never actually tried those). Either way both taste like dirt to me and life is too short and there are too many teas out there to drink something you don’t enjoy. So, this Pride and Prejudice tea, a citrus and roasted mate herbal tea was not one I was jumping at the chance to try.
My anxiety was relieved a little when I opened the package to see more fruit pieces and petals than actual mate so I got to brewing up a hot cup of pride and prejudice.
It brews up the deep reddish-pink of a tea filled with hibiscus and rosehips. The hibiscus and rosehips also comes through in taste in light of the tartness. Hibiscus and orange. A juicy orange which gives way to the mate earthiness. Not as pungent as other teas I have tried in the past, but still too present for my personal tastes.
This is a fruity tea, more earthy/ natural than sweet like many others. Though this is not likely to become a favorite of mine, it was better than I expected since the mate is balanced by the other flavors in the tea. I will be passing the rest on to my sisters. We’ll see if this is more to their tastes than it was mine.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Yerba Mate
Where to Buy: First Edition Tea Co.
Description
The herbal blend looks beautiful, but it’s got a thrilling bite to it. A sweet and fruity blend with a kick of tangy citrus and energizing roasted mate. A tea that will bewitch you, body and soul. Perfect for making iced tea.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Organic Yerba Mate Matcha Tea from The Kent & Sussex Tea & Coffee Co. . .
I haven’t had too many Yerba Mate Matcha’s to date so I always welcome them when the come along. Recently I sipped on Organic Yerba Mate Matcha Tea from The Kent & Sussex Tea & Coffee Co. In short, it was a pleasant sipping experience.
But let’s expand on that a bit. I took 1 flat teaspoon of matcha to a tea bowl and mix with a couple of drops of water to make a smooth paste then whisked more water to fill my matcha cup. I followed the instructions on the company website. Personally – I could taste a strong Yerba Mate first and foremost. So it tasted like a green grass and green pea type taste to me. It was a little bitter but the bitterness was welcome. According to the company website it’s best for mornings which makes sense because Yerba Mate is a natural energy booster. (More on that below) It does have an intense flavor.
Next time I am thinking about adding a slight squeeze of lemon juice to it. Another way I can see myself drinking this is iced. This was a pleasant sipping experience. I look forward to experimenting more with this and sharing it with the other Sororitea Sisters!
Now let’s get to the additional information about Yerba/Yerba Mate and how it works in this Matcha Blend.
The caffeine found in Yerba is said to provide a coffee-like buzz but without the unpleasant jitters or the crash afterwards. It’s a myth that is does not contain caffeine and the stimulating effects come from a compound called Mateine, In actual fact the term Mateine is actually coffee and it said to have derived from the Mate plant. Yerba also contains theophylline and theobromine similar to cacao, which are natural vasodilators and helps relax blood vessels and is used to combat high blood pressure. Yerba is said to have over 90 per cent more antioxidants than green tea, with immune boosting capabilities, it can also slow aging, reduce stress and insomnia. Using Yerba as as Matcha is a fast, and efficient way of squeezing it in to your every day routine, whether you sprinkle it on your cereal, smoothies or soups or use it as an every day drink. Using the whole Mate leaf will put a spring in your step for the whole day!
All of this info is also mentioned on the company website! I found the additional info wonderful! I LOVE learning!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Yerba Mate/Matcha
Where to Buy: The Kent & Sussex Tea & Coffee Co.
Description
Yerba does contain caffeine! However, the caffeine in Yerba is said to provide a coffee- like buzz but without the unpleasant jitters or the crash afterwards. It is a myth that is does not contain caffeine and the stimulating effects come from a compound called Mateine, In actual fact the term Mateine is actually coffee and it said to have derived from the Mate plant. It also contains theophylline and theobromine similar to cacao, which are natural vasodilators and helps relax blood vessels and is used to combat high blood pressure. Yerba is said to have over 90 per cent more antioxidants then green tea, with immune boosting capabilities, it can also slow ageing, reduce stress and insomnia. Using Yerba as as Matcha is a fast, and efficient way of squeezing it in to your every day routine, whether you sprinkle it on your cereal, smoothies or soups or use it as an every day drink. Using the whole Mate leaf will put a spring in your step for the whole day!
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Hazelnut Mate from Fava Tea. . . . .
I really enjoy the flavor of hazelnut. When I was a coffee drinker I would always get a hazelnut macchiato or hazelnut iced coffee in the summers. I know that mate is very energizing, and I really would like to enjoy it. The mate blends I’ve tried thus far weren’t too pleasing to me. Although they were good blends, and i’m sure that others would enjoy them, they just weren’t my taste. When I came across Hazelnut Mate on Fava Tea’s website, I thought i’d give it a try. I figured I may enjoy the hazelnut flavor, since for whatever reason mate tends to come closest to a coffee substitute out of all the tea types, next to black tea of course. There’s something about the richness of the mate blends I’ve tried that really reminds me of coffee, plus the energy boost is pretty awesome too.
Upon smelling the dry leaf of this blend I noticed that the cocoa scent was strong, although that didn’t translate as strong to the taste of the cup. I was thankful for that because I didn’t want a blend that was too chocolatey, I wanted it to be more nutty/hazelnut. I immediately liked this tea as soon as I sipped it. This is the first mate blend that I couldn’t put down. It is so smooth and its not too heavy or thick. I have tried many hazelnut black teas, and the difference between them and this mate blend is that the mate has absolutely no bitterness and it isn’t as bold and in-your-face as black tea can be. Its really smooth and almost a little grassy, but the hazelnut component adds some nuttiness and that flavor that I know and love from my coffee-drinking days. I really enjoyed this tea and it has made me curious about other mate blends. Whether you’ve had mate before or not, if you like hazelnut you should try this!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Yerba Mate
Where to Buy: Fava Teas
Description
Nutty, smooth and packed full of vitamins and minerals this is the perfect choice for an enlightening lift! Roasted yerba mate leaves blended with hazelnuts, cocoa nibs and cornflower blossoms. And finally because sometimes you feel like a nut…. Blends well with Chocolate Cream Rocks.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Sweet Cinnamon Mate from Because UR Priceless. . . . .
I have never actually had a mate blend. Which is interesting because I have drank a lot of teas, but just never had an interest in mate I guess. Although mate is considered an herbal blend, it still contains a pretty high amount of caffeine. I really needed a caffeine boost today so I decided to brew up a cup of Sweet Cinnamon Mate. I like sweet cinnamon, not hot cinnamon, so I hoped that this tea would live up to its name.
Now, I don’t have any other mate blends to compare this to, but I noticed a pretty distinct vegetal/herbal flavor right off the bat. I also noticed a slight bitterness, and whether that was from the cacao or the mate, I am not sure but there was a definite bite to this blend. The cinnamon added some nice warmth, but it wasn’t overly hot or spicy, it was definitely sweet as promised. I almost want to use the word smokey to describe this. It definitely brought on feelings of comfort and warmth and would be a great blend on a cold fall morning.
This has definitely peaked my curiosity for mate blends and I will be trying more in the future, so stay tuned!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Mate
Where to Buy: Because UR Priceless
Description
SWEET CINNAMON MATÉ (pronounced mah-tay) brings you a satisfying beverage that’s a little sweet, a little spicy, and a whole lot energizing! The delicate balance of yerba matế, cinnamon, and sweet cacao nibs creates a tea drinking experience you will enjoy again and again.
(Note: This blend has a light, mellow cinnamon flavor rather than a strong, hot cinnamon flavor.)
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Mocha Nut Mate from Adagio Teas. . . .
This is tea’s answer to coffee!
If you like that full, diner coffee feel, but maybe don’t like those jitters, give this maté a try. Maté isn’t a “tea” as such; it’s a different type of plant (also caffeinated). It affects people to varying degrees, so you might want to try this in the morning so it won’t affect your sleep.
The flavor is a little bit of a bitter zing, with a nutty body, and a slight whisp of chocolate. Mate works on me very much, so I am definitely INVOLVED IN MY DAY at this point. Listening to podcasts*, talkin’ tea, and making designs 100%.
* Where IS Richard Simmons? The podcast about his abrupt disappearance is really interesting. His past and connection to the public is REALLY COMPELLING. Everyone he knows is a CHARACTER — as is he, obviously. I am chomping these developments down like peanut butter cups. Which I will obviously have to then dance off to the oldies.
This tea reminds me of Denny’s somehow. Like when you and your friends are out preposterously late and there’s literally nowhere else to go. So you wander out to Denny’s because it’s open and 1 AM. And of course, because you’re a little stupid and/or drunk, you order yourself COFFEE. Which sounds delicious, until it’s 4 AM, your friends are gone, and you can’t sleep. So you listen to the Backstreet Boys until the sun rises, eat breakfast in the dorm basement’s middle-of-the-road dining commons, and then sleep the rest of the day.
I speak from experience here. I an a connoisseur of late-night 24-hour establishments. Our Denny’s was the best one. It was by far the most beautiful one I’ve ever been to, and the staff was friendly, regardless of the hour or busyness. Note that I said “was” — even though it was one of the most popular places in my town, it somehow lost its license or something (???) and is gone.
I’ll just have to fill in with this tea.
I’m not sure how I’ll fill the hole in my heart left by Richard Simmons, though. Maybe a different tea. I’ll let you know if I figure it out.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Mate
Where to Buy: Adagio Teas
Description
The mellow chicory-like character of our Brazilian toasted mate is a perfect platform for a favorite indulgence: chocolate! Add a bit of hazelnut and you have the perfect treat. Great straight up or enhanced with cream and sugar. If you’re a fan of chocolate mate teas, we invite you to give this formula a try. Please note that all Mate varieties contains caffeine; we would not suggest it as a nightcap.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
