Caramel from Kusmi. . . . .

by ashmanra

I am taking a wee break from work to enjoy Mardi Gras cookies – delightfully almond flavored and sweet – and a hot cuppa. This new-to-me caramel struck my fancy, and I am delighted with the pairing.

You might think sweet with sweet wouldn’t be awesome together, but this black tea from Kusmi is from China, lacking the lemon/citrus notes one gets from most Ceylon tea and the caramel is not overly sweet but instead is almost a burnt caramel. Honestly, if I hadn’t prepared this myself and someone had told me it was a tea from China with natural caramel notes, I would have believed them.

Put together, it makes for a wonderful tea to pair with sweets or to drink on its own. As usual, I have added no milk or sugar and it is smooth and delicious, but I would say that this tea would handle milk and sugar VERY well for those who prefer additions.

I have the muslin tea sachets, and I have steeped twice and literally forgot I was drinking a second steep. There is no sourness, but a mere hint of briskness and the flavor of the black tea is lingering. I think this would make an excellent breakfast for folks like me who are not looking for a big brown boot of a builder’s tea to kick start them in the mornings. This has all the strength I need for a day starter or an afternoon refreshment.

Here’s the scoop!

Leaf Type:  Black
Where to Buy:  Kusmi 
Description

With its delicious aroma, this black tea from China flavoured with caramel is the perfect drink to enjoy a quiet moment. It goes wonderfully with pastries.

Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!

ashmanra

I am a music teacher, tutor, and former homeschool mom (25 years!) who started drinking loose leaf tea about seven years ago! My daughters and I have tea every day, and we are frequently joined by my students or friends for “tea time.” Now my hubby joins us, too. His tastes have evolved from Tetley with milk and sugar to mostly unadorned greens and oolongs. We have learned so much history, geography, and culture in this journey. My avatar is a mole in a teacup! Long story…

This post was posted in Black Tea, Kusmi

Dreidel, Dreidel, Dreidel from Tea & Tins. . . . .

by Sophia

Although the holiday season has (sadly) passed, this tea still caught my eye. Mostly because it included mini marshmallows and gold ball sprinkles. I am a sucker for anything that includes marshmallow. Upon inspection of the dry leaf, I could smell the caramel and marshmallow notes. The dry leaf itself was very pleasing to the eye, as it contained “Star of David” shaped sprinkles, gold balls, mini marshmallows, and caramel squares. I liked that it contained actual marshmallow and caramel pieces because I hoped that that would add extra flavor and creaminess to the cup. While I don’t mind when a tea just contains flavor, I think adding actual pieces of fruit or candy really pushes the flavor further and gives it an extra “something”.

I steeped this blend with near-boiling water for about 4 minutes. I also added a spoonful of agave, which is usual for me. Once steeped, the liquid smells just like the mini marshmallows that come with those hot cocoa packets. It is literally shimmering with gold sprinkles, which adds such a pretty and festive flair. The taste is very smooth and pleasing and I can clearly point out that this tea contained marshmallows. The caramel is in the background; but just as I had hoped, the caramel pieces added a sweet creaminess to the tea. I feel as if the agave really brought these flavors out and accented them well, so I would suggest sweetening the tea just a bit.

This tea was really easy to drink, and it was gone in minutes! It was very smooth, sweet, and festive. The flavor of the marshmallow lingers long after the cup is gone. I really cant help but liken it to those mini marshmallows in the hot cocoa packs, it really does taste exactly like them! The combination of marshmallow and caramel along with the black tea was delicious. I am glad to have stumbled across this company and cant wait to try more of their teas. I have a feeling this one wont last very long!

Here’s the scoop!

Leaf Type:  Black Tea
Where to Buy:  Tea & Tins. . . . 
Description

Loose leaf black tea, nicknamed Dreidel, dreidel, dreidel ! It has a spicy and warm taste (if you like “Star Dust”, you should definitely try this one!)

Ingredients: black tea with warming taste of caramel, marshmallow and Star of David sprinkles.

Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!

Sophia

Hi, my name is Sophia. I am a first time mother to a beautiful little girl who will be 1 in July 2017. I spend my days at home with her and when I get a minute to myself, I usually spend that time making, drinking, or researching tea! My love for loose leaf tea is relatively new. When I was pregnant with my daughter, my mother (a tea addict herself) brought me to DAVIDsTEA. I enjoyed a cup of their Coconut Cream Pie Oolong and was instantly hooked! Since then, my addiction has grown to fill entire cabinets, and shows no sign of stopping. I am the creator of the Facebook group CommuniTEA where we have one big tea discussion. It is a great group for those new to the tea-world. I feel strongly about spreading the joy of loose leaf tea. I like making instructional videos and helping those that are new to the art of tea-making so that they, too, can share in the happiness that tea brings. I am excited to see where this hobby takes me and I will continue to spread the joy!

This post was posted in Black Tea, Tea and Tins