Wow – it’s Day 20. I can’t believe it. You know what that means, don’t you? There are only 5 days until the day we’ve all been waiting for gets here, and there are only 4 days left to actually shop to prepare for that day!
Today’s artistic inspiration comes from Regina Zyry. It’s one of the coolest paper ornaments for the tree that I have! The backing is crafted out of “fan folded” paper. It’s really lovely and I love the way it looks on the tree. The sparkly glitter in the center of the ornament shimmers when the lights on the tree blink. And the buttons dangle and keep the eye interested. This is another of those ornaments that I get a burst of “joy” when I unwrap it to decorate the tree.
Today’s tea gave me a “burst of joy” too! It’s been one of my favorites that I’ve tried from this Advent Calendar – it’s a good thing that Teanzo offers this tea year round.
Orange Crème Dessert Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Teanzo 1856
Tea Description:
Orange crème dessert tea is a smooth loose leaf orange black tea with a hint of vanilla. A real treat.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Oh yum! When I knew that I’d be featuring the Advent Calendar from Teanzo 1856 this year, I took a few minutes to peruse the Teanzo website to see what different types of teas they offer. As I was “window shopping” with Teanzo, I came across this tea and this was one I was hoping would be in the Advent Calendar this year. It sounded so yummy!
So, I was happy to grab the pouch for day 20 and turn it over to see that Orange Crème would be today’s tea!
The dry leaf smells amazing – bright notes of orange with sweet, creamy notes and a background of black tea. Very aromatic! The brewed tea keeps that fragrance – this smells a bit like someone may have melted an orange cream ice pop in my black tea! It smells sweet and delicious and it’s got my mouth watering!
After allowing it to cool for a few minutes, I took my first sip! Yum!
The black tea base isn’t an overly aggressive tea. It adds a nice “black tea” flavor to the background but it doesn’t attempt to interfere with the flavors of orange and vanilla which are playing in the foreground. It’s a strong, solid backdrop of flavor. It’s pleasant and flavorful, smooth and not overly astringent.
The orange flavor is sweet and juicy with just enough tangy flavor to add some interest to the cup. It’s a sunny, energetic flavor that melds beautifully with the sweet, indulgent notes of vanilla.
It’s a really pleasant, dessert-y type of tea that still tastes like tea. It’s not overly flavored so that the tea notes are overwhelmed. It’s not quite as strong as I’d like a morning tea to be, but this would make a really nice afternoon pick-me-up. It would also be an excellent choice to serve to your guests – they’ll really enjoy this one!
Reading Nook Tea Blend from Plum Deluxe
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Plum Deluxe
Tea Description:
The reading nook blend is our signature organic tea created for enjoying while perfecting some of our dearest passions: reading, writing, and enjoying conversation with friends.
One needs a touch of caffeine to keep the conversation flowing, the pages turning, or the pen on the move, so we start this blend with a wonderful cream black tea. We then added rosebuds for creativity and sustenance, passionflower and lavender for flavor and aroma, and top it off with a bit of chamomile which adds a calming balance to it all. Customers often tell us this is our prettiest tea!
All Plum Deluxe teas are hand-blended and infused with love in Portland, Oregon.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Oh wow! This tea has a delightful aroma! I can smell the floral notes – the passionflower, the lavender and the rose … along with hints of chamomile – and these beautifully fragrant flowers mingle with the notes of vanilla cream and it’s intoxicating! I imagine that this amazing scent would be the perfect accompaniment while reading a favorite book, a fantastical fragrance along with the fantasy of literature.
On the Plum Deluxe webpage for this tea, there are little snippets of customer responses about the tea. One that stood out to me was this:
A black tea with an herbal taste. Very cleansing aftertaste.
I think that this really describes the flavor of this tea quite well. I probably would only edit this comment to add the word “floral” behind the word “herbal” because I think that these two descriptive words better clarify what I’m tasting. It’s a black tea and the black tea base is mellow – I suspect it’s a Ceylon – and the herbaceous tones and floral notes come through as the strongest, most forward flavors, but without completely overwhelming the flavor of the black tea.
Now, usually, I’m in full support of a tea tasting more like tea and less like it’s additives. However, in the case of this blend, I think that I rather like the way the floral notes dance upon the palate. I like that the black tea is more of a supportive background ‘voice’ that allows these flowery tastes to take on the lead of this tasty symphony of flavors.
It’s really quite dreamy – the flavor of this cuppa!
And what makes it so dreamy is not the floral notes or the black tea – but the cream notes. The cream is not a dominant or aggressive flavor in this cup of tea, but it seems to be the stage that brings everything together so harmoniously.
When it comes to brewing this tea, I recommend using a slightly lower temperature. I think that the floral notes are better expressed when the water is just below boiling (I used water heated to 200°F). After giving the pouch a shake to redistribute the ingredients, I measured a heaping bamboo scoop into the basket of my Kati Tumbler and added the water and let it steep for 3 minutes. Perfection!
24 Days of Tea Holiday Countdown – Day 1 from Teanzo 1856
Every year since we’ve been doing this SororiTea Sisters thing, I’ve done a Holiday countdown/Advent calendar of tea. For the previous four years, I’ve done a 12 Teas of Christmas, but this year, I’ve decided to do things a little different. This year, I’m going to double down on the 12 Teas of Christmas and go for a full Advent Calender of 24 Days of Tea!
The company I’ll be featuring for the countdown this year is Teanzo 1856! I’m so excited! The teas arrived in a bright red gift box with a festive label on the top featuring Teanzo’s cute elephant logo. Inside the box were 12 coppery colored, small sample packets, each with a numbered label on the front. They are glued – rather securely, really, I think they need a glue less tacky for this job – to a strip of card-stock. On the back of each packet is the name of the tea and the list of ingredients. Inside is the good stuff: a sample portion of each tea – just enough for my Kati Tumbler! Also included is a package of DIY loose leaf tea bags so that you can brew these right in your favorite mug.
Because the packets are securely attached to the card-stock strip, it isn’t easily revealed which tea will be enjoyed the next day (so it’s a little bit of a surprise until you remove the sampler from the box), which helps keep those that are inclined to “cheat” at bay a little bit. A persistent “cheater” would be able to find out easily what future days have in store, of course, it’s not that difficult and it’s not like some of the other countdown boxes that I’ve had in the past where I either would need to open the pouch to find out what tea is inside, or scratch off a “scratcher” (like the lotto cards) to find out what tea is inside.
While the element of surprise is a fun thing, it isn’t the most important thing about these calendars. For me, I like the idea of having a different tea every day. I like counting down to the holiday with tea. Mostly because – and this may come as no big surprise to you – I like tea.
So without further ado, I will announce the first day of the countdown – there are 24 days until the big day – today’s tea is:
Winter Earl Grey
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Teanzo 1856
Tea Description:
Our Winter Earl Grey Tea is sure to please with this creamy twist on a classic Earl Grey. The vanilla tones down the citrus flavors and is a perfect way to warm up this season.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
So my first thought is: Teanzo knows how to kick off a countdown right! Earl Grey baby! This Winter Earl Grey Tea is – essentially – an Earl Grey Creme tea. I’ve had some really good Earl Grey Creme teas and I’ve had some less than memorable ones … and I’ve had some that aren’t even worth mentioning. This Winter Earl Grey Tea is a really good Earl Grey Creme!
My first indication that this is a good Earl Grey Creme? When I opened the pouch I could smell a strong bergamot aroma. STRONG! I like that. I like that while I could smell the creamy vanilla tones, the bergamot stood out – loud and clear! This is an Earl Grey first, a creamy Earl Grey second.
And what can I say? I’m a happy tea drinker at this moment. There are few teas out there that elicit as much joy from me as a good Earl Grey tea and/or a variation of the classic Earl Grey (like an Earl Grey Creme).
To brew this: well, as I said above, these little sampler pouches holds just the PERFECT amount for my Kati Tumbler. This Advent Calender does include 24 unbleached loose leaf tea bags (and the amount in the sampler pouch is also just the right amount for these tea bags, should you decide to use them instead of the Kati Tumbler), but I prefer my tumbler.
I poured the contents of the sampler pouch into the basket of my tumbler and then added boiling water to the tumbler and let it steep for 3 minutes. Earl Grey Creme (or Winter Earl Grey!) perfection!
I’m overjoyed that this tastes as good as it smells. The bergamot has a clear and well-defined profile in this cup. The creme does not overpower the Earl Grey. The sharper notes of the bergamot are softened by the notes of vanilla. The creamy vanilla adds a sweetness to contrast with the tangy bergamot. It’s a nice contrast: sweet, creamy (almost fluffy!) vanilla together with the sharp, vibrant notes of bergamot.
And let’s not forget about the black tea base because without it … we wouldn’t be drinking tea, now would we? The black tea is not overwhelmed by the presence of the bergamot and vanilla. Conversely, the black tea is not an overly assertive flavor in the cup. Instead, it offers a smooth and rich backdrop of flavor and allows the sweet vanilla and citrus-y bergamot do their thing in the foreground. It’s not a bitter tea nor is it what I’d call astringent.
Overall, a really LOVELY tea, this Winter Earl Grey. It’s a fantastic way to kick off this countdown to Christmas Day!
Mindful Morning Blend from Plum Deluxe
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Plum Deluxe
Tea Description:
The mindful morning blend is the Plum Deluxe take on classic Earl Grey.
Everyone loves Earl Grey, but we found a way to make it even better so that we can start every day with a tea blend that is truly luxurious. We began with our absolute favorite black tea, Ceylon – it is a tea from Sri Lanka that has a gentle vanilla flavor to it. We then added a tiny pinch of sweet honey, a bit of flavor and color with the cornflowers, and topped it off with the bergamot oil that makes earl grey so famous. The orange peels give it a final flavor boost.
All Plum Deluxe teas are hand-blended and infused with love in Portland, Oregon.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I’m enjoying my second cup of this tea. With the first cup, I neglected to “shake” the pouch and this is one tea where you want to do that. There are honey crystals in the tea and they tend to settle to the bottom of the package so you want to mix it up a little before you scoop out the tea.
I wasn’t too sure about having honey crystals in my tea. I have often said that I prefer it when tea companies don’t put sugar, honey crystals, stevia or other sweeteners in my tea because I like to decide if I want to have a sweeter tea. I like to make that decision for myself and not have it made for me. But, I like the honey in this. I like the touch of honey flavor.
To brew this, I used my Kati Tumbler. I decided to use the tumbler rather than the tea maker because I didn’t want to put honey in the tea maker. I don’t know why, but, I made the catastrophic mistake of attempting to heat milk in an electric tea kettle a long time ago, (before there was a Breville One-Touch) and since that time, I have been very careful about what I’ll put in my kettles.
Learn from my mistake and don’t ever heat anything except water in tea kettles. Just say no.
After shaking the pouch and getting some of those honey crystals to the surface, I measured 1 bamboo scoop of tea into the basket of my Kati and added 12 ounces of boiling water to the tumbler. I steeped the tea for 3 minutes and removed the basket. Now I have a tumbler full of Earl Grey yumminess.
This is actually a spin on an Earl Grey Creme tea. And it’s quite lovely.
The black tea base is a smooth, medium-bodied Ceylon. It has a pleasant flavor that’s a little earthy and a wee bit malty. It has a slightly dry finish, indicating some astringency. I would say it’s mildly astringent and it doesn’t detract from the enjoyment of the cup or the smoothness of the sip.
The bergamot is not exceptionally strong in this blend, but I think that’s probably because the vanilla notes have softened the bergamot, creating a lovely citrus-y, creamy flavor that hints at caramel tones. Bring in the light honey notes from the honey crystals and that’s where this tea really “hits the sweet spot.” The honey plus the caramel is delightfully delicious.
I do get a bright, tangy note of bergamot that’s softer than a typical Earl Grey. Then again, this isn’t a typical Earl Grey and it’s not meant to be. The vanilla adds a touch creamy. The orange peel highlights the brightness of the bergamot. And these flavors mingle in a really beautiful way with the aforementioned honeyed caramel. Mmm!
This is the first tea that I’ve tried from Plum Deluxe, and I’m so pleased with it! I really like what I’ve seen (and tasted!) from this company thus far. I love that they’re a company based locally (Portland, Oregon) and I was touched by the story that inspired the company. And I just LOVED getting a purple bubble envelope in the mail the other day! What fun! (Get it? Plum Deluxe? Purple Envelope? Loved it!)
White Coconut Crème Tea from Art of Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: Art of Tea
Tea Description:
Immerse yourself into a cup of this dreamy tropical infusion! With its light body and smooth creamy texture, it’s no wonder this tea is a favorite of many Art of Tea customers! Delivers a sweet and soothing balance of coconut and is great hot, iced or as a dessert tea.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Yum!
I figured I’d like this tea. I mean, I like coconut and the lighter flavor of the white tea base would really allow those coconut flavors to shine through nicely. And this is a really tasty tea!
To brew it, I grabbed my reliable Kati tumbler and put 1 1/2 bamboo scoops of tea into the basket (when it comes to brewing white teas, I usually use a little extra leaf) and heated the water to 180°F. That was an absent minded mistake, actually. I usually use a lower temperature for white teas, but, I was thinking “green tea” when I started brewing this tea. I’m not sure why, exactly. I steeped the tea for 3 minutes.
Fortunately, my absent minded mistake while setting the temperature for the kettle didn’t upset the tea!
The coconut is really strong and flavorful. And it tastes like genuine coconut. It doesn’t have a fake or artificial flavor. It’s smooth and it has that slick “coconut” flavor.
The white tea base is sweet and light in flavor. It’s a delicate tea. The Art of Tea website doesn’t reveal what type of white tea this is – or at least, I couldn’t find the identification of the white tea anywhere on the website. But to this tea drinker’s eye, I would say that it is either a White Peony or a Shou Mei. The sampling that I had of this tea appeared to look more like a Shou Mei or at the very least like a combination of both White Peony and Shou Mei.
I like that while the coconut is a strong taste in this cup, it doesn’t overpower the hay-like notes of the white tea. It has a sweet crispness to it. The white tea is tasted but it still allows the blend to serve as a celebration of the sweet, creamy joyful taste that is coconut!
This tea would make a really delightful dessert tea, and it tastes great hot or cold. (Note: the tea actually seems to get “creamier” as it cools! Mmm!) I found the tea to be really enjoyable and I’d recommend this tea to anyone looking for a delicious coconut tea!