Hello to my wonderful tea friends! It is finally March and we are starting to see a bit of a reprieve from the crazy cold winter we had. This month is actually pretty special to me because, well, I turn 40 in just a few weeks. I’m really not all that wrapped up in age, it just seems like this year is going to be a pretty big year for my family. I’m turning 40 and my kiddo is becoming a freshman at high school. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve asked him to stop growing (he is taller than me). Sigh. . . .But at least I have a fun tea to chat about from my monthly subscription plan with Farmhouse Teas (aka St. Fiacres Farm).
This month it was like my friends at FarmHouse Teas just knew what I would like because it is like they flavored up a genmaicha just for me. . . .Tropical Genmaicha Green Tea is this month’s blend. I’m a sucker for a solid genmaicha and couldn’t wait to see what FarmHouse Teas had come up with.
This genmaicha flavored blend is a bit different than other flavored genmaichas I’ve had in the past. Most of the flavored genmaichas I’ve had in the past were dessert like or sweet sugary. I was excited to check out a tropical genmaicha.
Brewed up with freshly prepped water at 180F and allowed to steep for well, a bit- I sort of got distracted with a work project and forgot I had tea brewing. I am happy to report though that this blend tastes fabulous, even though the steep was a bit longer than it really should have been, especially since there is hibiscus in the blend.
This blend is delicious and a perfect tea to drink today to enjoy this warm spell hitting our Midwestern area. The tea is a bit tart but that is more than likely my fault due to the oversteep. Beyond that, the tea is fresh with all of the beloved roasted toasted flavors that only a genmaicha can deliver with fresh pops of berries and a sweetness that I’m not entirely sure where it is coming from. There is stevia in this blend but the sweetness doesn’t taste like stevia. I’m wondering if the sweetness isn’t coming from the large peach pieces in the blend.
All in all, a pretty unique take on a flavored genmaicha. As I look at the ingredients, I’m thinking this blend would be an amazing cold brew- hibiscus, lemongrass, coconut flakes, goji berries, peach pieces, and stevia. I’m a bit worried how the stevia will be in a cold brew but hopefully there is just a smidge added so it won’t be identifiable. (Not in the stevia fan club)
Each and every month I so look forward to my FarmHouse Teas package. Last month I wasn’t crazy about the blend, but the blend was completely out of the box and I appreciate the effort (plus the tea was coated in cocoa powder and I’m not a huge chocolate fan). Highly recommend their monthly tea service if you are in the market for a hand blended unique blended tea each and every month. I know I’ve been a subscriber for a while now and I don’t see myself cancelling anytime soon. Especially if they keep making blends like this one.
Want to Know More About This Tea?
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: FarmhouseTeas
Description
This blend is part of the month subscription plan. Click below to hear more about FarmHouse Teas plan.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Farmer’s Market Strawberry from Farmhouse Teas. . . .
Farmhouse Teas aka St Fiacre’s Farm Teas are among some of my favorites. These teas are hand crafted and created with such love that you can literally taste the care in each sip. I have been a fan of their teas for some time and belong to their monthly tea club.
Last month I received a sample of Farmer’s Market Strawberry along with my other goodies. So far I have devoured the majority of the teas I’ve received from the Farmhouse Teas lineup and I couldn’t wait to try this one.
Brewed up my water at 180 and allowed the tea to steep for about three minutes. The moment this tea started brewing you can smell the strawberries and a few of the other inclusions. This tea blend consists of sencha green tea, strawberry leaf, rosehips, hibiscus, licorice root, lemon peel, rose petals and strawberries. The look of this tea is just stunning and I was hoping the tea would taste as amazing as it looks.
Unfortunately for me, I think this tea has a bit more licorice root than I care for. The rest of the tea is simply divine- green tea, strawberry, hibiscus, rose petals, etc but there is this bite that I keep getting and I have a feeling it is coming from the licorice root. Normally licorice root doesn’t bother me too much but I think in this instant since the other flavors are delicate and tart, the licorice root is just shining.
If the licorice root wasn’t so dominant, this tea would be out of this world amazing. The sweet and tart flavors play very well and provide this happy brew that just leaves you smiling. I’m wondering if the licorice root was replaced with marshmallow root if I would like the blend more.
Regardless, I’m super happy I was able to try this blend and hope to try more Farmhouse Teas soon. I’m eagerly awaiting my March package of tea goodies!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Farmhouse Teas
Description
Welcome to our FarmHouse Teas line! Earthy Sencha Green Tea paired with Oregon Strawberries straight from the local farmer’s market! This is the tastiest way to enjoy Oregon strawberries year around. This tea offers light strawberry notes followed by a hint of citrus. Great brewed hot but perfect for summer time iced tea brewing as well.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Winter Wonder Berry Tea/FarmHouse Teas from St Fiacres Farm
About a year ago or so, I took a solid look at my tea stash and realized I had way too many teas that I had been neglecting and cancelled all of my tea subscription plans. I adored the teas I was getting, but decided that I really needed to buckle down and drink what I already had. The only subscription I kept was Sipsby because, well for $15, you can’t really go wrong with their offerings no matter how much tea you have.
Fast forward to the present day and I’m happy to say, I’ve drank down a considerable amount of my tea stash and decided it was time to pick up one tea subscription plan. I have done Plum Deluxe, Blend Bee, 52Teas and a few others in the past, but I wanted to go a different route. Right about that same time when I was trying to see which one I wanted to go with, I received an email from the lovely people at St Fiacres Farm about their new FarmHouse Teas. I checked out the site and remembered that St Fiacres Farm offered a tea subscription plan. Each month you are sent one of their teas (1oz) and a few goodies. So far, I’m super impressed with what I’ve received but this blend I devoured in just a few sittings.
Winder Wonder Berry Tea is a blend of green rooibos (my favorite!), peppermint, spearmint, berries, and a few other inclusions. Besides this tea smelling amazing, the look of this tea is just wonderfully comforting.
I prepared this tea with with fresh boiled water and allowed to steep for 6 minutes, then allowed the tea to cool for about 3 minutes. Took my first sip and was in heaven. Fresh blueberries with mint and a honey background with notes of a sweet tartness probably coming from the vanilla extract and hibiscus. This tea has it all. It is refreshing, crisp, and down right amazing.
Green rooibos teas really don’t get much better than this and this is one tea that I’m going to need to get more of STAT. I can’t wait to try this tea as a cold brew if I can save some for the upcoming summer months.
And what where my treats to go along with this blend? Glad you asked. The most amazing toffee I’ve ever had. Ever heard of cashew almond toffee? Or do I just need to get out more? This treat was simply heaven and one that if I do place a larger order soon to get more of this tea, you bet there will be a few toffees thrown in to go along with my tea!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green Rooibos
Where to Buy: St. Fiacres Farm
Description
Brew’s up a light greenish brown color with hints of pink from the berries. A slightly tart berry flavor greets you before surrounding you with minty freshness from the peppermint and spearmint.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!