The thing I was originally going to write about this was “this tastes like the Hogwarts library.” I was going to talk about the vegetal green taste with the rich old spices, like herbology books being read by Neville Longbottom after a long day of academia. I had a variety of very interesting, seemingly novel ideas.
(NOVEL IDEAS? GET IT?)
Then I went to 52Teas’ own description which — I do not jest — literally says: “I’m a huge Harry Potter fan and have been for a lot of years so this year as my Halloween offering, I decided I wanted to celebrate my favorite books with a tribute to one of the wizarding world’s favorite juices: Pumpkin Juice!”
I don’t remember the words “pumpkin juice” being used in the Potterverse, but apparently the association was subliminal, because there I was, browsing the Hogwarts library’s forbidden section and trying not to get bitten by books with the best of them.
The tea itself tastes like pumpkin, pineapple, and spices. It’s a cool mix!
I’ve tried a bunch of Pumpkin Spice beverages this autumn, and this one stands out as the most original. It’s the only one that features green tea (!) and pineapples (!).
I suppose if you are a pumpkin spice classicist, you can drink your black pumpkin tea in your mundane Muggle life.
I, on the other hand, will be sharing this cup with Hagrid and Fang
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green Flavored Tea
Where to Buy: 52Teas
Description
I’m a huge Harry Potter fan and have been for a lot of years so this year as my Halloween offering, I decided I wanted to celebrate my favorite books with a tribute to one of the wizarding world’s favorite juices: Pumpkin Juice!
Having never actually tasted pumpkin juice, I googled “pumpkin juice” for some ideas on recipes for it. There are a few different recipes online for pumpkin juice and each of them were a little different. Some were a combination of orange juice and pumpkin juice – which sounded interesting! Another included dried apricots instead of the orange juice – also interesting! Others were made with peach or pear juice. But the recipe that appealed to me most was one that combined pumpkin, apple juice, pineapple juice and spices. I thought that the apple would add some pleasant sweetness to the savory quality of the pumpkin and the pineapple juice would add some brightness to the overall flavor.
I started with a base of fair-trade, rainforest alliance certified Satemwa estate green teas (OP1 & Zomba Steamed) and added chunks of dried pumpkin, freeze-dried apples and pineapple, allspice, cinnamon, ginger and touch of freshly shaved nutmeg. The fruits do soften the flavor of the pumpkin somewhat however, the overall flavor is quite autumn-y and delicious.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Holiday Blend Alert! Spiced Pumpkin Pie from Bluebird Tea Co.
In my family, the holidays mean nothing without our traditions. Buy Christmas PJs together the day after Thanksgiving? Check. (Even as adults. Yup, this is a real thing, you guys.) Go to the orchard every autumn and come home with enough apples to keep us flush with homemade applesauce until the cows come home? Check. (Still eating that applesauce, btw). Surprise each other with new books on Christmas Eve and spend all day cozied up (in our Christmas PJs, naturally) and reading? Check. (That’s one of my faves).
But no Thanksgiving tradition runs as deep in our family as pumpkin pie. My grandma used to make the MOST delicious pumpkin pie yearly, only for Thanksgiving, and my plethora of cousins and I would duke it out for the biggest slice year after year. Even now after she’s gone, my mom and aunts carry on her tradition at our family gatherings. I’ve tried to play with her recipe a few times, tweaking it to be grain- and dairy-free– and while I’ve gotten it close, nothing tops the memory I have of the sweet, creamy, spicy, toothsome (and hard-won) pie of my childhood.
That said, if a tea is going to claim to taste not just like pumpkin, but pumpkin PIE? I’m going to hold it to some high standards. This black tea blend from Bluebird Tea Co hits many marks– not every mark, but enough that I can definitely give it my pie-stamp of approval. A bagged black tea with visible chunks (pumpkin sprinkles? maybe dried sweet potato?), it definitely delivers on the pie flavors I’ve come to know and love– sweet, creamy, almost vanilla crust-like notes, complimented by a heart dose of squash and spice. This tea takes cream and sweet well, and my dash of added maple syrup only likely elevated these flavors.
The only downfall I found was that when hot, this tea has a bit of a bitter aftertaste that I didn’t care for. When my cup cooled down, this bitter-ish flash all but disappeared, and the rest of the cup was a sweet delight. This might not be my grandma’s pie, but it’s close. Sipping on cups of this in November just might be a new addition to my autumn traditions!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Flavored Black Tea
Where to Buy: Bluebird Tea Co.
This tea is no longer available but these holiday teas are!
pssst!……..Who Farted? Tea from Adagio Signature Blends #VeganMoFo 2016
Here at the SororiTEA Sisters a few of us may not be very ‘Lady Like’ so when I saw pssst!……..Who Farted? Tea from Adagio Signature Blends by Jeffrey McWhirter I was a little TOO EXCITED to try it!
The product description of this tea – is as follows – When a Pumpkin passes gas it smells like warm orange-pumpkin bread. This fun blend consist of pumpkin spice, cream black tea with honeybush orange(with apples,orange peels and cranberry accents).
Today’s Vegan MoFo prompt is Silly Fun Day! How could I NOT tie in pssst!……..Who Farted? Tea from Adagio Signature Blends by Jeffrey McWhirter? I mean…c’mon. The name alone screams silliness!
This tea base is made up of black tea and honeybush and contains cinnamon bark, natural pumpkin spice flavor, orange peels, cloves, ginger root, natural creme flavor, natural orange flavor, marigold flowers, cardamom. It’s accented with apple pieces, cranberry, and orange peels, too! What’s REALLY cool is that Adagio’s Cream is dairy-free!
I’ve always enjoyed flavored teas that lean more toward baked goods this fall and holiday season instead! pssst!……..Who Farted? Tea from Adagio Signature Blends by Jeffrey McWhirter is a good flavored tea to start with! The sweet of the honeybush, the black tea base I know and love, the pumpkin, orange, and cranberry flavors you seek in a holiday bread, and the spices, fruit, and creaminess on to the aftertaste. There is so much going on here and so many layers of flavor but everything works so well together and I have to say it’s pretty amazing to see, smell, and taste! It’s so festive, so funny, so silly and so FUN!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black Tea Blend
Where to Buy: Adagio Teas
Description
When a Pumpkin passes gas it smells like warm orange-pumpkin bread. Lol This fun blend consist of pumpkin spice, cream black tea with honeybush orange.(with apples,orange peels and cranberry accents) I use milk and sweetener to bring out the distinct flavors of this blend.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Elevating Your Tea Game: Pumpkin Brulee Lattes With a Kick!
Sometimes you just need an added kick to wind down from your day. This is exactly what I did with Pumpkin Brulee from The NecessiTeas.
If you aren’t familiar with The NecessiTeas, I encourage you to check them out. They offer amazing fresh teas with wonderful flavors that provide that soul soothing love that you can only get from a proper cuppa. Over the last few weeks, I have really found myself falling more and more in love with them. Particularly this tea.
So before I chat about the latte and how I prepared it, I wanted to properly review the tea itself. If you are a fan of pumpkin, I highly recommend checking out this tea. This is a black flavored pumpkin tea with chunks of caramel, butterscotch and spices, topped off with a dusting of brown sugar. Need I say more? This tea literally tastes like a caramel pumpkin dessert in a mug (without the calories!) One of the best pumpkin dessert teas I’ve had for sure and one that I’ve spent a good portion of the day with. For a flavored tea, the flavor has lasted thru several infusions. Gotta love that!
My husband and I aren’t huge drinkers but we do love a properly mixed drink now and again. I’m always trying to find ways to incorporate a shot of this or that into my tea and I think I have figured out the right combination.
Brew your tea like your normally would. Pour into your cup, leaving room for the topping.
Take 1/2 cup of milk (I use almond) with a shot of Irish Cream. Mix together and pour into your cuppa. Top with whip cream and a sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice on top and you are done! Nothing hard by any means but a fun way to enjoy the tea and add a special little touch.
Earlier in the day I did froth up milk with my Breville frother and created an amazing pumpkin latte that rivaled the ones at the coffee and tea shops. It was rich, creamy, and perfectly pumpkin!
Highly recommended this tea for the upcoming holiday season. There are so many different ways you can spruce the tea up or just drink it on its own. I know I’ll be drinking a lot of these tea cocktails over the next couple of months!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: The NecessiTeas
Description
A bountiful harvest of sweet, spice and everything nice. This warming black tea is the perfect accompaniment to crisp Fall days. A blend of warm pumpkin and flavors of sweet caramel, butterscotch, brown sugar, and creamy vanilla create this seasonal indulgence. Enjoy with a touch of milk and sweetener of choice.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Pumpkin Spice from Simpson & Vail
As with any seasonally-significant stereotype (I love them ALL, you guys), pumpkin spice is my jam. I’ve tried a fair number of pumpkin teas in my day, and let me tell you– they can be tricky to nail down. Too often, the pumpkin flavor comes across as fake, or barely-there, or the “spice” is way overdone, leaving no “pumpkin” to be found. I was eager to try this blend from Simpson & Vail as in my experience, they always knock it out of the park when it comes to flavors.
Did they capture a delicious flavor? Totally. Was it entirely pumpkin-y? I’m still not sure. This tea has absolutely none of the fake-y pumpkin flavor I’ve come to despise in my seasonal teas (woo hoo!), but it’s coming across more gingerbread-y to me in my first cup. Maybe my brain is just jumping ahead a season or two, but while the spices are on point, I’m having a hard time picking up pumpkin in my freshly-steeped cup. As it cools, however, the pumpkin begins to sneak in a bit more, and I’m greeted with a delightful cup of fall goodness.
Later, I try it as a tea latte with a scoop of pureed pumpkin stirred in and a splash of coconut cream and maple syrup, and BAM– there’s that autumnal flavor I was looking for! I’ll definitely be drinking this one again.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Simpson & Vail
Description
The stories of pumpkins, both in history and fables, make this fall fruit a staple in American diets. Their importance in American history began when the Native American Indians saved the Pilgrims from starvation by sharing this fall favorite. From fairies creating a pumpkin coach for Cinderella to Peter, Peter Pumpkin Eater to the endless faces of Jack-o’-lanterns, we have grown up with pumpkins as a part of our culture. Every Fall I watch with delight as the pumpkins reach maturity, anxiously awaiting the tastes of pumpkin soups, pumpkin breads, and, of course, pumpkin pie!
This blend combines black teas with pumpkin and spice flavor to create a deep amber cup that is velvety smooth and aromatic. Its light, delicious taste is reminiscent of pumpkin custard. This tea, enjoyed year round, just adds another sensory delight to the mystique of the pumpkin!
Ingredients: black teas, pumpkin flavor and marigold petals.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!