Day 17! How many of you have finished your shopping?
Me either.
Today’s artwork comes from Jeri Aaron from the last 12 Days of Christmas Art Swap I was in (I think it was from 2012). She “stuffed” a holiday mitten with a Santa Stuffy. I think it was originally created to be a broach or something like that because there’s a pin back on it, but, it’s kind of big for a broach. (At least for me.) But, I really liked it and so I decided to make it a wall ornament for the holidays. I hang it along with the stockings to add a little bit of color to the place where the stockings are ‘hung with care.’ (We don’t hang our stockings by the fireplace. We hang our stockings on the wall next to the front door in the living room.)
Anyway, this was a fun little gift to receive. It seems like with these exchanges, most of the people are focused on making tree ornaments (myself included!) so, it’s nice to get something just a little different and unexpected like this. It’s a fun gift.
Today’s tea was also quite fun and festive!
Cranberry Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Teanzo 1856
Tea Description:
Delicious black tea with cranberries is a holiday delight. Cranberry Tea makes a wonderful gift for a holiday host or a great stocking stuffer.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
The appearance of the dry leaf is really pretty, lots of little red safflower petals and a couple of big chunks of freeze-dried cranberries. The aroma of the dry leaf is black tea with a berry note.
I brewed this the same way I’ve brewed most of the teas in this wonderful Advent Calendar from Teanzo, in my Kati Tumbler. I poured the contents of the sampler pouch into the basket of the tumbler and added 12 ounces of boiling water. I let it steep for 3 minutes.
The brewed tea has a sweet smell with notes of berry and black tea. I let the tea cool for a few minutes – a few minutes cool time is really essential to getting those flavors to pop!
Tasty! The sip starts out surprisingly sweet: sweeter than I expected since this is a cranberry tea and cranberries are usually quite tart. But as the sip progresses, some of those tart notes come forward to contrast with that sweet start. It’s almost a jammy start. It’s sweet and quite pleasant.
The mid-sip is where I notice most of the tartness of the berry, but the sweet notes in this tea help to soften the tartness so I’m not experiencing a pucker with this tea. I also get just a hint of berry tingle in the aftertaste.
The black tea base is smooth. No bitterness nor is there a strong astringent tone to the finish. Some astringency, not a lot. The black tea seems to complement the cranberry well.
Overall, this is a very enjoyable tea and I’m glad that it was included in the Advent Calendar!
24 Days of Tea Holiday Countdown – Day 16 from Teanzo 1856
It’s Day 16 of this Advent Calendar/Holiday Countdown with Teanzo 1856. There are eight days left to shop! Every year, I tell myself that I’ll start my shopping early, but every year, I end up waiting until the last minute. (Sigh!)
For today’s artistic inspiration, I am turning to another piece that I received in a 12 Days of Christmas mail art swap. The artist I’m featuring today is Gwynn Thoma, and she made this beautiful rustic heart ornament for my tree.
This is another one of those ornaments that’s just FUN to discover every year when I start “unwrapping” all my ornaments for the tree. It’s so cute and there are so many neat little details about it that I seem to keep finding something new about it every year. I also like the bit of rustic whimsy it adds to my tree.
Another thing that really stood out to me about this particular ornament was the packaging. Gwynn stitched together little “envelopes out of Kraft paper and adorned them with bits of aged sheet music and a swatch of the burlap that she used to create the heart ornament. It’s a very clever and lovely package and I love how it “matches” the gift that was tucked inside.
I hope that you guys are enjoying my art “roundup” as well as the countdown to Christmas with teas from Teanzo this year!
Seasonal Relief Herbal Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Tulsi
Where to Buy: Teanzo 1856
Tea Description:
In India, licorice root is used to soothe sore throats, and the tulsi plant is revered for its many health benefits. In this delicious herbal wellness tea, we’ve combined licorice root and tulsi with a powerhouse of helpers: peppermint, hibiscus, honey bee pollen, and eucalyptus. Not only is the tea delicious, but it is soothing too. Enjoy this tea hot or iced.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I suffer from seasonal allergies that seem to last all year long now. I never used to! Before moving to the Pacific Northwest, I didn’t have allergies. But I guess with all the pollen in this area, I soon started feeling unwell in the spring with allergy symptoms, but because I never had allergies before, I thought maybe it was something else.
Then I started taking allergy medication and my symptoms disappeared. At first, I only needed these toward the end of winter, through spring and at the very start of summer. Then I started needing it through summer. Now, I need the medication year round or I start sneezing, eyes start watering and I’m just really uncomfortable with my symptoms.
So, I am always looking for a tisane that I enjoy that might help me alleviate my symptoms so that I don’t have to take so much allergy medication. So when I saw that this was a Seasonal Relief blend, I was excited to try it.
Unfortunately, I’m just not enjoying this one very much. Perhaps it’s the eucalyptus, but I feel like I’m sipping on liquefied VapoRub.
At first, I enjoyed the peppermint and licorice-y notes, and I could taste notes of tulsi that I enjoyed. But after drinking about 1/4th of the cup, the flavor of the eucalyptus seemed to build and it got to the point where all I could taste was the eucalyptus and this does not create a very pleasant cup for me.
On the plus side, the hibiscus is not a heavy flavor or texture. I think that this could be much nicer if maybe there was less eucalyptus, and maybe a little more peppermint and tulsi.
Overall, this just wasn’t my cup of tea. They can’t all be, though. Teanzo has had some real winners with this Advent Calender, this just didn’t do it for me, so hopefully tomorrow, we’ll have something yummy!
Mintberry Pine Green Tea Blend from M & K’s Tea Company
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: M&K’s Tea Company on Etsy
Tea Description:
Sweet roasted sloe berries doused in honey and liquid hibiscus, tossed with fresh spearmint and 3-distinct green teas, paired with real pine needles. That’s Mintberry Pine. It’s our limited-edition green tea holiday blend that offers a more complex, subtle taste (as opposed to mint exploding in your mouth with the force of a white hot sun). If you’re a green tea lover, mint lover, berry lover, or all three, this tea is perfect for you. Get it while it’s here!
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
When I saw that M&K’s Tea Company had some really intriguing holiday blends, I decided that I needed (yes, needed) to try them! Fortunately, they understood this need and they offered a Wintertime Tea Sampler! This sampler offers five different teas: Moroccan Mint, Pine Needle Tea, Winterwolf Tea, White Vanilla Peppermint and this Mintberry Pine Green Tea. These samples were all packed into a special sampler package that’s just the right size for stocking stuffers. It’s a handsome package, something that Santa would be proud to give!
Before I received my package, I received a message from Marty (the “M” of M&K’s, I think!) explaining that the Mintberry Pine (and the Pine Needle Tea) are both very subtle teas. He recommended steeping them a little longer than the package directs and to allow plenty of steep room for the leaves (let them steep loose in the teapot instead of using an infuser tool).
To steep, I grabbed my small teapot (4 cup size) and dusted it off – it’s been a while since I’ve used this! I have gotten spoiled with my Breville! I warmed the teapot and poured the contents of the sampler into the teapot and heated 16 ounces of water to 180°F. Then I poured the water into the teapot and let it steep for 3 1/2 minutes. The package suggests 2 – 4 1/2 minutes, but I couldn’t bear to let a green tea steep longer than 3 1/2 minutes. I was willing to sacrifice a little of the mint, berry and pine flavors but I didn’t want a bitter green tea.
Yes, the flavors are a little subtle, but I like that I’m tasting all the elements of this tea and that the green tea doesn’t taste bitter.
I like the subtle flavor of the mint here. I like that I have a crisp, cool minty taste without it tasting like I added a shot of mouthwash to my cup of green tea.
The berry notes add some sweetness and not a lot of tartness (which I was a little apprehensive about because I saw liquid hibiscus up there in the description). There is a light, tingly tart tone that tickles the tongue (try saying that five times fast) in the aftertaste, but that’s to be expected with berry blends. I’m also picking up a delightful honeyed note from the honey roasting process. Nice touch.
The pine needles are the softest flavor component of the three elements in the name of this tea. I do get a very slight, resinous pine note to this that hits the palate right at the start and then it quickly disappears and reappears just after mid-sip, just to remind me that it is there. It’s very faint and it’s something that I think I’d have missed if I didn’t search for it.
However, as I continue to sip, I taste more and more of the pine, and by the time I’m halfway through my second cup of this tea, I’m getting a nice pine note. It never becomes a strong presence, but it certainly is a noticeable presence at this point.
And let us not forget that we’re drinking tea here. There’s a soft, buttery note of green tea. It’s lightly grassy (and I think that the grassy tones accentuate both the pine and the mint notes in a positive way), and it has a nice mouthfeel. It’s not bitter nor is it overly astringent, even though I steeped it longer than I typically would steep a green tea. I think that this could have even gone another 30 seconds to 1 full minute longer without bitterness!
Overall, a very unique blend. Certainly festive and definitely different from the other teas that everyone else is producing out there! Bravo M&K!
24 Days of Tea Holiday Countdown – Day 14 from Teanzo 1856
Today is Day 14 in this lovely holiday countdown. I love counting down with tea. I’m sure I’ve probably mentioned that already. But … tea is one of my very favorite things about life itself so I’ll probably end up saying it again before this countdown is over!
For today’s artistic inspiration, I chose one of my very favorite ornaments from what I believe is one of the very earliest 12 Days of Christmas mail art swaps that I was involved in and if I remember correctly, this is one that I actually hosted.
The artist’s name is Betsey. I wish I could remember her last name. (I’m so sorry Betsey!) I do remember that she lives somewhere in Washington State, I just don’t recall her name.
Anyway, Betsey made this amazing little metal bird for our 12 Days of Christmas Swap. Isn’t it adorable? It adds a little charm and whimsy to my tree, and I’m always happy to see it as I’m unwrapping all the ornaments to put on the tree each year (I wrap all my ornaments in tissue paper because most are delicate. This one isn’t so much delicate as I just don’t want it to shift to the bottom of the box and possibly get lost, so it’s better to have it tucked in a bit of tissue paper with the other ornies!
Breakfast Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Teanzo 1856
Tea Description:
You will love this loose leaf breakfast tea! It has a rich aroma and bold flavor with a smooth finish. The young leaf tea buds also known as golden tips in this Assam, add to the complex flavors of the leaf tea, with a hint of maltiness. Drink this iced or hot to get going with your day, or as a quick perk up throughout the day. Buy this loose leaf breakfast tea online today!
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I was excited to flip over packet #14 and find that today’s tea would be Teanzo’s Breakfast Tea. I am always eager to try a rich, delicious breakfast tea – whether it be a blend or just one type of tea like this one (this is an Assam tea with golden tips), the term “breakfast tea” to me means a robust cup of tea with plenty of that go-get-’em kind of gusto that I need to energize me.
That’s something that I love about tea: there is such a rich, diverse world of tea that you can find teas that will invigorate you as well as other teas that will soothe and relax you. There’s always something out there in the world of tea to help you with whatever you’re going through.
And I wanted something strong and bold today – and this tea filled the bill … to a TEA! (Ha ha … punny. OK, maybe not.)
This Breakfast Tea is wonderful! I had finished about half the cup before I started writing this because I was enjoying it so much that I almost forgot that I needed to write about the tea!
It’s everything I want in a “breakfast tea.” The gold tipped Assam leaves produced a delightful cup that’s rich and full-flavored. It’s energizing, yes. Malty, check! It’s got an amazing, caramel-y undertone, yep! And there are even notes of chocolate in the layers of flavor.
I’ve consumed a lot of Assam over the years, and while I’ve enjoyed many (perhaps most!) of what I’ve tried. It would be difficult for me to say this one or that one is the best that I’ve ever tried because I’ve tried a lot! So, what I can tell you is that this one is really good. And what stands out about me most about this particular Assam is the sweetness. It’s really delightfully sweet.
It’s got a flavor to it that keeps me sipping and not wanting to put the cup down long enough to start typing. That’s the sign of a good tea to me. And this one is good, because I finished the cup before I finished writing! Bonus points!
24 Days of Tea Holiday Countdown – Day 13 from Teanzo 1856
It’s day 13 with this wonderful Holiday Countdown with tea from Teanzo – I have enjoyed trying the different teas that they offer through their Advent Calendar! (All of which is also available – separately – on their website!)
For today’s bit of holiday art, I chose a really nifty ornament made by Regina Zyry! One of the things that I love MOST about this ornament is that its crafted using an upcycled ribbon spool! You know, when you go to the craft store and you buy the spools of decorative ribbon for your projects? She kept her empty spools and turned them into creative ornaments!
I love the color scheme of these too! It really stands out on my tree. And while this first side offers a ‘modern’ appearance, the reverse side has more of an ‘old fashioned’ look to it.
See what I mean? Clever, right?
This ornament was a gift in one of the 12 Days of Christmas mail art swaps that I was involved in a few years ago. It was a very inspiring thing to be working with such artistic ladies.
And speaking of creative, I find today’s tea from Teanzo to be rather creative! It’s one of the teas that is offered in their Spa Trio collection along with two other Spa tea blends, including one that I’ve already reviewed as part of this countdown: The Dream Spa Blend.
Bliss Spa Blend
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Tulsi
Where to Buy: Teanzo 1856
Tea Description:
Ingredients: Ginger Root, rose hips, tulsi, orange peel, lemon peel, lemon myrtle, lemon grass, with ginger and citrus flavors.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Yay! Another tisane without hibiscus! And this one is a Tulsi tisane – extra bonus points! It’s been a while since I’ve had a Tulsi blend!
This blend is actually quite lovely! I love the citrus-y flavors! The notes of lemon and orange are strong in this blend and it adds a bright, vibrant flavor that is energizing and yes … blissful!
To brew this tisane, I poured the contents of the sampler pouch into the basket of my Kati Tumbler and added 12 ounces of water heated to 195°F and I let it steep for 10 minutes. Remember, with no camellia sinensis leaves in the tisane, I don’t have to worry about the brew becoming bitter (no tannins!) and with no hibiscus in the blend, I don’t have to worry about the brew becoming too syrupy, thick or tart.
The ginger and the tulsi add a sort of warm, spicy note to the cup that contrasts nicely with the bright, juicy flavors of citrus. This isn’t overly spicy, though, it’s a gentle, cozy warmth. I like the undertone of spice that comes from these two ingredients.
But the real ‘star’ of this cup is the invigorating flavor of the citrus notes! The orange is juicy and sweet, and the lemon isn’t too sour. I’m not puckering when I drink this.
I really enjoyed this. The last two tisanes that I’ve consumed from Teanzo (this and the aforementioned Dream Spa Blend) have been so delightful that they are renewing my faith in tisanes! I have become so … blasé when it comes to nearly all tisanes that I’ve encountered as of late. Sure, I might find the flavor agreeable, but truly exciting? Not a lot of them have interested me to the point where I felt I was excited about what I was drinking. These two blends are excitingly different!