Apparently peaches in august are sweeter than other times of the year. I didn’t know this until now. Learn something new everyday, right? I really enjoy the mix of peach flavor and green tea. Theres something really crisp and refreshing about them together that reminds me of springtime air. This tea in particular tastes just like spring, to me.
There are two peach teas that are my favorite right now, both of them come from Anne’s brilliant blends over at 52 Teas- Peach Cardamom Green Tea and Peach Cheesecake Honeybush. Both of them are just sensational. Unfortunately all of 52 Teas’ are limited edition and you have to act fast before they are gone (re-blend! re-blend! re-blend!). So, I have been on the hunt for a good peach flavored replacement. This August Peach Green Tea sounded like it had potential. According to Simpson and Vail, in Vietnam peaches are an indicator of the coming of spring and symbolize peace and happiness. Apparently, peaches that are grown later in the season have a sweeter and more delicate flavor.
My first recognition when I examined the dry leaf was that it didn’t include chunks of peaches. While I realize that most flavor actually comes from flavoring opposed to dried fruits, I still like to see them in my blends. Anyways, I moved forward and brewed myself a cup. I wasn’t getting an overwhelming peach scent. I mostly could just smell the green tea with maybe a hint of peach if you’re looking for it. I’m not sure if I would say that the taste was overwhelmingly peachy either…but that’s not to say that this isn’t good. The first flavor I noticed was the green tea- buttery, grassy, and crisp. Next was the agave I added to the cup. Last was the peach. Even though peach was the last flavor I detected, it was so spot on! The aftertaste of this tea left me feeling as if I had just taken a bite out of a fresh peach! The flavor was so realistic and fresh, I really enjoyed it. This is a light tea and it would be fantastic iced in the middle of summer. I enjoyed the flavors of the green tea mingling with the fresh August peach flavor. Although I don’t think that this beat my other favorite peach teas, it definitely is at the top of my list! A total must try if you like peach and definitely if you like green tea.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green Tea
Where to Buy: Simpson and Vail
Description
Peaches are from a deciduous tree that is native to China. Cultivation spread throughout the world and today major supplies of peaches come from America, China, Italy and Greece. Peaches and peach trees have long histories of symbolism in Asia; in China, peaches are considered a symbol of long life, in Korea they are considered symbols for happiness, wealth and longevity and in Vietnam peaches herald Spring and symbolize peace and happiness.
Peaches have a delicate, intoxicating aroma and a heavenly taste. The peaches grown later in the season, in August and September, have a sweeter more delicate peach taste. This green tea blend has the underlying taste of a sweet, Chinese green with the refreshing taste of sweet peaches. Summer tastes all in one cup!
Ingredients: Green tea, marigold petals and sweet august peach flavoring.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Mountain Bliss from Balcony Teas. . . .
Sometimes flavored green teas and I don’t get along. I don’t know if a sharper base is usually used or if my stomach – and tastebuds – sometimes object to the flavorings themselves. I looked up the ingredients on this one to see if I needed to brace myself before sipping, but I am hopeful since this isn’t technically a flavored tea but rather a blend of lots of ingredients.
And this tea is a blend of wonderful things that I need! The base is Chinese green, and the herb sideritis from which Greek Mountain tea or shepherd’s tea is made is in there as well. This herb has long been used as a folk remedy for soothing stomach ailments as well as for treating colds. Thyme and juniper berry are savory smooth ingredients, and olive leaves are also in the mix, giving a richer body to the tea, all also touted for health benefits. There are also apple pieces and calendula petals.
The tea itself is warm and embracing as I sip. I can taste the thyme, not strong but easy to pick up since I usually put French thyme in my omelette. (Today I used oregano instead.) Perhaps it is the juniper berry adding the warm hug. It could be the sideritis, but I have never tasted it on its own so I don’t know exactly what it contributes to the flavor profile. I have no worries about post-breakfast heartburn today.
Bottom line – this is a warm and savory cuppa that did very well as a breakfast tea, holding its own when served with an oniony omelette, and did NOT eat up my poor gastritis prone tummy! Hooray!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green Tea
Where to Buy: Balcony Tea
Description
This blend is inspired by flavours and aromas that bring back childhood memories of walks through Mediterranean valleys. An invigorating blend of green tea, sweet apple and mountain herbs.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Enjoying A Quite Moment with Chai Kai Tea. . . . #jasmingreentea
Being a mom to four boys, two dogs, and a hectic schedule to boot. . . .the quiet relaxing moments for me are sometimes few and far between. I try to make sure that I get a little “me” time every day which typically involves a few pots of tea. The other day it involved insane amounts of Jasmine Green from Chai Kai Tea.
Prepped with 190F water and allowed to brew for 3 minutes and cooled for an additional two minutes, this tea begs you to take a moment and really enjoy the tea leaves. This is one of those brews that you just wrap your hands around the mug and take in the wafting aromas of gorgeous jasmine green tea that remind one of freshness and spring.
After just one sip, I was hooked. Fresh green slightly vegetal notes with a sweet subtle background and a helping of floral notes. This tea does not disappoint and delivers a spot on high quality flavor. I drink a lot of jasmine green teas and sometimes the jasmine is just too overpowering or there just isn’t enough jasmine to really enjoy. Sometimes even the green tea just isn’t on par with what I would like to enjoy. Jasmine Green from Chai Kai Tea provides a romantic flavor that is so incredibly alluring yet delivers a flavor that is robust in its very own way.
With the fresh sights and sounds of spring all around us, this tea has found its just home. Perfectly balanced and one that I would happily keep in my own personal tea stash all year around.
Chai Kai Tea Company has offered a 10% discount to our readers. Use SISTERS10 when checking out.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green Tea
Where to Buy: Chai Kai Tea Company
Description
Freshly picked Jasmine Blossoms are placed in layers amidst the leaves of this beautifully made Chinese Green Tea, imparting their sweet, perfumed aroma as they dry.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
It is Macaroon Season: Try Coconut Almond Macaroon from the NecessiTeas
I feel like I’ve see a lot of macaroon-themed teas popping up this spring so it felt like time to try a tea I was saving in my collection, Coconut Almond Macaroon from the NecessiTeas.
It’s a little known fact that I like coconut in my baked goods and sweets. Almond Joy bars or Coconut Cluster Girl Scout cookies are the way to go! And don’t even get me started on Hostess Sno-Balls…
The dry leaf of this blend smelled strongly of almond, almost like amaretto liqueur or almond extract. Almond was definitely the dominant tone, but there was some coconut cream hiding beneath the marzipan fragrance. This tea has a green tea base, so I kept the water temperatures a little lower and let it steep. I could hardly keep my nose out of the mug while I waited. The brew smelled so delicious, sweet and nutty, with much more coconut coming forward as time went on.
This tea is true to its name: coconut macaroon. There’s the smooth, almond-cookie, sweet chocolate, and plenty of buttery coconut. Using green tea beneath all these flavors was a great choice by The Necessiteas. The coconut is toasted and warm, and almost makes the green tea taste like a roasted hojicha. The green tea also makes this blend light enough that the coconut and chocolate don’t need to compete for prominence, and it allows the cookie flavors to really shine. After a long day, this was the perfect dessert tea to brew up as a treat!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: The NecessiTeas
Description:
The perfect blend for Macaroon lovers. The aroma of slightly toasted almonds will greet you at first sip followed by the creamy, sweetness of coconut. This is our guilt-free version of the bake sale classic.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Big Easy from August Uncommon. . . . .
Everyone in my office is sick, and I’m trying to fend it off with a mix of witchcraft* and green tea. The green tea is probably the more socially acceptable of the two.
* This is a joke, though if you saw the way I dressed, you might believe it.
Today I picked the green August Uncommon Big Easy from my “Treat Yoself! Try It!” pile. And it’s a SUPER choice. It’s got zippy lemongrass, juicy pineapple, and this roasty under note that might be the barley. If I were to choose a color for this tea, it’d be the Pantone Color of the Year.
It really is a tea with oodles of flavor and personality. It’s like a cartoon character, so vivid and distinct. It seems a bit perky for August Uncommon, a company I associate with “coolness.”
But then again, maybe I think of “coolness” as “that guy who wears leather and rides a harley and cares about NOTHING.” Maybe I should redefine “coolness” as “someone who cares about stuff and enjoys life.”
If those two definitions of cool were people, I’d definitely want to hang out with the latter person. If those two definitions of cool were substances, the first would be cigarettes, and the second would be tea. Tea is about caring about flavor, and is used as a tool for enjoyment.
This turned into a digression about what constitutes “cool,” and I apologize for that.
Please feel free to weigh in on your current definition of “cool” is.
Or if you think “cool” is conceptually irrelevant for adults.
Anyway, try the tea.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: August Uncommon
Description
Tastes Like: pineapple cake, caramel beignet, dried lemon peel
Feels Like: a lazy stroll through the french quarter
You’ve never had a green tea this rich and sweet. When you taste it, you’ll swear you just had a bite of pineapple cake and a caramel beignet. If you’ve ever thought green tea is too bitter, try Big Easy. It’s as simple and delightful as a stroll in New Orleans.
A tea for those sweet and easy days
Ingredients: chinese sencha green tea, thai pineapple, rosehips, german barley malt, lemongrass, caramel, dried orange, flavoring
Contains gluten from barley malt and dairy
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
