Vanilla Mint from Golden Moon. . . .

by VariaTEA

Vanilla and mint teas are an awesome combination. There are so many options out there and typically they utilize peppermint to mix with a vanilla black tea. Vanilla Mint by Golden Moon Tea is a little different since they use a black/green base with vanilla bean and spearmint.

I brewed this as a latte because vanilla mint lattes are awesome. This is no exception. The creaminess of the milk brings out the silky vanilla bean flavor. That makes it the flavor you notice first, though it slowly melts to a clear mint flavor. The mint lingers in the aftertaste and leaves you with a bright and fresh feeling.The base teas act as a solid foundation for the flavoring but don’t impart much of a taste themselves.

This is a nice take on a vanilla mint tea. At the end of the day it is not so different from other interpretations that I need to go out of my way to get it over other variations. However, it made for a nice latte this morning and at the end of the day, that’s all I could ask for.

Here’s the scoop!

Leaf Type: Black/Green
Where to Buy: Golden Moon Tea
Description

While this combination of flavors seems a bit out of the ordinary, trust us when we say it just works. In fact, this tea was invented when our Owner was on a “business trip” to Vienna, Austria. After having a really rough day of going to the Vienna Opera House, he stopped by a café for some of their renowned apple tarts with a thick vanilla cream called shlag. Noticing that the locals add the cream to their coffee, he decided to do the same to the mint tea he was drinking. And guess what? It was delicious. The creamy vanilla tempered the sharp mint and the two flavors melded almost perfectly. So, this is our version of this Viennese combination that is rich, sweet, and utterly refreshing.

Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!

VariaTEA

Hey there! My name is Rachel. I’m a twenty-something from Toronto, Ontario, Canada who loves dogs and has a bit of an obsession with tea. As a child I hated the stuff since all I ever knew was Red Rose (no offense to Red Rose). However, a few years ago that all changed. I was on a diet and desperate for new flavors without adding calories and that’s when I turned to tea. I started off by going to DAVIDsTEA and Teavana for all their dessert-inspired flavors, and since I didn’t know any better, I bought 100 grams each of about twenty-something different teas. This was okay for the teas I liked but for those I didn’t I needed to find some way of getting rid of them. Enter Steepster.com. This is where I met some incredible tea friends, discovered tea swaps, and learned of so many amazing tea companies. My desire to try all the teas grew and since joining three years ago I have tried over a thousand different teas. I have learned what ingredients I love and I have learned what flavors I don’t like. I determined my go-to brewing method is Western-style with no added milk or sweeteners, though I also enjoy cold brewing, iced teas, teapops, lattes, and smoothies. I have yet to brew gong-fu style but I hope to do so just as soon as I get the proper teaware to do it. About a year ago, I actually stopped drinking tea but as my stash of over 200 teas started aging I decided I needed to respark my interest. I chose to take a 365 days of tea challenge on Instagram in which I post a new tea picture every day. So far it has been rather successful as I find myself drinking (and buying) more and more tea each day. Plus it enabled CuppaGeek to find me and invite me here to SororiTea Sisters.

This post was posted in Black Tea, Golden Moon Tea, Green Tea

Tea-Inspired Shamrock Shake using tea from Sportland Tea Co. . . . . .

by Mary

This tea had been sitting in my to-be-reviewed pile for far too long, you guys. Every once in a while, I’d pass by, give it a sniff, smile at how yummy it smelled, then get distracted by something else and completely forget to brew it up (story of my life). Until the other day, I was struck by the siren song of March– the Shamrock Shake. You know exactly what I’m talking about. As soon as 3/1 rolls around, billboards are covered with larger-than-life pictures of delicious, neon green vanilla-mint-chemical-deliciousness, and it’s near impossible to resist them. That said, it’s been a looooong time since I’ve had (or even been able to have, silly food allergies) an actual Shamrock Shake– but that doesn’t stop me from trying to healthfully recreate them at home every year!

Enter Sportland’s Focus tea. It’s a mate/matcha blend, leaves covered in bright green powder and smelling of deliciously balanced vanilla and mint. As soon as I took a whiff of this one the other day, I knew it’d be a perfect balance to an updated “healthy” Shamrock-esque shake at home, and you guys. I was right. SO YUM. Want to sip along with me? Here’s what I did!

Tea-Inspired Shamrock Shake: 1 large handful of greens, about 1.5 cups (spinach is most neutral-tasting) 1 avocado 1.5 cups of overnight cold-brewed Sportland Tea Co. Focus blend 1 frozen banana or handful of ice cubes optional: scoop of vanilla protein powder or collagen powder 1 tsp or to taste of each: vanilla extract, peppermint extract or essential oil

Blend all ingredients in a blender until nice and smooth. Enjoy your health-ified Shamrock Shake!

Here’s the scoop!

Leaf Type:  Green/Matcha Blend
Where to Buy: Sportland Tea Co
Description

Sportland Tea Co.’s focus blend is a stimulating mix of matcha green tea and yerba mate.

With mint and vanilla for a smooth and delicious flavor, this blend offers a naturally sweet option to those looking for a boost of caffeine. Get the laser focus you are looking for!

Health Benefits

  • High in antioxidants
  • Increases energy levels
  • Boosts mental alertness

Key Ingredients

  • Matcha
  • Yerba mate
  • Peppermint
  • Vanilla

Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!

Mary

Hi there! I'm Mary, a 27-year-old mental health professional living with my fiancé and our quirky kitten in the Midwest! I've loved tea for as long as I can remember-- in fact, I have vivid memory of being four or five in a tea shop and being mesmerized by all the tea flavors and proclaiming that I "was going to be kind of adult who drank tea, not coffee." A stint living (and tea-drinking my way through) London and twenty-some years later, I'm still channeling that sassy four-year-old and loving my tea habit. When I'm not sipping a cuppa, you'll find me reading, doing yoga, traveling, exploring my own city, planning our wedding and experimenting with different healthful and healing foods in my kitchen.

This post was posted in Green Tea, Matcha, Sportland Tea Co.