bubble_tea
Originally uploaded by celticchrys
While only loosely related to the realm of tea, being more of a smoothie type drink containing tea, I still had to explore Bubble Tea simply because I had never encountered it. I must say, this is neat stuff! This one is green tea with soy milk and strawberry flavouring. The tapioca pearls are the "bubbles." A new local Bubble Tea place opened recently, and I will definitely be going back. I plan to try one made with black tea next time.
]]>
This tea stick is an interesting looking variation on the common tea-ball. The design is visually appealing in it's way, but I do not see how it could function any better than a tea-ball. The leaves would still have little room for movement, and it would take up a bit more storage space. The possible advantage that I see is that stirring the hot water with the stick might increase the exposure of the leaves.]]>
I had this tea recently at a new coffee shop. Never having encountered the Mighty Leaf brand before, I wasn't sure what to expect. I must say that I was pleasantly surprised!
In the cup...
The Mighty Leaf Tea Company uses "silken pouches" instead of paper ones. (A nice trend among moderately priced tea companies!) This is nice, since the tea's delicate flavour does not have to compete with paper. The black tea used here(a blend of Ceylon and China Black) is a nice mellow, mild one, which balances nicely with the madagascar vanilla used. Decent sized leaves and vanilla pieces were my first surprise. The second surprise was the taste! I beleive that the Ceylon is the source of the mellow character, and the China Black must be present in lesser quantity, to round out the flavour. This is a lovely tea to sip slowly with your dessert.
In the cup, this tea has a red tone, which is a moderately light shade. At first I wondered if it had not been steeped long enough, and expected a weak taste. I was pleasantly surprised to find a delightful, delicate balance of tea and vanilla. I am uncertain whether a splash of cream would improve or ruin this one; experiment yourselves, and add comments to let me know. I would warn against over-sweetening. If you use honey, take special care to add it in small quantities, so you do not drown out the flavour of the tea.
I had this tea along with a slice of mild lemon cake, and the two made a great combination.
Mighty Leaf claims to "hand craft" their teas, and I must admit that they are a cut above the average supermarket fare.
Have a look at the company web site. It is quite nice, with teas sorted by type, caffeine level, etc:
]]>http://snarfd.com/2007/11/17/sexiest-teapot-ever/]]>
Numi Organic Earl Grey is among the organic selections that the local stores have begun to stock recently.
This tea has a nice full flavour, with a clean bergamot taste. It acheives this clean clear bergamot flavour without any bitterness, which is the particular weakness of bad Earl Grey teas.
This tea also brews to a nice amber colour, and is pleasant to drink.
The taste of the black tea itself is of nice quality and stands up to the bergamot well.
Definitely a worthwhile purchase.
]]>
Let me first make the disclaimer that I am not connected in any way with any company making or selling this product. I am merely a pleased customer.
First Impressions
The Zarafina Tea maker is a truly fine device, and I wish all tea lovers could have one. It is an electric tea making appliance that gives the quick convenience that coffee makers have given to coffee lovers for years. The ability to set up a pot and walk off and do other things while the tea is made. This tea maker, unlike many out there, is not a drip-through coffee maker with a tea label stuck on. It is a tea maker and actually steeps the tea at the correct temperature for the proper duration for that type of tea! I love mine. The review continues on the next page...
The tea maker comes beautifully packaged. The contents include the maker, a ceramic tray, the ceramic teapot, tea scoop, and two oversized Asian-style teacups.
Function
The inner chamber of the tea maker is removeable, and you can fill this to the desired level.(one cup or two) After replacing it, you fill the large basket with your tea, pop on the screen covering, and float it in the top of the chamber. This is followed by the lid.
Next, you set the teapot under the dispensing spout, and set the switches. There are several switches on the right-hand side of this appliance. One is set to the type of tea: oolong, black, green, white, or herbal. Another switch can be set to the desired brewing strength: strong, medium, or mild. A third has settings for bag or loose tea. After setting these switches to the desired places, You press the power switch on the left side upward briefly. This begins the brewing cycle.
Daily use/conclusions
This tea maker is small, only holding two cups. It has not replaced my old-fashioned tea kettle and teapots, which I use on weekends or when I have company. I use it on weekday mornings, as I'm getting ready for work. A cup or two of tea, poperly made while I get my breakfast. ]]>
This is a nice rich tea, suitable for serving with desserts, such as vanilla cake. The cinamon flavor goes well with anything creamy, and as you can see in the photo, I quite enjoyed it with a splash of cream. It costs a bit more than your average supermarket tea, but is quite nice if you want to treat yourself. The most consistent supplier in my community is Barnes and Noble booksellers.
]]>
