This week’s tea of the week! I enjoyed January’s Fruit Salad blend, but it was just a wee bit sweet for the spicy side of me so I thought – what would happen if I made a fruit salad green tea and added just a little bit of spice (with some black peppercorns, long peppercorns and cayenne pepper)? Of course, with the heat of these spices, I figured that some warm, herbaceous tulsi would add some interest to the overall cup.
And YUM! I love this blend! The green tea is a blend of Fair Trade, single estate Zomba Steamed green tea from the Satemwa estate in Malawi and organic Chinese Sencha and Gunpowder teas and the tulsi is a blend of green, purple and wild leaf holy basil. I added strawberries, pineapple, limes and some melon essence. Then I added some crushed black peppercorns, long pepper and cayenne pepper to spice things up and some juniper berries because – why not?
This has a sweet, fruity background with an distinct peppery note. I find that the first few sips tend to strongly introduce the pepper, but after those first few sips, the palate becomes accustomed to these peppery tones and the fruit flavors begin to really shine through. I don’t find the heat to be overpowering or too assertive – but if you’re one who tends to be sensitive to peppery flavors, this may not be the tea for you.
But if you like the combination of spicy and sweet – I think you’ll like thi one!
