Pamela Dean Send Message

180 F 2 min; resteep 3 min. Golden infusion, flavors of moss, smoke, touch of caramel. Hoji-cha is traditional Japanese “roasted green tea.” To me, its uniqueness lies precisely in that counterpoint of greenness to toastiness. These tea leaves were harvested in Uji and Shizuoka, Japan.

Gaiwan, 195 F, 4 min steep. Not a bit grassy. Aroma and flavor of wood, nut, and a fruitiness like a Darjeeling — could this be the muscatel flavor? Somebody else try this and post your answer. Whatever it is, I love it! Plus a bonus: a colorful, gorgeous dry tea, so the visual aesthetic is there, too. Stalky (lots of stems) though. ’Tis “The Leaf, the Stem and me.”

The bergamot oil used in this white tea impressed my senses nicely. I find it an uplifting aroma. The white tea held its own, with a slight vegetal taste and notes of nut and meadow flowers. Cream & vanilla — not evident, at least not to my aging taste buds.

Success! 150F, 2 min. By paying closer attention to water temp and steep length, I did justice to this delicious tea. Genuine natural jasmine notes float in the nostrils while vegetal juciness fills the mouth, with both lingering afterwards.

The earthiness of ginseng is prominent, and the slight milky taste is noticeable, too. It’s a definite change from my usual oolongs. I drink this for the added health benefits of ginseng.

Adds a touch of mint and ginger to white tea. I added a drop of light agave nectar. Good for those who would like to drink white tea for its health benefits, but complain that it lacks flavor. Bag will go a 2nd round, too! P.S. Given a chance, most palates can learn to distinguish the mellow flavor of good white tea.

Any time you mix hibiscus and rose hips, the result is somewhat predictable — bright and tangy. The lemongrass and other flavors are present enough here to make it more interesting, and the attractive red color is always a plus in an icy glass. Why some folks add lemon, baffles me.

Who would think a mixture like this could taste so good? Two black teas, two green teas, and blackcurrant extract. 5 min steep gave a lovely cup!

Peach is more in the aroma than taste. Lovely fragrance. Liquor is a pale, hazy green — rather strange-looking but quite tasty. Matcha adds rich green flavor. Ginger is at once soothing and stimulating, without bitterness, which suits me well.

Here in Texas, we’ve had more than 50 days over 100 degrees F already this summer, and it’s that hot right now. But I love this double spice chai so much that I cranked up the air conditioner and enjoyed it hot, or at least warm. It just doesn’t taste as full, creamy and spicy when I ice it down!