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Thank you to IndigoBloom for these sample Blooms of tea!

Steepster has been misbehavin’ again and it took hours to find this tea and bring up the screen to do a review. I hope whatever the issues are will be for the benefit of all of us tea-freaks in the future. I do understand that maintinence does have to occur now and then. Oh, am I the ONLY tea freak? I think not!

This tea was like a sea urchin. Indigo-B sent me 2 whole creatures. Brown, spiny, golden tipped, silver dollar sized, sleeping beings needing water to revive them. I am an obliging woman…a nurturer always ready for doing what needs to get done. (I was ready for drinking the life out of the little critters… really… ya ha ha!)
Teavana doesn’t list this tea anymore and Indigo-B had no instructions on the packet, (she has a life apart from tea) so I guessed on the steeping time and temp. at 4 min. and 195f.
The liquor was medium brown, fragrant, tasting like chocolate malted black tea. Rich and pleasing flavors! For those who hate astringency, this is a winner because this is a tame acid free brew. I’d choose this tea as a mild, uncomplicated tea fully capable of handling both sugar and cream in the morning without losing the malty chocolate, wheat bread goodness one wishes for at that time of day. While I prefer a more malty (manly) robust tea myself, and as I read Indigoblooms comments that this was originally $40 for 4 oz. (ouch!) I know that there are better tea’s for far less money. The comment from Teavana about “you don’t need a brew basket, the tea is portable” is bunk. The tied tea bundles fall apart during the first steeping.

But, this was a good enough cup of tea.

Thank you TeaFairy for this yummy sample!

Tonight I had an early dinner of fish with Thai Sweet Chili Sauce with some Injera Bread left from the Eritrean dinner last night. I love that savory and sweet spice combination. Um.
After sitting for a bit I decided to try this Banana Oolong before having an ice cold orange for desert and later a square of dark chocolate before bedtime. Little bites of delight are how I celebrate and enjoy my life. And tea plays a big part in that picture!
TeaFairy had plastered a note on the foil packet containing this tea that said “One of my Favorites” in big purple letters. The dry tea had little dehydrated chunks of what I was assuming was banana. (Better than artificial flavoring)
My steep time was 5.5 minutes and produced a clear, light yellow brew that tasted like rich, creamy, warming oolong with a tender and light banana flavor. What a relief that the banana wasn’t a “Screamin Banana” (can you feel me here), but was gentle and true.

Since my dinner was over, I added some sweetening for that “AH” dessert tea-lishous cup, and another. It was very good.
I would drink this oolong over and over again. It is organic, and subtle. More of what I am looking for in a flavored tea these days. I seem to be changing.

(Oh Davids Tea is not entirely correct in saying a banana is an herb. It is an
herbaceous plant…a herb and a fruit….it has no woody stalk so it’s not a tree but has male/female parts, and the banana has black seeds so it is a fruit. It is BOTH)

I can’t believe that it’s only been a few months since I reviewed this pu’er blend the first time. It seems like ages. Maybe there is some time warp when you’re a tea drinker (I swear I’m getting younger and I’ve also lost 20 lb’s in the last 3 months).

This week I turn 64. Yes. Those birthdays keep a-comin…year after year and there’s nothing you can do about it. The good thing about being 64 is that you don’t have to worry about your looks anymore and I don’t have to go out and get a job or worry about getting pregnant. I can say what I want and stay up late and sleep in. Not bad. So, my daughter Annalisa took me to an Eritrean dinner (a fundraiser for African Charities) at her church last night and we had a great time…I dressed in my Eritrean dress and I danced and had fresh roasted coffee. (Ethiopians and Eritreans roast and serve coffee in a ceremony that is closer to a tea ceremony and can last all day).
Here’s a photo of Annalisa and I http://www.flickr.com/photos/disabilitea/7243230384/
and the coffee…http://www.flickr.com/photos/disabilitea/7243230558/

So this morning I was sore! My legs hurt from dancing just a bit because of my fibromyalgia but it was worth it. You’ve got to live!
I really wanted a shot of good Pu’er with a wake up kick. I hadn’t had this Spiced Elderberry Pu’er is months and it sounded just right for soothing the after effects of spicy lamb, chicken, greens and injera bread from last night. I was so right!
How soothing the ginger and elderberry would be. Now that I’ve tasted several of the alchemy blends from Verdant, I delight in the restraint used when creating each blend. There is caution used so that no one herb or spice overwhelms another. This blend is warming and sweet while comforting to my stomach (a good thing) because of the mellow Pu’er. Um, this is a blend that I should be drinking more often (making that note to self).

Second Review Less tea used and less steep time with better results!

To be honest, the first review of this tea was disappointing. All the tea’s from Teavivre have been so good that I was surprised at this one. I promised to try again to see if I had a bad day before, or if perhaps my taste buds were not feeling well. I suspected the brewing instructions were part of the bad taste the first time. In my opinion, the amount of tea and time needed for a good cup was not balanced. The tea was way too strong.

This time I followed my instinct. A scant 1TB for 24oz. at 190F. steeped for 1min.

That was enough for a stout pot of tea. The liquor was smoky, slightly astringent and very flavorful.
I had sauteed 2 pts. of mushrooms, spinach with a tiny bit of ham shank and garlic and this brought out a dark, fruity flavor paired with the tea. Yes, fruit.
There was a dried blackberry background in the smokiness that went wonderfully with my dinner.

I’m glad I gave this tea another go around. Worth a second cup! Just cut down the steep time and tea measurement quantity a bit and the cuppa is very good!

Thank you IndigoBloom for this exotic Sample!

Early this morning the lightning and thunder (the flash first) woke me up. Crash, flash and I was unplugging the appliances not hooked into circuit breakers (we didn’t have ground lightening in San Jose, CA.) then I went back to bed and woke again to gentle rain. This is my favorite type of weather for tasting puerh or malty tea’s. So comforting don’t you agree?
Indie-Bloom (I think I’ll write a Bollywood Movie for her to star in…she’s cute and young)…sent me this Nepalese tea that is a bordering Darjeeling growing territory. What would that mean for the tea flavor I wondered?
Curious like a feline, I set my timer for a 4 minute steep and waited…anticipating an interessting 24oz pot of tea! “Brrring” the timer rang ready.
The aroma (not a scent…it was much too manly for that) was very malty indeed which was sensually exiting. I do so love the malty tea’s as I’ve said over and over before.
I gulped the first taste…like I was drinking a cold beer on a hot day. (Amazing I didn’t burn my mouth). The flavor was just as malty as I wanted it to be, salty with a big rich muscat finish. There was so little astringency that it took several sips before I noticed any at all. The tea is naturally sweet from the maltiness like good honey wheat bread and still I added a bit of morning sugar and cream because I’m a spoiled woman. I like my tea my way especially in the morning.

This is darjeeling…and not. A malty black tea, and not. It appears to be both married with muscat wine sans any smoke or heavy astringency. I would like to see others review this tea and give an opinion. I think it is unique and different enough to pay some attention to.

The Finest Illam Nepal Tea Review IndigoBloom Marigold Hotel…now there’s a movie title!

OK- OK- I know, but I had to go and buy a Watermelon Tea!
It’s already getting in the 80’s and the POOL opens MONDAY and the GRANDKIDS will be over to SWIM! What was I to DO?! The reviews on this tea have been pretty good.

First off, hot tea. It’s evening…and hot brewed…this smelled and tasted like fruit salad. I swear there were banana’s in the mix but Nooooo, the ingredients said Nooooo banana’s. It smelled like canned fruit cocktail. I think the apple was confusing things a bit. Apple gives me the taste of linen to a tea sometimes. Uh, the apple here is what sent me to the watermellon rind flavor. I needed a moment. I walked away, and came back.

I got some ice cubes that were made from spring water just for tea and added it to chill a half cup. Chilling helped bring the melon flavor to the forefront. The higher heat was masking the melon before, possibly increasing the beetroot and apple taste.
I let the rest of the tea cool down a bit before drinking more and it tasted much nicer. Adding a bit of sweetening helped also.

This is a fruit infusion. Great for kids! Good mixer with sparkling waters or 7-up.
No caffeine! No rooibos or honeybush for allergic people like me!

I’d buy it again. I have a Cantilope Tea from Butiki, Watermelon Tea from DT and some refreshing Alchemy Blends with Mint from Verdant to refresh hot or chilled with the kids!

Thank you TeaFairy for this Sample!

TeaFairy made a note on the packet that says “wierd taste but good if you have a sore throat”. Eeks! I don’t have a sore throat so maybe I should be afraid!

My dad loved black licorice candy. He got the worst kind available that tasted like soap and Sen Sen breath little squares that…blech…he must have KNOWN my brother and I would never, never try to steal! Ever! He was right! I was hoping this tea was not going to be a similar experience.
The tea brews up deep gold but not very fragrant. It does not smell like licorice.
Hum.
One sip…warm in the mouth not from the water, but a heat from an ingredient which may be the Ginger or Chili. I can taste Licorice and Anise and a little Fennel…which together is pleasing. There is heat, like I said, and a coolness from Mint. Altogether, not what I thought the tea was going to taste like…and naturally sweet. I don’t think you should be afraid to try this tea unless you want to avoid the Chili. There is a kickin spicy finish.
I think DT could have gone further with the Anise. The Licorice is tame for true Licorice lovers. You could add some more Anise yourself though.

Aha Moment! When you’re sick…adding honey and lemon is soothing…so, what would this taste like?
I tried the tea that way and…WOW! A great improvement on the flavor!!! Is this what was intended in the first place? Licorice Twist, Wildflower Honey, Lemon! Fantastic!

Thanks TeaFairy!