Biscuit and Brew Tea House (formerly Arthur Dove Tea Co.)

A sipdown! (M: 5 Y: 77) prompt: A tea Miss Piggy would drink

Okay, I will be honest. I never saw Kermit and his friends as a TV show. I know the characters, mostly Kermit, but that’s none of my business (pun intended).

But luckily, I saw some hints about the others. And I thought that this tea would Miss Piggy drink.

Strong black and high quality tea with sweet notes of banana and fudge. Definitely her tea.
For me… I wasn’t paying attention to this sipdown, sadly.

Received a small pacakage from derk but saying it’s from Kawaii433 so thank you both and the latter one… I hope you are doing well!

Anyway, I wasn’t sure what to expect, but some sweet candy. And it is! And great tasting banana. I probably never had so real tasting banana tea!

Banana covered with caramel topping, I assume. I don’t get any chocolate, but I definitely don’t miss it. Great tea!

Have I not tried this tea yet? I ordered it a while ago. Funny how some things quickly sneak into the back of your cupboard only to reappear and surprise you later. This one is quite a surprise! I think I knew it had hibiscus in it and one of my favorite B&B blends has hib (Hound on the Hunt) used in moderation, but this one features it prominently. First sip hit me in the face with hib (SUPRIIIIIIIIIIISE!!!) and it’s a little hard to taste my way around it. For me hibiscus has a tart aklaline metallic taste and that is all I’m getting in this cup. I wonder if my dislike of hibiscus is similar to people who have the cilantro aversion. If I keep sipping I can sort of numb out my hib receptors and taste a hint of rose and fruit behind it. This is shaping up to be a not for me tea although I would like to try it cold steeped before I totally give up on it.

I had a cup of this the other day with cream and it seemed much more chocolatey than the cup I’m currently drinking straight. I can smell chocolate notes, but can’t pick them out in the flavor. What I am getting is a dry malt. It’s a little tart at first on the sides of my tongue, then turns malty, leaving my mouth dry. It’s almost a little ashy, but the overall flavor is light. It’s interesting, but I haven’t figured out how I feel about it. More cups are needed!

This reminds me of a T2 blend. They are both a chai with coconut that for some reason make me think more of a curry than a chai. I had a cup of this yesterday and it was very enjoyable, but when I resteeped today I added another scoop of fresh tea and it ended up being too strong and a little bitter in the sip. I could add some creamer to dilute it a little, but that involves going all the way to the kitchen and I’m not doing that right now. The finish has a mix of spices that are hard to pick out on their own and a nice mingling of mango and coconut. So far I’m liking this one, but feel like there is more room for my relationship with this tea to develop and flourish.

From Dustin!  Thanks so much!  I always wanted to try this one.  Visually, it looks like a really balanced blend of black tea with apple and cinnamon pieces.  It tastes very good!  I have only had one other tea that I remember with fenugreek in it, which was also supposed to be caramel flavored, so I think the fenugreek is really carrying that caramel flavor.  Along with a nice balanced apple and cinnamon flavoring.  Second steep is also full of flavor!  Drinking this, I could swear I have had this blend from another shop, or something similar but I KNOW I haven’t had the Arthur Dove before… I will try a couple apple teas around here to remind me.  This tea tastes exactly as it says it should, so completely meets expectations, but I think that my beloved Simpson & Vail Apple Cinnamon French Toast still can’t be beat.. but that is impossible to my tastebuds anyway.  This tea would be my second choice!  So I really appreciate trying this new favorite.  I didn’t see this before steeping the tea up… but it’s interesting this is mentioned as being a Sri Lankan tea, as I was hunting down Sri Lankan teas for the book I’m reading:  The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida.  (But that doesn’t mean I want to drink a string of Ceylon teas…)
Steep #1 // 1 1/2 teaspoons for a full mug // 21 minutes after boiling // 2 minute steep
Steep #2 // just boiled // 5 minute steep (unintentionally)

Sipdown! (30 | 377)

A well-travelled sample, from Kawaii (I miss you!) by way of derk. Derk was kind enough to share with me some of the massive box of Persian Earl Grey she ordered (12 ounces?! How is that the only available size?) and she also sweetly sent along a few samples for my drinking pleasure. And they were all teas from my wishlist or teas that I’m sure to enjoy, thank you derk! QQ

I’ve never gotten around to ordering from Arthur Dove, despite hearing some good things about them both here and on Instagram. This is a yummy tea though! It actually reminds me of B&B’s Monkey Chops, which I suppose makes sense given they’re both a Sri Lankan black tea base with banana. The flavor reminds me of banana pudding, and there’s something a bit caramelized about it. I don’t get fudge at all, but it sounds like from the description that there isn’t any chocolate here anyway.

I do feel like the slightly tannic, metallic base sort of works against the creaminess that the banana is adding. But I’m also drinking this stone cold, so the base may have been a bit smoother when it was warm. Also I’m sure this would be scrumptious with milk. Yummy banana tea, thanks Kawaii and derk! :3

It’s too early for the seasonal glums, but it’s cold and gray and I was in need a little pick-me-up. Thanks to derk, I have one: a little packet of cheeky, chimpy, perky, cheerful tea with banana bits and a flavor that reminds me of bright yellow banana Runts. I’m getting more fudge in the scent than in the flavor, but I didn’t steep very scientifically, either.

Lancelot Link and Mata Hairi (you’ll just have to Google it) would have approved.

Mastress Alita’s sipdown challenge – November Tea #6 -A tea the flavor of a favorite sundae topping

First, what sundae toppings AREN’T delicious?   (Well, sprinkles are weird to me, I guess. More visually appealing than tasty…) This tea offers a twofer for this prompt.  I like banana splits. I like fudge/chocolate sauce on ice cream.  So ‘banana fudge’ works for me.  I like the banana flavoring here – it isn’t quite banana candy flavor to me— it’s like a caramelized banana dessert or muffin flavor.  I could wish for more chocolate and cocoa shells would have handled that nicely.  Loved trying this!  Wouldn’t mind to have it in the cupboard again at some point.  It’s a nice banana tea option.
2022 sipdowns: 108

From Kawaii433 a couple months ago now.  From my wishlist!  Thank you so much!  The first of the new ones that Kawaii sent over that I’m trying. I hope both you and Pachinko are doing okay, Kawaii… 
I love a good banana tea and this is that.  However, I was wondering about the fudge part of the name… I can’t really taste any chocolate, so I started to wonder if they meant not a chocolate fudge, but like a fudge that only tastes like banana… you know, how sometimes a fudge isn’t actually chocolate and there are different flavors, for example: maple fudge.   The only time I really experienced fudge was during a vacation in the Adirondacks, and tried many odd flavors of fudge, so I know different flavors are a real thing!  So maybe this is just straight BANANA fudge… but no.  After reading the description, Arthur Dove does mean chocolate.  ANYWAY, who needs chocolate flavor when this banana flavor is so so good?  Not quite candy banana, but also not quite plain natural banana. But this is one of the great banana teas if I’m not aiming for also chocolate!
Steep #1 // 1 heaping teaspoon for full mug // 29 minutes after boiling // 2 minute steep
Steep #2 // 2-3 minutes after boiling // 3 minute steep

Mastress Alita’s Monthly Sipdown Challenge
December 2022 → A mint tea

I’ve been drinking my tea mindlessly lately. I’ve probably started ten different notes and never end up finishing any of them. I’ve been enjoying reading about everyone’s advent teas though! We’re doing the Bonne Maman advent and then later the 52Teas’ 12 Teas of Christmas box, but no other advents for me this year. I’m still not quite to my sipdown goal, so I’ve tried not to make any spontaneous purchases. I might break down and buy some Lupicia holiday teas though. Any others I should consider that are only available at this time of year?

I’m finishing the last of this one. Definitely minty but a little watery. I loved the last cup though, so I know this is probably just because I’m at the bottom of the bag.

A gift from Dustin!

This is absolutely a York peppermint patty in liquid form. Wow, this is delicious!

A gift from Dustin!

I honestly drank this so fast that I didn’t stop to take adequate notes. I just know that it was fruity, juicy, and surpassed all my expectations. The rest I’m going to try as a cold brew. I imagine it’ll be even better iced!

Another April 2022 sipdown prompt: A Caramel Tea.

From Kawaii, the sweetest Steepster <3

What a well composed tea. The apple is natural and bright, like a cross between a fresh mild apple and dried apple rings, the caramel flavor is not cloying (from the one who is not a fan of caramel flavoring), accented by a ribbon of cinnamon. The hint of fenugreek lends a soft depth to the caramel by nature of its maple-like character. Gentle sweetness and tanginess all around, a decent bright and coppery Ceylon base tea. Today it tended to go a little bitter as it cooled; best when hot! The only thing missing is a touch of pastry to make it a Betty.

It’s a humble tea with a strong sense of self.

Pulled from TTB 2022, shared by Dustin.

Trying this once more, this time hot with honey and cream. I was a little hesitant to add dairy because of the hibiscus, but the package said to drink with or without milk so I took a chance. It was better with the cream, the cherry flavor came out more for me this way. It was fine without, maybe a little light, but the creaminess bumped up the flavor. It’s still not one I need to have in my cupboard though, so I’ll pass it along for others to try.

Pulled from TTB 2022, shared by Dustin.

This is one that’s been on my wishlist for a minute. Well, probably at least a year. I decided to start with a cold steep since it has the dreaded hibiscus. I’m thinking I’ll probably like this one better cold than hot. It came out so light, very watered down. I’m not sure what I did here. I still plan on trying it hot, just to see if I might like it. Maybe it will have more flavor that way.

March 2022 Sipdown Challenge – A tea flavored like your favorite pancake/waffle topping

Where I used to live in the city, there was a diner across the street called Moulin Rouge, which served American breakfast food and was run since its opening in the 1970s by a now-elderly Korean couple. They had these banana walnut pancakes that turned my disgust for raw banana into an appreciation for cooked. The pancakes were springy and chewy with loads of whole walnuts and thick-sliced banana that caramelized on the griddle.

Anyway, bananas are my favorite pancake mix-in, not a topping. Close enough!

Good medium-bodied Ceylon tea that brews a rich, dark brown in the mug. The flavors are not in my face which I appreciate. Light, fruity banana mixes with the grounding and bright black tea really well, which tastes mostly of ‘tea’ and a little coppery. The fudge is like a hidden accomplice, bridging the banana to tea with a light, fudgy sweetness. Toffee surprise in the finish, whether from the leaf itself or the flavoring, who knows. I’m pretty into this one :)

Only halfway down the mug and I’m wired! Thanks, Kawaii, for helping bring back a good memory.

After the banana fudge, I tried this one. Now this one is a winner. Can clearly taste the apple, slightly tangy too, with cinnamon, sweetness (but not sickenly sweet at all, tasted more natural type of flavoring), and yummy caramel notes. This one is a keeper.

Like Dustin, I’ve tried to coax the flavors out of this. I do taste the banana but it’s extremely light. Not sure if it was my imagination lol. I tried boiling water and cold brew overnight. I do not taste a hint of fudge. :(

This was almost painfully familiar tasting but I couldn’t pinpoint exactly what “in real life” thing it was reminding me of. I mean, something caramel apple flavoured obviously. But it was like an exact food/bev product and I just couldn’t land on the brand or product type. Really great sweetness balance though! Mostly buttery but brisk black tea with an almost phyllo dough/pie crust note alongside just a hint of caramel and a smooth, gentle baked apple note. So spot on for my mood that day!

Ooooh… I liked this a lot!

Very full bodied and brisk black tea with a whole lot of nuttier and grain oriented notes and just a hint of natural smokiness as well. It felt like such a beautiful and grounded based to layer on top this hint of more woody warming cinnamon, bright sweet green apple, a gentle fennel sweetness, and a lovely simple caramel note. It all clicked together and just seemed really balanced. I could taste intention in the way this was composed which is just a lovely feeling to get when you drink a tea. A marriage of artistry with beautiful, delicious flavours.

Is this really only the second time I have had a cup of this in 9 months? It’s a tart cherry for sure, but if I don’t sip frequently I get an earthy alkaline taste that is distracting. Is it the hibiscus? I really want to love this, but I have too many teas to work on building a relationship with this one.

No idea what a cherry bakewell is. I’m imagining a pastry of some sort. I could google it, but imagining is more interesting. It seemed a little bland once steeped, so I added a little sugar to round out the cherry flavor. It’s definitely cherry flavored, but a baked, not bright and fresh. There is also something slightly savory or herb like to it, but it only hints at it. This tea seems okay, but isn’t knocking me off my feet. I’d like to try it cold steeped as well to see what that brings out of it.