The Boston Tea Company

Making breakfast while steeping tea is not a good idea, at least without a timer anyway. Surprisingly, its not anywhere near as bitter as I thought it would be. I’m not getting any tartness from the pomegranate, just lots of floral flavors.

On the history side of things i wonder how many flavored teas they had back then. It would be interesting to find out what all was steeping in the harbor. Not that I would want to it, just curious.

There’s not much, in my opinion, to distinguish one peppermint tea from another, providing it’s fresh and not musty. This one is slightly different from the pack simply because of its lack of bite. And that’s OK, when you just need a gentle cup to unwind with after a long week. (Also helps to re-watch one particular scene from last night’s Big Bang Theory. No spoilers, I promise; it just made me smile.)

Enjoying this very gentle, no-bite mint tea while I wait for my potted mint plants to prosper—one each of chocolate mint, apple mint, and orange mint.

Question for you proficient gardeners: the chocolate mint is actually in a small outdoor bed; we’ve been able to keep it frost-protected so far, but critters seem to be getting at it—some tiny buggy holes in the leaves. Suggestions for a safe deterrent?

Give me your tired, your poor, your lonely baggies begging to be steeped… The practical and emotional need for no-fuss, meh, eh, hey,whatever tea continues and this one is a pleasant addition to the pile. Though unflavored, it is mild and creamy and slightly sweet like a dinner mint.

For a bagged tea it is not too bad, but is low on flavour and no body and not much aroma.

Unexciting, simple green tea. That’s all. Good for when you need an extra boost of caffeine, which I do.

Uhhh…. This tastes like flowery soap. I could smell the bergamot while it was steeping, but when I took the first sip…. Floral overload. This is just barely more tolerable than that horrid bergamot-soaked slime that Tazo is passing off as an Earl Grey.

No thanks… I’ll stick to my Twinings and Gloria Jean’s.

Got an interview for tomorrow for a job that I am very very excited about! Soooo happy and nervous!

Drinking this to calm my nerves a little. It’s nothing special as far as bagged chai masalas with black bases go; a little heavy on the cinnamon, but that doesn’t bother me any. Scratches the itch when you’re a broke and rushed college senior, like me.

I’m disappointed that Matthew McConaughey beat out my film-star boyfriend Leo DiCaprio for Best Actor last night. Leo DESERVES an Oscar, man! Oh well.

I’m equally disappointed with this chai. It’s basically weak black tea with a hint of cinnamon. I’ve only ever had chai from either a teabag or a carton of concentrate, so I’m not exactly spoiled in this department, either. I actually have much better bagged chais sitting upstairs in my giant tea collection.

Well, they can’t all be winners, right?

Happy Monday, Steepster!

I think my loose green blends have spoiled me. I just can’t enjoy bagged greens anymore. They all taste the same to me- slightly bitter and floral. Even this one, which is supposed to be pomegranate flavored.

This just tastes like a cup of boiled flowers to me. I’m not getting any pomegranate at all.

I think maybe the company advises steeping it at too high a temp- they recommend 195 degrees Fahrenheit. I steeped it at about 190, even though I usually like my greens at about 175. I think I’ll try this again at 175 some other time and give this one a rating then.

Peppermint tea is one of those simple pleasures in life. I like it because it’s such a warming, soothing herbal tisane that has so many health benefits.

Today, I’m hoping that it helps lower my blood pressure- we had a plumbing issue this morning that got fixed, but has now become a leaky ceiling problem.

Not. Good.

So I’ll just continue to sit here and sip my tea, hoping and praying that everything works out okay.

A lovely, simple, no- nonsense peppermint bagged tea. I drank it last night in the vain hope that it would magically alleviate the nasty tickly feeling in my throat. It helped, but it’s not magic, after all.

It was sweet, which is nice, because many times, peppermint can develop a rather nasty bite to it (hence, “pepper” mint).

No complaints here, friends! I would recommend this one as a soothing bedtime tea because it’s so mild.

This is my favorite tea out of the eight different kinds in my tea chest. I find it to be the most balanced. The sweet peach and the spicy ginger blend nicely. I forgot how much I liked it.

This was quite good! It tasted mostly like fresh juicy peaches, with just a hint of ginger in the aftertaste. I let the bag steep for way longer than it should have, but the black tea base proved to be quite nonaggressive and agreeable.

Overall, not the most balanced of blends, but good in a pinch when I want a flavored tea but don’t have time to prepare one of my loose-leaf blends.

When I first tried this tea, I had quite liked it. However, I’m trying it a second time, and it’s really not doing it for me. All I can taste is a fake lemony flavoring that reminds me of chemicals, followed by a faint sweetness that is barely reminiscent of honey.

I didn’t prepare it any differently this time. Maybe my tea tastes change with my mood.

In any event, I’ll give this a third chance at another time before I lower my rating on it. For tonight, it’s a miss for me, unfortunately.

My friend gave me a beautiful tea chest full of eight different types of tea from this company.

This is lovely! The lemon flavoring is the most prominent, and the honey doesn’t make an appearance until after the lemon flavoring dissipates. The chamomile base is pretty standard- nice and floral and lightly sweet.

Delightful! And after the lousy morning I had, this is exactly what I needed!

First Sip Thought: “Fruitcake!”

Smell: I find it to be a dry smell at first, but such a gorgeous colour. When I say gorgeous, I really really really truly mean it.

Taste: Right from the beginning, it’s a fruity treat that I’m not quite sure how to put. I’m never too big on fruity teas but this is one I would not want to be without. The strongest flavour I get from each sip are the cranberries and raspberries. However, throughout the first steep it’s a very long lasting taste that is quite crisp. My first sip thought doesn’t necessarily mean it tastes like a fruitcake, but it was the first word out of my mouth that basically means “holy moly..fruity goodness everywhere!” Give it a try, and you will not be disappointed.

www.theteacupoflife.blogspot.com

I may never find an Earl Grey that I deeply love (and I will continue to try). However, this is at least an Earl Grey that I don’t mind. Runs a little closer to the Lemon Pledge/floral side than to plain ol’ citrus, which I prefer. Lemon Pledge in a pleasant way.

Closest match I could find on the Boston Tea website for the bagged green tea in my little treasure chest.

Not as good as Boston Tea’s Dragonwell, but still a mild, unfinicky, slightly cereally green. Was perfect for an afternoon feet-up break from writing (deadlines looming) and housework (who let the floor get so skanky?)

This was among the bags that came in my Christmas tea chest. I don’t do chai often. However, today’s weather called for something with a warming personality.

Made this mugga (as opposed to a cuppa) with nothing but milk. (Anybody else drink unsweetened chai? Or by definition, should it just be drunk sticky with syrup or sugar?) Can’t tell if it’s the cloves or cardamom, but one spice is overpowering the others.

But for a bagged variety, it is decent, especially when you’re sitting in a warm sunbeam with a napping cat. That just makes anything taste better.

Having an oh-my-ears-and-whiskers-I’m-late-must-write-no-time-to-steep afternoon, so this works well. Still comes out more floral than fruity, but with a light touch and cooler temp, it’s a good quality bagged tea that makes you feel like you fussed.