Peg Holmes Send Message

Ahhhhh – how true. Today’s tea of choice was a delicious little number I picked up from tributeteacompany.com called “green smile” (or, more precisely, “hari muskan”) from the Nilgiri Hills region of India. My first impression was the fragrance of ripe, sweet apricots when I opened the pouch. It brews into a pale yellow/green color and is subtle but completely enjoyable. And, not to ruin it for you, but, the leaves are hand rolled to resemble actual smiles. I don’t see it on tribute tea company’s website any more but if you want to try this tea, you might want to email them to see if more will be arriving.

no surprises with this one – just a nice, full bodied and full flavored oolong.

I’m more of a pure green/oolong drinker but wanted to step outside my comfort zone and (not to sound cliche but) “boy, am I glad I did!!!” This black tea (which is a fully oxodized green tea – rather like a wolf in sheeps clothing in a good way) surprised me with its hot chocolate aroma and full, but not overwhelming, flavor. Due to its enticing aroma, this would make an excellent after dinner tea for anyone who has a sweet tooth and craves dessert after mealtime but doesn’t want the extra calories. This tea just went on my re-order list. and

I should begin by telling you that I am an avid wine drinker but drinking wine at 9 am is generally frowned upon, even by me so I recently began exploring the world of teas. With my wine “training”, the “nose” ( fragrance ) of the tea is a big deal. In my opinion, the aroma either enhances or detracts from the teas actual flavor. This morning, my toughest decision was which of the new teas I just ordered did I want to taste first? (I love the new “flights” or sampler size packets available from the Tribute Tea Company out of Chicago -so much so that I just received about 14 new teas to try!). Anyway, this morning I opted for a green tea called Dragon Crisp and may I just say, I may not get out of my pajamas today!! . WOW, WOW, WOW, this tea is crazy good!!!! When I tore open the packet, I immediately smelled buttered popcorn or freshly simmered basmati/jasmine rice. It smelled so good that I nibbled on a few pieces to see if my nose was playing tricks on me – it wasn’t. While the aroma may be playful, the taste is pure adult bliss. This tea is a must/will buy again as soon as I finish writing this review. WOW, WOW, WOW.