Tea of the Week for June 11, 2018!
I recently obtained some organic Wild Thai Black Tea. When I ordered it, the sales rep told me that the tea had a character similar to a high grown Ceylon. When I received it and tasted it – I didn’t find it to be similar to a mild Ceylon but instead it had a bold flavor similar to an Assam: robust like a Assam, but not nearly as malty. I still quite enjoyed the tea and even though I didn’t feel like it would work very well as a component to the aforementioned blend – I decided instead that this tea would be nicer showcased in a tea inspired by some of the flavors of Thailand.
So I started with a batch of organically grown Wild Thai black tea and added some Assam to add more depth and a touch of malty to the cup and then I added a little bit of Ceylon to round out the bold flavors from the other two teas. Then I added coconut – lots of it – because when I think Thailand, I think … well, first I think Pad Thai and Crying Tiger (my two favorite dishes from my favorite Thai restaurant) … and after that, I think of Thai Iced Tea . . . but as I say that, I think I should make it clear that this is not my attempt to capture the essence of Thai Iced Tea – which is very yummy but this tea isn’t that.
Instead, this tea is a celebration of Thai flavors. And one flavor I associate with Thai is the aforementioned coconut. I also associate spices with Thailand, so I added star anise, clove and cinnamon. Strong notes of black tea and coconut, subtle background spices – this tea tastes great on its own but it’s even better served with a splash of your choice of milk (I’d recommend coconut milk!) as a latte.
This tea is organic, vegan, gluten-free and nut-free (unless you consider coconut to be a nut) and it is SO GOOD!
organic ingredients: black teas, coconut, star anise, cloves, cinnamon & natural flavors
