Floral Tie-Guan-Yin Superior

When I first opened this sample bag, I couldn't resist the intoxicating flowery aroma and became anxious for the water to reach temperature.  This brew was surprisingly light and delicate, and went well with a pinch of sugar. According to Upton Tea Imports, "This superior Tie Guan Yin selection has an appealing floral intensity with orchid-like notes in the aroma and finish. With leaves ranging from light green to dark olive and a light-ecru colored cup, this is an attractive and delightful treat."  I heartily recommend this Oolong for someone desiring a more orchid-flavored tea rather than the traditional grassy taste that accompanies lesser Tie-Guan-Yins.

ZO83: Floral Tie-Guan-Yin Superior

Origin: China
Steeping Suggestions
Leaf Quantity: 2¼ g/cup
Water Temp: 190°
Steep Time: 3 min.

Snowy Peak Downy Tips

Alas a discontinued brew from Teavana, but what else is new?  If only they kept an extensive catalog like Upton does.  This white tea is surprisingly dark, with orchid notes reminiscent of a more expensive oolong, but without the grassy aftertaste that often accompanies it.  I will continue searching for an alternative from Upton.

TE11: Extra Bergamot English Earl Grey

Holy Bergamot!  Drink this treasure iced with sugar to keep the mosquitoes away during the summer months.  Another Upton Tea winner.

Things to Do with Tea

Taking a LUXURIOUS bath!
Make a delicious martini!
Or just drink it like you normally would.

http://www.ehow.com/how_2282171_use-leftover-green-tea-leaves.html

I found lists of things to try with spent leaves too!
Have fun with it, or use to get rid of the icky stuff blocking precious shelf space for a more deserving brew!

More Assams worth drinking

One of Upton Teas' most popular teas, the Tippy Orthodox GFOP Assam is deliciously complex.  Even my boyfriend, new to tea drinking, noted its almost three dimensional nature- complete with sweet fruity notes and a powerful depth typically seen in assams.  This tea is good hot, cold, with milk and sugar, with lemon and honey- take your pick!  An extremely versatile tea at your command!

http://uptontea.com/shopcart/item.asp?from=justForYou-bestsellers.asp&itemID=TA40&begin=0

kick in the FACE black teas!

As finals creep upon us college kids, I found myself turning to tea bags more and more than creating loose leaf brews as I'm running out the door to the last minute study group or whatever.

My fellow blogger highly recommended this blend:

She's in love with the currant flowers, but I'll let her write her own review of this.

I tend to like my black tea strait up, no additional flavors. Black tea represents the beverage of choice just below coffee, and I like my coffee strong. I stumbled upon this little beauty sitting next to the Black Currant on the shelf: 

Both blends offer a hell of a good wake up call, whether you need it first thing in the morning or during the witching hour of paper writing- 3am. Brew with boiling water for about 2-3 minutes. These suckers are strong, and don't need a lot of time to steep unless you want your world to start shaking from caffeine... I like mine with a pinch of sugar or honey, but they are also good with lotsa milk and sugar ;)

They're sold at places like Barns and Nobles for upwards of $10, on their website for $7, and at certain grocery chains on the east coast, $6.

Go for the pyramid tea bags here, don't spend almost just as much for regular tea bags. 

FYI: Pyramid teabags are infinitely better for the following reasons:

1. They allow room for the leaves to expand, bringing a stronger, more complex flavor

2. Because the leaves are expected to expand, by default higher quality leaves are used then simply 'dust'

Not there are not ANY good regular teabags, but...I'll let you know when I find some good ones.

In the meantime, stay warm. Wintertime is the best tea time!

Forever Faithful,

The Tea Mistress 

For the Love of Lavender

Latest discovery: Lavender makes Oolong wonderful. I've tried a few different blends, such as Ti Kuan Yin (of course) and with darker, Formosa Oolongs...so far, so yummy.

One part Oolong
One part Lavender

Brew around 208° for about 4 minutes. Good for multiple infusions.


Your Faithful Addict,
The Tea Mistress

Republic of Tea Emperor's White Review

It's Sunday and I've consumed enough black tea this morning to wake the dead, so I decided to run to the cafe and switch to a mellower blend for a cup. Republic of Tea and Tazo are the only two brands offered, no loose leaf here. (Although you can order loose leaf of their blends online!) I'd figured I would try Republic of Tea's Emperor's 100% White Tea- because honestly, I'm probably never going to pay the $15-$18 a tin they charge.

In short...it's bland. While they promote it as rare and exquisite tea, there's really no flavor therefore it's probably not a very high quality white. White tea is known for its light flavor with fruity, sweet undertones no matter what blend you get- it should have a delicate but complex taste. This cup tastes like green tea that was only steeped for 15 seconds. There's hardly anything to it.

Now, I do not want to discourage people from purchasing Republic of Tea. They offer a few excellent blends- such as Blackberry Sage, Ginseng Peppermint (great during the cold winter months!) and a fun Genmaicha marketed as "Tea of Inquiry," - however this is not one of their best blends. In short, don't waste the money on this white tea.  A simple white, such as Pai Mu Tan, offers so much more flavor for your money.


Don't be duped by marketing trends. I love tea, but the producers want your money- don't be tricked by some fancy name like "Emperor's Blend." Pay attention, read the ingredients, and almost always you can find something just as good for half the price. Sure, you're paying more for the convenience  of not having to do this, but what's few extra minutes of fun research out of  your day?I remind my stressed out, work laden readers

"All work and no play...makes Jack a dull boy."

Your Faithful Addict,
The Tea Mistress