New Brew

Inspired by my first cup of loose leaf ever, "To Life" from Teavana almost 8 years ago, I put this concoction together. It came out pretty damn good if I don't say so myself.

• 1 heaping teaspoon of Honeybush
• 1 big pinch of Peppermint
• 1 - 1 1/2 teaspoon of Ti Quan Yin Oolong 
• 1 teaspoon of Mao Feng Green
• 1/2 teaspoon of Pai Mu Tan White 

It's complex, especially with the mint undertones mixing with sweet honey flavor. Hardly needs any sweeting, since Honeybush has such a powerful flavor. 

I'd like to get my hands on some Jasmine petals and add that to the mix, although it might tip the blending too far in favor of the mint. Also, I'm willing to bet SpecialTea's Honeybush Vanilla would add some awesome flavor to this mix...I'm just not a fan of vanilla. ;) 

ALSO, looking for a name for this blend. In the spirit of Fiddler, maybe Matchmaker? (click it!!!) 

 Haha, I'm open to suggestions!

Your faithful addict,

The Tea Mistress Extraordinaire 

Migraine Tea

Now, I am not claiming this tea will 'cure' a migraine, but compared to the multiple number of migraine medications- from Excedrin to the heavy duty prescription stuff- this tea ranks high on my list of cures...probably right next to taking the day off and sleeping in a dark room with an ice pack over my head. Despite Wiki's claim that Feverfew can not cure a migraine immediately, this blend did a good number on mine within a half hour.

• 1-2 heaping tablespoons of Feverfew (from Morning Glory) 
• 1/2 teaspoon of peppermint
• 1 teaspoon of lavender leaves
• 1/2 - 1 teaspoon of Mao Feng Green 

Steep for about 3-5 minutes at 205-208°F

Two important things about herbal supplements: 

1. If you are on any prescribed medication, check with your doctor before trying herbal supplements! While my doctors recommended Feverfew for my migraines, it may interact with other medications, so please be cautious!! 

2. In relation to migraines, caffeine  is known (and I swear by it) to help migraines and tension headaches. In this brew I added the green tea to add some caffeine to this otherwise herbal blend. If you are drinking this for a migraine, be sure to add some sort of green or oolong to it (I think black would taste off, but if you make a good brew with it post it in the comments!) for their caffeine.  If you are super sensitive to caffeine and therefore looking for a caffeine free brew....white tea may work as a sub for the green, but overall  I don't think this is a good cup for you and your migraine. 

Your faithful addict,

The Tea Mistress Extraordinaire

An Indestructible Tea Filter!

I've had this for almost 2 months and it works great.  I find it much easier to clean than my old 16 oz. Teavana Perfect Tea Maker.  Plus the leaves can drip dry in a second cup for multiple infusions.  Soggy leaves no more!

An Even Better White Lavender

I substituted Chamomile for Elderflower in my White Lavender blend and the result is an incredible cup!  I might fall asleep while typing this because this tea is so relaxing.  Recap of the new recipe is below:

• 1.5 tsp White Peony
• 1/4 tsp Lavender
• 1/4 tsp Chamomile

Steep for 5 mins @ 180 degrees F

Review: zzz

Finum Medium Filter Bags

I just received in the mail from Amazon.com my order of Fill-your-own tea bags.  They are much larger than I anticipated, but they do allow a lot of room for full leaves to expand.  I packaged up some of the Moroccan Mint I made the other day and the Gunpowder Green happily expanded to its rightful size.  They look absolutely silly, and I'm not sure they would make good gifts.  I think if I packaged up loose Lemon Grass in these as a Christmas present, my mother would die laughing at the giant proportions.  However, if you can deal with giant bags, they are a great throw-away option instead of rinsing out a metal strainer 8x times a day (as all tea freaks do).

I think the Red Rose Tea Bag is afraid of being eaten... nom.nom.nom

Tea Grades

It always seems a bit of a mystery as to how teas are graded. A bunch of letters, some fancy sounding adjectives...here's the trick. Usually each major tea producing country has it's own grading system, hence the confusion. The only consistent one is black tea- can't go wrong with some good old Lipton dust!

Here's a good site to alleviate the confusion. Keep in mind many major businesses/cooperations will make their own mash of these grades for simplicities sake.

Your faithful addict,

The Tea Mistress Extraordinaire

A Challenge to Tea Enthusiasts

If you think you possess the prowess of a budding tea guru, send us a sample tea review in the comment box below and we may publish your work!  All creativity is welcome.

Disclaimer from TTME

There is no such thing as a recipe for anything, especially tea. These are all approximate- as a beginning or experienced tea drinker, you must play around a bit! Only you know how to make the best cup of tea for yourself. Therefore, all recipes are more like guidelines or inspirations. (aka, if you screw up and make a bad cup of tea- not my fault. If you have a nose that works, and it smells awful to you, it's probably not going to taste much better.)

Enjoy.

Your Faithful Addict,

The Tea Mistress Extraordinaire

Oh... That's Due Tomorrow?

We've all been there. Afterwards we find ourselves curled up in bed suffering from caffeine withdrawal or hangover.  It's okay though because that paper got turned in.  The exam is over with, the presentation presented, so all the suffering was worth it right?  WRONG! No longer must we suffer from the migraine that occurs when our high levels of concentration have devoured every last bit of caffeine induced energy! I present to you a study aide sans caffeine hangover:

• 1 teaspoon of Mao Feng Green*
• 1-2 heaping tablespoons of Peppermint
• 1-2 teaspoons of Honey

*any simple, light green will do really

Steep around 200-205° for 3-5 minutes, to taste.

Only downfall about this tea is that Peppermint is not good for multiple infusions. Luckily, it's cheap!

Best of luck with those all nighters ;)

Your faithful addict,

The Tea Mistress Extraordinaire

Lavender White

I found myself looking for a way to make plain white tea more exciting because let's face it, White Peony on its own is quite bland.  I originally thought of adding dried peaches to the mix or even blueberries, but that will have to be another day.  I managed to come across some bulk lavender at the store and thought this would be worth a try.  If you are like me, I usually start my day off with a powerful black tea blend and then coast through the rest of the day on lighter greens and whites.  This combo makes a nice post-dinner tea.

• 1.5 tsp China White Peony 'Pai Mu Tan' (SpecialTeas #557)
• 1/4 tsp Lavender (Frontier)
• 1/4 tsp Elderflower (Frontier)

Steep for 3 mins @ 180 degrees F

Review: The delicate floral notes of this 'Pai Mu Tan' are enhanced by the addition of Lavender and Elderflower.  To be enjoyed without sugar or honey for experiencing this blend's nuances.

Happy brewing,
The Tea Fiend

Smoky, Smoky Gunpowder

Let's admit it, any form of 'gunpowder' green tea is an... acquired taste. Not everyone enjoys the particular taste coming off of the barrel of a recently fired gun.

mmm...We all know how much the Brit's love their tea!

While I openly recognize my addiction to those little scrumptious dried Camellia sinesis leaves, I find it difficult to consume a straight cup of Gunpowder Green. Even reducing the steeping time, that potent smoke taste still is...unpleasant.

Do not fret readers! For I have found a solution (I had to, I have a whole gallon tupperware container of this stuff that was a gift). Although I despise Teavana for a number of reasons, they do have a wonderful blend that makes our friend Smoky Green divine. I'm working on replicating Teavana's blend since they are discontinuing it, and let's face it- they are overpriced anyways. In the meantime, if you happen to have a few dollars to spend, buy a 2 oz sample of their blend to mix with your dastardly smoke infiltrated tea.

• 1- 1 1/2 heaping tablespoons of Tahitian Limeade from Teavana
• 1 teaspoon of Smoky Gunpowder Green
• 3/4-1 teaspoon of Agave Nectar (or Honey)

Steep around 200-210° for 3-5 minutes to taste.

It's tricky, because the herb needs a several minutes to reach full flavor potential, while the green is ready to go within the first 2 minutes. On second thought, maybe go for 3-4oz (if you are on a budget) of the Tahitian Limeade to give yourself some room to experiment.

Your faithful addict,

The Tea Mistress Extraordinaire

Moroccan Mint

There is something about the combination of a smoky green and mint that wakes me up from any slump.  After stealing several cups worth of peppermint from TTME, I finally broke down an ordered a 100g tin from Upton Teas (suggested to me by my partner in crime).  I must say, I am pleased with the herb.  It is more powerful than any other mint blend I have had at the school dining hall.

• 3/4 tsp China Gunpowder Green Organic (Special Teas #520)
• 1/2 tsp Domestic Peppermint (Upton Teas #389A)
• 1/2 tsp Spearmint (Frontier)

Steep 3 mins @ 180 degrees F

Review: A Moroccan mint that will knock your socks off.  The smoky gunpowder taste is noticeable with the first sip, followed with cooling mint tones that linger.  No need for sugar here.

Happy Brewing,
The Tea Fiend

Sweet Dreams

Okay, so after my very successful trip to Morning Glory I was a little excited to start mixing things.  I've been on the lookout for a new bed-time brew and plain old Chamomile just isn't doing it for me anymore.  I went for the tried and true sleep/relaxation aides.  We will see what happens from there!

• 1/4 tsp Elderflower (Frontier)
• 1/4 tsp Lavender (Frontier)
• 1/2 tsp Chamomile (Frontier)
• 1/2 tsp Raspberry Leaves (Frontier)

Steep 10 min @ 212 degrees F


Review: After adding a touch of honey to this herbal infusion, the flavors balanced out wonderfully.  The Raspberry Leaves are the first taste to hit the pallet, followed by the sweet and calming flavors of the Lavender.  The Chamomile and Elderflower add their own sweetness to the brew, making this the perfect blend to drink before bedtime.  Elderflower is known for its ability to maintain a healthy immune system as well, so drink up!


Happy Brewing,
The Tea Fiend

Future Apothecary

Just today I discovered that Morning Glory has a wall full of every flower, herb, or spice you could imagine. Perfect for the budding tea blender! Expect a slew of new blends to try, since I just bought several herbs to start experimenting with.  The best part is that if you find a recipe you like, it will cost pennies to make since Morning Glory sells its herbs in loose bulk.  If you lucky, maybe I'll blend a batch up for you anyways.  I am a tea snob by definition, but more importantly a bargain-hunter.  I believe in quality at an appropriate price.  So stay tuned, I have a feeling my dorm room with become an apothecary.

Red Rooibos and Lemon Grass

I have seen similar attempts from other tea companies, but sometimes you just can't mess with the goodness of simplicity.

• 1/2 tsp Rooibos Superior Grade Organic (SpecialTeas #950)
• 1/2 tsp Lemon Grass, Course Cut (Upton Teas #BH65)

Steep for 10 mins @ 212 degrees F

Add honey if desired


Review: Lemon Grass has been a long-time favorite of mine since childhood.  Tangy, yet smooth in nature, it boosts the natural sweetness of the red bush tea.  A simple and excellent blend to try.


Happy Brewing,
The Tea Fiend

An Introduction

A little summary about myself before I get too into detail.  I'm a liberal arts college student who started drinking loose leaf tea about 3 years ago.  Since then I've become a fanatic.  I've tried several different loose leaf tea companies and recently I've thought about blending my own for a change.  I've noticed a complete lack of information available on the web about tea blending recipes, except for a few rare videos and how-to's here and there.  So for posterity's sake, I will be documenting my blending attempts in hopes of finding 'The Perfect Blend'.  Hilarity may ensue.