White Christmas

This is another one by Stash. I have to say I love the creativity of the names of their teas.

Flavor: It is simultaneously warming and cooling. The warm, slightly spicy flavor starts first and then almost immediately is cooled by a soft minty aftertaste.

Suggested Additions: I added just the tiniest bit of white sugar. There was a faint bitter taste, perhaps from the white tea, or from the mint. But just a little sprinkle of sugar corrected that.

Ingredients: White tea, peppermint, ginger root.

Purpose: A light amount of caffeine in this tea helps you wake up a little. This tea is reminiscent of a white Christmas morning: crisp and clean and cool but simultaneously warm and cozy.

Mint Magic

A gift from a friend, this tea is made by Celestial Seasonings, and was purchased only because there was a wizard on the box. However, its contents are just as good as its box.

Flavor: This tea is pleasantly minty. It is not overwhelming or cooling to the back of the throat like a pepperminty candy cane would be. It is also not a bitter-mint or toothpastey taste like some of the spearmint flavors out there. It goes down smooth and has a slightly sweet, citrus aftertaste.

Suggested Additions: There is a certain sweetness in the tea already so I don't feel a sweetener is necessary. If you do decide to add a sweetener, be careful. Adding too much to a mint tea often leaves you with something that tastes like toothpaste. Honey might enhance the deeper flavors like citrus or add a hint of spice so that might be something nice to experiment with. If you are really brave, perhaps a splash of chocolate milk might make things really interesting.

Ingredients: Spearmint, peppermint, roasted chicory, cinnamon, orange peel.

Purpose: A nice, wintery way to relax and warm up. Yes, mint has a cooling effect, but the hot tea would counter that. There's no caffeine, so enjoy it any time of the day.

Christmas Eve Tea

This one is made by Stash.

Flavor: Earthy, slightly spicy, with a sweet aftertaste. Even after a long steep time, it is not overwhelmingly earthy or spicy. It is a pleasant blend of tastes that is not "too much" of any one thing.

Suggested Additions: I grabbed the honey just in case, but in the end I never put it in. Honey, I feel, would enhance the spicy flavor just a bit but I found it not lacking in anything so I decided not to try and fix something that wasn't broken.

Ingredients: Cinnamon, orange peel, spearmint, and natural flavors of vanilla, orange, cinnamon, and clove.

Purpose: This tea is a bit warming because of the spices and earthiness. Also it has no caffeine, so it is appropriate for Christmas Eve when you are ready to hop into bed and get an early start when the kids wake you up at 4 am to see what Santa brought.

Ginger Tea

As promised, here's the Ginger Tea from Yogi Teas.

Flavor: Initially, it is not super strong. However, the aftertaste is somewhat more "burny" than the other ginger tea I reviewed. It almost has an oily feeling as it goes down, but not unpleasant, just smooth. I also do not taste any other flavors besides the ginger. I do not sense the same hint at sweetness that was present in the first tea. If you let this brew for a long time, however, there is a certain sweetness that presents, as well as a much stronger ginger taste.

Suggested Additions: Drinking it straight is just perfect for me right now. It is later in the day, and I am ok with the additional zing that this one has. Honey may add to that zing, but I am not really in the mood for something sweet.

Ingredients: Ginger, lemongrass, licorice root, peppermint, black pepper

Purpose: Again, ginger is used traditionally to help with digestion. I'm drinking it today because I'm feeling like my intestines can use a little help in any possible way I can provide. In the absence of something stronger, a tea can at the very least have a soothing effect.

Ginger-Aid

This one is made by Traditional Medicinals. Keep a look out soon for Yogi Tea's version of this one.

Flavor: The first sip was a mild ginger taste. The second sip seems like it might be ginger with a minty aftertaste. The third sip gave me that characteristic ginger-burn feeling in my throat (a good warmth!). I do not taste any bitterness that sometimes accompanies a strong ginger taste, and although it is not sweet, there is a sort of sweet feeling in the mix, as if any moment now, it might become sweet. As time passes and the tea continues to steep, it gets a stronger ginger flavor, so be sure to take the bag out when you feel you've reached your "ginger limit."

Suggested Additions: I would suggest a bit of honey to make things interesting. I find that honey tends to enhance the flavor, so in this case that flavor would be the spicy parts. However, I did not do it this morning, as I am looking for something gentle, soothing, and warming. I also don't feel that it needs a sweetener, only that the honey might change the flavor.

Ingredients: Ginger rhizome, blackberry leaf, stevia leaf, lemon myrtle leaf.

Purpose: My stomach problems from a few days ago have not gone away. The nauseous feeling is gone, but my entire large intestine seems to be mad at me for something and I can't figure out what. So, ginger to the rescue! (Ginger is used traditionally to help with digestion.) This tea is gentle and soothing and I felt much better after only half a mug full.

Tummy Tea

I am pretty sure there is another tea out there by the same name, made by a different company, but this one is made by American Indian Herb Company. Unfortunately, I have discovered by a Google search that this tea is probably no longer available on the market.

Flavor: It has a very mild but warming taste in the beginning, and a slightly minty (cooling) aftertaste. There actually isn't much flavor at all. It is possible the tea has lost its flavor due to age. I am not entirely sure how long its been in the cupboard.

This tea is described on the box as "smooth and warming with just the right amount of mints and spices." I agree with this description. It also is described as having a "full-bodied flavor" which I am not sure describes the tea I am drinking. This is further proof that perhaps my box of Tummy Tea has reached the end of its shelf life.

Suggested Additions: I am too lazy to bring my mug back downstairs to add anything to it, but if I felt like moving, I'd try a spoonful of honey. Since the tea is very mild, you can almost imagine you are just drinking warm water, which is soothing in and of itself.

EDIT: I have just had another mug of this tea, and added one spoonful of honey. It is a good addition. I feel that the honey brings out some of the flavor of the tea, which has developed a kind of earthy, mildly spicy flavor. On this second mugful, I think I would agree with the description of "full-bodied flavor."

Ingredients: Chamomile, catnip, spearmint, papaya, peppermint, fennel, ginger, dillweed, slippery elm bark, cloves.

Purpose: I woke up at 7:30 this morning with a tight knot of pain in the center of my abdomen. It comes and goes, but its 11:30 and I'm still feeling it. Moms usually say "you need to go sit on the pot" but my mom instead made me some Tummy Tea. No caffeine in this tea, it is intended "as a relaxing after-meal beverage" to aid digestion.

Christmas Tea

Christmas Tea, by Twining's.

I almost didn't review this tea, because I thought I'd already reviewed it. But as it turns out, it was Holiday Chai, not Christmas Tea that I reviewed.

Flavor: I went right ahead and added my additions without tasting it plain first so that may have skewed the results. But I thought this tea was weak on the "tea" flavor- that slightly tannic and hearty taste, even though it is a black tea. It also has a slightly spicy, slightly sour citrus taste.

Suggested Additions: I thought this was a sort of chai-tasting tea so I went right ahead and added a little sugar and a generous amount of milk. As it turns out, its not spicy enough to be a chai. The presence of an orange-citrus taste really doesn't work well with the milk. It didn't come out horribly; I still enjoyed the drink a lot. But my suggestion really would lie closer to the raw sugar or honey end of things. No milk is needed, and raw or brown sugar would add just a tiny bit of spice to the flavor. Put a cinnamon stick in to stir with and you're good to go.

Ingredients: Black tea, artificial flavourings. I do wish Twining's had more natural stuff, but their teas are generally delicious, artificial or not.

Purpose: A friend was making tea and suggested I drink what she was drinking. I declined, thinking I'd tried this one and hadn't liked it. Today, I saw the box sitting there and thought, "I guess I could try it just to remind myself why I didn't like it. As it turns out, I do like it. Although, I should have prepared it differently.

Pumpkin Spice Chai

This one is made by Twining's.

Flavor: This tea doesn't quite taste like chai. It is sort of spicy, but more in a "pumpkin bread" kind of way than in a "chai that has pumpkin flavoring" kind of way. Still, the pumpkin taste really comes through and gives it a pleasant flavor. Drinking chai, for me, tends to evoke images of India, hanging out with my Indian second-family, and heated arguments about cinnamon. The taste of this tea doesn't do that. It evokes images of Thanksgiving, the fall harvest, pumpkin pie, pumpkin bread, and cuddling with someone at a cozy fireplace. Not bad things, just not chai things either. Also puzzling to me is that the smell of pumpkin is not strong at all, so I did not expect it to be much different from chai in taste.

One last thing to note: the pumpkin taste really comes out after just a few minutes of steeping. Unless you love pumpkin or really need the caffeine, take the bag out of the water before it becomes too strong.

Suggested Additions: Black tea, recently, has been less tolerable to me than usual. I'm glad for the caffeine, but I've noticed it doesn't go down as smoothly as it used to. I have found I must put milk in black tea to ease the harshness or else I cannot comfortably drink it. So, I put a liberal amount of milk in my tea today, and a dash of sugar to add to that "pumpkin bread" taste. I would be curious to brew this tea and use it as the liquid in an actual pumpkin bread recipe.

Ingredients: Black tea, natural chai (what the heck? Chai IS tea!), cinnamon and ginger flavours with other natural flavours, natural and artificial pumpkin spice flavour, allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove.

Purpose: Informative, and because today is Thanksgiving. It just seemed appropriate to choose a pumpkin tea. I was sure I hadn't tasted this one yet so I thought I would try it. Other than the idea about using it in pumpkin bread, I don't think I would drink this again. Its good, but I have not really embraced the idea of pumpkin drinks (pumpkin lattes, pumpkin eggnog, pumpkin chai) and would prefer my pumpkin in a pie or a bread item. Speaking of that... Happy Thanksgiving to all of you, and please, enjoy your feasts!

Cold Season

This one is Cold Season tea, by Yogi.

Note: This blog was originally published on May 1, 2010. I am republishing it today with a description of the new taste, after adding 1 teaspoon of molasses to the tea.

Flavor: The initial taste resembles a mild green tea flavor, but the aftertaste is slightly spicy. It is not overpowering though, so even if you have a sensitive mouth, I think this would be a good tea to drink. Only by the very end of the cup did I start to feel a soft lingering burn in the back of my throat- a good burn! I left the teabag in the cup for the entire time, so this is probably what made it a bit stronger. If you don't enjoy spicy foods, you might want to take the teabag out earlier. Also, I have noticed with a lot of the Yogi teas, that leaving the bag in for a long time creates little floaters in the bottom of the cup, so if you are squeamish about foreign objects in your drinks, you also might want to take the bag out early.

Suggested Additions: I did not add anything to this tea. It is not as sweet as many of the other Yogi teas, but the spice (and even the smell of the bag before I even poured the water) is so unique that I wanted to taste the full effect of it on its own. A tiny bit of molasses might be an interesting addition; perhaps I will experiment with that next time.

After adding molasses, I feel that the spicy, peppery flavor has become much stronger, but in a pleasant way, because the molasses has made it sweeter as well. It feels unusual to be drinking a tea with molasses, since I rarely use molasses except in some southern recipes such as baked beans or collard greens. However, I do enjoy the experience and taste of molasses that is not hidden by other flavors.

Ingredients: Ginger, Licorice, Eucalyptus, Orange peel, Valerian, Peppermint, Lemongrass, Orange, Basil, Cardamom, Oregano, Clove, Parsley, Yarrow, Black pepper, Cinnamon.

Purpose: The description on the box says that the ingredients support nasal function, free breathing, and sinus health. As I am recovering my health this week, I felt mildly stuffy this week, yet I could still smell the tea from the moment I opened the packaging. I feel that the healthful effects were achieved through this tea. As an experiment in aromatherapy, I put it under the nose of the asthmatic in the household and asked what he thought of it. He found it to be quite a nice smell, and I have decided this is definitely a tea I will be buying more of. As for pure flavor, I would drink this tea regardless of its possession of health benefits, especially since I would like the chance to play around with a few types of sweeteners, such as molasses or raw sugar.

Additional Bonus: Yogi puts little words of wisdom on the paper tags on the ends of the string. Today's word of wisdom says, "A relaxed mind is a creative mind."

Echinacea Elder

Echinacea Elder is made by Traditional Medicinals.

Flavor: I've been drinking teas with caffeine in them lately, so this tea seems very mild in comparison. However, it has a great flavor. It starts out with a sort of warm nutty flavor, followed by a somewhat cooling, almost minty aftertaste.

Suggested Additions: While waiting for the tea to steep, I peeled and ate a clementine. The mood struck me to squeeze the citrus oil out of the skin and squirt it into the tea. So, in addition to the two flavors mentioned above, the initial flavor my tea starts with on taking a sip is that citrus taste. If you like a sweeter tea, honey would make a nice addition, however I don't find it necessary. Traditional Medicinals makes sure their teas taste good in addition to being good for you. There are some herbs added to their tea blends that may have health benefits unrelated to the specific intent of that tea but are added because of their taste over anything else.

Ingredients: Echinacea purpurea (herb and root), European elder (flower and fruit), ginger, chamomile, yarrow, peppermint.

Purpose: For one thing, it just tastes good. It is a good and healthy way to enjoy your morning. The reason I am taking it this morning is because I am feeling somewhat run down, and want to give my immune system a gentle boost, without taking bigger steps like herbal tinctures, supercritical extract pills, and all that stuff. There are some who say tea does nothing and that you should always take the herbs in solid form, but I have found that if I believe I am helping my body out, my body will take that step with or without an herbal aid. I don't care whether it is a placebo effect or not, what matters to me is that my body stays healthy.

Green Tea Cranberry Pomegranate

This green tea is made by Celestial Seasonings, in a beautiful box depicting some sort of sun goddess with leaves and pomegranates in her hair. The art on the box was done by Dagmar Fehlau, a breast cancer survivor. The box has lots of pink, and Celestial Seasonings is a "proud sponsor of the National Breast Cancer Foundation."

Flavor: Green. I know, its a color, but certain teas just taste like their colors. This one tastes green, although it does not have the somewhat bitter flavor of some green teas. It also has a bit of a tart flavor from the cranberries and pomegranates, especially towards the bottom of the mug. However, it is not unpleasant, but a fruity tartness.

Suggested Additions: None. I prefer this tea completely au natural. However, if you feel you want some sweetener to counteract the tart flavor, I think a dab of honey would work best. Green tea contains so many health benefits that to put a processed or bleached sugar into it would seem wrong. Plus, honey just has a great, earthy sort of flavor that would go well with this tea.

Ingredients: Green tea, natural cranberry and pomegranate flavors with other natural flavors (contains soy lecithin), cranberries and pomegranates.

Purpose: I've had three cups of this in the past few days. The first was because I was craving green tea (perhaps my body was in need of some antioxidants?). The second was because it was morning and I needed a little caffeine to fight the morning headache I sometimes get from sleeping while congested. And today's cup of this tea was because I enjoyed the first two so much.

Terminology Related to "Caffeine"

In today's world, if things are natural, organic, free-trade, eco-friendly, or green, they will sell better. So, green tea has a natural advantage, having the word "green" in there already. But I stumbled across something interesting in marketing a product.

It was late at night and I was craving green tea. I knew that I didn't want caffeine, so I looked around to see if we had any decaf green tea. I know that the decaffeination process is usually done with chemicals that wash the caffeine out, and that it would not be an incredibly healthy option, but I also did not want to be up at 4 am, trying to fall asleep. I found a few bags of green tea in the tea caddy which were labeled, "Naturally Decaffeinated Green Tea."

This seems to have the connotation that the green tea somehow grew without caffeine, which I know is not the case. So, I did a little google searching and it jogged my memory. "Caffeine Free" tea is tea which grows without caffeine. Usually this is sold as tea but is technically an herbal infusion, since "tea" refers to a specific plant having a latin name. The term "decaffeinated" means that the caffeine has in some way been removed.

So what does "naturally decaffeinated" mean? Ethyl acetate is a chemical found in many fruits and in tea leaves in small quantities. In large quantities, ethyl acetate is used as the solvent to extract caffeine. Because it is found naturally in some foods, it is considered a "natural" solvent. However in such large quantities as are used to extract the caffeine, there is nothing natural about ethyl acetate.

The process of extracting the caffeine often destroys some of the healthful benefits of green tea, such as antioxidants or the beneficial vitamins. Ethyl acetate is also reported to cause liver damage, and respiratory and nervous system damage.

Please keep in mind that a Google search will turn up many results of varying reputability. Your best bet for authentic research is to go straight to the source- medical or nutrition journals, reports published by the USDA or other government agencies, or even college research theses. My particular source was a secondary source at a website for all things related to green tea:
http://www.amazing-green-tea.com/decaffeinated-green-tea.html

So what was the final verdict? Green tea only has 1/4 of the caffeine of a cup of coffee, so I decided simply to have a little caffeine that night. And I didn't have any trouble falling asleep. Check this blog tomorrow for the review of that tea!

Auntie Alice's Homemade Chai

This tea is not available commercially and is made by Auntie Alice.

Flavor: Sweet, spicy, exotic, rich, and did I mention spicy? It sort of reminds you of cardamom, but with a few other spices mixed in. Perhaps cloves too. Also kind of a sweet vanilla taste, and a rich milky texture which probably comes from the ingredients being cooked for a short time with the milk and sugar, rather than those things being added after brewing.

Suggested Additions: NONE. When an Indian mother hands you a cup of chai, it is exactly how she wants you to drink it. Do not change it, you will be messing with her exact blend of chai (which probably was made with a little of this and a little of that).

Ingredients: Unknown. It is her secret recipe, and if you ask her what's in it that makes it taste so good, she will tell you one ingredient, but none of the others. Also, there is probably no set quantity of each ingredient, so each time she makes it, she is not giving you tea but a drink that reflects her present state of being at the moment.

Purpose: Because she's the mom, and she said so. You need it to make you feel better, to keep you awake, to warm you up, to help you fall asleep, to heal your cold, or because that's just the thing to do at this very moment.

Chai Tea

Good Earth calls this Chai Tea, even though "chai" is the Indian word for "tea." Tea Tea is kinda redundant, if you ask me,

Flavor: Spicy and black. It uses Indian spices, so does remind you a little of Indian food. I wanted to try Good Earth's version of it because I am curious about Good Earth in general and I did not want to try their "Original" flavor tea. I do like chai though, and this one does not taste like it is trying too hard, as some chais do.

Suggested Additions: Chai not only means "tea" but it means "tea with spices, milk and sugar." So to say "Spiced Chai Tea Latte with sugar" is SUPER redundant. But that means that this chai, which comes in a tea bag, was intended to be sweetened and given milk, the Indian way. This does take some of the harshness out of the spicy flavor, so its good if you aren't sure whether or not you like the Indian spices.

Ingredients: Black tea, chicory root, cardamom, natural flavors (contains soy lecithin), ginger root, black pepper, star anise, nutmeg, cloves

Purpose: It is interesting to note that this tea does not contain cinnamon. Many commercial companies add cinnamon to chai, but there is a big debate in Indian cultures about whether authentic chai should have cinnamon or not. This company may actually be well-versed in other cultures and making their chai for the love of tea, not for its commercial value. Drink this tea if you like Indian spices, if you like Indian culture, if you want to try something new, or if you are really cold. Even if this tea were iced, it would have a warming effect on the body. And there's caffeine in it.

Double Bergamot Earl Grey

The full name is: Double Bergamot Earl Grey Black Tea by Stash. That's a mouthful (no pun intended)!

I've never reviewed Earl Grey here before, for many reasons. First, it is such a popular tea that pretty much every brand carries it. Distinguishing them would be difficult. Second, Earl Grey is made by mixing oil of bergamot with the tea leaves, and bergamot is a difficult flavor to describe. Third, Earl Grey is probably my favorite flavor, so I would be biased and say that every different Earl Grey out there tastes "Awesome." However, this particular tea has something that distinguishes it from every other Earl Grey out there. In the future, when I come across an Earl Grey that varies from the norm, I will review it at this blog site.

Flavor: The tea bag itself has an initial smell that is somewhat minty, crossed with a sort of anise-like smell. It is spicy, nutty, and minty-licoricey all at once. You see what I mean when I say bergamot is difficult to describe? It seems to cover every range of flavor and so in some ways, it becomes nondescript. However, it is a pleasing flavor, as you can see by the number of sales of Earl Grey tea from so many different brands.

Suggested Additions: This tea is flavorful enough to drink black, however, it is still a black, caffeinated tea. You may want to lighten the boldness of the taste by adding a bit of white sugar or honey. I would not suggest lemon because it adds just one more flavor to an already full palate of flavors, but if you find the tea is too bitter for your tastes, adding either lemon or milk can correct that. Adding milk and two white sugar packets would be the "British" way, or how I learned to make tea while I was there.

Ingredients: black tea, oil of bergamot

Purpose: I love Earl Grey, one that goes double on the Earl-Grey-ness is just awesome. Also, caffeine, even though I don't really need it today.

Plantation Mint

I am comparing two different mint teas. This one is made by Bigelow.

Flavor: Instead of peppermint, this one tastes a bit like spearmint. It has a cooler, greener taste, and hints at being bitter but isn't really. It has a strong flavor that makes me want to say this is a "man's mint" tea.

Suggested Additions: A tiny bit of sugar may take those hints of bitterness away, but again, adding sugar to a mint flavor runs the risk of making it taste like toothpaste. Sweeten at your own risk!

Ingredients: Unknown

Purpose: I drank this one for my own amusement, to do this comparing blog post. But it is a good taste, and I would suggest it as an after-dinner tea. Also, no caffeine, so its good in the evening.

Pure Peppermint

I am going to compare two different mint teas. This one is made by Twining's.

Flavor: The most prominent flavor, obviously, is a minty flavor. It is followed by a green, leafy taste that is somewhat sweet and flowery. While it is delicate, it also has a very clean feel, reminiscent of well brushed teeth. However, it does NOT taste like toothpaste. I would describe this tea as a "women's mint" tea. It feels "girly."

Suggested Additions: I did not add any. Adding any kind of sweetener, I feel, would give it more of a toothpaste flavor. If anything, lemon added to the mint might be interesting.

Ingredients: Pure peppermint.

Purpose: I drank it for the experiment, to compare the two teas. But it is a refreshing taste, even on a hot day, I think it would be fine to drink this hot or iced. There is no caffeine, so drinking it late at night would be fine as well.

White Tea Tangerine

This one is called White Tea Tangerine and is made by Bigelow.

Flavor: It is not too strong on the "tea" taste, not bitter at all. It also has a delicate tangerine taste; it is not too citrus-y and just a little sweet like a tangerine.

Suggested Additions: A dash of raw sugar makes it taste more like tangerine. I'd also be curious to see what it is like if I add a splash of orange juice instead of the sugar.

Ingredients: White tea, natural tangerine flavor with other natural flavors (soy lecithin). I don't know why soy lecithin is in parentheses.

Purpose: Warmth without all the caffeine of a black tea. Also a good morning tea because citrus has been known to be stimulating.

TW Milk Tea

I believe the brand is TW. I could be wrong; most of the box is written in Chinese. This is a powdered tea that comes in little packets which you pour into hot water, so no steeping is necessary.

Flavor: It is slightly sour, and not too tannic. Milk and sugar are included already in the mixture, so it has a soft milky taste. Like many Asian things, the sweetness is very mild. I would say it has a distinctive Asian taste, but that could be simply because I think of my Asian friends who introduced me to it when I drink it.

Suggested Additions: none.

Ingredients: sugar, whitener (non-dairy creamer), TW instant tea

Purpose: There is a little bit of caffeine in this tea, but I have never had it keep me awake at night, like some other teas. Because it is powdered, has no steep time, and has milk and sugar already added to the mix, this is a great tea to use when you are in a rush. Also, it is a little nostalgic for me, and somewhat comforting.

China Oolong

This tea is called China Oolong, and is made by Twining's.

Flavor: This is a basic black tea, but it does not have quite as strong a tannic taste as some other black teas, and the aftertaste is somewhat nutty, like almonds. It also has a flavor that hints at being green tea. Its going to sound crazy, but if green tea were a black tea, it would be China Oolong. In actuality, this makes sense because Oolong lies somewhere between green and black tea in terms of oxidation.

Suggested Additions: As usual, I add a half a spoonful of white sugar to counteract the tannic acid, although for this tea, I think perhaps it is light enough to make that addition unnecessary. Because of the nutty flavor, I would be curious to test this tea in the traditional English style, with milk or cream and two scoops of sugar. However, because of the green tea flavor, I would also be curious to try it with a little bit of honey and lemon. It seems this tea is pretty versatile and could go well with whatever you choose to add to it.

Ingredients: I don't have the box available to me, so I am not sure of the ingredients, but knowing Twining's it probably contains pure oolong tea, and maybe some kind of natural flavoring.

Purpose: I would drink this tea again to experiment with it, because that sort of thing is fun. Also, if I were to order take-out from PF Chang's (higher end Chinese take-out, not the greasy MSG sodium crap from the place around the corner) I would probably throw a kettle on to brew some of this tea before the food arrived. Lastly, if you are the type of person who likes crumpets with your tea, this tea would be good with Chinese moon cakes which are traditionally eaten at the autumn Lantern Festival. Mark your calendars; this year, the date is September 22.

Cold-Brewed Mixed Berries

Like the other cold-brewed tea I reviewed, this one is by Twining's.

Flavor: It is a basic berry tea, with caffeine. Once again, I marvel at the ability for this to "brew" without hot water. It is so easy! Although I put the tea bag in the glass and left it for a few hours, it does not taste too strong, although the color did darken a lot.

Suggested Additions: I recommend leaving this bag to steep for an hour, although just a few minutes will do the trick if you are in a rush. The reason for this is the longer it sits the more the berry flavor comes out. Regarding sugar: because I was lazy, I tried to pour a tiny dash of sugar without using a spoon. A large clump came out and plopped into the glass, so today's tea tastes a lot like southern sweet tea with a berry twist. It is pleasant and refreshing, but I usually try to use a lot less sugar. I did like the taste of the tea before I added sugar, but if you are sensitive to the tannic acid taste, a spoonful (not a large clump) will help take the bitterness away.

Ingredients: Tea, natural cherry, blueberry, blackcurrant, raspberry, and tea flavorings with other natural flavorings, water, tea extract

Purpose: In my case, today it would be to channel the south with the Sweet Tea method of preparing it. But because it is an iced tea, it is refreshing and flavorful because of the berries. Also, it is a black tea, so even if you want a refreshing drink in the hot, late afternoon, don't drink it unless you are prepared for the caffeine content.

White Peach

White Peach is made by Inko's, and the white refers to a white peach AND to white tea.

Flavor: This tea has a light, almost nutty flavor. It is very faint on the peach taste at first, growing stronger with more sips from the bottle- yes, its a bottled iced tea. It is not overbearingly sweet, and is quite refreshing.

Suggested Additions: I am drinking it at room temperature, and even when it is not chilled, it is still refreshing. It could be beneficial to serve it chilled, however, I like it as is. Do not add anything to it, or the flavor will be lost.

Ingredients: White tea, filtered water, fructose crystals not from corn syrup, white peach extract, citric acid.

Purpose: To refresh. It is SO hot today, even at 10 AM. A tiny bit of caffeine due to the white tea, which will help keep me alert since heat makes me really drowsy.

Peony White Tea

Peony White Tea is made by a company called Prince of Peace.

Flavor: Although it is clearly flowery, it has a pretty indeterminate taste. I cannot say for sure that it tastes like peonies since I do not know what one tastes like. The aftertaste is definitely a less delicate grade of white tea. Although it is not unpleasant, it may take some getting used to.

Suggested Additions: adding to it, you may lose all the original flavor of the tea. A teaspoon of sugar is all I added and did not stir it yet. I believe that the sugar may help ease the unusual taste of the tea.

Ingredients: It simply says, "peony white tea."

Purpose: Some amount of caffeine as with any other white tea, but the bag said "healthful solutions" on it. I am not sure if the peony in the tea has any health benefits. According to Wikipedia, the root of the peony is used in ancient Japanese medicine as a treatment for convulsions, but because of the very flowery taste of the tea, I don't believe the root is used in this particular tea. I chose it because today is a "white tea day."

Pomegranate White

This white tea is made by Trader Joe's.

Flavor: This tea tastes like a red tea such as a berry or the popular Red Zinger. The pomegranate flavor is not incredibly present but the tea still has an enjoyable taste, which includes the light taste of white tea.

Suggested Additions: This would make a good iced tea, but today I am drinking it hot. I added 1 tsp of white sugar but did not stir it yet so all the sugar is on the bottom. After half a mug, I will stir so that I can observe the differences in the flavor. If there is anything new, I will note it here.

Ingredients: Unknown, as I do not have the box it came in.

Purpose: Just a hint of caffeine to go with my breakfast, but mostly just a pleasant and fruity way to wake up.

White Tea Blueberry

Another bottled iced tea, this one is Inko's White Tea Blueberry. The name says it all.

Flavor: This tea is heavy on the blueberry but not so much on the sugar, so it doesn't taste like blueberry juice, it tastes more like blueberry water. There is a faint green tea flavor which adds a touch of bitterness to it, but the delicate taste of white tea is still very evident.

Suggested additions: None. Chill the tea before drinking. Don't drink after brushing your teeth.

Ingredients: White tea, filtered water, fructose crystals not from corn syrup, all-natural blueberry extract, citric acid.

Purpose: Refreshing beverage. Less than 6 mg of caffeine per bottle. I like that the bottle clearly states the caffeine content. Very few other bottles will do that.

Lemon Tea

A bottled tea by Snapple called Lemon Tea.

Flavor: There is a mild tea taste, followed by a citrus flavor. It is plain, simple, not complex, no frills. A tea a man can drink without feeling girly.

Suggested Additions: No lemon or sweetener needed, it is there already. Good when chilled. Many hot teas are drunk with sugar and milk. I have been curious about drinking iced teas with sugar and milk, and this one appears to me to be the best option for that experiment, however, I did not try it this time around. Perhaps I will revisit this tea later with my conclusions.

Ingredients: Filtered water, sugar, citric acid, tea, natural flavor. (Note: On the label, green and black teas are listed but in the ingredients list, it just says "tea." Also note that tea is #4 on the list.)

Purpose: I was in the home of one of my massage clients. As I was leaving, I was offered a beverage for the road, since it was such a hot day. I declined, since I had a bottle of something in the car. I was told, "Take a Snapple, or I won't call you again for another massage!" So I took a Snapple. And it was quite good, and quite refreshing. There is a moderate amount of caffeine in black tea, but that did not stop me from dozing off later in the afternoon on the back porch with a cool breeze. I swear this summer is going to feel like a vacation whether I'm on vacation or not.

Lime Pomegranate

Made by Steaz Iced Teaz, Lime Pomegranate is an organic white tea infused with the two fruit flavors.

Flavor: It tastes somewhat sweet at first, but not overbearing. It is followed by a hint of citrus and maybe a berry-like aftertaste. The flavor of the tea is very light and delicate, as white tea should be.

Suggested Additions: None. This is a canned tea, it is already sweetened and I kept it in the fridge. The best improvement would be to pour it in a glass with ice on a hot day, but really, drinking it chilled in the fridge is quite refreshing as well.

Ingredients: Water, cane sugar, natural flavors, lemon juice, white tea, green tea.

Purpose: Today's hot summer day demands a refreshing drink. The early morning also demands a bit of caffeine, but not too much. White tea has very little caffeine, the addition of green tea in the ingredients list may be intended to help supplement the caffeine a bit, however it does not harm the delicate flavor at all.

Coconut Water

This is the first non-tea I will be discussing. It is made by Vita Coco, and is pure coconut water, not to be confused with coconut milk. Coconut water (or juice) is what comes out of a coconut when you crack it open. Coconut milk and cream are both made by blending the meat of the coconut into a liquid consistency. Cream of coconut is usually used by bartenders in mixed drinks and is coconut milk or cream with sugar added to it. This particular company bottles coconut water and sells it in individual packages like juice boxes.

Flavor: It tastes somewhat like water, with a nutty, vegetably aftertaste. The friend who introduced me to it, and the packaging as well, state that it "tastes like you stuck a straw into a coconut." I would describe this as an acquired taste, so don't buy it and expect to like it right away.

Suggested Additions: I kept hearing in my head, "you put de lime in de coconut and shake it all up," so I finally caved and searched around for something with citrus in it. I found orange extract, and added that with a spoonful of white sugar and lots of ice cubes. However, I think if I did it over again, I'd forget the song and the citrus, and maybe also the sugar. Definitely add ice cubes, though. It is quite refreshing.

Ingredients: Natural coconut juice.

Purpose: When you don't want caffiene, and you want something that is not overly processed or added-to, when you want something somewhat exotic but refreshing, and probably when you are on a hot dusty street corner in India, you should drink this. Just don't expect to find ice cubes in India.

Mint

This tea doesn't appear to have a name. Usually I go with the word that is prominent on the packaging that appears not to be the brand name. In this case, the word was "Mint." It is by Steaz Iced Teaz and is a lightly sweetened organic green tea with mint flavoring.

Flavor: The taste is not unpleasant, however, the best way I can describe the flavor of this tea is: "coffee and vegetables," which sounds awful. The initial taste is definitely the basic green tea taste- think Japanese restaurant tea, but without the bitterness. That is followed by an herby vegetable taste. The flavor of the mint does not hit until after the swallow.

Suggested Additions: I would not add anything. The only thing I might say in this area is that I got it from a refrigerated section of the supermarket, but let it warm to just below room temperature before drinking with dinner. I did not do this on purpose, it just took me longer than expected to get my dinner ready. It is possible it was meant to be drunk straight from the refrigerator, however I find that very cold beverages are harder to taste, so I'm glad I let it warm up a little.

Ingredients: Filtered water, organic cane sugar, natural flavors, organic lemon juice, organic green tea.

Purpose: I am always on the lookout for more iced teas. I have plenty of hot teas, but this is summer and it just feels wrong to drink a hot beverage. Green tea has caffeine, so be careful.

English Breakfast

English Breakfast tea is made by a lot of companies, but this one is by Twining's. I tried it because I wanted to know what distinguishes it from Twining's Irish Breakfast.

Flavor: This tea is pretty much the same as Irish Breakfast. However, the second time I tried it, I noticed a "real" tea taste which reminded me of the time I spent in England. It has a rich taste, and although you can tell there are tannins present, it does not have the bitterness associated with tannic acid. When asked to describe the taste of the tea, a friend of mine stated, "It tastes like citrus and milk or some kind of flower."

Suggested Additions: I'd like to try it with lemon and honey, however I have not yet. Honey with a dash of milk gives it a warm flowery taste, while raw sugar with a liberal amount of milk gives it the same creamy and nutty flavor as the Irish Breakfast. Two scoops of white sugar with a splash of milk creates the flavor of the tea I drank in England.

Ingredients: Black tea

Purpose: For me, this tea is nostalgic. It also has a comforting flavor, probably because of the rich nutty feel. Lastly, its black tea so it has a good amount of caffeine.

Lotus Green

Made by Tazo, Lotus Green is a green tea infused with the essence of lotus blossoms.

Flavor: It has a flowery taste, but is quite bitter. It wasn't bad but it definitely seemed to be an acquired taste. Anyone familiar with the flavor of jasmine will appreciate this, as it tasted like an extra-strong version of jasmine green tea (which I have yet to review).

Suggested Additions: I tried to add sugar to counter the bitterness but it seemed to make it worse. Perhaps next time I will try a bit of lemon, since lemon is often used to make coffee less bitter. There was no lemon available at the time, however.

Ingredients: green tea, natural lotus flower flavor, other natural flavors.

Purpose: It was the most intriguing option available out of the display of Tazo teas. Also, it is a decaffeinated green tea, so its good to have in the evening as well.

White Tea with Yerba Mate'

White Tea with an Infusion of Yerba Mate' is a bottled iced tea from a company called Herbal Mist. I got it from the mom-and-pop bagel place down the road from me on Hamburg Turnpike before reaching 287.

Flavor: Sweet, light, and delicate. It has a slightly nutty aftertaste but mainly a nondescript fruity flavor.

Suggested Additions: Its a bottled tea so I didn't add anything. I found it to be a tad too sweet, but was afraid to add water because the flavor is so light and delicate that I didn't want to lose any of it by adding water.

Ingredients: water, cane sugar, white tea, citric acid, ascorbic acid (vitamin c), yerba mate'

Purpose: It is a good iced tea, with a light caffeine content. White tea is harvested early, before the tea leaves have matured and reached their full caffeine levels. Yerba mate' is a South American plant that also contains some caffeine and is prepared in similar ways to tea. The end result is a good, refreshing lunch beverage.

(Note, Blogger will not let me use fancy lettering for my posts. The correct spelling of yerba mate' is with an acute accent over the e, instead of the apostrophe I've used here.)

Cold Brewed English Classic

This tea is a magic tea concocted by the voodoo masters at Twining's. It tastes just like their regular English Classic, but does not require hot water. The bag has tea leaves in it, not crystals the way instant coffee is made, so I think its magic.

Flavor: Light, with very little tannic acid in the taste. It is almost milky in texture, without even any added creamer. And like I said, it tastes very much like their hot-brewed English Classic.

Suggested additions: I am using a glass that is much larger than the standard tea mug, which means this one is a little watered down. However, the flavor does not seem to be affected by the extra water, just steep a little longer. When I say steep, I guess I mean just let it soak in the cold water for more than the recommended 3-5 minutes. I added a 1/2 tablespoon of raw sugar, which I have had to stir vigorously in order for it to dissolve (unlike sugar in hot water, which dissolves quickly). This makes it mildly sweet in such a large glass; for smaller glasses, adjust the amounts. This tea has a naturally milky taste which would go well with a splash of milk to make it more like those iced coffee drinks you can get at Dunkin' Donuts, however I did not do that today. Something about drinking a milky beverage on a hot day just doesn't sit well with me.

Ingredients: Tea, tea extracts (which I assume is how they get it to be cold-brewed?), water (in the tea bag??), natural tea flavoring with other natural flavoring.

Purpose: Quick and easy iced tea. No waiting for the hot tea to cool so you can ice it, no brewing it extra strong so you can dilute it with ice. Just pour water in, wait 3-5 minutes or however long you like, and you're good to go. However, this is black tea so be aware of the caffeine content.

Licorice Spice

After a bit of a break, I am back! Its been hot lately, and the only thing I've been interested in drinking is water, so no posts till today. This one is called Licorice Spice is made by Stash. I generally don't like licorice, but I do like spice teas, so my curiosity overcame me.

Flavor: Initially this is a naturally sweet tea. It has an incredibly unusual flavor and I am having difficulty finding the words to describe the taste. The spice is not overpowering, but each individual spice seems to present itself at once. It is somewhat earthy, but not too deep of a flavor- think of a low-growing-ferny taste rather than a came-out-of-the-earth taste.

Suggested Additions: No sweetener needed. This tea has a naturally sweet flavor despite the fact it contains no sweetening plants such as agave or stevia. Lemon is a possibility, although the tea already contains both orange and orange peel, so unless you really like citrus, you may not want to add more. As for milk or creamer, I don't think this tea would work with it, but if you get experimental and decide to try it, let me know. My personal opinion is that this tea needs no help reaching its highest flavor potential. (I like the tea, but it hasn't made me like licorice any more than before.)

Ingredients: Licorice root, cinnamon, orange peel, Chinese star anise, vanilla flavor, sarsaparilla, orange, cinnamon, clove, cardamom.

Purpose: I chose this tea out of curiosity, I chose tea today because its been a while since I blogged about tea, and I really kind of missed it. Oh also, no caffeine in this tea.

Pomegranate Pizzazz

This one is also by Bigelow and is called Pomegranate Pizzazz.

Flavor: Tart, but not too tart. It has heavy apple taste without being sweet like an apple. There is also a cooling aftertaste, perhaps from the licorice in the ingredients, however, it does not actually taste like licorice.

Suggested Additions: No lemon is needed for this one, it is tart already. This tea might be really good iced. A teaspoon of raw sugar was too overpowering and took away a lot of the tart taste. Half a teaspoon might be better.

Ingredients: Apple, hibiscus, blackberry leaves, natural pomegranate flavors, other natural flavors, orange peel, malic acid, licorice root, pomegranate and apple juices from concentrate.

Purpose: A summery taste to counter an overcast, non-summerlike morning. No caffiene. This tea is also a good tea for people who aren't quite convinced that tea is good.

Orange and Spice

This tea is made by Bigelow and is called Orange and Spice.

Flavor: It has a mild and mellow taste with a hint of something sweet, perhaps licorice? It also has a late aftertaste of citrus followed by a cooling sensation. As it steeps longer, a nutty flavor comes out, which I assume is from the chicory listed in the ingredients. This tea is best when steeped for quite a long time.

Suggested Additions: This tea would be good with a lemon wedge or orange slice, but I didn't have any so I can't tell for sure. I added a teaspoon of honey- the act of stirring the honey into it seems to enhance the citrus taste, so don't just drop the bag up and down by the string; be sure to stir. Honey sometimes has a spicy aftertaste, which is why I chose that. Raw honey or molasses might also be good for the same reason.

Ingredients: Rose hips, spices, hibiscus, orange peel, chicory, natural orange flavor (soy lecithin).

Purpose: I drank this tea out of curiosity. There's no caffiene, but I don't need any today. I might drink it again because it has a pleasant taste, but there are a lot of others I like more. However, for first-time tea drinkers, or people who don't really like tea but drink it to be polite, this is a good mild tea.

Irish Breakfast

I am house-sitting for my aunt and my very Irish uncle, so it seemed fitting to drink Irish Breakfast Tea while at their house. It is made by Twining's.

Flavor: On its own, the tea tastes very much like any other breakfast tea- black, somewhat tannic (although not as much as some), and caffeiney goodness. With extra milk, as the packaging suggests, this tea takes on a creamy texture with a faintly nutty aftertaste. It is almost as if Earl Gray and the Emerald Nut Company got married and had an Irish breakfast tea baby. It is nearly a breakfast in and of itself.

Suggested Additions: The label says, "best taken with milk and sweetened to taste." Translated, I took this to mean, "This tea is strong and some people may not like it." However, its not super strong the way unflavored Lipton black tea is, or even like Earl Grey. I decided to try to follow the Irish tradition of lots of dairy and carbs for breakfast. So, I drank this tea with two different types of bread, plenty of butter, and an extra bit of whole milk in my tea. I also used a generous spoonful of raw sugar.

Ingredients: Black tea.

Purpose: An Irish experience and caffeine!! I need it today.

Pomegranate Delight

This tea has a long name. It is made by Twining's and is called "Premium Black Tea: Pomegranate Delight" to differentiate from some other premium black teas also made by Twining's.

Flavor: At first it just tastes like black tea, but then it is followed by a heavily fruited taste, without having the overwhelming sweetness of fruit, or the tartness of pomegranate. It smells really good too. There is a tiny bit of a vanilla taste, as well, which may be added as a way to hide how tart pomegranate can be.

Suggested Additions: Nothing suggested by the makers of the tea, however most black teas I like to sweeten with one tablespoon of white sugar. It doesn't need to be super sweet, but it tends to take the edge off the black tea, which can sometimes have a bitter taste.

Ingredients: Black tea, natural pomegranate flavor, other natural flavors.

Purpose: Caffeine! I didn't get enough sleep last night. However, I am also enjoying this tea with a pomegranate-flavored Greek yogurt and some cereal. It seems to be a perfect match. So I can also drink this tea just to enjoy the flavor.

Sweet Thai Delight

Yogi Tea makes a tea called Sweet Thai Delight.

Flavor: Somewhat sweet and earthy, this tea has a cooling aftertaste that would make it a great iced tea. For some reason I taste jasmine, even though that is not one of the ingredients.

Suggested Additions: I once brewed this tea, cooled it, added a touch of sugar, some ice, and a splash of coconut milk just like you see in the Thai restaurants. However, the coconut milk clumped up into little coconut globs. It tasted ok, it was just awkward having little globs in my tea. As I drink it today, I have added a half teaspoon of white sugar, and enough milk to lightened it to a soft caramel color, and am drinking it hot. (Not too much sugar is needed because the tea contains stevia, a natural sweetener.) The directions on the bag say, "Add your favorite sweetener and milk or milk substitute. For a delicious twist, try with a splash of coconut milk." I really don't know how to add coconut milk without getting those little globs. If anyone knows, let me know what I'm doing wrong.

Ingredients: Rooibos leaf, cinnamon bark, anise seed, carob pod, "natural" coconut flavor, "natural" butterscotch flavor, stevia leaf. (I don't know what makes a flavoring "natural.")

Purpose: Rooibos does not have caffeine. However, the hot tea followed by the cooling aftertaste is somewhat stimulating, so it is a good way to wake up your tastebuds, if not the rest of you as well. This tea is somewhat exotic in flavor, so it does kind of take you away to another place.

Additional Bonus: Yogi puts little words of wisdom on the paper tags on the ends of the string. Today's word of wisdom says, "An attitude of gratitude brings opportunities."

Holiday Chai

This tea by Stash is called Holiday Chai Black Tea.

Flavor: It is has a spicy chai flavor just like any other chai, however, it has a bit of a rum-like aftertaste. As I continued to drink the tea, I noticed there is less of a spicy-chai-burn like in the other chai I have tasted. My conclusion is that although on the first sip, the flavor is there, the spices present are not as strong as other chai. This may be a good tea to start out with, if you are not sure you like chai.

Suggested Additions: The box suggested milk and sugar, which is appropriate, since that is how chai is traditionally meant to be drunk. I tasted it first without any additions, and feel that the taste had a somewhat "unfinished" flavor to it. I used about a teaspoon of white sugar, and since we were out of milk, I used a packet of powdered non-dairy creamer that has probably been in the cupboard since the house was built in 1929. It was quite creamy, and the creaminess blended the flavors quite nicely, and made the rummy flavor pop out more. If I didn't have such a mistrust of artificial products, I would be tempted to switch to "Borden Cremora Royale" (the creamer), however I have no idea what was in it, and prefer natural things. Perhaps next time I will try it with real cream.

Ingredients: Blended black teas, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, clove, ginger, gingerbread and Jamaican rum flavors, nutmeg oil.

Purpose: A unique and fun twist on something traditional. Although this is made with black tea, and I drank it for the caffeine, I do still feel tired, so perhaps this is also a milder black tea. Or perhaps I should sleep more at night.

Gunner's Tea

This one is interesting. It is called Gunner's Tea, made by the Eastern Shore Tea Co. It is a loose-leaf tea, and the bag has a picture of a man with a rifle and his faithful retriever.

Flavor: It is a black tea, somewhat heavy in the tannins. The aftertaste is of apple and indeterminate spices. It has a quite unusual metallic smell. The bag describes the tea like this: "For the essence of fall in portable form, take along a thermal container of Gunner's Tea. The rich, orchard blend emphasizing the evocative scents of fall, [...]. An extraordinary cup, warming fragrance, delicious. On the water, in the field, or beside the fire."

Suggested Additions: Lemon and sweetener are recommended by the company. I chose a teaspoon of raw sugar; since raw sugar tends to have a bit of a spiciness to it, I thought that might pair nicely with the ingredients. Also for some reason I use raw sugar more often in the fall, so there's that theme going on as well.

Ingredients: Fine Indian and China teas, Flavor, Cinnamon, Spices.

Purpose: I am mostly drinking this tea for the caffeine, and because while going through my teas this morning, I couldn't remember why I hadn't had any of this tea in a while. I now remember that I was only mildly impressed with it. The flavor is not unpleasant, but it is definitely unusual. I would like to drink it again sometime, and try brewing it with whole spices, such as clove buds, cardamom pods, or a cinnamon stick. In other words, mostly for experimentation.

Tiger Chai

This tea is called Tiger Chai Tea, loose leaf tea by Eastern Shore Tea Co. Interesting to note is that it is subtitled, "A spicy Indian adventure," and enhanced by an image of a Bengal tiger roaming freely between some circus tents. Sounds like quite an adventure to me!

Flavor: Heavy on the spices, this tea does not have have the heavy tannic taste that some black teas possess. Instead, you can feel the soft burn of ginger, clove, cinnamon, and a few other "warm" spices. Also, I have added a bit of milk, so the whole thing has a bit of a creamy texture going down.

Suggested Additions: Chai is a traditional Indian tea made with spices, sugar, and milk. So to call it chai and put anything besides that in it, would make you a liar. If you don't want sugar and milk, just call it spiced Indian tea. Also, to say "chai tea" as the label on the bag says, is redundant. But now I sound like a tea snob, so whatever, I can't win. I do one-and-a-half teaspoons of white sugar, and a splash of milk- just enough to make it a light brown color. In traditional Indian households, the milk-water mixture is boiled in a sauce pan with the tea and spices in a special method which I am unable to replicate, but its effect is to make the flavors of all the ingredients seem more integrated and rich-tasting. A friend of mine makes it like this, then pours it over ice after it has steeped for a while. I have tried it iced in this way as well and it is very refreshing, although I feel the flavors are more present when the tea is warm. If you choose to ice it, I would suggest allowing it to steep for a bit longer before pouring it over the ice.

Ingredients: Blended black teas, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, cloves, black pepper, vanilla beans, honey, vanilla flavoring

Purpose: an invigorating way to wake up in the morning, a refreshing mid-afternoon treat, and, according to the packaging label: "Work sometimes is a circus but we have the perfect antidote for you: Tiger Chai Tea."

Cinnamon Apple Breakfast

The full name is "Cinnamon Apple Breakfast Black Tea" and it is by Twining's of London.

Flavor: It definitely tastes like a breakfast tea- it has a slight tannic taste but with more focus on the black tea. The initial taste is an apple cinnamon flavor, and the after taste is apple as well, but the middle definitely shouts breakfast tea. The smell is wonderfully cinnamon-y.

Suggested Additions: I put a teaspoon of sugar in, to make it slightly sweet but not overbearing. Since apple juice is used as a sweetener in some baked goods, I would be curious to see how the tea would taste with a dash of apple juice, or perhaps warm apple cider.

Ingredients: Tea, Spiced apple flavoring (for the health conscious out there- this flavoring is artificial), Apple pieces, Cinnamon, Raisin flavoring (also artificial)

Purpose: To be enjoyed with breakfast. And to wake up. This tea definitely wakes the taste buds up- not in a blaring alarm clock kind of way but a soft tone of voice saying, "Honey, its time to wake up now."

Citrus White

I did some searching, and cannot seem to find any reference to this tea on the internet. It is called Citrus White iced tea, from Gold Peak Teas. Mom picked it up for me along with a meal from Boston Market.

Flavor: White tea has a very light flavor. It hints at flowers and berries, and evokes the idea of late spring (so of course, this is the perfect time for me to be drinking it). The lemon is not too strong or citrus-y, just enough for you to be able to taste it in each sip. It is a sweetened tea, and if I had to guess, I'd say probably honey or cane sugar is what was used to sweeten it. Most companies don't use honey, so it is probably cane sugar. If I had it my way, I'd go a little lighter on the sweetener.

Suggested Additions: Because this is a manufactured tea, they've decided what to add in the way of flavoring or sweeteners. I toyed with the idea of adding a bit of water so that it is not quite so sweet, but the flavor is so delicate that I decided I did not want to risk losing the taste along with the sweetener.

Ingredients: Unknown. This tea is not listed on Boston Market's webpage, nor on Gold Peak Tea's site. Because I did not go to Boston Market with my mom, I was not able request nutrition information from the manager. If you frequent a Boston Market near you, feel free to inquire. If you do, let me know what you find out.

Purpose: Pure enjoyment. This iced tea just makes me happy.

Gold Ceylon

This tea is called Mrs. Mays' Pure Gold Ceylon Cafe Tea. The company is Mrs. Mays' Naturals.

Flavor: Ceylon tea is a type of black tea grown in Sri Lanka. It does not have the bitter or tannic taste of many of the other forms of black tea. This particular one is light and rich and does not taste herby at all. It really lives up to its name, because it tastes like the color gold.

Suggested Additions: I am so accustomed to flavored teas that I felt I should add something but I did not want to ruin the flavor of the tea itself. So I added three cardamom pods and a teaspoon of raw sugar. The cardamom adds to the exquisite-ness of the tea (as both are from the same region of the world. The raw sugar seems to enhance the golden taste. In addition, at the end of the tea, I usually chew on one of the cardamom pods for a quick breath-freshener. Cardamom in cooking really does not resemble mint at all but if you were to chew on one of the pods, it does leave a cooling, minty fresh feeling in the mouth, which I'm sure people would prefer over the smell of tea and whatever your last meal was.

Ingredients: 100% pure Ceylon tea

Purpose: This has no specified medicinal purpose, although the warmth helped thaw me out this morning after a particularly chilly night, but that would be true for any tea. This tea has a calming mellowing effect on my nerves, although it does contain caffeine, so it will also keep me more alert today. My sole purpose for drinking this tea is enjoyment.

Nettle Leaf Tea

This is another Nettle leaf tea, made by Traditional Medicinals this time.

Flavor: Nettle has a woody, herby flavor, but not all brands are the same. TM's nettle tea has a pleasant, heavy, herby taste all the way. It is not a bad taste, but usually, just a tiny bit of a sweetener will give it a much lighter taste. It is a good idea to try out several brands if you can, because the process for growing, harvesting, and packaging the tea will affect the flavor.

Suggested Additions: I usually add about one teaspoon of white sugar. I feel that flavor-wise, white sugar is most effective at enhancing the herby flavor without making it too heavy of a taste. Also, sometimes, if the mood strikes me, I will use a teaspoon of raw sugar instead, which gives it a similar flavor but adds a tiny bit of spice to it. Lastly, today it is over 80 degrees out, and a bit warm for drinking a hot tea. I let the bag steep long enough to let the water get to room temperature, and then poured the whole thing over ice. It is quite refreshing as an iced tea.

Ingredients: Urtica dioica (nettle leaf)

Purpose: Traditional Medicinals considers this one of their tonic teas, which means the full effects are felt when drunk daily for a long period of time. However, TM has been very careful in not stepping on the toes of the FDA. However, nettle leaf has many uses, and the one that interests me in particular is its aid in fighting hay fever. I do enjoy the flavor of this tea quite a bit, however, I go through two boxes of it during the fall allergy season, so I usually restrict my drinking of it to that time. Today however, I am testing to see whether my "cold" is actually a spring allergy (which I do not usually get); if it clears up after a few days of nettle leaf tea, then I will have my answer. As a note, TM provides contraindication information on the box, so it would be a good idea to read it to be sure it is right for your particular needs. Nettle tends to have a diuretic effect, so be sure to plan that into your day as well (ie, don't drink it just before a long car ride).

Throat Comfort

This tea is called Throat Comfort and is made by Yogi.

Flavor: A heavy sweet woody flavor with a very faint licorice aftertaste. I was afraid it might be similar to another throat tea which seems to "coat" the throat in a protective way, but it is not. It resembles the taste a little, but does not have that "coating" effect. However, according to the box, tea makers at Yogi intended that coating effect. I just don't feel it (and I am glad I do not as I dislike that feeling).

Suggested Additions: I did not add anything to this tea. It is quite sweet as it is. However, I think next time I might try it with lemon, which I feel might lighten the heaviness of the flavor a bit. I drank this tea very slowly and discovered I don't find this tea to be very good when it is cold.

Ingredients: Licorice root, Fennel seed, Wild Cherry bark, Cinnamon, Orange peel, Slippery Elm bark, Cardamom, Ginger, Mullein leaf, Clove, Black Pepper. (This tea is surprisingly mild for the amount of "strong" ingredients found in it.)

Purpose: I would not drink this tea for just the flavor, but when I woke up this morning, my throat was a bit raw because I got a little stuffy in the night. As it is called "Throat Comfort" I decided to give it a try, and I must say it does feel comforting, and I'd like to think it is because of the tea and not just the warm liquid.

Additional Bonus: Yogi puts little words of wisdom on the paper tags on the ends of the string. Today's word of wisdom says, "Understanding is found through compassion."

Echinacea Immune Support

The tea is called Echinacea Immune Support and is made by Yogi.

Flavor: This blend goes down like a nice wine. It has spicy top notes but is not too spicy, an herby-leafy-green tasting middle, and a soft minty finish. It is also slightly sweet. It is somewhat of a cacophony of flavors and a bit chaotic to my tongue.

Suggested Additions: I did not feel the need to add honey, because the tea already contains Stevia leaf, which is a natural sweetener. Because of the abundance of flavors already in the tea, including lemon, I don't think lemon needs to be added either. But to each his own. I don't think the tea will be ruined by adding honey or lemon.

Ingredients: Peppermint, Lemongrass, Echinacea angustifolia, Echinacea purpurea, Echinacea pallida, Cinnamon, Licorice root, Spearmint, Fennel, Lemon, Cardamom, Rose hip, Ginger, Burdock, Clove, Mullein, Stevia, Black Pepper, Astragalus, European Elderberry

Purpose: I find that Yogi makes more claims about the medicinal quality of herbs than some of the other tea companies. I do not dispute the claims made about Echinacea; as I have stated in a previous post, I feel it really makes a difference when I am feeling run down or need a little immune boost. However, many companies are prevented from making these claims by the FDA; the fact that Yogi is able to do so is surprising to me. Taste-wise, I do not feel that I could drink this tea just for the fun of it.

Additional Bonus: Yogi puts little words of wisdom on the paper tags on the ends of the string. Today's word of wisdom says, "One of the best actions we can take, with courage, is to relax."

Nettle Leaf Tea

This tea is by the company Alvita and is labelled "Nettle Leaf Tea Bags."

Flavor: Nettle itself has a woody flavor; the best way to describe it is that it tastes like the color green. However, I feel that this particular tea is very strong in its earthiness, which some may take to be a bad thing. There are other brands out there that carry Nettle Leaf tea and it may be beneficial to try all of them before settling on a particular flavor.

Suggested Additions: A spoonful of honey did wonders to take the earthiness out of this particular tea. The box also suggests adding lemon.

Ingredients: Urtica dioica (nettle)

Purpose: Because it is the green leafy part of the plant, nettle provides a lot in the way of vitamins and minerals, just as most vegetables will do. I drink Nettle Tea during allergy season, because it seems to help me cope better. I don't drink this brand of nettle tea just because "I like the taste." Also a warning, nettle tends to have diuretic effects, so plan your day accordingly if you want to drink a lot of this tea.

Echinacea Plus

The tea is called Echinacea Plus and is made by Traditional Medicinals.

Flavor: It has a light taste, not medicinal at all. It is somewhat relaxing and minty, but with an added earthiness.

Suggested additions: It needs none, however I like to add to the beneficial value of it with one spoonful of locally harvested honey (within the same county is best!) and a slice of lemon.

Ingredients: Echinacea purpurea, Echinacea angustifolia, West Indian Lemongrass, Spearmint

Purpose: Quite often, I will drink this tea simply because I like the taste and/or am in the mood for it. However, echinacea is often linked to immune system support, and I drink it when my body is feeling run down. This tea has contraindications which are listed on the box. Please read it before drinking it.

Introduction

This blog exists so I can tell the world about my favorite teas. Also, occasionally, I may include other beverages such as an interesting soda or a very flavorful wine. And sometimes, you may find something like chocolate or cheese on here as well. This is basically all about the finer things in life, but that domain name is taken.

So, without any more embellishment, I'll move on to my next post.

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