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!
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Monday, November 22, 2010
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."
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."
Thursday, November 18, 2010
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.
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.
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
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.
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.
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
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!
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!
Saturday, November 13, 2010
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.
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.
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