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Hoorah For Kenyan Tea

Tea For Today - Mon, 05/20/2013 - 18:10
Memorial Day is coming and the ads are full of specials for grilling and picnicking.  But I am more reminded of the deeper meaning of the day.  It was set aside to remember all those soldiers who gave their lives  for our country, in one of our many, many wars.  I am firmly anti-war, but ...  The fact is many men and women have gone to war and paid horrific prices for the rest of us.  So let us remember them and say thank you.

Memorial Day is also a day to remember family and friends who have gone before us.  I remember going with each of my grandmothers to decorate family graves.  I'm not sure I understand the point of it, but I loved the stories that were told about the 2 sisters who married 2 brothers, about the family friend my great grandmother was named for, the baby boy who died at birth and the baby left behind in a New Jersey cemetery.  There were the graves with odd headstones, and the ones where a whole family was wiped out in a diphtheria epidemic, and that of the many greats-grandfather who lived to be 91 and had 127 grandchildren when he died!  There were sad tales and funny tales, but they wove my family into my heart and made them real.

I hope your families are very real and precious and that you have someone to tell you their stories and that you, in turn, tell the next generation those same stories.  Plant some rosemary for remembrance.  I have some thyme from the cemetery where my parents and grandparents are buried - the whole place is covered with it and it smells wonderful when one walks on it.

I lift my cup today to soldiers and families and friends - may we all grow in love.  I am having some Kenyan tea from Camellia Sinensis Maison de The in Quebec, Canada, www.camellia-sinensis.com .  It is part of a tea swap.  It is called Kangaita and is both organic and fair trade.  In the packet it smells wonderful, with a deep winey aroma.  The medium sized leaves are very dark, but there is a lot of gold dust on the inner surfaces of the packet.  I am brewing it for 3.5 minutes with boiling water.  As it is brewing it has that deep wonderful fresh wash smell, coupled with old wine barrels and dark tree bark.  The liqueur is a very pretty rosy amber.

This smells so good, I can barely wait for it to cool enough to sip.  Oh, my this is wonderful tea.  It is very rich tasting, but has a light body.  There is that woodsy, earthy quality, but it is combined with something very close to caramel.  There is a pleasant, spicy note to the aftertaste.  This really is one of the best teas I have had in a while.  I am especially  pleased because  about 10 years ago, there was some wonderful Kenya tea and then there was a terrible slump and it was just awful, but this is one more proof  that Kenya's orthodox tea can stand with the best.


Wallflowers in Switzerland.

Organic Superfine Dragon Well Long Jing Green Tea from Teavivre

SororiTEA Sisters - Mon, 05/20/2013 - 16:00

Tea Information:

Leaf Type:  Green

Where to Buy:  Teavivre

Tea Description:

This Organic Dragon Well Long Jing tea origins in organic tea base of Tianmu Mountain in Lin’an, Hangzhou. The organic tea base of Tianmu Mountain, has passed the organic certification of European, USA and Japan, is a significant base of planting organic dragon well and green tea. This dragon well long jing tea persists a high level in picking and producing while meeting the standard of organic certification. The tea should be picked as one bud and two leaves or three leaves in order to reach the standard. Tea workers also have excellent skills, which help keep the natural features of fresh tea leaves. Combined with the advantages of organic tea and high grade tea, this dragon well long jing tea is suitable for tea lovers of organic tea as well as dragon well green tea.

Learn more about this tea here.

Taster’s Review:

Oh how I love Teavivre!  Why?  Because they never fail to impress me with their high quality teas.  This Organic Superfine Dragon Well Long Jing Green Tea is absolutely stunning!

It tastes so deliciously sweet, smooth, and there isn’t even the slightest hint of bitterness.  It is sweet from start to finish.  It is vaguely reminiscent of tender, freshly roasted chestnuts.  The buttery smooth, sweet flavor of chestnut!  YUM!  There are also notes of savory vegetation in there too … not really grassy, or even like steamed veggies … but just that subtle touch of “green” to it.  This is the way a Dragon Well should taste!

I love the freshness of this Dragon Well and this is typical of all the teas that Teavivre offers – their teas are just so very fresh and delicious.  (Except for their pu-erhs which are aged and delicious.)  I also love that this particular selection is an organic offering.  Without having compared a conventionally grown Dragon Well versus an organically grown Dragon Well, I can’t say that there is a difference in taste between the two.  But, I know that I feel better knowing that this tea is organic.

This tea is delicious served hot, but, it’s also quite nice when chilled – which is how I’m drinking it now.  I had brewed a teapot of the tea this afternoon, and drank one cup of it hot, and then refrigerated the rest of it, and am able to enjoy a frosty glass of tasty iced tea.  While I do prefer MOST teas served hot versus iced … since the warm weather is upon us now, it’s nice to be able to enjoy this one iced.  It’s very refreshing!

The post Organic Superfine Dragon Well Long Jing Green Tea from Teavivre appeared first on SororiTea Sisters.

Mauna Kea Tea Organic Premium Green Tea - 2013 1st Flush

Tea For Me Please - Mon, 05/20/2013 - 16:00
Country of Origin: United States, Hawaii Leaf Appearance: dark green with some white tips, very curled and twisted Ingredients: green tea Steep time: 2 minutes Water Temperature: 175 degrees Preparation Method: ceramic teapot Liquor: very pale green Ever since tasting Hawaiian grown teas with the folks from +Tealet I have been craving Mauna Kea's green tea. I finally bit the bullet because I Nicole Martinhttps://plus.google.com/103097147251455801975noreply@blogger.com0

Blend and brew

T Ching - Mon, 05/20/2013 - 12:00

Drawing a simple stick figure is the extent of my artistic abilities.  Honestly, even that might be stretching it.  It’s not really a problem as I am more than willing to accept my lack of artistic ability.  But every once in a while, I’ll catch Bob Ross on PBS painting his happy little trees, making it look so easy, and I see a small glimmer of artistic salvation for me.  

A few years back, my sister and her husband attended one of those Wine and Canvas type of bars in Chicago.  You know … drink wine while an instructor walks you through a masterpiece creation.  She posted pictures on Facebook and the whole thing looked like a ton of fun.  Especially the wine part.  I immediately pulled up my “To Do” list (since I have lists for everything) and added a “Tea + Art” type of event to it.  

Why it took me a couple of years to put something like this together is beyond me, but fate led me to a gentleman by the name of Ed.  Ed teaches art classes – different media, different techniques, different hair, but in that same soothing voice as Bob Ross.  On April 17, we launched our very first “Blend and Brew” – an art + tea class at Selah {an art salon}.  The focus of our class was on creating a painting of a beautiful cherry blossom tree and sampling four green teas.  We talked about green tea-growing regions, flavor profiles, and a flurry of other tea facts – all while painting.  We even managed to chat about husbands, puppies, and past teas we’ve experienced.  The evening was so enjoyable that we have opted to host monthly “Blend and Brew” sessions.

While I still hold tight to the fact that I will never be a Monet, there is something very relaxing about having a cup of tea and painting.  I was amazed at how different all of the paintings were, even though everyone was working off the same model.  If given the chance to attend a similar event in your neck of the woods, I highly recommend it!  

Happy painting (and sipping)!

The post Blend and brew appeared first on T Ching.

Lord Petersham Black Tea Blend from The Devotea

SororiTEA Sisters - Mon, 05/20/2013 - 03:59

Tea Information:

Leaf Type:  Black

Where to Buy:  Amoda Tea

Tea Description:

This is our Mother’s Day Tea. One of the Amoda moms has been asking for a black tea “that’s not boring”. So we found one for her.

There’s 7 different black teas layered in here! Medium-body, medium-strength, full taste. There’s citrus, malt and honey and that amazing smoky character that likes to linger.

Learn more about this tea here.

Learn how to subscribe to Amoda’s Monthly Tea Tasting Box here.

Taster’s Review:

I have wanted to try this Lord Petersham Black Tea Blend from The Devotea for a long time now – and the monthly tea tasting box from Amoda Tea made that possible for me today!  Thank you, Amoda Tea!

The Devotea maintains an active presence on Tea Trade, and that’s our home here on SororiTea Sisters too, so I’ve been hearing a lot about this tea blend.  I tried to win it back when the Devotea was hosting regular giveaways on Tea Trade, but, I never won anything.  Bummer!  I have been meaning to order from them for a while, but, every time I have funds available in my “Can Buy Tea” budget, somehow, I forget to order this!

Now I HAVE to order more of this, because this blend is FREAKING awesome!  Seriously … it’s extraordinarily good.  I know I’ve said that this tea or that tea is good, and I’ve meant it.  But, if you have room for only one black tea in your tea cupboard – this is a tea you should definitely consider as your one and only.   I’ve encountered a few “one and only” black tea blends … this tea blend is absolutely a contender for that distinction as well.

I think that Amoda Tea describes this tea well when they say that it’s medium-body, medium-strength with full-flavor.  It is all those things.  It doesn’t taste or feel too heavy or overwhelming.  It isn’t one of those “kick you in the backside” kind of teas that you would turn to on those mornings when you are too drowsy to focus.  Instead, it’s one of those teas that you drink because you LOVE tea and you want the optimal tea experience.  As I sit here and drink this, I am so astonished at how beautifully round it is.  It is completely satisfying in it’s flavor.

I steeped this for 2 1/2 minutes in my Breville One-Touch, and this worked out perfectly.  It is not overly tannic, it isn’t bitter, it is just … divinely delicious.  A wonderfully balanced cuppa that tastes rich with its notes of sweet honey-like tones, malty goodness, and hints of earthy notes.  There is a citrus-like finish to it.  The smoky tones that Amoda Tea mentions in their description … there is just the right amount of smoke to this blend.  It doesn’t taste aggressively smoky.

This is so close to perfection – this blend – that I can’t think of a black tea blend that I like better than this one at the moment.  There might be one … but, this tastes so good that it is clouding any other opinion that I might have!

The post Lord Petersham Black Tea Blend from The Devotea appeared first on SororiTea Sisters.

Does Your Tea Site Need A Makeover?

Tea Guy Speaks - Sun, 05/19/2013 - 18:18
Here's another article I recently wrote for The English Tea Store blog.

Does Your Tea Site Need A Makeover? By William I. Lengeman III

Back in the 70s I had some pretty fine bell bottoms, if I do say so myself, and some eye-catching silk shirts and a nice pair of platform shoes to round out any ensemble. I know fashions have a way of coming around and I don’t have any of those snappy duds anymore but even if I did I wouldn’t wear them. I’m not obsessed with my appearance but I still don’t want to be seen in public in clothes that are so outdated.

Which is to suggest that appearances do count for something. If you disagree, stop and think about what you wore to your last job interview. All of which occurred to me when I came across a tea site recently that would have been considered...

more

Cuisinart TEA-100 PerfecTemp Programmable Tea Steeper

Planetary Design Tea Tumbler

Tea For Me Please - Sun, 05/19/2013 - 16:00
I won this tea tumbler at the Tea Magazine tweetup at the New York Coffee and Tea Festival. Unlike most travel mugs I've used, it combines both an infuser basket and French press. I had my doubts about the design because I was concerned about oversteeping. That had always been a problem for me with press style tea makers in the past. However, the press compressed the leaves into the solid part Nicole Martinhttps://plus.google.com/103097147251455801975noreply@blogger.com0

Tisanes: Lemongrass Pandan

The Tea Horse Road - Sun, 05/19/2013 - 07:00

Summer is almost here. The summer heat needs a refreshing and cooling element for those of us who cannot bear drinking anything warm or hot.Tisanes are excellent remedies for the heat and added flavor that has health benefits.This is an excellent tisanes, it cools, mildly detoxifies, aids in digestion, refreshes and enlivens.This tisanes has so much flavor from the herbs used that it does not require a sweetener however if desired a little rock sugar is an excellent healthy addition.A squeeze of lemon or lime will also add a very welcome flavor.Ingredients
  • 150 grams lemongrass - pounded to release the flavor
  • 5 Screwpine  leaves - tied in a knot
  • 5 slices ginger - lightly bruised
  • 1.8 litres water
  • 40 grams rock sugar or honey rock sugar to taste
Instructions
  1. In a non metalic pot, add the ingredients except rock sugar. 
  2. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for about 20-30 minutes.
  3. Add rock sugar and stir until dissolved. 
  4. Discard lemongrass stalks, ginger and screwpine leaves. 
  5. Drink warm or chilled

quick udpate - Tea Nazi is back!

Life in Teacup - Sun, 05/19/2013 - 05:02
(The photo is from Pan's Tea Travel webpage, explaining the green tea processing.)

Here are of Tea Nazi that I wrote two years ago.

Ok... I admit I was really blunt to call him "tea nazi", as he is by far not as harsh as the "soup nazi", and he is really a nice guy!

This spring I got "official" announcement from Pan that he is back to tea business - on part-time basis, but in some sense, more devoted than a lot of full-timers in tea world. I know a bunch of "amateur" tea people, part-timers, moonlighters, or "hobby sellers(?)". In fact, among my favorite tea friends, tea suppliers and tea "colleagues (?)", there are probably more part-timers than full-timers. Thinking of that just surprised me! I haven't had any business relation with Pan yet. But I sort of like it that he has come back to tea business on part-time basis!

Now I know it's easier than ever for foreigners to shop on taobao. So here is Pan's taobao store:
http://youjianchapu.taobao.com/search.htm?spm=a1z10.1.w28-18216832851.5.3q9noD

His store name is the same as the name of his store before he "retired" from tea business last time. It literally means "Here's a Tea Store". I think it's a lovely name!

There aren't many items yet there. And I've already asked him "would you please add more stuff in the store and make it more business-like?!"

Pan told me that he will add more items to the taobao store, but probably not a lot and not very fast. So far, he would visit every of the production site or collection source of his teas, and he would only carry teas that don't use any pesticide. He will not do a lot of business in a short time. But he will maintain very high standards for quality and health of the teas, as always!

I think it's not hard to tell that one can hardly make a living selling tea in this way, especially in China, where there are about a few million tea sellers doing business more efficiently on lower budgets. But it may work out just fine as Pan keeps his day job, which is an interesting job anyway.

If you look for more things to see, his "tea travel" page is very cool:
http://shop58835027.taobao.com/view_page-43393581.htm?spm=a1z10.3.w3-18202084498.4.9cTPU6

And I'm sure he will add more photos and writing to this page to document his tea journey and his teas. I've already suggested him to put his writings in text format on the webpage so that non-Chinese readers could use google translate to read them. But so far photos dominate and photos tell most of the stories already!

Besides, anybody who are Chinese-English bilingual, if you are interested, please feel free to translate his writings, publish the English version online and link back to his webpage.

The Des Anges from Nina’s Paris

SororiTEA Sisters - Sat, 05/18/2013 - 22:00

The Des Anges from Nina’s Paris

Tea Information:

Leaf Type: Black

Where to Buy: Nina’s Paris

Tea Description:

Strawberry pieces, vanilla, and strawberry flavors.

Learn more about this tea here.

Taster’s Review:

The Des Anges from Nina’s Paris is a nice simplistic tea with subtle flavors. I can appreciate the way this tea is not over done with flavorings. I can taste the black tea base, the strawberry, and the vanilla, and none seem to be fighting with another for focus. It is a pleasant cup of tea.

I am not quite sure that it is strong enough to hold up to creamer or sweetener but I think that it would give it a nice kick and jack it up a notch. It is rather a no fuss, simple, enjoy me as I am tea. That is not to take away from the blend, but if you are looking for an in your face flavor, this isn’t it. However if you often time flavored teas too flavorful and prefer a subtle hint of flavor to your tea, then this is bang on!

This tea also is not very sweet, which is nice, a lot of flavored teas are too sweet. This taste a lot more like some fresh strawberries had been infused in the tea with a splash of vanilla flavor. I do not find the vanilla to give the tea as much of a creamy flavor and the mouthfeel is very light as well.

Overall a nice change of pace in a flavored tea.

The post The Des Anges from Nina’s Paris appeared first on SororiTea Sisters.

Tea Salad on Bourdain's Parts Unknown

Tea Guy Speaks - Sat, 05/18/2013 - 16:23
A snippet from Anthony Bourdain's new CNN show, Parts Unknown, in which the infamously carnivorous host visits Myanmar and feasts on a salad that includes tea leaves.

Adagio Teas - Best Tea Online

Premium Sencha Green Tea from Aiya

SororiTEA Sisters - Sat, 05/18/2013 - 16:00

Tea Information:

Leaf Type:  Green

Where to Buy:  Aiya

Tea Description:

Premium Sencha is one of the most prized Sencha teas available in Japan.

Learn more about this tea here.

Taster’s Review:

This Premium Sencha Green Tea from Aiya is easily the freshest Japanese Sencha tea I’ve ever had the pleasure of tasting!  The freshness is due to the fact that Aiya’s teas are packaged in sealed tins.  Not just a closed tin, not even just an airtight tin … but sealed … like a tin can.  You know, the kind where you pull the ring and peel back the lid.   Aiya takes the freshness of their products very seriously!

And while I might have been skeptical before popping the ring and peeling back the seal … after smelling the tea inside the tin and more importantly, after tasting it … I’m a believer!  This stuff is fresh!  The aroma smells like a combination of freshly cut grass and kelp.  Not just “freshly cut grass” but the scent of the air as I mow the lawn.  As in JUST cut grass.  That is to say, it smells very fresh.

While it smells like a cross between grass and kelp, it doesn’t taste so much like these two things.  There are grassy notes, yes, and perhaps even the faintest kelp-y note, the overall flavor is much more like steamed green veggies.   A distinct “green” taste.

It is sweet, and there is a savory quality to it too, and I’m finding this contrast to be very satisfying.  It has a brothy kind of taste and texture, and it makes for a soothing beverage.   As I continue to sip, I start to notice an astringency to the tea, it is more of a “tangy” sort of astringency rather than a drying astringency … there is almost a citrus-y quality that goes along with it.

I’m loving the complexity to this tea … each sip brings with it a new discovery.  It’s a wonderful journey in a teacup – and I expected no less from Aiya.  I’ve always been so impressed with the quality and the flavor of their teas, and they are a company I feel good about recommending to all my readers!

The post Premium Sencha Green Tea from Aiya appeared first on SororiTea Sisters.

David's Tea Strawberry Rhubarb Parfait

Tea For Me Please - Sat, 05/18/2013 - 16:00
Country of Origin: not listed Leaf Appearance: lots of visible fruit pieces Ingredients: Apple, hibiscus, raisins, carrot, yogurt bits, beetroot, strawberry, rhubarb, artificial flavoring Steep time: 5 minutes Water Temperature: 205 degrees Preparation Method: travel mug with infuser Liquor: deep red This tea was tangy, sweet and somewhat creamy. Strawberry was definitely the dominant taste. Nicole Martinhttps://plus.google.com/103097147251455801975noreply@blogger.com0

The Wonders of Teabagging Machines

Tea Time With A.C. Cargill - Sat, 05/18/2013 - 13:30
Even though I don't use teabags, the machines that make them fascinate me. Imagine a machine that takes the processed tea leaves and dumps a small amount into a little bag, adds a string, adds a tag, and does this by the thousands. Wow!

Read the rest of the article on The English Tea Store Blog.


© 2013 A.C. Cargill photos and text

Kiwi Flavored Matcha from Red Leaf Tea

SororiTEA Sisters - Sat, 05/18/2013 - 03:59

Tea Information:

Leaf Type:  Green (Matcha)

Where to Buy:  Red Leaf Tea

Tea Description:

Kiwi Matcha’s rich acidic undertones make it a delectable delight when added to many foods and drinks around the home. Its sweet and tart taste make it a great food or drink enhancer because it enlivens the taste buds and makes partaking of the food much more enjoyable. It is an excellent flavor when making culinary delights exciting and more delectable. Its lingering flavor makes many foods and drinks very delicious and appealing.

Learn more about this Matcha here.

Taster’s Review:

This is pretty tasty, although, I must admit that I’m just a tad underwhelmed by it.  I was hoping for more of a true to the fruit flavor with this Kiwi Flavored Matcha from Red Leaf Tea, but, it tastes a bit more like candy.  It still tastes kiwi-like but it’s more like an artificial kiwi flavor than a authentic fruit-like taste.

That’s not to say it tastes bad … it’s certainly enjoyable.  But, it tastes more like it was flavored with kiwi flavored candy … rather than kiwi fruit, if that makes sense.

The fresh, “green” taste of the Matcha lends some balance to this bowl of traditionally prepared Matcha, though.  It has a bittersweet, slightly vegetative, slightly buttery taste.  The texture is smooth and creamy and I’m glad to report that it is not gritty.  (Yay!) It even stayed mixed all the way to the bottom of the bowl.

The kiwi has a sweet, fruity taste, but as I mentioned before, it is not a true fruit kind of taste … more like a fruity candy taste.  It definitely does taste of kiwi, though.  And there is a trace of “chemical-y” taste to this as well, but, I didn’t find it to be a powerful or overwhelming flavor, and after the first couple of sips, the artificial-y/chemical-y taste began to subside.

I prepared this traditionally, as I said, but I used slightly cooler water than I normally would, because it’s warmer out these days, and I wanted a cooler drink.  While it terribly hot, it was warm and I enjoyed it that way.  It’s also quite good when added to smoothies!

My specifications for this Matcha were my “usual” – the classic grade of green Matcha, flavored with a distinctive level of kiwi flavoring.  This time around, I think that the kiwi slightly overpowered the flavor of the green tea, so you might want to go with the delicate flavoring with this particular flavor.  Or … perhaps try a higher grade of Matcha (which is what I’d recommend!)

Good … but, not my favorite flavoring for the Matcha from Red Leaf Tea … but I’m still really glad I had the opportunity to try it, and don’t regret ordering it because I do love the flavor it adds to my smoothies, especially since I do enjoy kiwi fruit but it’s not a fruit I typically keep on hand.  A teaspoon and a half of this Kiwi Flavored Matcha gives my smoothies a nice hint of kiwi!

The post Kiwi Flavored Matcha from Red Leaf Tea appeared first on SororiTea Sisters.

Key Lime Pie from Della Terra Teas

SororiTEA Sisters - Fri, 05/17/2013 - 22:00

Key Lime Pie from Della Terra Teas

Tea Information:

Leaf Type: Black

Where to Buy: Della Terra Teas

Tea Description:

This tea combines the flavor of delicious Key Lime pie and black tea.  If you love lime, pie, tea… any of those, you’ll love this tea!  Perfect for first thing in the morning or even as a dessert.  Enjoy your day in the sunny Florida keys with this one!

Ingredients: Black tea, lime flavor, cream flavor, lime pieces and bits*

Allergens: contains dairy, soy.

Suggested brewing tips

Serving Size: 1 level tsp./6oz serving

Water Temp:  210°F

Steep Time: 2-5 minutes

Learn more about this tea here.

Taster’s Review:

What can I say about Key Lime Pie from Della Terra Teas, I don’t know, how about YUM YUM YUM!!!! One thing I have noticed with lime flavored things, not just tea, there is more often than not this strange yucky aftertaste that lingers around for a long time. Well you will not find that lingering yuck in this tea! What you do get is a zesty, sweet, limey goodness that lasts and pleasantly lingers on your palate! I love this tea and I can’t wait to try it iced and cold steeped.

It is no secret I am a huge fan of Della Terra Teas and have successfully narrowed my flavored tea sipping down to a few very good and consistent companies, Della Terra Teas is one of them. Their teas are always of high quality and true to the flavor description. On the rare occasion their tea is not received warmly by customers they work on the blend and perfect it based on reviews. I respect that.

I find lime to be a flavor that is really difficult to get just right but Della Terra has managed to not only do a lime tea but a key lime pie tea and it sure does remind me of a creamy key lime dream. What I love even more is that the black tea base is not lost beneath the flavors. I can distinctly taste the tea in this blend.

This tea is sweet but not cloying and there is also no aftertaste from the sweetness. I think this will make a wonderful summer tea and should be served to anyone who usually enjoys those half lemonade half tea blends to convert them!

The post Key Lime Pie from Della Terra Teas appeared first on SororiTea Sisters.

Sorting Business Cards

Black Dragon Tea Bar - Fri, 05/17/2013 - 20:16
Recently I took a few minutes to sort my box of business cards (aka name-cards) that I have collected over this last decade. I do this from time to time to reconnect with old customers or vendors. Most of the cards in my collection are tea related (either from Taiwan or from various trips to the World Tea Expo) but quite a few are from non-tea-industry tea-lovers that I have met throughout the years. My current favorite is from a Texas megadrilologist named George. His card features a black and white photo of a car driving along the highway with the word EARTHWORMS printed boldly along the top.

Dear Readers, if our paths should ever cross, please exchange business cards with me! I will keep your card in my special box for all time.

Tea posters

Notes on Tea - Fri, 05/17/2013 - 19:00


I collect stationery and have several tea-themed pieces but I don't have any tea posters.  Here are several posters I like from around the web.  Would love to hear about your favorite(s).  Enjoy the round-up!


Drinking tea is a good way to recover from a crisis

Here's a "Drink More Tea" spoof on the Uncle Sam "I Want You" poster.

You've probably seen the "Keep Calm and Drink Tea" postcards; you can buy the sentiment in poster form, too. Here's another version.

I agree with the sentiment of this poster: "Everything Stops For Tea"!

And here's a good one for a laugh.

And finally, this "Tea & Music" poster reminds me of the tea and music package I received from the Tea for Tyrants Kickstarter project.  Stay tuned for a review of the Gyokuro Superior.

P.S. A selection of my tea stationery can be seen here.

China Keemun Dahlia Black Tea From Grey’s Teas

SororiTEA Sisters - Fri, 05/17/2013 - 16:00

Tea Information:

Leaf Type:  Black

Where to Buy:  Grey’s Teas

Tea Description:

Keemun is grown in Anhui Province and is a ‘gongfu’ tea requiring disciplined skill to produce thin tight strips. It produces a rich liquor with a slightly scented flavour and delicate aroma. Keemun is the most famous of China’s black teas and, due to its subtle and complex nature, it is considered the “Burgundy of teas”.

Learn more about this tea here.

Taster’s Review:

OH wow!  This China Keemun Dahlia Black Tea from Grey’s Teas is awesome!

The flavor is rich and powerful – it is a bold, robust, hefty black tea, but it also possesses enough subtle nuances to it to keep it from becoming too overpowering.  There are some smoky notes to this, but, they aren’t as apparent as in some other Keemun teas I’ve encountered.  Here the smoky notes are softer … like wisps of smoke that waft their way throughout the sip.

There is a really pleasant complexity to this tea – with notes of fruit, earth, leather, caramel, hints of smoke and very delicate whispers of flower within the layers of flavor.  I like that it is a strong tea, but, it isn’t all about the strength.  I like that it isn’t so heavy in flavor that the softer notes become lost … I love that I can taste all the little delicate notes here.

This is a tea that has the strength that is needed for that first cup of the day (this would be great as a morning latte!) but it also has enough softer, wine-like notes that make for a very enjoyable afternoon cuppa as well.

An excellent Keemun – this one gets two enthusiastic thumbs up from me!

The post China Keemun Dahlia Black Tea From Grey’s Teas appeared first on SororiTea Sisters.

Darjeeling TeaXpress 2012 Darjeeling First Flush Giddapahar China Special

Tea For Me Please - Fri, 05/17/2013 - 16:00
Country of Origin: India Leaf Appearance: small, varied brown and green Ingredients: black tea Steep time: 5 minutes Water Temperature: 212 degrees Preparation Method: ceramic teacup and mesh infuser Liquor: amber The leaves of this tea were really beautiful. They had a nice twisted shape to them and the varied shades of brown and green were lovely. The taste was light and fruity with a Nicole Martinhttps://plus.google.com/103097147251455801975noreply@blogger.com0
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