Serendipitea

I love love love Autumn! Waking up on still dark mornings, snuggling under warm rugs while I mentally debate how I really ‘must’ get up, then planning exactly how & what to throw on eg: socks are essential as I just know the kitchen floor is going to be freezing cold ..

Well this was my (Sunday) morning, and what inspired me to dig out the secret stash of tea I’ve had hidden away in an airtight/dark box at the back of my cupboard for OMG- nearly a year!

I swear it was like running into an old lover and finding out the spark is still there .. Memories came flooding back as I read the names of various blends and stole wiffs out of different tins & baggies .. Ahhh, how could I have ever given this up – oh yeah, I went on a holiday to Cleansville via Juice Fasting lol .. Well you know what, if a cup of tea is what kills me, then I promise I won’t complain!

Soo, I guess I should add some tasting notes :D

Very aromatic and naturally sweet, tho I confess I did end up adding a small amount of raw sugar which totally amped up the Maple Syrup flavour .. I don’t have any milk in the house but wonder if adding a drop would boost the creamy/buttery/pancakey notes? That’s something I’d like to try so perhaps I’ll take my pouch when I go visiting friends later today ..

My only negative comment on it is that I found the after-mouthfeel a touch too astringent, meaning it left my tongue feeling somewhat puckered – but remember this is OLD tea and I haven’t drunk tea (other than jasmine pearls) for a looong time, so anyone reading this needs to take that into account .. Still, all up I’m going to give it a high rating 90(from me) = Mmm Yummy Stuff!

This arrived a couple of days ago and I’ll confess I’ve been hesitating trying it .. But something told me to be brave today, soI tore open the fresh bag and gingerly gave the dry leaves a sniff – wishing I didn’t have descriptions like ‘shrimp’ in my head, lol .. And you know what? It smells like TEA :P

Sure there’s a rich earthy base note of hmm, mold? That really isn’t the best word, but it’s the only one coming to mind .. Oh wait, maybe fungus fits better as it brings up images of mushroom sheds, and peat .. I don’t know, but the point is it’s not overwhelmingly strong, nor bad :)

So, I actually bought this to try and mix my own version of 52Tea’s Chocolate Mayan Puerh that I often write about and long for .. And due to my experiences with that I just brewed this like I would any other black, albeit for less time – 2min for the first steep, and with no prior rinsing etc ..

As I expected it brewed to a brilliant cedar wood red colour, but surprised me with quite a bit of smokey aroma, & flavour too .. I’m not a fan of strong Russian Caravan types, but this is mild and palatable even for me ..

Remembering this was all about my mayan chocolate experience I began by adding some dark chocolate nibs, a sprinkling of Cayenne, then a good dash of Cinnamon (not in original just went with my gut on this one) .. Oh and also added milk & sugar, just a little of each, as this is how I like my afternoon cuppas .. It was sweet, almost creamy though not quite malty, and with a generous peppery bite which I quite enjoy – a very good substitute indeed!

Brew #2 (same leaves) I steeped for longer, and am drinking plain, sipping as I type this .. And even without all the playful additions I’m finding it full bodied, yet low astringency .. This Tea actually has the perfect ‘mouth feel’ imho ..

It’s definitely not going to be for everyone, and it’s not even something I’d want to drink every day, but it’s very different from anything else in my cupboard, and makes a pleasant change .. So yup, I’m pleased as punch that I bought it, and yes I would definitely recommend as something new/interesting to try :D

I have been slowly savoring my bag of Marzipan as I was aware it was no longer listed on the shops website :(

Welllll – it’s back!!! Oh My Goodness, this has made me so happy I could dance ╭☆╯

An absolute treat of sweet almond flavour, that can only be likened to drinking a battenburg cake – something so deliciously morish that I think I’ve made myself sick each and every time I’ve been faced with one .. Not that this tea will make you sick, oh no, but you WILL require more than one cup :D

PS: info above says it’s good with Danish biscuits, well I’m currently munching on home-made Springerle, and the combo is utter perfection ♡

Nice fresh 250gm tin (that’s a little over half a pound) ..

Greedily opened it up and took a big indulgent sniff woah that’s fragrant!

Brewed a nice strong pot, a little milk, a little sugar, a new book on my iPad – ahhh now this is the life!

A tea that truly deserves it’s rating 3 ratings of 100 – even though the overall one is 84?!

The last couple of (loose leaf) boxes I bought of this have been terrible :(

Really dusty, really stale, really bloody disappointing! Especially as this ‘was’ one of my absolute favourite teas .. Don’t know what’s up with that, but I do know it’s not just me as my daughter who lives in another city has also found this the case .. So bad in fact that we both threw it out .. .. ..

And to this effect, I’ve sadly had to drag my rating waaaay down .. But man oh man, me & Irish, we were damn good while it lasted – and yes I say the same thing about my now ex husband!

Oh My, how is it I have never logged this wonderful tea before??

Maybe I never bothered as Miss Sweet’s friend pretty much took the words right out of my mouth .. Well, if I was as talented as prose as s/he obviously is ..

Anyhoo, I just finished off a 250gram bag this morning, and am racing to order another tonight .. Which I hope hope hope will get here quick!

Earl Grey Excelsior – Rockin’ my world since Jan 2010! ♡

I’ve found myself drinking a lot more of this of late .. I don’t know if it’s the cold weather (it’s freaking freezing here atm!) or what, but that soothing buttery goodness is making me all nomnomnom .. I even prep’d a cup of Harney & Son’s Thai Green (similar butter profile) the other day trying to switch things up, but oh no, only the Coconut Cream Pie will satisfy this craving!

I’m just waiting for another interesting (fruitless) black to be blended before putting a re-stock order in ..

What ya think Frank, something sweet & decadent to warm us southern hemispherians up – I’m thinking white chocolate cheesecake – peanut butter & jelly – coffee, toffee & & cream – oh what about salty caramel ??

Darn, now I’m making myself hungry!

I had two cups of this at my neighbors house today and was actually quite impressed, so I’m surprised by some of the comments & low ratings it’s been given here ..

A medium strength black that doesn’t get lost amongst some rich creamy vanilla aspects, and a nice amount of ginger to round it all off .. No bitterness at all, even though the bag was left in my cup for a long time ..

For a cheap, bagged, supermarket available cuppa I found this to be remarkably good! And I wouldn’t hesitate to offer it to guests, or drink more myself – in fact I might pop back over tomorrow for another cup :)

Well done Twinings – so much better than I expected!

So what’d I think?

Well firstly the brewed aroma reminds me of leaf litter, but that’s not to say it’s unpleasant .. It’s ‘earthy’, maybe even a little ‘moldy’ to my nose .. And it does taste predominantly like (light smokey) burnt toast to me, though the Cinnamon/Nutmeg/Baking Spice comes through loud and clear too .. The butter is more subtle, yet still but obvious .. Raisins, hmm I dunno? But like everyone else has said the combined blend really does taste exactly like it sounds!

This was another sample I got off Rachel and I’m really grateful for the opportunity to try it without investing in a whole pouch as I’m not sure it’s ‘my cup of tea’ .. And to put that in perspective Cinnamon Raisin bread/toast isn’t something I would eat either ..

That said I’m on my third cup, and will happily have a fourth just to finish it off :)

edited to add I think I prefer this more as it cools off ..

I didn’t drink this today – I ran out a few weeks back as I was alternating between this and 52’s cooling Chocolate Mint the whole time I was sick – helped my throat no-end!!!

Anyhoo, I’m just logging because it’s ridiculous how often I go to my cupboard thinking ‘what do I want’ and this still jumps to mind :(

I NEED more – Frank PLEASE .. Mayan Chocolate Chai just ain’t doing it for me – I wants the Puerh!

Solid – Bold – Hearty – the Coffee of the Tea world!

This hits the spot like nothing else does and makes me want to yell ‘Assam me baby coz that’s what I’m talking ‘bout!’

The point is Twinings Irish Breaky – Me Love You Long Time ♥ ♥ ♥

*and I’ve upped the rating because I haven’t had this for a while and it’s even better than I remember it ..

I’ve been really sick with a head cold that turned into bronchitis this last 3-4weeks so haven’t been able to taste anything .. Hence I’ve been eagerly waiting to try this sample sent to me by the lovely Rachel Carter herself, and today is the day!

This is my first ‘pumpkin’ tea and I really didn’t know what to expect as the only way I’ve ever eaten pumpkin before was roasted or in soup .. So I made a strong brew and the aroma is sweet & creamy, and I think I even smell some butter & nutmeg in there ?

Oh yum this is really good! I don’t taste ‘spice’ as such, which is good because I wasn’t wanting that .. I’m actually finding it hard to describe .. The flavour has a lot of depth to it, but it’s not ‘overly’ flavoured – it tastes natural, not oily or artificial in any way .. A sweet malty black with some unique pizazz to it, if that makes any sense to anyone other than myself ?!

Another reviewer says it’s “comforting, cozy and well-balanced” and I think that’s spot-on .. Perfect for drinking by the fireside with a cat on ones lap & good book for company – and I don’t even own a cat – I don’t even like cats! But that’s the image this tea conjures up for me lol .. And by ‘drinking’ what I mean to say is a big mug of ‘gulp-worth’ tea :P

I’d probably rate it a little higher than I did if the last couple of mouthfuls weren’t so full of tea leaf dust kwim?! But eh, it happens and I’ll just use a different infuser next time ..

I’ll definitely be ordering some more of this asap!

Ohhhh Myyyy – This is absolutely delicious!

It’s like tLeafTea’s China Rose and 52Tea’s Earl Grey Cheesecake had a love-child .. Actually with a name like Eros it was more likely a threesome, because the tail end of the swallow is a little reminiscent of Harney & Son’s smoooooth Vanilla Comoro ..

This was very expensive and probably not something I’ll get the chance to buy again, but I’m beyond thrilled I took a chance and imported a tin! I also want to mention that this would make a wonderful gift as Mariage Freres know how to pack a treat .. From tissue paper to tins, menu’s and free postcards, this was a true delight to unwrap!

What more can I add other than simply sensational tea .. I seriously ♥ Eros, and am only taking points off due to the high cost ..

Now I must go make another pot because 2 cups wasn’t enough :D

I had a really lovely Chamomile & Lavender blend the other day, however it’s been discontinued so was hoping this would be similar ..

Unfortunately the Chamomile was so dominant that I wouldn’t have known anything else was in there had I not seen what was in the bag prior :(
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I would like to restore some balance in my cupboard by extending my Green Tea range, however I find most I try way too vegetal for my liking .. So I was nervous yet open-minded and hopeful when I tried this sample ..

I cut open the triangular sachet (silk bag) to get a better look at what was in this blend .. Can easily identify the Green Tea Leaves, Calendula Petals (and a seed for that matter), Blue Cornflower Petals, Citrus Peel (great big chunks!) , and possibly Rose Petal ? There’s also some other outer-husky ‘straw like’ bits, stems possibly? .. And I’m not sure about the rest ..

Unfortunately even brewing this at a lower temp and for less amount of time than suggested left me with such an astringent brew that I had to sweeten with honey to drink ..

Second steep gave similar results so this is definitely not for me .. Hence I’m not going to rate it as it doesn’t seem fair ..
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Both H&S’s ‘Apple & Cinnamon’, and ‘Apricot’, are great fruity flavoured blacks teas, and I enjoy them both hot or cold .. Thinking outside the cup, they could also be an interesting flavouring ingredient; for example in what is currently being described as ‘The Best Fruit Crumble Ever!!!!!’ :D

You can use any fruit, but I spontaneously decided to soak some dehydrated Apricots, Apples, & Cranberries in what was left of this Apricot Tea (still warm) .. Then ladled it evenly into ramekins and put a layer of this mix on top:

250gm Butter
3 cups Rolled Oats
1.5 cups Stone-Ground Wheat
1 teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
0.5 teaspoon Ground Clove
2 handfuls (shelled) Sunflower Seeds
1 cup Brown Sugar

- Rub together with fingertips until it resembles breadcrumbs ..
- This makes heaps so you can store left-over in fridge for next time ..
- Alternate Flavours: (add) Lemon Rind, Ground Ginger, Ground Cardamon, Walnuts ..

- Bake at 170°C for 15min, and serve at desired temp ..

Another free sample that came with my recent H&S order, and a good one to compare back to back with their Apple Cinnamon ..

Both of these teas make a lovely fragrant & fruity Autumn cuppa, but I’m not sure I’d need to have both on hand .. Like the Apple this has a sweet aroma and obvious flavouring, yet steeped for a longer period of time the Tea makes itself well known too .. Without becoming bitter or too astringent ..

Purely as a matter of personal preference I’m going to stick with the Apple, but if Apricot is your thing then I definitely suggest you give this a try!

I’ll update after drinking the glass I have chilling ..

Equally as nice chilled!

And I do believe I’m picking up a hint of Cinnamon drinking it this way – or maybe it’s subliminal as I can clearly see some at the bottom of my glass :D

This came as a free sample with my latest H&S order, and Oh My what a delicious treat it turned out to be ..

I think if I’d been served my first cup of this blind-folded I would have guessed it was some type of Apple/Chamomile Herbal mix, because the Apple dominates both aroma and flavour .. It’s smooth, sweet, and almost intoxicating!

The Tea itself started to shine though in my second brew, which I’d made immediately after with the last of the fresh leaves added to those already in the pot, and steeped for a few minutes longer (approx 6-7min) .. I still couldn’t detect any cinnamon though, but more importantly I don’t think it needs any ..

I’m so glad I got to try this and yes I will be buying a tin of it asap .. I’ve already drunk two large mugs worth in the last half hour, and have a third, sweetened with half a teaspoon of sugar, chilling in the fridge :D

I’m actually quite addicted to this tea so ALWAYS like to have some in my cupboard .. Not that I drink it all that often, not even every week, but when I do I tend to make pot after pot of it .. In fact, I pulled it out last night for a before bed cuppa, and have already enjoyed two more pots today :P

It’s medium to light bodied, yet the tea itself isn’t completely hidden under the floral flavour .. And by floral I don’t mean like a highly perfumed Jasmine or Earl Grey .. No this is more like Rosewater than full-on Rose Petal – think Turkish Delight without the chocolate ..

I don’t find it overly sweet on it’s own, but it does have a real ‘candy-like’ quality about it which intensifies as it cools off .. I think it would be very much enjoyed by children, as both the aroma and flavour evoke (for me) images of little girls tea-parties in the garden .. Served elegantly with milk & sugar, cupcakes & cucumber sandwiches, I’m sure it would be an absolute winner!

• I’ll be purchasing a fresh tin of this, as well as a few others from the same company very soon, so if anyone’s interested in a sample swap just send me a message :)

Busting open the second tin of my fresh H&S delivery for morning tea ..

Wow Paris, you confuzzle me yet again .. The first time I sampled this tea I wasn’t sure it was a stand-out .. The second time (new sachet/day, not a re-steep), it was remarkably better and I put it on my shopping list .. Now I’m getting a whole different flavour profile out of this new batch ?!

This time it started out like a dark fruity black, think plum/currant etc .. And as it’s cooling off I swear I’m picking up a hint of Candy Rose .. It’s fragrance is floral too, but none of the Citrus/Bergamot/ Earl Grey I mention in previous tasting notes ..

Has my palate totally lost the plot or is my mind playing tricks on me??

Either way I’m enjoying it, and very pleased to have a full tin in my cupboard once again :D

Oh Vanilla Comoro, how I’ve missed you!!

When the courier dropped off a box of fresh H&S’s yesterday afternoon I was tempted to tear into it then and there .. Yet I somehow managed to contain myself because I wanted to set the scene for our re-introduction .. I decided to wait until evening, after the children were in bed, so I could snuggle up in my favourite chair by the fire (it’s a really cold, wet Autumn down here in South Island New Zealand), with a good book (Emma Donoghue’s ‘Room’), and a large pot of Rich Creamy Vanilla Goodness = Mmmmm

I fell in love with this tea about a year ago and the quality just never disappoints .. I get two full-flavoured 13oz steepings out of each sachet .. And it’s sweet & creamy, though never artificial tasting, even without the addition of milk & sugar .. I don’t think it’s possible to make it too strong or over-steep – it never goes bitter or too astringent .. Plus it’s a Decaf, which depending on circumstances can be a huge bonus!

Simply put, ♥ Vanilla Comoro ♥ is one of my all-time favourite teas ..

I actually consider this a kind of ‘gate-way’ tea .. That is, the tagalong tins make the perfect gift for anyone who ‘drinks regular black’ .. Trust me, they will love it and you’ll have the pleasure of knowing you’ve created a designer tea appreciating/craving monster :P

Firstly a Big Thank-You to LiberTEAS for giving me this sample, and an apology for not trying it before today!

I just found this at the bottom of a box filled with various pouches and other samples, and despite being a Tuesday morning I decided what I really wanted was a nice calming cup of tea ..

And that’s exactly what this is .. It’s such a pretty mix of dried flowers, both looking and smelling like a sweet potpourri .. I recognized the Chamomile, Lavender, and Hop, but wasn’t sure about the rest until I read it’s description here on Steepster ..

I’m actually not a fan of Chamomile and was a little concerned that it would take over the brew, however this is mixed in such a skilled way that it’s not dominated by any one flavour .. I’m truly loving this blend, and yet saddened that she is no longer selling, because I honestly would like to keep this in my cupboard ..

I guess I’ll have to try and create something myself as I grow all of these ingredients except the Hibiscus & Honeybush .. So if anyone has ideas on other mixes to include, or similar blends to try, please do share ..

For now I’m going to try re-steeping what’s in my pot as my cup’s run dry and I’m really loving this tea!

edited to add Second steep has a lot more ‘apple’ like notes which may be due to the Chamomile, or possible the Honeybush/Hibiscus? It’s YUM :D
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My electric kettle died this morning :(
RIP my lovely Russel Hobbs Stainless Steel Salsa – you served me faithful since 2004, and will be ever-so-missed .. Especially since I can’t seem to find a replacement that doesn’t have bits of plastic inside it ?!

Anyhoo, since I was brewing on the stove-top I decided to mix the last of my pouch with a couple of other dessert blacks that I’m not particularly fond of on their own: tleafT’s Vanilla Vice, & Caramel .. They seemed to compliment each other well so I made a big ’ol pot (well sauce-pan) of Sweet Milky Chocolatly Chai .. A nice note to end the day on :)