I tried ashmanra’s blend to kind of replicate Rosey Earl Grey. The only thing I added were a few pearls of Jasmine Pearl tea. It is good, but I think the Rosy is slightly sweeter somehow. If I try this again, I will up the jasmine a little.
868 Tasting Notes
I thought this was an appropriate afternoon tea. My kids and I went to a U-pick blueberry farm today. It took a little over an hour to get 7 lbs, but it was so worth it. I am not sure my nearly 12 yo DS was much help, but he sure did eat a bunch. Now I just have to decide whether to make muffins or pancakes…… or maybe just a pie?
Good blueberry flavor, but I am going with the more sophisticated Black Currant when this is gone. They are so very similar, I almost can’t justify having both…until I run out of Rosey Earl Grey and am looking for things to add to my Teas etc. order.
I got this tea from Angelina’s just to see if it was anything close to Teavana’s. I am fairly certain that it is from Metro, as the owner of Angelina’s did say on his website that Metro was one of his suppliers. I so appreciate the honesty in that! In my opinion, vendors should be upfront with the source of their tea unless they are adding something to it. Otherwise, they are essentially just a repackager, which there is not anything wrong with that if you let your customers know. And those who are avid drinkers in the tea world can usually figure out where something came from.
Onto the tea. Yep. Not that much different from the tea I got from Teavana. The surprising thing….the tea from Angelina’s looked fresher. The cornflowers in my Teavana tea were very faded compared to the sample I got from Angelina’s. Hmmmmm. I am finding fewer reasons to go to Teavana……
Tea of the morning.
Wow. This is a good one. I do think it is pretty much the same as Emperor’s Red that JacquelineM so graciously sent me to sample. The leaves look identical, and the deep, roasty, cocoa flavor is all there. If I do order again from this merchant, I am certain to add in an ounce or two of this. One ounce is $5.
I am pretty sure this is what I purchased online from Angelina’s Teas in Winston-Salem, NC. It was my first experience with this vendor, and I really wanted to try this tea as well as find a place to buy some of Metro’s Earl Grey Cream for comparison to Teavana’s. From looking at the tea this merchant stocks, it seems he has many Metro offerings, plus more. There is something similar to Emporer’s Red (It is an Imperial Red black tea that is called Da Hong Pao which I think means big red robe. They also have a Da Hong Pao Oolong.) It is easy to order in just about any amount by the ounce. Packaging was in the foil bags with the roll top and tie that flattens. I also got a free sample, and his shipping was extremely fast, even for a holiday weekend. There was one tea I ordered that was out of stock, and the owner subbed something more expensive for my one ounce. I got Formosa Ruby #18 black tea instead of the Dian-Hong Red tea I ordered. Actually, I am pleased with the sub, as the Ruby #18 is of interest to me.
Onto the Honey Tea…..I do like this one. It is a basic black tea with a floral honey flavor. It kind of reminds me a little of jasmine. Sweetened, this is very enjoyable. Once my two ounces are gone, I could see reordering. Plus, I am sure there are many other teas that Angelina’s has to offer that are of interest. I like that they have a balance of unique teas and the flavored teas I like.
Made this iced for the afternoon. I got an early birthday present from my MIL today. It is a Fiestaware disc pitcher in scarlet. I just brewed my tea in it, and then added ice. It is so nice to finally have a container for iced that I can brew in as well as serve from. My glass pitcher is a little too delicate for hot water.
The tea was pretty good. I like the Goji Raspberry version of this tea better.
Tea o’the mornin’.
Happy 4th of July, my American Steepsterite freinds!
I tried this as my afternoon tea today to really see the difference from Teavana’s Earl Grey Creme. I think this one is more creamsicle tea, and the other is more Earl Grey and vanilla. I think they both have their place, but I am leaning more toward the other…..
(I can’t wait to see if there is any difference between the Teavana and Metro……. ;) )
Second morning in a row for this one. I am thinking that I more enjoy the energy I get from the mate in the blend, than the actual blend itself. I think I am going to try some roasted mate in some of my other breakfast favorites, rather than continually purchasing this one. It is kind of pricey for what it is in my opinion. Also, I have decided a whole small teapot of this in the morning is overkill. Back to the jumbo mug for this one.
I got this in my Teavana order to see if it was any better than the Earl Grey Creme Vanilla from Upton. Really, I do think they are pretty comparable in taste. I think I am going to have to do a side by side comparison soon. I also have a sample coming from a tea vendor who sells Metro teas, and am assuming the Earl Grey Creme from that vendor is also from Metro.
Pretty enjoyable. I do like it, and since I have a thing for JavaVana Mate…I can see buying this one again if it does taste better than Upton’s in the side by side. Otherwise, the Upton is a hard one to beat due to price.
My tea of the morning….
I finally did get some tea at Teavana, but I ordered online with a free shipping code. I will admit to really liking this one…it is a coffee lover’s tea. Also, I do love the extra energy I get from the mate. I get maybe a hint of vanilla, a hint of chocolate, and there is definitely something spicy in the mix. I really would love to come up with something close myself…it is mostly Assam from the looks of it. Hmmmmm. A Roasted Chai Mate + Assam? That would not be the same, but it might be close.
Vanilla Comoro plus Peppermint
A little under the weather this evening. Tea sounded really good, and I knew mint would help settle my stomach. I had a craving for black tea rather than the ‘winter candy decaf green’ I would usually drink in this place. So I added a scant tsp of Peppermint Tea to my pot of Vanilla Comoro before brewing. It was perfect, and just light on the mint. Settled the stomach, and I know that caffeine will not be keeping me awake tonight.
24 oz teapot, 4 actual tsp Vanilla Comoro, 1 scant tsp Peppermint, freshly boiled water, 3 minutes, lightly sweetened.
This one is a winner. I agree with JacquelineM…that it is like Golden Snail’s tall, dark, and handsome brother. I want to add, the smoother and more sophisticated brother, you know the one that you swoon over every time he leaves the room. It is very dark cocoa, a little earthiness, and slight smoke. Very rich and deep. But oh so smooth and sophisticated.
I have been reading a bit of Michael Harney’s book (it was on the shelf at my local library!) and he mentioned that one of his tea mentors (I know you did not exactly call him this, Mike, but it sounds like he shaped a good deal of how your decide which teas to buy) said that he only buys and stocks teas that make him happy on sampling. Yes, this is a long, drawn out way to say: This is a tea that makes ME happy!
My tea of the afternoon.
There is a new chocolate tea in my cupboard, and it will have a permanent place as long as chocolate tea appeals. I knew that Harney’s Chocolate Tea was good, because I got a sample of it long ago from Fairyfli. I consumed that sample in record time. When it came time to replace some of my chocolate teas, it was definitely on my list, but I decided the addition of roses would be right up my alley. I am definitely not disappointed. The chocolate flavor and rich tea base is very much like I remember in the Chocolate Tea, but the addition of the roses gives a slight sweetness and light floral note. Tastes like chocolate, tea, and lightly of roses all at once. Perfection.
It is also working wonders….it kept me out of the ice cream for the afternoon! And my sweet tooth is sated.
24 oz pot, 4 1/2actual teaspoons of tea, freshly boiled water, 4 minutes.
The morning tea….brewed twice. This one is good, lightly fruity, and has a deep black base. Lovely.
24 oz teapot, 4 1/2 teaspoons actual tea, freshly boiled water, 4 minutes. Resteep at 6 minutes. Lightly sweetened.
My tea of the morning. I have been following mrawlins2 drinking this so I had to pull mine out for today. This makes a great morning tea for me. And the shorter steep really helps. I will definitely need more soon! It is bolder than the blacks I usually drink, and the honey flavor just rounds it out perfectly.
24 oz teapot, 4 actual tsp tea, freshly boiled water, 3 minutes. Resteep coming up!
Backlogging tea from last night. Simple but good. The vanilla isn’t super strong, and I really think the almonds don’t add much flavor as the red rooibis is pretty srong on its own. Still, not too bad for a non-caffeine infusion before sleeping. It is one of my favorite versions of rooibos, but I think I like Bourbon Sttreet Vanilla Rooibos better.
My tea of the afternoon. I made this pot a little sweeter than I usually do, and it tasted like dessert. I think I will be looking for an Earl Grey Creme with a little more sophistication than this one. It is good, and inexpensive, but I think I can find better.
My current breakfast tea of choice. I have a few others that I like in the morning, but this one is now the default. I had a small pot this morning with a piece of whole wheat bread, with peanut butter and local honey. Yum.
I can’t belive this is the first pot of this I have made in my new little green teapot. (I think the teapot needs a name! Maybe Sprout? Camellia?) The thought of drinking this all day by the time I resteep makes me so happy!
Tea of the afternoon. This is like my regular rose tea, but on rosey steroids! I like it! The tea base is very good, and the rose is definitely in the forefront of this tea. It is also very present in the aroma. In the other tea blend, the rose is more of a complement to the tea base, rather than the featured flavor. I definitely have a place for both in my cupboard!
24 oz. teapot, 4 actual tsp. tea, freshly boiled water, 4 minutes, lightly sweetened.
Backlog from yesterday…..
I fixed a to go mug of this to take to my son’s last baseball game of the season. Good tea, slightly sweet, and hot. It was a cold day. I think the high only got to about 65. Unfortunately, we lost the game 0-10. It was that kind of year with only one win. The good news, I think my son still had a good time and wants to play again next year. It is good to know his love of the sport does not depend on winning. He just loves the game.
A tin of tea purchased from the local Asian market. It is less than $4 for a half pound.
I decided to try this one as a cold brew iced tea. 8 perfect teaspoons (12 actual teaspoons) in a 40 oz pitcher, steeped overnight. I am thinking less tea next time. The tea is more smokey and earthy than I think I would like and probably just a little strong. It makes a great bold iced tea, and I don’t have to feel badly about using large amounts of it quickly. I watered it down a little and it is perfect!
Morning tea….. I survived my first day of no coffee yesterday. Now, I am not sure I will ever go back.
This is a nice bold Keemun that would stand up to milk well. I think I’ll add some to my second cup….
24 oz. teapot, 4 1/2 actual teaspoons tea, 4 minutes with freshly boiled water, lightly sweetened.
