Thank you to Melanie for this delightful Sample!
I really enjoy Russian Tea and this is a good one. Sometimes Russian tea can be floral and very sweet and sometimes quite smoky. There are different times Russian tea is served traditionally. Either sitting on the Samovar waiting for a pour all day..a hot pot to ward off the cold in Winter… and then another option for dessert is a floral tea often served with chocolates or a TB. of Jam in the cup to eat along with sipping. So delicious. I steeped and was ready to pour. What to do? This is a slightly smoky and creamy tea with just enough tannin to be perky. There is Blood Orange peel in the mix which did not seem to be there at all in the flavor. I wanted caffeine to ward off a migraine so black tea in the morning was a good call. Then I went further…I added some sugar in a small trial pour and liked it with the creaminess…ah…nice. OK I gave up completely and went to the Frig and got my Bonne Maman Cherry Preserves ( I’m telling the brand because it’s available almost anywhere but Sour Cherry is more traditional) and added a big tablespoon in a full cup of tea. Oh boy this is elegantly! Try it if you have the nerve, I Dare you! GOOD! The smoke still cuts through the Jam and the flavor is not too cherry nor too sweet. Just enough! (Strawberry Jam is ok too) Trying this you can participate in the tradition of another culture and enjoy this sweet dessert tea treat.. only 50 calories! So, this tea with or without adding anything is quite nice.
I would keep this on hand as a basic in my cupboard. My steep time was 4 minutes and I was able to get a good second steep.
