two leaves and a bud

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Had this cup of Earl Grey away from home, from the Little Italy Pappalecco in San Diego, CA.

This seems to lack some character. I like a stronger Earl Grey, but this was weak enough that I could taste… the water, and whatever it was carrying. Although the so-so water quality isn’t this tea’s fault, a teabag should be resilient enough to stand less delicate, more standard-coffeehouse brewing conditions than looseleaf, and this was lackluster. Little to no aroma to enjoy, here. The bergamot taste was weak, resulting in a taste like a thin generic black with just a dash of citrus, not amounting to much in the end. It never even got the nice bitterness of a good, oversteeped teabag! This Earl just never developed any spine, or something.

It’s too bad, I could have used a good, assertive Earl Grey with the lovely vanilla cake I had at the Pappalecco cafe. I loved everything else from there, besides this cup!

Probably my favorite Jasmine tea that I’ve tried so far. It’s really smooth, and I don’t find the Jasmine flavor to be too overpowering. No weird aftertaste, either. I like stronger teas, so I steep this for 5+ minutes.

I have an open pop. I drank half. It is just not doing it for me. I want tea. My wife has some project going in the kitchen and I can’t get to the compost bowl to empty my old leaves. sigh. Oh wait, I have a couple sachets of genmaicha left. Yeah!

This is my only experience with this type tea. I don’t know if it is a good example – except LiberTEAS rated it well and that is good enough for me.

First time I tried this I had no idea what it was. It was so weird I liked it just for that reason. Later cups I learned to like it because it tastes good.

Today I left the sachet in the cup the whole time, like an amateur, just to see what happens – it wasn’t because I forgot my cozy and didn’t want to get up and get it – ok maybe it was. I won’t be able to get a second steep now but this cup had heft with its roasty nutty flavor. Yum.

Originally published at The Nice Drinks In Life: http://thenicedrinksinlife.blogspot.com/2013/03/jasmine-petal-tea.html

Name: Jasmine Petal Tea
Type: Green Tea
Purveyor: Two Leaves Tea Co.
Preparation: One tea bag steeped in about eight ounces of 180-degree water for 3:00 (as recommended), sipped plain

It is hardly a secret that tea is an absorbent product. It absorbs moisture, of course, but more perniciously, it absorbs scents, aromas, flavors, and just about any other such compound, making careful storage of dry leaves an indispensable task for tea drinkers. Anyone who has ever, from a cavalier attitude or simple laziness, just tossed an unsecured bag of tea into the cabinet or (even worse) the ’fridge, knows precisely of what I speak.

Of course, it is not all a bad thing. The good Mr. Richard Rosenfeld, founder and CEO of Two Leaves Tea Co. (formerly Two Leaves and a Bud), is said to take tea that he finds sub-par for drinking, and use it in place of baking soda as an odor absorber in his refrigerator. It works quite the same.

Another, perhaps more appreciable way to put tea’s absorbent qualities to good use is to produce scented tea. This nifty category of flavored teas is produced by drying tea leaves among whatever is is that we want the tea to taste like, and letting the scents and flavors get absorbed. Then the tea leaves – and only the tea leaves, not the scent-producers – are gathered and sold.

Scented teas are hardly rare, and comprise a tradition many centuries old going back to China, but all too often these days tea is flavored by throwing it together with other objects and packaging them all together. The flavors become overpowering, the tasting notes and health benefits of the tea become diluted, and even calling the product “tea” becomes rather more a convention of convenience than one of precision, as actual tea may comprise a rather small percentage of what gets brewed.

With scented tea, on the other hand, the flavors are discrete, balanced, in harmony with the tea instead of clashing against it. Two Leaves Tea has done a keen job with Jasmine Petal of scenting green tea with jasmine. By no means should my kind readership just take my word for it: trust some experts. This tea has brought to Two Leaves Tea first place prize at the 2012 North American Tea Championship in the Jasmine Scented Green Tea category of the Packaged Single-Service class (a new class in the competition). Very nice!

The tea brews into a strong, yellow beverage – not fluorescent, but not pale or translucent, either; just a deep, rich hue of yellow. In the aroma, jasmine opens like a lotus as it ascends into the nose. There are slight – very slight – fruity notes as well. The aroma is rich, but discreet. Also, smooth.

Most people who have tasted jasmine are familiar with its occasional tendency towards astringency, but this jasmine here, on the contrary, is quite sweet. Some malt underlies the flavor, but comes off more as a textural note than as a tasting note. As the sips go on, the green tea’s own notes come out from the woodwork: leafy, sweet, slightly tannic. But the jasmine maintains the spotlight, right through to the finish. Conveniently for this flavor combination, the tea is medium-bodied and very smooth, even silky.

The flavors really do blend well together. The green tea notes make for an excellent platform on which the jasmine sits high – elegant; solid yet supple; strong yet gentle.

The Jasmine Petal tea works for breakfast inasmuch as it is caffeinated, but it would be most ideally suited for the afternoon. The rich flavors and easy smoothness make for an excellent vessel by which to return oneself to a state of calm, focus, and clarity after one of those busy days in which, between the mind and the body, each seems to be more wound up than the other.

Enjoy.

Sipdown!
The gig went great! I sold a bunch of CDs, ran into a few people I hadn’t seen for years, & as always, had fun doing my favorite thing. Before I left the house I filled my Starbucks 16oz Thermal thingy with the last of this Assam, & it stays so hot in there that it got me through the gig.

After a series of milk-toast teas (not counting ‘fo shou’, of course, because it’s anything but dull), I’m craving bold assam. This is the only one in the house, so I’m going for it.

I need to find a few really awesome assams to add to my collection. Bold, malty, you know what I’m looking for!
Suggestions?

I had to go pick up a Harp that is being donated to UMSL, the university where I teach Harp. It’s a sweet, very well cared for older instrument, & is now in my house. I’ll call the music secretary & get her to order a set of strings, & then the harp re-stringing extravaganza will begin!

I wanted a cup of bold & malty assam for my drive to get the Harp, & this one, which is rapidly reaching sipdown level, hit the spot.

Had this earlier with an amazing lemon meringue donut. It was actually more like after the donut because it was too hot.

I also think the girl at the register was really confused because I wouldn’t let her put the tea bag in LOL but I only wanted to steep this for a minute, which worked out just fine.

This was really just an excuse for warmth that worked out in the end because my boyfriend switched rental cars twice today. And standing around while they double check things was cold.

With steeping it quickly, I still got just enough of a tart berry flavor to mix in with the white tea. That was just what I wanted, I didn’t want it to be too fruity and sweet because it would have ruined how incredible that donut was.

I probably wouldn’t get this one again, I’m not that taken by acai but if I’m up at this shop again and I want something that isn’t too heavy, I’d get it again because I don’t think they had any other white teas.

Third cup of the day, another Assam.

Sipdown, 238. This is the last sipdown I will be doing until I get home from this trip, and by then my stash will have grown by an uncountable number of teas. At least I got down below 240 before the trip! My next goal will be to drop below 200, and then I will reward myself with a tea order that I have been plotting for almost two months now.

Today I discovered that there is a small cafe in the courtyard of the building I’m working in, and I got free hot water this afternoon from them in my travel mug. Score! Now I can get an afternoon fix a little bit easier.

Well my hotel had the tiniest “continental” breakfast every (just cereal and coffee), but they also had a machine that dispensed hot water. Score! I made a mug of this to go with me to the collections today. Now it is the afternoon, though, and I could really use another cup of tea, my energy is suddenly flagging a lot. I don’t think there is an electric kettle in the breakroom, unfortunately. I am tempted to run out and buy a milk tea at Asha. I think I can spare the 15 minutes or so.

I made a cup of this for the first time in a long time the other day but it got ruined because I guess my travel mug wasn’t cleaned properly. This time it is clean!

I went to a coffee shop at the airport and ordered a hot tea, but got them to fill my travel mug with hot water and give me the tea bag separate. I was given a choice between two seemingly different decaffinated Tetley tea bags. LOL no. I kindly took the tea bag and then back at my seat and whipped out a sachet of this.

I forgot how pleasant this is. Smooth, malty base, well-balanced citrusy bergamot. These are good travel sachets to have, and they are available at some grocery stores.

GenMaiCha is my favorite green besides jasmine (and they are so different, so don’t think they’re similar and that’s why I like them both lol!) GenMaiCha is green tea with toasted brown rice! This one is so delicious, it has the aroma and taste of popcorn, is nutty and warm, and is just excellent paired with breakfast or a snack. I do like to call this tea popcorn tea :) I think this is one of those tastes where you love it or hate it, and I also think it’s not as appreciated a flavor in the States as it is elsewhere. But I love it.

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My favourite Two Leaves & a Bud tea. If you’re a chai lover you should try this one. Served at a lot of restaurants which is so nice.

Was my handy in-the-purse bag for breakfast date at Denny’s. For what it costs locally ($7.99 for 20 bags), it’s a little pricey for a fair-to-middlin’ Assam. My previous notes include “toasty” and ‘wheaty" as adjectives. I won’t adjust that, but there are so many other kick-your-eyes-open breakfast teas I like better, this isn’t on the repeat list.

I made tea for myself on Monday and then left it on the counter. With time to spare, I went to the library for a giant $2 cup of tea and picked this one out.

I probably liked this even better than the tea I had made! (Which I never got to drink.)

It’s not as good as a specific single estate, specific flush Darjeeling, as in I really couldn’t taste my favorite nutty/citrusy notes, but there’s still honey and the lovely Darjeeling astringency. It was an all around smooth and enjoyable cup.

For $2 a cup I don’t have to get mad about forgetting my travel mug!

Hmm well i got this tea in a swap and i am not sure if it was me or if its been over brewed but there is a very bold bitter taste with this tea Im not sure i would buy this tea or ever think of trying it again … just not impressed

This tea is a fine Assam and stronger than other bagged Assams I have tried. I like the aromatics and the flavour finish. Try bagging it for a little shorter than the recommended time. Bonus points to 2L+AB for a compostable plastic bag and sachet.

I’m relatively new to the higher end, full leaf and loose leaf teas and this was my first introduction to a Jasmine tea. I purchased it on a whim at my local Whole Foods while searching for a new green tea to try. Admittedly, the first time I made a cup I made a big mistake. I didn’t know that you want to steep green teas with water around 180F and NOT boiling water. This mistake must have been what turned me off to it at first. However once I learned that you steep with slightly cooler water as opposed to boiling I decided to give this Jasmine tea a second try. I’m certainly glad I did as I enjoyed it immensely and have now fallen in love with Jasmine tea in general! For me, this particular Jasmine tea is very balanced and I love the Jasmine aroma and flavor that accompanies the green tea. I might also add that cold brewing this tea overnight in the fridge makes for a very refreshing morning beverage.

I thought I had logged this before…. weird. Anyway nice, grassy and buttery.

Bagged
Aroma when Dry: heavy floral, spicy
After water is first poured: light perfumy jasmine notes
At end of steep: deepened perfume notes
Tea liquor:
At end of steep: clear
Staple? Type yes, prefer loose leaf, would use brand again
Preferred time of day: any
Taste:
At first?: jasmine, light grass notes
As it cools?: grass notes dissipate somewhat, perfumy notes change slightly, linger longer
Additives used (milk, honey, sugar etc)? No
Lingers? yes, long floral jasmine purfumy notes

Originally published at The Nice Drinks In Life: http://thenicedrinksinlife.blogspot.com/2013/01/organic-tamayokucha.html

Origin: China
Type: Tamayokucha
Purveyor: Two Leaves and a Bud
Preparation: One bag steeped in about eight ounces of boiling water for 3:00 (as recommended), sipped plain

Here is an interesting specimen: Chinese-grown leaves prepared in a traditional Japanese style. Tamayokucha (also known as tamaryokucha, which altered syllable one would think would alter the entire word) can be processed either via pan-firing or via steaming, and Two Leaves and a Bud made a good choice in the latter. Pan-firing brings out a more vegetal essence in the tea, and while this example certainly has some of those characteristics, it also, because of the steaming, was able to keep plenty of space for sweetness, tannins, and just plain roominess.

The color of the brewed tea is light yellow, rich, translucent, and full of character, not unlike a pigment that might be used in a stained glass window. The aroma is sweet – not honey-like, nor sugary, nor fruity, but sweet. There is also an undertone to the aroma, more of a texture than a scent, really, which gives it a sort of earthy feel, in the same way that one can feel the air in a woodland before and after a rain differently than one can feel it in other settings. (This is surely magnified many times over in pan-fired varieties.) Perhaps the best approximation – and it is only that – of this unique combination of sweetness and texture in the aroma is a steaming-hot mug of green tea ice cream.

This tamayokucha tastes delicate, light, flavorful, pure, with a touch of briskness (surprisingly), and nice tannins (which are at optimal levels). Sweetness is there but not overpowering. The fine-tuned combination of all of those factors yields a delicious brew that really tastes like green tea ought to taste; truly an excellent example of the category.

As per its dynamic character, this tea can serve equally well as a morning get-me-going potion, an object around which to unwind in the afternoon, or (for those unaffected by caffeine) something to make one cozy of an evening. Enjoy.