Orzo Strawberry

So what is orzo? It was recommended to me as a coffee alternative, so when I saw it at Lupicia I was curious. As I picked it up, I remember thinking, “Gee, but it has no caffeine, which is pretty much why I drink coffee. Certainly not for the taste. I don’t think I want this if it tastes like coffee…there’s no benefit!” Then I noticed that they had some flavored orzo selections as well, and after some debating I decided to take home the Orzo Strawberry. I’ve had good luck with Lupicia’s other strawberry teas.

Whatever they use for strawberry flavoring in the “Carol” and “Strawberry & Vanilla” teas, it’s here as well, and quite strong. It complements the orzo, which tastes like toasted rice with a hint of chocolate. Yes, chocolate! So I guess this is like a malty chocolate-covered strawberry.

That sounds weird. But it tastes OK!

PS – Drink totally looks like coffee in my glass.

Orzo tea? Huh? This jumped out at me, as I drink a lot of cool barley tea in the summer. And the richness of the barley goes really, really well with the tart strawberry. I don’t taste any chocolate notes no matter how hard I try, but oh well. They recommend this as a tea that goes well with milk, is great for kids, and has no caffeine. I’d agree on all of these counts (although obviously the caffeine thing isn’t an opinion ;) ). Because of the fruitiness I can really see this making a good iced tea as well.

I’m definitely going to keep some of these orzo teas around as another caffeine-free alternative to rooibos, honeybush, and herbal blends. It’s worth trying! I can’t remember the last time I liked a strawberry tea.

This tea is the perfect night-time drink. Sometimes when it’s cold at night I have mad cravings for tea, but can’t drink any because I don’t buy decaf and haven’t really acquired the taste for most herbal/rooibos teas. Enter: barley tea! It’s nutty and rich, with a bittersweet aftertaste that’s actually rather pleasing. I can’t explain.

It brews dark, so one tea spoon actually produces a brew that looks a lot like coffee. I have this hot, with some milk/soy creamer, and one or two cubes of sugar. The strawberry flavor is stronger when it’s dry, and melts into the barley flavor when it’s brewed, which is quite nice. Best dessert/midnight snack tea ever.

I’ve also brewed it very lightly sweetened in cold water. It makes a great iced tea, very refreshing. Really sad that it’s supposed to be a limited edition. I hope the Lupicia in town doesn’t run out!

I love caffeine free alternatives because I drink a lot of tea and like some at night. This one has a sweet nutty taste. Almost like hazelnut but not really.