tea time

some of you may know, others may not; i'm a tea FIEND! herbal or not, i love tea, and one of my goals is to try a new kind of tea every month. here is what i've been tasting!

Tea #4:

Tension Tamer
by Celestial Seasonings

I believe I already gave my shpeel on Celestial Seasonings. Suffice it to say, they rock.

ingredients: eleuthero, peppermint, cinnamon, ginger, chamomile, west indian lemongrass, licorice, catnip, tilia flowers, natural lemon flavor with other natural flavors, hops, vitamins b6 & b12
color: light yellow & orange
smell: citrus, floral
taste: light yet full, floral, orange, sweet

This tea is one of my favorites on its own. Adding sugar or milk just seems to detract from the delicious natural flavors. There's a delicious aftertaste to this, it almost seems to warm your mouth & throat the way hard liquor does. It has a nice calming effect, very soothing. This is a great tea for night-time, no caffeine and relaxing herbs.

Tea #3:

Sleepytime

by Celestial Seasonings

Celestial Seasonings has long been one of my favorite tea-producers. Why? Once again, the answers can be found right on the box!
1) We've blended healthy teas with environmental consciousness since 1969. By purchasing this product, you're sharing our dedication to the planet, our employees and everyone who enjoys our teas.
2) We print our boxes on 100% recycled paperboard with 35% post-consumer content.
3) We're passionate about the people and places that produce our ingredients. We support fair wages and sustainable harvests in more than 35 countries.
And my personal fav: 4) Ever wonder why no string & tag? Our unique pillow is the result of our commitment to doing what's best for the environment. Because these natural fibers tea bags don't need strings, tags, staples or individual wrappers, we're able to save more than 3.5 million pounds of waste from entering landfills every year!

They also have yummy quotes on each box & even yummier teas. Every single one of Celestial Seasonings teas I have ever tried is absolutely amazing straight up. Adding sugar or cream just sullies it. Pure & simple. I love it.

ingredients: chamomile, spearmint, west indian lemongrass, tilia flowers, blackberry leaves, orange blossoms, hawthorn, rosebuds
color:
smell:
taste:

Tea #2:

Chai Rooibos
by Yogi

Why do I love Yogi so much? The reasons are printed right on the box:
1) Tasting great is essential, but isn't enough. If what we make doesn't taste great and leave you feeling great, we won't make it.
2) We think before we blend. How will our recipes work with body and mind?
3) Health is found in nature. We work with what nature already offers rather than trying to concoct it. We don't have laboratories. We have kitchens.
4) Creative combinations can optimize what nature has to offer. Ever added peppermint to ginger? They work together to produce a remarkably fresh and innovative taste...and a remarkable level of energy.
5) Whenever possible, we work with wholes, not parts. For instance, we don't add vitamin C. we add rose hips, which are naturally rich in vitamin C.

Plus their products are recyclable, non-irradiated and the tea bags are oxygen-bleached. And they are based in the fabulous city where I was born. And of course the tags each have some wise saying on it. It's like opening a fortune cookie full of delicious tea every morning. I love it.

ingredients: rooibos leaf, cardamom seed, cinnamon bark, ginger root, clove bud, stevia leaf
color:color: amber, cinammon, burnt sienna
smell: spicy, warm, floral
taste: spicy, cinammon, full, earthy

This tea is great on it's own or with sugar/cream. My favorite is a tiny bit of either course raw sugar or honey and vanilla soymilk. It tastes almost like a chai tea misto. Yummy!

Tea #1:

Bourbon Vanilla Tea

by Clipper Specialteas

Clipper is a tea company based out of the UK that is ethically conscious and active in the Fairtrade movement. I randomly stumbled upon their tea in a supermarket near my apartment and am quite impressed. This specific tea comes from the Assam State in India, near Kaziranga National Park; this park protects the Indian One-Horned Rhinoceros, hence the picture on the box of tea. It was in Assam that the first native Indian tea plants were found in the 19th century, ending China's monopoly on tea production.

Not only is the tea tasty, but this company seems very determined to make ethically sound choices in every aspect of the tea production process. From making an effort to avoid child labor in the tea-picking process to using non-chlorine bleached, 100% biodegradable/recyclable paper and card materials from managed, sustained forests, they are doing a great job.

color: dark, amber, carmel/brown
smell: sweet, floral, woody
taste: light, woody, earthy, slightly bitter

I like this tea best with soymilk and sometimes a little sugar, which makes it look a lot like a cup of coffee. Adding milk really brings out the vanilla flavor and takes away a bit of the bitterness, but it is good on its own as well.