The Tea Scoop

Cookie Exchange Tea Party

While this post is probably a little late to suggest for this year, I always like to hand out excuses to have a tea party.  Last weekend, I hosted my first Annual Cookie Exchange Tea.  I mean really, what goes together better than tea and cookies?  

Here's how it works: Each guest brings a dozen cookies for each other guest (if you have more than say, six people total, make it a half dozen.)  Sample cookies with tea. Eat snacks.  Drink more tea.  A very simple concept.  

What teas are great for the holidays?  There are quite a few Holiday Blends out there, some of which are likely the same blend with different packaging.  But look for something with bits of orange peel and spice for something truly delectable.  Teavana's Holiday Blend used to fit the bill quite nicely, but alas it has been discontinued. Adagio has its own list of holiday teas, including candy apple, candy cane, chestnut, cranberry, gingerbread, and pumpkin spice.  A sampler set of the above is only $11. I think this would be a great stocking stuffer!  They also have Christmas Tea which fills the Holiday Blend void quite well. 

My all time favorite cookie and tea combination--which I might just leave out for Mr. Kringle this year--is Bigelow's Constant Comment with Trader Joe's Triple Ginger Snaps (which I am going to try to duplicate this weekend.)  

I would also like to express my appreciation to a recent reader who proposed marriage after stumbling across my blog. I'm glad you like it so much, but alas, I am already married. 

Tea Rounds: Tea Culture in the U.K.

Americans can trace their coffee addiction back to the Revolutionary War when tea was boycotted to protest against taxation.  They switched from tea to coffee and hot chocolate (far richer than what we drink today), and even herbal tea. Needless to say, this movement stayed on our side of the pond, and the British have maintained a culture centered around tea.  According to Ally of Tea Stain, 165 million cuppas are downed by 60 million Brits--every day!  Sounds like my kind of country. 

Now here in the States, we have coffee breaks.  Every office or staff lounge has a coffee maker somewhere.  Sometimes, that is not enough, and employees must make Starbucks runs, remembering complicated drink orders.  In the UK, things are a little different. They have something called the "tea round."  Like coffee runs, one person goes around and takes tea orders.  Instead of remembering a decaf skinny sugar-free no foam vanilla latte, they have to try to remember who wants one lump or two, who wants milk, how strong they want their tea, and so on.  Apparently, Ally tells me, there are also tea vending machines. Sometimes, hot chocolate or coffee orders get thrown in as well.  

Well, I think this is a wonderful idea, and hope to spread it around here.  Now, the idea of everyone drinking tea and mellowing out sounds wonderful.  But, there are companies who are trying to make it even easier to keep everyone's orders straight. 

Ally's website, Tea Stain sells mats for your tea tray.  It looks like the following.  Aren't the little circles that look like tea stains adorable?  This one is blank, but they are customizable.  You simply get names imprinted on each circle, along with the drinker's preferences.  Ally tells me that usually the same person gets stuck doing tea rounds everyday, so she provides eight-sided dice for fairness in tea rounds. 

 Ally is not the only one working on a solution to keeping everyone's tea straight, although this is a very simple concept. They are durable and wipe clean, and you can even use a dry erase marker to write on them if you have a changeable office or changeable tastes.  I'm getting one for personal use, with my name printed, and I'll use the other circles for guests.  Maybe I can get tea rounds going in one of the schools I work at...

Cravendale is a UK dairy, and they are mooving some cute cow mugs that also solve this problem. They are called "Love Your Mug." 

See the cute little cows?  These are really precious.  The mug is pre-printed with your preferences, so you just hand it over, and voila! Perfect tea. 

Pre-printed options are perfect for you if you are the tea equivalent of the decaf sugar-free vanilla  skim no foam latte.

Now, who is in for a tea round?

Mighty Leaf Promises a "Spa Retreat in a Cup"

Ok, do you remember when I said I was not a huge fan of tisanes?  Well, that isn't strictly true. I love mint.  Especially peppermint.  Straight up, or maybe with a little honey. Just nice, simple, and refreshing. I love the way it is cool and hot at the same time.  Sometimes, I'll mix Irish Breakfast and peppermint together for a real treat.  So, as soon as I opened up Mighty Leaf's "Organic Detox Infusion" I took a great big whiff of minty goodness. And...basil?  Yup! 

Since I am no doctor, I can't validate any of these claims, but this is what Mighty Leaf says about their tea.

"The cleansing properties of our Organic Detox Infusion herbal tea blend relaxes the nerves, organs and membranes as dandelion targets the liver, licorice root nurtures the heart and spleen, and burdock root purifies the blood. Peppermint promotes healthy digestion and aids in soothing indigestion. Red clover and hearty herbs add anti-inflammatory qualities, calm the stomach and reduce blood sugar levels."

Sounds good to me! But, how does it taste?  Mint is always a bold flavor, and this infusion is no exception, with the trademark coolness resting in the mouth after each sip.  And yes, it has a savory taste to it. It doesn't taste like pesto exactly, but is definitely savory.  I have never had burdock by itself, but I think that is the secondary taste.  Underneath the mint, I would say this tea tastes...culinary. A strange word to use, I know.  But it tastes a little like something you would cook, which is unusual. Fruit, floral, and spiced scents are all very familiar. This tastes a little more vegetable.  Different, but definitely not displeasing. In fact, it is so intriguing that each sip follows a little more quickly as I try to decipher it. Mmmmmm.

Mighty Leaf: Chamomile Citrus (Part 3 of 3)

I know, I know, you might not even remember that there were parts 1 and 2, since the last might leaf entry was in July.  But luckily, the foil-wrapped packaging gives me time to get distracted by other tea topics and still have nice fresh tea to taste and review for your reading pleasure. 

I had barely torn a corner of the pouch when the tea introduced itself. "Hi, I'm Citrus."  She seemed very bubbly, but her friend Chamomile was no less shy, following quickly behind.  This is an herbal blend of rosehips, orange peels, chamomile flowers, lemon grass, lemon myrtle, nana mint, hibiscus flowers, citrus flowers and of course, natural flavors. Which looks remarkably similar to Teavana's "Night Night" blend.  Let's compare: "Night Night," which is now called "Tranquil Dream" also has rosehips, hibiscus, lemon grass, nana-mint, citrus peels, and orange blossoms (which seem to me to be the same as "citrus flowers." Now, there is a reason for this. Lean in close, because it's a secret. Many of these companies buy their blends from the same source.

So, why does it matter which brand you buy?  Well, price does make a difference.  Mighty Leaf charges $9.95 for a 4 ounce bag.  Teavana charges $12.00 for the same amount.  So clearly, value makes a difference here.  Also, I have said it before, and will say it again. I love the silk infusion pouches that Mighty Leaf sells.  Here you can get your cuppa to go. Much harder with straight up loose-leaf, unless you buy empty tea bags yourself. However, even those can be a pain.  So my recommendation is to buy from Mighty Leaf over Teavana, especially if ordering on-line.  

   Now, for the actual review.  The liquor is a pinkish-red color, and has a far stronger smell of chamomile than citrus.  Egyptian chamomile is a potent flavor, so if you love chamomile, you will love this tea. It follows through with a citrus finish of orange and lemon grass. The tartness of the rosehips is present throughout. However, the mint flavor is not there.  I have read that nana mint is relaxing, so it perhaps would still serve a purpose in this blend if you are drinking it for relaxation purposes. 

I do have to admit to a bias here. I enjoyed the other two teas a great deal more, simply because I prefer camellia sinesis to herbal tisanes. If you like tisanes though, I would strongly recommend this for a bold, fresh flavor.