The Tea Scoop

Mighty Leaf: Green Tea Tropical (Part 2 of 3)

The aroma wafting up from the cup certainly conjures up the tropics, with its scents of pineapple and guava.  I frequently enjoy fruit-scented green tea, but occasionally the fruit flavor can overpower the more delicate nuances of green tea. That is certainly not the case here. This is green tea first, tropical second, and very subtly at that. The first taste is pure green tea, but with a sweetness that lingers long.

This is a very light tea, suitable for the afternoon when one simply wants to relax and slowly sip a cup of tea. I feel that it would also pair nicely with a light pan-Asian lunch. Although green tea is frequently associated with China and Japan, this will take you away to the South Pacific. If they drink tea in Bali Ha'i, this is it. If you can't make it to those lush islands, try to drink this in a garden and let yourself be transported.

Mighty Leaf: Orange Dulce (Part 1 of 3)

I've been intrigued by Mighty Leaf for awhile. I'm usually a fan of whole leaf teas in infuser bags, for the convenience of having good tea while out, and more and more restaurants and cafes are carrying their teas. In addition, the bags are biodegradable for the green tea drinkers out there :-D

So I decided to try out three of their "signature blends" in the black, green, and herbal categories.  These are Orange Dulce, Green Tea Tropical, and Chamomile Citrus.

As the Orange Dulce steeps, an enticing vanilla scent fills the air, and I can hardly wait for the timer to go off. I lean in closer, taking a deeper whiff, and have to remind myself that I am not, in fact, baking something in the oven. 

Beep. Beep. Beep.

Although the tea is called Orange Dulce, the vanilla flavor dominates, with a hint of orange following close behind. The notes of jasmine promised on the packaging are difficult to find but not at all missed.

The natural sweetness strikes a perfect balance: those who require sugar for bolder black teas will be content with the delicate sweetness of the vanilla, while those who prefer pure infusions will not be put off by too much sweetness.

This tea is great for satisfying a small sweet tooth. I recommend it in the late morning as a pick-me-up before lunch.

Revolution Tea in 3D: Part Four of Four

It is 88 degrees outside, sunny, and humid, as summer days tend to be around Northern Virginia. The blackberry bushes that grow wild on a nearby street are popping out with delicious fruit, and my dog and I went to harvest, returning hot and in need of refreshment. She stuck to water, but after rinsing my berry-stained fingers, I looked in the fridge still in berry-seeking mode, and pulled out Revolution's 3D Pomegranate, the final of the four flavors that I have been reviewing. Like the other three flavors, the beverage is a place color with only a hint of the color of the juice. The aroma was not as strong as the Green Apple or Mango, but a nice light scent that invites tasting. Those who have tried some of Pom's bottled tea-juices might expect a stronger flavor from something flavored with pomegranate juice, but this is a much lighter experience. It still has the tartness of the pomegranate, but this is balanced with the sweetness of blue agave and cane sugar. Although the flavor is light, pomegranate's tartness still manages to overpower the tea. This drink had the crisp lightness of the other three flavors, but like the blueberry, the tartness of the berries takes away both the tea flavor and the feeling of refreshment.

I must say, I am sorry to be bringing this set of reviews to a close, because I enjoyed them greatly. I certainly will be ordering more, both to fulfill my own desires, but also because my fiance has been raving about them.

Revolution Tea in 3D: Part Three of Four

We came in from the heat, looking for something refreshing to drink, and opened the fridge to pull out Revolution's 3D Mango. We poured the pale yellow-orange liquid into glasses and took a whiff of delicious mango, freshly cut open. From the first sip, it was absolutely delightful. It was all I could do not to gulp it down at once, and I held myself back, savoring each light, crisp sip. Advertising came through this time, it was absolutely refreshing, and as soon as it was finished, I craved more. This is what Revolution has to say about the flavor:

"Wondering what 3D Mango tastes like? Think tropical islands. Think pineapple. Think a little sweet, a little tart, a lot refreshing. This blend of authentic mango juice and young tea leaves is light, luscious and a boost of hydrating, vitamin-fueled energy." The mango juice is the strongest flavor. I'm not quite sure why they said "think pineapple" as there is no taste of pineapple at all. Perhaps it's only to evoke the tropical feeling brought on by this tea.

I can't wait to try Pomegranate. All in all, these have been delicious beverages so far.

Revolution Tea in 3D: Part One of Four

Revolution has a new product out that they call "Revolution 3D." Here is the blurb from their website:

"You lead a big, busy, 3-dimensional life. Here's the drink to match it. 3D blends one dimension super fruits, one dimension premium white tea, and one dimension essential vitamins for the first 3-dimensional beverage. Crisp and delicious, 3D is a powerhouse of antioxidants, all natural and low in calories."

There are currently four flavors: Green Apple, Blueberry, Mango, and Pomegranate. I will review each of these in an individual entry, starting with Green Apple.

Several years ago, I was riding on a train through Scotland, and opened my boxed lunch to discover a can of green apple juice. Used to the standard watery yellow apple juice we Americans drink, I was delighted to discover that this particular juice tasted like biting into a Granny Smith apple. Upon opening the can of Revolution's 3D Green Apple, a similar smell delighted my nostrils. I took my first sip and found that the flavor was nowhere near as strong as the scent, but this is no criticism. Apple was the primary flavor, but it was light enough that the delicate notes of the white tea were able to make it through as well. And frequently, I find that sweetened teas make me more thirsty than I started it, but this drink was just as advertised: light, crisp, and refreshing. Send me a case, Revolution, this is the perfect drink for a hot summer day. And at 60 calories per serving, there is no guilt factor.

Bolla Tea "Frappe"

While shopping recently at Fair Oaks Mall, I decided that I was in need of some nice cold refreshment. I passed up a cup of shaken iced tea lemonade at Starbucks, as well as the many varieties of iced tea at Teavana for something new. I had never been inside Bolla Tea & Co. before, but had admired the teapots in their window before.

The store sells a variety of teapots and tinned teas, and some unusual imported tisanes as well. They have a small pastry display which had some tempting options but I resisted temptation in food form for that in beverage form. As much as I love a nice plain cup of black iced tea, I decided to try a "black tea frappe." They also had lattes and dairy-free blended iced teas, which I decided to save for another day. With some anticipation, I took the first sip. The first sip was absolutely heavenly, although more like dessert than tea. It was similar in texture to a Starbucks Frappuccino, but with a nice strong taste of black Indian tea. It reminded me of a cup of Irish Breakfast heavily sweetened and with milk. Excited, I took another sip. The first few sips remained delicious, but the heavy amount of sugar quickly dulled the taste of the tea and it was too rich to finish, the milk and sugar overpowering the more delicate taste of tea.

Coffee with its bold flavor does very well in a sugary icy concoction. Tea, even the strongest of teas, becomes overwhelmed by too much creaminess. As I drank, I turned the cup around and read Bolla's slogan: "Making tea more enjoyable." I was under the impression that tea was already quite enjoyable, and found that this lessened my enjoyment.

Having said all that, this is not a beverage that I would recommend to a tea connoisseur. However, just as Frappuccinos have pleased millions of non-coffee drinkers, I would recommend this drink to someone who loves rich blended beverages. It was not as cloyingly sweet as Starbucks green tea Frappuccino, but not as enjoyable as the spicier Chai Frappuccino.

Bolla's lattes will have to wait for another day...

Celestial Seasonings Reborn?

I have always been rather skeptical towards Celestial Seasonings. I have written poor reviews of their packaging that leaves tea stale by the time it is taken home from grocery store shelves, and the artificial taste of many of their blends.

However, it appears that Celestial Seasonings is turning over a new tea leaf. The company has in recent years expanded from their herbal tisane roots and sprouted a few traditional teas as well. Now Celestial Seasonings is catching onto the popularity of whole leaf teas, and is releasing a line of whole leaf teas in pyramid shaped bags called Saphara. There will also be a new line of wellness teas, and even the Sleepytime bear is having an overhaul.

Although the company claims that customer feedback has been positive on the whole leaf teas, I think that tasting is believing, and I remain skeptical. However, as soon as I get a chance, I plan to sample these with an open mind, as Celestial Seasonings is a very accessible brand for the new tea drinker. I would love to see an improvement in their quality. And, I have to admit, I do like looking at the artwork on some of their boxes.

The News Bulletin

There is quite a lot going on in the world of tea lately, according to my World Tea News e-newsletter.

McDonald's has decided to serve more socially conscious tea, and is pairing with PG Tips to serve environmentally friendly tea in the UK. I'm hoping this is an idea that will cross the pond and raise the quality of the tea in U.S. McDonald's as well.

Honest Tea has changed their label and introduced several new bottled teas, now with an EGCG rating on the label. They are also attempting to go green with their new Citrus Green Energy Tea. Honest Tea buys renewable energy credits to make up for the energy used along the entire production chain for this flavor. Another benefit is that this is an energy drink without all the added caffeine of other energy drinks.

Science Daily released an article today telling us that green tea may hep combat super bugs.  All the more reason to drink as much as possible!

Iced Tea

Ah iced tea season approaches. What's more refreshing in the summer than a tall glass of iced tea?

But, how do you make iced tea? It's simple, just double the amount of tea you would use to make hot tea, so two teaspoons per 8 ounces of water. For herbal iced tisanes, also double the steeping time, and voila, a flavorful brew to pour over ice for a refreshing beverage.

As a matter of taste: The debate of sweet tea versus unsweetened tea has existed for as long as there has been a north and a south in the United States. I personally prefer black iced teas to be unsweetened with just a hint of lemon, and I like to use very basic Chinese black teas for this purpose. For green tea, I sometimes add just a hint of honey while the tea is steeping.

But for fruit teas, I think they tend to be slightly tart without sweetening, so I usually add some sort of sweetener. Rock sugar is my favorite, but if you're watching calories or sugar, Splenda works great too. It's best to add any sweetener while the tea is steeping, as it will dissolve better in hot water.

Now, for a special recipe for you:

Thai Iced Tea Recipe:
-Thai Tea Blend (Teavana): Scented black tea blended with red tea, coconut, and vanilla. Any equivalent may be used.
-Cane sugar
-Dairy (either milk or half and half)

This tastes very similar to the Thai tea you can get at Thai restaurants. Use 2 tsp of tea per 8oz of liquid, and steep for 3 minutes with sugar. Sugar is to taste. At my favorite restaurant that serves Thai iced tea, they serve the sugar syrup and dairy seperately for that reason. I use about two teaspons. Steep and add milk to taste!

Hope this gives everyone something tasty to drink on a hot day.

NaughTeas

I have to admit to stealing the title of this post from Bigelow's website, but I thought it was cute. It's referencing the new trend in cocktails: cocktails made with tea. Sounds good to me!

A search on Webtender.com for tea as an ingredient in cocktails brings up fifty one results. (In all fairness, a few of these are mocktails or other non-alcoholic drinks.

Some have been around for awhile, like the hot toddy but what about the Scotch toddy, in which Scotch is substituted for the brandy.

There is the Dignified Iced Tea, which is your average iced tea with an Absolut Citron twist!

The trend in green tea has also influenced tea cocktails, with green tea martinis, margaritas, and vodka.

The one I want to try is Bigelow's Constant Comment Cosmo.

Look for testing of these beverages soon!