Anything that contains dragon fruit evokes places far from Michigan. A distant shore, where warm salty waves lap white sand, overseen by graceful palm trees. Somewhere neither gray nor dreary. Pomegranate dragon fruit is a tea that can transport. With its sweet and fruity aroma, I can envision the sun's warmth. The Tea This green … Continue reading A Tea That Whispers of Warm Climes: Pomegranate Dragon Fruit
Tea can evoke many things: a memory, a tradition, the essence of a country. Just the words "English breakfast" immediately conjure up a complete picture of participants, setting, teapot, and type of tea. So too Слава Україні (Glory to Ukraine!), blended by tea sommelier Lisa of TeaHaus. When Lisa began blending this tea—a tribute to … Continue reading A Tea with All the Flavors of Ukraine
Little cups are irresistible, whether designed for tea or coffee. A yard sale find, this small handleless porcelain cup was made in Ethiopia, land of coffee drinkers. But who's to say it can't be used for tea? Which made me wonder whether Ethiopians drink tea. Ethiopian Tea, or the Tea That's Grown in Ethiopia Evidently … Continue reading Ethiopian Tea
EWW was my reaction when I initially heard of the TeaHaus tea blend Strawberry Mint Lavender. This was well before I joined the TeaHaus staff, at a time when my daughter first started raving about this odd blend. Strawberry and mint, fine, but throw in lavender? Really? But quite astonishingly to me—who's not a fan … Continue reading Strawberry Mint Lavender Tea: Why It Works!
There's a seasonality to the teas we drink—perhaps most pronounced for those of us who annually enjoy four distinct seasons. Whereas a full-bodied, steaming hot tea comforts during winter's cold, we often reach for light and sunny brews on the first precious warm days of spring. Citrus teas fulfill that need nicely, reminding us of … Continue reading Reasons for Citrus in Tea
I have a terrible habit of saving tea for the "right" time. A time when I can fully engage, when life is less hectic. You'd certainly think that a year of mostly working from home would provide such a time, but no, I still didn't brew any of the "special" tea. So today, realizing that … Continue reading Jasmine Tea from Cambodia
For mint lovers, a potent mint tea is a delight! That blast of coolness is like nothing else—so much so that it's even hard to describe the experience of mint without using the word "mint"! Native to many regions of the world, this herb has been valued for centuries for its heady scent and invigorating … Continue reading All About Mint Teas!
There were, in the early 1600s, women who "by the use of chocolate had correspondence with the devil." Riiiight. But this claim, as related by A. Saint-Arroman in his 1852 book, Coffee, Tea and Chocolate: Their Influence Upon the Health, the Intellect, and the Moral Health of Man, vividly illustrates how a seemingly innocuous choice to drink … Continue reading Tea, Chocolate, and Chili Peppers (divine combined!)
Continuing my informal guide to selecting tea, we've come to black tea, the most oxidized of the tea types, and oolong, which falls between green and black tea in oxidation. If you've decided that the vegetal nature of green teas just is not for you, head for an oolong or black tea. Black Tea. Everyone … Continue reading New to Tea? Start Here (Part 3: Oolong and Black Tea)
Continuing my informal guide to selecting tea—having gone through the caffeine/no-caffeine decision and having looked at low- and no-caffeine options (see New to Tea? Start Here)—we're now looking at the types of tea that come from one plant, Camellia sinensis. And asking whether you want white, green oolong, black, or fermented? And do you want … Continue reading New to Tea? Start Here (Part 2: White and Green Tea)
It's More Than Tea 