What’s in My Cup: Coco-Rooibos Chai

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Friends who buy you tea are friends for life!

OK, so a friend didn’t buy it for me, but she shared and that’s close enough! She knows I like Rooisbos tea and Chai seasonings! In this case, it was cinnamon, cardamom, and ginger. This tea also has coconut flakes, and pink peppercorns!

Pink Peppercorns are actually members of the cashew family and get their name from it’s pink berries. So while its flavour resembles black pepper, it’s actually sweeter and  slightly citrus-y, rather than hot and spicy. As with many spices, it’s a great way to add punch without pounds.

This particular tea is from David’s Tea and is back from retirement, baby! It’s a Kosher, caffeine-free rooibos base, which gives it a lovely golden colour. It’s also a Fair Trade tea so can feel warm inside too. The aroma from spices delivered what was promised, a warming with a rewarding spicy kick. My only disappointment was that I could barely taste the coconut flakes, which would help to set it apart from other chai. I think I’ll stick with one of my favorites, Rooibos Cinnamon Chai! Or maybe chocolatey S’more Chai or Chocolate Chai, or  the delicious Baked Apple Chai…so many to choose from…

David’s website suggests infusing Coco-Rooibos Chai with hot milk for a chai latte. I’m lactose intolerant, so if you try it, let me know what you think!

Finding friends with the same mental disorder – priceless!

Cheers! Happy Monday!

Thistle

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Most china cabinets have at least one tea cup with the markings “Occupied Japan” or “Made in Occupied Japan”. So what does that mean?

After World War II, between 1945 and 1952, Japan was occupied by the U.S. and all imported items from Japan to the United States were marked accordingly. Some may have also been simply marked “Japan” or “Made in Japan,” but serious collectors will opt for the “Occupied Japan”and “Made in Occupied Japan” markings because these pieces are guaranteed to be within this specific timeframe. When assessing your china, check that the markings are under the tea cup’s glaze as many fraudulent marks have been added to boost the price of the piece. This can be done carefully with nailpolish but be careful, and never use any chemicals on a piece that isn’t glazed.

These marks were included on the china for American consumers who believed that the purchase proceeds would help to make war reparations. The predominant patterns during this time were roses, chintzes, violets and pansies. This particular tea cup is marked “Occupied Japan” and was produced by a company called Princess China.

If a man has no tea in him, he is incapable of understanding truth and beauty.

Japanese Proverb

Happy Monday!

What’s In My Cup: Orange & Cinnamon Spice

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The shift between Summer and Fall seemed to happen overnight. One day I was wearing cotton sundresses and the next, flannel shirts and leggings. This sudden shift in season reminds me that pretty soon I’ll be “denning up” inside, and while each season has things that make it special, summer will live always in my heart.

Thank goodness some things never change – like my love of a good cup of hot tea!

It was gray and dreary most of last week. It rained…a lot! I no longer craved Summer’s fruits, but Autumn’s spices, and what better spice than cinnamon. I paired my homemade cinnamon waffle with fresh apple, and poured myself a cup of Twinings Orange & Cinnamon Spice tea.

This tea has only 3 ingredients: rooisbos leaves, vietnamese cinnamon, and orange peel. There are different types of cinnamon and vietnamese cinnamon is a stronger, spicy/sweet cinnamon, usually used to add warmth and depth of flavour. Cinnamon has some health benefits, but like any number of things, should be consumed in moderation. Since this Twinings tea is a rooibos-based tea, it is naturally caffeine-free.

I found the cinnamon warming on this chilly afternoon, but I think the orange peel tricked my brain into thinking it was orange pekoe, and as a result, I was disappointed that it wasn’t more robust. But it is an herbal and they are often more delicate than a black-based tea. Even so, it had an inviting aroma and a pleasant citrusy taste.

I have also tried Tetley’s Warmth: Cinnamon Spice tea, which is also a rooibos-base, and contains cinnamon, sweet blackberry leaves, orange peel, licorice root, cardamom, cloves, orange blossom and star anise. Pregnant women should avoid licorice root. I found it had a much stronger spice flavour and reminded me more of chai or a holiday blend. Certainly, in terms of availability and cost, Tetley wins!

While I usually think of pairing apple with cinnamon, the orange was a charming change. Hopefully it will help me to ease into the Fall season gently, and encourage me to embrace the changes.

Live each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit,
and resign yourself to the influences of each.

Henry David Thoreau

Happy Monday!

Another “OO” for Oolong

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It’s neither black tea nor green tea, even though it comes from the same plant, Camellia Sinensis. Tea Masters can create a different flavours by even the slightest modifications in the process.

Oolong tea undergoes a more complex process than black or green tea. Black tea is fully fermented and oxidized; oolong tea is fermented but only partially oxidized.  Freshly picked tea leaves are withered, bruised and rolled, before being rolled a second time, roasted, and left to dry completely. The length of time in each process will influence the final product. Oolong tea will tend to have a lighter colour than black tea because the heating processes stops the fermentation process. 

Since the leaves are twisted or rolled twice in the process, they dry curled or are rolled in tiny balls. As the leaves steep, they unfurl. It’s fascinating to watch; David’s Tea shares a short video on their website. When we steep, osmotic diffusion occurs. Chemical compounds need time to diffuse into the water until the compounds in both the leaf and the water become equal. It’s important, therefore, that when you are steeping ooling tea, you choose an infuser that leaves space for the leaves to unfurl, giving you a more flavoursome and robust tea!

Another contributing factor to taste in oolong tea is when the leaves are harvested. Normally tea is grown year round but is not harvested in winter. Therefore, leaves in Spring can absorb floral notes around it, and in Fall, woody and malty notes. Generally, green tea and oolong are harvested in the Spring.

Maple Syrup Oolong

Be infused today with tea, love and joy!

Happy Monday!

Resources:

Oolong: Green or Black

7 Things You Need to Know About Oolong

Somewhere there’s tea…

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I’m not really a “stick my head in the sand” kind of person, but it’s true. I don’t watch the news. I hear enough in general conversation, or something on Facebook will tweak my interest and I’ll investigate, but I don’t often seek it out. There are thing I’ve known a long time. I know there is evil in the world. There is hatred and discrimination, and a terribly long history of it.

It breaks my heart.

It makes me anxious.

And afraid.

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but one of power, love, and sound judgment.

1 Timothy 1:7

So while I live in this world, I keep myself separated from it by not immersing myself in every thought that Kim Kardashian has (most of them are not golden!), or filling my head with images of death and destruction.

I am also not oblivious to the world. I mourn and pray. I teach my children to live with integrity and love. I endeavour daily to be an active minister of reconciliation for the past, a person of peace in the present, and a harbinger of hope for the future. It’s not enough, but it’s a place to start. And if we never start, we will never move forward.

There are worlds out there where the sky is burning, where the sea’s asleep and the rivers dream, people made of smoke and cities made of song. Somewhere there’s danger, somewhere there’s injustice and somewhere else the tea is getting cold.

Sylvester McCoy

Seasons

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There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot,

Ecclesiastes 1:3

This is certainly the case for growing and harvesting tea leaves, and tea masters know the seasons can have an impact of flavour!

Tea comes from the plant, Camellia Sinensis. Tea trees are almost constantly in a state of germination, which is affected by climate and weather. Green tea flavour and aroma is the most affected by weather and climate changes. Too wet or dry, fluctuating temperatures, and frost can affect the quantity and quality of all the types of leaves and buds. Typically germination slows during the winter months (Dec-Feb), so most harvesting takes place bi-annually: Spring and Fall. Some areas are able to harvest 2 or 3 times.

Fresh leaves and buds harvested in the Spring are highly valued because they have had more daylight and more time to grow and absorb nutrients. It provides the tea with lighter flavour profile and sweet floral notes. Buds are picked along with two to four leaves, depending on the tree type, tree age, and the season. Older trees are more established and resilient, so more leaves will be picked. Those leaves are generally richer in flavour. Green and white teas are ordinarily harvested in the Spring and require minimal processing.

Larger farms will also harvest in summer, particularly those who provide tea leaves for mass distribution. These leaves grow quickly and provide a bolder flavour than those harvested in the Spring. But they also have little natural sweetness so are normally used as a base for flavoured teas.

While black, darjeeling and some white teas are harvested in Fall, it is the optimal season for Oolong tea. Oolong tea is neither green or black tea, and is processed differently. Tea masters can extract different flavours and aromas with the same leaves by adjusting that process. I will be discussing Oolong tea in another post. Tea harvested in the Fall has a fuller body and richer colour than Spring teas, and contains stronger floral or malty notes.

Regardless of the season…

…or at least tea!

Beauty is the only thing that time cannot harm… what is beautiful is a joy for all seasons, a possession for all eternity.

Oscar Wilde

Happy Monday!

My Iced Tea Hack

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Even the weather has been weird. It was well into the 30s (celsius) on May 22, the day we decided to shovel and spread a million pounds of dirt and grass seed on our front lawn. We had to take frequent breaks to avoid heat exhaustion. Less than a week later, we were pulling on our slippers and watching the snow falling on our lilac blooms! And now, we’re back to sweating.

Weird!

Regardless of the weather, I never lose my taste for tea. Just sometimes the temperature of the tea varies. When it’s cold, I want it hot. When it’s hot, I want it…hot or cold. It depends on what I’m doing. First thing in the morning, hot! If I’m sitting outside on the backporch with a good book, like this past Saturday, cold. And the best way to keep something cold is ice cubes. But ice cubes dilute the tea…no good!

So what if there was a way to keep it cold without diluting the tea, or a way to add flavour to your morning pot that’s already cooled on the counter? There is! It’s called an ice cube tray. It’s not that hard to boil some extra water when you’re making hot tea and use it to steep an extra mug or two. Or a few flavours in a few mugs. Once cooled, pour it into an ice cube tray and pop it in the freezer. Feel like peach? Drop in a peach tea cube. Chocolate chai? Drop in a cube! Peach and chocolate chai? Why not?!? It’s a great addition to your iced tea.

Sundress-check
Flip-flops – check
Book – check
Iced tea – check!!
Let summer begin…

For a really hot day on the porch, with a really good book, I need a really big cup of iced tea, so I make ahead and use iced tea pop molds. I got these from David’s tea, but I’ve seen the same thing in grocery stores and dollar stores. It works great.

Just like ice cubes, don’t forget to make some iced tea ahead too, using the hot or cold brew method and prepare to sip the summer days away!

One benefit of summer was that each day we had more light to read by.

Jeanette Wells, The Glass House

What’s In My Cup: Orange Marmalade

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Today I will be happier than a bird with a French fry

Unknown

I googled “ways to keep from going crazy” yesterday afternoon and was directed to 10 Activities to Stop You Going Crazy During Lockdown (Attachment Mummy). I’d venture to say it’s already too late! This list was posted a year ago and here we are in parts of Canada, heading into lockdown #3? #4? I can’t keep track, since the lockdown rules and stay at home orders extend and start before the last finishes. Attachment Mummy suggested making a list of things I’ve always wanted to do, but that seems like cruel and unusual punishment since we have to stay at home! So instead I wrote a list of things to do today. It’s too hard to plan any further ahead than that!

This morning, I started with Steeped Tea’s Orange Marmalade, an organic black tea flavoured only with orange peel. Marmalade is a jam or jelly made with citrus fruit, particularly orange, and this mimics the slight bitterness of it. This tea is also strong and quite astringent. Sometimes, however, you just need to start the day with something basic and strong so you can get on to the important things. I’ve done #1 – Make a list and #2 – Drink tea. Time to move on to #3…

…Reading.

Happy Monday!

What’s In My Cup: Apple Cinnamon & Tumeric

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Tumeric is a spice that is acclaimed for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. So it’s not wonder that Tetley has included it in it’s line of “super herbal teas”.

Tumeric is a perennial, flowering plant in the ginger family, most commonly used in Southern Asia and Middle Eastern cooking. When it is dried and ground,  it can also be used to dye fabric a rich, golden colour.

Tumeric is a perennial, flowering plant in the ginger family, most commonly used in Southern Asia and Middle Eastern cooking. Dried tumeric packs three times the flavour over fresh. Also, when it is dried and ground, it can be used to dye fabric a rich, golden colour.

Tetley’s Antiox tea is a rooibos base and includes cinnamon, white hibiscus, tumeric (of course), licorice root, rose hips, chicory root, orange peel, and apple. It also lists vitamin C, a nautral diuretic and antioxidant. Vitamin C helps protects cells against heart disease, cancer and other diseases, as well as helping your body absorb and store iron. It’s necessary for the formation of blood vessels, cartilage, muscle and collagen in bones.

As you can see, this herbal tea has a lovely, deep golden colour. The tea bag smells rather medicinal, but mellows once it is steeped. I could taste both the cinnamon and apple, but it was subtle, as it was also paired with earthy and gingery notes from the tumeric. Some people describe tumeric as bitter, mustard-y or horseradish-y. I found there was a slight tingle or heat from the tumeric, but it wasn’t unpleasant or overpowering. It’s definitely on the savoury scale.

Tea is the magic key to the vault where my brain is kept.

Frances Hardinge

Happy Monday!

What’s In My Cup: Bee the Change

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Did you know….
16 oz. of honey takes 1152 bees to travel 112 000 miles and visit 4.5 million flowers?

http://www.hivetracks.com

I believe there’s a degree of goodwill in all us. An innate desire to join with others to contribute to our world in a way that blesses. It may be in your local community or the global community, a grand or complex legacy for the next generation, or as simple as tending a garden for the birds and the bees.

In the tea community, there are organizations that promote fair business practices, safe working conditions, and sustainable resources. Right now, David’s Tea is donating 10% of the proceeds from their “Bee The Change” tea, to The Bee Conservancy, a non-profit organization that creates bee habitats in Canada & the US.

It’s a drop in a bucket, but as you add drops, the bucket fills up.

“Bee the Change” tea is a delight for all the senses too. Vibrant petals of echinacea, rose, marigold, pink cornflower, and red clover are combined with rooisbos and honeybush leaves, apple, rosehips, natural honey flavouring, and natural flavouring with stevia extract. Many of these ingredients are said to stabilize blood sugar levels, reduce inflammation, and boost the immune system. The aroma is a bright perfume of sweetness and flower, from the time the tin is opened to the very last drop!

“Bee the Change” is a kosher, caffeine-free infusion. It’s a light honeyed colour (not surprising) that intimates warmth. I found this floral, honeyed elixir to be vivid and cheerful. Would it be weird if I called it “sunny”? The honey is identifiable and sweet, but not provocative or cloying. I’m not a fan of floral teas for the most part, but I found this coupling beautifully balanced.

Not only have I helped my buzzy besties in a small way, but it’s my new favourite indulgence on a gray afternoon or a chilly evening.

The key to nature’s therapy is feeling like a tiny part of it, not a master over it. There’s amazing pride in seeing a bee land on a flower you planted – but that’s not your act of creation, it’s your act of joining in.

Victoria Coren Mitchell

Happy Monday!