You Know My Steaz

I went on another adventure or scavenger hunt in search of another tea, cold or hot, to write about.   And in keeping with this warm weather, I happily went with the former.

Steaz

I had never heard of Steaz until earlier this week.  And shame on me.  But at the same time, this is what this blog and learning new things is all about.  If it wasn’t for writing about one my favorite things, I may not have crossed paths with their products for a while. I probably saw them on grocery store shelves but were just a part of anything else in my view.

Steazy

I am really digging these organic iced teas that these companies are concocting.

In traditional fashion I grabbed two cans that I wanted to try.  And I did a taste test in the comfort of my home.   I went with some different flavors for this incarnation.

I went with the Super Fruit and Blueberry Pomegranate.  The links associated with both flavors are the same, but this website is so user-friendly, you should have no trouble finding your way.

And speaking of the same, they both taste very similar.  If you gave me a blind taste test, I would say they were both fruit punch of a medley of some sort.  I wouldn’t be able to get all the correct fruits for two respectively but I’d give it a shot.

With that being said, I liked both very much.   After a couple sips each, I wasn’t in love with either right away.  But with time they both grew on me.  It might have been my palate or taste buds at the time.  But I think the bigger picture is I am unfortunately used to drinking sweeter and artificial beverages in the Summer that I may not have been fully appreciating a natural and organic treat. That’s my educated guess on this.

SteazSuperSteazBluePom

In looking at the ingredients of both teas, I saw to a degree, that they are very similar.  Had I been had? Ha, I don’t think that to be the case. Fortunately, I had the wherewithal to pour each can into a glass with ice to get a better feel for what I was working with.

SteazDuo

At first blush both drinks look very similar. But as you look closer the Blueberry Pomegranate does have a darker tint to it. And yes it does have a little more power than the Super Fruit, which I did not expect at all.  I expected the Super Fruit to hit me like that comic book hero you may have heard about. All kidding aside, I enjoyed both very much. And I would love to try more of there selections in the future.  They have plenty of them.

And best of all, they are a Fair Trade ingredients so I know I am drinking something that represents good.  And hopefully I am bringing my good energy from this purchase back into the world.   And my other favorite part of researching these organizations is their role in helping the community or communitea if you will!

And information on where to buy their products can be found here.

I felt good drinking their stand-out iced teas and look forward to more in the future.   I felt so good trying them out that it made this post that much more easy to write.

More to come!

Best,

Ideen

Thankful for this Turkey

TurkeyHillTeas2

I’m thankful for a lot of things.  And I should be thankful for more.   A little early for Thanksgiving I know.  And this is not a play on words or any puns intended.

And I am thankful and grateful for finding things to talk about each week.

I was at my local supermarket headed towards the tea aisle, but before I could make it, I spotted the featured items display by the registers.    They had a few cold teas in the fridge, but the one that stood out the most was from Turkey Hill.

Their ice creams and juices were always a staple in our house growing up but with time and experiences we move onto other food and beverage interests.

Well it’s nice to be reunited!

I had no idea they made Organic Iced Tea, let along so many other awesome looking products.

I picked up two and I’ll get it out-of-the-way, I loved them both very much!  If I drank these blindly I wouldn’t have thought they were organic.  I would just think they tasted great.

TurkeyGreen

First up is the Organic Green Tea with a touch of honey.  And a touch of honey is spot on.  It’s not overpowering that you forget this is a green tea.  They got this just right. This was a pleasure to sip and would be enjoyable on a hot Summer’s day or any time of year.   And with just a few ingredients, you know you’re getting something pure.

TurkeyPeach

And then we have the Peach Organic Black Tea.  It’s hard to pick a favorite.  I honestly loved them both so much.  There’s a lot more peach here than there’s honey in the aforementioned green, but it’s wonderful.   Peach is one of my favorite fruits and to combine it with one of my favorite beverages is majestic.

Another point of note, I had no idea they were so close to home. Turkey Hill’s main headquarters are an hour or so north of us in the Baltimore area, in Lancaster County, PA.   Anyone up for a road trip?

If you can’t find their products in your nearby store, you can order from them here.

TurkeyHillTeas

And just like wine, they have food pairing suggestions for their iced teas, which are done in a very user-friendly and approachable way.

I am sold!  I can’t wait to try and embrace more of their products.   I feel good perusing their site and supporting a company near me.

In addition to a couple of other organic selections I haven’t had the opportunity to try, they have an extensive iced tea collection.  And I hope to review those as well in the future.

I will be thankful to do so.

Best,

Ideen

Merry Christmas in July

WegmansChristmasCup

What better way to celebrate two of my favorite things, Summer and Christmas, by incorporating a tea that represents the positive attributes of two wonderful times of the year, and so much more.

WegmansPeppermintTeaWegmansSteeping

WegmansEnjoy

The Peppermint Tea from Wegmans was a joy to sip.   And speaking of feeling like Christmas, Wegmans is just that.  I always feel like a kid in a candy shoppe when visiting any one of their stores near me or in my travels.  But it’s more than just that. It’s a place of wonders, imagination, and happiness.

With just one ingredient, they stand by their motto, Just Tea.  I like it.   It pulls no punches and doesn’t pretend to be something it’s not. It’s by no means the best tea I’ve ever had. But it doesn’t need to be.  It’s a comforting drink to be enjoyed heated or chilled.

In the spirit of the holidays, I chose to have it boiled.  And even on a warm Summer’s night, it was a pleasure to have.  It was so palatable, I served myself a second cup.

WegmansPeppermintBagWegmansTeaOpen

WegmansBrewingWegmansSteep1

WegmansSteep2

Throughout this process, the color of the tea changed rapidly and looked gorgeous.  You know you’re getting something good.  And I had to take a photo a few minutes after, because the tint just kept getting stronger. I’m loving this.

WegmansSteep3

Tis the season to be happy!   And hopefully that means all year round.  The holiday cup has made its triumphant return! It’s a nice reminder of feeling good and what’s important in life.  It’s on what the inside that counts but positive images such as these only heighten the experience.

If I only had some holiday treats to go with it.   Well not to look too far ahead, but those times will be here before we know it. And all the goodies have since been long gone or way past their expiration date.  The latter would not be a good idea!

In the true spirit of the season, it’s all about indulgence and abundance, so enjoy all the photos I have provided!

WegmansTeas

I wish I could try all these teas!  Maybe I will…

Happy Holidays!

Best,

Ideen

Happy Trails

I took a nice bike ride recently on the Northern Central Railroad Trail or NCR for short.   It was an enjoyable ride that goes over 20 miles into Pennsylvania.  There’s a few pot of golds at the end of this rainbow.

CafeSignRailTrailCafe2

I’ve made the several hours ride to the Rail Trail Cafe before, so this was gold I expected to find.  But this ride never gets old and I always look forward to grabbing a beverage, a snack, and a few minutes to enjoy the view.   This time I look a lot longer, took some pictures, and then appreciated my surroundings.

The staff here is top-notch.  They’ve always been so friendly and welcoming.  There is a very folksy and small town vibe here and in the surrounding neighborhood.  Even though they probably get outsiders on bikers, on a daily basis, they seem appreciative of everyone that pays a visit.  It’s a good area to regroup, relax, and recuperate.

It was a warm Summers day and that means a cold, refreshing tea.  And it was needed.

And speaking of gold, what kind of teas did I happen to see in their refrigerated beverage section?  Well none other than Gold Peak Tea.

I’ve seen their drinks everywhere, including many restaurants, adjacent to the soft drink machines.  As this is a beverage many establishments use as an alternative to sodas.

Their brand is not one I’ve had frequently and if I have I may have had it by default because I wasn’t in the mood for soda. This is not a dig at them, but just a statement.

GoldPeakDietGoldPeakDietOutsideBackOfLabel

I grabbed the Diet Tea from the fridge and as a snack I ordered a homemade Rice Krispies Treat.  It was fuel need for the bike ride back. The treat was fantastic.

RiceKrispieTreat

The tea was satisfying but I wasn’t wowed by it.  I don’t think it had anything to do with it having zero calories and added sodium.  I just thought it did the job and nothing more.   That doesn’t mean that you won’t like it or that their other flavors aren’t any better.

It’s going to be warm for a while and I will absolutely try some of their other flavors again.

Train

I took my time enjoying the riders and pedestrians go by.  And to my pleasant surprise, a train passed through as well!

I will be back soon as I love riding through here.   I leave you with some photos of this peaceful experience.

NewFreedomRailTrailCafeRailTrailMuseum

Stay healthy.

Best,

Ideen