Monthly Archives: October 2016

Kombucha Koolness

Tea 3 Comments

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Never underestimate the art of alliteration.   And boy does it apply here.

For our friends in the Baltimore area, you might have heard of Wild Kombucha from the fine folks at Mobtown Fermentation.

First here is some information on what Kombucha exactly is, or you can scroll up and down their website for a primer.

The festivals, parties, and other excuses to hang out accelerates as we’re deep into fall, and we’re approaching the happy holidays.   Leave it to a Pumpkin Party (there goes that alliteration again) to get the ball rolling this season.   And this party took place at Rooftop Hot in the Highlandtown neighborhood of Baltimore, which is one of one my favorites and most down-to-earth parts of the city.

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There was food, live music, outdoor chilling, and all the other stuff that goes along with a festival.  You know, the usual.   And that’s more than enough but when you add free samples of their kombucha, now you know it’s a party.  But if you hadn’t look closely, you would think they were handing out free samples of beer.  The bottles would make you think so.  Never judge a bottle by it’s cover (make sure to look first) and make sure you know what’s being served.  That didn’t mean to come off as dopey as it sounded.

So yes they had samples of all four of their delightful beverages.  Yes I’ve already given away my thoughts on this.  The pumpkin display with their drinks on ice was a great presentation.  It really made it seem like this is a beer tasting.   My peers thought so.  I initially thought so.  I don’t care for beer so this was a relief.

Let’s talk about the drinks.  They had all four of their creations available for sampling.  Yes I loved them all.

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The website doesn’t list it, but their Apple Spice was my favorite.  It tasted great and tastes like fall.  So a full appreciation of this was taking place.   Joey, who was doing the tasting, was kind enough to give us multiple pours of all the flavors.  But this was one I’d want to drink on a regular basis for sure.  That tint is gorgeous too.

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The Elderberry was rocking too.  You’re going to see a theme here.  This may have been my second favorite.  This just fits what they’re doing.  I’m not sure if that makes sense, but Elderberry is the perfect flavor for their fermented tea.  And that color just luminates and radiates.  And it tastes good too.  That’s the most important aspect of all of these.

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Next, the Mango Peach.  It was energizing but I would fully appreciate this more in the warmer months.  But this is another winner.  These guys know what they’re doing.

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Finally, the Ginger-Grapefruit tastes the most like tea.  Ginger has always been one of my favorite components of a tea.  The pairing with Green Tea, lemon, and honey and other flavors has always been a go-to for me.  This’ll now be another go-to as well.  I just love Ginger.  And I loved this one too.

It’s hard to compare these four.  They all are special and blessed in their own way.  I may alternate which of these drinks will be my favorites based on the day and the season.

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This was a stellar experience.  Once again, a huge thanks to Joey for being so accommodating, and giving me more pours than I had any business having.  I hope  I don’t get you in trouble.

At the bottom of their page, is where you can find their divine drinks, their story, and contact information.   They make it look so easy. 

Hopefully, more awesome fall posts to come.  Actually,  that’s a yes.

Yes!

Ideen

My Little Yogi

Tea 11 Comments

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This weather is something else.  It’ll be in the 80’s this week here in Baltimore.  I love it. I’ll take this on a regular basis.  However, there this coziness with autumn.  The changing of the colors, the festival season picking up, and more of our friends home means even more fun things to do.  It’s also a sign that it’s only going to get colder.  That makes some excited.  That makes me well, want some hot tea.

Yogi Tea has been one of those brands that exudes positive vibes.  And that’s not just from their teas alone.   From their positives quotes on each tea, promoting well-being, wellness, and yoga poses, the goodness emanates from all over.

Speaking of goodness, I’m grateful to have friends from all over that also share the love of tea, and especially Yogi.

I was at some dear friends’ house this past weekend for an inspiring night of doing nothing and loads of professional chilling (that’s a term we may have coined by the way), which meant loads of good food, maybe some vino, a comfortable couch or recliner, and a cup of tea for the ages.

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When you’re in a house with pals, that term, ‘mi casa es su casa’, might be taken too far and too literally.  In this instance, I had the green light to grab a tea from the tea cabinet. It was narrowed down to a couple.  But not even blog related, I hadn’t had a Yogi Tea in quite some time.

This would be my first (and won’t be the last) time having the Cinnamon Vanilla Healthy Skin.

If you hadn’t told me this was going to make my skin clearer, I wouldn’t have known any difference.  This is not a knock on the tea.  I find this more of a bonus.

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This was one of the most enjoyable cups I’ve had in a long time.   Facing facts, most teas I come across are good to masterful.  This is closer to the latter.  I just had a sense while I was steeping that this was going to be special.  How about that color?  It’s got a tint that screams cinnamon and other enjoyable flavors.  It screams fall and it screams friendship.

I hadn’t heard of a single herb in the tea’s description but now they’ll be ingredients I’ll look for when it comes to my tea.  I’ll seek them out in other products that rejuvenate and rebuild my skin, and who know what else?

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Cinnamon, cardamomom, cocoa shells, and vanilla bean make this one of the most eclectic and genuine blends you’re ever going to have.

It also helps being in a place of peace and around some of your favorite friends.  That enhances just about any experience.  It’ll make even the most mediocre of teas, foods, and anything else for that matter a lot more pleasurable.  That’s how life works.

It was a snack party so the tea went with some of our favorite finger foods.  But this was also treasured alone.  And whenever an animal friend joins the party, it’s definitely the best party ever.  For more on this lavish spread, click here.

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For more on where to find Yogi Teas in your area, click here, or shop online!

And here’s my two previous discussions on this amazing company.

More Yogi reviews to come!

Thanks so much,

Ideen

 

 

 

 

 

Feels Like Home

Tea 2 Comments

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Silver Spring, MD has changed so much in the past 15 years, it’ll seem unrecognizable to many, if you’ve been gone from the area long.  Or perhaps locals to the Washington, DC area haven’t paid a visit back.   It’s close enough to DC that many transplants and I’d assume folks who grew up in the area will consider it home.

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It’s a little to new and full of chains in some parts for my taste.  But if you don’t look so hard, the local businesses are flourishing and proving they belong.  And I hope they belong for some time to come.  I had the pleasure of visiting one of these establishments recently. Zed’s Cafe right on the outskirts of Downtown Silver Spring has that neighborhood and homey vibe I always look for in a place.  And I just don’t mean for tea.  I mean for food, for various places I shop, for my own self serving interests, and I’ll repeat, tea.

As they state, it’s one big living room.  I’m not sure whose spacious living room but I got cozy and comfortable real quick.  And I had yet to order anything.  I was sure I was setting myself up for a disappointment and free fall.

And I also should be careful to assume that all these gems of places have a tea list.  That’s a risky presumption depending on where you go.  Just about anywhere will have an expansive coffee list, yet the teas could be a standard national brand in a box, or thankfully in this instance, their had their own loose teas in house.  Whenever I come across the latter I’m so grateful.  It really adds a dimension to a shoppe that otherwise they wouldn’t have.

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Speaking of dimensions, they literally had a 3-d display of their loose teas.  You don’t see that everyday.  Actually I’m not sure the last time I saw something similar.  I’m glad I got a picture.

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Per their recommendation, I went with their house special, their lemongrass ginger tea. And we knew it was coming, but pumpkin season has arrived.  Actually, if you noticed, it started somewhere back in mid-August.  So I capitulated under the pressure of seasonal forces, and went with the pumpkin spice.  Don’t get me wrong I love pumpkin but we should appreciate every season for what it is.

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I’ll first state that the presentation of my tea was masterful.  What a beautiful mug and plate.  Next, they had real pieces of ginger emanating from the tea.  Oh my and ginger!  I couldn’t resist, I picked a few pieces and ate them separate from my cup.

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The tea was everything I hoped it be.  I love lemongrass, I love ginger, and I loved everything about this cup.  That atmosphere helped.   The muffin was fine but a bit rich for my taste.  That’s more of a reflection of my taste than anything else.

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As you’ll see below, that tea was done but not as fast as I usually sip these things.  I really did feel like I was in mine or someone else’s living room.  It felt like old times.  But it also felt like new times.  I love relaxing at a pals’ house with a good cup of tea and some tasty snacks to complement our cup.  It makes the tea, the food, and most importantly, the whole experience better.

I’m also sentimental because my family has ties to this area.  My family used to run a business in this area, way before any of these new, and even longer-standing businesses had arrived.  So I always get this feeling when I’m here.  Depending on what part, it’s not always the best energy, but at Zed’s, it was all good and then some.

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If you’re in the vicinity or passing by, I would strongly suggest a visit.  It’s a home away from home.  And there’s no place like…

Stay ginger,

Ideen

 

 

 

A Glorious Day

Tea 9 Comments

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Leave it to the Fells Point Fun Festival to bring another magical moment and post to my blog. After last year, I didn’t expect to write about anything for 2016.  And not in any negative away, I just didn’t have any expectations or was actively looking for this week or next weeks post.   Several lessons can be taken from this, let it come to to you, and expect the unexpected.  I need to keep reminding myself that.

For us in Baltimore, this event means so much to us.  Many of us don’t know why we love this festival exactly, but its sentiment rings true.  The neighborhood has changed, so has the city, maybe we’ve changed ourselves.  I should speak for myself, maybe I’ve changed too.  Actually I know I’ve changed.  But nearly 15 years of doing it, it seems to have been rejuvenated the past couple of years.  The allowing of drinking in certain part of the streets definitely play a part but I truly believe the heavier emphasis on local vendors and local business is the true backbone and the true revitalization.

And we’re talking upwards of 100,000+ people that attend.  This being the 50th anniversary, you know that’s going to add to it.

Saturday was rainy, the skies were gloomy, but my friends and I weathered the storm and enjoyed ourselves.  That’s what life is about.   We drank, we ate, we shared laughs, we hopped from one place to another.  It doesn’t get any better.

Sunday felt like a rebirth.  The early afternoon looked ominous but the skies cleared and then it still felt like Summer.  I know it’s October but it was akin to a new sense of hope and possibility.  It also led to more casual strolling and a more focused energy on seeing what was outside of the madness.

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After that extended monologue (prologue?) I’m grateful to have found within that hectic sea of humanity, the most charming of booths, the Wight Tea Company.

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Again I almost just walked by and thought I have enough content to last throughout the year.  There will never be enough content.  And never enough to support local business.

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I’m glad I turned backed around.   Izzy who was working the booth was kind of enough to let me try all four samples.   There were four, and if I get them wrong, I hope I’m corrected.

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But I’m going to try and recite the orfer by memory. First, I had the Sage Rose White, then the Tropical Green, Evening Tisane (their Chamomile), and finally the Chai.

This sounds like a cop out but I liked them all and likely in that order.   White and Green have always been favorites of mine.  White teas in general have been a regular staple in my sipping repertoire.   Chamomile was once I tea I avoided but as ones palate expands and evolves, new interests develop.  That may be a reflection on me growing as a person too.

By virtue of this blog it has made me try and uncover new teas, new companies, and new start ups.

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This is a start up that I’m rooting for.   I had the pleasure of meeting Brittany and Joseph Wight, two siblings who are the brains and brawn behind this operation.  You couldn’t meet two friendlier people.   When good people are taking a leap of faith, and using their own creativity to better humanity and themselves, it’s something you root for.

I live vicariously through such ventures, and it inspires to maybe one day do something myself. We’re all capable of it.  I motivated myself to do this blog.  And this’ll end up being looked back on as one of my most favorite posts.

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If you’re interested in purchasing their amazing teas, you can click here.  I was told more teas, strainers, filters, etc.  will be added to the website soon.

For our pals in Maryland, their teas are currently located at Rooster & Hen Store in Ellicott City, and Boutique 44 in Roland Park.

And exciting businesses are about to open by the end of the year, that will be carrying their products.  R.House Baltimore will be opening by the end of the year, and a cup or pot of tea will be available at BLK/Sugar Stall.  This article will shed some more light on this.

Last but not least, their teas will be carried at BWillow in Remington, which is due to open at the end of the year.  Big things are happening!

Here’s a list of future events of where you can try their mesmerizing teas.  And here is their contact information, if you have questions.

Oh cool they have a blog too!  Yes, all the cool people are blogging!

My posts from the festival last year and Fells in general can be found here and here.

This is just the beginning.  I will be purchasing their teas and updates to this post may be happening periodically. And hey, another post may come in time as well.  This is one where I want to word out about these guys.  I had such a good feeling when I was there on Sunday.  I wish them all the best.  The best!

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I love local,

Ideen