Author Archives: Ideen Barimani

A Coconut Classic

milk, Tea Leave a comment

CoconutGreenTea

I am grateful to be doing blogs like this.  And with a niche such as tea, there’s a boundless and unlimited amount of topics to write about.   Today’s sampling is so good, my positive comments will not do it justice.  But, there will be a few more photos than usual!  And fortunately, it was a sunny day so the rays will show themselves in pictures.  And you may see more steam than usual.  Woohoo!

The Coconut Green Tea brought to you by the fine folks at Trader Joe’s is the quintessential tea for the Spring and Summer months to come.   I can’t say enough superlatives.

First, how endearing is the tin design?  TJ’s has always been known for their hippie ways, organic foods, and natural designs – and this continues that tradition.  For my previous review of one of their specials, click here.

IngredientsBrewingMoves

Second, there are the user friendly instructions and ingredients, as you can see above.   With approachable colors and fonts, I’m always been drawn to their products.

Finally, it’s wonderful.   I know in the early stages of this blog it’s been positive reviews all around.  And the choices I’ve written about have all been good to great. There are some terrible ones out there but they’ve yet to cross my path.  This is the antithesis of terrible.   This is a creation from something bigger than us. The ingredients are listed above, but it’s also chock-full of soul.  One of the best I’ve ever tasted.

As I was saying, the brewing tips are easy to comprehend and make this a joyous experience.

In brewing this, the smells really came through when pouring the hot water from the pot into my cup.  Yes, the green cup is back and appropriate for this posting!   To change it up, I used a different strainer.   It’s all about having fun and trying different things.

EyeCandyDeuxEyeCandy

Through a recommendation from a friend, I was told to drink it at a few degrees below boiling point, as to not damage the green tea leaves.   I was not aware of the significance until today.

In the tradition of previous loose tea postings, here is the brewing process in photos below.

TeaLeavesGoodStuff!

As you can see in the website’s suggestions, their favorite is cold brew.   I drank it in its aforementioned form and was satisified.  It actually tasted better to me as it started to cool.

SugarInTheRaw!LetsAddMilk!

There is a bitterness via the lemongrass and ginger, but it’s flavors I like.   I usually have my teas with no additional sweeteners, creams. or milk but through a suggestion, I added a teaspoon of Sugar In The Raw and a splash or organic milk, and boy did it add to the flavors.    No sweet treats needed for this beverage as it was sweet enough!

I took my time drinking this as this is something to be savored.  The last few sips with the hint of milk and residual Sugar In The Raw was a blessing to my taste buds.    And the change in color is out of this world!

AmazingCup

This, like many other teas, can be drank year round.  Even with the palm trees and beach motif, which is awesome by the way, you can have this anytime you want.

Have a good week and stay healthy!

Best,

Ideen

Here’s To Full Bloom

cake, fruit, social media, Tea 2 Comments

Bencheley

Despite the fact that we’re a few weeks away from peak bloom of the Cherry Blossoms, it has fortunately given me enough time to talk about another related tea.   For my recap of the Cherry Blossom Rose, click here.

The Cherry Almond from Bencheley is an absolute joy.   I am glad we grabbed that out of the stash.  It had been sitting there for a while.  But it still has legs.  And it still tastes good.   Now Bencheley is not a brand that many folks are familiar with.   They don’t have a website, Facebook, or Twitter page that I can find.   The good news is their teas can be purchased here.   I originally purchased this at my local Kitchen & Company.  Which is a very charming shoppe!

With the elements of cherry, almond, and black tea merging together, you can imagine how great this is.  And it’s decaf to boot.  So you can enjoy this at anytime without worry of staying up too late!   The flavors are easily detected, which isn’t always the case with more complex selections.   The almond taste lingers for a while and is a joy to my senses.   I can’t put into words how well it resonates.   The aftertaste is to die for.  And as I got to the bottom of the tea,  both flavors hit me with such potency.   I feel joy writing about it now.  What a perfect beverage for the season.

PinkMugMondays

In honor of the festivities, the pink mug has made it’s debut to the blog.  How pretty is that?  It makes me want to brew one right now.

I enjoyed my cup, with a piece of lemon cake and blueberries.    It’s all about the scents and flavors of Spring!   Below are some inspiring photos of my tea with dessert.

CherryComboInspiringImageEvenMoreInspiring

I wish you a Happy Spring and look forward to enjoying the Cherry Blossoms with everyone!

Best,

Ideen

Going Green

Tea 1 Comment

IrishRumCream

It’s a St. Patrick’s Day Special.  And I know I wrote about Capital Teas last week, but the flavor I wanted to write about for this post falls in line with the holiday theme.  And it’s so good.   For more on this great company, you can check out last weeks discussion right here.

Beaut

The Irish Rum Cream is the stuff of legend.   This comes to us via the Gentleman’s Tea Sampler, that I also purchased when I visited their Micro Tea Bar at the Towson Town Center.  And yes it tastes as incredible as it looks.

Aside from it being Irish and festive, what’s so good about it?    Well for one, there’s coconut.  And we’ve been hearing about all the positive benefits of coconut for some time now.   The positive here is that it adds to the smell and the taste.  The strawberry leaves and safflower complement each other well, making this black tea a highly caffeinated concoction.  I am wired as I write this.  I may not be going to sleep anytime soon!

StPatsTeaBrewingIrishRumTea

To my pleasure and maybe to my disservice, I did have two cups.  One is plenty.  But I couldn’t help myself.  This brought so much joy to my taste buds.   The whole brewing process, that you can see pictured above, was a pleasure as well.   The boiling water brought about such wonderful smells.    It’s the first time I’ve had coconut in my tea, and it will not be the last.   Why didn’t I have this sooner?

Tea&Cookies

Maybe it’s appropriate and meant to be that my first exposure to this tea and these flavors takes place St. Patrick’s Day Week.   My lucky green mug, which I’ve used before, is a necessity for this week.   And as a special treat, I enjoyed my tea with some holiday themed sugar cookies!

The aforementioned caffeine along with the sugar rush has really got me going.   I hope I get some sleep!  If not, I could write I about this tea for hours.   Have I painted a pretty enough picture for you?

No matter what you do for the holiday, be safe and look out for one another.  And maybe enjoy this or another wonderful tea!

Take good care.

Best,

Ideen

It’s Spring Again

Capital Teas, DC, Maryland, Pennsylvania, rose, Tea, Virginia 2 Comments

tea!

Well not quite, but we’re close.  And for those of us in Maryland, how good has it feeling outside?

It’s only appropriate, that this week, I discuss the Cherry Blossom Rose, from the stellar Capital Teas.

I have been a supporter of them since their first store opened in beautiful downtown Annapolis, in 2007, and now they have expanded into DC, Virginia, and Pennsylvania, with multiple stores, boutiques, and kiosks.

So about this tea.  It’s plain and simple, comforting.   I am glad that my first post regarding loose teas, is for this one.   This tea, was part of the Organic Green Tea Sampler pack I purchased at the kiosk at the Towson Town Center.   A big thank you to Michelle, who was working that day, for helping me pick out this package.

The scent, with Kyoto cherry and rose petals, is so joyous and a perfect way to celebrate the upcoming season and Cherry Blossom Festival.

The process with brewing tea in a loose format, was intimidating to me at first.  It had been a while since I had prepped it this way.  But there was no need to over think or over analyze.  The creation process should be just as fun as the sipping it itself.

Blossomvoila

How beautiful does that look?

loosetea! watered result

And I have posted a few pictures of the tea strainer that I used, and the very simple process, to catch the leaves, and bring about the flavor in my cup.

holiday

I enjoyed my tea,  with some holiday themed peanut M&M’s!  This can be drank hot or iced.  So your food choices, most likely on the sweeter side, are plentiful and abundant.

There will be more to come on strainers and infusers, as they come on all shapes, sizes, and contraptions.

And of course, there will be more on Capital Teas.   If you have a chance, visit one of them stores, especially the original one in Annapolis.  It will charm your socks off.  And in a great location in downtown Annapolis, it would be a tremendous addition to any visit.

Cheers to Spring.

Best,

Ideen

A Happy Place

College Park, cookies, green tea, Jade Cloud, Rishi, white macadmia 1 Comment

cup

An impromptu stop in College Park, MD, led me to a gem I never knew existed.

I was driving around, looking for a place to grab a hot cup, and low and behold, I discover, The Board and Brew.   On this quiet afternoon, I was able to take in all the wonders of this place.   They have plenty of food, drinks, and of most important of all, games.  And they got lots of ’em.

I know this is a blog about tea, and that was purchased, but I must say, this is a place I wish I had near me when I was in college.  I’d have hung out here frequently and gladly overstay my welcome.  There’s so much that’s relatable in here, from the cozy seats, the simple menu, and most of all, it’s staff.  The girl working today was very helpful in suggesting to me me…

…I’ve had Rishi Tea several times before, but not in this setting.   And it added to the charm.   The Jade Cloud was recommended to me over any of the teas in their collection, green or otherwise.    And the advice was spot on.

The tea had just the right amount of subtle, bitter flavor, that I have liked from my greens.

I savored this in a peaceful setting.  I usually drink my tea at home or on to go, so to relax with my cup and enjoy a new change of scenery, only enhanced this experience.

rishibag

And how cool is the packaging? It was as smooth to open as anything.  And the way the bag is shaped?  You can hear the leaves shaking on the inside.  This is authenticity.

I had my cup with a white macadamia cookie and it hit the spot.

cookie!

Posted below are images from one of the cooler places I’ve been to in sometime.  I love it when it’s natural, genuine,and organic.  Just like the tea.

front. outsidesign board games! moregames!

If you want to feel like a kid or just do something different than the typical bar scene, I strongly recommend this place.  I know many establishments have game nights, or have them available to play, but not like this.  Here, they go all out.  I would love to make a night out of this.  Who wants in?  And of course try some more Rishi Tea! (And other delicacies they’re serving.)   A more in depth recap of their teas will be forthcoming.

Thanks so much.

Best,

Ideen

My Maryland

Baltimore, Canton, chocolate, coffee, fun, spices, Tea 4 Comments

front

I’ve been meaning to write about Baltimore Coffee And Tea Company for a very long time.  I am grateful to have the opportunity now.   If you’ve ever been there, you know it’s a happy place, with a welcoming aura, and a great energy.

In a future post, I will talk about the Timonium location and all the fun that takes place there.   They have four stores,  but I will start with where’s closest.

What you see at the top of this post, is the Maryland Tea Sampler via the Eastern Shore Tea Company, and how awesome is that packaging?  I wish I could write about all of them, but as seeing I’ve only had one thus far.  One (or two) at a time folks.

Here’s the back, with the basic ingredients listed, and other fun information :

back

What I sampled as the Canton Spice, and on a cold evening such as last night, it was the perfect remedy.   And everything about the wrapping is beautiful :

cantonspice

Even though Spring is around the corner, it’s nice to enjoy a tea that warms me up in another way.   And with the combination of cinnamon, ginger, clove, lemon added to the black tea, it represents everything that is good in the world.   I would recommend this to anyone.  Based on the flavors, it can be drank at all times of the year.  I enjoyed it with a few dark chocolates.

amazing

If you look closely, you can see the steam rising above.  Wonderful stuff.

Now there is one last ingredient I wanted to list separately.  I had never heard of Star Anise, until I looked at this package. I have included some links, to help you and I.  This will be an ongoing learning process, which is a good thing.

I could dedicate an entire blog to the store itself, and there will be many posts coming about their many choices, as they have an incredible selection.

I have always been a supporter of local establishments and what better representative can you have then Baltimore Coffee & Tea.

When you combine the joy of tea drinking to the joys of supporting local shoppes, it’s a win-win for everyone.   To be continued. And soon.

Thanks so much.

Best,

Ideen

100% Pure Fun

antioxidant, caffeine, decaf, Google, green tea, Tea, Vitamin C, white tea 1 Comment

amazingCov

With the infinite amount of teas out there, it can be overwhelming to figure out which one to talk about each time.   But, for now, I will continue with the basics.  And that usually means good.

For every 100 teas I have tried, 99 have been good-to-great. So I am sure to stumble upon a weaker one here and there.  But this will not be the week.   I am talking about the repackaged and reinvigorating Celestial Seasonings.

How beautiful is the packaging?  I am sold on this alone.  If you did a Google search on just the images, you would be blown away and amazed by the artistry.  Now how about the tea itself?

This morning I had the Decaf Green Tea, and it’s pure, it’s simple, it’s divine.  The ingredients are green tea, white tea, and Vitamin C for antioxidants.  That’s it!  How great is that?!  On a cold day, like today, it’s soothing and it’s keeping me very mellow.  A no thrills tea that leaves a lasting impression.

There’s a few heartwarming messages on the package as well.  This one has a great quote from the man, along with some cool notes from the Blendmaster.

proverb

Another added charm, is the wrapping, where the bags are waiting to be seeped.  Pretty nice touch.

soothingwellness

I wish I could talk about their teas all day.  I’ve had quite a few and they’ve all been enjoyable.  More reviews of their flavors in forthcoming posts.

I am using my traditional green mug when having a greenish tea.  How great does that look?

Inspiration

And finally, here is some more inspiration:

perseverance

I could go on about their tea and presentation all day. The bottom line is, the tea must taste good, or none of this matters. But this is a pleasant, heartwarming, and endearing cup.  I can’t say enough about how good it is.   There is no bells and whistles. It’s just a wonderful thing to sip on, at any time, especially if you’re not looking for caffeine, and want to relax.

Enjoy!

Best,

Ideen

Fun Republic

chocolate, cinnamon, cookies, scones, spices, Tea, weather, winter 1 Comment

Cinnamon

As I was going through the collection of in house, I realize there’s so many I take for granted.  That’s not a good thing. These teas, even though many are natural, do have an expiration date and do go bad.    This is not the case with one of my sentimental favorites, the Winter Cinnamon Tea from The Republic of Tea via Harry & David.   Try saying that last sentence a few times over.     And as I promised in a previous post, I wanted to talk about other cold weather goodness.

The benefits of cinnamon are plentiful and are unlimited.  I’d like to thank my dad for teaching me all the positives of this incredible spice.   It has always been a guide for me in the healing process.  So what better thing to have is my merging it with black tea to make something special.   I know the holidays are over but in the cold weather months, this is a bundle of joy, that can do no wrong.

And most importantly, it’s delicious too!  It tastes like a cinnamon sticky bun, but not too sweet.  It still tastes like a tea after all, but you know your getting a natural sweetness added on to it.

WinterJoy

Isn’t that a beauty?  And our snow pals are back once again.

I’ve enjoyed this cup with scones, cookies, and most recently leftover chocolates from the holidays.   Why let them go to waste?

Maybe I still want to feel festive all the time and my love of tea is just a part of that.  It’s about sipping on what makes you feel good.  And that’s all it should be.  The health benefits, along with the spiritual ones, make this a beverage definitely worth drinking, throughout the calendar year.

I look forward to whatever is next.  Thanks so much.  Oh and go to Harry & David, it’s a wonderful place.

Best,

Ideen

Gotta Have A

bagels, Black Tea, Chamomile, Earl Grey, hoagies, iced tea, Lemon, Orange, scrambled eggs, soup, Tea, Wawa 3 Comments

wawagreentea

Wawa is known for so many happy things on Earth.    I have been a fan, since I first visited one outside of Philadelphia, in 2000.   Just about all of their stores I’ve visited have had a strong energy, and a sense of community. Many I’ve seen have a strong sense of community and is a meeting place for locals, pals, and friends of from nearby towns of neighborhoods.   The coziness is endearing.    They have great coffee, but I love them for their tea.

And I love them for their hoagies, smoothies, soups, salads, sides, and of course the soft pretzels.   But, their tea has evolved into something delicious.   For years, I didn’t even know they carried their own teas.

I did some research about where they get their teas from, and I got nothing.   Maybe that’s how it’s supposed to be.  I should just enjoy their teas for what they are.  No over-the-top flavors, additions, or gimmicks.

I love their green tea.  Ingredients : green tea.

The added experience that it’s from Wawa, might make it taste even better. But it’s tremendous.  I usually enjoy it by itself.  But they have plenty of breakfast hoagies, bagels, pastries, and scrambled egg dishes to complement it with.  And I’ve indulged in them all pals.

Look at that awesome selection :

wawateas

At certain locations I have had their Chamomile, which is a flavor that has grown on me.  The staples are there – Earl Grey, Regular Black, and Lemon.   Along with the aforementioned Chamomile, you might see Decaf, Ginger Peach, among some other charming flavors.   I am a big fan of the Lemon.  The flavors are parallel to their iced teas.   These teas are not glamorous. I don’t think Wawa intended them to be.   They’re just great and that’s all you can ask for.  I swear I’ve seen an Orange tea in a store somewhere.

Next time you stop into your local Wawa, give the tea a shot.  It’s one of the reasons I look forward to going to their stores now, along with the sentimentality and convenient food choices.   Happy sipping!

TowerOfTea!

Best,

Ideen

The Good Earth – Literally

Good Earth, inspiration, roses, Tea 2 Comments

GoodEarth

Another brand of tea I don’t have nearly enough of is, Good Earth.    I discovered this gem nearly ten years ago and I have been happily sipping ever since.  I have so many in my stash, they date back to the old packaging, pictured above. Major faux pas.  The Organic White Tea Sweet Citrus has been rebranded, along with many of their teas.  Some have been discontinued and new ones have been created…

…And here is the new look.  Awesome right?

I will be taking a trip to my friendly, neighborhood store to check out the slick labels and new flavors.   But in the meanwhile, a recap of this lavish cup is in order.

There’s so many ingredients that I won’t list them all.   White Tea, Lemongrass, and Chamomile are the three off the top. I couldn’t detect the latter.  And had no idea it was in there.  And even after a cup, I still can’t trace it.  The Lemongrass, for me, was easy to taste.   Rose Petals and Rose Hips are included, but I suspect in smaller amounts.   With a melange of flavors, the Jasmine Tea that is included, was not found on my radar.   Nevertheless, this is a comforting cup.  It’s the right amount of sweet that isn’t overpowering.  And that is what drinking your favorite cup of tea is all about.  It’s all about your taste buds and preferences.    It’s your cup of tea, pun intended?

There’s a lot to like about the packaging too.   A breathtaking drawing of a butterfly is on the front.   On the back, there is a Caffeine Meter, which compares the milligrams of caffeine, per cup, against other teas and coffee.  Fun!

And the tea tag itself, has inspiring quotes applied to each bag.   Per it’s In The Know section, you can enter a quote to be selected, and other great perks by joining their FanFare club.  I just signed up, while I write this review.

As you can see, this is a tea that is evolving.  From it’s tea, packaging, and tags, there is much to like.   I just need to keep up with all this myself.   There is so much to talk about, that I only scratched the surface.  And a review of one of their newer teas will be coming soon.   In the meantime, I will be enjoying this inspirational beverage :

GoodEarthBrewed

Take good care.

Best,

Ideen