Ye Olde Tea Party!

October 20, 2015Ideen Barimani Maryland, Tea 5 Comments

My first Maryland Renaissance Festival was in 2006. And I was thinking at the time what took me so long? This past Sunday while in attendance I was recanting the same thing.

A tradition for many years, this event brings thousands of people in droves and in costume to the event. There’s so much to see, so much to drink in, and so much unhealthy food to eat. And in the back of my mind I may have thought to write about tea if I came across one. And as happenstance would have it, here we go. Huzzah!

My friends had souvenir drinking mugs from the 2013 event and it was suggested to me that I join the fray. The ye olde shoppes which carried mugs, goblets, and tankards were ubiquitous. And the prices ranged anywhere from $8 to $700 for the hand-carved ones. If I had that kind of money maybe I’d go there. But not today.

I saw a few that caught my eye that were on the much lower end, but I decided to wait. I’d figure out later how nearly maladroit that decision was.

While my pals and I were looking around for some greasy food, I stumbled upon a line that had coffee, espresso, and yes herbal tea! As I got to the line, I was just about to get a cup when a light bulb went off in my head. If I ordered this is in a plain cup I would be doing myself, this blog, and my readers a disservice. So I bee-lined back to the same stoneware shop where one mug stood out and I grabbed it!

I happily waited in the ever-so-growing line and the maiden poured my tea in my beautiful new mug!

How was the tea? I didn’t like it at first, but it’s a grower. And it grew on me almost immediately. I had a sore throat and one of licorice roots benefits is helping with thy throat. It’s not a flavor I particularly like but this cup got better with time. It’s the flavor that stood out the most. Lemon and mint do make their presence felt as well. Marjoram is a sexy yet synonymous name for oregano. If that was in my cup I wouldn’t have known it.

The most intriguing component in is the catnip. I wish my taste buds could have picked on it. Maybe they did and I jut didn’t know it. Maybe I’ll ask my cat what she thinks of it? I won’t take any of hers, that would be mean.

Nevertheless, my cup went great with our cheesy bread and macaroni & cheese on a stick. Yes just like how it was in olden times.

I didn’t think to ask anyone if the team is local or made in-house; or if the herbs, leaves came from a nationally known brand. I did an online search on what all it contains and nothing concrete came up. I did one search and that’s that. I rather keep the mystique and believe this is the same herbal remedy that the King drank with other fellow royalty hundreds of years ago.

There’s only one weekend to go from the date of this post. I don’t need to sell this event to anyone that lives reasonably close to attend. It sells itself and is so fun. I wish I had more time or I’d go every weekend! Maybe I’ll see you there this weekend.

And if you do wait in line for a hot or cold (it’s also served chilled) beverage, consider the tea!

For more RenFest fun click here.

I’ll leave with some pictures of this wonderful party.

Let the merriment continue!

Best,

Ideen

Decaf Spice

September 15, 2015Ideen Barimani Louisiana, Maryland, Tea 5 Comments

How did I get to this beautiful image you see above?

The Spice & Tea Exchange has been bringing it with their teas.

This will be another in the long line of positive posts. There’s been so many great teas that have come into my life, the bad ones have been few and far between. So another mixed-to-bad review will have to wait.

Nevertheless, their Decaf Earl Grey was effortless to drink and immensely fun to prepare.

I haven’t done a lot of decaffeinated teas for my blog, if any, so I felt the time was right. I’m not sure if it’s the tea, my state of mind, or the weather slowly turning cooler, but I am a bit tired. It’s more of a relaxed feeling. I’m more focused than usual.

The tea smelled so natural. The ingredients are shown to you here. The aroma of the tea leaves and orange peels permeated throughout, as soon as I opened the package. I will admit, I cheated before and already knew how it smelled when this was given to me as a birthday gift. The initial Spice & Tea post can be found here.

The Tovolo Tea Infuser also makes its long-awaited return! I’m in love with this thing. As it gets cooler I’ll be prepping more loose teas, so you’ll be seeing more of one of my favorite gadgets!

What I love about the infuser is you get enough time to see the color literally evolve from beginning to end. And I have enough time to see this in front of my eyes. It may only be a matter of moments but the way the beauteous color of this tea is manifested is a sight to behold. And I want everyone to see it as well, hence the clear glass.

I savored every sip with a small plate of almonds. And the sips were savory.

Like I was saying, this tea was a gift from dear friends of mine, from the Ocean City, MD store. I have been to OC few times this summer, but the store was never open when I was in the area. Maybe the timing was not right. But I hope to check the shop out soon. Yes we’re still technically in the Summer!

Where was shop alluded me, another did not. I had the honor of privilege to visit New Orleans a couple of months ago, and maybe it was fate, but I got to visit their NOLA store! The staff member there was kind of enough to ask me any questions while realizing I was acting like a complete tourist. I literally stumbled upon this store while walking around the French Quarter.

And in touristy fashion, there will be plenty of photos for your viewing pleasure.

There will plenty of posts to come from this great company! And I will continue so next week…

Thanks so much.

Best,

Ideen

Peach Pals

August 11, 2015Ideen Barimani fruit, Maryland, Tea 13 Comments

This one is going to be fun. There’s also going to be a record number of pictures. We’re looking at around 25.

Over the weekend I attended the Peach Festival at Weber’s Cider Mill Farm in Parkville, MD. This was my first time attending the festival but not my first time visiting the farm.

Fortunately or unfortunately, my first exposure to the farm was around the holidays last year. It was only by virtue of driving nearby and seeing signs for it that I stumbled upon this happy place. And it’s a happy place. It feels like Christmas even when it isn’t. And in a way, I’m grateful my first visit around one of the more positive times of the year.

So by default, this was my first Peach Festival.

The event and the farm itself is geared more towards a family friendly vibe. The store inside acts as a regular market but it’s all farm fresh and local, which is wonderful! Within the store there is a bakery and ice cream shop as well. It has all the stuff that makes you feel good.

The festival itself got crowded very early and rather abruptly. The sights and sounds will try to be conveyed via pictures.

Of course I got a few peaches. I’m not overstating this when I say they were incredible. We are in the heart of the peach season. And this is one of the best fruit indulging experiences I’ve had in a long while. Which leads us to the all-important question. What tea goes with a peach?

Fortunately, after doing a bit of research, I recall the Maryland Tea Sampler from Eastern Shore Tea.

My previous post on the sampler can be found here.

If you check out this list, there’s some obvious choices of tea with peach as the focal ingredient, but my feeling wasn’t to do a peach with the same flavored tea. I’m glad I went with my gut.

Included in the sampler is the Baltimore Clipper Tea, which is simply a mix of Black and Green Tea. How can you go wrong with that? It was something to behold. This was truly a tea sipping experience. I could honestly say I was having cup of two amazing flavors. And I could taste both.

The joy of brewing this tea was just as exciting as when I drank it.

I hope that you can see the evolution of the brewing process here. Can you see the steam in the last picture from the right? Breathtaking. I can literally see the color go from green to a more greenish to black combination. I was mesmerized. I hadn’t seen anything quite like it.

My peach tasted even more amazing because the tea opened up some new flavors, via eating and the sipping itself. And the tea had some new flavors shine through. What those flavors were I cannot begin to describe. Maybe it’s one of those things that needs to be kept mysterious and leave me intrigued.

And speaking of intrigue, I will leave you with some photos from this charming event. The ones with the animals are always my favorite.

I will be making frequent visits to Weber’s, so hopefully more posts to come.

Cider season is later but I’m still enjoying the Summer!

If you live anywhere close to this happy place, I strongly recommend a visit. I feel good every time I drive up and even more joyous when I leave. I know I have supported a local establishment that radiates a positive energy to everyone.

For more on Weber’s you can click here.

And for more on the Eastern Shore Tea you can click here via the Baltimore Coffee & Tea Company.

Thanks so much.

Best,

Ideen

Blueberry Black Birthday Tea!

June 2, 2015Ideen Barimani Maryland, Tea, Virginia 4 Comments

Well I just can’t help myself with the alliteration, can I?

I celebrated a birthday recently, and some dear friends got me some wonderful tea based gifts! It made me so happy!

I’ve yet to visit the Spice & Tea Exchange. It always seems to allude me. I’m at nearby locations, either before it opens or past dark, including Alexandria, Annapolis, and Williamsburg. It just hasn’t been meant to be.

So the store has come to me via my awesome friends! Namely, the Ocean City, MD location, which has just opened recently! Contact information pictured below.

The blog needed some spicing up (no pun intended) and some new tea implements, instruments, and gadgets will be making their way onto here!

So what’s that cool thing pictured at the top? It’s a tea infuser from Tovolo! This was also part of the gift package! How beautiful is that!

And what about the tea that was used? The Blueberry Black Tea really made my day. It gave me chills. And I don’t meant the tea was cold. It literally gave me goose bumps. This stuff was magnificent. I’m getting a happy feeling just writing about it here. I got a great picture of the leaves up close, as can be seen pictured above! This was placed in the ball of the infuser before I closed it up to be steeped.

What you see pictured above and below is the joyful process of using my new favorite item! It definitely prevents a mess and dripping, as other infusers might do! I’m in love with this thing and I’m in love with the tea!

After steeping for just a few minutes, the color really shines and radiates!

It smells like a wonderful blueberry pie. While I had no pie to complement the tea. There were some delicious walnuts that I enjoyed with my cup!

Going forward, many more loose teas will be featured from this wonderful store and with my cool new toy!

I love going through the Spice & Tea Exchange’s website. There’s much to discover and learn. I see they’ve been around for just 10 years. But they really have some fun teas and related items available. I can’t wait to visit myself.

This is how we get the Summer going in style. I feel great about what’s to come.

Thanks so much.

Best,

Ideen

The All Mightea

May 5, 2015Ideen Barimani Maryland, Tea 2 Comments

I have seen the Mighty Leaf tea boxes in stores all over town. And I’ve always been drawn to their packaged presentation. But, I never thought to buy a box. Well now is as good of a time as ever.

Today is Cinco De Mayo. And that’s an excuse to celebrate. Many of us will be eating big Mexican meals and indulging ourselves. I wanted to buy a tea that would help settle the tummy and aid in digestion.

So I went with the Ginger Twist. In all honesty, I wasn’t dazzled or blown away. You don’t need a lot of ginger to help keep you regular. And I am aware that it’s one ingredient among many others.

However, the packaging and presentation is mesmerizing. They call their pouches artisanal, and I would agree. The contents look incredible. The silk pouches are visually stunning.

And the Annapolis, MD mug has made it’s debut to the blog!

I just didn’t get a lot of power from the tea itself. It looks beautiful. And I’ve provided plenty of pictures to prove that fact. Visually, everything about this is fantastic. But there’s something missing with the flavor.

It’s very minty and I could taste the licorice. And aside from the lemongrass, I couldn’t taste much of anything else. There’s a vast array of tropical fruits that I was hoping to taste, but to no avail. After my first few sips, I wasn’t in love with it. But it got better as it progressed.

It’s not a bad tea at all. I think I was just expecting a lot more. I think a lot of people will enjoy it immensely. I’ll say it was ok. And by no means will this dissuade me from trying out their products again. As you can see, they have so much to offer and there’ll be plenty of time to try this company’s wide array of teas again. And I’m looking forward to it.

I did want to post a link about their community involvement. I always love reading about that.

In the meantime, enjoy your celebrations and enjoy the beautiful weather.

Take good care.

Best,

Ideen

From Baltimore to Annapolis

April 28, 2015Ideen Barimani coffee, Maryland, Tea Leave a comment

There is so much good about where we live and so much more to explore. Sometimes we find ourselves in places, either because of planning, or, because of happenstance. And just maybe, the serendipitous happens.

I have a plethora of tea related things I want to talk about, but I have called an audible. And I’m happy with my decision.

I always love driving toAnnapolis. It’s a place I don’t visit enough. And because of that, places, foods, and things all seem fresh to me.

And I keep discovering new things! I knew there was a Baltimore Coffee & Tea Co. location in the area. But I wasn’t sure precisely where. And without looking, it just appears to me in all its beauty. Life is good like that sometimes. And I wasn’t even trying to find it.

I walked in and had no idea what tea I wanted. I just asked the friendly face at the counter, what were the teas to choose from, and she asked me to turn around. And what a beautiful display to choose from. She just handed me my cup of hot water and I was left to go on an adventure and discover.

As you can see, there was a copious amount to choose from. I wanted to stay local, so I saw the Eastern Shore Tea Co. stash, mixed in with everything else. Maybe I pulled a rabbit out of a hat, because I landed on the Celebration Tea. How fitting. There is much to celebrate being in the great state of Maryland. And there is much to be proud of being a part of the Baltimore and Annapolis areas.

What really stands out is the powerful fruits. The trifecta of Passionfruit, Mango, and Starfruit really pack an amazing punch. It’s a melange of what celebration is all about. Throw in the Hibiscus and Roses, and everything about this screams joy, peace, love, happiness, and everything that’s right with the world. This can be served chill for outdoor parties and complement various snacks and meals. I enjoyed it boiling, but can’t wait to try it cold when the weather really shines through.

If you would like to read a previous recap from this amazing company, click here.

I could have stayed at this shoppe for a while. Not only do they have tea, but plenty of coffee, and some charming gifts. These pictures are only just the beginning. If I could try all these teas, I would. And in time, I will.

The staff was incredibly friendly and that set the tone for the great energy inside the store. What else can you ask for?

The sun may not have been shining today but its only April. We’re going to be blessed with many beautiful days. I’m excited for the Summer, but one day at a time. I will enjoy Spring, I will enjoy Maryland, and I will enjoy Baltimore.

All the Best.

Love,

Ideen

It’s Spring Again

March 10, 2015Ideen Barimani Capital Teas, DC, Maryland, Pennsylvania, rose, Tea, Virginia 2 Comments

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.

How beautiful does that look?

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.

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

Tea Is Fun

An inspirational and emotional tea blog.

Category Archives: Maryland

Ye Olde Tea Party!

Decaf Spice

Peach Pals

Blueberry Black Birthday Tea!

The All Mightea

From Baltimore to Annapolis

It’s Spring Again

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