Tag Archives: Black Tea

Organic Olympics Party, I Think

Tea 2 Comments

WegmansTeaLemonSalad

It’s not hard to believe,  but we’re in the homestretch of the Olympics.  Time is flying and ordinarily I’d be sad, but I’m ok this go around.  In addition, I have so much to keep me occupied, including my blog.

With the limited amount of time this event provides us, I wanted to take advantage with some posts that somehow connect to this storied and iconic spectacle.

WegmansTeaLemon

My summer tea posts would not feel complete if I didn’t incorporate lemonade.   I wasn’t aggressively seeking it out, more so I was hoping it would it present itself without it feeling like a chore.   Thankfully, while I was at my local Wegmans, I noticed this display case which just looked like lemonade to me.  Upon a second look it was a tea & lemonade duo, and as an added bonus, we have an organic combination.   The Tea It Up (which I find quite charming) is as refreshing and delicious as it presents itself to be.

I’m always hesitant of the organic label.  It doesn’t guarantee a product tasting any better, and it in many cases it may have the reverse effect.  But I liked this so much, I had to stop myself from overdoing it and getting an unnecessary sugar high.

To counterbalance my glass, and to keep the healthy theme going as best as possible, I paired my drink with some healthier eats.  At least that was my intention.

WegmansTeaLemonPretzels4

 

As an appetizer, we have some pretzel thins brought to us by our same grocery gurus. Wow I just said that.  Initially, I was hoping for a little more salt, but I preferred this. The duo worked well of of each other and I had to stash the bag away or the whole thing would have never had a chance.

WegmansTeaLemonSalad2

I wish I could say I made this salad.  I can pretend I did but that would take away from the authenticity of what I’m presenting.  To complete the trifecta, this is from Wegmans salad bar, which if you’re not careful, will hit your wallet.  At upwards of $10.00 a pound, you could easily find yourself purchasing a meal at double that amount.  Luckily, yours truly is fiscally responsible and got mine at three digits.   Go Team!

Actually there was no team, this was a party for one.  Maybe next time I’ll gather some more folks but this was impromptu, which is how some of the best parties turn out.  The salad (which featured buffalo chicken) turned out alright, yet not my favorite, but nevertheless, in the spirit of the Olympics, I seek for the positives wherever I can.  I’ve had plenty of dishes from the salad and hot bar, that one misstep is not going to stop me from coming back. It’s been overall a magnificent experience.

This tea/lemonade is simple and quite delicious.  You might think the black tea and lemonade may clash but this works here tremendously.  Throw in a few ice cubes and you’re golden. And speaking of which, does it win a similar medal?  That’s up to you to decide.

If you’re like me, you get lost in Wegmans and find yourself there as much as possible. There’s a store minutes from me, and that tends to happen every time.  For a store near you, click here.  If you’ve never been I’ll think you’ll find it a magical place.  It may not be quite the hysteria of the Olympics, but there’s plenty of inspiration.

Here is my original post on one of my favorite stores.

I hope you’ve getting your fix of the Olympics, while enjoying some great tea and accompanying eats.

All The Best,

Ideen

 

 

 

 

Life Gave Me Lemon

Tea 6 Comments

BigelowLemonSushi

I was hoping to piggyback off of my inspiring experience with a previous cup from Bigelow tea.  That post can be found here.  Unfortunately, I will not be using dramatic terms or be able to expound on how awesome this tea was.

BigelowLemon1

Instead I will explain to you how mediocre the Lemon Lift truly was.  I was flabbergasted.   There’s a big word.

BigelowLemon2

You would think that tea and lemon are the one of those quintessential combinations. Lemon is on my short list of things I will add to a black tea just to add a little pizzazz or to enhance an otherwise unimaginative black tea.   No lemon or any other addition was going to save this cup, sour or sweet.

BigelowLemonBag

Before I was trying all these fancy brands and loose-leaf teas, there was always Bigelow. I’ve been a stalwart for as long as I’ve been enjoying a brewed cup or kettle with family and friends.   But this is a major disappointment.

BigelowLemonSteep1

If you look closely, you see a residue or foam at the top of the cup while brewing. I can attribute this to one of many things.  It could be the temperature, the kettle that contained the water, the way it was heated, or the water itself.    I’ve seen it happen before with stronger and higher quality teas.

BigelowLemonSteep2

I think the issue is the tea itself.   This is not a revelation even though I’m writing it as such.  I think this is either a bad package or maybe the shelf-life isn’t as long.  Teas, like anything else, do have an expiration date.   I believe this was way past its sell-by date.  It’s more of an indictment of the tea than anything else I mentioned in the previous paragraph.

Now I’ve had this tea before and it tasted just fine. I know my palate has changed but have my expectations of what a tea should taste like gone up?  Maybe, but I really just want a tea to taste good and sooth the soul. This was pedestrian effort that was good enough to drink but I didn’t want a second helping.   The foam at the top was the most I’ve seen in any of my cups in a while.

BigelowLemonSushi

I was hoping the lemon would even at the very least, complement my sushi.  That didn’t happen. It was an ambitious undertaking on my part. This tea had no hope whatsoever. But I’m always in search of a silver lining.

This in no way will to discourage me from having a tea of theirs again.  I will give the Lemon Lift another chance.  It easily could have been a bad bag or box.

However, speaking of revelations, I read the comments below and this might be a harder package to find in stores versus others.  And you know their teas are everywhere from convenience stores, to grocery stores, to gas stations, and everything in between.   This may need to be investigated.

But as you can see, a plethora of their selections are available online for purchase.  And they got a ton of new things I would love to try.  Hopefully I’ll get to some in the near future.

Stay healthy,

Ideen

One Love

Tea 4 Comments

I’ve wanted to find any reason to incorporate the things I love into my posts.   And fortunately, the iconic and legendary Bob Marley is near the top of that list.

I found out about Marley’s Beverage Company only a few months ago and was looking for the perfect time to write about it. Well the Summer is the right time to talk about anything cool.   I didn’t want to wait all the way to February on his birthday to write about it.

I could only hope that a grocery store or the like would carry a product with such a monumental and historic name attached to it.

I am grateful to say that was the case.   Even though there were only two flavors available, luckily they were both the bottled teas. And did they taste fun and yes, I’m feeling mellow.

Marley

Of course there would be a bias and I was hoping they would taste at least satisfying.  It was all that and so much more.  I felt great after sampling both.  It became more than sampling.  I decimated both.   Thankfully they were decaffeinated or I’d be bouncing off the walls.

As I’m writing this and feeling so calm, I realize that on the products site, they list the 100% Natural Calming Botanicals and this feels more than a placebo.  I feel so at peace.

MarleyBlackTea

First up is the Black Tea with Peach, Raspberry, and Passion Fruit.  That is quite the trio of fruit.   And the trio comes together for a masterpiece of flavors.  I felt so good drinking this.

Most important, the tea does not get lost in the shuffle even though these powerful fruit flavors are included.   I can tell a lot of soul and a lot of passion (pun not intended) is behind this beverage.

MarleyGreenTea

And then we have the Green Tea with Honey. The tea and honey combo is terrific.  There’s an even balance that both complement the other so well.  I’m relaxing and enjoying life sipping on this one as well.

This is also a tea that should be savored and drank naturally. Neither of these feel like the usual chugging iced teas or cold beverages that other may seem designed to do.

In what is now becoming a tradition with my recent recaps, I opened up the bottled and poured them in glasses so you can get the beautiful tints and shades of both.

How gorgeous do they both look?

To see if their beverages are sold near you, click here. And to read more about this great company, click here and here.

I had so much fun trying these teas and talking up how great they were, that I hope I get the opportunity to do so again.

1Love

One love.

Kindest,

Ideen

Peach Pals

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.

WebersSignWebersSign2

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.

WebersPeach

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?

WebersTeaCupsWebersMoreTeaCups

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.

ClipperTeaClipperTeaBack

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.

ClipperTeaBagClipperTeaBagReverseClipperTeaBagOpenClipperTeaBagGreen

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.

ClipperTeaPeachDarkerClipperTeaWithPeachClipperTeaPeachAerial

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.

WebersMoreTeaCupsWebersJamWebersGiftBasket

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

WebersBeKind

WebersNameGoatsWebersFarmWebersGoatsChillingWebersChicksWebersAnimalFriendsWebersHappyGoatsWebersGoats

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

WebersBabyGoat

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

Thankful for this Turkey

Tea 4 Comments

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

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

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