Tag Archives: pumpkin

Hoping There’s Time

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BaltimoreCoffeeTeaFallDrinks5

This week I may be cheating just a little, or I’m just pushing the boundaries oh what exactly constitutes a tea, and every now again I’ll throw in a cup of coffee.

So how fitting is it that I take it back to another familiar face and friend, Baltimore Coffee and Tea.

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This week I take it to the Odenton, MD location, which is a first time for me.  The area is quiet, it’s connected to residencies and is part of one of the many towne centers you see popping up in every town or any location that has enough people that developers see the need to justify a towne center.  While many look the same, this location and it’s surroundings does feel a bit more charming and cozy.  There’s lots of green and trees in the vicinity, which is always a good thing.

The beverages I’ll be reviewing today were based on a simple question, ‘have you tried these?’  Two out of three is pretty good, and before today that number was zero.

BaltimoreCoffeeTeaFallSign

I’ll save the Hot Apple Cider for later in the year, if there’s time.  But the Dirty Pumpkin Chai is something I had to try.   It’s early November, the time is now or never.  More on that in a second.

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I like the chai but it’s not setting the world on fire.  There’s truly no need for any analysis. You know what you’re going to get.  I assume black tea and milk since it’s a chai.  But it could all coffee for all I know.  I’m willing to wager zero dollars that I tasted some cinnamon, nutmeg, and all your other fall essentials.  I enjoyed it with a pumpkin biscotti.   It’s great for now and it’s great until this limited time beverage ends.  But I know there’s better out there.

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The Salted Caramel Mocha was way too rich for me.  I mean it’s coffee with stuff that I don’t usually have.   For the sake of trying something new, I wanted to try something new, but I could barely get any sips in before my stomach and my head began to ache.  There’s a lot more sugar in there than I can handle.  But again, just because I don’t care for it, doesn’t mean you won’t.  And I imagine I would be on the minority on this one.  No biscotti, or any pastry, was going to work with a drink like this.  But my cranberry and pistachi biscotti tasted great on its own.

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But in the grand scheme of things, it doesn’t matter if these drinks are going to work for you or not.  I’m looking at the cup half full here and knowing that Baltimore Coffee and Tea has been good to me many times over the years, (previous stories can be found here) that a minor hiccup is not going to change that.

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For their coffees click here, their tea list is here, and their growing list of store can be found here.

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I made a comment about time earlier.  Because I feel (and I’m inclined to believe many others such as yourself might too) time is moving rather quickly, and there’s so many teas I want to talk about..  I may make more than just my weekly post as we head towards Thanksgiving and Christmas.  I’ve been introduced to different teas, discovered different teas, drinks, and similar entities that I feel a weekly post may not be enough.  So I hope to take this further if I can make the time.  And that’s something that can be easily done.  Yet I still have to make the time for it.

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And I will…

Have a blessed one.

Ideen

London Fogging

Tea 1 Comment

StarbucksLondonFogCake5

I have a muse (or a dear friend rather) who I will turn into when it comes to tea suggestions.  You would think with the season we’re in, that it wouldn’t be that difficult.

And it really isn’t.

But I’m grateful for ideas and suggestions, because that’s what tea and the love of tea is all about it, informing, sharing, educating, and most important of all, sipping.

Starbucks

So when my friend suggested I write about a couple of teas from Starbucks, I was intrigued and surprised.

I’m immediately thinking pumpkin this and pumpkin that.  And while there is a pumpkin pastry included with my two teas, the pumpkin teas will return at a later time.

It’s all about chai and this is quite the chai my friends.

My friend had asked me if I ever tried the Chai Latte or the London Fog Tea Latte, and suggested I write about one or the other.  The answer is right in front of me.  How about both?

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I was reminded that I may have had the Chai Latte before, when we used to frequent Starbucks on a regular basis.  I know frequent Starbucks on a regular basis.  I’ve become accustomed to local tea and coffee shops.  It’s where my heart is and it’s the symbolic gesture I feel I need to be doing.   Nevertheless, the Chai Latte is fine.  It’s just what I remember, if this is what I had before.  If you can get what I’m saying, it’s not that memorable.  And I’ve grown to like Chai’s in the past few years, partially because of this blog, and because I’m all about expanding my horizons.  This isn’t anything special.

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The pumpkin cream cheese muffin that I had with my chai, either became tainted because of my chai or it wasn’t that great on its own.  I love pumpkin and I didn’t get much pumpkin here.

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And I love cinnamon, cloves, and milk.  This screams fall and would hopefully scream success.  I know many love it, and will love it if they haven’t tried it.  To me it’s just a latte you could have anywhere, and not spend as much on it.    It’s not that it’s even that  sweet.  It’s just that I’ve had better.  And the black tea, which is the most important part of it for, seems to be lost in the shuffle with everything else.  And it’s not like there’s too many moving parts.  This would usually come together well in another setting.

And before you think I’m being hard on Starbucks…

StarbucksLondonFog

Then there’s the London Fog.  Oh my goodness, now we’re talking.  I knew it was great before I even ordered it.  And it’s because my friend told me that it’s not on the menu.  She told me if you mention London Fog, they will know what it is.  Now that’s a friend. And this is a tea.  This is a tea latte.  This is art.

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The ingredients are here, and this take on Earl Grey is giving me chills after I write about it.  It was a joy to sip and was so kind to my sense, my taste buds, and my spirit.   I adore the way bergamot smells and tastes, and it’s the highlight for me even with the lavender, vanilla syrup, and milk thrown into the mix. They’re all perfect complements of each other that enhance the Earl Grey.

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You can see why I prefer this more.  The integrity of the tea remains intact while everything plays its part perfectly.  This paired perfectly with their Caramelized Apple Pound Cake.  A match made in tea and autumn heaven.

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I must mention that the Earl Grey is from Teavana, which I happily wrote about some months back.

 

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I will gladly come back and order the London Fog a couple more times before the season changes.  And this is something you can have through the winter, so there’s plenty of opportunity.    I highly recommend it if you’ve never had this before, and it’s a different take on a classic tea.    Tremendous.

In the past I’ve mentioned that Earl Grey was likely the first tea I ever sipped.  And knowing myself, I appreciated the simplicity of it.  I’m not big on adding anything to my tea.  If a tea is that good it doesn’t necessarily need milk, honey, cinnamon, or anything to overcompensate for a tea, whether it’s good or bad.  But that doesn’t mean I won’t try or embrace teas with those same additions.  I’m all for trying something new.  I’m happy the London Fog worked out.

More to come as I feel rejuvenated and have so much more in the world of teas to talk about.  It just keeps on getting better.

Peace be with you.

Ideen

 

Autumn In Annapolis

Tea 2 Comments

AnnapolisDisplay4

This is where we get to my favorite time of year when talking about teas.   With the iced teas somewhat behind us, it’s time to focus on fall and all the adorable flavors, aromas, spices, and the other glorious entities that come with the change of the seasons.

I’ve stated countless times my love for Annapolis, and it’s not something I will grow tired of.   Walking around Main Street makes me so happy.  It’s been like this since I was a kid, and as I’ve gotten older, I still feel like one at times  It has that colonial, European, and authentic feel that is slipping away in many other parts of the area.  But thankfully the heart and character remains.  And I hope that integrity remains forever, or close to it.  Whichever comes first!

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The Spice & Tea Exchange has a centrally located and charming location in Downtown Annapolis.  They’ve been so good to me over the course of my blogging.  My past stories can be found here.

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I always look forward to the changing of the seasons, because they always have a few limited time teas that embody all that’s good about the time of year and where we are.

I’m going to split this into two parts.  If I really wanted to milk this, I would cut it into fourths, but that would be serious overkill, and before you now it, it’s…. Nah Not yet.

Spice&TeaFallTeas

There’s no sequential order or preferential treatment being given to one tea over the other.  But the two I’m going with this week, will be the more conventional teas (on paper).  Heck they’re all unique, and if this week is any indication, they’re all going to be tremendous.

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But I will get to all the teas and the infusers, this week and next.  I promise it’ll be worth it!

First up is the Spice Orchard Oolong.  All the ingredients are shown above.  What really stands out for me is how understated this tea is.   I’m willing to bet this will be one of the more simple fall-like teas I’ll sip this season.  And with all the creative flavors out there, this will be ironically refreshing in hindsight.

But in foresight it’s fantastic.  Yes I had a feeling this and all these teas would be glorious.  Yes there’s a bias but there’s so much more to Spice & Tea Exchange than the tea itself.  It’s become a part of me and something I look forward to when the seasons change.

Plus, I just adore Oolong tea.  With the flavors of cinnamon, pear, and ginger, along with apple pieces, this is a charming segue of the change of seasons.  Those apple pieces are charming in itself.  Yes I had a dry piece of two and got a guilty pleasure out of it  No need to feel guilty.  It’s beautiful.  This tea is beautiful.

And it was brewed beautifully too.   In my love of affair with this place, I can’t help but get more infusers.   The Tuffy Steeper expands and contracts to your liking and brewing purposes.   I wonder if it had any bearing on how great this tea tasted.  Every element of the universe helps.

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So what about this endearing blue crab mug?  I want to thank Sara from Local By Design for suggesting something so wonderful.  It may not fit in with the season, but it fits with the Annapolis theme.  Both stores are footsteps of each other on Main Street.

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Local By Design is just its own universe of a store.  I can’t describe it.  I mean I can but I wouldn’t do it justice.   I added some photos this week, and more will come next week.  A little teaser now… Seriously, this place makes me so happy.

I also want to thank my dear friend Rebecca who provided this magnificent Annapolis themed mug and this adorable spoon, also from Local By Design, to add some pizzazz to this next tea.

Well here we are. I’m embracing all the pumpkin stuff.  I swear it start earlier every year.  Before you know it, pumpkin season will start as soon as pumpkin season ends.  And with all that’s going on, I’m happy with that right now.

The Pumpkin Chai Latte is not as overpowering as I thought it would be.  When you think chai latte, you might thing too much flavor.  No.  This had just enough.   And having a tea with cinnamon back-to-back seemed like the only way to go.  It’s glorious, gorgeous, and full of pumpkin fun.  This simple black tea with all its additions is a winner from now until this tea goes out of circulation.  Yes these are limited time offer teas.

I thought I tasted a little whip cream too.

When I saw four teas were being sold, I knew that buying three would mean I get a free sugar.  And in serendipitous fashion I grabbed the Pumpkin Pie Sugar. To add a little kick, I added some to this tea, and what a difference it made.  It’s a concoction of pumpkin on pumpkin that once again might not be put into words.  I loved it and I’m pretty sure you will too.   And surprise, suprise it has cinnamon as well.  Add in some nutmeg and ginger and welcome to Autumn.

I’m embracing it and I can’t wait to see where next week takes us.

I want to give a huge thank you to Jessica at Spice & Tea Exchange for being so courteous during my most recent visit.

The cookies that you see are just another way of celebrating the change of seasons.  Happy Fall Everyone!

To purchase these teas click here.   And to purchase any of the fine teas click here.   Yes, shopping online is a beautiful thing sometimes.

For more on Spice & Tea Exchange, here is their story, all their items, and to find a location hopefully near you.

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And for more on Local By Design, here is their story, and items available to purchase online.  But if you’re local to the area, I highly suggest a visit. It’s one I’ll always remember and look forward to visiting again.

It’s early October and we’re just getting started.  I got two more teas and more local stuff to embrace and celebrate.

I look forward to it.

XOXOXSpoon4

Peace Be With You.

XOXOXSpoon5

Ideen

 

 

 

 

 

 

Auspicious Start To Autumn

Tea 3 Comments

calicopumpkincookie

How do I begin?   It seems like quite a few folks (as some may call them, those ‘Pumpkin People’) started way back in August.  What exactly am I talking about?  It’s the extended pumpkin season that seems to grow longer and longer each year.

In case you hadn’t heard National Pumpkin Day was last week.

I’m not opposed to it.  People are looking for ways to make them feel good.   If that means celebrating holidays in advance (however absurd it may be to some) than good on you.  I’m not one to judge and nor should anyone else.   For me, when I see pumpkin lattes and coffee creamer showing up in later Summer, I do get sad.  I love what fall brings but the forewarning of what is to come with the colder temps can be heartbreaking.  It all depends on how you feel.  I love my summer but appreciate all that autumn has to offer.

If you live in a part of the country where you fully get all four seasons, it’s an amazing thing.  Not everyone can say that.  For me, three out of four ain’t bad.  But I’ll worry about that in January.

After that extended monologue, it’s time to celebrate autumn.  For me pumpkin season starts now.  It’s officially November and I don’t know where the time went.  Oh there I go with the monologue I promised to stop.  Onto one of the many reasons I love this season.

Trader Joe’s has always symbolized the good of ever season.  The holidays (yes it might be too early to say that, I’m partially one of those people) and TJ’s are synonymous to me.  I love a good display representing the time of year.

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I honestly thought I’d be late, considering end caps and featured items have been up for open a month.  Even though I’m supposedly late to the game and might have past the peak of season, I got my fill of goodies.  And that includes a tea I swear I’ve never seen before.

The Autumn Apple Rooibos seems to be a new addition to the season tea collection that Trader Joe’s is so good at cultivating.  Seriously, they make everything larger than life. And presentation is just as important as what you’re drinking (or eating, or whatever..) but speaking of which.  How does it taste?

Maybe it was the mood I was in but I loved it.  In my growing experience of drinking Rooibos, it’s becoming more evident that it’s a leaf I want more of.

I would be kidding myself if I wasn’t drawn to the antelope on the cover.  There’s the presentation aspect.  The holiday themed colors and artwork also attracted me.  Heck, the tea section always attracts me, but this is the the good stuff.

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Who am I kidding?  I didn’t know that was a Springbok Antelope.  I thought for sure it was a reindeer.  Oh, here I go… But nevertheless, I was committed to buying this tea and honored to get the season rolling with this splendid conconction.

Whether or not the apple flavor is natural is a moot point.  To me it tastes good.  This time of year is about indulging in things you ordinarily wouldn’t.  Health and counting calories, additives, and artificial sweeteners tends to fall by the wayside.  But this is still healthy and rejuvenated my soul and my spirit.  That’s what drinking tea is all about.

The ingredients also include Natural Apple and other Natural Flavors.  Well, that doesn’t tell you anything, but when you drink something so soothing, the questions tend to not matter.

I kept the bag in the whole time as it was not as rich and overpowering as I feared.  And I went way past the suggested six minute steeping mark.  Like it even says, it’s a suggested amount of time.  There’s no rules to this thing.  I just bent them a little and the results were magnificent.

The last few sips really got some good apple flavor in them.   But I got them throughout my cups.  Yes I had a couple of these and I may just have another.  This is such a good tea.  Did I happen to mention that? Go get this tea if you live near a Trader Joe’s.

Can I recall such a wonderful tea that symbolizes the season?  I honestly don’t know.  I’m asking myself and you a loaded question.  Maybe I’m just loaded from the tea.

Maybe I’m loaded from the pumpkin commotion.  Yes I got a bit carried away with the treats.  Yes that’s pumpkin soup crackers, tortilla chips, and fall harvest.  And we need pumpkins in the photos, so thankfully the kind staff gave me a sugar cookie for free.  No that wasn’t pumpkin flavored.

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Most important of all, the cooling of the temperatures, the shorter days, and longer nights are a reminder of what is truly important to us.  We need to feel a little warm and cozy. And we’re going to need to feel even warmer soon.  So what perfect gesture than to get a tea cup that is so fitting of what’s important to me.   And hey look, there’s a friend within the mug.  So fun!  This tea was so fun.

I don’t know how the rest of the month will pan out, but hopefully it will be representative of all the good this time of year has to offer. There’s so many flavors and scents to appreciate.  I hope I’ll be presenting some of them to you.

For all my past Trader Joe’s posts, click here.    And here’s a few more.

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Let Pumpkin Ring,

 

Ideen

 

 

Feels Like Home

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zedsmeal

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

 

 

 

Fall Favorites

Tea 7 Comments

BaltTeas

Well it’s Thanksgiving this week and why would I not continue the pumpkin panel! That panel only includes me and sometimes the universe. But it’s good to believe.

This week I take it even more local with a return visit to Baltimore Coffee and Tea Company and an in-person review of the Pumpkin Spice Tea from Eastern Shore Tea Company.

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I was just there a few hours ago so it’s fresh in my mind.  I wasn’t thrilled with it. Without looking I could tell it was black tea.  The taste is too obvious not to notice.  The ingredients included are cinnamon, clove, and something called pumpkin.

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I didn’t get much of anything.  I don’t expect every tea to be succulent and mesmerizing.  But I do want some flavor.  If you had told me this was a black tea with bergamot I would have believed it and not thought anything else of it.  It tasted that basic.

As you can see in the photos, the visual looks amazing.  The steeped bag evokes a lot of color and made me feel cozy being indoors.   For a moment I was fine with the cold weather.

I could definitely smell something separate from a usual black tea.  Maybe it’s the smell of fall and the holidays rapidly approaching.

I really wanted to like this tea but it’s just there.  I do think a lot of people are going to love it and add it to their tea collection.   I wish I could say the same.

This tea along with so many others are always on sale, not just during the final months of the year, so you can enjoy it any time.   Hopefully your experience will be a joyous one.

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I had my cup with a delicious pumpkin muffin.  As you can see the muffin never had a chance while the tea was not going down as quick.

I’ve had many teas from that I’ve adored and stashed in my collection.   And I look forward to many of those occasions happening again.  Even though this wasn’t the best, I know some spectacular teas will be delighted on down the line.

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Thanksgiving is just two days away so I’m not sure if this is the end of the pumpkin talk or not.  I sure hope not.   But as we approach that other major holiday, those types of teas will be talked about.

For my previous posts on this fantastic store, you can go here and here.

I’m thankful, grateful, and fortunate to be able to write about such a wonderful topic.  I love tea and I love the people who have been a part of this experience. That includes the assistance from the wonderful folks at their various locations.

I wish all of a you a safe, blessed, and joyous Thanksgiving.   And I look forward to doing this again.

Take good care.

Ideen

 

 

 

Pumpkin & Caramel Charm

holidays, Tea 2 Comments

PumpkinTurkey

This pumpkin phenomenon has been beaten into our heads going back to right before Labor Day.  Depending on who you are it’s entertaining, laughable, corporate, mind-numbing, or everything in-between.

Personally, when the season ends I will miss it.  I’m not big on monetizing something if it compromises something sacred such as Thanksgiving. However, I still see so much good, so much spirit, and so much joy in it.   That’s what I’m choosing to focus on today and as much as I can.

This leads me to this post.

I’ve spoken so highly of The Spice & Tea Exchange several times over the year. And I think I’m justified.   I will be talking about different tea companies and groups in the future but what finds me is what finds me. And I’m doing it back-to-back with another special from one of my favorites.

The Pumpkin Caramel Creme Tea is nowhere near as creamy, sweet, or as full-bodied as I thought it was going to be.   It’s almost quite the opposite for me and I’m perfectly happy with that.

The term ‘subtle’ brew is applied and I wholeheartedly agree with that sentiment. I’m in a place of comfort and happiness as I write this. And I have been sipping and savoring my cup.  I’m at peace.

The candy, coconut, caramel, among others were hard for me to detect. But I knew there was a melange of many transcendent ingredients to make this a winner. Fortunately, nothing is too overpowering.  That’s why using ‘subtle’, in the synopsis is perfect.

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When opening the bag the aromas really captured the essence of the season.  I thought I was in line for something very sweet.   After brewing and smelling, I knew I was in for a special treat.  And I’m thankful to have tried it.

Everyone’s palate is different.  This tasted nothing like I thought it was going to be.  And I’m happy about that.  I like it for reasons that you may not.  And we may have an agreement or counter on some other attribute.

One thing I know for sure, the caffeine level is very high. This one snuck up on me.  I’m ready to go and tackle the world now.  Or maybe just wake up.

As seen above, in traditional format I will once again show a picture-by-picture breakdown from opening, brewing, and to sipping.   I’m fortunate to have the Tovolo make its triumphant return!

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I enjoyed this with some delicious cinnamon almonds and pumpkin cookies.  See I just can’t get enough. And why the heck not!  It’s almost the holidays.

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Like in last weeks post you see that this item sold out online.  I know a lot of their stores were saying they may have been done as early as mid-October on the pumpkin items.  But if you live near a store and you’re curious, hopefully they still have some of those teas available.   I hope to track down some more myself.

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They may be one more post from this awesome company before the year is out. Only time will tell.

Happy Early Thanksgiving and Happy Pumpkin Season!

Best,

Ideen

 

Pumpkin Parade

Tea, Virginia 1 Comment

It seems like the only thing I’ve been writing about is pumpkins.  I’m going to enjoy these moments because as nauseating as it may be for some, I’m sentimental to it.  And I know many others that are too.

It’s November, the holidays are approaching, and it’s good to find the positives in this time.  As the weather gets colder, our drinking and eating habits will slowly adapt to those changes.   My tea sipping habits will be going through a transformation as well.  I made this more dramatic than it needed to be.  But I’m having fun here.

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This week takes us back to one of my favorite tea companies, The Spice & Tea Exchange.

I was lucky to find myself at the Alexandria location last month and the timing couldn’t have been better.

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They had their fall display set-up and loaded with all kinds of fun teas, spices, and other various provisions for the season. When I walked into that I was sold.  But I also want to give a formal thank you to Jerome.  He was very helpful in showing me around the store and recommending season teas along with sugars to purchase.

There will be at least one follow-up post next week, and maybe the week after depending on how the rest of this month goes.  But I want to give credit where credit is due.  This was a fantastic experience.  Jerome and a couple of the other folks working were so friendly and let me feel like a kid in a candy store.

This week, from their Fall FesTEAvities collection, I will be talking about the Pumpkin Chai Latte Tea.

I had fun brewing it, sniffing it, but I didn’t love it.  I don’t know if it was how I brewed it or something in the atmosphere, but something didn’t click.

It smells amazing.  And I’m salivating at the thought of it now.  This has happened before.   The aroma doesn’t always translate to a winning taste.  It might be my tastes have changed.  I’ve had some good chai’s so that isn’t it.  I’ve had some that have let me dismayed too.  I’d put this somewhere in between.

I do have one thought.  Maybe the ingredients are all-natural that it tastes exactly how it should.  There’s no harmful additives or artificial flavors to augment the taste.  That part I love.  The ingredients are listed above. Like I said, it smells great it just doesn’t compute in my eyes.   Maybe it’s too much of a good thing?   I’m not sure about less is more.  I’ve had teas with a dozen plus ingredients that have been a staple in my life for years.

They all can’t be winners and by no means will this discourage me from purchasing teas and other items from here.  This store has been so good to me and my friends.   I can’t wait to come back and look forward to doing more positive write ups in the future.  And one will likely take place next week.

For your viewing pleasure I’ve photographed the brewing and steeping experience.

PumpkinChaiPumpkinChaiBackPumpkinChai1

PumpkinChaiBagPumpkinChaiSpoon

PumpkinChaiPrepPumpkinChaiSteep

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PumpkinChaiReadyPumpkinChaiReadyToSip

Can you see the steam in the last few pictures above? Pretty awesome!

PumpkinChai&Pancakes

The pumpkin pancakes totally complemented the tea and definitely heightened the flavors of my cup but it wasn’t the best I’ve had.   Maybe next time.

PumpkinChaiWithPumpkinPumpkinChai&PumpinPancakesPumpkinChaiSpread

And more next week!

Unfortunately these items are sold out online.  If there’s a location near you I’d highly recommend grabbing this and the other seasonal teas.  Just because I didn’t enjoy it as much as I hoped doesn’t mean you won’t.

For previous posts on this great company click here, here, and also here!

Best,

Ideen

Steeped In Tradition

Tea 1 Comment

And when I mean tradition, I really mean tradition.  An inspired pun for the blog title may have been intended.

BigelowReady

Bigelow Tea is up there with one of the first teas that catapulted me into this passion of mine.  You can find it anywhere; hotel lobbies, restaurants, bars, gas stations, catered events, and parties.   That’s a good thing.

It’s always been a lower on the price scale compared to other brands and even more so now with all these teas coming to prominence that over $5.00 per pack.

The higher the price doesn’t always equate to quality just as the lower price doesn’t necessarily mean it’s lower-tier.  But a few of their teas I’ve never been the biggest fan of.  Some I’ve loved and always tend to have on-hand when I’m in the mood to boil a kettle and brew a cup.

BigelowCase

I found myself at a local bar in Baltimore and was not in the mood for an alcoholic beverage nor a cup of coffee.   I asked the friendly bartender if they carried tea and I shouldn’t have been surprised.  She brought out a beautiful case with a variety of Bigelow’s finest.

BigelowBrewing

Naturally, with little hesitation, I grab a bag of the Pomegranate Pizzazz as it’s something I’ve been familiar with and always enjoyed.   I believe that with the weather changing and cooler temperatures rearing their head, that more comforting and soothing drinks will be sipped on.   It’s the natural way our body craves and reacts to our environment and the universe.

BigelowWithPumpkinSoup

In that same vein I’ve been yearning for soup with much more frequency.   So I ordered an incredible spicy Thai style pumpkin soup to go with it.   This is a meal fit for a king, or someone who is freezing.  It was actually a decent day outside but I felt a chill in the air.   I usually would have this and go hide under my blankets.  I hope I’m a few months away from that, if at all.

The joy I felt from this tea and soup combo is from my love for the simple things. There’s nothing out-of-the-ordinary about what I had, but it made me feel good. And if something makes you feel good and hits your soul, that’s all that matters.

What drinking this tea has done has reminded me that Bigelow has so much value in the tea drinking community.  They’re only getting better with time with their social responsibility and pride in helping others. And their teas and packaging seem to have gone to a whole new level.  This is just the beginning.

On that note, I know I usually only post to this blog on Tuesdays, for Tea Tuesdays, and that’s no accident.  But that may have to change if I discover all these awesome season teas from all over.  We’re already in November. Where did the time go?

I hope to make time.

And a Happy Belated 70th Birthday to Bigelow!  And many more!

Thanks so much.

Best,

Ideen

Happy National Pumpkin Day!

Tea 3 Comments

I know this pumpkin thing has seemed over-the-top too many.  I love it.   I am not big on the consumerism aspect of it but I am in love with this festive time of year. It’s a teaser for the month of November and all the fun that comes with it.

Unfortunately, I started seeing pumpkin stuff as early as mid-to-late August.  I understand companies want to get a jump on it but that’s where this becomes just business and less about the spiritual aspect of this time.

Now I love all the amazing foods and drinks that can come from this.  But we’re seeing it added to everything; bread, chips, coffee, tea, alcoholic beverages and everything in between.  I used to just think it was in a pie on Thanksgiving and that was it.

A friend of mine recently sent me a photo of pumpkin spiced cat litter.  Seems a bit extreme?  But if it makes my cat happier I’d be tempted to buy it.  So the consumer bug has gotten to me too.   Speaking of which…

PumpkinParty

Need I say more?   The visual is beautiful and you can’t help but be mesmerized by the choices.  It could be a pumpkin-themed display or something on the opposite end of the spectrum and we’d still be enthralled.

I take it back to Trader Joe’s for this week’s tea assessment.  It’s the Pumpkin Spice Rooibos Tea and it’s an interesting one.

TJPumpkinTeaTJTeaReverse

I like rooibos and the health benefits have been presented to you in these two respective links.  But if I wanted a regular rooibos I’d have purchased one.   I purchased this expecting more pumpkin and the autumn themed flavors.  I got none of that.  The flavor is fine if they didn’t mention the spice.  So this is not as advertised.

Maybe it’s my taste buds but I don’t think so.  I really gave this a shot.  I steeped this for the suggested amount of time and I didn’t get much.

TJTeaOpenedTJTeaSachet

TJTeaPreSteepTJTeaScaryPumpkin

However, the smell from the sachet was absolutely terrific.  But that scent did not translate when brewed. The aromas of cinnamon and nutmeg definitely hit me when I opened up the tin.   Why did it not permeate after steeping?  Could it be that it’s artificial?  That’s just my speculation.

TJTeaAerialShot

The reddish-pumpkin color after steeping is also stunning which ordinarily correspond with a masterful tasting cup.

I really wanted to love this tea but it didn’t happen.  It’s ok otherwise but the promotion that this is a pumpkin spice tea I feel is misleading.

TJOatmeal

In the spirit of this day I did enjoy a bowl of pumpkin-themed pecan oatmeal that was really good but also not as powerful as maybe implied.

TJTeaOatmeal

I wouldn’t dissuade anyone from trying this.   Many may prefer this tea exactly as it.  Hopefully you’ll be able to detect the flavors that I couldn’t.  I wasn’t even trying too hard which usually leads to positive results.   But they can’t all be masterpieces.

Nevertheless, I highly recommend this gem from Trader Joe’s that captures what this season is all about.  I hope to end the TJ’s posts on a high note, so I envision this is not the last time I write about them this year.

Happy Holidays!

Best,

Ideen