Tag Archives: Spring

Matcha Tea Party

Tea 3 Comments

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Just when I think Trader Joe’s has done it all.  And just when I think Trader Joe’s has exhausted all of their tea options, or maybe I thought I exhausted all of their options, the gems just keep on coming.   I love it and hope it never ends.  TJ’s has been a big part of this blog, and I hope that trend continues with periodic write-ups for a long time to come.

Here is my ever-growing history of Trader Joe’s stories.

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My regular tea adviser suggested I go back and try out their brand new Matcha Green Tea Packets.  They’re new as in released only a couple of weeks ago.  So I feel thrilled to be one of the early guinea pigs (not not really) and one of the first on my block to try out something new, something special, and a different take on the traditional bags and loose leaf variety.

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Matcha is one of my favorite teas to begin with.  It just has this natural and rough (in a good way) taste, that didn’t take long to grow on me.  If you’ve had it then you know what I’m talking about.  It’s distinct, it’s natural, and it’s authentic.  And the aftertaste lingers for a while.  And that’s what you want with a tea and that’s how a tea becomes memorable.

This was memorable.

The trend of pouring powder into a beverage is way past the point of it being a trend.  It’s just become what it is.   But this might be my first time ever having green tea in powder form.  If my memory serves me correct it may be the first time I’ve had any kind of tea in this form.

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On the day I was to try this concoction, the sun was beaming and the weather was just becoming all out gorgeous.    The universe looked out for me and I decided to have a sample of the Matcha Tea in hot and iced form.  It may have been too sooner for the latter but Spring has shown up much earlier in the Maryland area than usual.  No complaints here.

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In heated form this is terrific.  It has the exact taste you’ve come to expect when drinking Matcha.  I’ve never been to Japan and hope to one day, but this is something I can enjoy on a regular basis there or of course at home.  It just feels out of this world and always feels like an honor to try.    The tannin level felt higher than a tea I’m used to.  But that’s Matcha and this is a tea I want to keep getting used to.

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How about that color?  Just the visual of brewing thing was a treat.  This is real.

And when the sun in shining the way it is, and it’s still just a little a chilly enough to truly appreciated a hot tea, this was one of my favorite experiences.  Actually any great tea sipping can be a a favorite experience.  But this was up there.  And then the only ingredient is Matcha Green Tea Powder, you know you’re getting the real deal.

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The iced version is more of a work in progress for me.  That harsh and natural taste (which I only mean in the nicest way) doesn’t translate as well when it’s chilled.  I let my heated tea kettle cool for a while, put in some iced cubes, poured that cooled water, and then my Matcha powder, and stirred it for a while.  Stirring is necessary or the powder will not dissolve properly.  I had a little leftover after my hot cup.

I first tried my chilled version with no sweeteners added and it tasted a little bitter.  This is one that need a little honey or sugar.   I added just a little bit to the former and now we’re getting going.  But for me, this version is more of an acquired taste.  And even in the instructions, mentions pouring it into a water bottle and shaking it until it’s blended, without mention of adding anything sweet. But of course we can create it the way we want it.  I’m a big believe in less is more but adding a little more will go a long way here.

 

The chocolate from Trader Joe’s as well worked perfectly with both teas.  Actually chocolate just works well with everything.  And at my local store they were placed right next to each other.  I don’t think that was an accident.

At $7 this was well worth it, even if there’s only seven packets per case.

I will be having more of this in the future and would love to write about it again if the circumstance, the situation (oh wait that’s the same thing as circumstance), and opportunity to share it with others in a different setting presents itself.

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I highly recommend this and I continue to be impressed with all the great new products Trader Joe’s continues to deliver.  Well done.

Absolutely well done.

 

Ideen

 

 

 

Love of Tea, and Other Fun Things

Tea 5 Comments

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I had never done a Valentine’s Day themed post, and it really didn’t cross my mind to do one this year.  But after consulting my mentor, and realizing that next Tuesday is that day, which means there will continue to be tea posts every Tuesday, I figured it’s meant to be.

Now I’m not the biggest fan nor am I really opposed to this man-made holiday.  Well if you read the latter part, you might think I sway towards the negative.  You might be correct.

Love should be spontaneous, celebrated throughout the year, and displayed as much as possible.  What’s even more important is that love doesn’t necessarily mean between you and your significant other, or spouse, but in all forms.

I love my cat.  I love our animal friends.  I love my family.  I love my friends.    And I love my cat.  Oh wait…

I love tea. This is a tea blog.  So yes, I love tea.  And I love tea so much.  It brings me joy that is hard to put into words.  It shouldn’t be put into words.  I let the sipping and the reactions do the talking.

Yes, and I think many of us know we don’t need a special day to do just that.  But in honor of such an occasion, I will make the most of it.

Per my tea guru’s suggestion, I’m changing it up this week in a big way.

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If you’ve been to your local shopping district, then by now you know of Teavana.   They have taken tea, and essentially loose-leaf tea to unprecedented and transcendent levels.

I’ve been here many times before every writing about it, and many times since.  To say the store is still a bit overwhelming after all this time would be correct.  But overwhelming doesn’t necessarily mean bad.  There’s a lot going on and there’s so many new teas and instruments to discover and learn about.    There will never be enough time to learn about everything, and to try and do so would defeat the purpose of this journey.   But…

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I obviously don’t have time to write about it all here.  What I will say is that I’m happy that this is my inaugural post for Teavana, and this will not be the last.

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For this first go around it needed to be done big and done special.  Actually getting teas here is an experience.  So without further adieu, I present by suggestion from my muse, the Strawberry Blush Rose and Peach Tranquility Blend.

Yes, it couldn’t be just one.  And it had to be big for this time of year.     Ingredients and instructions for brewing are listed within the page.  I’ll let you research that on your own, or otherwise this post would go on till tomorrow.

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And it wasn’t even one.  It was actually three.  The staff member got me a festive tin, and along with getting the blend of the two teas, I also got them separate.  So I was already getting ahead of myself assuming the two were kindred spirits that could not be separated. Wait what?  Yes, all the love references are deliberate but are also flowing naturally.

Pictures of the tin standing and taken apart are shown here, as well as up-close shots of the tea.  Quite impressive right?  The process was truly exciting.  I’ll get to more about that shortly.

What I will say is that I’m in love.  This is masterful concoction of flavors that you would think might be impossible.  But no.  There’s heart, there’s soul, and there’s a true spirit behind this tea.

The brewing process was an absolutely joy.  The aromas from the tea were already getting me jazzed up for what I hoped to be a stimulating and inspiring cup.  And how about that tint?  I know I know.   The tea was a win.  The flavors of both worked together perfectly.  I could see why so many folks have regarded this so highly.  The after taste of rose hips was truly a highlight.  There’s also just about every fruit known to man and woman.  If you can discover them all then you’re a rock star.  I’m happy with it nevertheless.  And it paired nicely with some thin lemon cookies.

And if you notice, I show you what makes me happy, brings me joy, and truly brings out the love.   Yes, a miniature rubber ducky!  Ha. well that and my love for animals in all shapes and sizes.  And I obtained a certain special teacup to celebrate even more love.   I would be lying if I said the tea didn’t taste just a little bit better because of the props.  But I digress.  This tea would be awesome under any circumstance.  But hopefully it’s a joyous one.

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I did get a bit carried away.  Maybe I should have tried one of the flavors on its own first.   Well there’s a first and second time for everything.

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Even though I’m working backwards, I’m actually going in the order of the teas that were brewed.   Next up was Strawberry Blush by itself.

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I think I liked this even just a little more.  Maybe because it was the simplicity of it.  It was sipped in its own sans the blend, and even more flavors were able to be discovered on its own.  I would be lying if I said one was truly better than the other.  But for a personal thing, I give this the slightest edge.  And that color is just as beautiful.

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I got another teacup for this one too!

Maybe it was the simplistic aspect of it, or maybe it was the chocolate truffles that paired with this chocolate did the trick.  See I guess I’m a sucker for this holiday after all.  Well.

For me, this was a gift to myself, to the universe, from the universe, and hopefully someone reading will find this as a plausible gift alternative to the standard flowers, candy, and chocolates.  Well chocolates are good.  I just told you I had some!

And when I was done steeping I had a few pieces of strawberry and other random fruits. Yes you can do that.  That’s an added bonus I don’t think you’ll find on the website.

I want to mention that Teavana is on the higher end of teas.  This is significantly higher than your budget friendly teas at your local supermarket or neighborhood store.  But if you feel like splurging and buying a gift for a loved one, this is going to be different and I think it’s going to be a pleasant surprise to many.  And if your loved one is a tea lover, even better.

Because of the price level of these, it’s good to savor teas and brew in small doses and for special occasions.

Prices will vary based on weight, container, and the tea themselves.

I did not purposely leave out the Peach Tranquility Tea.  This is where I will push the pause button and resume at a later date.  I thin this is one I will have for the Spring or Summer.  I will remember this and promise you I will get back to it.  I wouldn’t feel right if I didn’t. More importantly, my sense is that this would make an excellent iced tea during the warmer months.

It also gives me something to look forward too.  I also feel that Valentine’s Day is good because for many it’s a day of joy but also another sign that warm weather is right around the corner.  So I feel that the Peach Tranquility is the perfect segue to talk about down the road.

To find a Teavana near you, click here.

I wish you a happy early holiday, and will do another post next week, to celebrate this day for love of all kinds.

Love To Many, Love To All, and Love To You.

 

Love,

Ideen

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My Maryland

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

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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 :

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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 :

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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.

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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