Tag Archives: tea

Hibiscus Healing

Tea 16 Comments

HibiscusTea

I’ll get it out of the way.  Don’t let the name trick you into believing something else.  iSiS Organic has been making great products for quite a number of years, 35 plus to be exact.

I’ve enjoyed their teas with my father and with other family members.  It would usually take place after a hearty meal where we needed our stomachs to settle. Sometimes I would prefer enjoying afternoon tea with a pastry.

They’re based out of Egypt and take great pride in being organic, sustainable, and free of GMOs.  That’s a trifecta of brilliance if there ever was one.

My background is Middle Eastern so my family loves anything healthy to come from that vicinity.  In the Washington, DC area there is a strong population of people from the region so Halal and Middle Eastern stores are ubiquitous.   And yes, iSiS’ food is Halal.

iSiSteas

This weekend I was in for a pleasant surprise.  I visited a friend I haven’t seen in quite a while.  A lot longer than it needed to be.  And I got to meet members of the family, while we enjoyed some Hibiscus Tea.   I had the option to go with the Cinnamon as well, but I chose the former.

HibiscusTeaSugar

I was told that hibiscus is good for lowering blood pressure and that was needed just in the nick of time.  I was feeling a bit fatigued and stressed.  This did the job. How beautiful does this look?  An all organic tea made with the most elegant of flowers, and nothing to undermine it’s purity.

That’s how you make a tea and sip on one.  This was decadent.

HibiscusTeaSugarCookie

I’ve been feeling under-the-weather recently so this really hit the spot.   The great company always helps this experience ten-fold.   Oh and maybe that chocolate chip cookie too.

If you can find the tea or any of their other products, I highly recommend.  I’ve been grateful to have several flavors when spending time with my dad.  I’ve also had their dates which complement any cup of tea.  It’s the archetype of a sweet treat.

Their site doesn’t list where you can find their great products, but you can contact them here.

I strongly recommend their tea and by virtue all of their products.   When something represents good or intends for good I’m more likely to be drawn to that over anything else.

And it’s getting cold on the eastern coast of the United States.  This tea is aiding in dealing with this drastic change in the weather.

I sincerely hope you’re all staying warm as well.

Best and Best,

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.

BaltTeaPumpkinSpicePackages

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.

BaltTeaBag

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.

BaltTeaMuffinEaten

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.

BaltTeaPumpkin

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 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.

Spice&TeaAlexandria

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.

Spice&TeaDisplay2Spice&TeaDisplay

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

Decaf Spice

Louisiana, Maryland, Tea 5 Comments

DecafWithAlmonds

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.

DecafEarlGreyDecafEarlGreyBack

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.

Spice&TeaSetUpTovoloTime

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!

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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.

TeaWithAlmondsDecafEarlGreyAlmonds

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.

SpiceandTeaNOLASignSpiceandTeaNOLASpice&TeaThingsSpice&Teas!Spice&TeaFunSpice&Tea!

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

Thanks so much.

Best,

Ideen

Saratoga Style

Tea 2 Comments

Now I’ve never been to Saratoga, but I’m grateful that my friends who visited recently, thought to bring me a bag of tea as a souvenir.

SaratogaTea

The Trans Siberian Chai from Saratoga Tea & Honey Company was an absolute pleasure to drink.  What a work of art! And you can see a lot of thought and passion was behind this creation.

This tea really got my spirits up, as it’s been needed. Summer is slowly winding down, but I refuse to concede it ending.  We have a few weeks to go. Yet while this blend feels like more something more Autumn, it works well here as we’re now officially segued into September.

The flavors of cocoa, nutmeg, clove, and cinnamon are a soothing and comforting melange of joy.   I don’t know how else to describe it.  Actually I could write a ton more superlatives if I could.  The cocoa, especially, really stands out and makes this a unique tasting cup.   Cinnamon is one of my favorite spices and always warms my heart.

I’l be honest, clove and nutmeg are not something I’ve had enough of, so those flavors, for me at least, are not quite detectable.   As I was smelling it and then sipping it, I was looking for those scents, and they didn’t hit me as like the aforementioned cocoa and cinnamon. And chai is usually always a winner.

I wish I could add more links for everyone to enjoy, but the website seems to be incomplete and there’s an across the middle of the page it states that the online store is coming soon! Now that I look forward to!

SaratogaBack

I love how the back of the label encourages us to experiment with the quantity, duration, and temperature for the heating process.  And yet they still throw some helpful recommendations for time and temperature to boil!  Good on them!

What I also look forward to is a visit to Saratoga itself. A lot of places in the country and the world have alluded me. And I hope to cross that off my list.  Not only for their teas, but I see they have a honey room as well.  Join them at the bar for a pot of tea with pals! Yes please!

For now, I will do my best to capture the beauty of this tea brewing process.    The same friends who brought me this tea, also purchased this majestic teapot set from the wonderful World Market.  So it’s only right to bring it back for one of my favorite tea making rituals.

SaratogaPreBrewSaratogaOpenedSaratogaScoopSaratogaChaiSaratogaAboutToBrewSaratogaHot

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I wanted to show you how amazing the tint is that I threw in a bonus photo in one of my favorite teacups! How gorgeous is that?  And how beautiful are those tea leaves and spices? This is the real deal.

The inaugural post with this pot can be found right here!

As the weather turns, and that pains me to say, more brewing and more fun tea contraptions will be seeing their returns and debuts in the weeks and months to come.

Take good care!

Best,

Ideen

A Happy Place

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

cup

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

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

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

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

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

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

rishibag

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

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

cookie!

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

front. outsidesign board games! moregames!

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

Thanks so much.

Best,

Ideen

My Maryland

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

front

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

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

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

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

back

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

cantonspice

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

amazing

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

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

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

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

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

Thanks so much.

Best,

Ideen

100% Pure Fun

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

amazingCov

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

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

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

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

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

proverb

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

soothingwellness

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

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

Inspiration

And finally, here is some more inspiration:

perseverance

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

Enjoy!

Best,

Ideen

Fun Republic

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

Cinnamon

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

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

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

WinterJoy

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

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

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

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

Best,

Ideen

Gotta Have A

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

wawagreentea

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

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

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

I love their green tea.  Ingredients : green tea.

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

Look at that awesome selection :

wawateas

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

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

TowerOfTea!

Best,

Ideen