Fall Fun

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I did just type that out.  I always embrace the Summer with open arms.  The autumn months are full of positives too.  And I don’t have to look too hard to find them.  If it’s not a genuine feeling of joy and euphoria than it’s not going to be feel authentic.

This tea I will discuss today is authentic and so much more.  It’s that time of year which means the changing of the leaves, different flavors, scents, foods, and of course pumpkins.

There’s going to be a lot of pumpkin-style and related posts forthcoming and I hope you enjoy!

The Harvest Blend Herbal Tea from our pals at Trader Joe’s is the embodiment of what this season is all about. From the packaging, to the beautiful illustrations of animals, and to the scent and taste of the tea itself, this is perfection.

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First off, when I visited the pumpkin display at my local store, it’s an in-your-face reminder of the time of year we’re in.  But I’ve been seeing it while we were technically still in Summer.  I understand the rush but I really don’t.  I could have written about this a month ago but I want this part to be authentic as well.  Lets all get into the season in a little more sensible fashion.

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I took multiple angles of this package as I only feel it’s right.  And one on of the sides are all the ingredients listed.  And it’s a lot.  But it’s a who’s who of what makes this season great.   After smelling the bag upon opening, the most noticeable scent is cinnamon, one of my favorite things on this Earth.

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After steeping, more aromas start to come alive.  I got a great whiff of apple, chamomile, ginger.  If my nose and taste buds got carried away I may detect everything included and then some.  Nevertheless, this is a winner.   As my tea became ready to sip the cinnamon and apple hit me the post.  This packs a punch suitable for the season.   And since there’s so much involved I think multiple cups can be made from this.

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With all these incredible elements you think something would get lost in the shuffle.  This is not the case. There’s room for everything here.   However, I will say that chicory is not a plant I’ve had much exposure too. I’ll be curious to see if I can trace it in other teas that I come across.  I may have to do some further investigating but I don’t want to lose course here.

HarvestTea

As I ended my first cup, the flavors were so strong, I had to add more boiling water.  And I mean that with highest of praise. This tea cannot go to waste.  I’m ecstatic thinking about it.  This will be a staple in my sipping repertoire for the reason of this season and beyond.   It just tastes and feels so good.   The words soothing and comforting come to mind.  I feel so happy sipping it, thinking about it, and putting it to words.

And with a price tag of only $1.99 how can you go wrong?  This is a bargain for that price and what you’re getting.

I included some wonderful items that reflect the season that has just commenced. I’m enjoying wonderful piece of golden raisin cinnamon bread to complement my cup.

This is just the beginning.  I am thrilled to get fall off on the right foot.

Thanks so much!

Best,

Ideen

A Coconut Classic

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I am grateful to be doing blogs like this.  And with a niche such as tea, there’s a boundless and unlimited amount of topics to write about.   Today’s sampling is so good, my positive comments will not do it justice.  But, there will be a few more photos than usual!  And fortunately, it was a sunny day so the rays will show themselves in pictures.  And you may see more steam than usual.  Woohoo!

The Coconut Green Tea brought to you by the fine folks at Trader Joe’s is the quintessential tea for the Spring and Summer months to come.   I can’t say enough superlatives.

First, how endearing is the tin design?  TJ’s has always been known for their hippie ways, organic foods, and natural designs – and this continues that tradition.  For my previous review of one of their specials, click here.

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Second, there are the user friendly instructions and ingredients, as you can see above.   With approachable colors and fonts, I’m always been drawn to their products.

Finally, it’s wonderful.   I know in the early stages of this blog it’s been positive reviews all around.  And the choices I’ve written about have all been good to great. There are some terrible ones out there but they’ve yet to cross my path.  This is the antithesis of terrible.   This is a creation from something bigger than us. The ingredients are listed above, but it’s also chock-full of soul.  One of the best I’ve ever tasted.

As I was saying, the brewing tips are easy to comprehend and make this a joyous experience.

In brewing this, the smells really came through when pouring the hot water from the pot into my cup.  Yes, the green cup is back and appropriate for this posting!   To change it up, I used a different strainer.   It’s all about having fun and trying different things.

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Through a recommendation from a friend, I was told to drink it at a few degrees below boiling point, as to not damage the green tea leaves.   I was not aware of the significance until today.

In the tradition of previous loose tea postings, here is the brewing process in photos below.

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As you can see in the website’s suggestions, their favorite is cold brew.   I drank it in its aforementioned form and was satisified.  It actually tasted better to me as it started to cool.

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There is a bitterness via the lemongrass and ginger, but it’s flavors I like.   I usually have my teas with no additional sweeteners, creams. or milk but through a suggestion, I added a teaspoon of Sugar In The Raw and a splash or organic milk, and boy did it add to the flavors.    No sweet treats needed for this beverage as it was sweet enough!

I took my time drinking this as this is something to be savored.  The last few sips with the hint of milk and residual Sugar In The Raw was a blessing to my taste buds.    And the change in color is out of this world!

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This, like many other teas, can be drank year round.  Even with the palm trees and beach motif, which is awesome by the way, you can have this anytime you want.

Have a good week and stay healthy!

Best,

Ideen

Pumpkin Pals

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I’m over a month late.  But I wanted to review one of the more enjoyable teas I have had recently.  And it’s not even the kind in a bag.  It comes in scoop form!

Trader Joes Pumpkin Spice Chai is a gift from some wonderful place.   What place that is (most likely a Trader Joe’s warehouse) I don’t know. But it’s fun and a perfect warm beverage for the holidays.

From around Halloween to Thanksgiving there is so much hoopla about pumpkin.  We have pumpkin pies, cookies, breads, coffees, soups, beers, dog biscuits, and who knows what else.  It can drive you crazy. Or…  we’re enjoying the early stages of the holiday season.  I prefer the latter.

This can be drank hot or cold, and contains so many wonderful spices.   The medley of flavors is pure happiness.   I tasted some cinnamon, ginger, cloves, honey, and vanilla.   Black tea is the base for this masterpiece.   At $3.99 this was a great buy.

This is a perfect drink to enjoy from October to way into the winter.  Maybe as the weather gets warmer, the desire for pumpkin may dissipate.   But I like to break tradition and drink things year round.  Even if that is not standard protocol.   I will see how I feel in the Spring.  But for now, I will enjoy this heartwarming beverage, with my beautiful Christmas themed drinking mug.

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Drink tea that makes you feel good and when you want to.  That’s all that matters.

More inspirational reviews and emotions to come.

Thank you.

Best,

Ideen