Category Archives: herbal
Drink Me: Rishi Tea, Mystic Mint
When I received Mystic Mint from Rishi Tea in one of my Tea Runners boxes, I wasn’t sure whether I would like it or not.
Mystic Mint contains organic peppermint, organic cardamom, organic licorice root, essential basil and clove leaf oils.
It is available in a variety of sizes: teaser for $2.00, 1/4 pound for $14.00 and a full pound for $49.00.
On one hand, just reading the ingredients this sounded like something I would like since I really like both spicy teas and licorice. I was a little skeptical of the combination of flavors, but thought I’d give it a try. Then this week due to the change in the weather I had a bit of a sore throat, and I though the licorice root and a bit of honey would help so I brewed this one up. In general, this one was okay, but it isn’t the first tea I’d grab. The peppermint was refreshing, there was only a hint of sweet licorice at the finish, and even though it was a tea of strong flavors it wasn’t overwhelming. However I didn’t find it as smooth a blend as I might have liked; the flavors didn’t all meld and enhance each other. If I’m looking for a mint tea, I’d probably stick with Upton’s Moroccan Mint and if I wanted mint and licorice I’d hands down prefer Teapigs’ Liquorice & Mint.
Drink Me: Republic of Tea, SuperHerb Teas for Women
A few weeks ago I was contacted by The Republic of Tea and asked if I would like to review some of their new SuperHerb Teas for Women. I was given a choice and I requested the Organic Raspberry Leaf and the Organic Nettle blends.
From the website, Organic Raspberry Leaf is targeted at women’s health. I am not in a position to verify the effects that Raspberry Leaf has on women’s health, but I am able to tell you a little bit about the tea. The ingredients include organic red raspberry (leaf), organic rosehips (fruit), organic raspberries (fruit), and natural raspberry and vanilla flavors.
I brewed this tea up hot, but I think it would also be delightful iced over the summer, perhaps with frozen raspberries? The tea itself tasted of raspberries with a hint of vanilla. I have reviewed raspberry teas in the past, and I have often found that they end up being a mixture of raspberry and blackberry. In this case, the taste was definitely pure raspberry. I would highly recommend this tea for raspberry lovers.
You can find Organic Raspberry Leaf in a tin of 36 teabags for $13.00.
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From the website, Organic Nettle is designed to reduce inflammation in women. Again, I am not in a position to verify the effects that the tea has, but I can review it on taste. Organic Nettle contains organic nettle (leaf), organic peppermint (leaf) and natural vanilla flavor.
I brewed this tea up hot as well, and was unsure what to expect in terms of flavor. This blend tasted almost exclusively of vanilla and mint, so I’m still not sure exactly what flavor the nettle lends to it. I enjoyed this one, but I think I preferred the raspberry. However, if you’re looking for mint and vanilla, this one definitely fits the bill.
You can find Organic Nettle in a tin of 36 teabags for $13.00.
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As a side note, I have been a lover of The Republic of Tea for many years now. I enjoy a variety of their teas, both loose leaf and in bags, and I’ve written about them quite frequently. I find them to be high quality teas, and the shipping times and customer service are excellent. If you’re interested in doing a little taste testing, you can sign up for their catalog which arrives every other month or so with a free sample inside! They also have a loyalty program where you can earn rewards to more tea.
A special thank you to the folks at The Republic of Tea who sent me both tins of tea (retail: $26.00) for free. I received no other compensation for this review. All opinions and photos are my own.
Drink Me: Capital Teas, Lemongrass Ginger Serenity
The final tea in my last order from Capital Teas was Lemongrass Ginger Serenity (Organic).
From the website, Lemongrass Ginger Serenity contains lemongrass, ginger, licorice and peppermint.
It is available in a variety of sizes including 2oz for $9.95, 4oz for $19.90, 8oz for $37.81, 1lb for $71.64 and 2lbs for $135.32.
When I first opened the package the smell of the lemongrass and ginger was overwhelming – I think I even sneezed. But as I prepared the tea and it brewed, I got more of the licorice and peppermint aromas. The tea was milder than I expected, though I made sure not to overdo the measurements nor to steep too long. I think a stronger brew of this would be wonderful during cold season. However, this was a really nice afternoon cup; fresh and full of herbs and just slightly sweet.
Drink Me: Capital Teas, Christmas Cookie
Another tea I added to my last order from Capital Teas was Christmas Cookie.
From the website, Christmas Cookie contains organic crystallized ginger (organic cane sugar, organic ginger), organic cinnamon, organic apple pieces, organic ginger, organic star anise, organic licorice root and organic barley malt.
It comes in a variety of sizes: 2oz for $8.95, 40z for $17.90, 8oz for $34.01, 1lb for $64.44 and 2lbs for $121.72.
When I got this one and opened the bag I was so excited because it smelled sweet and spicy. The resulting tea was good, but it lacked the spicy punch I had hoped for. I will try brewing it again stronger. It was, however, a really nice afternoon herbal tea and I enjoyed it with some lemon holiday cookies from a friend.
Drink Me: Churchmouse Yarns & Teas, Smith Teamaker Sampler
When I placed my last order with Churchmouse Yarns & Teas I was excited to see that they had a Steve Smith Teamaker Sampler. So far I’ve enjoyed the Steve Smith teas I have tried, but it’s always nice to get to try a bunch of teas without buying 4oz of each before you know what they taste like.
The Smith Teamaker Sampler is “a thirteen-cup tour of Steve’s best blends” and includes selections of black, green and herbal teas. I’ve already shared a few with friends, but I decided to take the rest of the pack to work and work my way through it.
The Smith Teamaker Sampler is available for $14.00.
The first tea I decided to try was the Kandy blend. This boasts a blend of Ceylon teas. This one was very mellow and smooth. It was a strong black tea without being bitter. It was a great afternoon treat.
The second tea I tried was the Mao Feng Shui green tea blend. This one can potentially “improve your outlook on life.” This one was very light and fresh. I found it a lovely start to my day.
Overall, I can highly recommend trying a sample pack. The only problem I have is deciding which ones to order again!
Drink Me: Arbor Teas, Holy Basil
Last week I wrote about an order I placed with Arbor Teas. Another tea I decided to try (having never heard of it before) is Holy Basil.
From the website, Holy Basil is organic Indian Holy Basil, also known as Tulsi.
Holy Basil is available in a variety of sizes: sample for $3.95, 1.5oz for $3.95 and 4oz for $6.50.
When I opened the package all I smelled was something like cloves. It was spicy and earthy. As it brewed this smell only intensified. The taste was definitely of cloves, but also of other flavors. Arbor Teas suggests flavors of mint, lemons, cardamom, rosemary and nutmeg. I added just a touch of sugar and it was dark and spicy, just as I would expect a masala chai to be. This is decaffeinated however. I really did like this one, and can imagine enjoying it quite a bit on cold winter days.
Drink Me: Teapigs, Liquorice and Mint
In my neverending quest to find a licorice tea that I love, another selection I added to my last Teapigs order was their Liquorice and Mint tea.
This blend contains liquorice root and peppermint leaves. That’s it. I love the simplicity of these teas.
Liquorice and Mint is available in a sample size for $2.50, 15 tea temples for $9.99 and a pack of 50 tea temples for $24.99.
When I opened this one, the smell of both mint and liquorice came through. When I tasted, I first got the mint flavor, but then I could feel the warm liquorice heat and spice almost at the back of my throat. I didn’t use any sugar for this one; it was sweet and perfect without. This might very well be my favorite liquorice tea that I’ve had – it might even beat out the discontinued David’s Tea, Licorice Twist, which I’m hoarding because there is no more.
Drink Me: Tea Market, Double Mint
Two weeks ago I went to my local tea shop, Tea Market. Another summer blend that I wanted to try was Double Mint. After all, what sounds better on a hot day than a cool glass of mint iced tea!
The Double mint blend is a blend of peppermint and spearmint. I bought the seasonal sampler with 5 teas for $20, but you can also purchase the Double Mint tea for $4.70 per ounce.
I brewed the tea hot at work and then poured it over a tumbler of ice. I added just a bit of sugar. The tea was strongly minty, but cool and refreshing. Again, I like mine with a bit of sweetness, but I think this would also work without as well. Maybe even a fresh mint leaf if you have some?
The Corner of Knit & Tea: Episode 94, Not as I expected
Welcome to episode 94. This week I talk about the best laid plans… and what ends up happening to them.
Please come and join the Ravelry group.
You can also find me on Ravelry as Fluffyk, Twitter, Instagram as Fluffykira, and in my shop The Stashbuckler: Adventures in Yarrrrrrrrn.
Sipping:
Knitting:
- Finished: Mini Cobblestone Socks by Mina Philipp, Regia 4 Fadig
- Finished: Shirestones Hat by Mina Philipp (upcoming release), Jill Draper Makes Stuff Hudson in Bottle
- In Progress: Strawberry Semifreddo by Natalie Pelykh, Dalegarn Eco Baby Wool
- On deck: Abernathy Cardigan by Megan Grewal, Phydeaux Yarn Chausette in Orchid
- On deck: Garter Rib Baby Blanket by Orange Flower, Dream in Color Classy in Tart
Spinning:
- Finished: Nunoco batts in Peaseblossom & Mustardseed
- On deck: Southern Cross Fibre, Polwarth/Silk in Resistance is Futile
Extras:
- It’s here, it’s here! Starting on Saturday Tour de France/Tour de Fleece Kick off! I’ve started a Corner of Knit & Tea Tour de Fleece team. Are you spinning along? Do you want a chance to enter for prizes? Please come chat about it in the group.
Drink Me: Plum Deluxe, Strawberry Orange Herbal
As you know, I recently ordered a few teas from Plum Deluxe. Another tea in this order was Strawberry Orange Herbal Tea. This tea is actually from their “blooper” section and is offered at a sale price. The reason it is a blooper is because a large customer ordered a special blend and then didn’t end up purchasing the blend. Their loss is my gain!
From the label, Strawberry Orange Herbal contains honeybush tea, hibiscus, rose hips, orange peel, apple pieces, strawberry pieces and raspberry leaves.
Strawberry Orange Herbal is available in limited quantities for $3.50 an ounce.
When I first opened the package I could smell the strawberry and the apple most strongly. Once brewed I got more of the hibiscus scent, along with the berry and orange flavors. I did add just a touch of sugar, but this one is fruity and sweet enough I’m sure I could have gone without. This was excellent both hot and cold – just a fruity, refreshing summer drink. If it sound good hurry or you may miss it!
