Tag Archives: Tuesday Tea

Tuesday Tea – Summer Daze Teatail

May 23, 2023 By in Read & Relax, Tuesday Tea Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

April was a busy month as I prepared for my book launch celebration for my novel, Realm. With that being said, I didn’t have the opportunity to write a post for Tuesday Tea. I’m hoping that today’s will more than make up for that.

Oolong is one of my favorite teas, and Tie Guan Yin oolong presents the perfect base for Ohio Tea Co.’s Cucumber Lime Oolong. If you’re not familiar with Tie Guan Yin (also written as Ti Kuan or Ti Kwan), apparently, it is the most famous, tastiest, and rarest of Chinese teas. The name translates to Iron Goddess of Mercy, which makes me like it even more. These days it’s only lightly oxidized making it closer to green tea than black tea. It can be roasted or unroasted.

Tie Guan Yin paired with freeze dried cucumber and natural flavor produced a scent combination that inspired me to go straight to icing this beauty. The mention of limes and cucumbers, two items I’ve only ever eaten cold, made me think of all things cool and refreshing.

I didn’t want to stop at simply icing it, however, and I quickly worked it into what I call a teatail, i.e., a cocktail made with tea. Follow the directions below, and you, too, can remain cool, calm, and relaxed for the hot summer days just around the corner.

Summer Daze Teatail

6 c fresh water

6 t Cucumber Lime Oolong

1 ½ c raw sugar

1 c fresh water

Hendrick’s Gin

Bring the water to 180° F in a stainless-steel pot on the stove. While the water heats, measure out the oolong into a large, mesh tea ball. When the water reaches the appropriate temperature, place the tea ball in it and cover the pot with a lid. Remember to turn off the heat below the pot (gas stove) or remove it from the burner (electric stove).

Allow the tea to brew for six hours, during which time it will also come down to room temperature. You may swirl it gently, otherwise do not remove the lid from the pot. The long, undisturbed brewing time ensures the tea is strong enough to stand up to the liquor you will add later without being bitter.

While the tea is brewing, add the raw sugar to one cup of water in a stainless-steel pot and stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil over a medium-high heat, stirring gently, until a rich syrup has formed. Cover the pot with a lid and allow the syrup to cool to room temperature. The syrup can be stored for up to a week in a sealed container in the refrigerator.

When the tea has brewed, you may swirl the tea ball once to ensure evenness of color. Remove the tea ball and discard the expended tea. Do not press out the leaves into the brewed tea. Pour the tea into a glass pitcher and place in the refrigerator until the tea is completely chilled.

To prepare:

You can perform a dry shake with a cocktail shaker if you choose. I recommend Viski products as they are quality and a great place to start building your personal bar. You can, however, achieve the same results, which is to thoroughly combine the Hendrick’s and chilled syrup, using a glass and a fork.

Measure 1 oz. Hendrick’s gin into a cocktail shaker or short glass. Add ½ oz. of the rich syrup. Shake or stir until the liquor and syrup are completely combined. Set aside.

Choose a glass tumbler that is at least 12 oz. in size. Add four to six ice cubes depending on the size of your glass. Pour the chilled Cucumber Lime Oolong tea into your glass to within one inch of the rim. Top with the Hendricks/sugar mixture. Stir gently and sip yourself to contentment.

Enjoy!

Tuesday Tea – Kanchanjangha Noir

March 14, 2023 By in Read & Relax, Tuesday Tea Tags: , , , Leave a comment

Many, many cups of tea went into the creation, production, and publication of my novel, Realm. And even though I’m a published author now, I’m not so haughty as to not be able to chat with my friends over a cup of tea. After all, the purpose of Tuesday Tea was to stay in touch with followers, to remain approachable and grounded.

Kanchanjangha Noir—the name just sounds exotic and is fun to learn how to pronounce—is my newest acquisition from Ohio Tea Co. I enjoy black tea, and this beauty from Nepal does not disappoint.

A deep inhale of the tea leaves provides one with the heady aroma of mild cherry tobacco and an earthiness that leans toward floral more than grass or soil. One teaspoon of tea steeped for five minutes in eight ounces of water brought to 200° F delivers a vibrant cup of tea that is deep red-gold in color. The fragrance of the brewed tea is softly fruity, and the taste is dried cherry, raisin, and cocoa on the palate.

Kanchanjangha Noir is a zesty tea with extremely low astringency. In fact, I didn’t find it to be acidic or bitter at all. A sip finishes on the dry side, although it didn’t leave my mouth feeling tight, and the tea drinks clean and brisk in that the flavor didn’t linger. As usual, I enjoy it without cream or sugar so I can experience the full flavor of the tea leaves in all their glory. I’m looking forward to trying Kanchanjangha Noir iced this summer.

If you’ve had this lovely tea, let me know in the comments how you drank yours.

Tuesday Tea – Sticky Rice Puer

February 7, 2023 By in Read & Relax, Tuesday Tea Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

I’m so excited to share today’s Tuesday Tea with you because 1.) it has a delicious, complex flavor profile, and 2.) it’s perfect for Valentine’s Day.

Whether you’re spending the holiday with your honey or rockin’ the day solo, do yourself a favor and splurge a titch on the gift that is Ohio Tea Co.’s Sticky Rice Puer. Even the packaging is elegant with a picture of heart-shaped sticky rice on a delicately flowered plate. But what’s inside the packet is the best part.

Sidenote: Apparently, there are several different spellings of pu’er, puer, pu’ehr, but so far, they’ve all been pronounced the same way. A tea sommelier or knowledgeable tea shop owner/staff member will know what you’re looking for.

Never having tried puer, I started with a one-ounce package and was pleasantly surprised when the staff weighed out a generous quantity of gold foil-wrapped tea pucks. They’re classy and adorable at the same time, kind of like a tiny tea treasure.

Sidenote: My puer is approximately ¾” in diameter, and while research has revealed that the larger offerings of puer are called a “cake,” mine are tiny, so I’m calling them pucks, probably much to the horror of tea and/or puer aficionados everywhere.

Per instructions printed on the packet, I heated my water to 212° F for brewing. While the water heated, I wondered how much the now unwrapped puer puck lovingly placed in my small tea ball would expand during the brewing process. After three minutes (also per instruction), I can report that the entire small tea ball was full of puer.

I had a feeling the tea would expand quite a bit, so I took a chance that first brewing and used an insulated mug that held two cups of water. I was rewarded with a deep mahogany tea with an aroma exactly like sticky rice. It smelled delicious, but as good as it smelled, the flavor was even more of a thrill.

As expected, sticky rice was the initial taste on my palate, but then this amazing tea progressed through a multi-faceted change from first sip through swallow to lingering flavor on my tongue. I can only describe it as rich and earthy with fresh and mellow mushroom notes, sweet and light tobacco, and enduring sticky rice. I was in love with this tea.

Sidenote: Don’t talk yourself out of this tea if you’ve had a bad experience with actual mushrooms or convinced yourself that you don’t care for them without even having tried them.

Next, I experimented. Step one was to see if I could obtain a satisfactory second brewing out of all that lovely tea. Yes, it’s possible with the same quantity of water but for an additional two minutes of brewing for a total of five. In this case, the sticky rice flavor took a back seat to the other flavors but was present after swallowing. Still delicious, just a changeup in delivery of taste.

Step two involved heating four cups of water to 212° F and brewing for five minutes with my puer puck in my large tea ball. This was optimal in flavor and color, but I learned that I need to keep the second half of my tea in an insulted mug or thermos so it stays hot. Although, I will say that puer drinks quite nicely when cool. So far, I haven’t experienced any bitterness with longer brewing or resting times.

For step three, I acted upon something one of the ladies at Ohio Tea Co. mentioned, and I tried my puer (brewed by Step Two directions) but added sugar and cream after brewing. I used whipping cream because why not go all the way with splurging? I stirred in raw sugar and warmed my cream so that it didn’t reduce the temperature of my puer.

I don’t normally drink tea with cream or sugar, and, in my opinion, the puer doesn’t require either, but oh . . . my . . . gosh . . . talk about delicious. I know I’ve called other teas “dessert in a cup,” but cream and sugar turn Sticky Rice Puer into rice pudding in your mug. I kid you not—the sweet rice flavor bursts through, the creaminess accentuates the tea, and all is right with the world when one consumes it this way.

But wait–there’s more! Sprinkle a little cinnamon across the top of your creamed and sugared Sticky Rice Puer, and you’re in Heaven. The other flavors are present in a much more subtle way, so I suggest building up to cream, sugar, and cinnamon in your Sticky Rice Puer so that you, too, can decide which brewing works best for you. Although, I won’t be surprised if, like me, you fall in love with this tea in every version presented here.

In closing, there is much about puer that one can research. My goal was to simply introduce you to puer, if you haven’t already tried it, and spark your interest in learning more about it for yourself. Now I must hasten to Ohio Tea Co. for more Sticky Rice Puer before everyone reading this post scoops it up.

Let me know in the comments if you’ve tried puer and how you enjoy drinking it. I look forward to hearing from you.

Tuesday Tea – Roasted Chestnut

January 31, 2023 By in Read & Relax, Tuesday Tea Tags: , , , , 2 Comments

This post should have been written during the holidays because that’s exactly what the tea I’m going to share tastes like, the holidays! So, forgive the hecticness of said season and the tardiness of today’s Tuesday Tea. The good thing is that it’s never too late to enjoy a cup of Roasted Chestnut from Ohio Tea Co.

I discovered this tea about two years ago, and it became a staple in the Gibson household. I recently introduced my husband to Roasted Chestnut to help with his efforts to wean himself off copious amounts of coffee. It is now his favorite go-to tea, and while I prefer to drink it black, he loves to put cream and a little raw sugar in his. Either way, this tea is dessert in a cup without being overbearing.

I believe that last detail is another reason why we’ve fallen in love with Roasted Chestnut. The rich flavor is natural on the tongue instead of sickeningly artificial. Drinking it is so satisfying that it keeps us from nibbling sugary sweets high in fat and calories. Furthermore, it’s perfect with a meal or on its own.

The aroma of this “premium Ceylon black tea flavored with roasted chestnuts” wafts out of the packet upon opening and instantly puts one in mind of caramels with nuts and butterscotch candies. Roasted Chestnut brews up a beautiful, deep mahogany red at 212° F for 4 – 5 minutes, and the taste is beyond compare. Neither flavor nor scent diminish throughout the drinking experience.

If you aren’t already familiar with Roasted Chestnut, indulge yourself today by heading over to Ohio Tea Co. to purchase some. Touring their shop is great fun (you can preview the scent of the teas and shop all the great tea paraphernalia), but if travel isn’t an option, don’t despair. The Ohio Tea Co. website provides an amazing shopping experience with detailed descriptions of the tea as well as reviews to assist with your selection.

Let me know in the comments if you’ve had Roasted Chestnut, and if so, how you prefer it: black or with cream and sugar.

Tuesday Tea – London Fog

November 15, 2022 By in Tuesday Tea Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , 2 Comments

This month’s Tuesday Tea features London Fog. “But that’s ice cream in the picture,” you say. Why, yes, Observant Reader, it is, and it is no less delicious just because it comes in a cone instead of a cup.

Shout out to Therapy Ice Cream & Coffee Bar in Akron, Ohio, for featuring some of the best ice cream I’ve ever tasted. They purchase their flavors from Chocolate Shoppe Ice Cream, an award-winning company out of Madison, Wisconsin. If you’ve never enjoyed Chocolate Shoppe’s works of art, you’re in for a real treat. Their single flavors and flavor combinations are a huge cut above what I’ve previously encountered at ice cream shops, and you’ll find yourself wanting to indulge in all of them again and again.

I recommend starting with London Fog. This is the first time I’ve seen a tea other than green tea featured as a flavor. Of course, Earl Grey’s signature bergamot appears in the ice cream, but while it’s present, the pungent citrus is mellowed by the addition of vanilla and lavender much the same as in the hot beverage, London Fog.

If you’re skeptical of lavender, because it is a highly aromatic and almost camphorous herb, you’ll be pleased to know that it isn’t too flavor-forward. And the vanilla, which is unfortunately often thought of as plain, isn’t lost in the combination. Rather, all three are well blended, so each cool, creamy lick of London Fog ice cream is equally satisfying.

There was something incredibly fun and slightly scandalous in getting to eat my tea from a cone instead of delicately sipping it from a cup. I imagine London Fog is the sort of flavor a young Queen Elizabeth II would have enjoyed. I’ve already been for several servings of London Fog, but I think I need some more Therapy and soon!

Tuesday Tea – Philosopher

August 23, 2022 By in Tuesday Tea Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 2 Comments

Every writer has a favorite beverage he or she imbibes while working through the creative process. Some are famous for partaking of large quantities of their preferred poison. But whether you enjoy coffee, tea, wine, or a stronger spirit, I’m sure you would admit that you’re not at your best until a cup, mug, glass, or tumbler of your chosen libation is coursing through your veins.

For me, that magic elixir is a large cup of tea. I’ve become a fan of loose-leaf teas and purchased stainless steel tea balls in single cup size and teapot size. I’m always on the lookout for my next favorite tea, and Philosopher from Gnat and Bee is the latest winner.

I love black tea, and as a black tea blend, Philosopher instantly caught my eye. What drew me in was the description: dark and earthy with chaga mushrooms for pensive mornings or afternoons. Isn’t that perfectly charming! It’s as if it was made for writers who stare out the window, seeing nothing before their eyes but everything about the scene taking place in their mind.

The specific ingredients are Yunnan black tea, Assam black tea, chaga mushrooms, toasted barley, and black peppercorns. The teas, mushrooms, and peppercorns are certified organic, and the packaging is eco-friendly. What’s not to love?

Dry in the bag, the initial aroma is sweet and slightly woody. Don’t inhale too deeply or you’ll set off a round of sneezing from the black peppercorns, although they finish the fragrance with a pleasant zestiness. You won’t taste the peppercorns as much as you’ll experience them as warmth on the backend of your sip. It’s much the same as when you’ve eaten something with a spicy ingredient that you feel in your mouth instead of taste as an individual flavor.

And speaking of flavor, Philosopher tastes like the quintessential tea. It’s what tea is supposed to taste like. It is the pinnacle of teas as far as I’m concerned. I know that sounds vague, so let me see if I can expound upon that description.

It’s smooth and silky, rich and earthy, elegant and unpretentious on the palate. It evokes images a hawk flying on a cloudy day, the sun burning through fog, dew on the grass, and slipping into a warm, dry barn to escape a sudden shower.

Please do not be put off by the presence of the chaga mushrooms, toasted barley, or black peppercorns. If you do not care for any one of these, I promise you will not taste them individually. Gnat and Bee have created a balanced blend that works in perfect harmony.

Water should be hot but not boiling, and brew time is perfect at four minutes of steeping and one minute of swirling the tea ball around my mug. This is, of course, adjustable based on the size of your cup and desired strength. I prefer mine without cream or sugar because I want to taste the tea itself. If you try it with one or both, please let me know in the comments how that worked for you.

Once brewed, the aroma becomes mild tobacco and sweet leather, the color is deep mahogany.

I hope you try Philosopher by Gnat and Bee. Let me know in the comments how their marvelous tea influenced your own pensive morning or afternoon.

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