Tea Blog ~ Tea Reviews ~ Tea Products ~ Gift Ideas for Tea Lovers ~ Book Reviews
are sold as a set of 6 and are available on Amazon.
Can you imagine setting your table with these beauties?
Click through the link or the image below for a closer look and ordering information. I’m just completely blown away by these.
Matcha Green Tea
In addition to being a “crazy tea chick” and food blogger, I also write for several other websites I have covering subjects that I’m passionate about. These passions range from cats to Kentucky, from dream analysis to the Golden Age of Hollywood, and from self help to mental fitness. For each subject I “cover,” needless to say, I do a great deal of research and fact-finding.
While working on an article about Foods that Prevent Alzheimer’s Disease, two of my world collided when I read that green tea is actually wonderful for brain health.
Rates of dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease (Alzheimer’s is actually a form of dementia) are, tragically, on the rise. Millions of Americans (about 1 in 8 seniors) suffer from Alzheimer’s and it’s the sixth leading cause of death in the United States.
Until a cure for Alzheimer’s is discovered (and let’s all pray that this will happen in our lifetime), experts have given us many steps we can take to ward off (or at least delay) the chance of developing the disease. One of the easiest ways we can put the odds in our favor is to eat the foods that have been proven to benefit our brains (see Brain Food).
An easy way to remember which foods are healthy for your brain is to simply ask yourself which foods are healthy for your heart. The same types of food can be found on both lists.
Green tea is a perfect example. We know it’s healthy for our bodies, but now research shows that it’s also great for our brains. Researchers from the University of Michigan have found that an element in green tea helps stop plaque growth in the brain that’s connected to Alzheimer’s disease.
Whether you drink your green tea iced or hot, know that each cup is great for you – body, mind, and soul.
Firepot Nomadic Teas Delicious Rooibos Chai Tea Latte
It’s not easy for a Crazy Tea Chick to admit that there’s actually a tea she isn’t perfectly crazy about. And yet… well… Rooibos tea and I don’t have a very good history. Throughout my tea-obsessed years, I’ve tried Rooibos tea – each time ordering myself to fall in love with it.
Alas, not a single spark ever flew. Heck, I never had one even begin to kindle.
Me… the Crazy Tea Chick who loves black, green, and white tea like they’re members of the family. Me.. the one who orders a tea-based drink each and every time she’s in Starbucks. Me.. the nut with not one, not two, not three, but FOUR shelves devoted to tea in her kitchen.
It has always bugged me that there is actually a tea I’d have to warm up to in order to even reach “lukewarm.”
On the other hand, I am (without a single doubt) the biggest Chai Tea Latte lover in the world. Obsessed doesn’t cut it and fanatical doesn’t even come close.
So, here was a dilemma recently presented to me: Rooibos Chai Tea Concentrate from Firepot Nomadic Teas! When I picked the bottle of concentrate up, I kind of felt like I had one little devil on one shoulder and one little angel on the other. While I’m sure Rooibos never did anything to earn such an association, it is what it is.
I’ve been so blown away by every Firepot Nomadic Tea I’ve tried that I held my breath – not wanting one to break the streak, yet fearing that if one WERE to break the streak, he’d answer to the name Rooibos.
Naturally, I used my Breville Milk Café Milk Frother
While it worked its magic, I tried to tame the doubts but my brain just kept trying to process the unlikeliest of pairings. In fact, the Eagles classic “Hotel California” started playing in my head, “This could be Heaven or this could be Hell…”
Finally. The moment of truth.
My first thought was literally, “You have no right to be this delicious.” And, yes, as a matter of fact, I do talk to inanimate objects. All the time.
They don’t judge, counter, or rebuff.
From Firepot Nomadic Teas:
Inspired by an ancient recipe from Northern India, our masala chai (meaning spiced tea) has won the hearts and captured the tastebuds of Firepot devotees for almost two decades. Our exotic and aromatic spices are hand-blended and freshly ground for a uniquely vivid and balanced taste. Firepot Rooibos Chai is brewed with South Africa’s mineral and nutrient-rich herb, making our popular chai recipe caffeine-free. {Continue Reading…}
The Firepot Rooibos Chai Tea is just ridiculously delicious. While I do, personally, think the Firepot Masala Chai Tea (click for my review of this beauty) is EVEN better, I am wild about the Rooibos Chai Tea. There is a uniqueness to it that floats my boat and I totally recommend it to anyone who loves lattes – whether or not you’re into Rooibos or not.
If you do happen to love Rooibos… why are you still reading?!?! Go order a bottle right now!
As for me, I believe I’ll have a nice warm cup of it right now.
I have to admit it, Firepot’s Rooibos Chai Tea has inspired me to renew my search for a great Rooibos Tea. There may be hope for us.
by Miryam Quinn-Doblas, MS, RD (creator of EatGood4Life), to review on Crazy Tea Chick. As someone who collects cookbooks, writes tons of cookbook reviews on her food blog, and happens to be obsessed with tea – this book and I are getting along famously.
In addition to outstanding recipes, which we’ll get to in a moment, the author includes a lot of wonderful information, including:
The section on which ingredients pair best with matcha is as fascinating as it is extensive.
From the Inside Cover:
A Beautiful Collection of Recipes Featuring One of the World’s Most Popular and Powerful Superfoods
In The Healthy Matcha Cookbook, food blogger and registered dietitian Miryam Quinn-Doblas explores the various ways matcha powder—a main component of green tea—can be incorporated into everyday recipes to give your immune system the boost it needs to keep you healthy.
The health benefits of matcha powder far exceed those of green tea in drink form. The more than sixty recipes in this cookbook are easy to prepare and feature fresh, high-quality ingredients that aim to incorporate matcha powder, a powerful antioxidant, into the diet.
If you want to feel better, have more energy, and decrease the amount of toxins in your body, The Healthy Matcha Cookbook is a great resource that will help you restore and strengthen your mental and physical health. This is a beautiful guide that offers home cooks of all levels the chance to transform meals into satisfying, wholesome, healthy food using one of the world’s most popular superfoods.
Recipes Include:
I love the recipes to distraction, the information is priceless, and the book, itself, is gorgeous. What I love most may be the fact that the author took the extra time to label her recipes “gluten free, dairy-free, and vegan.” When you either choose to or have to follow a particular diet, you come to LOVE cookbook authors who go out of their way to help you in an area that, quite frankly, can be pretty tough.
Throughout the cookbook, gluten free options and tips are provided and, again, I greatly appreciate it a lot.
Make no mistake about it, however, you will love The Healthy Matcha Cookbook whether you have to follow a specific diet or not. These are off the chart healthy and delicious recipes and the book is a must have for all foodies and tea lovers.
The Healthy Matcha Cookbook would make a perfect gift idea for any and all tea lovers in your life – just be sure to grab a copy for yourself. You’re going to love this cookbook!
If you order from Amazon soon, you can have copies of the book before Christmas. Click any of the links above or the image below!
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Firepot’s Delicous Caffeine Free Indian Rose Garden
I’ve always had a very special place in my heart for roses. My dad was an AVID rose gardener. He had not one, not two, but three big beautiful rose beds. He even coveted my mom’s perennial flower bed for number 4! Luckily for her, her garden got more shade than he deemed appropriate for his beloved roses, so she got to keep it.
Even today, whenever I see or smell a rose, I think back to growing up surrounded by my dad’s beautiful roses. He would have greatly approved of Firepot Nomadic Tea’s Indian Rose Garden.
In fact, it would have been his favorite tea.
I always have a wide assortment of tea on hand – as you’d imagine a “crazy tea chick” would. Decaf, caffeinated, herbal, concentrates, blends, loose leaf, bags, etc. Basically, if there’s a certain tea anyone in our family needs, it’s available at any given time.
Keeping caffeine free tea on hand is as smart as it is delicious. Too much caffeine after 6:00 pm interferes with your sleep, but if you’re like me, forgoing a cup (or two) of evening tea is completely out of the question.
Enter caffeine free tea to save the day.
A Beautiful, Caffeine Free Blend from Firepot Nomadic Teas
You should always keep great quality caffeine free tea on hand to enjoy in the evening. For several reasons, actually. Not only will it keep you from consuming too much caffeine, the warmth of a great cup of tea in the evening actually promotes sleep and can even lead to sweeter sleep.
The process of brewing the tea is relaxing, in and of itself. The fragrance of the tea leaves, the sound of the water washing over them… as I always say, a very large part of the beauty of tea is that it’s an experience to enjoy as much as it is a drink. Making tea is one of the most relaxing things you can do.
In fact, unless I miss my guess, it’s downright therapeutic. And when it comes to tea, I don’t miss my guesses.
The Picture of Relaxation
I’ve had some loose leaf tea blends that were too “flowery” for my taste. You know the ones – where you’re drinking a cup of tea and keep looking into your tea, convinced that someone threw a marigold into your cup.
Herbs and, for that matter, flowers, should enhance a cup of tea – not dominate it. When all’s said and done, you want to know you’re drinking tea… not tears of flowers. Firepot Nomadic Tea’s Indian Rose Garden blend is just perfect. If someone were to put on a seminar, teaching subtlety when it comes to flavoring teas, they could save themselves a lot of effort simply by serving Indian Rose Garden and saying, “Do thus-ly.”
The Indian Rose Garden blend is everything it should be and nothing it shouldn’t be. The blend is perfection and I wouldn’t change a single thing. The tea’s flavor is delicious, subtle, and unique and it’s “experience” is warm, relaxing, and inviting.
Firepot Nomadic Tea’s Indian Rose Garden
While the box says that you can get 1-2 infusions from a serving, I actually got 3 beautifully. Doesn’t’ it always seem like you’ve gotten away with something when that happens???
INGREDIENTS
Organic: Egyptian chamomile, USA spearmint, Indian rose petals and French lavender
STEEPING DIRECTIONS
Steep 3 teaspoons (2g) of Indian Rose Garden in 1 cup (8oz) of 180° F water for 4 minutes and strain. Makes 1-2 infusions. For 180° F water, boil then let cool 3-5 minutes
Click through the following link to read more about the beautiful Indian Rose Garden Botanical Blend from Firepot Nomadic Teas. As I have with every single Firepot Tea I have tried, I whole-heartedly recommend this tea.
It occurs to me that the same passion my dad had for his roses, Firepot has for their teas. And that, fellow tea lovers, is saying all that needs to be said.
Firepot Breakfast Black Tea Review
Fierpot Masala Chai Tea Review
Firepot Italian Earl Grey Black Tea Review
Firepot Rooibos Chai Tea Review
The tea lovers at Whittard of Chelsea are as crazy about tea as the rest of us. Their passion for our favorite drink is palpable and, as you’d imagine, that’s a beautiful thing.
They’ve put together a wonderful guide called Brewing the Perfect Cup of Tea. The video is so relaxing and peaceful that I may go watch it again.
After I brew myself a cup of tea, that is. They made it look so warm and delicious that I’m minutes from getting my brew on.
The video is as lovely as it gets, but don’t miss all the great information on the rest of the page. They’ve really put together an exceptional Brewing the Perfect Cup of Tea guide.
I was recently sent a copy of Tea Time: Delicious Recipes, Fascinating Facts, Secrets of Tea Preparation, and More
The first thing I noticed about this book was how beautiful it was. Sure, sure, you can’t judge a book by its cover…. and yet, when it comes to actual books, I almost always do. I review a lot (let’s go ahead and make that A LOT) of books – whether it’s on Crazy Tea Chick, my food blog, or my self help blog, books are a huge part of my everyday life.
I’d say this bookworm chose her life path wisely!
When I see a book that goes above and beyond to be visually appealing, like Tea Time, I just somehow know there’s magic waiting for me inside. It may seem like a small thing, but this book fanatic LOVES it when a book has a protective cover with the same beautiful design printed on the book, itself. In the picture at the bottom of the post, I captured it with my camera. It just means something to me when the book is as pretty as its protective cover.
Small thing, maybe, but it floats my tea leaves.
There are also bright, beautiful, colorful pictures throughout the book.
From the Inside Cover:
Tea is a plant with many beneficial qualities for one’s health and spirit. In fact, the long life span of people in China has been associated with the population’s regular intake of green tea.
Healthier than coffee and with a positively stimulating or relaxing effect—according to the length of boiling time—the vitamins and flavonoids in this infusion are not only healthy, but also help in fighting free radicals. Tea promotes creativity, harmony, and internal balance.
This heavily illustrated book is the most complete guide to this Oriental treasure, which millions of Westerners also enjoy. In addition to valuable advice about its preparation, the pages include:
• The history of tea and its main varieties
• A complete guide for tea gourmets
• Its curative and rejuvenating properties
• The Japanese tea ceremony, step by step
• The tea oracle: how to read the leaves
• Over 60 recipes, including sangria tea, fajitas with tofu macerated in green tea, and many more!
{Review continued beneath the picture…}
is filled with tea recipes and tips, the history of tea, tea legends, tea tales, and fascinating facts about the different varieties of tea. Pages are devoted to the health benefits of tea – many of which I didn’t even know!
There’s also a fun section on “Household Uses” for tea that I got a big kick out of. I’ve used a few of these myself for years and plan to put the rest to good use – especially the tip about cleaning cutting boards with green tea, because I don’t always have lemons on hand but I always, always, always have green tea in the kitchen.
Always.
Before the wonderful recipe section, there’s a section titled “Secrets of Preparation” that includes timeless information about…
The author even includes the “Five Golden Rules” of creating the best tea possible.
{Review concludes after the picture….}
I love that the tea recipes come with descriptions of each one’s health benefits. I am now officially armed and ready for cold and flu season!
I was also thrilled to see a recipe for Rice Tea. I’ve often read that rice tea is not only wonderful for stomach aches but also aids in digestion. If you have digestive issues, rice tea is said to keep you from reaching for medications. Safer,faster, and I would imagine better tasting.
My oldest daughter and I the not-so-terribly proud owners of strong gluten intolerances and the intestinal issues that come with them. Before we were able to “catch” and “eliminate” the problem foods, quite a bit of damage was done to our insides. Rice tea has a strong reputation for helping to soothe the intestines and I’m grateful to now have a recipe to follow.
There’s also a recipe for Rice Vinegar Tea which is said to alleviate intestinal pains. I’m keeping it handy for the next time my daughter or I are accidentally “glutened.”
While the tea recipes are, obviously, very beneficial medicinally, they’re also downright delicious. The Le Ch’a (ground tea) for example, sounds like something I could (and may) drink every single day.
Basically, Tea Time
~ Joi (“Joy”)
Tea Time is also available on Books-A-Million. Simply search for “Tea Time” in the search box.
Rachael Ray Orange Whistling Tea Kettle
I love the tea lovers in my life. Not only do they show remarkably good taste in their favorite drink, they’re incredibly easy to shop for. Whether it’s Christmas, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, anniversaries, or birthdays, you always know the way to a tea lover’s heart – through their tea cup!
Below are the Top 10 Gift Ideas for Tea Lovers, according to The Crazy Tea Chick. You simply cannot go wrong with any of these.
1. The Bonavita Digital Electric Gooseneck Kettle. (pictured above) This beauty takes the guesswork out of brewing the best tea you ever had in your life. Easy to use, handsome to look at, and (quite frankly), one of the things in my kitchen I value the most. You can read my Bonavita Digital Kettle Review or simply click here to see it on Amazon.
(pictured above) are some of the most beautiful tea glasses I’ve ever laid my tea loving peepers on. They’re sold in a set of 4 and would make a perfect gift idea.
and I’m obsessed with everything about them.
, pictured above, is a best seller on Amazon – making me one of MANY who use it daily. Packaged along with some great matcha (see below!), this would be a gift your tea lover will use for years.
is as good as it gets for making outstanding matcha at home.
on Crazy Tea Chick yet, but I wouldn’t take anything for mine. It’s beautiful and insanely useful for making fresh brewed tea. It comes in a sturdy box, perfect for gift wrapping and any tea lover will cherish it as much as I do mine.
– I mean, how could I not? Mine is orange (like the one shown at the top of the post) and it’s used so frequently, it has a permanent resting place on the stove. This perfect whistling tea kettle is also available in Blue
and Red.
, pictured above, are perfect for tea and/or coffee lovers. As someone who answers immediately to both, I’m more than a little crazy about them. The beauties are sold in sets of four and are just gorgeous.
A whole new world opens up!
Whether you add a few boxes to a gift bag, use them as the basis for a gift box, or stuff some into a stocking, great quality loose leaf tea is THE perfect gift for tea lovers in your life.
I 110 percent recommend that you visit the two tea companies below and do a little shopping. I’ve had dealings with each and promise you that you’ll be blown away. I’ve written tea reviews for several of their teas on Crazy Tea Chick and have quite a few more scheduled to publish in the coming days. Everything they offer is perfection. When you place your order…. be sure to order some for yourself. Trust me.
BONUS Tea Gift Idea:
Tea Time is a perfect book for tea lovers. Read my Tea Time Review or simply hurry over to Amazon to buy the book. Filled with tea facts, history, legends, tales, and countless tea recipes – any tea drinker will love this beautiful book.
BONUS Gift Idea for Tea and Coffee Lovers:
is essential – as in, it’d be nuts to try to live the latte life without one. Click through the link for more information.
Granny’s Spiced Plum Black Tea: The Perfect Christmas Tea
If you’re in love with this time of year even half as much as I am, you’re beside yourself right now.
I know the feels – I’m beside myself beside myself.
Whether it’s a meal with your family, decorating the tree, or wrapping presents, everything has to be just right. As you’d imagine, a “Crazy Tea Chick” wants everything just right with the tea she serves too. After all, when you’re a “tea lover,” you have an image to maintain.
I was recently sent a few samples of Pahadi Tea to review on the tea blog. I’ve brewed one, so far, and am crazy – as in over the moon crazy – about it.
The beautiful tea you see here is Granny’s Spiced Plum Black Tea and it is simply wonderful.
Sun-Dried Plum Bits, Cloves, Cinnamon Bark….
I was hooked the minute I opened the pouch and saw the bits of plum and smelled the cinnamon and cloves – my tea fueled brain said, “This is going to be extra special,” and (naturally) it was right.
This delicious Darjeeling Spicy Plum Tea comes from an area where the finest teas in the world are grown – the district of Darjeeling in the Himalayan foothills.
If you think that sounds exotic, just wait until you taste it.
Perfect Tea for ANYTIME But Essential for Christmas!
When I first tasted Granny’s Spiced Plum Black Tea, the first thought to come to mind was, “This tea tastes like Christmas.” Second thought: “I love that this tea tastes like Christmas.” After that, there were no more thoughts, just pure enjoyment of a beautiful, delicious tea.
I knew that the review would simply HAVE to come from a “perfect tea for Christmas” standpoint simply because it is. If Christmas had a tea to symbolize the season, this would be it.
Granny’s Spiced Plum Black Tea would be ideal for…
While I have pretty much christened it the tea of the Christmas season, I want to hasten to add this… Granny’s Spiced Plum Tea would be more than welcome in my kitchen any time of year. I haven’t tried it iced yet, but I suspect it’d be amazing.
One of the beautiful things about tea that’s so full of flavor is that it needs no sweetener. Anytime you can “uninvite” sugar to your tea party is a grand thing.
This tea comes from the area where the finest teas in the world are grown-the district of Darjeeling in the Himalayan foothills. The high-altitude, rich soil and ideal weather contribute to the unique flavor and character of this rare coveted brew relished internationally. Grown exclusively in select 87 tea plantations, Darjeeling is popularly known as the ‘Champagne of Teas’ and is the first product from India to be granted protection under geographical indication (GI) in view of its uniqueness recognized worldwide.
Most tea plants in Darjeeling are of the smaller leaf Camellia sinensis var. sinensis, rather than the larger leaf var. assamica, more commonly grown throughout the rest of India.
While classified as a black tea, Darjeeling teas are almost always less oxidized than a typical black tea. The unique flavor of Darjeeling comes from Chinese tea genetics mixing with Indian terroir—plus the intricacies of harvesting and processing. It’s lighter and less astringent than most black tea, but more layered and complex than most greens.
Packed in Tempe, AZ, USA – Read More
Steeping Directions: Steep for 5 minutes, 208°F. For stronger flavor, steep longer. (I found it to be absolutely perfect at 5 minutes.)
Granny’s Spiced Plum Black Tea Description: Sun-dried ripened plum bits, aromatic cloves and cinnamon bark – blended with finest Darjeeling black tea.
I hope you’ll go right to Pahadi’s Website and order your own Granny’s Black Spiced Plum Tea today. Trust me, you’ll want plenty for the holidays.
The Tea Crisis Management Since 1652
Click through the link above or the picture below for a closer look. You’ll also find countless other tea posters and art prints.
