Tea

Twinings Darjeeling Tea: Sweet Addiction!

October 17, 2019 by Joi Leave a Comment

There are certain varieties (and brands) of tea that I always, always, always have on hand. Always. The tea you see pictured here, Twinings Darjeeling Tea is one of the ones I’m most loyal to.

There are other brands of Darjeeling but I haven’t found one I love as much. There’s just something about Darjeeling done right and Twinings does Darjeeling SO VERY RIGHT!

Did you know that Twinings was founded in London, England in 1706? Talk about longevity and on the job experience. Little wonder they’re one of the best tea brands in the business. You pick up a bit of knowledge over hundreds of years, I’d imagine.

Darjeeling tea is one of those teas that tastes exceptional iced or hot. For people like me, who drink tea all day and all night, this is a must. If I had to choose my favorite way to enjoy a cup of Darjeeling, however, it’d be hot.

Here’s the kicker, I’m a honey fanatic and add honey to most of the cups of hot tea I drink. However, even I wouldn’t dream of adding anything to a cup of Darjeeling tea. It’d seem… well, wrong. This tea has a hint of sweetness without adding anything at all. That, as well as its beautiful fragrance, make this one of my favorite teas.

This Heavenly intense black tea is from the foothills of the Himalayas, and it doesn’t let you forget its exotic background for one second.

Some teas are perfectly content to have a subtle, almost shy, personality. They’re subtle, so they don’t make a lot of noise. They’re just happy to be in your presence. Subtle teas are like, it’s up to you – if you want to add a little fruit, fine. If you want to stir in a little honey, great. If you want to eat cookies or pie as you sip, wonderful. Have at it.

It’s all about you, and subtle teas insist on being your second in command.

Then there’s Darjeeling Tea. Darjeeling Tea is the star of the show, with a delightful diva-like presence that I LOVE.

If you’ve never tried Darjeeling Tea, you have to grab some Twinings Darjeeling Tea and prepare to fall in love.

Continued Below….

You’ll find yourself following the same ritual I do:

I open the box of Twinings Darjeeling Tea
I put my nose to the box and inhale the wonderful aroma
I joyfully brew up an amazing mug to enjoy, usually two cups because one is never enough
I wonder how I ever got along without Darjeeling

It’s a wonderful ritual and one I highly recommend.

Review: Bella Luna Blue from Adagio Teas (Beautiful, Blissful, and Blue!)

March 30, 2018 by Joi Leave a Comment

Bella Luna Blue Tea from Adagio Teas

I have a beautiful and fascinating tea from Adagio Teas to review today – Bella Luna Blue Tea – and I’m, admittedly, pretty excited about it. I was sent a bag of the tea to brew and review (understandably my favorite perk of having a tea blog!) a while back and I’ve been waiting for today to do just that.

Why wait?

Bella Luna Blue Tea is extra special and rare – it is actually available only on days of the blue moon, so it will be available in 12 hours from the time I’m posting this – 10:50 CT. Click here to see when it is available in your time zone.

(Review Continued Below….)

Beautiful Bella Luna Blue Tea is Best Iced

This tea is, as you can see, exceptionally beautiful and I’m delighted to say that it tastes EVEN more beautiful than it looks. While it’s wonderful hot, it really, really shines as an iced tea. It is so good that I know you’ll want to stock up for summer. I plan to!

Bella Luna Blue Tea from Adagio Teas

Although I do, personally, prefer it iced, it is delicious hot, too. Since it contains no caffeine, it makes a perfect evening “after dinner” tea.

From Adagio Teas:

Experience the elusive mystery that is the phenomenon known as our Bella Luna Blue. Available only when there is a second full moon in a calendar month, our rare Bella Luna Blue blends the zesty freshness of lemongrass and the flavor of blueberries with the exotic Butterfly Pea Flower, which when brewed, turns this mystifying herbal tea indigo! For an even more exciting treat, add a few drops of lemon juice to the mix and watch as the real magic unfolds right before your eyes! Read More…

I was initially afraid that this tea would simply taste like blueberries (understandably, given the gorgeous color!) but I was very pleasantly surprised to find that it has a deliciousness all its own. The blend of lemongrass, blueberries, and Butterfly Pea Flower create something as magical as a blue moon, itself.

IngenuiTEA from Adagio (How did I live without this?!)

This tea is beyond special and I hope you’ll head over to Adagio Teas right away – this will become one of your favorite teas…. it’ll certainly be one of the most beautiful! Remember, this tea is only available on days of the blue moon.

Special teas deserve special treatment, after all.

Harney and Sons Teas on Amazon: Gorgeous AND Delicious

November 21, 2017 by Joi Leave a Comment

I often say that the experience of drinking tea is as delicious as the tea, itself. There’s something calming, relaxing, and almost magical about the whole process – especially when you surround yourself with beautiful teas and tea-related lovelies. I have a strong appreciation for tea companies that take this experience seriously. You can always tell the ones who do because their packaging (and often their websites) are extra special.

This is certainly the case when it comes to Harney and Sons Teas. The packaging is stunning – without costing an outrageous price. I don’t mind paying extra for great tea, mind you, but some of these companies seem to be out of their minds… that or they think I have an orchard of money trees.

If only!

Harney and Sons is available on Amazon, which to an Amazon addict like myself, is as valuable as two orchards of money trees. The Tower of London Blend pictured here would be a great tea to start with.

Tower of London Blend

A Complex Black Tea with flavors similar to Earl Grey, Vanilla and Black Currant and a nice touch of honey.
A wonderfully refreshing tea with fruity aromas, vanilla, and undertones of honey
Caffeinated, with a medium to strong body
Chinese black tea with pieces of dried stone fruit, then finish the blend with oil of bergamot and honey flavor
Smooth and Complex Blend of Black Tea

Find more Harney and Sons Teas on Amazon.

The Republic of Tea: Organic SuperHerb Teas For Women

March 23, 2017 by Joi Leave a Comment

Organic Raspberry Leaf SuperHerb Tea for Women

The Republic of Tea is one of the most trusted names in the world of tea and has been on my radar for many years. I remember the first one of their teas I tried – a green tea that caught my eye in a Joe Mugg’s shop. I initially fell in love with their beautiful canisters (I am ALL about packaging, if you haven’t noticed by now), then when I began buying their teas, I fell even further in love because they’re extraordinary.

The Republic of Tea has just released a new line of organic SuperHerb Teas for women this month. THese organic teas are unique blends of powerful herbs with complementing fruits and spices that have a wide range of health benefits for women through all phases of life.

I spend a great deal (make that GREAT DEAL) of time reading about healing foods, drinks, and herbs for two of my other blogs, Self Help Daily and Out of Bounds. If we’re being honest, however, most of the reading and research I do is out of love for my family (husband, three daughters, and three sons-I-never had). I want them to all be as healthy as possible. So I know all too well that we have more control of our health and physical well-being than most people realize.

Every single time we decide what we’re going to put into our bodies, we are exercising this control!

Not only does each bite and each sip carry us either closer to or further away from optimum health, but what we put into our bodies can actually help with common ailments and/or health concerns such as…

anxiety
weight
bloating
joint pain
hot flashes
inflammation
etc..

The Republic of Tea has 4 exciting new tea blends that can help us women in various stages of life. Keep reading to see which one (or 2, 3, or 4!) sound the most intriguing to you.

The 4 new organic tea blends just released from The Republic of Tea:

1. Fenugreek for Nursing Moms

Fenugreek is nature’s most popular herb for supporting healthy breast milk production. A smooth blend with a hint of organic cinnamon, this caffeine-free tea offers a soothing and delicious moment of relaxation.

2. Sage for Calm & Hot Flashes

Sage is an ancient herb known to help keep the body cool and calm, even in the midst of menopausal hormone surges. A refreshing blend with tropical pineapple notes, this caffeine-free tea is especially revitalizing cooled and served over ice.

3. Raspberry Leaf for Women’s Health

Red raspberry leaf has a wide range of health benefits for women, and can help at virtually every stage of life – fertility, pregnancy, nursing and menopause. This tea is reminiscent of a fruity parfait with a juicy blend of rosehips, vanilla and berry notes.

4. Nettle for Inflammation, Kidney Function & More

Our Nettle tea is for both men and women. Nettle leaves can help reduce inflammation and support kidneys. Organic nettle leaves with a touch of peppermint and vanilla makes this tea a joy to sip.

I was offered a sample of a tea of my choice in exchange for telling my tea blog readers about the wonderful new teas. Since I am a Raspberry tea fanatic (drinking it all day, everyday qualifies as fanatical, does it not?), I chose the Raspberry Leaf tea. I also loved that it covered “any stage,” since that’s pretty much where I live.

From The Republic of Tea’s Website: Red Raspberry Leaf is perhaps the most popular herb among midwives and herbalists. From fertility to pregnancy to nursing to even menopause,* this herb can help women at virtually every stage of life.* It has been long revered for its ability to help tone uterine muscles and balance menstrual cycles.* With a hint of vanilla and berry notes, this tea is reminiscent of a fruity parfait. See more.

Organic Raspberry Leaf SuperHerb Tea Review

When brewing tea for one of my tea reviews, I always try it, first, hot and then iced. I made a large mug of the Raspberry Leaf to enjoy with my afternoon reading. Tea and an Agatha Christie mystery were made for one another, you know.

The tea was amazing – one of the things I’ve always found lovely about The Republic of Tea is the fact that they are subtle. You never get any overwhelming “in your face” flavors or notes. The star of each show is the tea, itself, which is exactly as it should be.

After all, if we were after fruit juice, wouldn’t we buy it?!

The perfect cup of tea is one in which you take a sip and know you’re drinking a great cup of tea. Then, you have the lovely extra flavor or flavors in the background. This is exactly (and consistently) how it is with The Republic of Tea and this tea is no exception.

I finished the cup of tea in the time it took me to read two chapters. There was excellence in each and every sip.

When it came time (at supper) to try it iced, I have to admit, I thought, “It probably won’t be as great as the hot version was…” Not only was I wrong, I was ridiculously wrong… the iced version of this tea is even more delicious and memorable than the hot. You’re able to taste the different (beautiful) flavors in the tea when it’s iced (or even room temp). Unlike traditional tea bags, when making iced tea with The Republic of Tea, you don’t need to use nearly as many bags per pitcher. My favorite way to go about it, however is to simply brew the amount I’ll be using per glass.

I can’t recommend this Raspberry Leaf tea enough – it’s a perfect 10 hot and a perfect 10-1/2 iced!

Find more information (and order your own teas) by visiting The Republic of Tea SuperHerb Teas for Women today.

The Republic of Tea Raspberry Leaf

Ideas for Giving Up Sweet Tea for Unsweet Tea Without Losing Your Mind or Your Will to Live

January 9, 2017 by Joi Leave a Comment

I guess that title is melodramatic enough, wouldn’t you say? But here’s the thing – I am a Southern gal who proudly loves her birthrights:

accent
“y’all“
green tomato relish on beans
grits
love for college football Saturdays
cornbread
sweet tea

Unfortunately (or fortunately – jury is still out) I’m also health-conscious, and the more I read about the dangers of sugar, the more inclined I am to completely remove it from my tea – iced and hot.

Ouch.

When your favorite thing to drink all of your life WITH EACH MEAL is sweet tea, giving it up doesn’t come easy. Most days it comes without tears, thrown objects, and sour looks at strangers – but it is not easy.

I’m not trying to totally remove sugar from my life. No, thank you. I’m simply looking at all the places I can cut it out so that my overall consumption is much, much less. For me, not adding any sweetener to my coffee or tea (literally) cuts out a couple of cups of sugar daily. Yes, daily. Try not to judge.

If you, like me, are trying to cut back on sugar, removing it from your drinks is a brilliant first step. Over the years with trial and error and error and error, I’ve found a few tricks. I hope they can help you – which, if we’re being honest, I believe they will. Why? Because if they can help ME, they can help ANYONE.

KNOWLEDGE is POWER

Knowing why you are breaking up with sugar isn’t just enough – you have to keep reminding yourself of the reasons when he tries to sweet-talk his way back into your life. (if you need sugar to be a female, simply switch up the pronouns, I don’t mind).

Dangers of Sugar

sugar promotes wrinkling and aging
sugar can lead to osteoporosis
cavities, rotted teeth..
empty calories that give you extra weight without any nutrients
it is almost as addictive as drugs
can cause cancer
contributes to diabetes
leads to heart problems
can cause gallstones
can cause arthritis
and many many more…

Diabetes, cancer, heart problems…. Ready to get serious?

{Tips for giving up sweet tea below…}

COMMIT

A lot of people say to cut out unsweet tea and only have sweet tea, maybe once a week, as a “treat.” This did not at all work for me. All it did was remind me of the sweet elixir I was now missing out on. I once actually stopped drinking sweet tea for a good three weeks (a huge landmark for me, as you’d imagine). Then, while dining out, I inadvertently, from YEARS of habit, said “sweet tea.” Sure, I caught it in time to correct myself, but I didn’t go that route. One sip and I knew I’d just fallen off the wagon and was now firmly underneath it clinging to my sugar laden tea.

The three weeks did not become four weeks.

I’ve learned that if you’re going to give it up… give it up for good. What you’re actually trying to do is develop a taste for, love for, and appreciation for the taste of unsweet tea. Reminding yourself of it’s overwhelming deliciousness is not going to help you.

IF YOU, TOO, ARE A SUGAR JUNKIE….

Because of the ridiculous amount of sugar I used in my tea, I actually had a preliminary process before I completely gave it up for good. If you fancy that you might just be as bad as I was, this preliminary process may be helpful for you. If you think that you aren’t as bad as me (few are, honestly few are), you can skip to the next step. Two weeks before I cut sugar out of my tea for good, I began cutting back. Instead of adding a solid cup to each pitcher, I began adding 1/4 cup of sugar. When I got my own tea in restaurants, I gave myself half sweet and half unsweet.

This preliminary process helped prepare my taste buds for what was to come. I had never done this in the past and I honestly think it was the main reason I was able to be successful this time.

Recruit SUPPORT

Tell your family what you’re trying to do. Let them know the dangers that sugar poses to your health and happiness (see list above). Ask for their support and help. They’ll be there for you. Heckity heck, if you share the list above with them (which you should), they will probably join you in your anti-sugar crusade. For your sake, I hope so, it’s simply easier when you have a mini army around you.

However, if you are going it alone – it simply means you’re going to have to be a super hero and I believe you’d look FAB in a cape.

Get CREATIVE

As we’ve established, I was the Queen of Sweet Tea and I reigned for decades. So, if I found things that worked for me, I’m certain they will work for others.

For some reason, making your tea a little stronger than usual helps you step away from the sugar. I’m finding myself falling head over heels in love with unsweetened strong black tea. It has a indescribable flavor that I find myself craving.
Fruit. Fruit. Fruit. Fruit has a natural sweetness, along with crazy delicious flavor. Sometimes I make up a pitcher of raspberry tea and add a few frozen peach slices to my glass. The combo is a knock-out and I never even think about sugar. Another combo I’m crazy about is adding orange wedges or slices to raspberry, black, or green tea. It tastes delicious and smells like Christmas, how is that anything but excellent?
Adding frozen peaches to black iced tea or green tea is also fantastic.
Mixing tea bags together is also something I enjoy doing. A couple of Tazo Zen Green Tea bags and a few of their Wild Sweet Orange bags make great hot or iced tea.
Experiment with different flavored teas from online companies such as Adagio. Great tea has so much personality that you won’t miss sugar… trust me. Their “berry” teas are better than any sweetened drink I’ve ever had… and you know that’s saying something.
When in restaurants, ask for a lemon with your unsweet tea. It’s better than sneaking in a bag of frozen peaches. My husband frowns upon such things.
Honestly, frozen peaches, lemons, and orange wedges are the keys to success.

DO NOT GO BACK

Like all healthy habits, once you’ve created it, you can’t let your guard down. Could drinking one glass of sweet tea undo weeks of progress sticking with unsweet tea. YES. Actually YES x 7 – the number of times it has happened to me. Write down the list of sugar’s nastiness above and refer to it when necessary. Quite frankly, it’ll take away your craving immediately.

Also, this is a good time to point out that you need to kiss all of those bottled teas good-bye. The amount of sugar in them is pretty nuts.

What About Artificial Sweeteners?

Most experts feel that these artificial sweeteners are EVEN more dangerous than sugar. If that doesn’t alarm you, go back and read the health dangers of sugar again, then say the words, “EVEN more dangerous…” It’s an eye-opener.

ENCOURAGEMENT

Here’s a word of encouragement: After giving sweet tea up recently (without any cheating), I accidentally (unmarked tea canister at Wendy’s tripped me up) took a sip of sweet tea. Instead of thinking, “Oh Sweet Heavens, this is where I’m meant to be…” I literally thought, “Ugh – liquid sugar. I can’t even taste the tea!!”

After I picked myself up off the ground, I realized that my taste buds had been kind of retrained. They’d found that tea, in and of itself, is a delicious drink. It has plenty of fresh, pure flavor to stand on its own.

I poured out my “liquid sugar” and ice and started fresh with honest to goodness tea and thought “… this IS where I’m meant to be.”

Review: Adagio Teas’ Masala Chai Tea (Loose Leaf)… WOW!

November 29, 2016 by Joi Leave a Comment

Slurp, Indeed.In a recent Adagio Teas order, I got to choose a free sample and, being the Chai Tea Latte FANATIC that I am, I went with Masala Chai Tea (loose leaf). Knowing Adagio the way I do, I knew it would be extra special (since every tea they make is outstanding) – and the thought of an extra special Masala Chai made into a Chai latte filled me with unspeakable happiness.

Like all fanatics, I can recall the exact day I became obsessed with Chai Tea Lattes. It was over 10 years ago… on a Saturday afternoon. It was the middle of winter and my husband and I had gone to a local coffee house for liquid warmth. As a Crazy Tea Chick, my hot drinks of choice in coffee houses are almost always tea. This time, instead of a hot black or green tea, I decided to try a Chai Tea Latte…. and my life was never quite the same.

To this day, my winter “go to” drink in all coffee houses is a Chai Tea Latte. My summer “go to” alternates between iced black tea, green tea frapps, and a Starbucks fixation, Strawbery Acai Refresher.

My winter drink does not alternate. Ever. Naturally, I make my own Chai Tea Lattes at home (can you say daily?) as well. I normally use my Breville Cafe’ Milk Frother (an absolute must if you enjoy lattes, coffee or tea) but a blender will certainly do the trick.

I made up a pot of the Masala Chai as soon as it arrived. As soon as I opened the pouch, I knew it was going to be a great afternoon. The aroma was unspeakably beautiful – I realized right away that most Masala Chai loose leaf tea doesn’t measure up when it comes to this aroma.

{Review Continued Below….}

Adagio Tea's Masala Chai Tea (Loose Leaf)

When making lattes at home, I always brew the tea stronger than normal. This makes the latte a real work of art. I add equal parts brewed tea and milk (any type – coconut milk from a can is AMAZING with Chai tea… AMAZING) to the Breville Cafe’ Milk Frother (or blender) and turn it on.

After you’ve poured the deliciousness in your cup, taste it to see how much (if any) sugar you want to add to sweeten the deal. More times than not, I will add a little whipped topping to the top instead of adding any sugar.

Another decadent treat is to stir the latte with a cinnamon stick. As luck would have it, I was all out of cinnamon sticks… so I just dove in without any frills.

Phenomenal. Seriously. Adagio Tea’s Masala Chai Tea makes one of the best Chai Tea Lattes I have ever had – and, believe me, I have had gazillions.

Confession – I normally use Tazo’s Chai Tea Latte Concentrate when making Chai Tea Lattes at home. It gives me that strong, addictive, utterly beautiful Chai Tea Latte experience I live by and, quite frankly, I’ve found very few Chai Tea loose leaf teas that can hang with Tazo’s concentrate.

Adagio’s Masala Chai (loose leaf) was more than up for the challenge and it blew me straight away. The concentrate has nothing on this beautiful tea. If you love Chai Tea Lattes, like me, or have never experienced one on your own… this is the Chai Tea for you. Trust me – if there’s one thing this Crazy Tea Chick knows, you’re looking at it below.

Find the Masala Chai and other Chai Teas on Adagio Tea’s website. Trust me, you won’t be sorry – these people know their tea like few people could ever hope to.

More Adagio Teas Reviews on Crazy Tea Chick:

Review: Creme D Orange Green and White Loose Leaf Tea from Kent & Sussex (Amazing!)

July 29, 2016 by Joi Leave a Comment

Creme D Orange Green and White Tea from Kent & Sussex

As I said, emphatically, in my Kent & Sussex Spring Tea Review, the tea lovers at Kent & Sussex Tea & Coffee Company know their tea. Each loose leaf tea I’ve had from Kent & Sussex has made my top 10 list of all-time favorite teas. The one I’ll review today is no exception – in fact, it’s a strong contender for top 3. The Creme D Orange Green and White Tea is phenomenal.

Creme D’Orange is a mixture of Green and White Chinese tea, with vanilla flavoring and orange which make absolute magic together. This beautiful tea reminds me of Orange Creamsicles. The vanilla and orange combination is a throwback to a time I grabbed an Orange Creamsicle each time I passed the refrigerator.

If you aren’t familiar with Orange Creamsicles, just know this – the flavor combination is a wonderful, wonderful thing.

Creme D Orange Green and White Tea is fantastic on ice but you get a much heavier vanilla flavor when it’s cold. The Vanilla/Orange balance is most noticeable when this tea is served hot, and that’s the way I prefer this one. With the Spring Tea, I love it equally both iced and hot, but with this tea, the hot is just so extraordinary, iced really never stood a chance.

This is a perfect loose leaf tea and I whole-heartedly recommend it. You cannot possibly order it soon enough and you cannot possibly order too much of it.

Ingredients– China Sencha Lung Ching, Yunnan Pai Mu Tan, Rose buds, Vanilla Flavoring, Orange slices and Carrot shreds.

Where to Buy – Find Creme D Orange Green and White Tea on Kent & Sussex Tea & Coffee Company’s website.

Also See: Kent & Sussex Spring Tea Review

Review: TAZO Organic Peachy Green Tea

March 29, 2016 by Joi

TAZO Organic Peachy Green TeaIt’s been my experience that all TAZO teas are delicious and the TAZO Organic Peachy Green Tea is certainly no exception. I buy at least three boxes of TAZO tea each time I go to Target (great selection). If I’m out – or even remotely low – on their Wild Sweet Orange or Passion, I’ll buy those. If I see a new flavor, as long as it isn’t mango (deathly allergic), I’ll also grab a box of it.

This is all, of course, on top of the TAZO Chai Tea Concentrate I can’t possibly live without.

After loading up on the “regulars” last week, I grabbed a box of the TAZO Organic Peachy Green Tea to try. It wasn’t the first time I’d seen it, to be honest. It had been tempting me for quite a while. The problem is, though, I’ve been jilted by so many “peach” flavored teas that… well… I’m having to learn to trust again.

{Review continued below….}

TAZO Organic Peachy Green is Great Hot and IcedSince TAZO is one of the names I trust the most, I actually accepted its invitation this time and brought it home with me. Somehow, between leaving Target and getting home with my tea stash, my hopes began to soar so high that the first thing I did was make a cup.

Then another.

It was phenomenal and, honestly, made me forget every peach flavored tea that’d ever broken my heart before.

Peach is one of my favorite flavors in the world, so it frustrates me when teas don’t do right by it. Nine times out of ten, the flavor they call “peach” isn’t even close to the peach I know and love. With TAZO Organic Peachy Green Tea, however, I literally knew it was going to be special the second I opened the tea bag. My nose knew even before my taste buds.

The flavor is 110 percent peach… not just a flavor that’s in the neighborhood. What’s more, TAZO did a perfect job of distributing just the right amount. It doesn’t taste like you’re drinking a peach – it tastes like you’re drinking a great cup of green tea that happens to have peach on its mind.

Trust me, it’s a beautiful thing.

This tea is also fantastic iced. A clear indication in my house of how much I love a tea is how fast the box disappears. TAZO Organic Peachy Green Tea has become an “instant legend” in our home – the box was completely empty within 4 days.

Do you have any idea how many cups and glasses of tea that is?!?!

Look for TAZO Organic Peachy Green Tea in your local grocery store or Target. You can also find it on Amazon: TAZO Organic Peachy Green Tea.

It’s now joined the ranks of TAZO’s Passion, Sweet Wild Orange, Zen Green Tea, and Chai Tea Concentrate on my trips to Target… If TAZO keeps this up, I’m going to need two carts.

Review: Firepot’s Masala Chai Loose Leaf Makes Legendary Chai Tea Lattes

January 19, 2016 by Joi

Firepot’s Masala Chai Loose Leaf

I’ll never forget my first Chai Tea Latte. It was an especially cold winter evening, about 10 years ago. We were at a local coffeehouse here in Owensboro and I wanted to try something different. Little did I know that what began as something “different” would immediately become a complete obsession. I have ordered Chai Tea Lattes in countless coffeehouses since that fateful evening and make Chai Tea Lattes daily in my own home.

Cookie Monster has his cookies and I have my Chai Tea Lattes – with similar emoting.

Well, come to think of it, I put him to shame.

I have used Tazo concentrate, Firepot concentrates and Chai Tea from Jaipur over the years and have nothing but wonderful things to say about each. Recently, I made Chai Tea Lattes (for the first time) using Loose Leaf Chai Tea. The process was simple and the latte was out of this world delicious. I used Firepot Tea’s Masala Chai Loose Leaf and discovered that, like everything else Firepot makes, it’s phenomenal.

The flavor is bold, beautiful, spicy, and completely unforgettable.

Whenever I write any of my reviews (whether I’m reviewing restaurants, tea, coffee, gluten free food, or books), I always try to remember my first thought and, when applicable, first words.

Here comes the Cookie Monster level emoting…

I doubled the recipe printed on the container and filled my much loved “Dutch Girl” ceramic pot. After pouring myself a cup, I settled into my favorite chair and took my first sip. The first thought and the first words were the same, “OH MY….” These were followed by countless sips from the same cup, several treks to and from the ceramic pot to the chair, and many blissful thoughts about Chai Tea Lattes and the respect shown to them by Firepot.

I may or may not have asked God to bless everyone involved with Firepot above and beyond expectations.

At one point… I believe it was during cup number 3… I let out an “Mmmmmm” noise that sounded like a lawnmower that was a little too excited about the return of lawn mowing season.

Whether you’re already a Chai Tea Latte fan or are actually new to the world of Chai Tea, you will definitely want to head over to Firepot Nomadic Tea and grab your own Masala Loose Leaf Chai Tea. The container makes up to 34 cups of tea that will blow you completely away – each and every time.

The first time you make your tea, all you need is a mesh strainer, pan, and cup. Subsequent times you’ll want a pot. Trust me.

“Mmmmmm” – Crazy Tea Chick

Preparation: Boil 1-2 teaspoons of Firepot Chai with ½ cup milk and ½ cup water. Remove from heat and steep for 5 minutes. Strain into a mug and add 2 teaspoons of sugar or other sweetener. Stir and enjoy the subtly sweet, transporting taste of real Chai!

More Firepot Nomadic Tea Reviews on Crazy Tea Chick:

Plum Deluxe: Oregon Breakfast Black Tea (Review)

January 8, 2016 by Joi Leave a Comment

As promised in my last Plum Deluxe Tea Review, here’s my caffeinated, wide-eyed, awake-and-then-some review of their bold Oregon Breakfast Black Tea. As I’ve said many times on the tea blog, I’m as crazy about coffee as I am tea – I just don’t drink it as often.

A lot of people can’t drink coffee – and frankly, I’ve often wondered how they wake up each morning. Maybe it’d be more appropriate to say, I wonder how they function each morning. In my world, I begin the day with coffee, then he taps out and tea takes over for the remainder of the day. It’s as though coffee grabs me by the lapels and screams, “Up! Up,Up, Up, Up UP!”- then tea calmly ( in a British voice, natch) says, “So, you’re awake, then?”

For anyone who cannot drink coffee, Plum Deluxe has a beautiful alternative – Oregon Breakfast Black Tea. This tea is every bit as delicious and effective at Reveille as coffee. In fact, even if you CAN drink coffee, you’d enjoy mixing things up a couple mornings each week with this very unique tea.

Here’s what Oregon Breakfast Black Tea has to say for Itself:

This breakfast tea is how Plum Deluxe folk like to start their day. The earthy base helps center you; the ping of orange helps wake you and get you excited about today’s possibilities. It’s a simple tea & yet it is rich with subtle flavors.

Hazelnut – in its oil essence form – has tons of great anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant benefits, as well as vitamin E. Paired with some orange, you’re getting a true boost from this tea in every cup. Read more…

What Sets this Black Tea Apart from Other Black Teas?

Glad you asked. What makes this tea unlike any you’ve ever had are…

Hazelnut
Orange peels

The flavor combination is one that I was not, previously, at all familiar with. I’ve had Hazelnut coffee before and loved it – but I’d have never in a million and one years thought of pairing it with tea. And, yet, the flavor is so fascinating and mind-blowing that I’m now obsessed with it. Truly, it’s downright addictive.

In addition to my passion for coffee, I’m sure I’ve also confessed before that I don’t have a sweet tooth… I have sweet teeth. I sweeten everything that comes within my reach if it isn’t already sweetened.

Please try not to judge me.

I opted for honey to sweeten my mug of hot Oregon Breakfast Black Tea. Phenomenal. Absolutely phenomenal. The unexpected, exciting flavor of hazelnut really makes your taste buds dance. It’s like they’re at the taste bud prom and hazelnut is the DJ.

When reviewing teas, I like to try them iced as well as hot, because as far as I’m concerned a tea should be as “year round” as your favorite pair of jeans.

This tea was equally delicious hot as it was iced – and, to be honest, I didn’t expect it to be. When I finished off my wonderful mug of hot tea, I thought, “Welllll, I’ll try it iced but I’m pretty sure this is a hot tea only type of tea.”

Shows what I know.

Oregon Breakfast Black Tea is just as wonderful on ice as it is off ice.

If you can’t tell from my words, I’ll just go ahead and say it – this tea has me flabbergasted. When your world is so completely filled with tea, it takes a lot to catch you off guard – especially with black tea,which is generally a pretty laced up kind of fella.

And yet… here I am at a loss for words to tell you just how special and unexpected this tea is.

I’m afraid I’m going to have to resort to this: Click over to Plum Deluxe and order some for yourself. As in right now. It’s just $7.00 per oz and it will blow your mind. Try it hot, try it iced – and be sure to have a little honey on hand. It really… *cough cough*… sweetens the deal.

Other Plum Deluxe Tea Reviews on Crazy Tea Chick:

Learn more about Plum Deluxe teas, gift sets, newsletter, and tea club by visiting their website: Plum Deluxe. You can also find them on Pinterest and Facebook.