Do you like cinnamon? A lot? Do you like the intense, spicy flavors of Indian or Middle Eastern food? Then Harney & Sons' Hot Cinnamon Spice tea (https://www.harney.com/hot-cinnamon-spice-tea.html) is for you.
This is a bold, assertive tea. Hot Cinnamon Spice is a blend of black tea, three types of cinnamon, orange peel, and sweet cloves. No sugar has been added and even +Robert Peterson , most avid fan of Texas sweet tea, finds that no sugar is needed. It's incredibly cinnamon-y -- the aroma almost knocks you down and takes your lunch money. It's got a spicy bite over the top of the tea flavor. This is not a gentle, soothing drink. It's a late afternoon or after dinner pick-me-up.
For me, drinking this tea is very much a mood thing. I'm not always in the mood to have three types of cinnamon take my lunch money. I can get the same flavors, in different and far gentler proportions, from Harney & Sons' Holiday tea blend (https://www.harney.com/hrp-holiday-tea.html). By and large, I prefer the more gingerbread-like flavors of the Holiday tea, which incorporates almonds and uses a far lighter hand with the cinnamon. But for nights when I am working late, or when I need to drive home tired after a late-night dinner, Hot Cinnamon Spice can be a great, energizing, pick-me up. It comes in both regular and decaf, but I honestly can't see the point of drinking this in decaf form.
I'm not a huge fan of Indian food, but I imagine the Hot Cinnamon Spice would go exceptionally well with it. It goes really well with steak dinners, for sure.
Thursday, January 30, 2014
Tuesday, January 28, 2014
Tea tasting: Twinings' Winter Spice Herbal Tea
I'm a big fan of Twinings for solid, basic tea. In years past, their Winter Spice herbal (http://www.twiningsusashop.com/winter-spice.html) has been a nice mellow tisane. This year, however, it seems to have taken a steep fall-off in quality.
It's supposed to be a blend of apple and camomile, with hints of cinnamon, cardamom and cloves. In earlier years, it's been a bright, sunny and warm cuppa, slightly suggestive of apple strudel but not overly sweet. It was a great match for winter baking, with the cinnamon notes carrying through.
Unfortunately, the two cups I just made have tasted like hot water that has been passed vaguely in the vicinity of an apple and then shown some camomile flowers. They were nasty and insipid. I'm terribly disappointed. Maybe I got a very old box and the tisane has aged too much to brew well. Maybe Twinings is "reformulating" again, which never goes well for them. (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2030922/Earl-Grey-drinkers-dismiss-new-recipe-affront-tea.html)
Putting two teabags into my mug has made the tea palatable, but still a shadow of its former self. Throwing out tea is anathema in most cases, but this one has got to go.
It's supposed to be a blend of apple and camomile, with hints of cinnamon, cardamom and cloves. In earlier years, it's been a bright, sunny and warm cuppa, slightly suggestive of apple strudel but not overly sweet. It was a great match for winter baking, with the cinnamon notes carrying through.
Unfortunately, the two cups I just made have tasted like hot water that has been passed vaguely in the vicinity of an apple and then shown some camomile flowers. They were nasty and insipid. I'm terribly disappointed. Maybe I got a very old box and the tisane has aged too much to brew well. Maybe Twinings is "reformulating" again, which never goes well for them. (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2030922/Earl-Grey-drinkers-dismiss-new-recipe-affront-tea.html)
Putting two teabags into my mug has made the tea palatable, but still a shadow of its former self. Throwing out tea is anathema in most cases, but this one has got to go.
Monday, January 27, 2014
"Tea, Earl Grey, hot"
Of all of the flavored black teas, Earl Grey tea is probably the most well known and the easiest to find. It also carries a certain geek cred because it was the favorite drink of Capt. Jean-Luc Picard.
The tea is generally thought to be named after Charles, 2nd Earl Grey, Prime Minister of England (b. 1764, d. 1845), but this claim is increasingly disputed. (http://www.foodsofengland.co.uk/earlgreytea.htm ; http://www.tea.co.uk/news-article/a-grey-area:-all-about-earl-grey) Twinings advertises that is has been making Earl Grey tea since the 1830s. (http://www.twiningsusashop.com/earl-grey.html). However, Jacksons of Picadilly, another British tea institution, also claims to be the maker of the original Earl Grey blend. (http://www.twiningsusashop.com/earl-grey.html).
Earl Grey tea is black tea flavored with oil of bergamot. Oil of bergamot is extracted from the bergamot orange, a citrus fruit. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bergamot_orange; http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/61711/bergamot-orange) . Bergamot oil combined with black tea produces a flavorful, aromatic brew that is well-known to any serious tea-drinker. Applied with too heavy a hand it becomes unbearably perfume-y.
Twinings (http://www.twiningsusashop.com/earl-grey.html) is likely the best-known maker of Earl Grey tea imported to the U.S., and can be counted on to produce a solid, flavorful cuppa. It's got all the right floral and citrus notes without letting the bergamot overwhelm the taste of the tea. Twinings tried to reformulate its classic blend in 2011, but like New Coke, that attempt was met with tea-drinker outrage, and the original blend was brought back. (http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/andrewmcfbrown/100102578/earl-grey-tea-is-back-twinings-gives-in-to-outraged-tea-drinkers/)
I've sampled a number of other companies' Earl Greys as well:
Mighty Leaf (http://www.mightyleaf.com/Best-Sellers/Organic-Earl-Grey-Black-Tea-Pouches/#Organic-Earl-Grey--15-pouches-cello-wrap) seems to go heavier on the bergamot oil than Twinings does, but stays on the acceptable side of the balance between tea and flavoring.
Republic of Tea (http://www.republicoftea.com/earl-greyer-black-tea/p/V00583/) produces a nicely balanced blend that is fair competition for Twinings.
Harney & Sons (https://www.harney.com/harney-teas/black-tea-aab3238922bcc25a6f606eb525ffdc56/flavored-black-teas.html) makes two different blends of Earl Grey -- the Imperial and the Supreme. I'm quite fond of the Imperial, which is the "standard" Earl Grey. The Supreme is billed as using a higher quality tea, and I look forward to trying it.
My current Earl Grey of choice is from Taylors of Harrogate (http://www.taylorsofharrogate.co.uk/subcattea.asp?catid=119), which carries some of my current favorite black teas. The quality of the black tea is more than a match for the bergamot in this one, creating a subtle mix of flavors that can soothe even the worst afternoon.
I've got a sample pouch of Adagio's Earl Grey Moonlight blend waiting to be opened. I'll report on this one separately.
For me, Bigelow's and Stash's Earl Grey blends are the definition of imbalanced, over-perfumed teas. They use too heavy a hand with the bergamot, and the result is somewhat like drinking straight bergamot oil that has been passed over a tea leaf a few times.
For those who want a less perfumed tea, in the 1990s Twinings developed "Lady Grey tea," a blend using less bergamot oil but adding lemon and orange peel oils. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lady_Grey_(tea)). Other companies also make "Lady Grey" or "Mrs. Earl Grey" or otherwise modified Earl Grey teas using reduced levels of bergamot and additional flavors such as lavender or other citrus fruits. For me it's a mood thing. Some days, there is simply nothing quite as soothing and satisfying as a steaming cup of Earl Grey. Lady Grey is a lighter, brisker taste, more for everyday drinking than savoring.
The tea is generally thought to be named after Charles, 2nd Earl Grey, Prime Minister of England (b. 1764, d. 1845), but this claim is increasingly disputed. (http://www.foodsofengland.co.uk/earlgreytea.htm ; http://www.tea.co.uk/news-article/a-grey-area:-all-about-earl-grey) Twinings advertises that is has been making Earl Grey tea since the 1830s. (http://www.twiningsusashop.com/earl-grey.html). However, Jacksons of Picadilly, another British tea institution, also claims to be the maker of the original Earl Grey blend. (http://www.twiningsusashop.com/earl-grey.html).
Earl Grey tea is black tea flavored with oil of bergamot. Oil of bergamot is extracted from the bergamot orange, a citrus fruit. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bergamot_orange; http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/61711/bergamot-orange) . Bergamot oil combined with black tea produces a flavorful, aromatic brew that is well-known to any serious tea-drinker. Applied with too heavy a hand it becomes unbearably perfume-y.
Twinings (http://www.twiningsusashop.com/earl-grey.html) is likely the best-known maker of Earl Grey tea imported to the U.S., and can be counted on to produce a solid, flavorful cuppa. It's got all the right floral and citrus notes without letting the bergamot overwhelm the taste of the tea. Twinings tried to reformulate its classic blend in 2011, but like New Coke, that attempt was met with tea-drinker outrage, and the original blend was brought back. (http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/andrewmcfbrown/100102578/earl-grey-tea-is-back-twinings-gives-in-to-outraged-tea-drinkers/)
I've sampled a number of other companies' Earl Greys as well:
Mighty Leaf (http://www.mightyleaf.com/Best-Sellers/Organic-Earl-Grey-Black-Tea-Pouches/#Organic-Earl-Grey--15-pouches-cello-wrap) seems to go heavier on the bergamot oil than Twinings does, but stays on the acceptable side of the balance between tea and flavoring.
Republic of Tea (http://www.republicoftea.com/earl-greyer-black-tea/p/V00583/) produces a nicely balanced blend that is fair competition for Twinings.
Harney & Sons (https://www.harney.com/harney-teas/black-tea-aab3238922bcc25a6f606eb525ffdc56/flavored-black-teas.html) makes two different blends of Earl Grey -- the Imperial and the Supreme. I'm quite fond of the Imperial, which is the "standard" Earl Grey. The Supreme is billed as using a higher quality tea, and I look forward to trying it.
My current Earl Grey of choice is from Taylors of Harrogate (http://www.taylorsofharrogate.co.uk/subcattea.asp?catid=119), which carries some of my current favorite black teas. The quality of the black tea is more than a match for the bergamot in this one, creating a subtle mix of flavors that can soothe even the worst afternoon.
I've got a sample pouch of Adagio's Earl Grey Moonlight blend waiting to be opened. I'll report on this one separately.
For me, Bigelow's and Stash's Earl Grey blends are the definition of imbalanced, over-perfumed teas. They use too heavy a hand with the bergamot, and the result is somewhat like drinking straight bergamot oil that has been passed over a tea leaf a few times.
For those who want a less perfumed tea, in the 1990s Twinings developed "Lady Grey tea," a blend using less bergamot oil but adding lemon and orange peel oils. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lady_Grey_(tea)). Other companies also make "Lady Grey" or "Mrs. Earl Grey" or otherwise modified Earl Grey teas using reduced levels of bergamot and additional flavors such as lavender or other citrus fruits. For me it's a mood thing. Some days, there is simply nothing quite as soothing and satisfying as a steaming cup of Earl Grey. Lady Grey is a lighter, brisker taste, more for everyday drinking than savoring.
Sunday, January 26, 2014
Tea tasting: David's Teas' Stormy Night
Now that my taste buds have returned, I was all ready to do a full review of a tea worth tasting. Unfortunately, this very interesting tea isn't currently available from David's. It may be seasonal, or it may be that it simply was not very popular. I picked it up in May in Quebec City.
The tea smells like German chocolate cake -- chocolate, cinnamon and coconut, with a hint of vanilla. Cinnamon and coconut dominate the flavor when brewed mildly. When brewed more strongly, the chocolate chunks mixed in with the leaves can make the tea seem muddy. but they do intensify the chocolate flavor. The chocolate chunks also make cleaning out the tea ball or tea strainer quite the pain in the butt.
This is really an afternoon or evening tea; I can't see being able to appreciate something this complex in the morning. Since I try to avoid caffeine in the afternoon and evening, I don't dip into Stormy Night very often.
If your taste runs this way, and David's decides to bring it back, it's worth picking up a small pouch.
The tea smells like German chocolate cake -- chocolate, cinnamon and coconut, with a hint of vanilla. Cinnamon and coconut dominate the flavor when brewed mildly. When brewed more strongly, the chocolate chunks mixed in with the leaves can make the tea seem muddy. but they do intensify the chocolate flavor. The chocolate chunks also make cleaning out the tea ball or tea strainer quite the pain in the butt.
This is really an afternoon or evening tea; I can't see being able to appreciate something this complex in the morning. Since I try to avoid caffeine in the afternoon and evening, I don't dip into Stormy Night very often.
If your taste runs this way, and David's decides to bring it back, it's worth picking up a small pouch.
Wednesday, January 22, 2014
Tea-flavored things that aren't tea
I apologize for the lack of tea tasting for the past week. I've had a horrid head cold and my sense of taste is completely off.
Trying to soothe my itchy, scratchy throat, I cracked open a package of Bali's Best Green Tea Latte candies that I was given for the holidays. (http://www.fusiongourmet.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=1_4). They're very interesting and could easily become addictive. They remind me a lot of green tea ice cream. And I love green tea ice cream (which is unexpected, given that I hate milk in tea). The slightly bitter herbal taste combined with the smooth creamy texture is unlike anything else.
Green tea ice cream is something I used to find only in Asian restaurants or small specialty ice cream stores. However, Hagen-Daaz now sells green tea ice cream (http://www.haagendazs.com/Products/Product/2781). It can be found in most of the middle- to high-end grocery stores around me.
I've found a couple of recipes for cooking with tea as an ingredient. Bromley's website has some interesting ideas that I intend to try: http://www.bromleytea.com/recipes.html
If anyone else attempts any of these recipes, please let me know so I can share it with the group!
Trying to soothe my itchy, scratchy throat, I cracked open a package of Bali's Best Green Tea Latte candies that I was given for the holidays. (http://www.fusiongourmet.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=1_4). They're very interesting and could easily become addictive. They remind me a lot of green tea ice cream. And I love green tea ice cream (which is unexpected, given that I hate milk in tea). The slightly bitter herbal taste combined with the smooth creamy texture is unlike anything else.
Green tea ice cream is something I used to find only in Asian restaurants or small specialty ice cream stores. However, Hagen-Daaz now sells green tea ice cream (http://www.haagendazs.com/Products/Product/2781). It can be found in most of the middle- to high-end grocery stores around me.
I've found a couple of recipes for cooking with tea as an ingredient. Bromley's website has some interesting ideas that I intend to try: http://www.bromleytea.com/recipes.html
If anyone else attempts any of these recipes, please let me know so I can share it with the group!
Sunday, January 19, 2014
Guest review: Adagio's Dragonwell Green
+Camille des Jardins has provided me with another guest review, this time for Dragonwell Green (http://www.adagio.com/green/dragonwell.html) :
"I first tried Dragonwell tea many many years ago, when I first realized that tea was a Thing, and started to pay more attention. Mom had discovered Stash Tea, and was finding all sorts of interesting varities. I wanted to try Dragonwell because of the name. And it sounded good, but mostly because dragon. I don't remember if I liked it or not. Figured I'd try it again, given the opportunity.
Adagio's Dragonwell brews a pale green cup of tea when done according to recommendations. Earthy, 'green' scent, but not super strong. Lovely light, slightly smoky flavor. Nicely warming after shoveling the walkway in single-digit temperatures. I forgot about the second steeping I had started in the evening with the morning's tea leaves for about 10 minutes, and figured I'd ruined it, but there is none of the bitterness I usually associate with over-steeped green tea, and the flavor is just as nice as the morning's cup. A wonderful, wonderful tea."
"I first tried Dragonwell tea many many years ago, when I first realized that tea was a Thing, and started to pay more attention. Mom had discovered Stash Tea, and was finding all sorts of interesting varities. I wanted to try Dragonwell because of the name. And it sounded good, but mostly because dragon. I don't remember if I liked it or not. Figured I'd try it again, given the opportunity.
Adagio's Dragonwell brews a pale green cup of tea when done according to recommendations. Earthy, 'green' scent, but not super strong. Lovely light, slightly smoky flavor. Nicely warming after shoveling the walkway in single-digit temperatures. I forgot about the second steeping I had started in the evening with the morning's tea leaves for about 10 minutes, and figured I'd ruined it, but there is none of the bitterness I usually associate with over-steeped green tea, and the flavor is just as nice as the morning's cup. A wonderful, wonderful tea."
Thursday, January 16, 2014
Tea tasting: Teavana's Black Dragon Pearl
In keeping with the theme of unflavored teas, today's tea is Teavana's Black Dragon Pearl (http://www.teavana.com/the-teas/black-teas/p/black-dragon-pearls-black-tea). It's a lovely, textured black tea, with a malty undertone. The tea is presented in little rolled "pearls" of about 30 leaves. It takes about 3 of the little pearls to make a medium brew for a 16-oz cup. Using more or fewer pearls will make a stronger or weaker cup with a slightly different flavor profile.
This is also a tea that can be re-used after the first brewing. I've used the same leaves up to three times without negatively impacting the flavor of the tea. It is slightly different on each brewing, but tasty nevertheless. The first brewing is maltier, the later brewings are more simple.
The website claims it has chocolate tones, but I don't taste them.
This is also a tea that can be re-used after the first brewing. I've used the same leaves up to three times without negatively impacting the flavor of the tea. It is slightly different on each brewing, but tasty nevertheless. The first brewing is maltier, the later brewings are more simple.
The website claims it has chocolate tones, but I don't taste them.
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