Tag: tea

☕ Tea Time 2019

Posted onAuthorcahwyguy1 Comment

As I’m down to my last tin of tea, other than my large tin of Iranian Ceylon, it is time to do another tea order. My previous order was in May 2017, and before that in July 2015, in November 2013, and in April 2012,  so it is just about a 2 year cycle. Again, the bulk of the order is from Upton Tea (who has great varietals), except for teas that they are out of. Here’s what I’m ordering this time (as before, teas shown with ✨ are new this year (the addition of ⑰ indicates new due to updates at Upton); ☕⑰ indicates teas first ordered in 2017; ☕⑮ teas first ordered in 2015; ☕⑬ indicates teas first ordered in 2013; and ☕⑫ teas first ordered in 2012; further ☕ indicates black teas, and 🍵 indicates green teas; and (2017 Price)):

  1. TD50: No.1 Tippy Orthodox GFOP Darjeeling. ☕⑬. An exceptional golden tip Darjeeling blend. We first introduced this tea in 1990 and it continues to be our most popular Darjeeling. $10.25 ($9.75) / 125g.
  2. TA20: Tippy Orthodox FBOP Assam. ☕⑰ A uniform, broken-leaf tea with bold character and strong, malty flavor. This tea is a great choice for breakfast and throughout the day. $7.00 ($6.50) / 100g.
  3. TA27: Halmari CTC BOP. ☕⑰ A bold CTC style tea with rich flavor. The dark liquor will readily take milk. Especially suited as a bracing morning tea. $6.75 ($6.25) / 125g.
  4. TN10: Nilgiri Broken Orange Pekoe.  ☕⑬. Located in southern India, Nilgiri produces teas similar to those of Ceylon, yet with a distinctive character. This British style Nilgiri produces a flavorful cup that is excellent with milk. ($4.00 ($6.402013) / 100g (125g2013))
  5. TP12: Premium China Keemun. ☕⑮ Often called the burgundy of China teas, this North China Congou is rich, flavorful and appropriate for any time of day. We offer this as our basic Keemun, although it is in the middle range of the standard series. $7.00 ($6.50) / 125g.
  6. ZG20: First Grade Gunpowder Green. 🍵⑫ Superior grade of green tea in the style of gunpowder teas (tightly rolled tea leaves resembling gunpowder pellets). $5.75/125g.
  7. ZG14: Young Hyson Imperial Organic. 🍵⑮ This organic tea has the bold flavor of a high-fired tea, yet it has a pleasing smoothness with delicate sweetness. The thin, well-twisted leaves produce a liquor with a pale green color. This is a very popular style of China green tea with a bolder leaf. $6.50 ($6.00) / 100g.
  8. ZO20: Roasted Oolong. ✨☕. This tea begins as a classic, medium-oxidized Tie-Guan-Yin Oolong, processed in the traditional style. It is finished and cured with a slow firing in bamboo baskets over a charcoal fire. The result is a tea with smooth, rich and inviting character. $6.25 / 125g.
  9. TB49: Darjeeling-Ceylon Iced Tea Blend. ☕⑫ Half whole-leaf Darjeeling and half OP Ceylon. A great hot tea as well! The brewing information provided is for making an iced tea concentrate. $7.50 ($7.00) / 125g.
  10. TB15: Java Blend. ☕⑬ A rich breakfast blend especially suited for those who enjoy a powerful cup in the morning. This also is a great choice for iced tea. Java teas are never expensive, so you get the best produced for a few cents a cup. $6.25 ($5.75) / 125g.
  11. TK12: Rukeri Estate Rwanda BOP Organic. ☕⑰  The cup has a full flavor and aroma, with a medium body. May be enjoyed plain, but it is strong enough to accommodate a touch of milk. Longer steepings yield a robust cup with notes of rose and peppery hints. At briefer steepings, the liquor is sweeter and more delicate. $7.00 ($6.50) / 125g.
  12. TC32: Kandy OP. ✨☕⑬. A whole-leaf Ceylon tea of excellent flavor and good color. Highly recommended for the Ceylon enthusiast. This is a new bolder leaf version of this popular selection. $7.75 / 100g. ($5.70 in 2013)
  13. TC52: Somerset Estate BOP Breakfast Blend. ✨☕ A perfect choice for breakfast tea, this broken-leaf selection wakes you up with its brisk, refreshing aroma. Notes of honey and a light floral hint blend harmoniously with a rich, toasty character. $5.00 / 100g.
  14. TC05: Ceylon BOP (Broken Orange Pekoe). ☕⑮  A choice blend of regional Ceylons. $6.50 ($6.00) / 125g.
  15. TB02: Leadenhall Street Breakfast Blend. ☕⑮  A tribute to the famous London tea auctions, our Leadenhall Street Breakfast Blend is a blend of two classic British teas: a brisk Ceylon and a thick, malty Assam. The result is a flavorful mixture which lends itself to the addition of milk. $7.00 ($6.50) / 125g.
  16. TB05: Mincing Lane Breakfast Blend. ☕⑫ For this blend, we paired a hearty Assam with a smooth and flavorful Yunnan, for a cup that is highly enjoyable. The invigorating liquor has a full mouth feel, subtle spicy notes, and a lingering aftertaste. While milk is recommended, it is enjoyable plain. $9.25 ($8.75) / 125g.
  17. TB14: Scottish Breakfast Blend. ☕⑮  Blended to appeal to those who favor an eye-opening experience in the morning, this tea yields a cup with a round, full flavor, malty notes, and brisk character. A perfect choice to start the day. $6.75 ($6.25) / 125g.
  18. TB30: Kensington Breakfast Blend. ☕⑰  A bit lighter than our River Shannon Blend, this English Breakfast style tea is a rich blend of Assam, Ceylon, and Keemun. Best with milk. $7.50 ($7.00) / 125g
  19. TB75: Baker Street Afternoon Blend. ☕⑮  A bit of Lapsang Souchong is blended with Keemun and Darjeeling, yielding a mildly smoky tea. Perfect for an afternoon uplift. Another special (whole-leaf) blend from our London source of fine teas. $8.75 ($8.25) / 125g.
  20. TB86: Richmond Park Blend. ☕⑮  A mellow, whole-leaf blend of Keemun, Ceylon, and Darjeeling. An exceptional tea which is smooth enough for drinking plain, and sturdy enough to take milk or lemon. From our London blender. $8.75 ($8.25) /125g.
  21. NT01 Naturally Flavored Earl Grey Creme Vanilla. ✨☕  This naturally flavored black tea selection provides a wonderful balance of a classic Earl Grey with creamy vanilla notes. The rich cup is smooth and satisfying. $9.00 / 100g. This is the replacement for the Monk’s Blend I used to order.
  22. TE92 Naturally Flavored Almond Vanilla Delight. ✨☕ This naturally flavored black tea produces a dark copper liquor fragrant with notes of vanilla and a hint of marzipan. A lovely sweetness envelops the almond vanilla notes, finishing with a hint of spice. Add your choice of milk to create a delicious latte, hot or iced. $5.50 / 125g.
  23. TF92 Naturally Flavored Tropical Black Tea. ✨☕  A melange of dried papaya, passion fruit and pineapple, blended with a rich black tea, creates a decadent tropical fruit experience. Fragrant and sweet, this tea is wonderful hot or iced. $7.25 / 125g. This is my fruit-blend selection for this order.
  24. NF90 Naturally Flavored Vanilla Tea. ✨☕⑰ This naturally flavored, whole-leaf black tea is smooth and rich with creamy vanilla flavor. The aroma is fragrant with notes of sweet vanilla bean. Enjoy this decadent treat any time of day. $10.50 / 100g. This replaces the previously non-artificially flavored version.
  25. NT85 Naturally Flavored Creme Caramel Tea. ✨☕⑰  Small caramel pieces are added to a black tea base, giving this naturally flavored selection a sweet creamy fragrance and rich caramel flavor. Enjoyable hot or iced, savor this delicious blend any time of day. This product contains dairy. $9.50 / 100g. This replaces the previously non-artificially flavored version.
  26.  TD06: Darjeeling BOP Blend. ☕⑰ The best value in Darjeeling tea. Broken leaf Darjeeling is often overlooked, either because the price is so reasonable or because too much value is placed on a more stylish leaf. This flavorful BOP blend offers a great cup at a very attractive price. $12.75 ($8.25) / 125g.

Additionally, I ordered the following for my wife:

  1. ZG30: Special Grade Temple of Heaven Gunpowder Green. ✨🍵.  This high-grade Gunpowder tea is rich and full-bodied with a pronounced sweetness. A hint of tobacco complements the herbaceous flavor and lingers into the finish. $6.00/125g.
  2. ZJ41: Chung-Hao Special Grade Jasmine. ✨☕. Chung-Hao Jasmine belongs to the same series of China Jasmine tea as Yin-Hao, but is less expensive. Delicate silver tips adorn the well-made leaves, producing a light, refreshing cup redolent with the heady fragrance of jasmine blossoms. A rich sweetness blooms and lingers into the finish. [May be out of stock – if so, substitute TP70 China Jasmine, $6.50/125g]
  3. NT90: Naturally Flavored Christmas Tea.  ✨☕⑰. This naturally flavored black tea is decorated with orange peels, almonds, cloves, cardamom, vanilla and rose petals. A sweet cinnamon aroma with a light floral hint introduces a flavorful cup with notes of citrus and spice. The finish is smooth and lingering. The perfect treat for those festive occasions. This product contains tree nuts (almonds). $9.50 / 125g. This replaces the previously non-artificially flavored version.
  4. NT94D Naturally Flavored Melange de Chamonix.  ✨☕⑰. Fine black tea is blended with cocoa, cardamom and cinnamon to produce a balanced and warming cup. This naturally flavored selection offers a decadent treat for any chocolate or tea lover. This replaces the previously non-artificially flavored version. $20.00 / 250g.
  5. TG11D Green Tea Blueberry. ✨🍵. Dried blueberries and natural flavoring complement the smooth China green tea base, yielding a pale gold liquor with refreshing blueberry notes and a crisp, clean finish. This well-balanced blend tastes delicious hot or iced! $9.50 / 200g.
  6. TX30D Decaffinated Masala Chai. ✨☕ A wonderful blend of warming spices – ginger, cinnamon, cloves and black pepper – complements the rich flavor of this CO2 decaffeinated black tea selection. Great hot or iced. $24.75 / 250g.
  7. BH45D Organic Spearmint. ✨☕  A select lot of our organic, coarse cut spearmint (formerly BH43). Great for blending with green tea or steeping alone as a refreshing, caffeine-free beverage. $9.75 / 100g.

Note: This order was equivalent to 37 100g or 125g bags, meaning our average price overall as $7.62 per bag.

For reference, here are some links to even older tea orders: 2012 (Franklin Tea (which, alas, closed in 2015), Stash Tea, Upton Tea), 2011 (Franklin Tea, Stash Tea), 2010 (Special Teas (which was owned by, and later merged into, Teavana, and of course Teavana was later purchased by Starbucks), Stash Tea, Franklin Tea), 2009 (Stash Tea), 2008 (Franklin Tea, Stash Tea, Surfas, Lupicia, Teavana), 2007 (Stash Tea), 2006 #2 (Stash Tea), 2006 #1 (Stash Tea, Adagio Tea), and 2004 (Stash Tea).

 

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Tea Time 2017

Posted onAuthorcahwyguy

As I’m down to my last tin of tea, other than my large tin of Iranian Ceylon, it is time to do another tea order. My last order was in July 2015, so it has almost been 2 years. Again, the bulk of the order is from Upton Tea (who has great varietals), except for one tea that they are out of. Here’s what I’m ordering this time (as before, teas shown with 🍵 are new this year; ☕ indicates repeats from 2015; ☕☕ indicates repeats from 2013; ☕☕☕ repeats from 2012):

  1. TD06: Orthodox BOP Darjeeling.  🍵 The best value in Darjeeling tea. Broken leaf Darjeeling is often overlooked, either because the price is so reasonable or because too much value is placed on a more stylish leaf. This flavorful BOP blend offers a great cup at a very attractive price. $8.25/125g.
  2. TD50: No.1 Tippy Orthodox GFOP Darjeeling. ☕☕ An exceptional golden tip Darjeeling blend. We first introduced this tea in 1990 and it continues to be our most popular Darjeeling. $9.75/125g.
  3. TA20: Tippy Orthodox FBOP Assam. 🍵 A uniform, broken-leaf tea with bold character and strong, malty flavor. This tea is a great choice for breakfast and throughout the day. $6.50/100g.
  4. TA27: Halmari CTC BOP. 🍵 A bold CTC style tea with rich flavor. The dark liquor will readily take milk. Especially suited as a bracing morning tea. $6.25/125g.
  5. TP12: Premium China Keemun. ☕☕ Often called the burgundy of China teas, this North China Congou is rich, flavorful and appropriate for any time of day. We offer this as our basic Keemun, although it is in the middle range of the standard series. $6.50/125g.
  6. ZG20: First Grade Gunpowder Green. ☕☕☕ Superior grade of green tea in the style of gunpowder teas (tightly rolled tea leaves resembling gunpowder pellets). $5.75/125g.
  7. ZG14: Young Hyson Imperial Organic.☕ This organic tea has the bold flavor of a high-fired tea, yet it has a pleasing smoothness with delicate sweetness. The thin, well-twisted leaves produce a liquor with a pale green color. This is a very popular style of China green tea with a bolder leaf. $6.00/100g.
  8. ZM44: Osmanthus Oolong Se Chung. 🍵 Se Chung Oolong, naturally scented with osmanthus flowers. The flavorful, aromatic cup has a full body, with hints of ripe fruit. The finish is sweet and lingering. $7.60/125g
  9. TB49: Darjeeling-Ceylon Iced Tea Blend. ☕☕☕ Half whole-leaf Darjeeling and half OP Ceylon. A great hot tea as well! The brewing information provided is for making an iced tea concentrate. $7.00/125g.
  10. TB15: Java Blend. ☕☕ A rich breakfast blend especially suited for those who enjoy a powerful cup in the morning. This also is a great choice for iced tea. Java teas are never expensive, so you get the best produced for a few cents a cup. $5.75/125g.
  11. TK12: Rukeri Estate Rwanda BOP Organic 🍵 The cup has a full flavor and aroma, with a medium body. May be enjoyed plain, but it is strong enough to accommodate a touch of milk. Longer steepings yield a robust cup with notes of rose and peppery hints. At briefer steepings, the liquor is sweeter and more delicate. $6.50/125g.
  12. TC05: Ceylon BOP (Broken Orange Pekoe). ☕☕ A choice blend of regional Ceylons. [Note: Both TN05 ☕ and TN10 🍵 were out of stock]. $6.00/125g.
  13. TC88: St. James Estate BOP. 🍵 This broken-leaf tea yields an aromatic, bright-coppery cup. The full-bodied liquor is pleasantly pungent and is accentuated with mellow wintergreen notes. $6.00/125g
  14. TB02: Leadenhall Street Breakfast Blend. ☕ A tribute to the famous London tea auctions, our Leadenhall Street Breakfast Blend is a blend of two classic British teas: a brisk Ceylon and a thick, malty Assam. The result is a flavorful mixture which lends itself to the addition of milk. $6.50/125g.
  15. TB05: Mincing Lane Breakfast Blend. ☕☕☕ For this blend, we paired a hearty Assam with a smooth and flavorful Yunnan, for a cup that is highly enjoyable. The invigorating liquor has a full mouth feel, subtle spicy notes, and a lingering aftertaste. While milk is recommended, it is enjoyable plain. $8.75/125g.
  16. TB14: Scottish Breakfast Blend. ☕☕ Blended to appeal to those who favor an eye-opening experience in the morning, this tea yields a cup with a round, full flavor, malty notes, and brisk character. A perfect choice to start the day. $6.25/125g.
  17. TB30: Kensington Breakfast Blend. 🍵 A bit lighter than our River Shannon Blend, this English Breakfast style tea is a rich blend of Assam, Ceylon, and Keemun. Best with milk. $7.00/125g
  18. TB75: Baker Street Afternoon Blend. ☕☕ A bit of Lapsang Souchong is blended with Keemun and Darjeeling, yielding a mildly smoky tea. Perfect for an afternoon uplift. Another special (whole-leaf) blend from our London source of fine teas. $8.25/125g.
  19. TB86: Richmond Park Blend. ☕ A mellow, whole-leaf blend of Keemun, Ceylon, and Darjeeling. An exceptional tea which is smooth enough for drinking plain, and sturdy enough to take milk or lemon. From our London blender. $8.25/125g.
  20. TE85: Creme Caramel. ☕☕ Pieces of caramel are added to a black tea from Sri Lanka to create a delicious blend with a mild, creamy aroma and sweet caramel flavor. Enjoyable on cold days, and throughout the seasons. This is a bolder leaf version of our former TE86.This product contains dairy. $6.25/125g.

A number of teas that I wanted — TF25/Wild Cherry 🍵, TF90/Vanilla ☕, TE45/Midsummer Dream ☕☕, and TE21/Monk’s Blend ☕☕☕ — were unavailable. I’ll find another source for those. Additionally, I ordered the following for my wife:

  1. TC64: Victorian Brew BOP1. 🍵 This uniquely named Ceylon offering produces a liquor that has a mildly spicy, sweet aroma with citrus hints. The flavor is rich and smooth with notes of honey and biscuit as well as a hint of cherry. The lingering finish has refreshing citrus-like hints. $6.80/100g
  2. TE13: Chocolate Earl Grey. 🍵 A premium black tea combining the popular tastes of bergamot and chocolate with a hint of lemon. Decorated with flower petals and lemon peel for a delightful presentation.This product contains soy.
  3. TE94: Mélange de Chamonix. ☕☕ Fine India tea is blended with cocoa, cardamom, and a hint of cinnamon to produce a balanced and warming cup. A delicate treat for any chocolate or tea lover. $10.75/125g.
  4. TE90: Christmas Tea; Mélange Noël. 🍵. A blend of black tea with cloves, vanilla and cardamom. Decorated with citrus peel, rose petals and almond pieces.This product contains tree nuts (almonds). $7.25/125g.

Again, we had some out of stocks: TE35/Hearthside Chai Tea.

For the missing teas, I searched around and found Pittsburgh Tea, from where I ordered:

  1. Monk’s Blend Tea loose tea. Medium bodied and flavoury with piquant Ceylon character. Blended with natural flavor oils of vanilla and grenadine, which impart a smooth and unique heavenly flavor. $6.99/.25 lb
  2. Vanilla Black Tea. Black tea, Calendula & Sunflower petals, and Natural flavors. $6.99/.25 lb.
  3. Cherry Black Tea. This premium Ceylon tea flavored with summer cherries is treat for any Chekhov fans musing in their cherry orchard. Lovely candied cherry aroma, juicy flavor and slightly dry finish. If you’ve never read Chekhov, it doesn’t have a happy ending. If you’d never tried our Cherry Black tea, it’ll make up for it. $6.99/.25 lb.

Hopefully, Pittsburgh Tea is just temporary and the needed items will come back into stock at Upton. For reference, here are some links to even older tea orders: 2012 (Franklin Tea (which, alas, closed in 2015), Stash Tea, Upton Tea), 2011 (Franklin Tea, Stash Tea), 2010 (Special Teas (which was owned by, and later merged into, Teavana, and of course Teavana was later purchased by Starbucks), Stash Tea, Franklin Tea), 2009 (Stash Tea), 2008 (Franklin Tea, Stash Tea, Surfas, Lupicia, Teavana), 2007 (Stash Tea), 2006 #2 (Stash Tea), 2006 #1 (Stash Tea, Adagio Tea), and 2004 (Stash Tea).

 

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Looking at Food Differently

Posted onAuthorcahwyguy

userpic=fastfoodHere’s an installment towards this weekend’s news chum — a few articles (meeting the over three rule) all related to food:

 

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Food News: Pastrami, Mexican Kosher Ice Cream, and Green Poop

Posted onAuthorcahwyguy

userpic=levysThis is a busy weekend, including the Granada Hills Street Fair (which I’m leaving for shortly). But first, a number of news chum articles about food:

 

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Tea Time 2015

Posted onAuthorcahwyguy

userpic=teaMy last tea order was in November 2013, and I’m getting down to the point at work where I have just a few varieties left. Last time, I ordered from Upton Tea Importers in Holliston MA, and I was pretty satisfied with their quality and price. I discovered I didn’t like the teas with really small particles; they were a pain to clean out of the French Press. Here’s what I’m ordering this time (teas shown with 🍵 are new this year; ☕ indicates repeats):

  1. TDA4: Risheehat TGBOP Musc. Organic. 🍵 This BOP single-estate Darjeeling selection has both a dark-colored leaf as well as a dark-colored liquor. The well-balanced cup has good strength and a pronounced muscatel character. We find this selection to be particularly versatile in that it is excellent both hot and iced. $9.40/125g.
  2. TD50: No.1 Tippy Orthodox GFOP Darjeeling. ☕ An exceptional golden tip Darjeeling blend. We first introduced this tea in 1990 and it continues to be our most popular Darjeeling. $8.80/125g.
  3. TA30: Tippy Orthodox GBOP Assam.☕ A classic, fine broken-leaf Assam with smooth, malty notes and a rich, mellow finish. Takes milk very well. $7.40/125g.
  4. TN05: Korakundah Estate BOP Organic.🍵 This BOP Nilgiri District black tea selection has a dark amber/light brown infusion that exhibits notes of carob/cocoa in both the aroma and liquor. The cup is smooth and rounded with a clean finish. For a lighter cup, infuse for 3 minutes, infuse longer for a stronger cup. This selection also makes great iced tea. $6.40/125g.
  5. TE21: Monk’s Blend. ☕ × 2. A Ceylon-based Earl Grey is blended with a fine China green tea and accented with natural Bourbon vanilla. The fruity taste of bergamot complements the hearty green tea, while the hint of vanilla adds a mellow complexity. A delightful tea that can be enjoyed hot or cold. $6.40/125g.
  6. TP12: Premium China Keemun. ☕ Often called the burgundy of China teas, this North China Congou is rich, flavorful and appropriate for any time of day. We offer this as our basic Keemun, although it is in the middle range of the standard series. $5.80/125g.
  7. TB49: Darjeeling-Ceylon Iced Tea Blend. ☕ Half whole-leaf Darjeeling and half OP Ceylon. A great hot tea as well! The brewing information provided is for making an iced tea concentrate. $6.20/125g.
  8. ZG20: First Grade Gunpowder Green. ☕ Superior grade of green tea in the style of gunpowder teas (tightly rolled tea leaves resembling gunpowder pellets). $5.20/125g.
  9. TT11: Oolong Standard Grade. 🍵  A classic restaurant grade tea, with a smooth character, and classic Formosa Oolong flavors. Priced for everyday use, this selection is an excellent choice for its value and quality. $6.60/125g.
  10. TC12: St. James Pekoe. 🍵  This offering from the Uva district has an interesting leaf style, with a rolled/rounded look. The infusion is dark, with a full mouth feel. Light hints of rose and cedar have been noted in the liquor. This tea is very appropriate as a self drinker, but can easily accommodate a dash of milk. $8.00/125g.
  11. TB15: Java Blend. ☕ A rich breakfast blend especially suited for those who enjoy a powerful cup in the morning. This also is a great choice for iced tea. Java teas are never expensive, so you get the best produced for a few cents a cup. $5.20/125g.
  12. TB02: Leadenhall Street Breakfast Blend. 🍵 A tribute to the famous London tea auctions, our Leadenhall Street Breakfast Blend is a blend of two classic British teas: a brisk Ceylon and a thick, malty Assam. The result is a flavorful mixture which lends itself to the addition of milk. $5.80/125g.
  13. TB05: Mincing Lane Breakfast Blend. ☕ For this blend, we paired a hearty Assam with a smooth and flavorful Yunnan, for a cup that is highly enjoyable. The invigorating liquor has a full mouth feel, subtle spicy notes, and a lingering aftertaste. While milk is recommended, it is enjoyable plain. $7.80/125g.
  14. TB14: Scottish Breakfast Blend. ☕ Blended to appeal to those who favor an eye-opening experience in the morning, this tea yields a cup with a round, full flavor, malty notes, and brisk character. A perfect choice to start the day. $5.60/125g.
  15. TB75: Baker Street Afternoon Blend. ☕ A bit of Lapsang Souchong is blended with Keemun and Darjeeling, yielding a mildly smoky tea. Perfect for an afternoon uplift. Another special (whole-leaf) blend from our London source of fine teas. $7.40/125g.
  16. TE86: Creme Caramel.☕ Black tea from Sri Lanka with a mild, creamy caramel aroma. Pieces of caramel are added to complement this flavorful blend. Enjoyable on cold days, and throughout the seasons. Back in stock! $7.20/125g.
  17. TE45: Black/Green “Midsummer Dream”.☕ China Black tea harmonizes with green Sencha. Blended with sunflower petals, cactus flowers and flavored with rhubarb. A refreshing tea for any time of day. $5.20/125g.
  18. TB86: Richmond Park Blend.🍵 A mellow, whole-leaf blend of Keemun, Ceylon, and Darjeeling. An exceptional tea which is smooth enough for drinking plain, and sturdy enough to take milk or lemon. From our London blender. $8.80/125g.
  19. TE26: Black Tea Wild Berry. ☕ China black tea with natural blueberry and strawberry flavoring. This tea was produced without chemical fertilizers or pesticides. $5.25/100g.
  20. TF90: Vanilla Tea.🍵 A vanilla-flavored, whole-leaf black tea base, with pieces of genuine Bourbon vanilla. $6.80/100g.
  21. ZG14: Young Hyson Imperial Organic.🍵 This organic tea has the bold flavor of a high-fired tea, yet it has a pleasing smoothness with delicate sweetness. The thin, well-twisted leaves produce a liquor with a pale green color. This is a very popular style of China green tea with a bolder leaf. $5.40/100g.
  22. ZS80: Lapsang Souchong Imperial.🍵 The best China Lapsang Souchong we have found. To our knowledge we are the only importer of this grade of China Lapsang Souchong. Superior in flavor. Very smoky, yet quite mellow. $7.20/100g.

As for home, we’re pretty well stocked — we’ve been hitting the Russian and Middle-Eastern markets, and getting quite a variety. Still, there are some we want for home:

  1. TE35: Hearthside Chai Tea. ☕ A classic chai tea, blended with cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, licorice, and cacao pieces. A creamy taste lends a smoothness and elegance to this selection. $9.80/125g.
  2. TE94: Mélange de Chamonix. ☕ Fine India tea is blended with cocoa, cardamom, and a hint of cinnamon to produce a balanced and warming cup. A delicate treat for any chocolate or tea lover. $9.60/125g.
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Something To Stew About

Posted onAuthorcahwyguy

Observation StewThis has been another busy week, what with trying to get the truth out about the kerfluffle at the REP in Santa Clarita (#IStandWithTheREP),  my daughter Erin being in town getting ready to go off to a summer Yiddish program back east, installing and setting up a new password manager, and loads of stuff at work. Still, I grabbed a few articles of interest:

 

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Tea Time 2013

Posted onAuthorcahwyguy

userpic=teaBack in April 2012, I placed my last major tea order. At that time, I ordered from three vendors: Stash Tea, Franklin Tea in Franklin TN, and for the first time, Upton Tea in Holliston MA.  I’m just about near the end of that order at work; I’m finishing off four teas (Darjeeling, Rose Conjou, Black Currant, and Pomegranate Green) from San Francisco Herb Co. My tastes have changed a bit — I’m less inclined towards the sweet teas, preferring traditional blacks and black blends. So this year I’m opting to do my order from one vendor – Upton Tea. Here’s what I’m ordering this time:

  • TD06: Orthodox BOP Darjeeling.* The best value in Darjeeling tea. Broken leaf Darjeeling is often overlooked, either because the price is so reasonable or because too much value is placed on a more stylish leaf. This flavorful BOP blend offers a great cup at a very attractive price. $7.40/125g.
  • TD50: No.1 Tippy Orthodox GFOP Darjeeling. An exceptional golden tip Darjeeling blend. We first introduced this tea in 1990 and it continues to be our most popular Darjeeling. $8.80/125g.
  • TA30: Tippy Orthodox GBOP Assam.* A classic, fine broken-leaf Assam with smooth, malty notes and a rich, mellow finish. Takes milk very well. $6.40/125g.
  • TN10: Nilgiri BOP. Located in southern India, Nilgiri produces teas similar to those of Ceylon, yet with a distinctive character. This British style Nilgiri produces a flavorful cup. Excellent with milk. $6.40/125g.
  • TP12: China Keemun. Often called the burgundy of China teas, this North China Congou is rich, flavorful and appropriate for any time of day. We offer this as our basic Keemun, although it is in the middle range of the standard series. $5.40/125g.
  • ZG20: First Grade Gunpowder Green. Superior grade of green tea in the style of gunpowder teas (tightly rolled tea leaves resembling gunpowder pellets). $4.00/125g.
  • ZO78: Tie-Guan-Yin Oolong 2nd Grade. A classic Tie-Guan-Yin, with dark-golden, rolled leaves, producing a flavorful cup with the aroma of sweet raisins complemented with robust earthy tones. The fine flavor lingers on the palate with a toasty, sweet aftertaste. $8.20/125g.
  • TB49: Darjeeling-Ceylon Iced Tea Blend.* Half whole-leaf Darjeeling and half OP Ceylon. A great hot tea as well! The brewing information provided is for making an iced tea concentrate. $5.80/125g.
  • TC05: Ceylon BOP (Broken Orange Pekoe). A choice blend of regional Ceylons. $4.80/125g.
  • TB15: Java Blend. A rich breakfast blend especially suited for those who enjoy a powerful cup in the morning. This also is a great choice for iced tea. Java teas are never expensive, so you get the best produced for a few cents a cup. $3.90/125g.
  • TJ52: Japanese Cherry.* Cherry flavored Japanese green tea (Bancha with twigs). An exotic evening tea and a refreshing change from traditional flavored teas. $6.40/125g.
  • TB01: Organic English Breakfast Blend. A hearty blend of rich CTC Assam and BOP Ceylon teas, yielding a cup with robust flavor and a brisk finish. This is an organic version of a classic, bracing breakfast blend. $7.40/125g.
  • TB05: Mincing Lane Breakfast Blend. For this blend, we paired a hearty Assam with a smooth and flavorful Yunnan, for a cup that is highly enjoyable. The invigorating liquor has a full mouth feel, subtle spicy notes, and a lingering aftertaste. While milk is recommended, it is enjoyable plain. $7.80/125g.
  • TB14: Scottish Breakfast Blend. Blended to appeal to those who favor an eye-opening experience in the morning, this tea yields a cup with a round, full flavor, malty notes, and brisk character. A perfect choice to start the day. $5.60/125g.
  • TB75: Baker Street Afternoon Blend. A bit of Lapsang Souchong is blended with Keemun and Darjeeling, yielding a mildly smoky tea. Perfect for an afternoon uplift. Another special (whole-leaf) blend from our London source of fine teas. $8.40/125g.
  • TE86: Creme Caramel.* Black tea from Sri Lanka with a mild, creamy caramel aroma. Pieces of caramel are added to complement this flavorful blend. Enjoyable on cold days, and throughout the seasons. Back in stock! $7.20/125g.
  • TE45: Black/Green “Midsummer Dream”.* China Black tea harmonizes with green Sencha. Blended with sunflower petals, cactus flowers and flavored with rhubarb. A refreshing tea for any time of day. $5.20/125g.
  • TF21: Blackcurrant. A blackcurrant flavored, whole-leaf black tea decorated with leaves. $7.20/125g.
  • TE26: Black Tea Wild Berry. China black tea with natural blueberry and strawberry flavoring. This tea was produced without chemical fertilizers or pesticides. $8.80/100g.
  • TC30: Kandy BOP. Good color and strength for a hearty cup. Takes milk very well. $5.20/125g.

Teas shown with * mean that I ordered an additional package for home use. Additionally, my wife wanted the following teas for her:

  • TE94: Mélange de Chamonix. Fine India tea is blended with cocoa, cardamom, and a hint of cinnamon to produce a balanced and warming cup. A delicate treat for any chocolate or tea lover. $8.60/125g.
  • TE21: Monk’s Blend. A Ceylon-based Earl Grey is blended with a fine China green tea and accented with natural Bourbon vanilla. The fruity taste of bergamot complements the hearty green tea, while the hint of vanilla adds a mellow complexity. A delightful tea that can be enjoyed hot or cold. $6.40/125g.
  • TE35: Hearthside Chai Tea. A classic chai tea, blended with cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, licorice, and cacao pieces. A creamy taste lends a smoothness and elegance to this selection. $9.80/125g.
  • BH02: Holy Basil Purple Leaf
    . This fine-cut leaf grade of Holy Basil, (aka Tulsi), produces a rich cup with a complex and spicy character. The dominant flavor notes are anise and pepper, with nuances of citrus and cinnamon. $6.80/80g.
  • BF60: Rote Grütze (Red Groats). Dried berries, hibiscus and flavoring yield a red liquor, a bright harmony of tart flavors, and natural vitamin C. Contains no caffeine. $7.80/125g.

We’ll see how long this batch of tea lasts.

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Feeding Your Body: News to Chew On

Posted onAuthorcahwyguy3 Comments

userpic=teaToday’s lunchtime news chum post has to do, quite appropriately, with food:

  • Tea is In? I’ll Believe It When I See It. All food fads come in cycles. Cupcakes are in, then they are out. FroYo is in, then out, then in. According to this article, coffee is on its way out and fancy tea is in. At least, that is, in the beverage industry. As a tea drinker, I’ll believe this one when I see it. I still see far too many coffee houses with only bagged tea, too many places that use concentrated iced tea, too many conferences that use coffee pots to make tea water, and too many places that don’t even bother to put out hot water for tea. I agree that tea is a better beverage — you can drink it hot or cold, and it doesn’t require any doctoring to drink. I still stand by my adage that coffee only belongs in ice cream or covered in dark chocolate.
  • Don’t Eat This. Alton Brown led me to this article, enumerating 7 foods a nutritionist will never eat. What’s on the list? Rice cakes, fat-free salad dressing, seitan, shark, refined and refortified grains, grits, sugar sweetened beverages. See that last one? That’s why I drink tea. No sugar required — it is perfect black. Try that with most coffees!
  • Book ‘Em. We’re seeing electronic books everywhere. One place electronic books shouldn’t be is the kitchen. Want to know why? This article explains the value of a printed cookbook quite well. I’ve always felt that anything electronic doesn’t belong in a place where there is water and heat, but the article gives a myriad of even more reasons to stick with print.
  • Date Conjunction. This last piece comes courtesy of mail.jewish. It appears that 2013 will be the first year in a long time — and it will be an even longer time until it occurs again — that Thanksgiving coincides with the first night of Chanukkah. Let’s see if my sister-in-law reads this — we’re going to need to figure out where to do things this year as we normally split T-day and C-day. Oh, and think of the menu: Turkey, latkes, mashed potatoes, donuts. Of course, this is the perfect year to try a deep-fried turkey!

 

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