Category Archives: White teas

Review: Trader Joe’s Pomegranate White Tea

Posted on April 19, 2013 by | Leave a comment

<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004A6Q8XS/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B004A6Q8XS&linkCode=as2&tag=delecteable-

20″>20130418-195653.jpg

Overall Rating:

Taste: 3 of 5 tea leaves – A decent, tasty tea.
Steepability: 5 of 5 tea leaves – This tea is easy to make!

Abby says:

Temperature: @180 (below boiling)
Steeped: 3-4 minutes
Served: Nothing added to start, then with a dab of honey

If white tea wasn’t listed in the name, I would have thought this was pomegranate herbal tea. The pomegranate totally overwhelms any tea flavor. Granted, white tea has a very mild flavor compared to other teas. It is just too bad that it is completely hidden, I would like to have tasted a true blend of the two flavors. This tea also has hibiscus flowers and lemongrass and I don’t get much of that either. Ok, now that I’ve gotten that out of the way. I like this tea!

The classic pomegranate color is vibrant and cheery. The pomegranate taste is true, not artificial tasting at all and plenty tart! In fact, I added a little bit of honey after the first couple of sips to tone down the tartness with a little sweet. Then, it was even better. I would recommend this tea to anyone who likes the flavor of pomegranate or strong tasting herbal teas. Keep in mind, that although you can’t taste it, there is actual tea here. That menas caffeine even though white tea has a lower level of caffeine. This may be a nice a choice for those seeking a little caffeine while at the same time getting a herbal tea experience. I would certainly drink this tea again, in fact, I think it would make a terrific iced tea. But I would not choose this tea if I was looking for a taste of actual tea.

Taste: 3 of 5 tea leaves – A decent, tasty tea.
Steepability: 5 of 5 tea leaves – This tea is easy to make!

<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004A6Q8XS/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B004A6Q8XS&linkCode=as2&tag=delecteable-

20″>

Katie says:

Temperature: @180 (below boiling)
Steeped: 3-4 minutes
Served: Nothing added

Abby & I often have similar reviews, but this time reading her review was like she had been reading my mind! If this had been an herbal tea I may have given it a higher rating. Don’t get me wrong, it’s good, it just doesn’t taste like it’s name and ingredients. If it didn’t list white tea on the box I’d think for sure it was an herbal tea. In fact, as Abby suggests, it would be quite nice as an iced tea. The flavor would be similar to the passion iced tea from Starbucks. This tea is a lovely red color and has a nice fruity flavor without tasting artificial. In my opinion the biggest flaw of this tea is that you can’t taste the white tea flavor.

Taste: 3 of 5 tea leaves – A decent, tasty tea.
Steepability: 5 of 5 tea leaves – This tea is easy to make!

→ Leave a comment

Posted in Easy to make, tea review, White teas

Tagged , , ,

Review: Atlantic Spice Company White Tea

Posted on March 20, 2012 by | 1 Comment

Atlantic Spice Co. Green Tea

(Photo by Katie Ring)

Overall Rating:

Taste 4.75 of 5 tea leaves – Quite a good cuppa!
Steepability 3 of 5 tea leaves – This tea is a bit delicate.

Abby says:

Temperature: @ 180-200 (below boiling)
Steeped: 2-3 minutes (then re-steeped several times)
Served: Nothing added

White tea is one of my favorites because of its subtle yet complex flavor, and Atlantic Spice Company White tea is just that. In addition, each steep brings a slightly different flavor profile to the cup. This is a tea I like drinking all day, hot or cold. Generally with this tea I will steep it three or four times, each time leaving the tea in the hot water for longer lengths of time. On the first steep the tea will be a beautiful pale golden yellow and each steep following the color becomes sucessively weaker and more pale. The taste changes as well, while still keeping that signature white tea flavor.

White tea and this one in particular is great if you are looking for a satisfying subtle tea. Keep in mind that this tea is a little fussy and can easily be over-steeped. This tea is also loose, so it requires a teapot or filler tea bags.

Taste 4.5 of 5 tea leaves – Quite a good cuppa!
Steepability 3 of 5 tea leaves – This tea is a bit delicate.

Katie says:

Temperature: below boiling
Steeped: 3 minutes
Served: Nothing added

I have to say this was a welcome treat after last week’s Lipton white tea review. That tea was just OK, but this white tea, from Atlantic Spice Company, is fantastic! To me it is similar to the difference between homemade and store-bought food. The lipton tea had smaller leaves and more ingredients than seemed necessary. This one is just white tea, pure, simple, and with nice big whole leaves!

White tea, like green tea, is easily over-steeped. So, when brewing a cup make sure that your water isn’t too hot I suggest letting it boil and then cool for a few minutes or catch it right before boiling. You should also avoid over-steeping this tea;  just a minute for the first cup. I like to use a tea ball infuser like this one.

As Abby mentioned, when steeped properly this tea can be sipped all day. It has a mild yet satisfying flavor and with short steeping times it isn’t bitter at all. The best way I can describe it is that is has a very clean simple and refreshing taste. One of my all-time favorite white teas!

Taste 5 of 5 tea leaves – Quite a good cuppa!
Steepability 3 of 5 tea leaves – This tea is a bit delicate.

→ 1 Comment

Posted in White teas

Tagged , ,

Review: Lipton White Tea with Island Mango and Peach Flavors

Posted on March 15, 2012 by | 1 Comment

Overall Rating:

Taste: 2.5 of 5 leaves: This tea is just ok
Steepability: 5 of 5 — this tea is easy to make!

Abby says:

Temperature: Below boiling
Steeped: 3.5 minutes
Served: Nothing added

While this tea is steeping the smell of peach is quite strong. So strong infact that images of peach flavored Dum-Dums popped into mind. The taste however, is much less artoficial, thank goodness. While sipping this I could tease out both the mango and peach flavors, but the peach was much stronger for me. The white tea comes out at the end, almost as an after taste. Though touted as a white tea, greaen tea is listed in the ingredients as well some other things: White tea, green tea, orange leaves, rose hips, lemon grass, licorice root, modified corn starch, natural flavor. To be honest, I was not thrilled to see modified corn starch listed. Because of that addition, it is unlikely that I would choose this tea again. Though in a pinch for tea, the flaovr is good and I always like a white tea!

This tea would be great for anyone looking for a strong fruit flavored tea who doesn’t mind the additive. I drank this tea hot, but i’m sure it would make a nice iced tea as well. The pyramid tea bag, makes for easy steeping and portability.

Taste: 2.5 of 5 leaves: This tea is just ok.
Steepability: 5 of 5 — this tea is easy to make!

Katie says:

Temperature: Just below boiling
Steeped: 3.5 minutes
Served: Nothing added

I’m going to admit that I bought this tea because of the packaging. The box had unique shape and lid and the photograph of the pyramid bag with yummy looking fruit really drew me in. Upon opening it, I thought, well done! The little tea pyramids looked inviting and I could smell some nice hits of orange and peach from inside the box. I was excited to try it!

As my tea was steeping I started to smell less orange and mostly peach, but I was still excited. I’ve had peachy white teas before the I remember enjoying so surely this would be the same. Unfortunately, it was not. Don’t get me wrong, this isn’t a bad tea, but it is also nothing special. It is a very average white tea taste, but the peach flavor takes over and I can’t taste the mango, orange, or lemongrass that are mentioned on the packaging. I just taste white peach.

Luckily for you readers, while I’m a sucker for packaging, I have Abby who pays attention to all of the important details like if teas are organic and the specific ingredients. Modified corn starch? I’m not sure what that is doing in tea, but I’ll stick to teas with more traditional ingredients! Good catch Abby!

Taste: 2 of 5 leaves: This tea is just ok
Steepability: 5 of 5 — this tea is easy to make!

→ 1 Comment

Posted in green teas, White teas

Tagged , , , ,

Steeping

Posted on February 10, 2012 by | 1 Comment

Have you ever made a cup of tea that you expected to be wonderful and it ended up falling flat or tasted bitter?  It could be that you’re not a fan of that tea, OR MAYBE it wasn’t prepared optimally.  Different types of tea need to be steeped at varying temperatures and for varying lengths of time in order to produce the best tasting cup or pot.  It isn’t just the length of time that you steep your tea that matters. Other factors to consider are water temperature, amount of tea, and steep time. These will all vary depending on which type of tea you are preparing. Some teas  are more fussy than others. These will also vary between tea drinkers, as we all have our preferences when it comes to how we “take our tea”.

I love this graph found at theteaspot.com because it provides tons of information all in one spot.  Along the top axis you have the amount of tea  needed depending how you are steeping your tea, as well as the preferred water temperature and steep time.  While on the side axis you have many different types of tea listed by level of caffeine. Awesome. This way the graph can be read in different ways.  If you know which tea you want, you find it and locate the best way to steep it.  Or, if you are trying to decide what type of tea you would like depending of caffeine level, just scan the graph that way.  Note:  If you are steeping a cup of tea with a tea bag these same guidelines apply.

This is another fun way to look at how different types of tea should be prepared with the temperature listed on the tab and the steep time on the bag portion.  I found this little gem on pinterest.com.

I am guilty, just as I’m sure many of you are too, of not taking the proper tea prep into consideration when steeping tea. When it is early in the morning and I haven’t quite remembered my name yet, I am not always thinking about how long and at what temperature I plan to steep my tea. In these cases I generally go for some something simple, like a traditional black tea, or an herbal tea. These teas are fairly forgiving and if I steep for a couple of minutes too long or at too high a temperature, the flavor is not totally lost, even if it isn’t perfect.

Happy tea steeping everyone!  Do you have any tricks that help you prepare the perfect cup?  If so, we are always looking for new idea on how to get the perfect cup!

→ 1 Comment

Posted in black teas, Easy to make, green teas, herbal tea, Oolong teas, White teas

Tagged

Real Simple Spouting About Tea

Posted on October 20, 2011 by | Leave a comment

Ok, here comes another post about a magazine article.  I know what you are thinking, but give it a chance!  This one comes from Real Simple, a magazine filled with all kinds of interesting information and ways to simplify…hence the title.  Titled The Decoder: Tea and written by Amanda Pressner, the article lays out the wonderful health benefits of six types of tea.  How great is that!  Gotta love spreading the word about the goodness of tea!

Here is a basic breakdown of the article (four of the six tea types outlined):

Black tea: Most caffeinated tea at @ 40 milligrams per serving.  Health benefits – high in antioxidant compounds called theaflavins and thearubigins (linked to lower cholesterol levels) and three or more cups a day may lower risk of stroke by 21%.

Green tea: Lower levels of caffeine at @ 25 milligrams per serving.  Health benefits – tons of antioxidants and one cup of green tea a day may lower cardiovascular disease by 10%.

Oolong tea: Moderate caffeine at @ 30 milligrams per serving.  Health benefits – may aid in weight loss by helping to burn more calories.

White tea: Lower levels of caffeine at @ 15 milligrams per serving.  Health benefits – may benefit those with diabetes (a study showed improved glucose tolerance and reduction in LDL cholesterol for animals given white tea) and potential cancer-fighting and cardiovascular benefits as well.

Of course there is so much more to learn about the health benefits of tea, but I loved seeing this when I opened up my November issue of Real Simple!  Because I love tea, and I want everyone to know all about it and how great it is!  This is such a great educator and I hope it prompts people to learn more about what tea can do for them.  For more info check out the November issue!

→ Leave a comment

Posted in black teas, green teas, Oolong teas, White teas

Review: Stash Tea Fusion Green and White

Posted on August 25, 2011 by | 1 Comment

Enter to win this tea HERE

Buy this tea online HERE

Overall rating: 4.5 (of 5) on taste and 4 (of 5) on steepability

Katie says:

Temperature: @ 200 (just shy of boiling)
Steep time: 3 minutes

The recommended steep time by Stash Tea for this variety is 1-3 minutes, and I didn’t find it bitter at all with a steep time of 3 minutes. This was a pleasant surprise as green tea can often turn bitter quickly.

Served with: Alone for the first sips then with honey

The first sips are mostly green tea, with a hint of white. I really enjoy the addition of white, as it seems to make this a more complex tea. This tea isn’t as fussy as many green teas, and could probably hold up with an slightly longer steeping time. This makes me happy. I mean really, who wants to diligently time their tea? (Just don’t leave the bag in the cup, it WILL get bitter eventually) My only disappointment with this tea would be the size of the leaves inside the tea bag. I wish the bits were a bit larger, and I was actually surprised to see that they were so small given how much I enjoyed the flavor.

Rating:

Taste: 4 of 5 tea leaves — a decent tasty tea.

Steepability: 4 of 5 — this tea is easy to make!

Abby says:

Temperature: @ 200 (just shy of boiling)
Steep time: 3 minutes

Served:  Nothing added

This tea is one of my morning staples.  I enjoy how mellow and easy it is to drink.  Most mornings I am struggling to get myself together and off to work on-time and I like to have something that gives me a like perk but isn’t too startling.  This green and white fusion is just the thing.  It has a more subtle green tea flavor that is somehow both earthy and clean.  It seems that the addition of the white tea to this combo tones down the sometimes abrasive green tea punch.

I like this tea strait-up.  However, it would still be pleasant with a just a slight hint of sweetener.  Adding much to this tea would drastically change the taste because it is so mild.  Also, beware of over steeping!  If left to steep too long the tea will become quite bitter, and the calmness of it is completely lost.  This tea is also best steeped at just below boiling, again too much heat can quickly change the flavor.  As I don’t often have time in the morning to measure the actual temperature of my hot water, I wait for the it to boil then pull it off the heat.  I let it sit for a couple of minutes (usually while putting on my shoes and looking for my car keys) then add it to my mug.

I would recommend this to those who enjoy green tea, but are looking for something a little more mellow and relaxed.  I also think this is a great tea for novice sippers because it provides an introduction to both green and white tea in an approachable and subdued way.

Rating:

Taste: 5 of 5 tea leaves — Outstanding!  A Must try.

Steepability: 4 of 5 — This tea requires very little effort.

→ 1 Comment

Posted in green teas, White teas

Tagged , , ,

Tea for the Holidays

Posted on August 17, 2011 by | Leave a comment

Let me put our love of tea into perspective for you.  Dial it back a few years to just before Christmas, 2004… Katie had the great idea to give our six roommates and ourselves the gift of tea.  She discovered a massive tea gift basket with more flavors and types than anyone could imagine.  I couldn’t have been more excited about this!  A new and different kind of tea everyday, for months?  What could be better?!?  We easily convinced everyone else, and so it began.  Amazingly, it worked out that for every variety of tea in the basket each person got two tea bags… just wonderful.  Keep in mind that at the time Katie and I were students at Syracuse University, otherwise known as “The land of ice and snow”, so a fresh variety of steaming hot tea was just the thing we needed for the winter!  From then on we have always talked to each other about tea, new types that we like and how just the right cup can hit the spot so perfectly.  Now we want to share our love of tea here on our blog!

-Abby

→ Leave a comment

Posted in black teas, decaf or hearbal tea, White teas