Tag Archives: Herbal

Review: Tazo Passion

Posted on May 17, 2013 by | Leave a comment

Overall Rating:
Taste: 3.5 of 5 leaves – A decent tasty tea.
Steepability: 5 of 5 leaves – This tea is easy to make!

Abby says:

Temperature: @180 (below boiling point)
Steeped: 5 minutes
Served: Nothing added

Described on the teabag packet as “A magical blend of hibiscus, lemongrass, rose hips, mango & passion fruit flavors”, this tea has a lot to live up to. When steeped, it turns a vibrant red in the cup with a bright aroma. And, yes, there is a lot flavor packed in as well. I liked that. Typically, I’m not a big fan of herbal tea because I often find that there isn’t enough flavor, or there is too much flavor making it seem artificial. I didn’t find that here. It has good flavor and a nice tartness that paired well with the floral notes.

This would make a great iced tea as well and with is bright red color it would look really good in a big glass iced tea pitcher! For anyone who likes a bold, fruity herbal tea, give this one a try. Tazo Passion makes for worthwhile caffeine-free tea option.

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

Katie says:

Temperature: @180 (below boiling point)
Steeped: 2 minutes
Served: with honey

This, for me, is a staple tea. I usually have at least a few bags in my cupboard. My favorite thing about this tea is that it is good in both warm and cold weather. In the winter, especially with a sore throat, the citrus tastes great! Although, I find if steeped too long for drinking as hot tea it can get a tangy bite. For this reason I do a short 2 minute steep. When making this as an iced tea I steep a little longer, or cold brew. Many Starbucks locations carry this as an iced tea in the warmer weather and it makes a great no caffeine and le calorie option.

Taste: 4 of 5 leaves – A decent tasty tea.
Steepability: 5 of 5 leaves – This tea is easy to make!

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#teatime :) 4-9-2013

Posted on April 9, 2013 by | Leave a comment

Dry Tea

It isn’t ‘really’ tea.  It is a fig and rose herbal tea.  So, #herbalinfusiontime is more accurate, but doesn’t have the same lovely ring to it.

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Review: Tazo Refesh

Posted on March 13, 2013 by | Leave a comment

 

 
Overall Rating:

Taste: 3.75 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 point)
Steeped: Left teabag in the cup
Served: Nothing added

The review for this tea could not have come at a better time. I woke up this morning not feeling the best and with a little bit of a scratchy throat. I just wanted something that would make me feel better, keep me warm and taste good. Cue Tazo Refresh. Typically I’m not a peppermint enthusiast, but today it worked. The peppermint, spearmint and tarragon blend together well to create a minty flavor that though pungent, isn’t too strong or too sweet. For a mint tea, I found it very easy to drink even though I left the teabag in my mug.

For me, the perfect time for mint tea is when you aren’t feeling good because as the name says, it makes you feel refreshed and has a soothing quality to help you feel more like yourself. I would certainly recommend this tea for those times. I also think it would make a really interesting iced tea for when you are looking for something cooling a refreshing.

Taste: 3.5 of 5 tea leaves – A decent tasty tea.
Steepability: 5 of 5 tea leaves – This tea is easy to make!

Tazo Refresh Wraper

Katie says:

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

It must be the time of year! I too woke up with a bit of a cold. Abby had her tea cure in the morning, but I’m drinking my refresh before bed. You know, that dreaded time of day when colds tend to settle in and make you feel worse. This is a perfect “feel better” tea. It is great for a cold or even just a bit of indigestion.

What I love about this tea is it’s mild mint flavor. Some mint teas taste so strongly of peppermint that is all you taste. The mix of peppermint and spearmint along other flavors in refresh make this tea truly refreshing and easy to drink. I highly recommend tea blends like this one over a straight peppermint tea.

Colds, please go away! I hope that spring is right around the corner! But if you do find yourself with a case of the sniffles or a sore throat reach for this tea!

Taste: 4 of 5 tea leaves – Quite a good cuppa!
Steepability: 5 of 5 tea leaves – This tea is easy to make!

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Review: Tazo Calm

Posted on October 17, 2012 by | 1 Comment

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Overall Rating:
Taste: 2.75 of 5 leaves — A decent tasty tea.
Steepability: 4.5 of 5 — This tea requires very little effort.

Abby says:

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

Upon opening the package I was not excited about trying this tea. For me, it had a smell that was quite unpleasant mixed in with all of the other nice smelling things. It had an underlying, almost hidden spoiled milk smell that was off-putting. Maybe having to do with the chamomile or licorice? Both flavors that sometime I find a bit odd. But I carried on anyway and gave it a steep. I must say that this tea taste much better than it smells! The flavor is light and a little minty and overall pleasant and enjoyable. After having a few sips I didn’t really notice the aroma anymore and just enjoyed the light herbal blend. As the name would imply, this a is nice blend to help you relax and it has a comforting smooth mouth feel as well.

Because of the off-putting smell of Tazo Calm I am not sure I would return for another cup. But for those looking for a tea to help them relax it would be worth a try.

Taste: 3 of 5 leaves — A decent tasty tea.
Steepability: 4 of 5 — This tea requires very little effort.

Katie says:

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

As usual, I agree with Abby! I am not digging the smell of this tea. To me it has a sort of grassy green smell & similar taste but with a hint of mint. Chamomile is not my favorite, but I typically like it as a blended tea. This time, unfortunately, I am really not enjoying this one. I hate to say this because I love most Tazo teas. Awake? Yum! Zen? Yes please! But sadly in the future I’ll pass on Calm. Then again, if you know me, calm isn’t really my style anyway! ;)

Taste: 2.5 of 5 leaves — This tea is just OK.
Steepability: 5 of 5 — This tea requires very little effort.

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Review: Bigelow Wild Blueberry Acai Herb Plus Antioxidants

Posted on June 26, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Overall rating:

Taste: 2.75 of 5 leaves — An OK tasty tea
Steepability: 5 of 5 leaves — This tea is easy to make!

Abby says:

Temperature: Below boiling
Steeped: 5 minutes
Served: Nothing added

Mainers are serious about all things blueberry, so obviously I was very skeptical about a blueberry tea. Would it taste fake, too tart or too sweet? For this reason there are very few blueberry flavors things I will tolerate. Although this tea was not my favorite, I will say that the blueberry flavor was pretty good. And for me and my picky-ness – that’s saying something.

The color of this tea is great! Just like blueberry pie filling. The smell doesn’t disappoint either, it smells like a just-out-of-the-oven blueberry cake or maybe blueberry pancakes. I think the added orange peel and cinnamon add this aroma. The taste isn’t bad either. The blueberry flavor is pretty strong – no wondering what’s in your cup! If you like fruity herbal teas this makes a great choice. If not, maybe try something else.

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

Katie says:

Temperature: About boiling
Steeped: 5 minutes
Served: Nothing added

This tea had an oddly sweet taste — straight out of the box it tasted almost as if a sweetener had been added. I also found it seemed like it was thicker or slightly syrupy and a bit cloudy in the cup. So I looked up the ingredients.

Hibiscus, rose hips, natural wild blueberry and acai flavors with other natural flavors (soy lecithin), sweet balcberry leaves, blueberry fiber, orange peel, cinnamon, grape seed extract, vitamin C (sodium ascorbate), vitamin E (d-a-tocpheryl acetate)

If you’re looking to add vitamin C or E into your diet than maybe this tea is for you. As for me I found the added ingredients to be a bit odd and I didn’t like that it clouded the tea. The flavor was nice but a bit sweet. Smelled wonderful but I’ll stick to tea with fewer ingredients

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

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Mighty Leaf Chamomile Citrus

Posted on June 20, 2012 by | Leave a comment


Overall Rating:

Taste: Taste: 4 of 5 leaves – A decent tasty tea.
Steepability: 5 of 5 leaves – this tea is easy to make.

Katie says:

Temperature: @ 212 (boiling)
Steeped: 5 minutes
Served: Nothing added

Queue the pre-apocalyptical music. I am starting this blog post. If you haven’t noticed, Abby is the methodical dependable blogger & I’m the daydreaming creative. Left brained people should be paired with right brained people. If they can manage to not drive each other crazy, because they have no idea how the other’s mind works, they tend to make great teams. Anyway, on to the review.

When I first looked at Abby’s tea review list (Duh, she’s the one who makes a list of what we’ll review next) I have to say I was a bit disappointed. Unfortunately, chamomile is not my favorite. However, after reaching into the tea box I was pleasantly surprised to find a large see-through tea bag with large prices of herbs, red flakes, and small fluffy orange balls. This loose tea is gorgeous! As it was steeping I could really smell the citrus. Ok, maybe I will try the Chamomile.

This tea has lovely citrus notes blended with chamomile flavor. The two flavors are balanced well, so well in fact, that even though Chamomile isn’t my favorite I can honestly admit that I’m enjoying this tea. If you’re a chamomile drinker I imagine that you’ll enjoy this tea very much! With no caffeine, this is a great tea to end a day with. After seeing the quality ingredients in the tea bag I’ll make a point that we review another mighty leaf tea soon!

I couldn’t decide how to rate this because I don’t like chamomile… 3.5? 4? It is a nice tea, high quality, good flavor. In the end I decided 4 because it really is a nice tea. I bet a chamomile-lover may even give it a 5.

Taste: Taste: 4 of 5 leaves – A decent tasty tea.
Steepability: 5 of 5 leaves – this tea is easy to make.

Abby says:

Temperature: @ 212 (boiling)
Steeped: 4 minutes
Served: Nothing added

It’s true, Katie beat me to the punch on this review – how did that happen? She is right though, this tea is so pretty and smells wonderful as it steeps.  I’m also with Katie in that I’m not usually a big chamomile fan either.  Maybe we think more alike than we thought?  But with this blog we wanted to branch out and try new teas to ever expand our love of tea!

After downing my first cup, pretty quickly actually, I have to say that I really like this tea.  I found that the bright citrus toned down the chamomile flavors to an enjoyable and approachable mixing point.  And although I described the citrus as “bright” which I found it to be, the tea is very calming.  So the chamomile is still doing what it’s known best for – I’m already feeling more relaxed about this review :)

For chamomile lovers and for those who aren’t so sure about the distinctly flavored tea, this Mighty Leaf version is a good compromise.  That bold flavor is there, but is tamed by the citrus notes.  If you are curious about trying new teas, like Katie and I are, this is a good jumping-off point for you adventures in chamomile.

Taste: Taste: 4 of 5 leaves – A decent tasty tea.
Steepability: 5 of 5 leaves – this tea is easy to make.

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Review: Deckan Tea Craigmore English Breakfast

Posted on May 1, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Deckan Tea was kind enough to send us samples of this tea to review.* Thank you!

Overall Rating

Taste: 4 of 5 tea leaves – quite a good cuppa!
Steepability: 4.5 of 5 tea leaves — this tea requires very little effort.

Abby says:

Temperature: @212 (boiling)
Steeped: 3 minutes for the first cup, as recommended then 5 minutes for the second cup
Served: Nothing added

On a busy day with lots to check off the “To Do” list a little boost from a flavorful black tea is just what I need. The Craigmore English Breakfast tea from Deckan Tea is that classic blend that helps you get moving! I found it to be rich in flavor, yet smooth and easy to drink. Commonly, milk and a touch of sweetener is added to this famous blend, but I tend to have my tea with nothing added. I know, boring, right? In this case, that taste was spot on and I didn’t feel the need to add anything.

Everyone takes their tea differently, so go ahead and play with your tea until you find the combination you like! For example, the first time I tried this tea I followed the instructions and steeped it for 3 minutes. It was good and tasty, but didn’t quite have the punch I was looking for. So, I the next time around I steeped it for 5 minutes and it was just right! Give this one a try if you like those classic big flavors of black tea.

Taste: 4 of 5 tea leaves – quite a good cuppa!
Steepability: 4 of 5 tea leaves — this tea requires very little effort.

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Katie says:

Temperature: @212 (boiling)
Steeped: 5 minutes
Served: tried with just milk first then with milk & sugar

One thing that makes Abby & me very happy is a note in our inbox about a new tea to try. So, when Deckan Tea asked if we’d like to try their English Breakfast tea we were thrilled! Upon opening the bag I found nice-sized leaves (see my photo above). In my experience the more tea looks like leaves, and not the “dust” you find in cheap tea bags, the better it tastes.

This is an interesting tea and I enjoyed it very much. The tea is milder in flavor, but has a very nice classic English Breakfast taste. I did take Abby’s recommendation on a longer stepping time and found that to be just right. Isn’t it nice for me that she always tries teas first? ;)

This is a delicious choice for a mild black tea. However, don’t be fooled about the mild flavor. I found that this tea will hold up to a second steep! Although the 2nd time around I recommend just leaving the tea in the cup. It doesn’t turn bitter so it’s perfect for me to leave steeping at work while I run around getting things done. No need to time the 2nd steep — easy! And easy is good.

Taste: 4 of 5 tea leaves – quite a good cuppa!
Steepability: 5 of 5 tea leaves — this tea is easy to make!

*Please note that we are just as critical of free teas as the ones we purchase. If we get a sample that we don’t like we won’t include it on our blog.

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Review: Republic of Tea Coconut Cocoa

Posted on April 25, 2012 by | 2 Comments

Overall Rating

Taste: 4.5 of 5 tea leaves – quite a good cuppa!
Steepability: 5 of 5 tea leaves – this tea is easy to make!:

Abby says:

Temperature: @212 (boiling)
Steeped: 3 minutes
Served: Nothing added

Over the weekend Katie’s mom gave us this tea to sample – thank you Katie’s mom!

As it was steeping the heavenly sent of cocoa and sweet coconut drifted into the air – yum! The subtly sweet coconut and cocoa taste match the aroma to a tee. The flavor isn’t just sweet though, it has more complexity to it. I find there is a hearty undertone that balances the sweet. To me, the savory side has a rye bread aspect to it, but in good way. That may sound wierd, but it really is good. Teas that are just sweet loose my interest after a few sips, but this one is has more to it. There is a satisfying quality that I just love. After one cup I have already decided that I must, must have this tea in my cupboard.

Anyone can enjoy this coconut and cocoa herbal blend and because of the low level of caffeine it can be had any time of day! Probably best for people who like a little sweetness – it is a great dessert tea for any time of day. If you give it a try, you wont be disappointed. I’ve already put it on my shopping list!

Taste: 4.5 of 5 tea leaves – quite a good cuppa!
Steepability: 5 of 5 tea leaves – this tea is easy to make!

Katie says:

Temperature: @212 (boiling)
Steeped: left the tea bag in the cup
Served: milk & agave nectar

Yum. This tea with milk & a bit of sweet is like a light version of cocoa. It’s perfect for my fuzzy medicine head. I have a sinus infection…boo! So, in light of that I’ll keep this review short & sweet like this tea. The coconut flavor is very unique so this is a great tea to bring out and share with others because most people won’t have had anything like it before. Like Abby said, thanks mom for sharing it with us! :)

Taste: 4.5 of 5 tea leaves – quite a good cuppa!
Steepability: 5 of 5 tea leaves – this tea is easy to make!

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Review: Stash Red Strawberry Pomegranate tea

Posted on April 17, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Overall rating:

Taste: 4 of 5 leaves —  Quite a good cuppa!
Steepability: 5 of 5 leaves — This tea is easy to make!

Katie says:

Temperature: Steeped at below boiling
Steeped: 5 minutes
Served: Nothing added

When I smell red tea I get a very sweet scent. To be honest, sometimes I find it to almost be too sweet. On it’s own, red tea really isn’t something that I gravitate toward. I first reviewed a flavored red tea when Stash Tea sent us a sample of Red Chai. Abby was worried about me not liking  it,  but it turned out that I loved it! In fact I now choose red chai tea over decaf black chai if I’m in the mood for that taste without the caffeine.  Then funny thing is I’ve come to really enjoy flavored red teas but on it’s own it’s still not my favorite.

Right, I know, on to THIS tea. Well, when I smelled it I wasn’t sure. Again, red teas and fruit teas aren’t my favorite. I took the first sip…and YUM! I really like it! The sweetness of the red tea really brings out the strawberry flavor! This tea is sweet, but not overly so, without any added sugar or sweetener. Abby gave me some of hers to try, but I like enough that I might even buy a box.

Taste: 4 of 5 leaves —  Quite a good cuppa!
Steepability: 5 of 5 leaves — This tea is easy to make!

Abby says:

Temperature: @212  (boiling point)
Steeped: 5 minutes
Served: Nothing added at first then a dab of honey

Unlike Katie, I have always had a thing for red tea.  It has stand-out flavor and no caffeine, so in my opinion, what’s not to love?  For this tea Stash has combined the flavorful red tea with strawberry and pomegranate to create a decidedly springy blend.  As the weather warms up and the tree are showing their little green buds this blend goes perfectly with the season.  The rooibos really bring out the lovely light strawberry flavor for a flirty sweet tea.  The slight tartness of the pomegranate is there as well, preventing it from being overly sweet.  The balance of sweet and tart is just right.  I would recommend it to anyone really.  It would work well for traditional tea drinkers and fruity tea lovers because it is such a nice blend of the roobios and fruit flavors.

Taste: 4 of 5 leaves —  Quite a good cuppa!
Steepability: 5 of 5 leaves — This tea is easy to make!

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Review: Tea Forte Ginger Lemongrass

Posted on March 7, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Overall Rating:

Taste: 5 of 5 leaves: Outstanding! A MUST try
Steepability: 4 of 5 — this tea requires very little effort.

Abby says:

Temperature: @212 (boiling point)
Steeped: 4 minutes
Served: Nothing added

To start off, I love the way this tea is described on the sachet – smooth on the palate with a spicy afterglow. How fun is that! So fun, and accurate, I would say. This is a great tasting tea and it is fun to make in my super-cute Tea Forte mug! (see photos below) Mild to start with a sweet and spicy aftertaste that lingers. Neither the ginger of lemongrass overpower one another and blend well with the licorice root, lemon and spearmint for a satisfying cup. Another thing to love about this tea is the USDA organic certification!

Anyone seeking a bold flavored herbal tea with a unique taste should try this one. Because this is a caffeine free herbal tea, there are no worries about when and how much of it you drink! Hooray for that too!

Taste: 5 of 5 leaves: Outstanding! A MUST try
Steepability: 4 of 5 — this tea requires very little effort.

Katie says:

Temperature: @212 (boiling point)
Steeped: 4 minutes
Served: Nothing added

What a tasty tea! I love the blend of lemongrass and ginger. As some of you know I love sweets. The ginger in this tea adds a little hint of sweet without any honey or sugar. While I typically try a sip unsweetened I often add a bit of honey to my cuppa. Not in this case! The tea doesn’t have a sugary taste, but it has a very well balanced hint of sweet so I decided to not mess with a good thing and drank it just as it was blended without adding anything. Abby gave me some of this tea to try but I will have to go out an buy some of my own ASAP!

I also love how this tea is portioned out. With loose tea I sometimes wonder how much tea they really intend that I use. This seemed like a lot of tea in the packet just for one cup, but it worked out perfectly. If you haven’t yet, you should give the ‘single steeps‘ a try.

Taste: 5 of 5 leaves: Outstanding! A MUST try
Steepability: 4 of 5 — this tea requires very little effort.

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