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#TeaTuesday Variety- Spice Of Life

July 18, 2017 — 1 Comment

White Strawberry Tea

Not so long ago I was very limited in the teas I consumed. I was a big fan of herbal, and fruit tea but had no love for green, white, or black teas. I had tried some but probably was brewing them incorrectly for maximum results. I probably became intrigued to expand my tea selection by tasting the samples that came with my regular Adagio orders. Reaching beyond my previous boundaries turned out to be a very good idea. Now I am into almost every variety and flavor. There is a place and time for each tea. They offer different benefits as well as flavors. If you want to expand your appreciation of tea, here are the kinds of tea made from the leaves of the Camellia Sinensis plant:

Black tea includes the common English Breakfast, Earl Grey, and Dragon Pearls. Brew according to directions to avoid any bitter aftertaste.
Oolong tea is available in a range of flavors due to a roasting process that brings out flavors in the product. By choosing a method of roasting that will take between 12 and 36 hours, the processor can create anything from green to floral to dark notes. Formosa, Ti Kuan Yin, Wuyi are Oolong teas
Chai is a blend of tea and spices very popular in India. It is commonly served with milk. The tea can be of any variety and the spices are blended to taste. I love the honey bush and rooibos chais without caffeine.
Pu-Erh tea is fermented then dried for a full bodied taste with no astringent aftertaste. This tea is smooth and nutty, available in several different flavors. It can be purchased in pearls, which look really beautiful when the unfold in your cup.
Green tea’s superior antioxidant health benefits are a result of the processing of the leaves. Gunpowder is one of the most well known green teas. My favorite greens are the fruit flavored ones, which I enjoy over ice.
White tea is the least processed of all the teas. Silver Needle and White Peony are well known examples of this delicate beverage that contains even more antioxidants than green tea. All the white teas make me very happy, especially in the summer. The light, refreshing taste is perfect for hot days. I am crazy for the White Strawberry and White Eternal Spring blends.

The herbal blends, rooibos, honey bush and fruit tisanes make up a group of caffeine free beverages I enjoy liberally. However, I am very pleased to have made the acquaintance of all of the teas on this list because it expands my possible choices. Life is discovery, and tea makes an excellent vehicle to learn more about the places tea is grown and the cultures created around this important beverage. Adagio offers sampler packs, which helped me find new excitement. I have also been very happy to buy some of the other customers’ signature blends. This is an option I have not used yet myself. It is yet another way to taste and share tea. If you like the way your custom blend tastes, you can ship it to your friends with your name and label on it as a gift. I hope you will explore the world of tea with me. It is a satisfying journey.

Tea Tuesday, Black Passionfruit

May 23, 2017 — 2 Comments

black passionfruit sun tea

Summer is hitting Arizona this week with temperatures over 100 every day. We need to seek shade and stay hydrated. There are many pleasant ways to accomplish these goals. The one advantage of the strong hot sun is our ability to brew a jar of sun tea in a relatively short time. I brewed a gallon of this delightful passionfruit black Ceylon tea with natural fruit this morning in my back yard. The fruit flavor is not overpowering like some flavored teas can be. It is present more as an aftertaste that lingers on the taste buds. The tea has a tropical style. It is high in caffeine, so I ice it liberally in the glass to tone it down a bit. I still get a mild buzz from a couple of glasses. Some black teas disagree with my digestive system, but this one goes down very well all day. It makes a perfect substitute for hot coffee in the morning on a hot day.

The taste is strong enough to pair with grilled foods or spicy dips and finger foods. Since Tuesday is time for tacos in many places, a big pitcher of this iced tea pairs well with the food, and compliments family style or buffet meal service. At our house we go through about a gallon of tea every day between two people. We guzzle it at home and Bob takes a big thermos with him to work. I put the tea jar out in the sun every morning unless it is pouring rain. The cost for a glass of this exquisite tea is about 10 cents. The tea is easy to store and light to ship. All we add is the water. We like it much better than bottled drinks, and we must save a lot of money by brewing our own in the yard.

We enjoy switching the kind of tea we drink each day to keep things exciting. I like shopping at Adagio because the variety is great, and expands all the time. All the products are all of high quality and very good value. I have a bigger collection of teas than most people ( maybe 30 bags on hand now), but it is one of our basic pleasures. Tea is our thirst quenching flavor companion all year, but in the summer we consume more as the temperature rises. I raise a glass of iced tea to you, gentle reader. Cheers!